http://www.davidsongalleries.com/subjects/american/sterner-29343.jpg
Albert Sterner was an American artist, although he was born in London in 1863. He began studying art in his teenage years, mainly drawing. Sterner lived all over the world, born in London, moved to Germany, then to the United States where he lived in Chicago and New York, and then moved back to Europe. He played a significant role as an illustrator, but he also produced lithographs, oil paintings, water color paintings, and drawings. Sterner also found work in painting theater scenery and printmaking. He died at age 83 in 1946.
“Seated Nude” is a lithograph done by Sterner in sepia, which is different from the typical black and white. This piece is very plain and simple, and depicts a nude woman that seems to be sitting on a bed. It is difficult to tell whether or not she is getting into bed or if she is getting out of bed. Her back is towards us, but it is as if she is twisted away. We cannot see her face, but we see her long hair that is almost half-way down her back. She looks very delicate with the way she is still softly on the bed. Her head is tilted downward and her hand is resting on her leg.
The only shading that exists in the picture is done very limitedly, but it helps make the woman look more voluminous. She is an average-sized woman and seems to be very beautiful and womanly. The fact that we cannot see her face, however, makes her almost mysterious. Once again, this artist leaves the imagination and interpretation open to the viewer by keeping the image simple, yet suggestive in many ways.
I like the simplicity of this image and how the artist is skilled to use few lines, but still make a beautiful piece of work. His use of lines depicts the sheets, crumpled at the edge of the bed and the suggestion on a pillow near her back. He also portrayed the woman as imperfect, but perfect at the same time. Although she is not petite or super thin, she is still beautiful and womanly, with curves and a very womanly figure.
Friday, April 30, 2010
ChArLeS LoCkE
http://www.oldprintshop.com/images/large/29512.jpg
Charles Locke was born in 1899 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Locke began studying art at a young age, and had many pupils who became successful artists as well. A great deal of his work had an urban genre, depicting bar scenes and many different portraits. Although drawing was his specialty, Locke also worked in illustration, etching, lithography, and teaching drawing. He died in New York in 1983, but was very well known, even during his lifetime.
The reason Locke’s works caught my eye was because there seemed to be a common trend that he followed, capturing people in their everyday lives, whether they be eating, thinking, shopping, or working. The one that I really like was “A la Carte,” which depicted a man at a restaurant. He is sitting by himself and has a bowl of soup, a piece of bread and a glass of wine. The table seems very small, almost too small. He is in the corner of the room, almost secluded. From this image, I would assume this is a man who is comfortable going to eat by himself, and maybe he does this regularly.
The seat across from him remains empty, but he is too focused on what he is reading to even seem to notice. He has an intense look on his face as he reads whatever it is he is reading. Locke seems to have a very soft style to his work. There are a few harsh lines, but they do not overwhelm the work. This softness, I believe, adds to the comfortableness of the image. Although this looks to be a small space with a small table and a man who is eating by himself, Locke is able to make the viewer feel comfortable, which is a great accomplishment.
I like that Locke chose simple things to portray in his work, but he still kept them exquisite. Even this simple portrayal of a man eating alone in a restaurant leaves the viewers imagination and interpretation of the work open.
Charles Locke was born in 1899 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Locke began studying art at a young age, and had many pupils who became successful artists as well. A great deal of his work had an urban genre, depicting bar scenes and many different portraits. Although drawing was his specialty, Locke also worked in illustration, etching, lithography, and teaching drawing. He died in New York in 1983, but was very well known, even during his lifetime.
The reason Locke’s works caught my eye was because there seemed to be a common trend that he followed, capturing people in their everyday lives, whether they be eating, thinking, shopping, or working. The one that I really like was “A la Carte,” which depicted a man at a restaurant. He is sitting by himself and has a bowl of soup, a piece of bread and a glass of wine. The table seems very small, almost too small. He is in the corner of the room, almost secluded. From this image, I would assume this is a man who is comfortable going to eat by himself, and maybe he does this regularly.
