tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121890142024-03-18T11:06:05.562-04:00ILLUSTRATION ARTDavid Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.comBlogger840125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-34464399647335095962024-03-08T22:33:00.003-05:002024-03-08T22:40:24.805-05:00WARRING WITH TROLLS, part 11<p style="text-align: center;"> <i style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px;"><span style="color: #45818e;">"To live is to war with trolls." -- Ibsen</span></i></p><p>Anthropologists tell us that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetishism" target="_blank">primitive cultures believed art had supernatural properties</a>. Prehistoric tribes thought that striking a drawing of an animal on a cave wall would give them luck in the hunt. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKy9SnDW6DEA92Xz_aIQcYbhJUQ1ilh7ZXxy8LshFAqGU4QnPCLhRqC9wWVRrQ5ezeWqVhBAyM3xx3H-QUskVzXtoNOW7Y2Cxa1qoNpOz_jwMTb6J0IheXCXUjIjyWlKhIY7OCFyU7M6XjTU3C-kZjREamDN7-oOJsfYO2Nc-2slG_3fe7UcIT/s700/Field%20Museum%20Auriignacian-decorated-cave-700x474.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="700" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKy9SnDW6DEA92Xz_aIQcYbhJUQ1ilh7ZXxy8LshFAqGU4QnPCLhRqC9wWVRrQ5ezeWqVhBAyM3xx3H-QUskVzXtoNOW7Y2Cxa1qoNpOz_jwMTb6J0IheXCXUjIjyWlKhIY7OCFyU7M6XjTU3C-kZjREamDN7-oOJsfYO2Nc-2slG_3fe7UcIT/w400-h271/Field%20Museum%20Auriignacian-decorated-cave-700x474.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #76a5af; font-size: x-small;">Diorama from the Field Museum in Chicago</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="text-align: left;">Apotropaic images were believed to contain protective magic. </span><span style="text-align: left;">Ancient Egyptians believed that images had the power to connect them with the gods, and that carvings in tombs would come alive in the afterlife. </span></p><p>They also believed that a person would be destroyed if his cartouche was obliterated.</p><p>It's a measure of the lasting power and mystery of art that even in modern times, superstitious and ignorant people continue to believe that destroying an image will obliterate their enemies.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D7Nl9FukuEs" width="414" youtube-src-id="D7Nl9FukuEs"></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Moron destroying a painting of Lord Balfour in Cambridge.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">The epidemic of primitive brutes fearful of art's magic seems to have spread from </div><a href="https://illustrationart.blogspot.com/2015/09/lousy-odds.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">the deserts of Syria</a><span style="text-align: left;"> to the learned halls of Cambridge.</span><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik4KlENvdaGWWt0mCvwRoaUbkMZgx6qbr7RdianKlND0AnupG6zbG6NMtJl0_U4vcCMG9EVLYLwMffrM45lN-PZa5UKPBhFnYto3izG95_5mmaHTbfsx3LWXLtT24uhPTxcNhyphenhyphenAoRlv8VSqLADwsmTAb9ZFpRGB-hiZkQeUhTprOGgQ2tYTjB-/s560/ISIS%20destruction%20-%20Original%20(option%201)%20(800x422).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="560" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik4KlENvdaGWWt0mCvwRoaUbkMZgx6qbr7RdianKlND0AnupG6zbG6NMtJl0_U4vcCMG9EVLYLwMffrM45lN-PZa5UKPBhFnYto3izG95_5mmaHTbfsx3LWXLtT24uhPTxcNhyphenhyphenAoRlv8VSqLADwsmTAb9ZFpRGB-hiZkQeUhTprOGgQ2tYTjB-/w640-h338/ISIS%20destruction%20-%20Original%20(option%201)%20(800x422).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #45818e;"><br /></span></i></div><p></p>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com84tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-53645992103339397362024-02-29T04:21:00.002-05:002024-03-01T18:07:49.955-05:00MY TWO GRIPES WITH "IDEA" ILLUSTRATION<div style="text-align: left;">I like Tomi Ungerer's drawing about the nature of men and women:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWj0Nf5MaLYmxxuL2Gv9Ylsg4v6Ak9maMufMDSgcAenUygtd0uPrZc8PAnU7Yi7f7BD7IcTqqoLY03_cIP3PoDNlyxdG45fv3MAaUXCC9bSlAWIj61knFU7-Wu52ILscN20OBVxoPFGFtkeTy0tSXtekbdRhgt_NYfxIDm1S2RahhsXltThoNs/s1464/blog%20idea%20art%20copy.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1464" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWj0Nf5MaLYmxxuL2Gv9Ylsg4v6Ak9maMufMDSgcAenUygtd0uPrZc8PAnU7Yi7f7BD7IcTqqoLY03_cIP3PoDNlyxdG45fv3MAaUXCC9bSlAWIj61knFU7-Wu52ILscN20OBVxoPFGFtkeTy0tSXtekbdRhgt_NYfxIDm1S2RahhsXltThoNs/w640-h494/blog%20idea%20art%20copy.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The lines may appear light and slapdash, but the ideas have genuine weight. It's an excellent example of conceptual or “idea” art, which transformed the field of illustration in the latter part of the 20th century. This type of art abandoned the traditional, literal approach to picture making in favor of visualizing ideas using metaphors, symbols, visual puns and word play. </div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps the greatest conceptual illustrator of all, Saul Steinberg, said: "drawing is a way of reasoning on paper." </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFw_GMGenYT5gvwo41yav5DL8MheFzpHEy_GdaQOB97fFGaNxtnrzdYGmi_J_eJzXboU3O0GTqhuu4CrH3ooWEm5f1JtIsk40NKfwKibamQxsSubpaznfYzlAUPMPLXCsGBxi3JJL-jp4EuLDGpko9swGN2MsNvjAIVwmDp2hNCmOKVnMKnfV2/s1461/blog%20idea%20Steinberg%20.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="1461" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFw_GMGenYT5gvwo41yav5DL8MheFzpHEy_GdaQOB97fFGaNxtnrzdYGmi_J_eJzXboU3O0GTqhuu4CrH3ooWEm5f1JtIsk40NKfwKibamQxsSubpaznfYzlAUPMPLXCsGBxi3JJL-jp4EuLDGpko9swGN2MsNvjAIVwmDp2hNCmOKVnMKnfV2/w640-h536/blog%20idea%20Steinberg%20.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">Steinberg explains, "The vulnerable part of the man in danger is the cry for help, which is the part </span></b></i></div><div><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">by which the crocodile holds him and which has the function of an appetizer. </span></b></i></div><div><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">What do I want to say? That he who cries in terror becomes the victim of his statement."</span></b></i></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Here, Melinda Beck creates a devastating image with the simple line of a twisted coat hanger:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLL6RrtRFsS3H0CV2uc8FbixKYwcPLy4NrlLENGGGoXLW1OMMhYVpm7A4skQDO4ffk8b1Nd-EkNeR-a88Jcoj4t2Dn52CmBivthvUUG9qHzxiWI687fiRvVo4tlbbtzCqWJEphLUn7UGp1upJGSFg5iZ9IOpqIesW5TUxedSvUXq_cUWsHugu/s2617/blog%20idea%20beck%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2270" data-original-width="2617" height="556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLL6RrtRFsS3H0CV2uc8FbixKYwcPLy4NrlLENGGGoXLW1OMMhYVpm7A4skQDO4ffk8b1Nd-EkNeR-a88Jcoj4t2Dn52CmBivthvUUG9qHzxiWI687fiRvVo4tlbbtzCqWJEphLUn7UGp1upJGSFg5iZ9IOpqIesW5TUxedSvUXq_cUWsHugu/w640-h556/blog%20idea%20beck%202.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Conceptual illustration began to gain momentum in the 1960s, led by artists such as <a href="https://illustrationart.blogspot.com/2006/04/one-lovely-drawing-part-three.html" target="_blank">Steinberg</a> and the gang from <a href="https://illustrationart.blogspot.com/2014/11/seymour-chwast-babies-and-bath-water.html" target="_blank">Push Pin Studios.</a></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSho73Myd_n-8ei-Oz1IGjIZtoCDwAEGZwuwW2W2yXqpvUdhD6_QkBOBPBIKY1iG4sS7Tn0zopaDC4rA2kvlzZFeor-pI-Cj07w0UyXVOlUbRmHQ4tyJq4fo9WklPhAloUY1gsA2NE57Cy7Ly6Y4HimX5S0SUCCqBDarWxNXWiO_ngcmflq7h/s2073/chwast%20impotence010.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1383" data-original-width="2073" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSho73Myd_n-8ei-Oz1IGjIZtoCDwAEGZwuwW2W2yXqpvUdhD6_QkBOBPBIKY1iG4sS7Tn0zopaDC4rA2kvlzZFeor-pI-Cj07w0UyXVOlUbRmHQ4tyJq4fo9WklPhAloUY1gsA2NE57Cy7Ly6Y4HimX5S0SUCCqBDarWxNXWiO_ngcmflq7h/w640-h426/chwast%20impotence010.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #76a5af;"> illustration of "Impotence" by Push Pin's Seymour Chwast</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Some argue that conceptual art was a life raft for artists in a diminished market for illustration beleaguered by photography, digital art and video. There was no longer a demand for beautifully crafted oil paintings by master painters. Another explanation is that today's dumbed down audience simply lacks the taste or patience to appreciate the kind of art that made the golden age of illustration great. </div><div><br /></div><div>But even if conceptual art was pushed by those negative forces, it was also pulled by the brilliance of artists such as Steinberg and Milton Glaser. Fans such as Steven Heller argue that "idea illustrations made the art more relevant and thought-provoking."</div><div><br /></div><div>I like a great deal of conceptual illustration but I have two problems with conceptual illustration as it reigns today.</div><div><br /></div><div>The first is that the great conceptual artists tended to simplify images in order to highlight an idea-- complex, substantial, playful, clever-- without undue distractions of style, skill and technique. This was an intentional prioritization of elements. But today mediocre concepts are used on a mass scale as a justification for low skill in drawing and painting. For example, the talentless flimflam man and self-professed conceptual artist Richard Prince “redefines the concepts of authorship, ownership and aura.” Not everyone can be an intellectual like Steinberg, but hollow and pedestrian ideas fall short of the original justification of idea art.</div><div><br /></div><div>My second (and greater) gripe with much of today's conceptual illustration is that as the idea became increasingly important, the visual form began to wither unnecessarily. We’ve lost a lot by devaluing traditional elements such as design, color or a sensitive line. My bias is that artists who elect to work in a visual medium should respect the challenges of form-creating work. Otherwise, why not work with ideas as a writer? </div><div><br /></div><div>Rather than show a selection of illustrations that embody my two gripes, I thought it would be nicer to end on an upbeat note with a sampling of conceptual artists today who still know how to deal with both form and content.