LIFE LESSON LEARNED FROM GENTILESCHI
Paint what you know.
Artemisia Gentileschi was a female Italian painter in the 17th century who was a fan of Carvaggio's style and work. Her paintings are mostly of women, and her series of Judith slaying Holofernes becomes particularly powerful when you learn that the artist herself was a rape victim. Her painting tutor sexually assaulted her, and she was tortured with thumbscrews during the trial to ensure her honesty. She won. The man went to jail. She paints with strength because she is strength.
LIFE LESSON LEARNED FROM FRAGONARD
There's a time and a place for the frivolous
The Swing is one of the most famous images of the Rococo era, a time in history and culture when the classes were divided, Marie Antoinette's head was just months away from earning a reservation with Madame Guillotine, and art reflected the oversaturated, frivolous, hypocritical lifestyle of the French aristocrats.... And I freaking love it. What point is there to art if not to over-romanticize and over-beautify life? Reality is ugly.
LIFE LESSON LEARNED FROM BOUGUEREAU
If you really love painting (and women), it will show in your art
My God: no one can paint flesh or woman figures like Bouguereau. I wish I could commission him to paint me... but he's dead.
LIFE LESSONS LEARNED FROM DELACROIX AND INGRES
Art wars are badass.
Top: Grand Odalisque by Ingres
Bottom: Liberty Leading the People by Delacroix
Said Ingres to Delacroix, "It takes twenty-five years to learn to draw, one hour to learn to paint."
Said Delacroix to Ingres, "The artist who aims at perfection in everything achieves in it nothing."
And so on.
1 comment:
The only thing that threw me was the wave about to wash over the beautiful nude's head. Yeah. Probably because I was at the beach today. I would NOT have been smiling, I've have been PISSED. Again, that's just me...:) (If you ever figure out how to raise someone from the dead, hook me up with a commission.)
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