Your Favorite Artists/Artworks?

[ftil]

Could you please provide the references based on which you have made your opinion. Very interesting indeed but very different from what I have been studying.

Outside of my use of the word "weakness" in describing our perception of Roman art based largely on second-rate copies and second/and third-rate originals, I expressed no opinion in the above statement. I think if you did a bit of your own research you would not have to look far to discover comments by critics and art historians concerning the relative poor quality of many Roman sculptural copies vs the originals that have survived. The fact that a great deal of Roman art was destroyed by the Christians who inherited the city is not opinion. Neither is my statement of the early Christian's aversion to the humanism of Roman art or their desire to preserve the memory of their persecutors.

I was asking for the references not for your opinion. You don’t know when and how you may inspire me.

[stlukesguild]

I agree there are some fine examples of Roman painting and certainly architecture that have survived. I quite admire the Pompeii Dionysian Cult frescoes... and you can easily see why artists such as Matisse were struck by the large, graphic fields of red:





My focus at present, however, is upon portraiture.

Certainly, I agree that one cannot blame the early Christians or the Catholic Church for the whole of the losses suffered by Roman art. I wouldn't even begin to suggest such.

I agree that the Cherub and satyr under a Fountain is a puzzling piece. The manner in which the figures turn in space (especially the Satyr) suggests Late Renaissance (Post-Michelangelo) or Mannerist... if not Baroque. I'd lean toward Mannerist Baroque due to the odd pose of the covered face and the obvious anatomical mastery... yet the work suggests something Roman. Perhaps a reconstruction from an original that was highly fragmentary? The face of the child is blandly idealized (Pseudo-Roman/Greek... or just the work of a duffer?) while the face of the Satyr... from what we can see... appears far more animated and naturalistic. No info on either TinEye or a Google Image Search. Let me know if you find anything further.

Shrinking the images is easy... I simply upload whatever images I plan on using to Photobucket which then allows me to copy and paste the code for a clickable thumbnail or a full size image. In the past it seemed Photobucket was populated by little old ladies from the church' Sunday School auxiliary and the most innocuous nudes (Blake, Degas, etc...) were reported and deleted. lately they seem a bit more liberal with art... although if I have my doubts, I use Flickr, which is a bit more difficult. With Flickr I must copy the code for a thumbnail sized reproduction then paste that to the "Insert Image" feature. Then I must highlight that on the LitNet page, copy the code for the full-sized image from Flickr and attach that to the "Enter URL of Link" feature wrapping around the previous code. Its a bit of a pain in the butt, and so I primarily use Photobucket. Now if everyone on LitNet would get up to speed with a high-speed connection we wouldn't have complaints about images slowing down the load times.

[ftil]

Now if everyone on LitNet would get up to speed with a high-speed connection we wouldn't have complaints about images slowing down the load times.

Was it a reason to change to small images? Every forum I have had visited didn’t have that problem and fully enjoyed the original sizes of the paintings. On another forum, I have only heard one person who complained that I posted too many images and he had problems to down load. Interestingly enough, I posted much more images on art thread……without complaints. He was disturbed by mythology and religion in art. I am still wondering why.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

...how wonderful are the Portland Vase and the murals at Pompeii? Roman painting and glassware get even shorter shrift than the sculpture, but as you say it is a shame so little has survived...

...Well, I've had this photo of a cherub and a satyr playing under a fountain for years which I've never been able to identify. I found it in the Julio Claudian art group on flickr. The pic only mentioned that it was taken in Rome, and part of me wonders if it's actually ancient Roman at all or if that style is more baroque. Thought I'd run it by you and get your opinion on it....

As for Pompeii, fortunately many of the murals, sculptures and mosaics are now preserved at the archaeological museum in Napoli
http://cir.campania.beniculturali.it...t_language=it/.
As you walk through the ruins of Pompeii, you will see a few fragments of murals, and mosaics left in place.

I spent a little time searching your mystery piece after work, but no luck. I searched under baptismal and holy water fonts along with a few interior images of churches around Rome.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

...I spent a little time searching your mystery piece after work, but no luck. I searched under baptismal and holy water fonts along with a few interior images of churches around Rome.

Mortal,
I followed my Holy water hunch and found this much: It is located at "St. Paul Outside the Walls" - the Papal Basillica in Rome.
I searched "Holywater font cherub and devil" and found this link:

http://willyorwonthe.blogspot.com/20...1_archive.html

Scroll down and you will see quite a few shots of the sculpture, but still no author of the piece.

[stlukesguild]

Portraits:

Continuing on my perusal of favorite portraits I find a real lull of nearly 1000 years during the Middle Ages. The lack of great portraiture is not due to a lack of artistic genius. The concept of the "dark ages" is belied by the visual splendour of the art:















In spite of the remarkable craftsmanship and artistic originality exhibited throughout the Middle Ages, there were several reasons for the dearth of portraiture. In the thinking of the period, humanity was divided into "three estates." The "First Estate" was made up of the Church or the Clergy. The "Second Estate" was that of the Nobility. The "Third Estate"... everyone else... consisted of the peasants. Only those high-ranking Clergy or Nobility would have had the financial ability to act as patrons of art... and only they would have been deemed "important" enough to be worthy of being commemorated in portraiture. But there was another hurdle to be confronted...

