The first domestication of the cat was recorded in Egyptian times 5,000 years ago. The cat was worshipped in Egypt. They were so loved that when a cat died, it was mummified by being rubbed with precious oils and carefully wrapped in layers of cloth. It was then taken to a special cemetery where the bereaved family would beat gongs and shave their eyebrows as a sign of mourning.
Luxor, Egypt – July 26, 2016: A row of carved alabaster cats available as souvenirs in Luxor.
Trade brought the cat to China, India and Italy. Greeks acquired cats from the Egyptians. The seafaring Phoenicians carried cats on board their ships to various parts of the world. Possibly by this means is how Britain acquired cats. The Romans also brought cats to Britain.
Takahashi Hiroaki Black Cat and Tomato Plant 1931
Throughout history cats have been depicted in art. They have taken on many characterizations. The worshipped cat, the feared evil cat, the soft and cuddly kitten playing with children and a ball of yarn, the smart and wary ally cat, the list goes on.
Suzanne Valadon Raminou 1920
Henriette Ronner-Knip 1821-1909
Bart Vanderleck. The Cat 1914
Cat inspired fashions have been ever popular, make-up to make cat-eyes, wearing cat-eye glasses frames, wearing cat patterns on clothing, leopard, tiger, etc. Even wearing literal pictures of cats.
Cat inspired make-up. Runway model
There are hundreds of cat inspired toys and books on the market, Hello Kitty, cat eye marbles, the Cat in the Hat, to name a few.
Cats eye marbles
Cats evoke different emotions in different people. Their are those who think that they are the cat’s meow and that cats are the perfect animal. There are those who think that they are only something to shoo away, scat cat. I happen to be in the first cat-egory.
How do you feel about cats and why? Let me know in the comments. Have a great day!
Have you ever thought that you are too old to do… You fill in the blank. Maybe there is a project you always wanted to start, but thought there was never enough time, because, you know, life has a way of taking over. And now, it is too late, I am too old, too many years have gone by, etc. Well, there is a woman that we all can take a lesson from. Read on to learn about this amazing woman.
Anna Mary Robertson (Grandma Moses) started her painting career at the bright, “young” age of 78 (sources state her age was between 76-78). She produced 1500 plus paintings in 3 decades, using a “Naive style denoting art produced in a straightforward style that deliberately rejects sophisticated artistic techniques and has a bold directness resembling a child’s work, typically in bright colors with little or no perspective.” Google definition.
Grandma Moses painting at her table.
In her early life, Robertson worked as a hired girl on a neighboring farm. This is where she met her husband, Thomas Salmon Moses. They were married in 1887 when she was 27 and were married till her husband’s death in 1927. Robertson helped support her family of 7 by selling homemade foods. They had a total of 10 children, only 5 survived past infancy. She made needlework pictures and quilts portraying farm life and colorful scenes for herself and for her friends.
Quilting Guild by Grandma MosesBy Anna Mary Robertson Grandma Moses
In her mid-seventies and after her husband died, she developed arthritis that kept her from doing detailed handwork, she had to give up needlework and quilting. Her friends suggested that she paint instead, so she took up a brush and worked her magic. She was self-taught and did not use perspective or proportion.
Robertson employed her childhood memories and imagination to fill the canvases with her favorite subjects to paint, which were harvest scenes, rural New York, and Virginia. All of her paintings are cheerful and colorful scenes of earlier times.
“What’s the use of painting a picture if it isn’t something nice.”
Anna Mary Robertson (Grandma Moses)
Robertson did not have access to quality art materials, she used whatever she could find or what she had on hand. She sprinkled glitter on snow scenes and refused to stop using glitter when she was criticized for it. She felt the glitter added that special touch to snow scenes to make the snow look like the sun is shining off of it. She used matches and pins to paint small details.
The Thunder Storm by Grandma Moses
Her artwork became known through exhibiting at country fairs alongside her prize-winning pickles. When a collector saw her paintings in the front window of a pharmacy they bought every one of them. A reviewer in N.Y. Herald-Tribune nicknamed her Grandma Moses, and the name stuck. Her paintings were exhibited internationally till she was in her 90’s. At 92 years old, she published an autobiography called, “My Life’s History”, in 1952. She continued to paint till just a few months before her death.
Robertson was licensed by Hallmark and they bought the rights to her art. Her artwork was displayed on plates, fabric, and greeting cards. 16 million greeting cards sold in 1947 alone. Her artwork has even appeared on postage stamps.
