I wonder if any of the SHTV art buffs might be able to help me out? I've been looking for a painting that I saw a few years back but stupidly didn't take any details. As I remember, it was a portrait of an attractive young Caucasian woman with dark hair. She is kind of looking wistfully off to one side (her right, our left if memory serves) as if thinking about a distant lover. It had a dark background and I guess it was a torso and head shot, as it were. I sort of remember it all being quite dark, so she may have been darkly dressed also. At a vague guess I'd say C19th. It was fairly realistic but not super-real and not highly stylised. I know that's not a lot to go on. I saw it used in the Times for an ad for an exhibition but I can't for life of me remember what exhibition or where. What a dunce. It just really struck me and has stayed with me since. Any suggestions welcome!
That's tough, but I try. At least it matches some criteria, that you mention. I first thought of Manet (19th century, fairly realistic, he obviously loved dark dresses). Ok, she looks in the other direction and maybe not wistfully enough. Finally, I figure that it must have been a rather big exhibition (ad in the Times) and as a header, they mostly use paintings of artists with a BIG name (like Manet). Long story short, maybe... Edouard Manet - Portrait of Berthe Morisot with a fan (1874) ???
David Tindle - Egg on a Table: FRIDAY NIGHT BOYS: David Tindle Retrospective at Huddersfield Art Gallery »
The rare woman in a pre-Raphaelite painting without red hair I'm sure I posted it before, but if you're ever in Wilmington, DE, the Delaware Museum of Art has the largest collection of pre-Raphaelite art outside of the UK.
The only letter to the editor I've had published was a response to the Washington Post review of a pre-Raphaelite show at the National Gallery. The review basically said it was a dead end art movement, not influencing any subsequent art and therefore wasn't worthwhile. I disagreed to both points. All art has worth and I see preRaphael influences in illustration especially American illustration. I see an influence in Art Nouveau illustration as well.
Gustave Moreau French, 1826-1898 La Peri (Mythological Subject), 1865 Graphite, with brush and black ink, gray wash, and touches of gold metallic paint, heightened with traces of white gouache, on cream wove tracing paper, laid down on ivory wove paper The Peri (The Sacred Elephant, The Sacred Lake) by Gustave Moreau watercolor
I believe that painting is The Temptation of Saint Anthony, which makes more sense given the subject matter, along with countless other bizarre renditions such as: Matthias Grünewald (circa 1512-16) and Bernardino Parenzano (circa 1494)
that's well-documented, standard freshman survey of western art 102 knowledge. it's weird that a professional art critic would try to push a contrary idea. it's even in the art nouveau wikipedia article.
Thank you all for your considered replies, it is much appreciated. Alas, none are what's in my head! The Manet is closest in style to what I remember, so the search goes on... Thanks again, all.
Had a bit of a wander around the Tate in London last Saturday. A wonderful building. It's been some years since we visited. I'm never sure whether works on display are the genuine deal. 'Sunflowers' always seems to be there, yet when I went to the Van Gogh exhibition in Amsterdam in '79 in was there too. Hmmm. Anyway, didn't take a shot of it due to the crowds blocking the way. Did manage to get up close to 'Wheat Field With Cypresses' (with the funky sky) and 'Chair'. My missus is very much of the 'It's nothing like a good chair. There's bits missing. The floor's all wrong..." school when it comes to Van Gogh. We've had this (sometimes heated) discussion many times. With his work it's not just the quality of the finished product you're buying into. What makes him interesting is the self-destructive/suicidal/sheer mentalness of the man. Could you cut off your own ear to prove a point? Complete and utter fruitbat. Still, I was happy we went. Also saw some of Monet's work, and Cezanne's and Turner's. One or two unfinished Michaelangelo's too. Listen, if that silly chuff hadn't have been wasting all his time on ceilings he could have sold some quite decent paintings.
Rediscovered this one a week ago; I love the light and the atmosphere in this one... (Jac van Looij, "Zomerweelde") around 1900
Beautiful. I remember seeing it at the Rijksmuseum two years ago, and i looked at it for several minutes before moving along. Isn't it great that the entire museum is open again!