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><div><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYW4tYjbB0206mIXv5cOWqKw1SjSSMX9NLCZFMC1bSRcpM9gv378ZbhoxFsuyWcoNOso_jBhPebVrUg6BoDuA6M1VesGnwcsA0kFrICdKsgfdP5670kX0mK6d45Iyg7hzaNNKHcQWE6TG6HaFpJt1LQFMk6wEgP674-M9dBvBkOsl71Iu31OzC/s2339/blog%20idea%20art%20CUNEO%203.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1848" data-original-width="2339" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYW4tYjbB0206mIXv5cOWqKw1SjSSMX9NLCZFMC1bSRcpM9gv378ZbhoxFsuyWcoNOso_jBhPebVrUg6BoDuA6M1VesGnwcsA0kFrICdKsgfdP5670kX0mK6d45Iyg7hzaNNKHcQWE6TG6HaFpJt1LQFMk6wEgP674-M9dBvBkOsl71Iu31OzC/w640-h506/blog%20idea%20art%20CUNEO%203.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">John Cuneo-- one of the smartest and funniest illustrators today-- established himself as a talented draftsman before evolving into in a looser and more expressive style.</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqEK_O3lSARuV4Ff5y8J5DJV-tgmyd_2NaBMQF7MFH4aIrrMI8-j1X-owpP8MoR2exGLD2hceW-USRODOlL-e2DWboUvi69l-VJqNSamnwsrhpVrbIX4C8xD-c6qfVDlUPwdmdiQmvYJExX3xOIVuVXF6WZ-6jYrGkqt3Mi9jymo7fNBZdAgF6/s1411/blog%20idea%20art%20ULRIKSEN%201%20copy.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="1056" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqEK_O3lSARuV4Ff5y8J5DJV-tgmyd_2NaBMQF7MFH4aIrrMI8-j1X-owpP8MoR2exGLD2hceW-USRODOlL-e2DWboUvi69l-VJqNSamnwsrhpVrbIX4C8xD-c6qfVDlUPwdmdiQmvYJExX3xOIVuVXF6WZ-6jYrGkqt3Mi9jymo7fNBZdAgF6/w478-h640/blog%20idea%20art%20ULRIKSEN%201%20copy.png" width="478" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">A nicely designed </span><span style="color: #45818e;">Istvan Banyai</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDM2442C-RKNQ2JDAdXnZbp1d1eOr5VUZcZCkq7sJ0E7c2BgEdVxULutP1RxGWm6zBY5XU2pAwu6re1bcPhBvJ_h4PwLzvXwpk3ilWkO6AIG7VcUOqm0sRroYkxiUA3IxxkuM-_zR7GBhnvTO0bJ2oggBQjGY_-HlCnYIomnzHI5yW02xIuls/s1405/blog%20idea%20art%20ANTJE%20HERZOG%201.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1405" data-original-width="1087" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDM2442C-RKNQ2JDAdXnZbp1d1eOr5VUZcZCkq7sJ0E7c2BgEdVxULutP1RxGWm6zBY5XU2pAwu6re1bcPhBvJ_h4PwLzvXwpk3ilWkO6AIG7VcUOqm0sRroYkxiUA3IxxkuM-_zR7GBhnvTO0bJ2oggBQjGY_-HlCnYIomnzHI5yW02xIuls/w496-h640/blog%20idea%20art%20ANTJE%20HERZOG%201.png" width="496" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">You have to look twice to get Antje Herzog's drawing</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Newsreader Text", serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span><p></p></div></div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-18613045505611148932024-02-23T17:00:00.002-05:002024-02-23T17:00:45.001-05:00WARRING WITH TROLLS, part 10: VIOLATING THE SPACE TREATY<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af;"><i>"To live is to war with trolls." -- Ibsen</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af;"><br /></span></div><a href="https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/spacelaw/treaties/introouterspacetreaty.html"><b>The United Nations Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space </b></a>strictly forbids "harmful contamination of space and celestial bodies." It explicitly prohibits placing weapons of mass destruction in outer space.<br /><div><span face="Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span>Despite this prohibition, sculptures by marketing con artist Jeff Koons landed on the moon yesterday in the<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/second-private-u-s-moon-lander-readies-for-launch/"> NASA-funded moon lander Odysseus</a>. Koons now crows that he created "the first authorized artwork on the moon." </div><div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh679gNacW7fK5Q0ktktVUYJEUq1e_m3yImB17TlvgX_7dxy0jjgJhvVG-sGwwUDcfMJ9uWDYsltcNCnxJ3S64RXijsc4CpQ4cQBM1U0fxsgT-FccZ0oKH-i-Gspw7Gl2CwhTFVeff-028SZCt_q6IpGlKxIdC6lxaob21QZhWQOaCmCadUdJAG/s2399/Koon%20moon%20screen-shot-2024-02-22-at-5-39-14-pm.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2399" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh679gNacW7fK5Q0ktktVUYJEUq1e_m3yImB17TlvgX_7dxy0jjgJhvVG-sGwwUDcfMJ9uWDYsltcNCnxJ3S64RXijsc4CpQ4cQBM1U0fxsgT-FccZ0oKH-i-Gspw7Gl2CwhTFVeff-028SZCt_q6IpGlKxIdC6lxaob21QZhWQOaCmCadUdJAG/w426-h640/Koon%20moon%20screen-shot-2024-02-22-at-5-39-14-pm.jpeg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">As if this act of extraterrestrial vandalism wasn't enough, each of the sculptures on the moon has two counterparts on earth: a larger statue and a digital NFT (nonfungible token), thereby dispelling any ambiguity about the mercenary core of this art.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Just as the planets may align on rare occasions, this project represents a rare alignment of corporate greed, bad politics, self-aggrandizement and execrable taste. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>Carolyn Russo, the credulous Museum Specialist at the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, gushed: “Why wouldn’t artists look to the moon as a new place to offer a new cultural understanding of who we are as a civilization?”<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us hope that space aliens never stumble across Koons' "understanding of who we are as a civilization," or they may feel compelled to retaliate for our littering their front lawn.</div></div></div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-66126244567706163062024-02-19T23:00:00.000-05:002024-02-19T23:00:06.641-05:00A HUNDRED ARTISTS ON THEIR BACKS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJFxCDLJJuUNVrTcJRZTkTtneQ854RhyphenhyphenHQllCBMNUw_yFhlw1ShiNAii_l_jSho2a1AmhTakG1UaJJ-6RTb_eskxf3YmIsqtvIV_3RsTzFYdcVZ6wfs1yY644QEvG0nY1NF9ISjsJZ1KOCiYsRg74Qw5bYVszBmAGHo7XWw3cwmvbDSE5FTGo/s837/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%2015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="837" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJFxCDLJJuUNVrTcJRZTkTtneQ854RhyphenhyphenHQllCBMNUw_yFhlw1ShiNAii_l_jSho2a1AmhTakG1UaJJ-6RTb_eskxf3YmIsqtvIV_3RsTzFYdcVZ6wfs1yY644QEvG0nY1NF9ISjsJZ1KOCiYsRg74Qw5bYVszBmAGHo7XWw3cwmvbDSE5FTGo/s320/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I first saw the ceilings of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, I was gobsmacked by their ornamentation -- nearly a hundred galleries dense with weird figures, mysterious symbols, grotesque creatures, bizarre landscapes and mythological tableaus, stretching as far as the eye could see. (Virtual tour courtesy of Google Maps available <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@43.7684452,11.2557076,2a,90y,197.67h,157.4t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s56LG8gP9t5__YjDAynJAzg!2e0!3e4!7i13312!8i6656?hl=it&entry=ttu">here</a> ). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZNyF2NSiufWY5ma1PUUzyLM8v5qThb7aP2k3ank44n75dmAlCSHakQgKspYQE5jF0SZDd-QNoHUjfSfmCjTrQT6gG_aN1D2FiNJZKuWKkgbYqholxOrYfcOfNahVpglMb9nO2nu79gOv10l0zeHBBsnMrh4IcInqF9E6tyoPuSz7Wv-isu2c/s4032/Uffizi%20ceiling%20_3266.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZNyF2NSiufWY5ma1PUUzyLM8v5qThb7aP2k3ank44n75dmAlCSHakQgKspYQE5jF0SZDd-QNoHUjfSfmCjTrQT6gG_aN1D2FiNJZKuWKkgbYqholxOrYfcOfNahVpglMb9nO2nu79gOv10l0zeHBBsnMrh4IcInqF9E6tyoPuSz7Wv-isu2c/w480-h640/Uffizi%20ceiling%20_3266.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPnRJ-U2sHUnEQdx4QsNaK8uX6K2yMuE2MdR8XS99pzIEvGPK6qzLdzd2S6ZId7iX9tN5IZGpyO0GJKaJahAg8L8oDnCcwrhveOe7UqCpkpRMdNpHpyBj8yC9BGEiuPXYEpNoBEjd5ca9FThe5T2AaZ0FQ8EI7d1Rf4oDFFVxWqbDJutQAo6x/s4032/Uffizi%20ceiling%20IMG_3263.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPnRJ-U2sHUnEQdx4QsNaK8uX6K2yMuE2MdR8XS99pzIEvGPK6qzLdzd2S6ZId7iX9tN5IZGpyO0GJKaJahAg8L8oDnCcwrhveOe7UqCpkpRMdNpHpyBj8yC9BGEiuPXYEpNoBEjd5ca9FThe5T2AaZ0FQ8EI7d1Rf4oDFFVxWqbDJutQAo6x/w480-h640/Uffizi%20ceiling%20IMG_3263.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vaxNVrp_R1BatUAyrMrdhY2f1XC26eurNP6lA3LMRaLutpk0mQFrE7YXOfHqL7pAQUmS5cPLst56JXMw6JTw8iCnZMZJuffl-rV9S0roaaBrBGj-4t3CMsMrggrXKUsQs3CtUi1jCs6xH7Fp7NpQlan6ALioijDI5xJWEID-8x6QQKXcNEK-/s3915/Uffizi%20ceiling%20IMG_3299.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3915" data-original-width="2909" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vaxNVrp_R1BatUAyrMrdhY2f1XC26eurNP6lA3LMRaLutpk0mQFrE7YXOfHqL7pAQUmS5cPLst56JXMw6JTw8iCnZMZJuffl-rV9S0roaaBrBGj-4t3CMsMrggrXKUsQs3CtUi1jCs6xH7Fp7NpQlan6ALioijDI5xJWEID-8x6QQKXcNEK-/w475-h640/Uffizi%20ceiling%20IMG_3299.jpg" width="475" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The ceilings on the Uffizi corridors were painted by teams of artists starting in 1579 and took hundreds of years to complete. But the ornate style originated in the ancient palace of the Roman emperor Nero, the inspiration of fresco painter Famulus. With the passage of time, Nero's palace was buried under rubble and forgotten but it was accidentally rediscovered at the end of the 15th century when a boy fell through a hole in the ground and landed in a strange grotto surrounded by eerie painted figures. </div><div><br /></div><div>The rediscovered paintings became a sensation. The greatest Renaissance artists, including Raphael and Michelangelo, were lowered down shafts to study them. Around this time, the Medici family began constructing the Uffizi and decided to decorate the ceilings of the corridors in this latest fashion. </div><div><br /></div><div>During my first visit to the Uffizi it was impossible to linger over details or even take take a decent photo because other visitors, similarly gawking at the ceilings, kept bumping into me. But now I'm pleased to report that the nearly 100 ceiling galleries have been carefully photographed and catalogued in a book, <i><b>Le Grottesche degli Uffizi</b></i> by <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1?ie=UTF8&field-author=Valentina+Conticelli&text=Valentina+Conticelli&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books">Valentina Conticelli</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a center="" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4VQx6MIpGbEkR8-jKkYMiMrN0cWIjyGDUrJ3R6a6ctw1j-7mUsH-WRWqISKpv7NkKRqCNZS_dEyuavSnToT-lHIzJplMNoX-NMwpl_z16x03dsbpEYnD5Wmzk_q_RGuBCmX7ZyJ5zLiv3YjxhQtmf3TwuAqJbBKDpEtCdy6xDJH3GdvNacCF/s4900/Uffizi%20ceiling%20combined%20D%20Panorama1.tif" text-align:=""><img border="0" data-original-height="4900" data-original-width="2809" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4VQx6MIpGbEkR8-jKkYMiMrN0cWIjyGDUrJ3R6a6ctw1j-7mUsH-WRWqISKpv7NkKRqCNZS_dEyuavSnToT-lHIzJplMNoX-NMwpl_z16x03dsbpEYnD5Wmzk_q_RGuBCmX7ZyJ5zLiv3YjxhQtmf3TwuAqJbBKDpEtCdy6xDJH3GdvNacCF/s16000/Uffizi%20ceiling%20combined%20D%20Panorama1.tif" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8MFLaitEjZSc93jlQRjxcozETaorj_5Kj4ZJn23RRlm6YNySB6AU8AEH6uMIf8glvFb9Hp2JuR6DfK6dwyUW2SUH6fJD0gVmVu-lfvtStTgiPqCrNmMECT74Z2oooO3rSLuyXmGOpvTwjtl7XcG15_-OVKh3YlTYeFXUbrapPfjEzs3QyutP6/s4905/Uffizi%20ceiling%20combined%20A.