To the Medieval man, the Church and Spirituality were central in all walks of life. The Humanist notion of the value of the human individual and materialism were frowned upon... or at least such was the message conveyed. Even when artists portrayed the human individual, the material reality of the human body... anatomy... was not of central concern. An ability that is not valued and thus not practiced, becomes lost... and thus we find that not long after the fall of the Roman Empire there are few (or no) artists having the mastery of anatomy and rendering or sculpting the human form that we saw among the Romans and Greeks.

Even so... there were some intriguing portraits to be found in the Middle Ages. Among these, I might include:

13. The Mosaic Portraits of Justinian and Theodora and their Retinues:





Justinian was the last Roman Emperor to speak Latin, and one of the most important of the later Emperors. He strove to rebuild Roman and re-establish Roman control over the western Mediterranean. Justinian's ambition to restore the Roman Empire to its former glory was only partly realized. In the West, the brilliant early military successes were followed by years of stagnation. The dragging war with the Goths was a disaster for Italy which eventually fell to the Lombards after Justinian's death. Africa would be forever lost for the empire to the Muslim Caliphates. Historians have suggested that in his efforts to renew the Roman Empire, Justinian dangerously stretched the Empire's resources while failing to take into account the changed realities of 6th-century Europe. Paradoxically, the grand scale of Justinian's military successes probably contributed in part to the Empire's subsequent decline.

Justinian's wife, Theodora, was a famous... or rather infamous figure. Her mother was both an actress and a dancer at a time in which both professions were akin to working in the "sex industry". There are historical suggestions that Theodora followed her sister's example working in a Constantinople brothel serving low-status customers and performing "indecent exhibitions" on stage and providing sexual services off-stage. providing sexual services off stage. In the "sleazy entertainment business in the capital", Theodora earned her living by a combination of her theatrical and sexual skills. In one account, Theodora made a name for herself with her salacious portrayal of Leda and the Swan. Rumors of Theodora's sexual appetites abounded... including suggestions that she would f*** a dozen Roman Centurians into unconsciousness in a single evening... and then turn to the page boys and peasants.

In 522 Theodora reportedly abandoned her former lifestyle. Her beauty, wit and character (and undoubtedly the reputation of her sexual abilities) drew attention from Justinian, who desired to marry her. However, he could not: He was heir of the throne of his uncle, Emperor Justin I, and a Roman law from Constantine's time prevented government officials from marrying actresses. Empress Euphemia, who liked Justinian and ordinarily refused him nothing, was wholly against his obsession with Theodora and so Justinian was only after Euphemia had died and Justin had repealed the law.

Theodora was one of the most powerful women of the Byzantine era... both through her considerable influence over Justinina... and independently. Due in part to the laws which she passed, increasing the rights and status of women, she has been seen as pioneer of feminism.

Justinian and Theodora are famously portrayed in mosaics housed in the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna. The portrait of Justinian portrays the emperor denoted with a grand halo usually reserved for portrayals of Christ. Justinian stands in the middle of the mosaic, with soldiers on his right and clergy on his left, emphasizing that Justinian is the leader of both church and state of his empire. (First and Second Estates). The Mosaic of Theodora shows he posed solemn and formal, with golden halo, crown and jewels, and a train of court ladies. She is almost depicted as a goddess.

14. Portrait of a Byzantine Lady:



Another of the finest portraits of the Byzantine era is surely the Portrait of a Byzantine Lady, carved in ivory, now to be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This delicate, sensitive carving with a highly polished finish (suggesting that it was carved in Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine empire) presents an image of a pensive woman with a compelling gaze. She holds a scroll, the symbol of an educated person. Her long fingers draw attention to the scroll in her hand, indicating her pride in being recognized as among the educated elite in an era that prized learning for both men and women.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

If all goes as planned, we are slated to head over to the Kimbell today to view; Wari - Lords of the Ancient Andes http://wari.kimbellart.org/

If I can motivate the others, we'll then swing by the Amon Carter to see Romare Bearden A Black Odyssey http://www.cartermuseum.org/exhibiti...-black-odyssey.

[stlukesguild]

Did you get to the Kimbell... proof that there is Art south of the Mason-Dixon (albeit in limited amounts)? I had to pass on a day trip to Washington D.C. and the National Gallery on our way back from my daughter's wedding in North Carolina as we were hauling the Mother-in-Law about. Not only would sh not have been able to make the trek physically, she would have undoubtedly turned it into a unique form of torture.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

Did you get to the Kimbell...
...as we were hauling the Mother-in-Law about. Not only would sh not have been able to make the trek physically, she would have undoubtedly turned it into a unique form of torture.

