ART Talk Blog

Rome in winter, what could be better?

1/11/2016

It was late afternoon on the 5th of January. Having polished off a nice Gnocci in red sauce from the Antica Hostaria Romanesca, my friends Stacy and her new beau Giovanni strolled the Campo de' Fiori, hand in hand, taking in the sights and sounds of the Eternal City, when all of a sudden, a dreaded flyer greeted them as they approached the imposing and forlorn statue dedicated to science advocate and inquisition victim Giacomo Bruno. Giovanni, a native of Turino, scowled, noticing a flyer stuck on the statues dedication wreath.

The flyer had one of these QR codes so popular among the Y generation, subtle marketing to the smart phone set. In the center of the flyer was an image of the Birth of Venus, Botticelli's masterpiece, housed in Florence, locked in a battle for tourist dollars in an ever increasing visitor war with Rome.

Could this be a sign of things to come? Will David soon find Roman promotional material plastered on his marble legs? Is this the opening salvo of a battle between two of the greatest art cities on earth? The truth is a bit plainer. Doing a bit of research, the poster ended up being a promotion for some new online puzzle that goes by the mysterious name Cicada 3301, and it just happens to be related to Bruno, according to this blogger: http://blog.teedeepee.com

Ok guys, have fun, but please, easy on the artwork.

2 Comments

A love of the unusual inspired a German artist to create profound and admired work

9/28/2014

Merian's admiration for entomology led to the collection and deep study of insects as a child. She was a keen and excited observer looking to discover new knowledge. This approach yielded tremendous new information about the insect world that would later evolve into what some consider her masterpiece, Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium. This work documented insects from Surinam, a Dutch Colony, in their full life cycle. It helped clarify the delicate process of metamorphosis. The work features a plate illustrating stages of Cocytius antaeus, otherwise known as the Giant Sphinx. Another example of her ability to artistically combine plants and insects is plate 52 titled citrus sinensis. In this piece, Merian illustrated a butterfly in mid landing on a branch with an orange. She had an artistic eye that could create an image of a natural habitat in motion.

Merian married an apprentice of her stepfather in 1665. His name was Johann Andreas Graff. They would eventually have two daughters, Johanna Helena and Dorothea Maria Graff. Both girls learned to paint under the tutelage of their talented parents. Merian divorced Graff in 1692 and moved with her daughters to Amsterdam. It was Amsterdam that later sponsored her trip to Surinam. What she observed there culminated in the aforementioned Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium or Insects of Surinam.

Merian's work continued throughout her life, even after becoming partially paralyzed by a stroke. She died in Amsterdam in 1717, but her legacy endures. Her work is still reproduced and collected by art lovers and entomology fans alike. Merian's face was featured on the German stamp in 1987 as part of a Women in German History series. Some of her pieces can still be found on exhibit in art galleries and museums. In 2008 the Getty Center in Orange County, California featured Merian and her daughters in a 2008 exhibition to share her unique and eye-catching familial works with the world. In 2013 Google honoured Merian on what would have been her 366th birthday with a Google Doodle, a modified logo created by Google for special occasions and holidays. Today, the collections acquired by Peter the Great after Merian's death are in St.Petersburg for academic purposes.

When we think of flying insects, spiders, and beetles our first instinct might be to call the local pest control company to exterminate those creepy crawlers! What if we could look beyond that compulsion and make an effort to embrace what others might see? One artist in particular created enduring works of beauty from the study of entomology for the world to learn from and appreciate for centuries.

From her birth in 1647, artist Maria Sibylla Merian's future could appear predetermined. She was born in Frankfurt into the family of Matthaus Merian, a Swiss engraver and publisher. Sadly, when Merian was just three years old her father passed away. As fate would have it, she didn't have to look far to find a new mentor. Her mother soon married Jacob Marrel, an artist and art dealer. Marrel was trained by still life artist Georg Flegel. With so much talent to guide her it is no surprise that by age 28 she had already published her first book of natural illustrations titled Neues Blumenbuch. This publication contained colorful and detailed floral engravings. It was unique for its time because the engravings are not simply individual flowers. As a pioneering entomologist who didn't shy away from observing bugs up close, she combined foliage with various insects such as butterflies, worms, and other creepy crawlers that come to mind. Her combination of self-taught knowledge and artistic talent allowed for a more organic result in her engravings. Her scientifically accurate detail garnered respect and credibility in the world of entomology and is still revered today.