Grandma Moses Goes to the Big City by Grandma Moses
Autumn by Grandma Moses
So, what is the old adage? Its never too late to teach an old dog new tricks. This can be a lesson for all of us. As long as we are alive, we have the ability to fulfill a dream or to accomplish something that has been put off till later. Anna Mary Robertson is an example to us that it is never too late.
Anna Mary Robertson AKA Grandma Moses
Quote by Anna Mary Robertson
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this post. As I always say, if you feel so inclined, please leave a comment and subscribe for more posts like this one. Take care and see you next time.
Art’s Ability to Elicit an Emotional Response in the Viewer or Listenerand in the Creator
Listen to the following partial musical scores by Angele Dubeau from her album La Prieta. Do any of them invoke an emotional response and make you feel like you want more? Angele Dubeau is my favorite contemporary violinist, I listen to her albums frequently on Spotify. Her music makes my heart flutter, makes me feel like I am part of the music. I feel happy, soothed, and sometimes tears come to my eyes when I hear a piece I particularly like. I feel with my senses every violin note and piano cord played. It causes an emotional response in me.
Music by Angele Dubeau, La Prieta.
Have you ever looked at a painting and felt an emotion that you don’t understand at first, but on further reflection you realize what the emotion is and what has provoked it? Or have you listened to a beautiful piece of music and were moved to tears? Art evokes emotions in the person experiencing it and in the artist during it’s creation.
A study of 15 eyes full of emotion by Malsart Maldha Mohamed on BoredPanda.com
In the above painting, how does it make you feel? Does it make you wonder if the person is sad, concerned or something else? Do you have compassion for what this person may be feeling?
“Artists are receptacles for emotions and vehicles for transforming emotions”
Pablo Picasso, 1988
Director Stanley Kubrick (director of the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, among other famous films) compared film to music in that “they both should be a progression of moods and feelings to which the theme and meaning are added later”.
Composition 8 Kandinsky abstract
What do you feel when viewing the above artwork? Do you feel joyful, happy, like you want to dance? Or does it make you feel overwhelmed, nervous or confused?
Emotional Intelligence
( Information taken from NOEMA- The Art of Emotional Intelligence)
Emotional intelligence is self-awareness, self- regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. Studied by Daniel Goleman, he found that emotional skills enable you to increase or maintain a positive mood, which increases creative thinking. Emotional intelligence has a role throughout the creative process. This process is shown as follows: Finding important problems, then coming up with original ideas, then persisting in solving problems despite frustration or obstacles.
Emotions are central and integral to all art forms. Emotional intelligence skills can be taught, practiced and developed. (Brackett, Rivers, Reyes and Salovey 2012). It is stated that people are able to learn to use their emotions as aids to the creative process. Viewing art, listening to music, and appreciating it for what it is and for the creation of it, can be a teaching tool. As a teaching tool, it can increase emotional intelligence abilities and creativity.
A Study with Constraints
The Process of Problem Finding
A study was done by Getzel and Csikszentmihyi in 1975. In this study they set up a laboratory at the University of Chicago. Art students were invited to participate by creating still-life drawings. For the still-life drawings, 30 objects were available for the students to choose from. Some art students spent more time than others picking out objects, feeling the weights, and textures, and trying mechanical parts of the objects. Some spent more time playing with the objects and ideas before committing to a specific still-life. In the end, the artists who spent the most time problem finding made the most interesting drawings. Emotionally intelligent people can anticipate the emotional discomfort during problem finding and are also better at coping with feelings.
“True art lies in a reality that is felt”
Odilon Redon, French painter 1840-1916
“The emotions are sometimes so strong that I work without knowing it”
Vincent Van Gogh
Artist unknown
Next time you are at a museum of art, instead of viewing a piece of art for 30 seconds, then moving on, try looking at it for 10 minutes. You will see details that you may have missed at first. Think about the details of content, structure, composition, and color. Try exploring the piece of art from different perspectives, angles and distances. Imagine yourself inside that work of art. Think about the sights, sounds, smells and feelings that you would experience if you were literally inside it. Doing this exercise will give you a richer experience and a greater appreciation for this single piece of art.
Glow of Hope or Woman with Lamp by S.L. Haldankar 1945-46
Head over to this link https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes/ei_quiz/results/ and take an emotional intelligence quiz to see what your score is. I scored 17/20, which means that I am well attuned to other’s emotions. I guess being a nurse for 29 years plus years working as a Nurses Assistant has helped me learn emotional intelligence. Have fun with the quiz.
