Category: art

art · life curation

A Love Affair with Jean-Leon Gerome, Part 2

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In my previous post about Jean-Leon Gerome, I talked about how I first became acquainted with his work, and the impression that painting left on me. To date, I don’t think there is any other painting that moved me to the point of researching the painter so that I could know more about the genius that created it.

As I go forward in pursuing my art interests, I’m fascinated by the prospect of one day owning a Gerome painting for my own collection. Or, perhaps I’ll help popularize an artist that has a similar gift, deftly portraying people of color while effectively communicating the subjects’ humanity.

I am excited to announce that a painting attributed to Jean-Leon Gerome will be auctioned by Sotheby’s on February 1, 2018. While I won’t be bidding on it, I’m excited to see what comes of it. Will the buyer put it into his or her private collection, or will it become part of a museum exhibit in the style of the Salvator Mundi that sent the art world into a tizzy?

Only time will tell, but in the meantime, here’s the painting offered by Sotheby’s. The Portrait Study of Giacomo Orlandi di Subiaco (c 1843) has many Gerome-esque attributes.

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For starters, this portrait features the dark background and “candlelit” lighting that Gerome favored. The subject himself, with his tanned skin, dark, curly hair, and expressive eyes, is captured in similar fashion as other Gerome subjects. The painting didn’t attempt to “perfect” the subject by putting him in fine regalia or making his nose more aquiline: Gerome’s affinity for realism is present in this photo. The painting looks like someone that you may run into on the streets of Rome, in the midst of running his daily errands.

I am eager to see what happens with this painting. I only have to wait a few more days until the auction: I can’t wait!

art · culture

Currently Listening To . . .

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I’ve been researching more resources to help me increase my art history knowledge. Along with visiting museums, taking ALISON courses and reading books, I wanted another way to take in art instruction, so I was thrilled to find the Art History Babes podcast.

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Their logo is the cutest!

Jen, Natalie, Ginny and Corrie – the hosts of the podcast – gather together to discuss different art-related topics. It’s hard to say whether it’s their knowledge or their chemistry that makes this such an irresistible podcast.

A nice podcast to help you get a feel for the Art History Babes is this post about Leonardo Da Vinci. It’s pretty short (a little over 15 minutes) but packs a lot of information. This will lay a great foundation for a post that I have coming up in a few days . . .

Let me know what you think about the Art History Babes! You can, of course, check out the podcast, but also check out their blog, as well.

art · life curation

A Love Affair with Jean-Leon Gerome, Part 1

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If you’re fortunate, you’ll come across an artist whose work speaks to you on a cellular level. For me, that artist is Jean-Leon Gerome. Every Gerome painting that I’ve seen has taken my breath away and transported me to a different time and place. I can’t see a Gerome painting without stopping to stare for a while.

Many of Gerome’s paintings have an ever-present touch of exoticism. From paintings set in the deserts of the Middle East, Africa and Asia, to his dignified portraits of people of color, I find myself enchanted by his interpretation of the exciting world outside of Europe.

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The painting that started it all: The Slave Market (1871) by Jean-Leon Gerome (Cincinnati Art Museum)

A short story: I saw my first Gerome painting when I was in Cincinnati several years ago. I decided to walk from my hotel to the Cincinnati Art Museum because it was less than two miles away, and I was in (relatively) good shape (side note: if you are ever in Cincinnati, you must stop by this museum. It’s a real gem!). Unfortunately, it began to rain and pour, and the next day, I had a cold so bad that I slept for half of the day and didn’t eat anything for dinner that evening (I recall making a hot toddy that helped tremendously, but I was still uncomfortable for a few days).

Back to the point: I laid eyes on The Slave Market (1871) and I stopped in my tracks. The painting was so powerful and full of raw emotion that I literally couldn’t move. The look of despair and anguish on the faces of the enslaved women stirred my soul. I knew, the moment that I saw this painting, that I’d never look at art with same eyes as I had when I first entered the museum. It’s the one work of art that I take with me, in spirit, wherever I go.

 

These photos fail to capture the emotion and realism on the subjects’ faces: this one must be experienced in person!