The seat across from him remains empty, but he is too focused on what he is reading to even seem to notice. He has an intense look on his face as he reads whatever it is he is reading. Locke seems to have a very soft style to his work. There are a few harsh lines, but they do not overwhelm the work. This softness, I believe, adds to the comfortableness of the image. Although this looks to be a small space with a small table and a man who is eating by himself, Locke is able to make the viewer feel comfortable, which is a great accomplishment.
I like that Locke chose simple things to portray in his work, but he still kept them exquisite. Even this simple portrayal of a man eating alone in a restaurant leaves the viewers imagination and interpretation of the work open.
Stow Wengnroth
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.davidsongalleries.com/subjects/american/wengeroth_28068.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.davidsongalleries.com/subjects/american/american.php&usg=__avJBBxbrGQKLdWqKILmn5uSTVHA=&h=475&w=735&sz=191&hl=en&start=17&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=Nu9OyOwzuMUt0M:&tbnh=91&tbnw=141&prev=/images%3Fq%3DStow%2BWengenroth%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1
Stow Wengenroth was once referred to as “America’s greatest living artist working in black and white.” Wengenroth was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1906. He became a very well known artist and lithographer, considered one of the best lithographers of the twentieth century. Wengenroth became most known for his detailed depictions of seascapes and landscapes, focusing a great deal on shadow, light and form.
All of the works done by Wengenroth that I saw were extremely detailed and fascinating. After looking at his works and taking the class, I can appreciate all of the work that must have gone into each and every one of his works in order to be so detailed and particular.
One of his works that caught my eye was “Cape Ann Willows.” I am a sucker for a beautiful landscape and I believe Wengenroth successfully captures the natural beauty of the trees and their movement as they sit near a small stream. The trees take up most of the work, but do not overwhelm it. There is movement portrayed through the grass and plants near the water. Off in the distance, there is a light house and what looks to be a house next to it. It looks as if just beyond the trees is the ocean, with the lighthouse sitting to warn boats and ships of the land while traveling at night.
Like I said, I am a sucker for a beautiful landscape. I also love lighthouses so I thoroughly enjoy this work. I am astounded at how someone has the ability to produce a lithograph like this. Unlike some of the more sketchy works, this looks very realistic and captures the beauty that lies in this natural setting.
Stow Wengenroth was once referred to as “America’s greatest living artist working in black and white.” Wengenroth was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1906. He became a very well known artist and lithographer, considered one of the best lithographers of the twentieth century. Wengenroth became most known for his detailed depictions of seascapes and landscapes, focusing a great deal on shadow, light and form.
All of the works done by Wengenroth that I saw were extremely detailed and fascinating. After looking at his works and taking the class, I can appreciate all of the work that must have gone into each and every one of his works in order to be so detailed and particular.
One of his works that caught my eye was “Cape Ann Willows.” I am a sucker for a beautiful landscape and I believe Wengenroth successfully captures the natural beauty of the trees and their movement as they sit near a small stream. The trees take up most of the work, but do not overwhelm it. There is movement portrayed through the grass and plants near the water. Off in the distance, there is a light house and what looks to be a house next to it. It looks as if just beyond the trees is the ocean, with the lighthouse sitting to warn boats and ships of the land while traveling at night.
Like I said, I am a sucker for a beautiful landscape. I also love lighthouses so I thoroughly enjoy this work. I am astounded at how someone has the ability to produce a lithograph like this. Unlike some of the more sketchy works, this looks very realistic and captures the beauty that lies in this natural setting.