Thank you for reading and as always, I appreciate you and your desire to read these posts. Please leave a comment. Take care. See you next time.
Four Artists who depicted their mother in their work.
Maya Angelou- 1928-2014
Angelou was an acclaimed poet, storyteller, singer and activist. Her message usually centers around that mankind is more alike than different. One of her 36 books, written over her lifetime, was titled, “Mom & Me & Mom”. In this book she examines a complicated relationship with her mother.
Maya Angelou
Elisabeth Louise Vigee Le Brun- 18th Century
Brun was famous for depicting the evolution of French society . She was inspired by the Madonna paintings of High Renaissance. She painted two works with the same title, “Self-Portrait with Her Daughter”. Brun used herself and her daughter, Julie as the subject for these two paintings. In one painting she painted herself smiling and open mouthed, which was controversial at that time.
Mary Cassatt- 1889
Cassatt was an impressionist painter who painted a portrait of her ailing mother. She was not a mother herself, but she depicted mothers and their children in every day life settings. Cassatt’s parents moved in with her and her mother became her new subject.
Mary Cassatt 1889. Portrait of the the Artist’s Mother
James Abbott McNeill Whistler- 1834-1903
The painting done by Whistler called, “Whistler’s Mother” is considered a happy accident. First of all, the story goes that his mother, Anna McNeill Whistler volunteered to pose for the portrait only because his model did not show up. He intended to do a study in grey and black and thought the subject posing was not important. But, the public viewed the subject as being very important and re-named the painting, “Whistler’s Mother”.
James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Whistler’s Mother
My Mom, Alice Ann. She is a tiny 5″ tall woman weighing only 94 lbs. She has been a power house all of her life, full of energy and a voracious appetite for learning new things. She raised 3 children and worked full time while doing it. She worked to put my dad through Law School and took care of all three of us. When she retired from her Supervisor job at A.T.&T. at the age of 50, she went on to become a Travel Agent, a Real Estate Agent, and had her own little antique shop, (not all at the same time), and traveled. These were lifelong dreams for her and she dabbled in them all for short periods of time. After my dad died, she did Tai Chi, Ball Room dancing, volunteered at her local library and traveled some more. She has been to most of the European countries.
Alice in now 83 years old and has finally slowed down. She has a new Chihuahua named Winston and has had a lot of health issues in the past several years. I miss the dynamic power house that she used to be, but now that she has slowed down, we have become closer. I have been her caregiver several times during her serious illnesses, and we have spent a lot of time together. I would not give up this time that I have spent with her for anything.
“Mom” by Karen Morningstar 2021. A quick sketch of my mom in a hospital bed during a recent hospital visit.
Thank you for reading this blog post. If you liked what you read, please leave a comment and subscribe if you feel so inclined. Happy Mother’s Day to all of you moms out there! Take care.
The book, The Edwardian Lady, speaks about Edith Holden who was an illustrator and writer. She was born in 1871 and died in 1920. She was a prolific naturalist artist, drawing and painting the outdoors and all that the outdoors entails. Looking at her artwork you can see that she knew her subject well. She was also an accomplished portraitist. She drew friends, family, neighbors, and their dogs.
Edith Holden’s Diary of the year 1906
Edith seemed to be a kind, and friendly person and made sure to give handmade cards on birthdays and other special occasions. She kept copious Nature Notes and drawings. “As stated in these notes Edith was able to walk down many lanes and across many fields”, quoted from The Edwardian Lady. Edith’s diary listed all the varieties of birds and flowers found in the area where she lived in the year 1906. Her artwork was exhibited in local venues.
Wildflowers by Edith Holden
At the age of 20 Edith went to study with animal painter J. Denovan Adam and 25 other students at his Craigmill studio in Scotland. When she returned home 12 months later, she began to produce four paintings a year for the Royal Birmingham exhibitions.
In 1911, Edith married Alfred Ernest Smith, he was 7 years younger than the 40 year old Edith. They were married till Edith’s death in 1920 from an accident while out on her nature walk and gathering specimens to draw and paint. In the book, The Edwardian Lady, it states that, “Edith was trying to reach for a branch of Chestnut buds. The bough was out of reach and with her umbrella tried to break it off, had fallen forward into the river and drowned.”
