Non Western Blog 2

Frida Kahlo Self Portrait 1940 Mexico

I chose this piece as it is a wonderful companion to my first Non Western blog piece. This was the portrait painted by Frida Kahlo after a commission by Andrew Firestone for portraits of Diego Rivera, Kahlo’s husband, and herself. In the inscription in the painting is a dedication to Firestone and his daughters. I enjoyed the difference in this portrait from many of the other portraits of Kahlo. The catholic head covering showing her religious background and also the pre-Columbian jewelry have a nice contrast.  She looks very serious in the piece and she had a very tortured life which was filled with much sadness. In fact, this painting was began after she had divorced Rivera for infidelity yet she remarried him the year she painted this. She suffered from crippling illness which may have been why she remarried him, for the care he could provide. I think the relationship between these two dynamic artists and personalities adds a fascinating element to their work.

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/K/kahlo.html

http://www.mamfa.com/artworks/kahlo/firestone_sp.htm

Non-Western # 1

The piece I have chosen captured me right away.

This wonderful self-portrait is of Diego Rivera. Rivera panted this version Self Portrait also know as the Firestone edition in 1941 in Santa Barbara. This piece was commissioned by Andrew Firestone who also commissioned of self portrait of his wife Frido Kahla. Firestone was a friend of the couple and discussed the requirements for this commission via letters including the commission price. Rivera actually created two versions of this work. The first one which was slightly different from the Firestone version as his first portrait he sold too the American Sculpter Frances Rich.

I really loved the realism of this portrait and the choice of colors. I can’t say it is the most flattering self portrait but the textures in his clothing, the boldness of the red in his shirt, his curls and the lines in his face had a lot of character.

http://www.mamfa.com/firestone/

Contemporary Virtual Exhibit

As shown in prior blog posts I have a special place for breastfeeding art. I will continue that theme as I find the modern breastfeeding art especially fascinating as many artists and photographers seek to push the envelope and yet normalize breastfeeding in society.

The artist who captured this shot is Rachel Valley a freelance photographer who lives in Northern California. The title of the piece Duality was captured in 2007 in California and is very representative of many people views on breastfeeding. There is a struggle with seeing woman’s breasts as sexual objects only and in some cases the inability to view them as items for nurturing and provision as well. This piece was wonderful as showing the dual role and relationship with the woman’s partner and also with her child.

Another piece by Rachel Valley that again captures the modern world of breastfeeding. I adore the light in this photo and the cherubic baby, the entire family looks peaceful. This photograph is titled Support and not only shows the breastfeeding relationship but the modern movement that goes back to more natural parenting, specifically co-sleeping with our infants. This piece was also created in the mid 2000′s in Northern California.

Another thought provoking piece by Rachel Valley, Gross has an entirely different tone than the prior works. Here the artist was demonstrating something truly gross this woman attempting to nurse her child while covered in refuse including dirty condoms. When reading comments on many websites about breastfeeding in public frequently you will hear the comment that breastfeeding is gross and disgusting and here the artist had a comment on that. This piece was also captured around 2007 in California.

This charcoal piece Motherhood was created by a German artist Christoph Wetzel. Wetzel was born in 1947 but I was unable to find hardly any other information about him. This piece was gorgeous in its simplicity. The tenderness in the mothers gaze is evident despite the medium. The piece was created in Germany but I was unable to find an exact date.

These two pieces are by the artist John Beahm. He was a graphic designer turned artist from Northern California and his work is inspired by West Coast Bay area figurative art and Expressionists works. Both pieces are similar in content and tone and the mix of color and flow make them quite different in form from the other breastfeeding art represented in this exhibit. The first piece title Unearthed and the second Awaiting Chair despite their modern tones still harken back to older Madonna Child works. Both created in California but I was unable to find a specific date other than they are post 1998.

http://www.redbubble.com/people/rachelvalley/art/464304-5-duality

http://www.ebsqart.com/Artists/cmd_19926_profile.htm

Early Modern

For some reason this piece spoke to me as soon as I saw it. There was a great sadness in the expression in the man and it shows particularly in his eyes. The frightening image of the sickle around his neck and the man smoking was very telling of the time period. I believe that the sickle which would be representative of a working or farming class although no longer a tool of early modern time still would demonstrate a lower class existance, a time when the blue collar work wasn’t available, yet desperately needed. At the same time it is around his neck, as if as a threat to his very existance.

Man with a sickle was a definite period piece created by Eldzier Cortor in 1945 in Chicago. This piece shows a clear influence of the Great Depression and the influence of African Americans in Early Modern art. Corter worked for the Work Progress Administration which helped provide relief for many African Americans in the time period and worked to assist with depression recovery.

http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/a/african_american_5.html

http://www2.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/aavaahp.htm#cortor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eldzier_Cortor

Impressionism I do love you

I think what really attracts me to impressionism is that many pieces I initially was underwhelmed by required a second and third look. I find especially appealing the variety of styles that all fall under impressionism that are similar and unique in the same breath. Many pieces do not fall under the traditional pastel blends and muted colors that you may initially associated with impressionism.