Thus began my love affair with Jean-Leon Gerome. Stay tuned for Part Two, where I discuss more about Gerome and why I’m discussing him on this blog (p.s. it’s relevant to some of the other things I’ve discussed here!) Talk to you all soon!

art · life curation

Free Art Education At Your Fingertips

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As you all recall from my 2018 goals post, I plan to transition into an art-related career. I’m not exactly sure where I want to fall in that world (consultant, curator, collector, advisor, etc.) but I know that the art world has the excitement, beauty and adventure that I crave.

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(photo courtesy of ALISON.com)

Before I can dive into that world, however, I need to get more educated on art. I’m not a complete novice (I’ve spent lots of time in museums and I’m a voracious reader) but  I could benefit from some more targeted instruction. And, until the weather begins to warm up, I’d prefer online courses, so that I can learn without having to leave the house.

With that in mind, I’m excited to share with you all the free art course I found on ALISON. The class, Great Artists and Their Works, allows students to learn about 8 of the most famous names in art history. Learning about these artists and their seminal works has been tremendously rewarding for me. I just finished the Michaelangelo module and I will start learning about Raphael with my next module.

This course is wonderful for anyone that wants to bolster their art knowledge without a large financial investment. All that this course requires is time and a good internet connection. I fully intend to take advantage of this, and other, online learning opportunities. I have a few other courses that I plan to take this year, to help me really broaden my art knowledge base and prepare for my new career in the art world.

art · luxury

Classical Art Sale at Sotheby’s London

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Sotheby’s is having an Old Masters Sale on December 7th, and I must admit, I would love to own one of these incredible works. After attending the Drawing Salon at the National Gallery of Art, I discovered a new level of appreciation for classical works. As a result, I am always interested in the Old Masters and all manner of classical art.

I love all art with Black faces, especially classic art. So I was delighted to see this one, even if the Black woman depicted is a servant. I’m amused that the Princess of Zanzibar (an archipelago of Tanzania, an African country) is a European woman. I would think that the princess of any African country or region would be a woman of color, but I digress.

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(Portrait of The Princess of Zanzibar with an African Attendant by Walter Frier)
During the drawing salon that I attended, we studied the significance of the Madonna paintings. So I’m partial to any rendition of the Virgin and Child.
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(Virgin and Child with a Pear by the Workshop of Joos van Cleve)
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(The Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist by Antonio del Ceraiuolo)
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(Madonna and Child by School of Bruges, second half of the 16th Century)
These paintings are expected to fetch between 10,000 and 90,000 GBP (approximately $13,000 and $121,000 USD). It’ll be interesting to see how well these sell in a couple of days!
The sale will be held at Sotheby’s London. Oh how I’d love to be there when this sale occurs!
art · style

Barbie Has Come a Long Way

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I’ve collected Barbie dolls since I was a child, mainly because I couldn’t get enough of the glamour and fantasy that the Barbie brand epitomized. As an adult, I purchase both for nostalgia and for the beauty of the dolls. I don’t care if I ever get a financial ROI (by selling them at a later date); I enjoy them NOW, and every purchase gives me an immediate emotional ROI.

It doesn’t seem like this would qualify as an art post BUT the skill and artistry involved with creating Barbie is undeniable.

Check out some of the Barbies that will be available in Spring 2018. I’m drooling: I can’t wait to buy some of these!

 

 

 

(all photos courtesy of Mattel)

 

art

Artist to Know: Lina Iris Viktor

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I regularly mention my love of art in my posts, and one of the highlights of my art experiences came this year, when I attended Neneh Ada Yang’s first U.S. Art Exhibition. Now, I’d like to discuss Lina Iris Viktor, an artist that I find fascinating and incredibly talented.

You can check her out at her website, but for the sake of getting a quick preview of her work, look at photos of one of her hauntingly beautiful paintings. This one is Syzygy (2015).

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Lina’s works are striking combinations of black, white, 24 kt gold leaf, and Majorelle blue (a shade closely resembling Yves Klein’s preferred shade of ultramarine blue). Obviously, I have a thing for Majorelle blue, too (check out the handbag on my Current Wish List to see what I mean).