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4905" data-original-width="2831" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8MFLaitEjZSc93jlQRjxcozETaorj_5Kj4ZJn23RRlm6YNySB6AU8AEH6uMIf8glvFb9Hp2JuR6DfK6dwyUW2SUH6fJD0gVmVu-lfvtStTgiPqCrNmMECT74Z2oooO3rSLuyXmGOpvTwjtl7XcG15_-OVKh3YlTYeFXUbrapPfjEzs3QyutP6/s16000/Uffizi%20ceiling%20combined%20A.tif" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwD1336mZD7jIGyQkumLYOCRK4Ens6-DAiA0He1p5YL2UY3Lwv0VM2v-gSH-RtGflwiQ0bswKrFZWC9xoQv20-jXB0fuqBpj-cOUlU92PichjhHss88AOLRNOs7aOcexpKGLnnVw708n5ewy1aKsAjmxWWDeNAABVhSAv_Kd0uJA1JRBH2Ijl/s4889/Uffizi%20ceiling%20combined%20B%20Untitled_Panorama1.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4889" data-original-width="2870" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwD1336mZD7jIGyQkumLYOCRK4Ens6-DAiA0He1p5YL2UY3Lwv0VM2v-gSH-RtGflwiQ0bswKrFZWC9xoQv20-jXB0fuqBpj-cOUlU92PichjhHss88AOLRNOs7aOcexpKGLnnVw708n5ewy1aKsAjmxWWDeNAABVhSAv_Kd0uJA1JRBH2Ijl/s16000/Uffizi%20ceiling%20combined%20B%20Untitled_Panorama1.tif" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGiwNPfIxOOO6tg2GW47LeHj9hQR_pmXwtj-oSRZmJKH1tB4konXBKjgFdwvqYbsIFJLdqZrdmMAjbIZo5m6G_YWlzZLLVqlq8EIkxQhaXye0jptPzlVFgO7rA7E-KThwivunudfSoB04jnoz8rAB5mk9O3lxgkEAa5QAhMvhkuu_Grg-NtMv/s4876/Uffizi%20ceiling%20combined%20F%20Panorama1.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4876" data-original-width="2899" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGiwNPfIxOOO6tg2GW47LeHj9hQR_pmXwtj-oSRZmJKH1tB4konXBKjgFdwvqYbsIFJLdqZrdmMAjbIZo5m6G_YWlzZLLVqlq8EIkxQhaXye0jptPzlVFgO7rA7E-KThwivunudfSoB04jnoz8rAB5mk9O3lxgkEAa5QAhMvhkuu_Grg-NtMv/s16000/Uffizi%20ceiling%20combined%20F%20Panorama1.tif" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoUOu_uzWz_0f9tccu4V4AhaYzcPmZ23wAL4JScA73kb7yJ7_VouU7HKbpM_lljjQTGQyBcP6QYKwRGFjPgpYMOYrpypeWr_PMLgIFssTaFMsh5DDWbJHgVBvYT2JP-kCb-EzRE618_LYUwUWPUkDmSOw98ZJZFELhdITli6fL9BYC4jgPOkEA/s4821/Uffizi%20ceiling%20combined%20G.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4821" data-original-width="2832" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoUOu_uzWz_0f9tccu4V4AhaYzcPmZ23wAL4JScA73kb7yJ7_VouU7HKbpM_lljjQTGQyBcP6QYKwRGFjPgpYMOYrpypeWr_PMLgIFssTaFMsh5DDWbJHgVBvYT2JP-kCb-EzRE618_LYUwUWPUkDmSOw98ZJZFELhdITli6fL9BYC4jgPOkEA/s16000/Uffizi%20ceiling%20combined%20G.tif" /></a></div><br /><p>The book enables us to see the details of these frescoes for the first time, and they confirm what we always knew: that you can't put that many artists together for that long without generating all kinds of mischief.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aXnlvSKvSE_ZY1Z1m6dZ1jZk4orxKc4Pi17vnkaVjnNca5uh0Cqu5f463UxwAAWZ9-GSu_XZxi5nVqYdw9lcUd36eVpjuYoIGuqgLGrp2f5vi1i7tTzVClV-M2SLHzIc9eWK80p8FFe5tgRZ-p2h6Sqtq_xroBYu4wnLVoivh6Qsku4nOGiD/s1533/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%2019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1533" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aXnlvSKvSE_ZY1Z1m6dZ1jZk4orxKc4Pi17vnkaVjnNca5uh0Cqu5f463UxwAAWZ9-GSu_XZxi5nVqYdw9lcUd36eVpjuYoIGuqgLGrp2f5vi1i7tTzVClV-M2SLHzIc9eWK80p8FFe5tgRZ-p2h6Sqtq_xroBYu4wnLVoivh6Qsku4nOGiD/w640-h320/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%2019.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">In the next detail, some long ago scamp subtly beheaded the figure on the left:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlfEQ4NE195puk61iYq4zyHLNuNqlU3CMpAO8698IeAnGdjU5QPmfWiGyQzEreVMFaXbXQxF2pYANv1mTOLRPwSOzTTWXLj_7geof3fZtVeOPsJHOGL_FBHcBUE5kUVCQF4O2qvhhYlkdt2XytcF4dtOY2wl2MabN-hs_tfekFdowPKKLEDML/s3642/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3642" data-original-width="2691" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlfEQ4NE195puk61iYq4zyHLNuNqlU3CMpAO8698IeAnGdjU5QPmfWiGyQzEreVMFaXbXQxF2pYANv1mTOLRPwSOzTTWXLj_7geof3fZtVeOPsJHOGL_FBHcBUE5kUVCQF4O2qvhhYlkdt2XytcF4dtOY2wl2MabN-hs_tfekFdowPKKLEDML/w472-h640/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%208.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also get a better look at the thousands of tiny, imaginative creations invented by hundreds of artists lying on their backs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKZOv8VVhnE6oUv2nCAFwyUA5y1nQIQqRBc3LeoudU1mg1VRacuxfTKN1gLyYsAQ9_qlOGGR4fATDMaUBtm1rWFFdsutxAbJskRqZ4CC859f3E0LaQHy2UXAQDvalu-3d_qzvRwWlz6H8ucVYo25i27tfgcDyZPMOQ3TAmOxN__MyoC_y6O8f/s1018/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%2025.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="1018" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKZOv8VVhnE6oUv2nCAFwyUA5y1nQIQqRBc3LeoudU1mg1VRacuxfTKN1gLyYsAQ9_qlOGGR4fATDMaUBtm1rWFFdsutxAbJskRqZ4CC859f3E0LaQHy2UXAQDvalu-3d_qzvRwWlz6H8ucVYo25i27tfgcDyZPMOQ3TAmOxN__MyoC_y6O8f/s320/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%2025.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ggYIk-3CR4PccxAJZDeLq7580J7XNk4bPH6_hg54Bfaqatv7NKowWU6Ou1uxbZZXRxvB-pEolTPm8CIZgYnxeFXlHihSlS6_GED-OPMg76ohpg1wV5NGut-sJrkpR2qoMUtlU6RmXrVO9LkNuLIeuLy9Qb3XlKhZ-WWt3ecYIiLFqhF-3owD/s601/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%20detail%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="373" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ggYIk-3CR4PccxAJZDeLq7580J7XNk4bPH6_hg54Bfaqatv7NKowWU6Ou1uxbZZXRxvB-pEolTPm8CIZgYnxeFXlHihSlS6_GED-OPMg76ohpg1wV5NGut-sJrkpR2qoMUtlU6RmXrVO9LkNuLIeuLy9Qb3XlKhZ-WWt3ecYIiLFqhF-3owD/s320/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%20detail%201.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifX3IelDI-76Uvs1z244_pjUkEiVeHU0iqg_hT7fjoWwOOXkv28QNzA5fncW9FmeIxstehVN8pZExNU1qtITP0yQN1EIxVns9Sys5tUOZbbGcTX6nu3yXQkMuzlbWiLCyAW_YgeChQcJ5oGOFwd7AMXWvfp2nDDmXUZX4D62oBPDaQhVSdTJHE/s3150/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%2028.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="3150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifX3IelDI-76Uvs1z244_pjUkEiVeHU0iqg_hT7fjoWwOOXkv28QNzA5fncW9FmeIxstehVN8pZExNU1qtITP0yQN1EIxVns9Sys5tUOZbbGcTX6nu3yXQkMuzlbWiLCyAW_YgeChQcJ5oGOFwd7AMXWvfp2nDDmXUZX4D62oBPDaQhVSdTJHE/s16000/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%2028.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More than one artist turned their portion of the ceiling into an open air trellis.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSndXsAxIV8hi5-xjc9KoQ_NuTBQJrdWsztvvfFs0LXAcryxcw65z6na1QmknaAQLdjZHcmb3ZDRv0I2XHA6KPO8V1539ByaQ2VRNeJaPwgGXWhW_gnlQCgqLNsWSjHGlBtAaGKLIGPKKU-8i6-4EhAvW9LkPV8SEXuMwJXd04akM9fTX3iUG/s4319/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%2031.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2981" data-original-width="4319" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSndXsAxIV8hi5-xjc9KoQ_NuTBQJrdWsztvvfFs0LXAcryxcw65z6na1QmknaAQLdjZHcmb3ZDRv0I2XHA6KPO8V1539ByaQ2VRNeJaPwgGXWhW_gnlQCgqLNsWSjHGlBtAaGKLIGPKKU-8i6-4EhAvW9LkPV8SEXuMwJXd04akM9fTX3iUG/w640-h442/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%2031.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaaSNMs0IIKbhmOYNHi0mY3L_jXaHJPFY7STjn9kDxgL2JesQCOBU2hy6gQgW4cMuqLrZ9bu-tA8paAOkm6wX3F_R2ommGHOW79ul1Pvn9JZPKYwvYjzFpdiXB1FAFfWe6R099t6oKLiwX-pCW8khxKK0u-kz4JVKs2vKAeiamqmTl0zlsFjO1/s3411/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%2015.tiff%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3411" data-original-width="1745" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaaSNMs0IIKbhmOYNHi0mY3L_jXaHJPFY7STjn9kDxgL2JesQCOBU2hy6gQgW4cMuqLrZ9bu-tA8paAOkm6wX3F_R2ommGHOW79ul1Pvn9JZPKYwvYjzFpdiXB1FAFfWe6R099t6oKLiwX-pCW8khxKK0u-kz4JVKs2vKAeiamqmTl0zlsFjO1/w328-h640/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%2015.tiff%20copy.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8GvjNe4NN8kEyTjFNfXv0i1wIKT-pszpCNdVekx2Ba1w7QiurInc0-3f0GRObjEe_WiSkb6q9u4s3ZyZdFJz7nt4T4q_t-sDoeYoeqiPCVwi4ld_yzzCbjIhtfirstMcBvD0d36rTzaJStqutC9-VG3pL5G_qQMW8mXmZuIj6Slng3hQe-5G/s4074/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%2016.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4074" data-original-width="2467" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8GvjNe4NN8kEyTjFNfXv0i1wIKT-pszpCNdVekx2Ba1w7QiurInc0-3f0GRObjEe_WiSkb6q9u4s3ZyZdFJz7nt4T4q_t-sDoeYoeqiPCVwi4ld_yzzCbjIhtfirstMcBvD0d36rTzaJStqutC9-VG3pL5G_qQMW8mXmZuIj6Slng3hQe-5G/w388-h640/2024%20Uffizi%20Grotesques%2016.tif" width="388" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just as the frescoes on the ceiling of Nero's palace were buried out of sight for centuries, the frescoes on the ceiling of the Uffizi were hidden in plain sight for centuries, obscured by their height and by their overwhelming volume. Valentina Conticelli's book corrects that, and puts these images at your disposal.