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Post by Séamus on Apr 6, 2019 8:57:51 GMT
Vale: Dan Robbins@93
I hadn't heard of him either.
But apparently he was sole inventor of paint-by-numbers in the 1940s. I was surprised to learn that there WAS an actual inventor or an initial specialist company (CraftMaster®). Sales apparently peaked at 20,000,000 in the 50s, showing how people in the post-war era still did much of their recreation at home.
Is it really art? Of course not according to Robbins himself, but he still claimed inspiration from Renaissance frescos, the system being similar to what the DaVincis and Michelangelos actually did, the pieces being painted mostly by others, hurriedly,in the case of a fresco, before the plaster dried.
Looking at some art today we could perhaps wonder who we are to judge?
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Post by Séamus on Jul 21, 2019 7:13:09 GMT
The feast of St Mary Magdalene tomorrow on the 500th anniversary year of Leonardo da Vinci's death. It's an odd thing that the two became synonymous due to anti-Christian theorising,now worn out beyond interest,yet the popularity of both has survived the nonsense that brought them to the forefront. Da Vinci for his part had relatively little interest in Magdalene as a muse,St Anne seems more prominent in his work. A travel writer's account of Florence,printed yesterday, remarked of Mona Lisa "Lisa Gherardini,wife of a Florentine merchant. And the reason for her enigmatic smile ? 'we know she was not very happy,'says (local tour guide) Francesca,offering up an explanation I hadn't heard before. 'Leonardo hired jugglers and entertainers to make her smile.'"
I suppose that,after the Virgin,Mary Magdalene would be a contender of the most depicted woman of all time,whether historically existing (Cecilia might compete also or Hatshepsut in ancient times) or even allegorical ( think Niamh Parson's 'like Venus or Diana in search of her swain')
One image ,on a 2019 calendar page,struck me this year. I hadn't come across Antonio Veneziano before,there's evidently two famous men of the same name,a later poet and an early Renaissance artist,whose blonde Mary is dressed in vivid red. It's her right hand I'm struck by,holding her obligatory anointing perfume,it seems almost three-dimensional. Like all the handheld spikenard bottles painted through the centuries,only more so,it brings to mind the unnoticed dignity that can be found in the daily-seen things of life.
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Post by Séamus on Jul 31, 2019 12:33:22 GMT
I've just read an article about THE BLUE BOY painting by Thomas Gainsborough, written to highlight a book published in Britain this month and a recent £4.5 million grant from one of England's lotteries to turn Gainsborough's birthplace (1727) into a museum. It was once the world's most expensive painting,which shows how the popularity of certain artists ebbs and flows through the ages. I've no idea what the modern equivalent of early 1900s $728,000 US would amount to,but I'd imagine the posing boy,apparently a salesman's son dressed up in royal finery,could give most of Vogue's covergirls a run for their value. Antoine Watteau,a slightly earlier artist, painted a similarly intriguing costumed boy before Thomas' birth in GILLES,who seems to have more of a story attached to him in the form of some strange-looking background characters and an (hard to identify) animal. In the prints and commentaries I've seen it's the realistic material in both paintings' costumes that 'steals' the images. Of the record-breaking sale,arranged by a Lord Duveen to an American millionaire,the columnist remarks: "(Duveen) grasped at the start of the 20th Century that Europe had plenty of art but was failing economically,while the US had loads of money but no culture,Duveen made his fortune buying paintings from fading European aristocrats and selling them to US tycoons such as Hearst,Morgan and Rockefeller. When the supply of old masters from crumbling castles in Germany and Italy dried up he created a new market,telling his clients that 18th Century English painters were now the bees' knees"
A century ago. I don't know whether this is a worry or a relief to
Europe-doomsdayers?
