If you could own any famous painting in the world, which one would it be?
If you could own any famous painting in the world, which one would it be?
The Fighting Temeraire (JMW Turner 1838)
I know that once before I posted a similar article, but perhaps many here did not see it, or if they did, did not take the opportunity to contribute to it, and since it will provide a break from the Trump obsession, I decided to do it again.
My personal choice is based upon my experiences that originated when I was in university, having majored in English Literature. I was prompted by John Ruskin's essays about the brilliance of the works of J.M.W.Turner, whose pre-impressionist paintings became my favourite artworks. Ruskin, who was an art critic, was enthralled by the works of Turner, contrasting them with another English painter of the era, William Constable, whose almost photographic life-like paintings, did not impress him. When I was in London I made it my business to go to both the Tate and National Galleries to see his original works, as most of them are in those two galleries. Whenever I would go to another major city I would try to go to its major art gallery to seek out if they had an original Turner on display. He is categorized as a Romanticist, but was criticized for being too modern. However, later on the French Impressionists were influenced by his works and their style closely resembles that of Turner.
My favourite painting of all time is Turner's The Fighting Temeraire, which in my opinion, does not only depict an actual event, but displays the emotion of the end of usefulness, as the great multi-masted sailing ship is towed into harbour by a steam-driven tugboat. It indicates the sunset of an era - depicted by the sunset sky. It helped to underscore my choice when I read a few years ago that a poll of the English people chose that painting as their favourite of all time.
The story of the painting in Wikipedia:
The Fighting Temeraire tugged to her last berth to be broken up, 1838 is an oil painting by the English artist Joseph Mallord William Turner. It was painted in 1838 and exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1839.[1] The 98-gun ship HMS Temeraire was one of the last second-rate ships of the line to have played a distinguished role in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The painting depicts HMS Temeraire being towed by a paddle-wheel steam tug towards its final berth in Rotherhithe in south-east London in 1838 to be broken up for scrap. The painting hangs in the National Gallery, London, having been bequeathed to the nation by the artist in 1851. In 2005 it was voted the nation's favourite painting in a poll organised by BBC Radio 4's Today programme.[2]
There are two things that I took into consideration here. Not only is the painting one that I would mount on my wall so that I could look at it often and allow it to "Take me on a trip upon your magic swirlin' ship"* , but it is an object that will not only retain but probably increase in value as time goes on. Please post (just one, if possible) your choice of famous painting - the image if you can, and an explanation of why you chose it.
*Mr. Tambourine Man (Bob Dylan)
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Since I posted this article at about midnight in the Eastern USA, I wonder if it will be wiped off the front page before most NT members get to see it.
With no hesitation.
Is that the one called "Starry Skies"? Why did you choose that painting, Randy?
(Whenever I see or hear the words "starry skies" I think of The DaVinci Code.
To tell the truth I'm not sure. There is just something about it he draws me to it and makes me want to look at it constantly. If I owned it I would put it in my family room because that is where I spend most of my time and I could see it always. I just lose myself in it.
Actually it's called "The Starry Night". Van Gogh painted a number of pictures with stars like that.
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This song says what I wish I could say about why Van Gogh was and still is my favorite artist of all.
I love that painting too, Randy. What is really interesting about it, is how much canvas is showing. You can't tell that from the photo's.
I haven't seen the real one in person, but I love the way the free form representation of the stars and the sky contrasts with the much more detail in the village below, but they seem to fit together completely, like if he painted one without the other it wouldn't work. I also seem to notice more about it every time I look at it. Like I've never really seen the whole thing and am always looking for more.
My uncle, who had fought as a soldier in the International Brigade during the Spanish Civil War, and went on as a soldier in the Canadian army to fight the Nazis in Holland loved Holland, and on my 13th birthday he gave me a beautiful coffee-table type book of Van Gogh paintings and life story. I have it with me now, as it has always been special to me.
In 1879 Georges Seurat enlisted as a soldier in the French army and was back home by 1880. Later, he ran a small painter’s studio in Paris, and in 1883 showed his work publicly for the first time. The following year, Seurat began to work on La Grande Jatte and exhibited the painting in the spring of 1886 with the Impressionists . [2] With La Grande Jatte , Seurat was immediately acknowledged as the leader of a new and rebellious form of Impressionism called Neo-Impressionism . [3]
Seurat spent more than two years painting A Sunday Afternoon , [4] focusing meticulously on the landscape of the park. He reworked the original and completed numerous preliminary drawings and oil sketches. He sat in the park, creating numerous sketches of the various figures in order to perfect their form. He concentrated on issues of colour, light, and form . The painting is approximately 2 by 3 meters (7 by 10 feet) in size.