</div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-18089817307973359172024-01-22T01:28:00.003-05:002024-01-22T16:58:30.942-05:00THE QUESTION IS PERMANENT; ANSWERS ARE TEMPORARY<p> In my recent post admiring a painting of a tree, someone commented that artists have been drawing trees for 30,000 years, and suggested that there could not be much new to say. But as William Irwin said, "the question is permanent; answers are temporary."</p><p>Trees may not have changed much in 30,000 years but nevertheless here are some innovative pictures of trees that I think are absolutely marvelous:</p><p>The brilliant draftsman Robert Fawcett draws tropical trees outside a hut:</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZZgLhwsRr2KsCAONmUtE_9MOM18LpveNImh1V1DBfiQIFG9rBssZ2Ps08qulGpS78jO0gRu5sbgecKN2RDv3L9bHL2ErClohqo0SiAMDgpTF8YTbjRFG3zR9JhiJTernJjALu4VTBTbXQ0AU4Kcjde3r1BEazz1neWXcJlG2l6l2Li06tGzFS/s3750/Fawcett%20bounty%20trees.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2601" data-original-width="3750" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZZgLhwsRr2KsCAONmUtE_9MOM18LpveNImh1V1DBfiQIFG9rBssZ2Ps08qulGpS78jO0gRu5sbgecKN2RDv3L9bHL2ErClohqo0SiAMDgpTF8YTbjRFG3zR9JhiJTernJjALu4VTBTbXQ0AU4Kcjde3r1BEazz1neWXcJlG2l6l2Li06tGzFS/w640-h444/Fawcett%20bounty%20trees.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Note how he drags a drybrush along their winding forms, then rounds them with shadows of leaves:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdRrQQ0GTWR3nVdvBx95kKYegHfZ008fwLbWTVatiXQ63f-j0Dyo5L-hhQuazJjylmZggRPs4Gi8rO3vozZaa0aIBa0gxJinmuC55YpmK8EORXqy8PrdRlO-g37zJkJLF4AOJVQtVQn5dFNyUeeOsaW0PTal2RCYIyvf_nVZD0q4yngVLVkM1/s1193/Fawcett%20bounty%20detail%20for%20trees.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="927" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdRrQQ0GTWR3nVdvBx95kKYegHfZ008fwLbWTVatiXQ63f-j0Dyo5L-hhQuazJjylmZggRPs4Gi8rO3vozZaa0aIBa0gxJinmuC55YpmK8EORXqy8PrdRlO-g37zJkJLF4AOJVQtVQn5dFNyUeeOsaW0PTal2RCYIyvf_nVZD0q4yngVLVkM1/s16000/Fawcett%20bounty%20detail%20for%20trees.jpg" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The brilliant Bernie Fuchs, assigned to paint golfers, devoted 98% of the picture to majestic trees painted with his famous "stained glass" oil painting technique: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvydXP1L3UTjbIP_lameFeldlY5kSJydezkBgcNLpIC72CYACPOOLTu49uHmutRB63QWGqu5VaZ6Dc40bXSHwdlBas2l5gG3vdomIHDVAKGdDrXyljTmU8ahuGNm1xRospGnWENlbuL-o-vpq13ObygVBfH1XqWI4zr-PxoZbUACn21bWuI8Tc/s1600/4.45A%20Sports%20fuchs%20golf%20-008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1052" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvydXP1L3UTjbIP_lameFeldlY5kSJydezkBgcNLpIC72CYACPOOLTu49uHmutRB63QWGqu5VaZ6Dc40bXSHwdlBas2l5gG3vdomIHDVAKGdDrXyljTmU8ahuGNm1xRospGnWENlbuL-o-vpq13ObygVBfH1XqWI4zr-PxoZbUACn21bWuI8Tc/s16000/4.45A%20Sports%20fuchs%20golf%20-008.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The following beautifully designed reduction is from Joseph Beuys:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jK3d2mcVt99X1H1YhxP3gvHc1_hFB4lBmJOUQdboABdmbJuy-CErg0AJtModOtHhBBrz5rFqIrp3AioCfY16g9utcnqmTbCaU78E4ignL_Wvpozp-hwWYkFOyloyx-vmfbQ4Z0qJ30a92G9FHnU9DdiA7C3LbdmSmVxZhrD7n0THpUdBy3wt/s1920/joseph-beuys%20trees%20chen-aus-dem-braun-7PX5Q.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="1920" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jK3d2mcVt99X1H1YhxP3gvHc1_hFB4lBmJOUQdboABdmbJuy-CErg0AJtModOtHhBBrz5rFqIrp3AioCfY16g9utcnqmTbCaU78E4ignL_Wvpozp-hwWYkFOyloyx-vmfbQ4Z0qJ30a92G9FHnU9DdiA7C3LbdmSmVxZhrD7n0THpUdBy3wt/w640-h452/joseph-beuys%20trees%20chen-aus-dem-braun-7PX5Q.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From the brilliant Jean Dubuffet, <i>Four Trees:</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcBz7AjQIkRF4ADTFilSL0MshwwOFhB2opn3-uGVkiW7uFWmPBA_gMHCGsZmkWW2-JmF449IDTZZ5-tnd35zfXrgtN3VZM71RECQYkanMdM3vMf4Y7lirV6Y0OMAwIap0VSXTNEECetuwRHfMzDmyUb1FGvR-BbcuSRnY91cD-r49cNrdAP5-9/s3005/Dubuffet_Group_of_Four_Trees_1972_NYC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3005" data-original-width="2738" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcBz7AjQIkRF4ADTFilSL0MshwwOFhB2opn3-uGVkiW7uFWmPBA_gMHCGsZmkWW2-JmF449IDTZZ5-tnd35zfXrgtN3VZM71RECQYkanMdM3vMf4Y7lirV6Y0OMAwIap0VSXTNEECetuwRHfMzDmyUb1FGvR-BbcuSRnY91cD-r49cNrdAP5-9/w584-h640/Dubuffet_Group_of_Four_Trees_1972_NYC.jpeg" width="584" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finally, as recently shown on another post, Milton Avery's orchard:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNS_u9-wkWlkRsEoJ8zjwSj71VsCwCDPo1pqf0h8lLITgAGQoPF44GHgT0_WvmJd_JZ3ZY26HIS_xIscwVc8aWkAb_MJxqhvrbDQtXj6Z92VN_sakjxGobn93MxpnF2uJY7XUbuoCUWADN-z5spHInGqaKjaqeVRqHX6A5K1J0gdVxyZ9-oChW/s2600/avery%20spring%20orchard%20ont.net_files_files_images_1969_SAAM-1969.47.52_1.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1964" data-original-width="2600" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNS_u9-wkWlkRsEoJ8zjwSj71VsCwCDPo1pqf0h8lLITgAGQoPF44GHgT0_WvmJd_JZ3ZY26HIS_xIscwVc8aWkAb_MJxqhvrbDQtXj6Z92VN_sakjxGobn93MxpnF2uJY7XUbuoCUWADN-z5spHInGqaKjaqeVRqHX6A5K1J0gdVxyZ9-oChW/w640-h484/avery%20spring%20orchard%20ont.net_files_files_images_1969_SAAM-1969.47.52_1.webp" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com195tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-49332023126078522432024-01-15T15:47:00.009-05:002024-01-16T10:31:44.542-05:00NATHAN FOWKES PAINTS A TREE<p> I love this little study of a tree by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nathanfowkesart/" target="_blank">Nathan Fowkes.</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXG4HxixR6WShtzp-BGjWMkldAI2vxkb-DrMdjahfb49aKyQSTxqrZ6gfG-k719bIN5HvUy_P839vmYcDUGsPu2amB1ElTr9pzGvKCk2P67DoCDLYbbcLb8VzUpX1mBxKu9Qw7AYY_fLcFWoIJsIEN5NpcRPFfPzUEbZ4IP44UPlkgq_xvUGFr/s1995/fowkes%20tree.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1659" data-original-width="1995" height="533" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXG4HxixR6WShtzp-BGjWMkldAI2vxkb-DrMdjahfb49aKyQSTxqrZ6gfG-k719bIN5HvUy_P839vmYcDUGsPu2amB1ElTr9pzGvKCk2P67DoCDLYbbcLb8VzUpX1mBxKu9Qw7AYY_fLcFWoIJsIEN5NpcRPFfPzUEbZ4IP44UPlkgq_xvUGFr/w640-h533/fowkes%20tree.tif" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fowkes is renowned for his mastery of color but even in this simple grayscale sketch his keen powers of observation shine through. Look how he's able to convey the weight of that tree and the structure of that receding branch with such a lively, fluid touch. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Y3tvVNLmqabR193vWZBE9tPh6zbcvDCI19Nwlz73-VhBk3gxiAFomoV54PIxsFli99q_D-Hc0MGtqOyuzCCM_rUhwzQO6woHKsHRHJ45or0vEs7GlKLtL8dX2VK7glWnOb7AYVoXTPJfqRzL65LxdGU0mDYYqeypx0iBA5ji6aFMugo9V4fh/s963/fowkes%20tree.tiff%20detail%201.tif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="963" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Y3tvVNLmqabR193vWZBE9tPh6zbcvDCI19Nwlz73-VhBk3gxiAFomoV54PIxsFli99q_D-Hc0MGtqOyuzCCM_rUhwzQO6woHKsHRHJ45or0vEs7GlKLtL8dX2VK7glWnOb7AYVoXTPJfqRzL65LxdGU0mDYYqeypx0iBA5ji6aFMugo9V4fh/w640-h402/fowkes%20tree.tiff%20detail%201.tif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlCt0vhCd4Jtug9cjkzKGFag_u5XvYmzerjWy1h8PC73qD9kAHCgrZA4aGJ_NMZ_c8d6_eNBjwSZbQJUZT5E1s8AJmn6NA_jqh56s6XSMH3miho9X53fp1u8GOWWjhvv88sFVyglA4ikXB9edpY-IlVnPuJuzZ2Xosngu0pFf1XezpaMwYuRK/s732/fowkes%20tree.tiff%202%20copy.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="732" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlCt0vhCd4Jtug9cjkzKGFag_u5XvYmzerjWy1h8PC73qD9kAHCgrZA4aGJ_NMZ_c8d6_eNBjwSZbQJUZT5E1s8AJmn6NA_jqh56s6XSMH3miho9X53fp1u8GOWWjhvv88sFVyglA4ikXB9edpY-IlVnPuJuzZ2Xosngu0pFf1XezpaMwYuRK/w640-h322/fowkes%20tree.tiff%202%20copy.tif" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fowkes ain't in the business of painting individual leaves with a 00 brush. He has too much admiration for the universal and ageless powers of water, so he welcomes water's qualities into the picture. Note how he records his observations using a loaded brush at lightning speed. Water rewards his gift of freedom by imbuing his small sketch with some of water's power, making the sketch far bigger than its physical size. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizPDflJhBUPeeWsgldCZuw8bzggKOgn_mcIEi5AFUi_KDKw5jpFqyChy4NmGtun0vuDhlMguGgOh5KGc1NT4DTz4g-8NuG3ecR5SyJal-vFzOB9dpMu4NRVicBNnP43kjg7aZtF55qC1bMZu3GfEWteSU6Wx2lbIickb_5NnpOG4KzG6qPqC_R/s741/fowkes%20tree%20leaves%20.tiff%20copy.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="741" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizPDflJhBUPeeWsgldCZuw8bzggKOgn_mcIEi5AFUi_KDKw5jpFqyChy4NmGtun0vuDhlMguGgOh5KGc1NT4DTz4g-8NuG3ecR5SyJal-vFzOB9dpMu4NRVicBNnP43kjg7aZtF55qC1bMZu3GfEWteSU6Wx2lbIickb_5NnpOG4KzG6qPqC_R/w640-h314/fowkes%20tree%20leaves%20.tiff%20copy.tif" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This technique only works because Fowkes is fearless about leaving the trail of his brush. This would be a far less significant picture if he'd gone back to clean up the edges. Fowkes earned the right to be fearless because he is a dedicated painter, constantly improving his gift. Many illustrators today are not so brave, and that's a wise decision on their part.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkB0p5NnbWuSrfUaZd1cK5m5BFasBFpOm-VqfpPOeYKL-tu20GWVro4u_Btbdf9dVKaJ-WiSAXAfOUV4OL8ZvyjE7WsHWdOcO-Z2TTsMNZafqG2x7C7Tt71OsjUhrpuHneQBm4jkVqwMgU2dpy7jad_jvQJ9sZ69rt01Qm1nD0xjRXwuUHYHq0/s703/fowkes%20tree.tiff%203%20copy.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="703" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkB0p5NnbWuSrfUaZd1cK5m5BFasBFpOm-VqfpPOeYKL-tu20GWVro4u_Btbdf9dVKaJ-WiSAXAfOUV4OL8ZvyjE7WsHWdOcO-Z2TTsMNZafqG2x7C7Tt71OsjUhrpuHneQBm4jkVqwMgU2dpy7jad_jvQJ9sZ69rt01Qm1nD0xjRXwuUHYHq0/w640-h542/fowkes%20tree.tiff%203%20copy.tif" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Most of all, I love Fowkes' sense of design. His composition choices are bold and imaginative: a defining horizontal stripe of daylight between a mass of leaves above and a shadow below, all glued together by that diagonal curling shape from lower left to upper right. And while we're at it, who crops a picture of a tree with no sky behind it? The way Fowkes composes this image, our only knowledge of sunlight comes from those abstract, dappled effects on the tree trunk. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I find a lyricism in Fowkes' paintings, and that DNA can be present in even the smallest sketches. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvj2yy-3eb8BtOrUNK7RqBEsLxjNaiJ7kjBpLubYpj0Asievl6FVs8xyXMrB-z1BFB50XRfRT3YVDXH4STavT4f3hWOLxvUQhBF0GmQCqMqgXjABuOOurLpgBgcqL_9BJUfHyJoEVHh6PME9IPtc3zy9t5neyfvYEr2RrHW0Qz-LeKMMq0oLVA/s644/fowkes%20tree.tiff%204%20copy.tif"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="644" height="588" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvj2yy-3eb8BtOrUNK7RqBEsLxjNaiJ7kjBpLubYpj0Asievl6FVs8xyXMrB-z1BFB50XRfRT3YVDXH4STavT4f3hWOLxvUQhBF0GmQCqMqgXjABuOOurLpgBgcqL_9BJUfHyJoEVHh6PME9IPtc3zy9t5neyfvYEr2RrHW0Qz-LeKMMq0oLVA/w640-h588/fowkes%20tree.tiff%204%20copy.tif" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p></div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-81101972905413134532023-12-26T19:35:00.004-05:002023-12-27T07:58:38.649-05:00THE END OF 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje9BDvh4GCQ-DtoWqZ_g2z1amFqTi33x_bjC5OiLw-5SgdQN6RQfanugQNoxx_eYHge4ev1FJvICz2t7AZzTmRX2MGkAIge7qoUbJevvkDcW__CH-NiMeBnUzhugTWz4VdhASOXV2AiUoTb_sZEq8BYXZyjkUfYx_xlfDRZy_gVBX95-uSDsX7/s1559/Milton%20Avery%20butt%20810239.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1559" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje9BDvh4GCQ-DtoWqZ_g2z1amFqTi33x_bjC5OiLw-5SgdQN6RQfanugQNoxx_eYHge4ev1FJvICz2t7AZzTmRX2MGkAIge7qoUbJevvkDcW__CH-NiMeBnUzhugTWz4VdhASOXV2AiUoTb_sZEq8BYXZyjkUfYx_xlfDRZy_gVBX95-uSDsX7/w493-h640/Milton%20Avery%20butt%20810239.jpeg" width="493" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Milton Avery (1893-1965) was famous for simplifying forms. He refined and refined them in search of their poetic core.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love his painting of a spring orchard:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4MNgvo6tcwVo0AQiS3QUiuQTKA9FxQ-cjXMRTMMqGIzBQ6yBppn8-4XycM4Padq4bb9wjVoLJG3g7YSbk-I6D89saW0bTB42f0s3ql_IKFCPhRIUncifKVys7jFlr9S-UmK3MBAQjTBGdw-SoIBG1wE6tLJDlhPWleDGgsXQJxYAVbOjXU8QL/s2600/avery%20spring%20orchard%20ont.net_files_files_images_1969_SAAM-1969.47.52_1.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1964" data-original-width="2600" height="485" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4MNgvo6tcwVo0AQiS3QUiuQTKA9FxQ-cjXMRTMMqGIzBQ6yBppn8-4XycM4Padq4bb9wjVoLJG3g7YSbk-I6D89saW0bTB42f0s3ql_IKFCPhRIUncifKVys7jFlr9S-UmK3MBAQjTBGdw-SoIBG1wE6tLJDlhPWleDGgsXQJxYAVbOjXU8QL/w640-h485/avery%20spring%20orchard%20ont.net_files_files_images_1969_SAAM-1969.47.52_1.webp" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here are two of his paintings of the sea shore at night:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1qilBFAUguUIXI5z6rwHJOYSaXvSVlQUriarg6eSc_1eNDC9pFXvWM9YQkvxSR9Homh1kq20mtfz3HKC4WhpGBRICRH1k5wUembFo4g6LJuwODqNGYbrApxP4bS_BRvwG1prN0zUhsNdK5z7jrEqVZTKSoZOb6N5-PwPGYVW0memKy4bitKo/s2880/Avery%20double%20wave%20download.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1745" data-original-width="2880" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1qilBFAUguUIXI5z6rwHJOYSaXvSVlQUriarg6eSc_1eNDC9pFXvWM9YQkvxSR9Homh1kq20mtfz3HKC4WhpGBRICRH1k5wUembFo4g6LJuwODqNGYbrApxP4bS_BRvwG1prN0zUhsNdK5z7jrEqVZTKSoZOb6N5-PwPGYVW0memKy4bitKo/w400-h243/Avery%20double%20wave%20download.webp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPWMFuI8-AVkLt-yJcJxPWPUcdz9cxyaiqPIUIIjAmMKZY56gO7GOTz5w0E3MpO9rTH79FVsA3OxeWrWOf7dbd0_PwZqJE4ZAgDb1nnm_CqMd8jmU7y3LpRkn7x5F6XCVMfp3KxHJfNYE-JtJYpnTAQobUatVy-7Ot1jb23v3sZPKVadgOAnH/s3143/Milton%20Avery%20IMG_9759.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2345" data-original-width="3143" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPWMFuI8-AVkLt-yJcJxPWPUcdz9cxyaiqPIUIIjAmMKZY56gO7GOTz5w0E3MpO9rTH79FVsA3OxeWrWOf7dbd0_PwZqJE4ZAgDb1nnm_CqMd8jmU7y3LpRkn7x5F6XCVMfp3KxHJfNYE-JtJYpnTAQobUatVy-7Ot1jb23v3sZPKVadgOAnH/w640-h478/Milton%20Avery%20IMG_9759.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Avery tugs and plays with the shapes of nature to discover lyrical forms that no one else sees. For example, this is his view of an industrial gas tank on the island of San Tropez:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-UAy0paocAgVQYS_OMIJwKa2GTdxauZrI0oHPT8HGE1skBpS1zJsK-JpjZNa1U0YY7GaGQoL6aUw1IZ2bUkBwCy74n6iZe2ZzGXOuPsIskS3mTzl98djb_ealPgyyeTsLLdBa1TBjwF_pptct8Tjkz5qPxc0TLEHy5kw_SHPj8R9ugxVxahI/s1800/Avery%20gas%20tank%20in%20san%20tropez%20c891691287877e30422449fe2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1312" data-original-width="1800" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-UAy0paocAgVQYS_OMIJwKa2GTdxauZrI0oHPT8HGE1skBpS1zJsK-JpjZNa1U0YY7GaGQoL6aUw1IZ2bUkBwCy74n6iZe2ZzGXOuPsIskS3mTzl98djb_ealPgyyeTsLLdBa1TBjwF_pptct8Tjkz5qPxc0TLEHy5kw_SHPj8R9ugxVxahI/w640-h466/Avery%20gas%20tank%20in%20san%20tropez%20c891691287877e30422449fe2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIicJsBvh1YIP-Dq-cuHuxVpdKbwnMdc669x7RDWYuxhDVTLolGaTsApNqAf1uKxmxMvCkyUHUR_DHy_fZbjWHpVmBBghQUhrAl9cQj8erckH3f4cZSA3_RTG9HyTqHKwF4vzeHirs_MwMIV4RlTkLrkgHDjEJuAkj5rrmsLmX43v6gM6wrK3H/s600/conversation-1956.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="600" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIicJsBvh1YIP-Dq-cuHuxVpdKbwnMdc669x7RDWYuxhDVTLolGaTsApNqAf1uKxmxMvCkyUHUR_DHy_fZbjWHpVmBBghQUhrAl9cQj8erckH3f4cZSA3_RTG9HyTqHKwF4vzeHirs_MwMIV4RlTkLrkgHDjEJuAkj5rrmsLmX43v6gM6wrK3H/w640-h454/conversation-1956.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKz95tklgTB-PA5AGSnYw4XGTUl1cUml8gAUCv8JFzPWdO4rK0lpjnIf_eZQIP-dzC3V-641VgC_TSpPx7ErFzVmWFB6vOQCfVqcKn6-QBBeKNe9dox-CCUpWkK0-sge-TOB0hyphenhyphenbx2ri3-Pq9lsgELHGdquuEgbAJSHAYcxl6beZ3TDVMJeJFc/s3327/Milton%20Avery%20nude%20IMG_9758.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1853" data-original-width="3327" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKz95tklgTB-PA5AGSnYw4XGTUl1cUml8gAUCv8JFzPWdO4rK0lpjnIf_eZQIP-dzC3V-641VgC_TSpPx7ErFzVmWFB6vOQCfVqcKn6-QBBeKNe9dox-CCUpWkK0-sge-TOB0hyphenhyphenbx2ri3-Pq9lsgELHGdquuEgbAJSHAYcxl6beZ3TDVMJeJFc/w640-h356/Milton%20Avery%20nude%20IMG_9758.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since Avery takes the liberty to reinvent nature's forms, he must decide exactly where to draw the line. Watch him explore:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdREo0RTJWWHs5t4B1rsq7HfLmmqtSrUc7seyH6tq8BORot1NwCgp0m7ODx9mjx9OLU7uDPoI7l9AAhe-8U4YldKutG2cMMab1ffLDWhoymgf8pYJFdFQqJGv0y3970GO0iixW6vJCdhdo9f1oIdxqdgfhjfvXdOXDJQVt0x6uCRTk8hCgSnaZ/s731/Milton%20Avery%20close%20up%20butt.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="731" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdREo0RTJWWHs5t4B1rsq7HfLmmqtSrUc7seyH6tq8BORot1NwCgp0m7ODx9mjx9OLU7uDPoI7l9AAhe-8U4YldKutG2cMMab1ffLDWhoymgf8pYJFdFQqJGv0y3970GO0iixW6vJCdhdo9f1oIdxqdgfhjfvXdOXDJQVt0x6uCRTk8hCgSnaZ/w640-h536/Milton%20Avery%20close%20up%20butt.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><i>Three different attempts to figure out just how far to go.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>His drawing is a neat little reminder for artists in the new year: until you've gone too far, you'll never really know if you've gone far enough.<div><br /></div><div>Wishing you all a happy, healthy 2024!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p></div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-74037547919634440472023-12-19T18:00:00.001-05:002023-12-19T18:04:32.587-05:00A TRIP TO THE SOCIETY OF ILLUSTRATORS<p> Every time I visit Manhattan I make a beeline for the Society of Illustrators which, pound for pound, remains one of the most interesting galleries to visit in the city. Many pictures there are not to my taste, but I never fail to learn from and be inspired by their varied assortment of art on display.</p><p>Here are some particularly excellent images I want to point out to the world:</p><p>This huge, juicy watercolor by the talented Bill Joyce reminded me that I don't revisit his work nearly enough. Up close the painting just glows in ways that printed books-- or your computer monitor-- can't capture. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR0lotJgknJfHG0B8PF2snwZnSxPV_61d2KDGWqujD7LENHnZx1amhO1oGtCl10Bfyg2D6_Dqarhuy75c7iTGqLEFC57PLFm2r_vtTmeASZRlD5l30T6Hqnhberwi55VWmanX03fDvhUplENyC9OynSsTup_229czNPrFxiBpgLHy-uBuZxP2B/s3657/Joyce%20IMG_5581%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="3657" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR0lotJgknJfHG0B8PF2snwZnSxPV_61d2KDGWqujD7LENHnZx1amhO1oGtCl10Bfyg2D6_Dqarhuy75c7iTGqLEFC57PLFm2r_vtTmeASZRlD5l30T6Hqnhberwi55VWmanX03fDvhUplENyC9OynSsTup_229czNPrFxiBpgLHy-uBuZxP2B/s16000/Joyce%20IMG_5581%202.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Joyce's distinctive imagination shines through in every garment, every hairstyle, every pose, every architectural detail, every lighting effect. This is a beautifully constructed painting.