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Post by Maolsheachlann on Jul 31, 2019 13:14:38 GMT
I've just read an article about THE BLUE BOY painting by Thomas Gainsborough, written to highlight a book published in Britain this month and a recent £4.5 million grant from one of England's lotteries to turn Gainsborough's birthplace (1727) into a museum. It was once the world's most expensive painting,which shows how the popularity of certain artists ebbs and flows through the ages. I've no idea what the modern equivalent of early 1900s $728,000 US would amount to,but I'd imagine the posing boy,apparently a salesman's son dressed up in royal finery,could give most of Vogue's covergirls a run for their value. Antoine Watteau,a slightly earlier artist, painted a similarly intriguing costumed boy before Thomas' birth in GILLES,who seems to have more of a story attached to him in the form of some strange-looking background characters and an (hard to identify) animal. In the prints and commentaries I've seen it's the realistic material in both paintings' costumes that 'steals' the images. Of the record-breaking sale,arranged by a Lord Duveen to an American millionaire,the columnist remarks: "(Duveen) grasped at the start of the 20th Century that Europe had plenty of art but was failing economically,while the US had loads of money but no culture,Duveen made his fortune buying paintings from fading European aristocrats and selling them to US tycoons such as Hearst,Morgan and Rockefeller. When the supply of old masters from crumbling castles in Germany and Italy dried up he created a new market,telling his clients that 18th Century English painters were now the bees' knees" A century ago. I don't know whether this is a worry or a relief to Europe-doomsdayers? Hyacinth Bucket, protagonist of the situation comedy Keeping Up Appearances, rhapsodises over it in one episode. I suppose the writers thought it was the sort of artwork which would be admired by a frumpy and intellectually stunted housewife. Of course, Hyacinth is an archetypal snob, so in reality she would probably be praising Damien Hirst or Tracey Emin. |
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Post by Séamus on Aug 1, 2019 8:58:38 GMT
I've just read an article about THE BLUE BOY painting by Thomas Gainsborough, written to highlight a book published in Britain this month and a recent £4.5 million grant from one of England's lotteries to turn Gainsborough's birthplace (1727) into a museum. It was once the world's most expensive painting,which shows how the popularity of certain artists ebbs and flows through the ages. I've no idea what the modern equivalent of early 1900s $728,000 US would amount to,but I'd imagine the posing boy,apparently a salesman's son dressed up in royal finery,could give most of Vogue's covergirls a run for their value. Antoine Watteau,a slightly earlier artist, painted a similarly intriguing costumed boy before Thomas' birth in GILLES,who seems to have more of a story attached to him in the form of some strange-looking background characters and an (hard to identify) animal. In the prints and commentaries I've seen it's the realistic material in both paintings' costumes that 'steals' the images. Of the record-breaking sale,arranged by a Lord Duveen to an American millionaire,the columnist remarks: "(Duveen) grasped at the start of the 20th Century that Europe had plenty of art but was failing economically,while the US had loads of money but no culture,Duveen made his fortune buying paintings from fading European aristocrats and selling them to US tycoons such as Hearst,Morgan and Rockefeller. When the supply of old masters from crumbling castles in Germany and Italy dried up he created a new market,telling his clients that 18th Century English painters were now the bees' knees" A century ago. I don't know whether this is a worry or a relief to Europe-doomsdayers? Hyacinth Bucket, protagonist of the situation comedy Keeping Up Appearances, rhapsodises over it in one episode. I suppose the writers thought it was the sort of artwork which would be admired by a frumpy and intellectually stunted housewife. Of course, Hyacinth is an archetypal snob, so in reality she would probably be praising Damien Hirst or Tracey Emin. As much as Duveen probably inflated the value and Gainsborough seems to have painted, above all,for income (the columnist,who is also the new book's author,mentions how 'splashy' the strokes are close up- a sign that he liked finishing a piece for the next one) it's undoubtedly an excellent artwork and no less worthy of being the world's most costly as many of the others that have superceded it. For many years now,the most expensive painting on Australian soil is a Jackson Pollock. The interest in recent years has been more with the man himself in the form of theatre