I took a Sunday drive to Norfolk's premier art gallery, the Chrysler Museum of Art. It's a nice building and a pretty good collection. As normal, I'll go through what caught my eye/attention. If I link elsewhere it's because it's likely a better source document.
- Chauncey Bradley Ives, Undine Rising from the Fountain, ca 1880-82, marble. Very impressive fabric effects with marble.
- Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (or Guercino, the 'squinter'), Samson Bringing Honey to His Parents, ca 1625-26, Oil on canvas. Interesting picture...not how I would picture Samson, but that's cool for a couple of reasons. First, artistic license lets the artist make Samson look anyway he/she wants, and second, God often uses those we'd least expect...Paul, fishermen, tax collectors, David, and possibly even Samson. We imagine a strong Samson because he was strong. But the correlation is almost to physical properties...because that's what we know. Also, it's a cool ending to the honey from the lion.
- Nancy Camden Witt, Sarai and Hagar, 1981, oil on canvas. These were a cool interpretation of the Biblical story of the two women.
God's Judgement Upon Gog, Asher B Durand, 1851-52, Oil on canvas
I liked the sky, the contrast and the lighting bolts. Reminded me of the beauty
of God's creation and the mighty power of nature.
~~~~~
Always great to see a Winslow Homer. His work is a good reminder for me to go bold. My work is usually better when I go bold (good contrast, strong lines, not 'dainty' with the brushes).
~~~~~
Gustave Doré, The Neophyte, 1866-68, oil on canvas
Great painting with incredible faces and emotions. I don't particularly agree with
the placard, but that's the fun about interpreting art.
~~~~~
Hugues Merle, The Lunatic of Etretat, 1871, oil on canvas
Great painting. Aside from the incredible emotion, make sure to take a good look at the 'baby'.
~~~~~
Sir Joseph Noel Paton, Home, 1855-56, oil on canvas
Landscapes and people are hit and miss for me. They either grab me or they don't, and I imagine it's that way for most people. This painting, for example, does little for me. I took the picture because of the skill. The faces and his beard are stupendous. Note: it is not the full picture.
~~~~~
Thomas Hill, Early Morning, Yosemite Valley, 1884, Oil on canvas
Again, landscapes are hit or miss. This one is a little of both for me. I love mean mountains and take mental notes almost every time I see some painted. Taking note of the techniques, colors and shapes. They're fun because they can be any shape you desire. Almost goes the same for the colors. Thomas Hill is a landscape wizard and has done some fantastic glacier scenes.
~~~~~
Gian Lorenzo Bernini (attributed to), Bust of the Savior, ca 1679, Marble
They're not 100% sure Bernini did it or if it was his workshop. Regardless, it's Bernini, and he's pretty awesome. By the way, his David is the only 'action shot' in the five sculptures in the Surprise of David (an earlier post).
~~~~~
Bernardo Cavallino (follower of), The Marriage of Tobias, oil on canvas
Loved the light and contrast...very Caravaggio-ish.
~~~~~
Nicolas Regniér, Saint Sebastian, ca 1620, Oil on canvas
This is a favorite of mine and it was great to see it. Now when I say a favorite of mine, I mean the painting itself and this version of Sebastian. There are several, and Peter Paul Rubens' might be more recognized or 'famous'. And even this one was next to Anthony van Dyck's version. But when I think of the arrows piercing the saint, this is what I imagine. The peace and softness even in death...knowing the temporary pain will be over soon.
~~~~~
Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione (Grechetto), Moses Striking the Rock, after 1650, oil on canvas
Grechetto, by the way, is a wine grape. This painting doesn't grab my art eye...I took the picture for a couple of other reasons. The story of the water from the rock is classic. God loved Moses so much and Moses was awesome, but he hit the rock with his staff vice holding his staff over it. And so he would only see the Promised Land...not enter it. Personally, I think that is a classic God move. Yes, He could've let Moses enter, but by seeing it only, he doesn't have to deal with all the pending admin and grumbling. More so, Moses new was going to a place way better than milk and honey. The second reason I took this picture is because of the rays of light (or halo or what sometimes looks like horns in other work) emitting from Moses' head. Just like those in my favorite statue of Moses.
~~~~~
There was an exhibit of Giovanni Battista Piranesi's etchings. In particular those comprising the series Carceri (Carceri d'invenzione or 'Imaginary Prisons'). They were dark, a bit scary, had cool stone work and were certainly full of imagination. It was a good display.
~~~~~
Jackson Pollock, Number 23, 1951, 1951, enamel on canvas
Always interesting to see a Pollock...and this one is a bit off the norm (see the placard).
~~~~~
Georgia O'Keeffe, Black Door with Red, 1954, oil on canvas
I'm not particularly a fan of O'Keeffe, but this I like. If you don't know,
this is definitely an atypical painting of hers.
~~~~~
Paul Fritz, Passage 102, 1975, wood and canvas
You won't find much on the Web about Paul Fritz. However, you've probably seen this style of painting before. Personally, I like this painting and this style. I know many people don't which is, of course, a matter of taste. Work like this is often critiqued with 'anyone could do that', and there in lies my favorite part. Anyone could do it, but Paul Fritz actually did.
~~~~~
Roy Lichtenstein, Live Ammo (Ha! Ha! Ha!), 1962, Oil on canvas
Lichtenstein was a world-renown pop artist which immediately recognizable work.
It's always good to see an original...and this one is an airplane, to boot!
~~~~~
Georges Rouault, Head of Christ, 1905, oil on paper
Rouault most certainly has a distinct way of painting - especially people. This bust of Christ
is in his classic style. Often, his style is associated with Fauvism and / or Expressionism.
~~~~~
After the museum, I took a little walk downtown - which was nice. This was a cool (Epworth United Methodist Church) church dating back from 1896 (or at least it's been the location of the church since then). I liked the stonework and look up shots sometimes turn out well. This shot is average. I need to remember to bring my bicycle on trips like these. Makes getting around town so much easier and faster. The Chrysler Museum is definitely worth visiting and they have a great site to search their collection: Chrysler Collection.
- mm -
No comments:
Post a Comment