Biography of Edith Holden
The Country Diary of An Edwardian Woman by Edith Holden is filled with her nature drawings collected over one years time (1906) in her diary. Her attention to detail is beautiful and amazing. All of her paintings and illustrations show her love for the subjects. She gives day to day insight of her observations and activities, along with writing down poems and thoughts.
A page from Edith Holden’s diary
These two books are well worth picking up if you find them. I keep them in my library of art books for inspiration. The artwork is enjoyable to view, especially after learning the history of Edith’s life and her lifelong passion for nature studies and painting.
Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment, I look forward to hearing from you. Take care and see you next time!
5 Female Artists Who Helped to Change Art History (Some you may have never heard of)
Elisabeth Louise Vigee Le Brun lived from 1755-1842. Brun was a portrait painter who was assisted by Marie Antoinette with getting into the French Academy at age 28. Brun served as the portrait painter to Marie Antoinette. Because of her association with Marie Antoinette, Brun was forced to flee during the French Revolution. During this time away, she obtained commissions throughout the courts of Europe, Naples, Florence, Vienna, St. Petersburg and Berlin. During her lifetime, she created 660 portraits and 200 landscapes.
Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun (French, Paris 1755–1842 Paris)
Comtesse de la Châtre (Marie Louise Perrette Aglaé Bontemps, 1762–1848), Later Marquise de Jaucourt, 1789
Oil on canvas; 45 x 34 1/2 in. (114.3 x 87.6 cm)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Jessie Woolworth Donahue, 1954 (54.182)
http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/437900
2. Beth Morisot was French, living from 1941-1895. She was known for her impressionistic style of painting. She married Eugene Manet, the brother of Edouard Manet. Their daughter and domestic scenes were her focus subjects. During her lifetime she achieved significant critical recognition.
Berthe Morisot, The Cage, 1885; Oil on canvas, 19 7/8 x 15 in.; National Museum of Women in the Arts, Gift of Wallace and Wilhelmina Holladay; Photo by Lee Stalsworth
3. Hilma af Klint lived in Sweden from 1862-1944. She was an Artist and a Mystic. Her paintings were the first Western abstract art seen in 1906 and were like paintings never seen before. They were bold, colorful, not of the physical world. She kept her paintings private, stipulating that they not be allowed to be shown till 20 years past her death in 1986. She felt the world was not yet ready for her other worldly style of abstraction.
Display of Hilma af Klint paintings.
4. Georgia O’Keeffe lived from 1887-1986 in America. She is recognized as the “Mother of American Modernism”. O’Keeffe started at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1905 and ranked at the top of her class. She was a model before becoming an artist and gave up modeling to become an artist. O’Keeffe was one of the first American artists to produce purely abstract works of art in a time when American Realism dominated. After her death, her painting Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 which she painted in 1932, sold in auction to Walmart heiress Alice Walton for $44,405,000. What mattered most to Georgia O’Keeffe was to be a “great artist”, not a “great woman artist”.
Quote: “Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant, there is no such thing. Making your unknown known is the important thing.” Georgia O’Keeffe.
Young Georgia O’Keeffe as a model.
Display of Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings. “Black Hollyhock, Blue Larkspur” 1930 and Hills in Northern New Mexico.
Georgia O’Keeffe, “Music Pink and Blue”
5. Frida Kahlo lived from 1907-1945 in Mexico. Frida is viewed today as the icon of female creativity. Known for her portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and relics of Mexico, she used an Naive Folk Art style. Kahlo was disabled by polio as a child, suffered a severe bus accident at age 18 which caused lifelong pain and medical problems. Because she spent a great amount of time convalescing she used that time in bed to learn how to paint. She had more than 30 operations in her lifetime.
Kahlo remained relatively unknown till the 1970’s. Themes she used for her paintings deal with identity, the human body and death. She was part German and Mexican and these themes were important to her in her works. Her flamboyant style of dressing was to honor her Mexican side. She has risen to “Fridamania” status in our time.
Frida Kahlo self portrait.
The years that these women were making art were years that women were not recognized as artists. These women overcame this obstacle and pushed forward to be the best artists that they could be. This makes me desire to be the best that I can be also, whether as an artist, wife, daughter or friend. I don’t have these obstacles to overcome and am allowed to strive to be and achieve my best.
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this post. Please leave a comment and let me know what you thought. Take care.