This piece painted by August Renior and titled Motherhood or Woman Breastfeeding her Child was created in 1886 most likely in Paris. This piece was one of the many pieces that Renior created of his muse Aline who later became his wife. This piece was painted after his first son was born. I find breastfeeding pictures particularly appealing and this one is no exception.  The chubby baby reminds you of those in the Italian Renaissance period but the art is clearly impressionist with a normal natural everyday scene.

This piece Le Pouldu, Woman Breastfeeding on a Dune by Ferdinand Loyen Du Puigaudeau has a similar theme as the above Renoir work yet leaves an entirely different impression. Du Puigaudeau was a French Impression who lived from 1864-1930. Despite extensive searching I was unable to find an exact year or location that this particular work was created but it was most likely after 1886 during a period where he was quite active. I love the darkness in this work and the wispy realism of the smoke leaving the fire. Again I love that this is looked as a normal scene, woman nursing outside without shame, when society today requires laws that protect woman and allow them to breastfeed in public without repercussions.

I appreciate the work of the impressionist more so than the post impressionists works, I think I enjoy the lack of structure. The impressionists seemed to be more playful and less serious than the artists in many of the earlier times particularly classical works and the morality in the neoclassical style.

http://www.artistsandart.org/2010/05/renoir-and-his-models-aline-charigot.html

http://www.allartclassic.com/author_biography.php?p_number=227

Classical

Paride ed Elena is an opera composed by Christoph William Gluck and it premiered in Vienna on November 3 1770. Gluck himself had middle class beginnings he was the son of a forrester born in Czechoslovakia.  He received his musical training in Jesuit college and spent much time perfecting his craft while traveleing in Vienna, Milan, London, Paris and Dresden.

Gluck epitomized the chang to music during the Neo-Classical era. He rejected the pomp and the formality of Barouque music and instead insisted upon common sense, emotion and meaningful action to the pieces. This simplification of the musical style was particularly pleasing to the middle classes which had become a larger part of the audience of the time. This richness of emotion and greater drama would have been on particular appeal to the audience particularly with the mood and atmosphere enhanced.

Paride ed Elena is the third of Gluck’s Italian Reformists works. These three operas were all created with the collaboration of the poet Ranieri de’ Calzabigi. This piece has a mass appeal by its heroic story, the flight of Paris with Helen of Troy and his judgment. The piece is short and aimed for beautiful simplicity and contained direct plain speech, another plus for the middle class. Ironically this was not his most popular piece, perhaps the unhappy ending was not as well received

I enjoyed this piece very much. It was not as over the top in drama but it was lively and the recitatives blended seamlessly in with the arias. Listening to the entire piece while understanding the story behind it was quite fascinating.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paride_ed_Elena

http://w3.rz-berlin.mpg.de/cmp/gluck.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranieri_de%27_Calzabigi

http://www.operatoday.com/content/2008/01/gluck_paride_ed.php

Baroque

The Ecstasy of St. Gregory the Great is a phenomenal example of Baroque art at its finest. It was created by Peter Paul Rubens in 1608 after he settled in Rome. This piece was commissioned by the Oratorians which were one of the orders of the Counter-Reformation. The art was commissioned for the Oratorians main church Santa Maria Vallicella. Although Rubens completed the piece as requested it was not hung in its intended place in the church as it reflected the light coming into the church too strongly, Rubens kept his rejected piece.

The influence of the Council of Trent is very evident in this piece. It is clearly a piece that would stimulate the religious masses with its approved veneration of the Saints included. St.Gregory the Great was a Saint approved by the Catholics. He was a military Saint and Christian crusader used frequently in Baroque artists paintings.The cult of George had a royal patronage that dated back to England since the 14th century and Saint George’s might was an image of national unity.  For more information on the Council of Trent. One of the results of the Council of Trent was the formation of the Oratorians and important group in the Counter Reformation.

This piece was appealing to me as it felt a perfect example of the baroque era and the counter reformation. The response of the Saint and his vision of the Virgin and child is clear in his worshipful expression and in the appearance of his clothing. His robes make it appear that he swung around and stopped short by the vision. His hands are steadying himself and he is in awe. His knees even look slightly buckled like he is having to hold steady because of his adoration. You could see why this would be commissioned by the Oratorians and it will fulfill the need of inspiring awe and devotion in the followers. For further information please see

http://witcombe.sbc.edu/art-theory-baroque-Fall-2008/style3.html

http://www.moodbook.com/history/baroque/rubens-early-religious-paintings.html