Lina’s paintings have an indescribable, otherworldly quality. There’s something so luxe yet approachable about her creations. I’m inserting an interview with Lina below. I really enjoyed hearing her discuss her preferred color palette, thoughts on the importance of art, and her personal opinion about “starving artists”.

Lina currently has an exhibition in London (unfortunately, it ends today). I’ve signed up on her website so that I can get updates as she releases new exhibition information. In the meantime, I’ll browse through her online gallery (you can access the gallery here). You all should check her out! In fact, I’ll add another video for your viewing pleasure!

 

art · beauty

Time for Costumes . . .

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Yay! It’s Saturday! I’ve been waiting for this day all week!

Halloween is upon us, so you can expect a lot of people to be out and about as they gather some last minute items.

In the spirit of the season, I’m posting links to incredible Halloween makeup tutorials. Even if you don’t celebrate, you’re bound to find something fun that you can incorporate into your everyday look. Enjoy!

 

 

 

art · culture · international

Haitian Embassy Tour

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Back in May, I participated in the Around the World Embassy Tour event in Washington, DC. This is part of the annual Passport DC event, which allows visitors to tour various embassies during the month of May. Generally speaking, the first weekend of May features African, South American, Caribbean and a couple of Asian embassies, the second weekend of the month is the European Union Open House weekend, and the following weekend is the Festival of Asia.

I’d never toured the Haitian Embassy before, so I was excited to visit this year. Funny enough, I’ve been to Haiti when I cruised with Royal Caribbean in the past, and I always loved the island. In fact, I’ve stated on multiple occasions that Haiti is my favorite Caribbean island. So it’s a marvel that I’d never gone to the Haitian Embassy until this year. In any case, I was eager to go. And the embassy DID NOT disappoint.

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I think the thing that I found most incredible was the prominence of Black mermaids in Haitian art. As a born-and-bred American, the mermaid image I see most frequently is the Disney version, with porcelain skin, red hair and blue eyes. Seeing the Haitian depictions of Black mermaids was deeply moving. These depictions are far more accurate to the creatures that Christopher Columbus reported seeing in his travels, and they also predate Hans Christian Andersen’s tale. Of course, practically every culture has stories of merpeople, but seeing the image of magical brown-skinned beings was surreal.

The embassy is a stately, breathtaking building, and the art that lines every wall is stunning and memorable. It looked more like an incredible museum than a political office space! It has multiple floors, and, sadly, I only toured one level.

My biggest regret? Not allowing more time to tour. But no worries: I will return next year!

 

art · culture

Return of the Drawing Salon at The National Gallery of Art

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(image courtesy of ClipArtPanda)

Recently, I shared that the National Gallery of Art hosts Writing Salons, to assist all interested in getting in touch with their inner author. However, the Writing Salons have a counterpart that is equally as, if not more, popular: the Drawing Salons. NGA has finally began accepting reservations for the Drawing Salons, and I’m here to tell you all about it, both as an art enthusiast and as a former salon attendee.

Similar to the Writing Salons, the Drawing Salons are hosted monthly and the salon topics vary for each session. The Drawing Salons also run from now into the springtime, though they end one month after the last Writing Salon session. There are also only 5 Drawing Salon themes, as opposed to the 6 Writing Salon themes available this season.

The topics being explored during this season of the Drawing Salon are as follows:

American Impressionism

Cézanne’s Landscapes

Picasso’s Palette

Rodin’s Sculptures

Matisse’s Cut-Outs

I attended one of the Drawing Salons in 2015, and thoroughly enjoyed it. NGA provides supplies and is well equipped for each group of budding artists. I found that the art instruction was solid and appropriate for any skill level. I liked that the groups were small enough that the art instructor could provide each attendee a measure of one-on-one attention. But the most impressive part of the session was the art history lesson provided to attendees: the historical context deeply informs the sketch that attendees create during the session.

So, much like the Writing Salons, if you have a chance, GO! You won’t be disappointed!