Scientists conducted a massive research years ago involving psychologists, biologists, zoologists, etc, It seems the stereotypes about pet owners are true. Cat people tend to be more introverted, intuitive, sensitive, rebellious and creative. Dog-lovers are mostly very open, friendly, sociable, active and more likely to follow rules. Cats are the best stress relieving creatures and scientists say may serve as antidepressants. Dog owners tend to earn more, and are twice as likely to work in the financial field. Cat people tend to like documentaries, musicals and indie films. Dog-lovers are bigger fans of horror and action. Our pets have a positive impact on us and make us happy in so many ways.
Pets increase your mental and emotional wellbeing. They boost your creativity. Dogs help with this by getting you out in the fresh air for walks and getting exercise. According to a recent study, creative thinking improves while walking and for a period of time afterwards. By increasing a brain chemical called oxytocin (a “love hormone”) and decreasing cortisol (a hormonal alarm system).
Human Animal Bond Research Institute HABRI, is doing a “Pet Effects Campaign”. They put out videos that are parodies of prescription drug commercials encouraging adoption of cats and dogs. One video promoting adoption of a cat states, relief from a litany of health problems and that “I found better health with cat!” Then a rundown of side effects such as “difficulty breathing due to cat is sleeping on your face”, “difficulty working because your cat is on your computer”. The video ends with a suggestion to “discover better health; ask your veterinarian about cat”. You can watch these videos on http://www.thepeteffectcampaign.com or www.https://habri.org/the-pet-effect/, scroll down and you will find the videos. They also have brochures in the same genre.
Many famous artists owned a variety of pets. Henri Matisse had cats and doves. He gave some of his doves to Pablo Picasso who then made the piece, The Dove of Peace, 1949.
Henri Matisse and his doves. 1944Pablo Picasso The Dove of Peace 1944
Picasso had a dachshund named Lump for 16 years. He also had doves, owls, a mouse and a goat. Picasso and lump died within ten days of each other.
Pablo Picasso and his dachshund Lump.Pablo Picasso “Lump” the dachshund
Salvador Dali had ocelots which are dwarf leopards native to Latin America.
Salvador Dali and his ocelot.
Frida Kahlo was an exotic animal lover, she had dogs, cats, monkeys, and a fawn.
Frida Kahlo and her fawn and dog.Frida Kahlo Self Portrait with Monkeys.
Georgia O’Keeffe had chows and a poodle. the chows were given to her after the poodle was killed in a car accident. She owned a total of 6 chows over her lifetime.
Georgia O’Keeffe’s chows.
Andy Warhol had cats and dachshunds.
Andy Warhol and his dachshund.
Beloved animals appear in artworks, poems, stories and photographs throughout the ages. They play an important role in artists lives, helping to keep balance and harmony. If you are an animal lover, remember that maybe instead of or in conjunction with taking a pill, having a furry loved one in your life can help keep you healthy.
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment if you feel so inclined. Happy Easter if you celebrate. Otherwise happy Spring, yeah!
My husband and I were held captive for two weeks by an unwanted intruder. This intruder randomly chose us and snuck in unawares. We had heard of this occurring to others and we guarded against it happening to us, to no avail. This intruder effected every aspect of our lives, preventing us from doing normal daily routines. Eating was taken from us. Sleep was forced upon us but we were at the same time deprived of it. Pain became an every day experience, our strength was sapped from us.
The intruder I am speaking of is, COVID-19. It caught up to us, it found us in our small town. This deadly, silent enemy has been a part of all of our lives for more than a year now. We all know people who have had it and survived. We all know people who did not survive. Our friend’s daughter who was in her early 40’s died from it last month.
There have been plagues and pandemics throughout history that the artworld has recorded for us. There are numerous paintings, drawings, block prints, etc. of sickness, people at death’s door, doctors, saints healing and death. In the 1600’s a children’s Nursery Rhyme was written by James Fitzgerald for the Black Death (Bubonic Plague) that goes like this,
“Ring around the rosies, pocket full of posies, ashes, ashes, all fall down.”
This is how I knew the rhyme as a child.
Apparently the original rhyme went like this,
“Ring-a-ring-a-roses, A pocket full of posies, A-tishoo! A-tishoo! We all fall down.“
There are many versions of the rhyme, and they all don’t have the same general meaning.
Kate Greenaway’s Mother Goose or the Old Nursery Rhymes (1881) was the first publication of “Ring Around the Rosie” in English. Her illustration was published in 1881 and is therefore in the public domain.