Inspired by optical effects and perception inherent in the color theories of Michel Eugène Chevreul , Ogden Rood and others, Seurat adapted this scientific research to his painting. [5] Seurat contrasted miniature dots or small brushstrokes of colors that when unified optically in the human eye were perceived as a single shade or hue. He believed that this form of painting, called divisionism at the time but now known as pointillism , would make the colors more brilliant and powerful than standard brushstrokes. The use of dots of almost uniform size came in the second year of his work on the painting, 1885–86. To make the experience of the painting even more vivid, he surrounded it with a frame of painted dots, which in turn he enclosed with a pure white, wooden frame, which is how the painting is exhibited today at the Art Institute of Chicago .
John, I have to ask you the same question I asked Randy. Why did you choose that painting? For some reason I couldn't open the one you posted so in case anyone else can't, I'm trying to post it again here:
You're lucky to be able to see the original in Chicago.
The problem is my internet server or my computer, because now your picture showed up and I can't delete the one I posted of it.
I think that it's more widespread Buzz. Either that or it's a problem with John's computer or ISP because it wouldn't show up on my screen either. From the one that did post (yours), I really like it, mostly because I like all Impressionist paintings, although my preference is for the earlier ones with a touch of Realism in them. A combination of the two schools makes a more interesting work.
Ah, the one on John's post did finally come up. It seems to be a cleaner version than the one you posted.
Yes, Rock. The one I posted is not as sharp or clear. The one John posted clearly indicates that "dotted" technique, but if the painting is 7 feet by 10 feet, those little dots would not be so little.
The painting is huge , which makes it epic. Two years to complete one painting. And I like the way it looks. I like paintings with people in them more than landscapes.
Okay. It's a great painting - very highly praised. It's so huge - where in your house could you put it?
I think I'd take the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
Have you seen it in real life, Dean?
No I haven't just the Charlton Heston movie.
The reason I asked is because when I saw it in real life, I was a bit disappointed. In my head, the famous painting of god imparting life to man, was much smaller than I expected. I had the same reaction when I saw the Mona Lisa though.
Great film!
I actually paint ( a little known fact about me). So for me, when I look at a painting I am looking for the use of color and mood and technical skills. My taste in paintings are vast, so I will post a few that I really love.
Empire of Lights
I love Rene Magritte, for his imagination and the how he made us think about what we were looking at. He is also the first artist to be be used in modern commercial art. His influence is seen everywhere, even today. Look at the comparison below:
That painting next to Magritte's is from the billboard for the Exorcist.
I love Monet's colors and soft brush strokes. I also loved that he liked to study how daylight changed what we saw.
Same painting later that day.
A more modern version of Monet is David Hockney. He liked to study the effects of light on water.
Finally I would add Georgia O'Keeffe
She had an amazing grasp of color and form to make amazing compositions.
I am also a big fan of Monet, for many of the same reasons I love Van Gogh. As for my wife it's Georgia O'Keeffe. She says she was one of the most sensual artists of all time and I can't help but agree. In many of her works there is a halfhidden-eroticism peeking through.
Lately I've been having the problem of the comments I make disappearing - so I will try to replicate it here. (It could be, of course, my just forgetting to "post your comment" or else too impatient to wait to see that it finally does post.
Anyway, here goes...
I believe you posted that photo (Magritte) on my previous similar article, and at the time I think I said, as I do now, that I like it as well. In fact I find Empire of Light to be quite entrancing.
Any Maxfield Parrish work !
"Daybreak" (the one on the right) and "Garden of Allah" were the two Maxfield Parrish prints that we had hanging in our dining room in Toronto.
My favorite artist is a guy named Josh Agle who goes by the name Shag.
All of those are unique and compellingly interesting, Dean. Good choice.
I think I would add to my collection a version of Peter Max's Statue of Liberty and American Flag (he's done several of both) such as these. If I could afford the originals that is.