Oilon Redon
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://xroads.virginia.edu/~museum/armory/galleryK/K_229_308.4.b.jpg&imgrefurl=http://xroads.virginia.edu/~museum/armory/galleryK/redon.308.4.html&usg=__EbcxXmQcCTmu8gw9OeCe2KuSwAI=&h=422&w=369&sz=49&hl=en&start=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=uxTN3ZbcRJ-liM:&tbnh=126&tbnw=110&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dodilon%2Bredon%2Bpegasus%2Bcaptive%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1
Odilon Redon was born in 1840 in France to a very successful family. Redon’s artistic talents were visible at a young age. Although he wanted to pursue an education in drawing, he switched to architecture in effort to appease his father; however, his inability to pass the entrance exams crushed any hopes of a career in architecture. Redon not only studied drawing, but he began to study sculpture, etching, and lithography. He took a break from his work to serve in the Franco-Prussian War and then moved to Paris, where he worked mainly with charcoal and lithography. Redon’s work also evolved to using oils and pastels. Unlike some artists, Redon became very well-known for his works during his lifetime. After a successful life and career, he died in 1916.
In 1889, Redon completed a lithograph entitled “Pegasus Captive.” The work is overall very dark and eerie. The Pegasus portrayed in the image is the darkest part of the work. It has its head tilted down, as if surrendering or it could be in sadness. There is a faint suggestion of a wing, showing that this is not just any normal horse. It seems to be as if a man has the Pegasus in his possession; however, the body position of the man suggests fatigue or maybe again sadness. His head, too, is tilted downward so it is hard to tell what the man is actually feeling.
The lines of this lithograph are very sketchy, giving this work a very suggestive nature. The tone of the work seems to be darker, sadder, almost fatigued. The image goes from dark in the bottom corner to light near the top, but it is still difficult to tell if this is happening during the day or in the evening.
I enjoy this lithograph a great deal. I really like the sketchiness of it, and the suggestive lines that creates the tone of the work. I question, though, what the original drawing on the stone looked like, based on the work we have been doing in class and how drastically the works seem to change once printed onto the paper.
Odilon Redon was born in 1840 in France to a very successful family. Redon’s artistic talents were visible at a young age. Although he wanted to pursue an education in drawing, he switched to architecture in effort to appease his father; however, his inability to pass the entrance exams crushed any hopes of a career in architecture. Redon not only studied drawing, but he began to study sculpture, etching, and lithography. He took a break from his work to serve in the Franco-Prussian War and then moved to Paris, where he worked mainly with charcoal and lithography. Redon’s work also evolved to using oils and pastels. Unlike some artists, Redon became very well-known for his works during his lifetime. After a successful life and career, he died in 1916.
In 1889, Redon completed a lithograph entitled “Pegasus Captive.” The work is overall very dark and eerie. The Pegasus portrayed in the image is the darkest part of the work. It has its head tilted down, as if surrendering or it could be in sadness. There is a faint suggestion of a wing, showing that this is not just any normal horse. It seems to be as if a man has the Pegasus in his possession; however, the body position of the man suggests fatigue or maybe again sadness. His head, too, is tilted downward so it is hard to tell what the man is actually feeling.
The lines of this lithograph are very sketchy, giving this work a very suggestive nature. The tone of the work seems to be darker, sadder, almost fatigued. The image goes from dark in the bottom corner to light near the top, but it is still difficult to tell if this is happening during the day or in the evening.
I enjoy this lithograph a great deal. I really like the sketchiness of it, and the suggestive lines that creates the tone of the work. I question, though, what the original drawing on the stone looked like, based on the work we have been doing in class and how drastically the works seem to change once printed onto the paper.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
BlAcKBuRn
http://newdeal.feri.org/magpie/images/dwc063.htm (Refugees)
Robert Hamilton Blackburn is an African American artist born in 1920 in Summit, New Jersey. Blackburn is most well-known for his mod imagery printmaking, as well as being an educator. He died in 2003 in New York where he spent most of his life. He was an art educator and lecturer at Columbia University, Cooper Union Art School, New York School for Social Research, and School of the Visual Arts (New York).
During his lifetime, Blackburn was awarded with the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship and the Whitney Fellowship. His methods included easel painting and printmaking., but his is most known for his development of abstract color lithography. Overtime, his art has been on display at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Brooklyn Museum, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and the Whitney Museum of Fine Arts.