I am thankful to have survived the COVID-19. There were times during my illness when I wondered if I would, and other times when I just wanted to be put out of my misery. I am still on the mend, but feeling 95% better. I look forward to getting back into making art and enjoying life again.
Stay healthy and thank you for reading. If you feel so inclined, please leave a comment.
Ansel Adams is a household name, his photographic masterpieces are familiar to most of us. The younger generations may not know the name Ansel Adams, but they have certainly seen the images of his famous Yosemite’s Half Dome sometime in their lives.
Moon and Half Dome Yosemite Ansel Adams 1960. One of his last well known photographs
Adams was born today February 20, 1902 and died April 22, 1984. He was 82 years old. He spent the majority of his life, six decades, traversing the High Sierra terrain, most specifically, Yosemite, and photographing the American Wilderness. During his month long hikes through the wilds, Adams photographed images of the beauty that he loved so well. He would fight for this wilderness to keep it preserved for all to enjoy for many, many years to come after his passing. His life’s journey was as a photographer and conservationist.
In Adams’ younger years he believed that he would be a pianist. He taught himself to play the piano and read music at the age of 12. Music became his obsession and he was quite an accomplished pianist. But, he also had a love of Nature. He would spend every summer for four years as the Keeper of Sierra Club’s nearby lodge in Yosemite Valley. These summer forays began to encroach on his music and he had to make a choice. Through the influence of a man named Best who would assist Adams financially and in the showing of his works, he made the decision to pursue the photography. Adams met his future wife through this man, who was her father.
Adams struggled financially throughout his years until late in life despite the exhibitions of his work. He took on commercial photography jobs to support him and his endeavors as an artistic photographer. The all too familiar irony is that his works, especially the originals, which are a finite number at this time, are worth thousands. They are priced at $40,000- $70,000 per original. His “Oak Tree, Sunset City” is worth $14,900.
Oak Tree, Sunset City Ansel Adams 1963
What makes his photographs worth so much? Well, surely not pure luck. His life was spent perfecting and rejecting. He was not satisfied with mediocre. He strived for the best by working 18 hour days for weeks on end, then collapsing from exhaustion. He was also an artist with a perfected eye for beauty and composition. A quote I took about him form the Ansel Adams Gallery on line says, “Rare ability to transform geographic reality into a transcendent emotional experience for the viewer”. Who could have said it better? His works evoke emotions that cause tears to spring to the eyes.
Ansel Adams in younger years
You can view Ansel Adams works at http://www.anseladams.com. You can also purchase one of his original works or prints at this website.
Thanks for reading. It is always fun bringing facts about the history of art to you through this blog. This particular one was serendipitous, meaning, I did not plan to do a post about Ansel Adams on his birthday, it just happened by chance!
Take care and if you feel so inclined, sign up for more fun facts like this every two weeks.
You may recognize the name Albrecht Durer. You have most likely seen it on artist supplies such as watercolor paints or watercolor pencils. But, the name is more than an art supply line. Albrecht Durer was a German painter, printmaker, and theorist who lived from 1471-1528. His watercolors mark him as one of Europe’s first landscape artists.
Innsbruck by Albrecht Durer done in 1498 or after 1506The Willow Mill by Albrecht Durer done in 1498 or after 1506
Durer was a prolific artist. He did copious amounts of woodblock prints, watercolors and religious themed works from Bible stories and people of the Bible. His prints established his reputation across Europe when he was still in his twenties. The amount of detail in his works is astonishing, especially the woodblock prints.
“If man devotes himself to art, much evil is avoided that happens otherwise if one is idle” Quote Albrecht Durer.
Durer invented an upright wire grid that he set up in front of him, then was used while drawing a human figure. He would peer through this grid at his model from a viewpoint that foreshortened his visual image of the model. He then used paper the same size as the wire grid marked off with identical grid lines. He would draw exactly what he saw through the grid , matching in his drawing the exact angles and curves and lines. This produced a foreshortened view of the model in his drawing. (See “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards, for a more detailed description)
Albrecht Durer’s Foreshortening Technique
In 1494 he married the daughter of a local merchant through arrangement. Not long after his marriage he travelled to Italy, leaving his wife behind in Nuremberg, Germany where they were married. While in Italy, Durer was influenced by artist Jacopo de Babari in the new developments in perspective, anatomy and proportion. Italy is where he began using Tempera, painting on linen.