and,now,an historic fiction novel. I came across a St Patrick image and prayer last night that I hadn't realised I still had,produced by the missionary Society that bears his name...I'm not sure who's familiar with the (undoubtedly specially-comissioned) image whose background seems VanGough inspired. I always can't help seeing Charles deFoucauld in the tanned, Mediterranean-looking face;perhaps since the Kiltegan priests worked mostly in Africa this was a possible intention. The shimmering gold vestments certainly hold more historic accuracy,as prayer cards often put him in green,of historically rare liturgical use. The card itself gives an explanation for the brightly coloured background:"the storm-tossed cornfield and trees,dark mountains and sky depict the turmoil of our times,but Patrick offers faith,strength and compassion" Perhaps Mrs May will get a similar tan at Lake Garda,where I noticed, in today's news, she wears Gucci sunglasses(do we want brexit or do we not want brexit?) |
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Post by Séamus on Aug 8, 2019 12:01:49 GMT
Happy International Cat day,thinking in particular of the depictions on the ancient Egyptian tombs of Prince Thutmose,Seenedjen and Nebamun. The two last mentioned both depict a cat killing a snake,one with a knife and,whether that was a practical side-effect to their sacredness or sybmolic,there's one for Cats With Hands.
Editions of Butler list tomorrow (9th Aug) as the feast of obscure St Emidius,largely known in the English- speaking world through a 1486 Annunciation painting,originally an altarpiece (Carlo Crivelli +1493) Sr Wendy saw a lot in the detail of a young girl peering out through one of the ornate symmetrical buildings,based on Italian town AscoliPiceno, in the image,but I have another book which produces the image in full and,even compared with St Dominic and other saints' anachronistic appearances by Angelico and others,Emidius looks rather interesting with Gabriel,looking like either a paparazzi,forcing a few questions on the Archangel or a friend he's bumped into and having a few words with before they go to their respective jobs,while life around them seems to continue on as usual. Probably not intended to be seen like that at all,but it definately brings to mind Chesterton's reflection on the Brontes' novels,which he pointed out were neither the ballrooms of Austen or the slums of Dickens. Nor did they have to be,as the day-to-day can be as quietly important and adventurous as either.
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Post by Séamus on Aug 19, 2019 7:58:20 GMT
I (inadvertently actually) bought a fundraiser card for England's Tate Gallery today. St Mark's Venice 1896 by Walter Richard Sickert- a peaceful,eye-calming study in green hues,one of several images he made in Venice.
A change,no doubt,for an artist who focused on the figure of Jack the Ripper for some of his art and who possibly fuelled a lot of the speculation of royal involvement
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Post by Séamus on Oct 6, 2019 9:10:44 GMT
Paris has continued it's reputation for avant-garde artwork with a new sculpture to honour the victims of terrorist attacks on French soil. I'm not sure what the tulips signify in this context,perhaps they were the most colourful or joyous thing that came to the artist's mind? And many cities do try to follow the Atomium tradition(a building which was highlighted recently at the death of Ric Ocasek- an iconic Cars photo was taken there) by encouraging more colourful images in their streets,I remember one mayor stating that she was no longer allowing anything bronze in her city (however there is apparently some bronze component in BOUQUET OF TULIPS). It's notable though that tulips are part of the liliaceæ family,which inspired also the fleur-de-lis lily symbol which represented France in more Christian times. Indeed there even exists a 'St Bernard lily',which is an as French name as can be.
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Post by Séamus on Oct 23, 2019 12:09:28 GMT
Bank of England's new £20 pound note will feature Joseph M W Turner (from a self-portrait,a kind one by the standards of some artists) against the backdrop of one his mariner-scenes. Considering that the new issues have so far included an authoress and a politician,it's not extraordinary that the artist-box gets ticked,but funny that it's "the most forged" of Britain's notes. "In the first half of this year,88% of forgeries were £20 notes" (cf international express)
Not sure if Turner has been forged or copied often,but it's reminiscent,in a roundabout way, of the original 1960s Australian $10 note featuring on one side Mr Francis Greenway (colonial architect) who was originally transported as a convict for forgery of a financial document.