Blackburn’s piece, Refugees, is a lithograph that depicts a very tiny, overcrowded boat of men covered in darkened shadows. The image is dark and dreary, allowing the viewer to assume it is night time and this boat is an escape mechanism for the people in it. One man is hanging over the side of the boat, possibly because he is sick from the cramped, tiny rowboat. Another man, at the head of the boat, is rowing, but has his head down, which could infer exhaustion or even sadness. He may be leaving behind family and friends in order to escape his past life.
The water is full of ripples from the rowboat, but still seems smooth. Upon viewing this, I could imagine the small boat gliding through the water, producing no sound, except for when the paddles enter the water and the sound of droplets hitting the water as the oar comes up out of the water. Because of the title, I can guess these men are escaping from somewhere, but I do not know where. The sky is ominous, but may be that way to allow the viewer to feel the emotions of the refugees in the boat. There is sadness, but hope.
In this image, Blackburn is depicting the social issue of refugees and what they must go through to get to a better life. This is not a happy image by any means. It produces a sense of sadness, but could foster a sense of hope for what lies ahead.
http://www.askart.com/AskART/artists/search/ArtistKeywords.aspx?artist=63427
Robert Hamilton Blackburn is an African American artist born in 1920 in Summit, New Jersey. Blackburn is most well-known for his mod imagery printmaking, as well as being an educator. He died in 2003 in New York where he spent most of his life. He was an art educator and lecturer at Columbia University, Cooper Union Art School, New York School for Social Research, and School of the Visual Arts (New York).
During his lifetime, Blackburn was awarded with the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship and the Whitney Fellowship. His methods included easel painting and printmaking., but his is most known for his development of abstract color lithography. Overtime, his art has been on display at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Brooklyn Museum, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and the Whitney Museum of Fine Arts.
Blackburn’s piece, Refugees, is a lithograph that depicts a very tiny, overcrowded boat of men covered in darkened shadows. The image is dark and dreary, allowing the viewer to assume it is night time and this boat is an escape mechanism for the people in it. One man is hanging over the side of the boat, possibly because he is sick from the cramped, tiny rowboat. Another man, at the head of the boat, is rowing, but has his head down, which could infer exhaustion or even sadness. He may be leaving behind family and friends in order to escape his past life.
The water is full of ripples from the rowboat, but still seems smooth. Upon viewing this, I could imagine the small boat gliding through the water, producing no sound, except for when the paddles enter the water and the sound of droplets hitting the water as the oar comes up out of the water. Because of the title, I can guess these men are escaping from somewhere, but I do not know where. The sky is ominous, but may be that way to allow the viewer to feel the emotions of the refugees in the boat. There is sadness, but hope.
In this image, Blackburn is depicting the social issue of refugees and what they must go through to get to a better life. This is not a happy image by any means. It produces a sense of sadness, but could foster a sense of hope for what lies ahead.
http://www.askart.com/AskART/artists/search/ArtistKeywords.aspx?artist=63427
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Goya
https://my.hamilton.edu/images/general/teacher5big.jpg
Francisco de Goya was one of the other print makers discussed in class who made bold statements through his works. Goya was born in March 1746 in Spain and died in April 1828. He is considered to be “The Father of Modern Art.” What set Goya apart from the other painters and print makers of the time was that he was not shy at expressing what he felt. He worked at taking the previous reactions that art caused and created a new form, incorporating components into his art that would get a different type of reaction. Goya spent 82 years producing art, leading to some of the most expressive works of his time.
As a young boy, it was said that Goya was happy with the world. It was not until he entered adulthood in which he began to criticize society as a whole. Later toward the end of his life, it was said that he was embittered and disillusioned by both people and society. Goya’s art tended to lean more towards the Romantic expression, but still incorporated some of the classical style. He tended to depict the social and political implications of Spain, including the Napoleonic War. It was his graphic expression through art that made him the well-known print maker he is to this day.
The above work by Goya is an etching, entitled Hunting for Teeth. In the image, there is a woman attempting to pull the teeth out of a dead man’s mouth who was recently hung. She is shielding her face away from his with a cloth, which may be due to the stench, or to keep herself from having to look at the dead man’s face. It could also represent the idea that she is shameful of what she is doing, but feels the impulse to do it anyways. This was one of the superstitions of the time in Spain. It was thought that if you pulling out the teeth of a hanged man provided a type of power.