1521 proved to be an unfortunate year for him. It was the year he caught an undetermined illness which afflicted him the rest of his life. In the later years of his life he produced very little in the way of artwork, but began writing. He finished two books in his lifetime, one on geometry and perspective and one on fortification. His work on human perspective was brought out shortly after his death in 1528.
Self Portrait by Albrecht Durer
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse woodblock print by Albrecht Durer
Young Hare by Albrecht Durer1502
If you are interested, see Albrect Durer.org/the complete works to view many more of the works he accomplished. It is an interesting perusal and a lesson in perspective in itself when viewing his paintings. His woodblock prints have mind boggling detail. It makes one wonder how long those woodblock (Woodblock printing works by carving words or pictures onto a large block of wood.) carvings must have taken to do. Albrecht Durer must have been a very patient man and he certainly was not an “idle man” (See above quote).
Thanks for reading. As always, I am glad to impart a little fun information to anyone who is interested in art and it’s history. And, if you feel so inclined, leave me a comment and sign up for more articles like this one. Take care.
It has been a while since I posted any of the artwork that I have been working on. I have been focusing on a genre, if you will, that I haven’t been painting for the past few years, but now I am back to my first love. What is my first love, you may ask? Well, faces, is the answer. I am always drawn (no pun intended) to faces. I love faces. So, that is what I have been painting of late. Painting faces, not literally painting on people’s faces, ha ha, but painting people’s faces and then adding some other element to the picture gives me joy. I like adding mixed media to the acrylic paintings to make them a little different.
“The Blues ” Acrylic and mixed media on paper.“Sweety”Acrylic and mixed media on paper.
I have been using acrylics on paper instead of canvas which is new for me. I prefer using the paper to the canvas right now and may never go back to canvas.
“Incognito” Acrylic and mixed media on paper.“She Waits” Acrylic and mixed media on paper“Camera Shy” Acrylic on paper.
Thank you for reading and following my blog. It is very much appreciated. Please leave a comment if you feel so inclined.
Today’s little history is about a female American artist named Cecilia Beaux, who lived from 1855-1942. Cecilia Beaux painted beautiful realistic portraits of prominent people in New York and Philadelphia society. She never married, choosing rather to dedicate her time to art and painting portraits.
CeciliaBeaux Self Portrait 1894 Oil on Canvas
Cecilia never knew her mother who died 12 days after giving birth to her. Cecilia’s father was so distraught over his wife’s death that he returned to France without his two daughters Cecilia and her older sister Aimee. They were left to be raised by relatives who were supportive of the two girl’s pursuits. Cecilia stated that her Uncle Willie was the biggest influence in her life and in developing her artistic talents. Her Aunt was an example of female independence and gave piano lessons for pay to help support the household.
Cecilia began her art studies at the age of 16 years old in New York City and Philadelphia. She opened an art studio in 1883 in Philadelphia, traveled to Europe and Paris in 1888-89 and studied art while there. When she returned to Philadelphia she earned a reputation as one of Philadelphia’s best portrait painters. In 1895 she became the first woman instructor at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
In 1900 she moved to New York and obtained commissions for a series of portraits including Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt and her daughter. The list of commissions includes other prominent people of that time.
Cecilia started her art career by painting faces of children on unfired porcelain plates. To make money she did detailed drawings of fossils and shells for paleontologist E.D. Cope. This was a paying job only. She disliked portraying anything except people and an occasional cat.
Sita and Sarita Portrait of Sarah Allibone-Leavitt, 1896
Quote: “A perfect technique in anything only means that there has been no break in continuity between conception, or thought, and the act of performance.”
Quote: “Line is line, space is space- wherever found. The consideration of them is necessary to every work of art, and no such work can exist without them.”
New England Woman, 1895
New England Woman is probably my favorite of Cecilia Beaux’s paintings. I like the informality of the room and sitter. It feels as if you are part of the painting, waiting for the news that has just come, in the form of a letter. Who is the letter from? What did they have to say that causes the woman to look off dreamily. I love the use of subtle colors playing in the whites in the woman’s gown and the surroundings.
Cecilia Beaux lived in a time when there weren’t many successful female artists. She was able to succeed despite this. She was able to prove her worth in doing portraiture, what she loved doing most. She was a leader in showing women that doing what you love as your life’s work can be done. She worked hard for what she wanted. She is an example and inspiration for women even now.