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwum-gtVwiwCx-0R2KOosoPTGP4JKTLOpUJlK7h-zVLC6tVZcMGsPjNeW7u6RnFgUdw4DqyWdf3UyfedS90MLJML-D4k4Sfy4Emi46QyqUGVaW73Ry6cOhyYoI5kquRHZINxGHR6EIZXhiwk5agc1L7YB5_VrDmiv7oqJuQ_230Vdf-G47We1/s2829/Joyce%20IMG_5585%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2156" data-original-width="2829" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwum-gtVwiwCx-0R2KOosoPTGP4JKTLOpUJlK7h-zVLC6tVZcMGsPjNeW7u6RnFgUdw4DqyWdf3UyfedS90MLJML-D4k4Sfy4Emi46QyqUGVaW73Ry6cOhyYoI5kquRHZINxGHR6EIZXhiwk5agc1L7YB5_VrDmiv7oqJuQ_230Vdf-G47We1/w640-h488/Joyce%20IMG_5585%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhyphenhyphenEbQ-tjk02mMX5KlxGyT9PfgGAIVXTutn9M1N6VJkBxuObFg44yCsRFY6OBJs_ni1NJCnnMqzBcVLHKT-XZ5ASuMcIX0EJaJeIp72Tmy0bUyNIBoiB_OTr39h_ZDANvyloZZRxowkLmsBIi6FuPq0eXpQrogiFnMoCTG_ZGJbBt1XSOyNvi/s3468/joyce%20IMG_5583%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2071" data-original-width="3468" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhyphenhyphenEbQ-tjk02mMX5KlxGyT9PfgGAIVXTutn9M1N6VJkBxuObFg44yCsRFY6OBJs_ni1NJCnnMqzBcVLHKT-XZ5ASuMcIX0EJaJeIp72Tmy0bUyNIBoiB_OTr39h_ZDANvyloZZRxowkLmsBIi6FuPq0eXpQrogiFnMoCTG_ZGJbBt1XSOyNvi/w640-h382/joyce%20IMG_5583%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGh00oQ8VUIY3zt4RIkSPkT89vZSYdkZ6Gl0jHFHOfbqFipkuJLwa_o_mor7km31D8XZX9YBgoYnQJLcT16xwtM34p5-D9LnhUNw_XfThrer6t6LbgWfnBbZ4bjJdIb-mW_6m5lQsm_5TBBFeyQGurbnRLH1EtDWy7N349pmaFSEzfHLV-_QJM/s4032/joyce%20IMG_5584%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGh00oQ8VUIY3zt4RIkSPkT89vZSYdkZ6Gl0jHFHOfbqFipkuJLwa_o_mor7km31D8XZX9YBgoYnQJLcT16xwtM34p5-D9LnhUNw_XfThrer6t6LbgWfnBbZ4bjJdIb-mW_6m5lQsm_5TBBFeyQGurbnRLH1EtDWy7N349pmaFSEzfHLV-_QJM/w640-h480/joyce%20IMG_5584%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Society is also displaying Victor Juhasz's preliminary sketches leading up to his illustration for the short story, <i>The Mailman</i>, about a mousy little man provoked to violence. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2qyLpFXS0-Hvv_mc_98RWqCBqKvdPYqlemlzMkmJnn19RyrmMQCe2Nhyphenhypheng6SEmE57O1WTg_1-yLju3qH8dSISbiwIKkJKU2IYOwaazu9KjzOAyPLB4HMsgFq5zXtvn3Vxs3mS1HZZf0441r-Nlx93OVmvSot_f7g8fDk6H2VjTO_PmEfOEHi4/s3371/victor%20IMG_5591%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3371" data-original-width="2635" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2qyLpFXS0-Hvv_mc_98RWqCBqKvdPYqlemlzMkmJnn19RyrmMQCe2Nhyphenhypheng6SEmE57O1WTg_1-yLju3qH8dSISbiwIKkJKU2IYOwaazu9KjzOAyPLB4HMsgFq5zXtvn3Vxs3mS1HZZf0441r-Nlx93OVmvSot_f7g8fDk6H2VjTO_PmEfOEHi4/w500-h640/victor%20IMG_5591%202.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Milton Glaser warned students, "A designer who cannot achieve the specific image or idea he or she wants by drawing is in trouble." For proof, look no further than what Victor Juhasz is able to accomplish with his excellent preliminaries for different ideas:<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwWyHVNgcLJKvqheNEFEDtlEKPnJXFSPFciQf0dtB3wX5L78oXdIgjF9aLeLSq4IWo__j9PBGrJ6imLAohsj33j6MqGPRaLB_b8PCaoXa59hqBVId55oSn-VAmsO4dxZRADv8tpVbyOQft_z2zhSmTEcfyXXw4wKVyDSrUMLBzP91jvAJdnzL/s3304/victor%20IMG_5589%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3304" data-original-width="2728" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwWyHVNgcLJKvqheNEFEDtlEKPnJXFSPFciQf0dtB3wX5L78oXdIgjF9aLeLSq4IWo__j9PBGrJ6imLAohsj33j6MqGPRaLB_b8PCaoXa59hqBVId55oSn-VAmsO4dxZRADv8tpVbyOQft_z2zhSmTEcfyXXw4wKVyDSrUMLBzP91jvAJdnzL/w528-h640/victor%20IMG_5589%202.jpg" width="528" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">Juhasz can master extreme foreshortening to fit all the necessary ingredients into the picture, each with the right emphasis. He knows exactly how to balance the weight of the figure in the pose he needs.</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhPEKjaE325C7aQfzT0VaHI5E7ipbrdiZ6j_7qNfbE5NHi8eC1v5rd8CyyXFZIB4OQN_wG3XtIoNPaf0W_2iXtlanu0GZoEBN2r7OZ8ukvfqYgiuedoRnGC80rVFRQb0B_KNa_arAI8-pIHR_R810Lg2j8wWlsLPB_R8VDVYy8aU_dcpkPZBB/s3032/victor%20IMG_5590%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3032" data-original-width="2386" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhPEKjaE325C7aQfzT0VaHI5E7ipbrdiZ6j_7qNfbE5NHi8eC1v5rd8CyyXFZIB4OQN_wG3XtIoNPaf0W_2iXtlanu0GZoEBN2r7OZ8ukvfqYgiuedoRnGC80rVFRQb0B_KNa_arAI8-pIHR_R810Lg2j8wWlsLPB_R8VDVYy8aU_dcpkPZBB/w504-h640/victor%20IMG_5590%202.jpg" width="504" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">You want those figures drawn from above? Yeah, Juhasz can do that too.</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSE0SHqOMfVgd0ANncixvX3rnfLyyxCv6npm-GOT_ZFq1mPv3NODyaTQcbmwIeEOUp9EAMSu22BWq0WVOUqEG-qbN09oqB60j3LwgqMiZfykus5Q1IDaNXn-pqv_YZ6sm-yMRVLFP9U63ryUQuHOz_WzDQpbLZRUmJdlDr7oKMqsKgOq1f82mz/s3421/Victor%20IMG_5588%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3421" data-original-width="2876" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSE0SHqOMfVgd0ANncixvX3rnfLyyxCv6npm-GOT_ZFq1mPv3NODyaTQcbmwIeEOUp9EAMSu22BWq0WVOUqEG-qbN09oqB60j3LwgqMiZfykus5Q1IDaNXn-pqv_YZ6sm-yMRVLFP9U63ryUQuHOz_WzDQpbLZRUmJdlDr7oKMqsKgOq1f82mz/w538-h640/Victor%20IMG_5588%202.jpg" width="538" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">How would that shadow work from a different angle? Under control.</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyI5MR_1olVSANfisC0f455gre35IoaPDm741YuoeSRkDQCb-Qj-NZwmQaJgVPUchyg7I_h04anzJiCdLzL6plfweFjhdS1N-Wi8CTXAX9BhSMrLzov5IEhMi9WuP4593Wh4MZRR9RE4eZ8TqVLSHs3ZTde5N7ZvGyRsc6TpwPUlvrODJ3INf/s3060/Victor%20IMG_5587%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="2241" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyI5MR_1olVSANfisC0f455gre35IoaPDm741YuoeSRkDQCb-Qj-NZwmQaJgVPUchyg7I_h04anzJiCdLzL6plfweFjhdS1N-Wi8CTXAX9BhSMrLzov5IEhMi9WuP4593Wh4MZRR9RE4eZ8TqVLSHs3ZTde5N7ZvGyRsc6TpwPUlvrODJ3INf/w468-h640/Victor%20IMG_5587%202.jpg" width="468" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">Another extreme perspective: a knife's eye view of the situation.</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's a joy to watch a talented draftsman like Juhasz play with alteratives. Would you find comparable draftsmanship at the Museum of Modern Art? Would MOMA even care that you can't? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Here is the final approved illustration:</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtvCDrKdOhKM8fBh6zroukG00odSTyfDQxMQiyuFNuHD9z5ceicoMOrgaf2Ky0DG3mbOer9KgBKBLJrj1I70EA7cxiC5omHVx0zCOSnDy6iG8WBFzwy8tgCqvTWrtoXEqHVmDkS1TH7zUXAon1THwSVGVbiiW4I-sx2k2rSvmUf6f12yeJEJX/s4032/IMG_5593%202.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtvCDrKdOhKM8fBh6zroukG00odSTyfDQxMQiyuFNuHD9z5ceicoMOrgaf2Ky0DG3mbOer9KgBKBLJrj1I70EA7cxiC5omHVx0zCOSnDy6iG8WBFzwy8tgCqvTWrtoXEqHVmDkS1TH7zUXAon1THwSVGVbiiW4I-sx2k2rSvmUf6f12yeJEJX/w480-h640/IMG_5593%202.HEIC" width="480" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHTXFu4KgMD3I6XQZ6CBwEPRAcRQE33IKaatknWOdfwmTRE3bKTVjyr_KtDbjPRvfn4Elxk1826jJ5RCTRyKTuq_HaM5ki7MGLhyphenhyphenMAF600w0ctyKUbdsVC7SukORTXXIaG_RsSAC-WJjT_u5OVRtRFvZmRpWHLUQA6532yIxWyOCzqq37iwLc/s3385/victor%20IMG_5597%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3385" data-original-width="2180" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHTXFu4KgMD3I6XQZ6CBwEPRAcRQE33IKaatknWOdfwmTRE3bKTVjyr_KtDbjPRvfn4Elxk1826jJ5RCTRyKTuq_HaM5ki7MGLhyphenhyphenMAF600w0ctyKUbdsVC7SukORTXXIaG_RsSAC-WJjT_u5OVRtRFvZmRpWHLUQA6532yIxWyOCzqq37iwLc/w412-h640/victor%20IMG_5597%202.jpg" width="412" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMt6Dam_eJ7ih0sRD0qYbiD5GoCGZ5TRC5QkcMK5oYzJ9yMg1Mz8vdk_loRVOXtWAmajAae_LzB1-TW1XQbXQh0_Gi45cXvkmzw3-pbTdi1M8Dthr1fV2wv_K75r4w2tw8SzFn7j9Ot7TvQP-rJ_Wu5WUwyzwCG9nzbUcfioWgP_4fxH4Z9nGm/s3331/victor%20IMG_5598%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3331" data-original-width="1961" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMt6Dam_eJ7ih0sRD0qYbiD5GoCGZ5TRC5QkcMK5oYzJ9yMg1Mz8vdk_loRVOXtWAmajAae_LzB1-TW1XQbXQh0_Gi45cXvkmzw3-pbTdi1M8Dthr1fV2wv_K75r4w2tw8SzFn7j9Ot7TvQP-rJ_Wu5WUwyzwCG9nzbUcfioWgP_4fxH4Z9nGm/w376-h640/victor%20IMG_5598%202.jpg" width="376" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">In a different vein, an exhibit of children's book illustrations displays, among others, the joyful work of Christian Robinson. His inventive designs are always refreshing to the eye. He is, in my view, this generation's successor to the greatest designer/illustrators, such as the <a href="https://illustrationart.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-one-secret-provensens-kept.html" target="_blank">Provensens</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCYnaWrkKNmX-kHK0t7xlxQ1igJG9Hif_zNNgtdJudEa5qAgVMB-Q0AKBo3rjYCM6rUxZfHkKKjBkOlla0jOpYM9US3wPo3G__E4yxKelpVT73taSJg1MicwOQxZrSO1DcG2VW_dkMVPP2BQc-N3s2am3Sjx8l7brcZ5vOZbNgQztudPcS11U/s2311/christian%20robinson%20IMG_5610%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1696" data-original-width="2311" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCYnaWrkKNmX-kHK0t7xlxQ1igJG9Hif_zNNgtdJudEa5qAgVMB-Q0AKBo3rjYCM6rUxZfHkKKjBkOlla0jOpYM9US3wPo3G__E4yxKelpVT73taSJg1MicwOQxZrSO1DcG2VW_dkMVPP2BQc-N3s2am3Sjx8l7brcZ5vOZbNgQztudPcS11U/w640-h470/christian%20robinson%20IMG_5610%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">And for one more example in a different category, kudos to whoever at the Society figured out that this mask by illustrator Wladislaw Benda needed to be lit from below, with a red background.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBiACfMQLaYH3lgzrs21fY09vcS9pXytGaFrSDWbbLhfgSnZuNX2WU7Nd7S47DEJtot7RZGeYcOItyPdCNIyMjdwNiZnFWBI8BsNOvdB_OiXS3N19gY4BLhstpxqgrPDo5yi6_QYysmNotrtNZZWXNYGO9rs8w6GUowjI03EEv_Nzt_iI4Jl_/s2858/Benda%20IMG_5609%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2711" data-original-width="2858" height="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBiACfMQLaYH3lgzrs21fY09vcS9pXytGaFrSDWbbLhfgSnZuNX2WU7Nd7S47DEJtot7RZGeYcOItyPdCNIyMjdwNiZnFWBI8BsNOvdB_OiXS3N19gY4BLhstpxqgrPDo5yi6_QYysmNotrtNZZWXNYGO9rs8w6GUowjI03EEv_Nzt_iI4Jl_/w640-h608/Benda%20IMG_5609%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Benda is another excellent illustrator who seems to have slipped through the cracks, but in the 1920s and 30s he was as famous for his masks and costume designs as he was for his illustrations.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There you have it-- a selection of personal high points from the Society of Illustrators this week. Always worth the trip.</div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-91448296932436002982023-12-02T13:52:00.007-05:002023-12-12T09:02:23.749-05:00ARTISTS IN LOVE, part 23<p><i><b><span style="color: #76a5af;"> After last week's arguments over politics and war, we are overdue for another report on the curious doings at the intersection of art and love:</span></b></i></p><p><i><b></b></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwDAXsmZQYSSiIXkDwwT1GMj6jR0tn3ZFVAeWOEzMB-xAuEPF0z4UAIT9hMMJZRnSIM7riN-Fd9890iQyAWPLdG2e9nBcOUcBTyq6sj-eVIkY5s_sM3hm1hzvP_Cp_NfHTF3rps1ff2nYcOXoRW-6NJzcNnCRTpQGq3OQfxvmYz5WlLpiFUzo/s1277/lindsay_norman-and-rose-%20best%20web.