It can also be thought that the woman is covering her face because she is fearful of looking at a dead man. She, however much like society, is greedy and removes his teeth. Other ideas describe the fact that a hanged man’s teeth can be used in magic potions. The art piece also utilizes the technique of aquatint. Overall, it is a very grey, dark image, which may suggest this is taking place at night. The dead man is the lightest part of the image. The woman is trying to look away while still being able to see what she is doing, with somewhat of a side ward glance. The man, we may assume, was hanged because of a crime against the government.
Goya depicts two different types of people in the image. He has the criminal, or man who was hanged due to some sort of crime, and he has the greedy woman who is stealing the man’s teeth. Overall, Goya is representing people in society and their actions. The fact that Goya depicts things such as is this is what set him apart from other artists. He did not portray picnics, or sunsets, but instead real issues plaguing society at the time.
http://www.imageone.com/goya/
Francisco de Goya was one of the other print makers discussed in class who made bold statements through his works. Goya was born in March 1746 in Spain and died in April 1828. He is considered to be “The Father of Modern Art.” What set Goya apart from the other painters and print makers of the time was that he was not shy at expressing what he felt. He worked at taking the previous reactions that art caused and created a new form, incorporating components into his art that would get a different type of reaction. Goya spent 82 years producing art, leading to some of the most expressive works of his time.
As a young boy, it was said that Goya was happy with the world. It was not until he entered adulthood in which he began to criticize society as a whole. Later toward the end of his life, it was said that he was embittered and disillusioned by both people and society. Goya’s art tended to lean more towards the Romantic expression, but still incorporated some of the classical style. He tended to depict the social and political implications of Spain, including the Napoleonic War. It was his graphic expression through art that made him the well-known print maker he is to this day.
The above work by Goya is an etching, entitled Hunting for Teeth. In the image, there is a woman attempting to pull the teeth out of a dead man’s mouth who was recently hung. She is shielding her face away from his with a cloth, which may be due to the stench, or to keep herself from having to look at the dead man’s face. It could also represent the idea that she is shameful of what she is doing, but feels the impulse to do it anyways. This was one of the superstitions of the time in Spain. It was thought that if you pulling out the teeth of a hanged man provided a type of power.
It can also be thought that the woman is covering her face because she is fearful of looking at a dead man. She, however much like society, is greedy and removes his teeth. Other ideas describe the fact that a hanged man’s teeth can be used in magic potions. The art piece also utilizes the technique of aquatint. Overall, it is a very grey, dark image, which may suggest this is taking place at night. The dead man is the lightest part of the image. The woman is trying to look away while still being able to see what she is doing, with somewhat of a side ward glance. The man, we may assume, was hanged because of a crime against the government.
Goya depicts two different types of people in the image. He has the criminal, or man who was hanged due to some sort of crime, and he has the greedy woman who is stealing the man’s teeth. Overall, Goya is representing people in society and their actions. The fact that Goya depicts things such as is this is what set him apart from other artists. He did not portray picnics, or sunsets, but instead real issues plaguing society at the time.
http://www.imageone.com/goya/
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Rauschenberg
http://www.djtfineart.com/images/artwork/full/art00553.jpg
Robert Rauschenberg was born in Port Arthur, Texas in 1925. Through out his life, Rauschenberg went many different directions in regards to his professional life. He studied pharmacy at the University of Texas. After some time he joined the U.S. Marines and then took classes at the Kansas Art Institute. Later he studied in Paris, France where he also met his wife, Susan Weil. He continued to study art in various locations and with many different artists, composers, and others in the artistic realm. While studying art, he mainly worked coordinating window displays for companies like Tiffany.
Rauschenberg spent some time working on all black and white paintings, but began using red when he moved to New York. He also created what became known as Combines, which were combinations of everyday objects fused together in both painting and sculpture. Rauschenberg incorporated a great deal of highly influential historical events into his work. One of those events was the liftoff of Apollo 11, which he was invited to by NASA as one of the themes of his artwork.