A Mantegna Gets Moved

9/26/2014

Guest Author Marce Castro

One of the greatest art museums in Italy is the Pinacoteca di Brera. It is found in Milan and offers a number of stunning pieces of art that are centuries old. The Andrea Mantegna work from 1498 is one of the pieces that hangs in the museum. It is the Lamentation over the Dead Christ. People from near and far come to gaze upon it.
The painting has been very real and it makes it look as though the flesh of Christ is real, which can be very disturbing for many. There are also the faces of Saint John and the Virgin Mary within the photo.

The Mantegna had almost always hung in the same area of the gallery. In December of 2013, it was moved, replacing it with a Carpaccio. However, the Mantegna was still in place, simply moved to another area where it hung on a black wall, recessed, and at waist height. It was behind heavy glass and lit well in order to show off ore of the details.

The art had been removed from the frame, showing the edges of the canvas. By doing so, it was possible to see new angles and the compression that the Christ figure had was no longer as extreme. The image began to make more sense for more people who had always been troubled by the foreshortening.
The museum curator had decided to change the way that the Mantegna, as well as the Madonna by Bellini, were displayed. It would place it into new context so that lovers of the art world could examine it in new light.

The reason for the change?

Photo by Alessia Damone

New research had come out that led people to believe that Mantegna had envisioned the painting to be hung closer to the ground than where it had previously hung within the Pinacoteca di Brera. With this new information and the new display, it made sense.
The Milanese art circles have suffered an upset, however, While some people are pleased to see the art the way that it was intended, others are genuinely upset with the move. They believe that a desecration of fine art has happened.

The professor at the Accademia di Brera believes that the move was a disaster. He feels that the painting looks more like a projected slight with the lighting and recess. The design for the new installation was done by Ermanno Olmi, who is a film director. He chose to hang it just 28 inches from the floor of the museum.

While many are upset with where the Dead Christ has been moved, it will remain there and art enthusiasts from around the world are heading to Milan in order to render their own thoughts.

Tickets for this museum can be found online on several websites.

Art in Monaco

8/22/2014

Guest Blogger Icon Property
When people think of Monaco, they usually think of it as a playground for the rich, but perhaps they should think of it as a place of quality fine art. There are countless galleries to visit in and around Monaco. I would recommend grabbing a guide book but my absolute favourite is Monaco fine arts gallery. They represent painters such as Laure Fissore and Nalbi Bugashev, photographer Nick Danziger and sculptor Valery Koshlyakov, to name just a few and who all produce wonderful contemporary work. Monaco also has many other galleries worth visiting.

Maretti Arte Monaco, specializing in Italian contemporary art by well-known artists, as well as up-and-coming talent. Marlborough Fine Art is a leading contemporary art dealer with several locations worldwide. Gallerie Berrino, located just off Palace Square, this unique gallery displays oil paintings by Mario Berrino. Kamil Galerie du Forum is a wonderful place to find large sculptures and paintings by famous artists such as Richard Mass or Sabala.Galerie d'Art Pictual is renowned for selling and sponsoring works of art by world-famous artists. Mordant, Rousso and Merot are among the talents whose works you'll find. Galerie d'Art Monégasque caters to enthusiasts of contemporary art. Boldly colored works by such popular artists as Raoul Dufy, Allen Jones, Jonathan Janson and Pierre Soulages.

Relocating to Monaco
People relocate for several reasons: career opportunities, expat jobs, study, retirement, better life, family, second-home ownership and permanent emigration. Whatever the reason, life in a foreign country can be challenging. Before relocating, you have to acquire pertinent information on the relevant country. This information could prove invaluable as you experience a new life.

About Monaco
Monaco is a gorgeous little country on the French Riviera home to over 100 nationalities and has the highest number of millionaire per capita and in 2008 around 2000 millionaires bought houses in Monaco.

The small country boasts of beautiful, expensive ports to expensive hotels, Monaco has transformed into an ideal business place. The small country has nice weather and the cuisine is mostly French. There are monthly events like balls, concerts, and international marathons and the famous Grand Prix. Millionaires thus earning the name “the rich man’s playground” usually attend the events hosted here. Monaco has no airports but there is a helipad and most travel is by train and yacht or helicopter.