We did and it came with its own ordeal. I have to admit, I saw it coming.
This is wordy, but you can appreciate this, I’m sure you’ve been through similar rings of hell.

You see, the three of us were all on board for the Kimbell Wari exhibit-no problem there. My son is interested in anthropology/ archaeology especially pre Columbian South American cultures. The old lady goes along primarily for the traditional Bloody Mary’s that await us at Lucile’s’ following a Fort Worth excursion. (I have to agree, the Bloody Mary’s are to die for)
Well, I had my own MO by adding a visit to Beardon’s Black Odyssey next door at the Amon Carter Museum. Unbeknownst to them, I strategically parked the car so we would have to pass by Amon Carter on the way back from Kimbell.
The moment of truth came as we neared Phillip Johnson’s shell stone entrance, I mentioned I wanted to run in to see the Beardon exhibit and all hell broke loose with sudden foot fatigue, moans, nagging, “I’m hungry” wah, wah…
Anyhow, I was only able to make a cursory view of Beardon’s exhibit. I’ll see if I can work in a solo visit at some point.

The Wari exhibit was amazing.
Btw the exhibit is organized by and recently exhibited at Cleveland Museum of Art.
A few examples of their pieces:


Image from National Environment for the Humanities website



Image from Kimbell website



Image from Kimbell website



Image from Kimbell website


We do have art down here!
Fort Worth is the place to be south of the MD, with Phillip Johnson’s - Amon Carter, Louis Kahn’s - Kimbell, Tadao Ando’s – Modern and soon to open at the end of this year, Renzo Piano’s expansion of the Kimbell, kept at a respectable distance from Kahn’s masterpiece.

[stlukesguild]

I wouldn't surprised at the participation of the Cleveland Museum of Art in any exhibition of Pre-Columbian Art. First of all... the museum is still in the process of a major renovation and has been loaning works frequently in order to gain the "points" needed to borrow works for temporary exhibitions as a means of maintaining interest in the museum during this long drawn-out process. The CMA is known for its Non-Western collections. One of my art school professors built an internationally renowned collection of Pre-Columbian Art back in the day when no one was interested in such artifacts that were seen as having little more than archaeological/anthropological value. I suspect a good portion of his collection was deeded to the museum.

Of course Texas has art. Art always follows money. The difference between Texas and the other centers of "new wealth" is that they came too late to the game to ever even begin to compete with the great collections of Chicago, Detroit, New York, Washington, Boston etc... with regard to building a real survey of Western Art History. I remember leaving the Frick Collection with an artist friend of mine last year and I asked him how much did he think the collection (a private collection) was worth? He agreed that it might be in the range of $100 Billion... but even if it far less than that, no one living today could amass a collection of equal merit... not even Bill Gates. There simply isn't that much art of such merit available on the market. Today one could certainly build up a solid collection of Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, and Contemporary Art... with a solid body of descent examples of Modernism, Impressionism, and Post-Impressionism... although certainly not the best work of such. But who could pull off a collection in which a couple of major Rembrandts... all light glowing in the shadows...





... could be balanced by a pair of major Turners... where the few darks stand out against the blinding light?





Who could lay their hands on not one... but 3 Vermeers... including one of the finest?



One of the absolute finest paintings by Ingres?



A near matching pair of the Renaissance master, Veronese's allegorical paintings?





A stunning portrait by Velazquez...



... that is perfectly complimented by one of Whistler's finest:



The entire "love nest" of Louis and Madame Pompadour:



And so much more:







I can't imagine being without museums which can boast of a major collection of works from Egypt, "Classical" Greece and Rome, the Persians, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, etc...

On the other hand... I often suspect that there is little real support in many of the Northeaster cities for local artists and contemporary art.

[mortalterror]

I checked out the Kimbell museum online yesterday. I was hoping to find something good from the Pre-Columbian collection but all of their pieces look like junk to me. Even the ones Gilliat posted above remind me of simple children's toys. However, the search was not entirely in vain since I did discover two pieces from Europe and Japan. On the pont de l'europe by Gustave Caillebotte and Courtesan Playing the Samisen by Isoda Koryusai.

Interesting that you should mention Frick. I read an article about his life the other day and apparently he was the devil himself.

[Kyriakos]

Why limit art to only paintings?

I wanted to post some images of ancient Greek statues, such as the Lykeios Apollo (only a roman copy survives, but still it looks great in my view)

As for paintings, i am almost solely interested in expressionism and its various related movements, that is painting where the forms are distorted so as to signify their emotional or symbolic meaning.

Here are some such paintings:

Paul Klee: Dream city



Edvard Munch: Evening in Karl Johan street



Ernst Kirchner: Girl with Cat

[mortalterror]

Hate Klee. Hate Munch.

[Kyriakos]

^So much hate

[stlukesguild]

Glaucoma set in early.