Art appreciation and discussion

[Corth]

Ok so my last thread was about cute things. In this thread I want to up the ante a little bit. Dial up the sophistication level a tad. All too often, in this world dominated by pop culture, we are surrounded by meaningless drivel that is here today and gone tomorrow. I think its about time this bbs had a discussion on the great masters, and their timeless masterpieces.

[Corth]

Michelangelo's David, sculpted from 1501 to 1504, is a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture and one of Michelangelo's two greatest works of sculpture, along with the Pietà. It is the statue of the young Israelite king David alone that almost certainly holds the title of the most recognizable stone sculpture in the history of art. It has become regarded as a symbol both of strength and youthful human beauty.

[Corth]

Peter Paul Rubens (June 28, 1577 – May 30, 1640) was a prolific seventeenth-century Flemish Baroque painter, and a proponent of an exuberant Baroque style that emphasized movement, color, and sensuality. This painting, known as "Three Graces", is one of my personal favorites. Rubens is famous for his fleshy women seemingly alien to us. It is obviously much harder painting cellulite than smooth skin, but this way you get a feeling of the tactile sensation through your eyes. Not only this, the icon stimulates bodily remembrance of the meeting of lovers, something not expressible with words altogether as they have no place in the occurrence as such.

[Thilindel]

Peter...Paul Rubens

This must be junior:

[Corth]

Pierre-Auguste Renoir (February 25, 1841–December 3, 1919) was a French artist who was a leading painter in the development of the Impressionist style. As a celebrator of beauty, and especially feminine sensuality, it has been said that "Renoir is the final representative of a tradition which runs directly from Rubens to Watteau". This painting, appropriately named "Bather Arranging her Hair", centers around a young, womanly, fertile body. The body seem to be inexperienced, even she is in her thirties and nurse with delight and competence.

[Corth]

Peter...Paul Rubens

This must be junior:

Please try to keep this thread on topic. We are attempting to have a serious discussion about great works of art.

[Pril]

Personally I've always loved MC Escher.

Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) is one of the world's most famous graphic artists. His art is enjoyed by millions of people all over the world, as can be seen on the many web sites on the internet.

He is most famous for his so-called impossible structures, such as Ascending and Descending, Relativity, his Transformation Prints, such as Metamorphosis I, Metamorphosis II and Metamorphosis III, Sky & Water I or Reptiles.

I think this is one of his more known pictures.

[Lathander]

These four paintings by Thomas Cole have always struck me. If you get to the National Gallery of Art in DC, make sure and see them.

The four paintings show the journey of a man along the River of Life.

[Pril]

These four paintings by Thomas Cole have always struck me. If you get to the National Gallery of Art in DC, make sure and see them.

The four paintings show the journey of a man along the River of Life.

Only posted 3 of them lath

[Corth]

Personally I've always loved MC Escher.

Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) is one of the world's most famous graphic artists. His art is enjoyed by millions of people all over the world, as can be seen on the many web sites on the internet.

He is most famous for his so-called impossible structures, such as Ascending and Descending, Relativity, his Transformation Prints, such as Metamorphosis I, Metamorphosis II and Metamorphosis III, Sky & Water I or Reptiles.

I think this is one of his more known pictures.

I wouldn't be surprised if Mc Escher goes over really well with a lot of mudders. That "picture" you posted is to art what DnD fantasy novels are to literature. :)

(its an art thread.. we're supposed to get snarky!)

[Lathander]

Here you go

[Kifle]

Sandro Botticelli [March 1, 1445 - May 17, 1510] was an italian painter of the Florentine school during the early Renaissance. In his painting "The Birth of Venus," Botticelli masterfully encapsulates god in human form. This painting represents the grounding of divinity in humanity through nature (seen on the upper left). The curiousness about the painting, however, is that the maiden on Venus' right is attempting to clothe the goddess. This striking contrast between nudity (divine) and modesty (clothes/shame) is best captured by the divine human's attempt to cover herself as best as she can; however, it can be clearly seen that her face portrays a longing desire to overcome her humanity and be comfortable in her true form.

[Corth]

Now a couple of more modern masterpieces.


Matisse: Blue Nude, Memory of Biskra, 1907


Picasso: Bather 1908-9

Picasso and Matisse represent a unique example in the history of arts by being a rival and getting inspiration from the art of one another with their intimate friendship of highest caliber over fifty years.

"No one has ever looked at Matisse's painting more carefully than I; and ono one has looked at mine more carefully than he." Pablo Picasso

[Gormal]

I love you, Gene.

[Dalar]

I'm already at 3 strikes Gene. How about you?

[shalath]

One of my favourite paintings of all time. I've spent literally hours at the national gallery sitting in front of this painting (and many others - it's one of my favourite places in London):

[Kifle]

I think that Western/European art is getting too much exposure, so I would like to offer a few pieces that show the beauty of the rest of the world.



This first pieces is a lovely offering from Peru. This sculpture was very common during the Mayan empire and was conventionally believed to assist in procreation. However, contrary to popular belief, this is not a sculpture of the fertility diety. In fact, the Mayan fertility diety was actually a female who was lovingly refered to as "mother." Nevertheless, this statue was seen as useful in fertility practicies and symbolizes the potency of the male figure in the act of copulation.



This second piece bares a striking resemblance to the first; however, this one is found in Egypt and is believed to be a representation of Ileh Tanasul -- the Egyptian god of fertility. The story behind this little guy is quite funny. The myth follows that while the army of Tanasul's people left for war, he impregnated most of the women. When the army came back, they were furious and almost killed him. In his defense, he said that he had only done so because he thought the army was defeated and he was attempting to create another army to avenge their deaths. They ended up sparing his life and revearing him as a fertility god.

It should be noted, however, that while the two statues share a distinct commonality -- that they are brown -- they should not be confused as representing the same thing. The first is but a focal piece to visualize and thus stimulate the energy of the body (not a god), the second is actually a representation of the actual fertility god and is used in prayer ceremonies.

Lastly, what has always confused me about these statues is what the third leg symbolizes and how it relates to fertility. It is weird to think that ancient people saw birth defects as a sign of power or "godliness." I'll leave that open for discussion however.

[Corth]

Kifle,

Whats interesting about that is you have two pieces that are so similar, and yet come from completely different ends of the world. Jung used to write about 'archetypes' which explains that sort of phenomena. Sort of a universal human shared consciousness.

[Sarvis]

Kifle,

Whats interesting about that is you have two pieces that are so similar, and yet come from completely different ends of the world. Jung used to write about 'archetypes' which explains that sort of phenomena. Sort of a universal human shared consciousness.

Either that or the artists in question were a bit insecure...