Your Daily Art

Sweet Joy

2008-05-14T22:14:00.004-04:00

William Blake, Infant Joy, From the Songs of Innocence, 1789.

'I have no name;
I am but two days old.'
What shall I call thee?
'I happy am,
Joy is my name.'
Sweet joy befall thee!
Pretty joy!
Sweet joy, but two days old.
Sweet joy I call thee:
Thou dost smile,
I sing the while;
Sweet joy befall thee!

Double Header

2008-05-08T16:11:00.002-04:00

War Helmet, Tlingit, Alaska, 1888-1893, American Museum of Natural History, New York.

Made by a group of Native Americans from the coast of SE Alaska this expressive helmet would no doubt startle their enemies.

Shopping

2008-05-05T21:05:00.002-04:00

Andreas Gursky, 99 Cent,1999, Matthew Marks Gallery

The photograph has been manipulated to enhance the consumer experience, removing shadows, adding a mirror to the ceiling, repeating the images, and removing the shoppers.

There He Is

2008-04-18T07:49:00.001-04:00

Man in a House beneath a Cliff by Shitao, late 17th century, Chinese, Wang Collection, NY.

I love how abstract this is yet, the scene is perfectly straightforward when you stop and look at it.

Can This Marriage Be Saved?

2008-04-14T08:09:00.007-04:00

William Hogarth, The Marriage Contract, from the Marriage a la Mode series,1745, Tate Gallery, London.

The Tate is having an exhibition on Hogarth now through April 29th. Hogarth is known for his satire and was one of the most innovative artists of the 18th century. http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions/hogarth/

More Monsters

2008-04-05T15:36:00.001-04:00

Matthias Grunewald, The Isenheim Alterpiece (detail), c. 1510-15, Musee d'Unterlinden, Colmar, France.

A shrine with two moveable wings, the Isenheim Altarpiece contains some of the most facinating creatures ever portrayed.

Mad Monsters

2008-03-23T18:06:00.001-04:00

Matthias Grunewald, detail, Isenheim Altarpiece, 1510-15

These fantastic monsters are part of oneof the most amazing pieces of art to come out of the 16th century.

Natural Light

2008-03-13T13:41:00.002-04:00

Interior with a Girl at the Clavier by Wilhelm Hammershoi, Private Collection.

Hammershoi's use of crisp clean interiors with natural light recalls the 17th century work of fellow Dutch artist, Johannes Vermeer. Hammershoi's model is his wife Ida whom he painted many times either from the back or in profile.

Salvaged

2008-03-12T14:10:00.001-04:00

Section of a Stencil from the face of the Main Ceiling Trusses of the Trading Room of the Chicago Stock Exchange Building, 1893/94 designed by Adler and Sullivan and executed by Healy and Miller, The Art Institute of Chicago.

The trading room from the Chicago Stock Exchange was dismantled when the building was torn down and reconstructed at The Art Institute of Chicago. The building was torn down in 1972. It was designed by the famous Chicago architecture firm of Adler and Sullivan.

Sunshine Table

2008-03-11T08:41:00.000-04:00

Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh, National Gallery, London.

This painting was done near the end of van Gogh's life. It is full of vibrancy and heavy brush strokes in his dynamic style. There is a museum in Amsterdam devoted only to him as he has become the most famous of the second generation of Impressionist artists.

Change

2008-03-05T10:30:00.000-05:00

Newburyport Marshes: Approaching Storm by Martin Johnson Heade, Terra Foundation for American Art.

Heade's paintings of landscapes, flowers, birds and nature improve upon their subjects by making every detail stand out. The small elements are just as important as the larger ones and give his artwork a remarkable richness.

Rowing Skill

2008-03-04T11:50:00.000-05:00

The Great Wave at Kanagawa (from the series Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji), c.1830-32 by Katsushika Hokusai, The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

One of the most famous members of the Ukiyo-e group of printmakers from the Edo period in Japanese Art. Hokusai's work is popular in his native country and was also popular among the 19th century French Impressionists. It continues to be popular throughout the world today and a museum dedicated to his art is in Obuse, Japan.