Besides his influence on the pop art movement, Rauschenberg found it in himself to help other struggling artists in the area, setting up Change, Inc., which was a home set up with art studios. Rauschenberg found time to travel the world and promote both peace and understanding through his art. He traveled to Mexico, Chile, Venezuela, China, Tibet, Japan, Cuba, the Soviet Union, Berlin, and Malaysia where he set up his exhibitions. He called this ROCI – for Rauschenberg’s Overseas Culture Interchange. His exhibition was also held at the National Gallery of Art in celebration of the gallery’s 50th anniversary.
Although he used many different techniques, one that Rauschenberg is more well-known for is his lithographic works. The above work is a lithograph entitled “Back Out” that was completed in 1979. He completed this work in a suite of 9 prints. The techniques used included pencil, stencil, and collage. There are many different pictures put into this work, one of a baseball player, and another of a high jumper. As for the overall meaning or purpose of the work, I am not really sure what he is trying to convey. I can assume that this work is about the United States, possibly alluding to sports culture.
To me, more important that the techniques of his work and his major accomplishments or awards, Rauschenberg was an artist that was committed to a cause. He spent a great deal of time working on art with a great deal of meaning. Through his art pieces, his work was used to communicate peace and understanding all over the world. Personally, I felt like class on Thursday was very beneficial, and would be beneficial to any person with an artistic inclination. I feel more of a personal investment toward my art and will try to use the type of communication that my art allows me.
http://www.getpopart.com/Rauschenberg-Bio.html
www.nga.gov
Robert Rauschenberg was born in Port Arthur, Texas in 1925. Through out his life, Rauschenberg went many different directions in regards to his professional life. He studied pharmacy at the University of Texas. After some time he joined the U.S. Marines and then took classes at the Kansas Art Institute. Later he studied in Paris, France where he also met his wife, Susan Weil. He continued to study art in various locations and with many different artists, composers, and others in the artistic realm. While studying art, he mainly worked coordinating window displays for companies like Tiffany.
Rauschenberg spent some time working on all black and white paintings, but began using red when he moved to New York. He also created what became known as Combines, which were combinations of everyday objects fused together in both painting and sculpture. Rauschenberg incorporated a great deal of highly influential historical events into his work. One of those events was the liftoff of Apollo 11, which he was invited to by NASA as one of the themes of his artwork.
Besides his influence on the pop art movement, Rauschenberg found it in himself to help other struggling artists in the area, setting up Change, Inc., which was a home set up with art studios. Rauschenberg found time to travel the world and promote both peace and understanding through his art. He traveled to Mexico, Chile, Venezuela, China, Tibet, Japan, Cuba, the Soviet Union, Berlin, and Malaysia where he set up his exhibitions. He called this ROCI – for Rauschenberg’s Overseas Culture Interchange. His exhibition was also held at the National Gallery of Art in celebration of the gallery’s 50th anniversary.
Although he used many different techniques, one that Rauschenberg is more well-known for is his lithographic works. The above work is a lithograph entitled “Back Out” that was completed in 1979. He completed this work in a suite of 9 prints. The techniques used included pencil, stencil, and collage. There are many different pictures put into this work, one of a baseball player, and another of a high jumper. As for the overall meaning or purpose of the work, I am not really sure what he is trying to convey. I can assume that this work is about the United States, possibly alluding to sports culture.
To me, more important that the techniques of his work and his major accomplishments or awards, Rauschenberg was an artist that was committed to a cause. He spent a great deal of time working on art with a great deal of meaning. Through his art pieces, his work was used to communicate peace and understanding all over the world. Personally, I felt like class on Thursday was very beneficial, and would be beneficial to any person with an artistic inclination. I feel more of a personal investment toward my art and will try to use the type of communication that my art allows me.
http://www.getpopart.com/Rauschenberg-Bio.html
www.nga.gov
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)