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.
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