Devotion

2008-02-29T09:00:00.001-05:00

Tell Asmar Figures, c.2900 - 2350 BC, from Abu Temple, Mesopotamia.

These sculptures are thought to be part of religious ceremonies and to represent the devotional. Cylindrical figures with large eyes, and long hair and beards for the men, are typical.

Not Only a Girl's Best Friend

2008-02-28T05:43:00.001-05:00

The Cheat with the Ace of Diamonds, c.1647 by Georges de la Tour, Musee du Louvre, Paris.

It does not look like anyone at this table is playing by the rules especially the fellow with the extra cards behind his back. The background is totally dark but the clothing stands out and looks more rich because of it. de la Tour lit most of his paintings with candlelight.

The Beauty of Winter

2008-02-26T13:25:00.000-05:00

La Pie, 1869 by Claude Monet, Musee d'Orsay, Paris.

A wonderful serene snow-covered landscape, named for the Magpie perched on the fence gate.

Enjoying the Country

2008-02-25T09:27:00.000-05:00

Luncheon at the Boating Party, 1880-1881 by Pierre Auguste Renoir, The Phillips Collection.

The young woman holding the dog would eventually become Mme. Renoir and is frequently used by him as a model. Renoir was a very social person and painted scenes of the pastimes he participated in.

Stalling

2008-02-22T08:27:00.001-05:00

The Return of Odysseus (Homage to Pintoricchio and Benin), 1977 by Romare Bearden, The Art Institute of Chicago.

Bearden has re-cast the Greek hero if Homer's epic The Odyssey as an African family as they might have been portrayed in art from the African Kingdom of Benin. He also references frescos by the Italian artist Pintoricchio in the composition (and the title).

"She Turned Me into a Newt"

2008-02-20T08:07:00.001-05:00

The Penance of Eleanor, Duchess of Gloucester, 1900 by Edwin Austin Abbey, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh.

Abbey was strongly influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites and went over to England to study. He was employed by Harper's magazine much of his career for whom he did illustrations. While in England he struck up a friendship with Whistler. This painting is an illustration of a scene from Shakespeare's Henry VI.

WWGD?

2008-02-18T21:03:00.000-05:00

George Washington (Lansdowne portrait), 1796 by Gilbert Stuart, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian.

This portrait of Washington was on loan to the Smithsonian for many years until the owner decided to sell it. It was offered to the NPG for $20 million. A gift was given that allowed for its purchase and to renovate the gallery where it hangs.

Happy Presidents Day!

Valentine Greetings

2008-02-14T08:38:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentines Day!

I Heart U

2008-02-13T10:44:00.001-05:00

Meadow Heart #1, 1971 by Jim Dine, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO.

Dine creates "multiples" of everyday objects. He also takes advantage of every medium available.

Queen for a Day

2008-02-12T08:25:00.000-05:00

Peasant Wedding Feast by Pieter Bruegel, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.

In this 16th century wedding celebration we see the bride sitting in front of a cloth and very proudly surveying the festivities on "her day." The lore is that Bruegel would dress up as a peasant and did his research first hand.

Hippocampus

2008-02-11T08:42:00.000-05:00

Seahorse Brooch, 1902 - 1905 by René Lalique, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond.

Another example of Lalique's amazing art nouveau jewelry designs. Nature and natural objects were favorite subjects of art nouveau artists.

Snowy Night

2008-02-07T09:56:00.000-05:00

The Midnight Mass, 1911 by Edward Timothy Hurley, Cincinnati Art Museum.

A beautiful night time snow scene showing the rooftops and the majority of the light coming from the church as the faithful have left their homes to attend.

More Amazing Fabric

2008-02-05T09:22:00.000-05:00

Madame Jacques-Louis LeBlanc (Francoise Poncelle), 1823 by Jean-August-Dominique Ingres, The Metropolitan Museum.

Ingres did over two dozen preliminary drawings in preparation for this painting. His work is clear and sharp and seems more like a photograph than a painting. Portraits are an artist's bread and butter.