More interesting than paying bills on a screen
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Post by cato on Oct 28, 2019 9:27:23 GMT
Bank of England's new £20 pound note will feature Joseph M W Turner (from a self-portrait,a kind one by the standards of some artists) against the backdrop of one his mariner-scenes. Considering that the new issues have so far included an authoress and a politician,it's not extraordinary that the artist-box gets ticked,but funny that it's "the most forged" of Britain's notes. "In the first half of this year,88% of forgeries were £20 notes" (cf international express) Not sure if Turner has been forged or copied often,but it's reminiscent,in a roundabout way, of the original 1960s Australian $10 note featuring on one side Mr Francis Greenway (colonial architect) who was originally transported as a convict for forgery of a financial document. More interesting than paying bills on a screen The new note has all sorts of new security devices to twart forgers including two see through plastic boxes. Apparently this is very difficult to replicate . One of the reasons I dislike the Euro is the complete uniformity and the bland architecture which does not represent any actual European buildings lest that would cause an outbreak of immediate war between France and Germany. If the bank of England can permit Scottish and Northern Ireland bank notes to circulate as legal tender I fail to see why individual European states can't have individualized Euro notes but then I forgot EU good , nation states bad. |
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Post by Séamus on Nov 25, 2019 11:57:05 GMT
Today's feast of Catherine of Alexandria often reminds me of a friend's slightly deformed finger.
Honestly.
Michaelangelo Caravaggio's fresh faced model for the saint, who seems to have sat for several subjects,definately Mary Magdalene at one stage,is believed to have had a similar digit on her left hand. Looking at the image I'd almost think myself that the digits on her right hand have unnatural poses also. Caravaggio is known for painting exactly what he saw.
My friend tends to hold a little bitterness toward parents,due to exposed electrical wires that he claims caused his misfortune while quite young. I'm assuming this is the true and definitive tale of events,there are several versions,including one in which fishing wire wrapped around the finger as he battled an enormous sailfish.
There was a film many years ago about a young lady who was feeling only anger at finding herself disabled,once drawing a symbolic image of herself for a counsellor - a cracked vase. Eventually befriending a young man who had lost a leg,she was able to eventually draw a new picture,sunrays leaking through the cracked vase,emphasising that this was where the light came through. Good to remember,I'm sure Lombardy had plenty of beautiful women with perfect hands.
Art has been in the news this weekend,Cambridge removing Flemish painting Fowl Market from a dining hall after protests from vegan students. I'm not sure that the scene with it's dead animals here,there and everywhere is conductive to a good appetite but,if anything, shouldn't it have disturbed those that actually ate poultry?
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Post by Séamus on Mar 11, 2020 8:17:42 GMT
A St Patrick's Day card I received from a cousin this week featured on it's AnPost stamp King William's gauntlets- a little symbol of how apolitical arts and crafts can be,just as an English commentator was complaining: "the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art is mounting a multi-gallery exhibition to underline the 'exploitative' nature of the long-departed British Empire on the grounds it profited from slavery. Of all people,the Yankees have no room to talk. They abolished slavery fifty years after us and took a vicious civil war to do it. Moreover after we had done it we sent the Royal Navy into the Middle Passage to intercept foreign slave ships,board them and free the slaves,thus risking war. That was how Sierra Leone was founded."
I actually couldn't see the exhibition on MOMA's site,although I'd doubt whether an English journalist would have been catalyst for shutting it.
The first realistic scare of a spread of the much-maligned coronavirus in Perth has come through a positive-testing 70s-lady who attended an orchestral event for the Beethoven anniversary shortly after arriving home from an overseas trip(obviously not from one of the original countries they thought necessary to quarantine from). Perhaps a good analogy for all the arts in today's world...often hijacked,politically or otherwise,from within.