Visas are necessary to obtain if you are planning to stay for more than 90 days. A work permit is a requirement if you are planning on getting employed. Pets must be micro chipped or tattooed and vaccinated against rabies. A blood test must be performed to verify the validity of the test.

Buying a Property in Monaco
Monaco’s real estate market is growing by leaps and bounds, outpacing much of the rest of the world. Due to limited development opportunities and small size, it has the most expensive real estate market. With an area smaller than 2 square km it is economically stable.

Monaco’s real estate prices rose steadily before the global recession. When the global recession occurred, Monaco was not badly affected and this is attributed to the country’s resilience in part to its independence from the European Union unlike Italy and Greece.

It is a well-known tax haven for wealthy individuals throughout the world making several international businesses have their business headquarters in the principality.

Monaco also offers low taxation as well as a complete lack of income taxes for individuals attracting many wealthy foreign investors. No capital gains or inheritance taxes are charged on real estate. Life in Monaco is high cost as in comparison to France’s most prosperous metropolitan areas.

• Monaco is well known for high-end casinos, although the locals are not allowed to gamble.
• Investment homes ranges from homes suitable for single people to large families.
• Those hoping to invest in property in Monaco are required to have proof of financial stability be getting a deposit certificate from any bank in Monaco.
• An interesting fact is that local flights are not needed as walking the width of the whole country takes only one hour.

Arts and Sport

5/28/2014

"Wrestlers" by Thomas Eakins

by Guest Writer Welondon Epyxa

At first art seems to be limited to music, painting or literature.
But if we see sports as a human activity that creates emotion and beauty, models the human body and personality, we could understand why it is also considered art.

Sports can express all the human feelings and emotions as does the artworks.
Like art, sports bears ethical values either is about the effort harshness, the personality harmony, the sense of justice involved by the rules, or people relationship.
In the history of universal culture there are many significant moments when sports and arts interfere:

relief works of the Assyrians, Cretans and Egyptians presented swimmers, fighters and pugilists,
in the Egyptian Pharaoh tombs the murals show swimmers, fighters, runners and fencing scenes,
the Greek ancient athletes statues,
Flemish painting of ice skaters,
series on canvas transposition of English noble sports,
the 19th and 20th centuries modern illustration of dynamic sporting activities.

Some landmarks related to sports in different arts could also be mentioned:
Sculpture

“Discobolus” of Myron represented a revolutionary moment in sculpture due to the skills of artist to present the dynamic movements.
“David” of Michelangelo and “Perseu” of Benvenuto Cellini are statues of winners.

Painting

In the 19th century the most famous sporting show was the horse racing that we can find well represented in works of great artists such as Daumier, Gericault, Degas or Toulouse-Lautrec. They rendered in their works the movement and the moment strain.

Literature
One of the 24 Iliad song is dedicated entirely to an athletic competition.

The main character of Odyssey, Ulysses is presented swimming, throwing the disc, boxing or making archery.
Spectacular scenes of cycling, boxing or running can be found in the works of famous writers such as: Ernest Hemingway, Victor Hugo, Arthur Conan Doyle or George Bernard Shaw.
The extraordinary novel of David Storey, “This Sporting Life” presents the harshness of modern professional rugby.

Music

One of the first pole vault world champion, the Norwegian Charles Hoff like to training on the fanfare music.
Cuban boxers, Australian swimmers and the American rugby player used to train on jazz music thinking that it activate the energy.
the gymnastics and skating competition programs include a musical side

Cinematography

Johnny Weismuller the famous swimmer and the skater Sonja Henje are heroes of many movies with sport topics.
Many sporting movies were awarded with international prizes: Rocky; The Champ (boxing), Grand Prix (formula one), Escape to victory (football).

One another hand, all time there were people that raised the sports to an art.
And to convince yourself, look to the performance of any world champion, no matter the sport! The Croatian sports passionate can read awesome sports news in Epyxa and learn more about their favorite players.
More than that, sports means the joy of living and a way to reach your physical and mental limits and this is really an art.

Did Da Vinci suffer from PTSD

9/11/2013

0 Comments

First Published
Aug 29, 2013 9:50 AM

by Thomas Schoenberger
On January 7th 1466, a teenaged Da Vinci witnessed a horrific flood that devastated Florence. Could this trauma have affected his later art?

http://www.thomasschoenberger.com/blog/of-da-vinci-superstorms-and-the-secrets-mona-lisa-are-just-starting-to-reveal/