Photo 365 - Day 263 (Photo of a Portrait of a Gentleman)

Day 263 (March 23rd, 2011)
Title: Photo of a Portrait of a Gentleman

Continuing with a few of the artist that I spotted on our last trip to the Legion of Honor, today I am showing Tiziano Vecellio (more commonly known as Titian) painting "Portrait of a Gentleman".  I really like this painting, because it reminds me so much of a photograph.  Something that today, you might say to your friend, "Say Cheese!" and poof - you've got a portrait.  But, back in 1550 when this was done, it took Titian hundreds of hours to paint this. 

Again, as I mentioned yesterday, try and get to the Legion of Honor and enjoy all of their wonderful art.

Enjoy!

Artist of the Day - Day 18 - Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Pierre-Auguste Renoir; Painter, Easily “Impressed”

Renoir was one of the leading French impressionist painters during the 19th century, and his delicate touches to many of his paintings put him on par with many other masters of that period (such as Manet, Degas, and Monet).  He created these wonderful paintings, that if done today as photography we would call them “snapshots”; in essence a ‘normal’ moment in life (such as a dance, kids posing on a balcony, a couple going to the theater, etc.), but captured in such a manner to really show their humanity and create a strong connection with the viewer.  He used delicate, soft tones to blend the subjects together and make a “dream-like” impression with many of his works.  He even took his work outside of the studio and worked outdoors (which was tricky back then, because the environment could change dramatically from when the painting was started to when it was finished – compared to the controlled environment of a studio). 

One of the aspects of Renoir that I enjoy so much is the personal feel of the subjects he paints.  While he does many posed shots, the subjects look so at easy and relaxed.  As a photographer, that is the “zone” that we are always trying to get when taking picture of people, where they are so comfortable that they forget that the camera (or painter, in Renoir’s case) is even there. 

Wikipedia
Pierre-Auguste Renoir Biography

Artist of the Day - Day 17 - Katsushika Hokusai

Katsushika Hokusai; Painter and International Blocker

Hokusai was one of Japan’s greatest woodblock printers during the Edo period (1603-1868).  He created a series of woodblock prints (Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji) that influenced other artist around the world, including van Gogh, Monet, and Degas, just to name a few.  Unlike other types of block printing (ex: Albrecht Dürer), Japanese woodblock printing (called ukiyo-e), was done more like today’s silkscreening.  Multiple blocks, each inked with a different color are used to “stack” the different colors on top of each other to create a final print.  In today’s world, we can just create layers on software like Photoshop or acetate (clear plastic paper) and if one layer isn’t perfect, no biggie – we just throw it away.  But these were all hand carved blocks, approximately 10-12 square inches, with intricate details.  It was a slow and intense process, but in the end, once the blocks were done many copies of each work could be created, allowing for more of the general public to have access to art. 

Wikipedia
Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji

Artist of the Day - Day 16 - Bob Ross

Bob Ross; Happy little painter. 

Bob Ross was happy.  His trees were happy.  His mountains were happy.  His ponds were happy.  His squirrels were frickin’ ecstatic!  I loved watching Bob Ross, because there could have been a nuclear war going on and he would have said: “Now, you want your mushroom cloud to just flow from the brush.  Just push that radiation out those bristles.  Now you’ve got a happy cloud.  Next we are going to make some happy fallout.” 

In 30 minutes Bob could paint you a masterpiece, convince you that YOU could paint it too, and still have time to remind you how happy he and everything else in the entire universe was.  All kidding aside, he really was a great artist and person.  I say he was great, not so much for his work specifically, but because he motivated so many people to just get out there and try painting (or any other art).  He was also a great humanitarian, he did not charge the PBS network one cent for any of his shows (he made his zillions on the videotapes and art supplies) and he also donated each painting he did on TV to a PBS station so they could sell it and raise funds.  Even today, if I see Joy of Painting on the TV Guide, I’ll flip over to it to see some happy trees. 

And remember: “We don't have mistakes here, we just have happy accidents, sniffing paint thinner.”  (slightly modified quote from Bob Ross).

 

Wikipedia
Bob Ross.com

Artist of the Day - Day 13 - Georgia O'Keeffe

Georgia O'Keeffe; Painter and Serious Hard Core Doodler

Georgia O’Keefe was one of the great American artist from the early 20th century.  She helped create and promote American style of painting (in particular, that of the Southwest Native Americans and their culture) both in the US and in Europe.  She used bold colors and highly defined forms to give her pictures an abstract, yet still have a unique feel and look to them (later to be recognized as American abstract).

Wikipedia
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

Artist of the Day - Day 11 - Albrecht Dürer

Albrecht Dürer; German Ninja Engraver and Painter

Albrecht Dürer was one the first artist that I remember reading about when I first took an art appreciate class in college.  I remember him because unlike many of the other artist of his day, he specialized in engravings, both woodblock and metal etchings.  His works are so detailed and vast that at first when you see thing you think: “Wow, that’s a great painting!”  But, you have to remember, he created these images via small, intricate carvings on wood… Backwards! (Remember, all engravings had to be done in ‘reverse’ so when they were inked and the paper was applied the image would show correctly on the paper).  Not only did he carve/engrave all the details, but while he was doing it he knew that his work was only temporary (in its actual form – the prints that were created would last for a long time).  The blocks themselves were only good for so many prints (the metal engravings would last longer, but even they had a limited ‘life span’ worth of prints).  Months, perhaps even years, on a piece of art that you knew would exist for a little while.  Dürer was truly dedicated to his art and to being an artist. 

Wikipedia
Albrecht Dürer – His Complete Works

Artist of the Day - Day 9 - Peter Paul Rubens

Peter Paul Rubens; Painter, Seventeenth-century ‘John Woo’

Peter Paul Rubens was a 17th century Baroque painter.  I’m a fan of Baroque art (“If it ain’t Baroque, don’t fix it!” Har) but there are times that I get frustrated with it for its stylistic and repetitiveness (angels floating around, posed royals, and the like).  I’m not saying that I don’t like those types of painting, but it can get a little “boring” (for lack of a better word) viewing them.  Rubens certainly did many of these types of work as well, but he also had a way of painting that added tension and “action” into a lot of his works.   Paintings from many artists’ would just feel staged and regardless of the subject matter, I felt that the painter would just call “cut!” and the cherubs and angels would just take a break from posing until the painting was ready again.  It really didn’t feel as if the artist was an observer painting a scene from ‘outside’ while the action occurred. 

Rubens, as well as some other great masters, I think realized this and created works that really added a more dynamic element that makes the painting more of a frame from a movie clip; you felt there was action both before and after what the painting was showing.  It wasn’t just a static person or event.  One example (I’ve attached Ruben’s painting below) is The Last Supper.  Ruben’s version of The Last Supper really portrays this tension using lighting, facial expressions, and overall composition (very much like DiVinci’s Last Supper – undoubtedly the most famous version of The Last Supper). 

Wikipedia
Peter Paul Rubens - The Complete Works