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Post by Séamus on Mar 31, 2020 12:19:35 GMT
"She was like an angel and everyone remembers her seraphic expression,that saintly appearance,that most sacred of visions,as she walked steadily forward and then returned radiantly to her pew"
So writes a romantic religious,speaking of her foundress Mother Cabrini,now honoured by at least one American state with a bank holiday. Artistic flare could take any number of forms. I only heard yesterday of the death of one of the Astrix creators and illustrators in France last week. Another childhood memory that has passed an era.
Rather than preventing a heist,the recent closure of Dutch gallerys has led to the robbery of a VanGough,and one that reminds of Christian culture,even after the Enlightenment Century. In these times it might remind us of a reciprocal art/religious-devotion influence: Christians that follow traditional rituums and the like will note that Sebastian is a patron against plague- largely through iconography alone,as the arrow wounds,miraculously cured according to some versions by a mysterious St Irene, resembled medieval-plague sores. Like St Catherine's wheel,to some extent- a patronage through art.
St Erasmus/Elmo,possibly going from patron of sailors to being killed with a windlass due to iconography,being the classic example. So unknown now that I'd imagine,like my 12year-old self having to learn it in school,having been unfamiliar with either film or soundtrack,singing St Elmo's Fire might be the only exposure to him or to the term- and who's to say St Erasmus doesn't play a part in nautical lights of whatever sort? Interesting that he wasn't entirely unknown to old Irish martyrologies either.
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Post by Séamus on Jun 16, 2020 2:14:43 GMT
Looking through a coffee-table book of artworks of,or inspired by, Napoleon yesterday it's hard not to notice the chasm between the man as portrayed in his most famous image Crossing the Alps by JacquesLouis David and a more impressionist style by JL Gérôme- Napoleon and his General Staff in Egypt- where his tiny stature shrinks further on camelback,almost making him look pathetic. According to Tolstoy the man's appearance was vastly inferior to the legend, written as fiction of course, but living within a time that could coincide with the lives of eyewitnesses.
Last Sunday,Mother's Day in Luxembourg,the nation's Grandduchal dynasty released family photos that could only be noted for their ordinary-ness...
The discrepancy of legend and reality is a huge issue no doubt as sculpture topples around the world and a fortune in government resources is spent protecting others. A lot of people will remark that most bronzes of this sort usually fall short of masterpiece status,but at least one art gallery director published an editorial today with an opinion or two: "... Although the Taliban destroyed the Bamiyan Buddhas they are more in the world's consciousness than before the act of destruction. Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis is not absent from our bookshelves and our imagination because of the destruction of hundreds of copies in the nazi bonfires of March 1933. Will we forget about Captain James Cook, Cecil Rhodes and Governor James Stirling if their sculptures are removed or will their destruction give them greater publicity? ... Keeping faith with our past is recognising and acknowledging what transpired. Erasure,whether by defacement, destruction or removal does not adequately fulfill that responsibility,and this work must progress in tandem with commissioning new public artworks that celebrate those individuals who have been overlooked or marginalised.."(cf professor Ted Snell)
Somewhere between "when Nelson heard about it, he shouted to Parnell,'how long will I be left here, Charlie can you tell'" and putting a Shaka statue creeping up behind Oxford's Cecil image,with spear in hand.
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Post by Séamus on Jul 15, 2020 11:52:41 GMT
Another surprise we receive this year is the announcement by British Airways that £1.4 of art from it's corporate buildings will be sold to help ends meet. I wasn't familiar with Bridget Riley at all,the abstract consisting of coloured lines in BA's possession seems typical of Riley's works- a quick look into the matter left me a bit puzzled- some of Bridget's lines go for a few thousand sterling,others have been sold for close to a million pounds. Does it depend on the colour of the stripes? Who decides? Almost reminds me of the Emerald City Sequence in The Wiz play....
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