Officially California is in the fall season (even though where I live it has still been in the upper 70’s during the day), with the leaves on the trees turning beautiful colors. It is amazing to think that the fall colors are actually the death of the tree’s leaves. But wonderful to think that a renewing will come again in the Spring.
Fall is my favorite time of the year because of the lovely colors and the cooling down of the weather. Everywhere I go in the Fall, I am oohing and awing and saying to whomever I am with, “Look at that beautiful tree”, or “Oh look at those colors” Usually no one else appreciates the colors like I do. My husband is outside sucking up the leaves from our lawn right now as I type.
Anyway, I hope you are having a lovely Sunday and 1st day of Nov. 2020.
Anatomy Man by Thea Fiore-Bloom. Mixed Media collage page from her sketchbook soon to be a part of the permanent collection of the Brooklyn art Library.
When anatomy is mentioned, the first thought that comes to mind is, science, medicine, doctors, etc. Anatomy has been a very important field of study for these purposes. But speaking of anatomy usually doesn’t bring to mind any great artwork. Unless, like me, you worked in the medical field and were fascinated with anything medical all of your life.
Have you ever wondered how anatomy was studied in the early ages? Surely not everyone had access to a cadaver to dissect. But, this was exactly how anatomy was studied before the early 1500’s. There were no textbooks with colored images of the human anatomical parts for aiding study.
The medieval embalming practices were not at all like what we have today. The corpse was embalmed with spices placed in the mouth, ears and nose. The body was rubbed with “good white wine” heated with smelling herbs. A good embalming allowed a corpse to be preserved for up to eight days for observation. This does not include dissection of a corpse. Which brings to mind horrible images of an unbelievable stench! (See The University of Rhode Island, Quadangles Online for more info. if this subject interests you)
In comes anatomy art. Anatomy art for learning was probably developed out of self defense, saving the olfactory senses of the student. There are anatomical plates dating as far back as 1522. The images of these plates are now archived in the Anatomia Library in Toronto Canada. These are crude, inaccurate images of anatomy of the human body that were carved onto wood. They were used to make images in books for study. The anatomical illustrations of this day were based on astrological factors , but not scientific observation and were practically useless as serious teaching materials.
Anatomia Collection: Anatomical plates 1522. Anatomia Library University of Toronto, Canada
The study of human anatomy made slow progress prior to 1543. Other branches of medicine had more attention during the Renaissance period. Even the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press in 1450 did not result in more anatomical texts and illustrations. The year 1543 brought in the publishing of Vesalius’ “De humani corporis fabrica” in Switzerland.
Vesalius’ book provided the textual basis for a new scholarly approach to anatomy and brought in the beginnings of anatomical illustration based on direct scientific observation. This book is filled with woodcut illustrations that are accurately rendered by a talented artist. This set the standard for all anatomical illustration that followed.
Vesalius’ “De humani corporis fabrica” 1543 (I like how the skeleton is placed in a standing position and it is in a garden-like setting. Maybe that is it’s tomb it is facing)
The year 1627 bought an increase in anatomical knowledge thanks to copperplate engravings and etchings which replaced the woodcuts. This was also a time of the first attempt to use color to distinguish body parts.
In the 1730’s to 1778, Albius established a new method of anatomic illustration. He used composites of masses of observations. He insisted on exactness of detail. Albius employed a great artist by the name of Jan Wandelaar. The resulting plates combining the two methods, scientific accuracy with artistic renderings, became the norm.
Albinus 1778. Illustrations by Jan Wandelaar.Albinus 1778. Illustrations by Jan Wandelaar.
Printing and lithography in the 19th century could be mass produced and widely distributed. Chromolithography in the 1830’s introduced the highest levels reached in anatomical illustration. The 20th century printing techniques, photographic processes along with computer imaging has continued to bring scientific advances in the knowledge of anatomy.
Anatomy art is not only useful for medical study of the human body, but it can help improve the art of any figure artist. If an artist has a working knowledge of anatomy, they are able to render a more accurate portrait or figure drawing.
Life Drawing Academy. Use of the knowledge of anatomy for accurate portraits.
I hope you enjoyed today’s blog about anatomy art. I tried to add only the images that were not too radically gory. I don’t want to scare anybody off! If you are interested in seeing more (gory) images of the first anatomical artworks mentioned here, you can view them at the Anatomia.Library.utoronto.ca/about/history-illustration.
Thank you for reading. If you feel so inclined, please leave a comment and sign up for more blog posts like this.
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