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1277" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwDAXsmZQYSSiIXkDwwT1GMj6jR0tn3ZFVAeWOEzMB-xAuEPF0z4UAIT9hMMJZRnSIM7riN-Fd9890iQyAWPLdG2e9nBcOUcBTyq6sj-eVIkY5s_sM3hm1hzvP_Cp_NfHTF3rps1ff2nYcOXoRW-6NJzcNnCRTpQGq3OQfxvmYz5WlLpiFUzo/w502-h640/lindsay_norman-and-rose-%20best%20web.jpeg" width="502" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Norman Lindsay and Rose Soady</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><i><b><br /></b></i>Artist Norman Lindsay said that he usually began his complex pictures by drawing a single female form, then built the rest of his composition around that central image. Starting in 1902, the central figure in Lindsay's life was his favorite model (and later wife) Rose Soady. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZ7oyIrrqBYoLe8VGhTR9wlvjOWv7RKzyMR0Qu2x90yr8YItoXwMnO0FcXBZF3Ghq49NfCeN6x1zBwtJYTbzpr_h2ebusV1zFiqAhlBX-bfrnrt3wMfrzjgdwAcmvuJg7WLuB3mywriZAymmCgtAB06GDzKFGhipoQDpZGWW4bnnTRwfSxS1h/s1050/Rose_Lindsay.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="730" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZ7oyIrrqBYoLe8VGhTR9wlvjOWv7RKzyMR0Qu2x90yr8YItoXwMnO0FcXBZF3Ghq49NfCeN6x1zBwtJYTbzpr_h2ebusV1zFiqAhlBX-bfrnrt3wMfrzjgdwAcmvuJg7WLuB3mywriZAymmCgtAB06GDzKFGhipoQDpZGWW4bnnTRwfSxS1h/w278-h400/Rose_Lindsay.jpeg" width="278" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bDr7BifQ1woEd9ZJdOhT-7W_hO7xSZRdwDNt7kiC-mSqASQ7OUA01TtBx-mSr9lvdGu8mIFTY-UEonM8SMBUdZRVzoiR8bzeqEzRdXYCCGyXpmljstP-o2F3lR2GXzz3EATeljnFe7yAEQkqKx0jMd3Xsu-aSHz0qR-Yw4A0gcPYu8Z-ZPtu/s2113/Norman%20Lindsay%20Rose%20portrait%201905%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1598" data-original-width="2113" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bDr7BifQ1woEd9ZJdOhT-7W_hO7xSZRdwDNt7kiC-mSqASQ7OUA01TtBx-mSr9lvdGu8mIFTY-UEonM8SMBUdZRVzoiR8bzeqEzRdXYCCGyXpmljstP-o2F3lR2GXzz3EATeljnFe7yAEQkqKx0jMd3Xsu-aSHz0qR-Yw4A0gcPYu8Z-ZPtu/w400-h303/Norman%20Lindsay%20Rose%20portrait%201905%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Sketch of Rose, 1905</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In a dusty used bookstore I recently stumbled across Rose's memoir of her unconventional life with Norman.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKmW7h1gA2yJSIN4tNz1Bm2h1r7sQ7svdSSTwC6NGStTI1hkhxk74omVUKJ-NJZ4mFvw4I3okDe8e-ZGZ9evS1hFNg4cu9vgz9PdoGLhX4viMFZ9Q9D5upHoorc1GiHhTcssmZTJcH3Q32hv7C6gdnToIf6LKqb6JlXs3ttnRcmMCTjiDbeZul/s3572/Norman%20Lindsay%20Rose%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3572" data-original-width="2286" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKmW7h1gA2yJSIN4tNz1Bm2h1r7sQ7svdSSTwC6NGStTI1hkhxk74omVUKJ-NJZ4mFvw4I3okDe8e-ZGZ9evS1hFNg4cu9vgz9PdoGLhX4viMFZ9Q9D5upHoorc1GiHhTcssmZTJcH3Q32hv7C6gdnToIf6LKqb6JlXs3ttnRcmMCTjiDbeZul/w410-h640/Norman%20Lindsay%20Rose%203.jpg" width="410" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lindsay was married with children when Rose began modeling for him, but after two years Rose reports the two consummated their relationship "spontaneously and without premeditation," then stayed together for the rest of their lives. She was apparently the rare woman who was scrappy and open minded enough to keep up with him.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYUnqLYMFpJvMPjpnDjpB9Rp5A4MC3I_uhh_xsHPM81ccso7t2FN6Pr66OT4Pb2-OqCb47iS6GIIC2Aza0Pa-65K26MOfWdXcrH6RmoICuhO2cwbAuX7tNGuJj6pM_RiGQx30syXwx7LGkDw3xFLtDQzBZ4ElCzPAwCKnm8M4MFLOOrGPKzzW/s800/Norman_Lindsay_and_Rose_Lindsay_ca._1920_photographer_Harold_Cazneaux_A4219096r.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="800" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYUnqLYMFpJvMPjpnDjpB9Rp5A4MC3I_uhh_xsHPM81ccso7t2FN6Pr66OT4Pb2-OqCb47iS6GIIC2Aza0Pa-65K26MOfWdXcrH6RmoICuhO2cwbAuX7tNGuJj6pM_RiGQx30syXwx7LGkDw3xFLtDQzBZ4ElCzPAwCKnm8M4MFLOOrGPKzzW/w640-h502/Norman_Lindsay_and_Rose_Lindsay_ca._1920_photographer_Harold_Cazneaux_A4219096r.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rose described the extraordinary measures the couple took to hide their scandalous relationship. She lied to her mother about posing nude and Lindsay lied to his wife that he was sleeping in his studio. The couple lied to their landlady that they were brother and sister (but were sternly evicted when the landlady caught on). Later when the couple rented adjoining rooms, they cut a secret trap door in the wall so they could get together. </div><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">The partition was only thin wood, which made entry from room to room easy-- just by cutting a trap door. A saw and two hinges were all that was necessary for the job. It was cut out just above floor level and the drawing table placed against the trapdoor; a chair, a mat, and a scatter of papers and books made it look just right to callers. </span></i></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But here's the interesting part: despite their elaborate efforts to keep up pretenses, Norman's pictures of Rose seemed to be public advertisements for their affair. Why even bother lying to their landlady if Norman was drawing pictures like this?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRwgD_wiHzi6Hi43x10XNXXgMxiPnOt9vK91SkNMYqXQAL2xn9pl53wVOag3Qsvp_kx7mVTtiu9c_SRlM9RUUdm_F5eFvpY9xHcvQx0F2WPYinzTFVu5TXCN1xXWy1Cmla1yj_hyphenhyphendJ1cixlcnDoOI-IpyEGr5rhpn43OtEyCM5irERNN1q4Mf/s400/Rose%20Lindsay.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="330" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRwgD_wiHzi6Hi43x10XNXXgMxiPnOt9vK91SkNMYqXQAL2xn9pl53wVOag3Qsvp_kx7mVTtiu9c_SRlM9RUUdm_F5eFvpY9xHcvQx0F2WPYinzTFVu5TXCN1xXWy1Cmla1yj_hyphenhyphendJ1cixlcnDoOI-IpyEGr5rhpn43OtEyCM5irERNN1q4Mf/w528-h640/Rose%20Lindsay.jpeg" width="528" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lindsay became famous for his hundreds of pictures of wild nymphs and satyrs trysting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9d8fquLHa_a7JS5EijI4SEehfTgHRncsHInIN9AE1Y3zEqSSXu81lbeKOVW2HhNFnOsmF5WbcSN_Z58B5wASe-XPMcqAZhVmM5D8Ow9mzB5t3vSpv5u3h_FCCzaj9JIKuzQGNJ-RLJ6sTduaqaInOpF_EUxpzWo_Opg62TNtg4R6qdl5dZF2U/s660/Lindsay%20Rose%207332%23%23S.jpg.1090x1200_q85.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9d8fquLHa_a7JS5EijI4SEehfTgHRncsHInIN9AE1Y3zEqSSXu81lbeKOVW2HhNFnOsmF5WbcSN_Z58B5wASe-XPMcqAZhVmM5D8Ow9mzB5t3vSpv5u3h_FCCzaj9JIKuzQGNJ-RLJ6sTduaqaInOpF_EUxpzWo_Opg62TNtg4R6qdl5dZF2U/w582-h640/Lindsay%20Rose%207332%23%23S.jpg.1090x1200_q85.jpg" width="582" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_c5ROxwKUAh9j1xGqwgtm2VZoW5l2ZzeBLbcBvF-V2-uIzQ0sL-tVoDCcg1W8c13_Akb2CsnLbJsKlythPqveknywu3kMYwTqcikHWFa4C7zvcCugmQ0eKzsLeBJ7DWXaJ-eJVZYyiW3cWngdYsKb7m_D0t1tmnpmEghhUaPBFTEYzl7Edre/s683/LIndsay%20161%23%23S.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="614" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_c5ROxwKUAh9j1xGqwgtm2VZoW5l2ZzeBLbcBvF-V2-uIzQ0sL-tVoDCcg1W8c13_Akb2CsnLbJsKlythPqveknywu3kMYwTqcikHWFa4C7zvcCugmQ0eKzsLeBJ7DWXaJ-eJVZYyiW3cWngdYsKb7m_D0t1tmnpmEghhUaPBFTEYzl7Edre/w576-h640/LIndsay%20161%23%23S.jpeg" width="576" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Artists who draw the most intimate or controversial subjects somehow feel shielded by their art. It's like the child who thinks that if they put a napkin over their head, no one can see them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The artist's audience might suspect, but can't prove, where fact ends and fantasy begins. This fig leaf often emboldens artists to put all kinds of revelatory and personal subject matter out there. Once a picture has been launched, it becomes something separate from the artist, who-- if pressed-- can disavow any reality in the content. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKU7mkP0bHWtHzj9O9weT1szGgZgqs_6Oyd-UIjb4FJxc1FHdsWyAd43kXoqHGO3SRDiWtulZODF_cgZ_SDwQnPxAJzLicdjAFEaQ5LA6Abcn-Xp3OrhkxVIsf4bh-amG7gaM3BmKj59J10mt2ZQwXx0lIDmyG1Ucr5rnHlwkJBRPBFCcp_hDt/s1583/lindsay%20rose%20soady.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="1583" height="445" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKU7mkP0bHWtHzj9O9weT1szGgZgqs_6Oyd-UIjb4FJxc1FHdsWyAd43kXoqHGO3SRDiWtulZODF_cgZ_SDwQnPxAJzLicdjAFEaQ5LA6Abcn-Xp3OrhkxVIsf4bh-amG7gaM3BmKj59J10mt2ZQwXx0lIDmyG1Ucr5rnHlwkJBRPBFCcp_hDt/w640-h445/lindsay%20rose%20soady.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Where did the fact end and the fantasy begin? Above, Norman's reference photo of Rose (reproduced in her memoir). Below, a fanciful drawing by Norman.<br /></span></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FsGY_uOydagmkfTpmPKXZ9LzEUnhhtf1esAB8FNZfrro_39NvZv_hZ8Kq1UjtaiwFUhyphenhyphenpWhyphenhyphenptGSr0HrrR2I0fxEr_A2dNYol4IzRE63FAVs_QNL0inCjhwIKA2TDLD_uhyphenhyphenubkPpjsOMzd6LuCz4TH-yVr2ouc-eiFaTTdJuuTtkmjJxI7sq/s800/LIndsay%20%20Soady%20To-the-Festival-1934.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="800" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FsGY_uOydagmkfTpmPKXZ9LzEUnhhtf1esAB8FNZfrro_39NvZv_hZ8Kq1UjtaiwFUhyphenhyphenpWhyphenhyphenptGSr0HrrR2I0fxEr_A2dNYol4IzRE63FAVs_QNL0inCjhwIKA2TDLD_uhyphenhyphenubkPpjsOMzd6LuCz4TH-yVr2ouc-eiFaTTdJuuTtkmjJxI7sq/w640-h636/LIndsay%20%20Soady%20To-the-Festival-1934.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of course, some friends and family were unwilling to abide by the polite fiction and stopped associating with Norman or Rose. Shrill letter writers accused her of being a "tart." Publications such as <i>The Sydney Morning Herald</i> and <i>Art in Australia </i>sponsored campaigns against Lindsay's work. Art galleries and museums refused to exhibit Norman's work. Angry clergy clucked at and scolded the couple. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The feisty Rose tried to defend Norman's work, visiting hostile publishers and confronting critics who publicly attacked Norman while privately applauding his work. Norman wrote:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i><span style="color: #45818e;"><blockquote>A country that fails to understand that the moral value of Art has nothing to do with the ethics of suburban back parlours is not worthy of being given an art....[N]ot one specimen of the Moral Lion who is at present roaring at my work has the faintest perception of its moral intention, or could, in a single instance, explain the meaning of one of the works he is making such a fuss about.</blockquote></span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">By 1913, when Norman drew Rose in the role of "Venus Crucified" by society's moral guardians, the jig was pretty well up:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRB50mQLjUwp-wABQYr6FhdAcLUN8zAbpGtl_Loc752Kf4jWwHw3dR7VzRGmb_vXhwA8fWmGOmkarumK9CUy4VQ02S0W89ul4J8IE1xmVb57S_3aCWjEfph3l301CA9-TbahGHd2qxZpynGUwCnUJI3nz12BEPvlBPCQvs48Kde8STJ8_TEFh/s1400/Norman_Lindsay_-_The_Crucified_Venus_(1913).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1041" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRB50mQLjUwp-wABQYr6FhdAcLUN8zAbpGtl_Loc752Kf4jWwHw3dR7VzRGmb_vXhwA8fWmGOmkarumK9CUy4VQ02S0W89ul4J8IE1xmVb57S_3aCWjEfph3l301CA9-TbahGHd2qxZpynGUwCnUJI3nz12BEPvlBPCQvs48Kde8STJ8_TEFh/w476-h640/Norman_Lindsay_-_The_Crucified_Venus_(1913).jpeg" width="476" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Looking back, Rose seemed to relish her youthful adventures. In her memoir she proudly reprinted some of Norman's [<b>NSFW] </b>early<b> </b>photos of her. "Those were the days," she recalled. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0tbwc60VrCA1IAbRQKxGatvdc_2zI_Aqf1wQ6i6M3VJquZxeY0BGJWt3kUVfqGw_WvskIL9f8z6VMcghYzKMGaR_egVYBIRVCilRRMC7rGh-Py1V5zFftLXysyfKm6gTYIyUOCPkB3fhaesL3f2u4rqledz0SnsynzSCcM6jLEiWyLdAMUKYQ/s1955/Norman%20Lindsay%20Rose%20Soady%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1955" data-original-width="1027" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0tbwc60VrCA1IAbRQKxGatvdc_2zI_Aqf1wQ6i6M3VJquZxeY0BGJWt3kUVfqGw_WvskIL9f8z6VMcghYzKMGaR_egVYBIRVCilRRMC7rGh-Py1V5zFftLXysyfKm6gTYIyUOCPkB3fhaesL3f2u4rqledz0SnsynzSCcM6jLEiWyLdAMUKYQ/w336-h640/Norman%20Lindsay%20Rose%20Soady%20.jpg" width="336" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Norman developed their personal photos himself using chemicals in their small kitchen. Rose recalled that the chemicals smelled terrible, but apparently the results were worth it.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLFX0B8dp9hf-ptmxtEHK43BYONZ67PMTJ97gu31sZNcWrnXbAIb4LEaMj1ax_DgZ2ySLwCADJKcvoxBeAcuvJV2P71P_DynKLFG8p80cCJ1E7SuVJYVCDLR3NxPDIWlg3ZEc3uOaAqe3Q0DHzo84Boi251L1pNLado7-M5XsSncEPVWgJ_5j/s1554/Norman%20Lindsay%20Rose%20Soady%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1554" data-original-width="1054" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLFX0B8dp9hf-ptmxtEHK43BYONZ67PMTJ97gu31sZNcWrnXbAIb4LEaMj1ax_DgZ2ySLwCADJKcvoxBeAcuvJV2P71P_DynKLFG8p80cCJ1E7SuVJYVCDLR3NxPDIWlg3ZEc3uOaAqe3Q0DHzo84Boi251L1pNLado7-M5XsSncEPVWgJ_5j/w434-h640/Norman%20Lindsay%20Rose%20Soady%202.jpg" width="434" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_O6odwh-9pwel9bBShgurm6KwGAH4wX9aEyF0q6wPP9FmnTNveFXkRaushjeMuzYyrglRMP8KYvq8aqfKZ0h3uG51T97WscLbeBV5YNDJbFvlAwwpLrYFsR5HYIOUz72R7XcEeHxR9ec-nrsPZ-wL91Rvv0yvx_srHL6-WRi-6A3f3Ye8eNLr/s766/Norman%20LIndsay%20Rose%20s-l1600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="534" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_O6odwh-9pwel9bBShgurm6KwGAH4wX9aEyF0q6wPP9FmnTNveFXkRaushjeMuzYyrglRMP8KYvq8aqfKZ0h3uG51T97WscLbeBV5YNDJbFvlAwwpLrYFsR5HYIOUz72R7XcEeHxR9ec-nrsPZ-wL91Rvv0yvx_srHL6-WRi-6A3f3Ye8eNLr/w446-h640/Norman%20LIndsay%20Rose%20s-l1600.jpg" width="446" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Norman passed away in 1969, and Rose followed him in 1978.</div></div><p></p>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-92098554326212249392023-11-16T16:56:00.003-05:002023-11-21T17:33:20.985-05:00EDENTULOUS<p><br /></p><p>This editorial cartoon by the great <a href="https://illustrationart.blogspot.com/2021/12/political-cartoons-part-4-michael.html" target="_blank">Michael Ramirez</a> was published by the Washington Post on November 7 and withdrawn the next day after complaints that the cartoon was "racist."</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhwKSymk1H0isb-6djv9Lx7KdyKqs5Q4pkgz6IR9jIIBBNaQT9EnOIho_Go8F9uk83S0jos9D6RKiqVstPg2ToBEhDImJ_n9nOGf3prhsNYFQZW-9hDmpPerUAPaSLtKVxmfskZjCilFvHOss2zNGIzY80HgPqfRcG7jjU1fx4FwXEoSqCTvH/s1024/Ramirez%20Hamas%20cartoon%20F-kgNMbWAAAXyPM.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1023" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhwKSymk1H0isb-6djv9Lx7KdyKqs5Q4pkgz6IR9jIIBBNaQT9EnOIho_Go8F9uk83S0jos9D6RKiqVstPg2ToBEhDImJ_n9nOGf3prhsNYFQZW-9hDmpPerUAPaSLtKVxmfskZjCilFvHOss2zNGIzY80HgPqfRcG7jjU1fx4FwXEoSqCTvH/w640-h640/Ramirez%20Hamas%20cartoon%20F-kgNMbWAAAXyPM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Ramirez combines strong opinions with strong drawing abilities-- the ideal <br />combination for an editorial cartoonist. </b></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: left;">Several forces now threaten the once-great institution of editorial cartoons. Among them are the dwindling circulation of newspapers and the sensationalism of the 24/7 cable news cycle. But there's an even larger issue: whether modern newspapers and their audiences still have the stomach for caricature. </p><p>Cartoons have an important history of offending targets in ways that words cannot. The corrupt politician "Boss" Tweed famously said he was unafraid of what newspapers wrote, but "those damned pictures" by cartoonist <a href="https://illustrationart.blogspot.com/2012/02/cartoonists-revenge.html" target="_blank">Thomas Nast </a>had to stop. Tweed was right to be concerned; cartoons toppled his regime, and as a fugitive from justice he was identified from Nast's drawings. </p><p>When cartoonist <a href="https://illustrationart.blogspot.com/2006/04/david-low-taking-extra-day-to-make-it.html" target="_blank">David Low</a> savagely depicted the Nazis on the eve of World war II, the German government formally protested to the British government. Low explained his strategy: "To draw a hostile war lord as a horrible monster is to play his game. What he doesn't like is being shown as a silly ass." </p><p>Hitler was reported to have personally put a price on the head of cartoonist <a href="https://illustrationart.blogspot.com/2011/03/one-lovely-drawing-part-35.html" target="_blank">Arthur Szyk</a> for his cartoons lampooning the "master race."</p><p style="text-align: left;">Victims of caricature have always pressured newspapers to stop, and newspapers have had to find the courage to stand up to the pressure. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Today, villains who are indignant about being ridiculed have found more effective ways to get editorial cartoons removed. Experience shows that nothing can cause the Washington Post to retreat faster than an allegation of "racism," whether the allegation had any basis or not. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYZrjj2qKcvzJwT5aOZNZxTJEsyGQZpyzJj1huH6qadhOg9l61oZarHFFt-8BEyBXvPReWHMDREIPtfFoIWnw6C0M7yYuBazQGd3ksN8j6bDaTA5CaYTvFsA7ap86DuuxzJW_RO1NRm7SrDCDrqa5B4hiNMBLibsjo6UaxaHiwEJuGdUgH68h/s1172/Hamas%20comparison%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="1172" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYZrjj2qKcvzJwT5aOZNZxTJEsyGQZpyzJj1huH6qadhOg9l61oZarHFFt-8BEyBXvPReWHMDREIPtfFoIWnw6C0M7yYuBazQGd3ksN8j6bDaTA5CaYTvFsA7ap86DuuxzJW_RO1NRm7SrDCDrqa5B4hiNMBLibsjo6UaxaHiwEJuGdUgH68h/w400-h272/Hamas%20comparison%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>Racism? Caricature by Ramirez (left) of Hamas official (right)</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">The same tactic was used when cartoonist <a href="https://illustrationart.blogspot.com/2016/09/drawings-that-still-arouse-emotions.html" target="_blank">Ann Telnaes</a> drew a cartoon criticizing Senator Ted Cruz for filming his small daughters reading an attack ad against his competitor. Telnaes drew them as performing monkeys. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_eTZP2qIgwLZbs5xzfzftth3aK5O5G7DOmhiPvDx49FAjlLqP9KUkN7HgjGmgJAmF6l5s6xqO6cYPx3NqrMcmgQ8WUz3jpUpEP_He2gLAivgoyzTb3SQMvKGXBUS80lLkepXumclaqSxV7G61MxCQVjLIfKuwkllSW8JVSFv5Z_KbFm49SLrI/s1200/Telnaes%20cruz23n-2-web.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1200" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_eTZP2qIgwLZbs5xzfzftth3aK5O5G7DOmhiPvDx49FAjlLqP9KUkN7HgjGmgJAmF6l5s6xqO6cYPx3NqrMcmgQ8WUz3jpUpEP_He2gLAivgoyzTb3SQMvKGXBUS80lLkepXumclaqSxV7G61MxCQVjLIfKuwkllSW8JVSFv5Z_KbFm49SLrI/w640-h438/Telnaes%20cruz23n-2-web.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Cruz's allies shrewdly recognized that the best way to get the cartoon removed was to allege that the cartoon was "racist"-- a ridiculous charge, but The Post immediately caved and withdrew the cartoon. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The removal of Ramirez's cartoon last week shows that the trick still works.</p><p style="text-align: left;">So what kind of editorial cartoons can safely pass muster at the Washington Post today? Three days after withdrawing the Ramirez cartoon, the Post editorial page ran the following edentulous cartoon: </p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnh1MflkHpAPUYOjzTnz9H5nWCtfwl4DyuGeyiFFcp-e0apsw4BI0uAiTVy272ZKmFS7MJ8mQxLCXTm3FlJMFn9zyA1HlhfW-evWnhT_eXfhP0Ke8Wltn99ynt0oLcPHSUWjh6l4hQmAlgG3kziintSU9TfsgI6bSPape4o_wauz0UpDHvA6Z/s2889/Pritchett%20editorial%20cartoon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2889" data-original-width="1473" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnh1MflkHpAPUYOjzTnz9H5nWCtfwl4DyuGeyiFFcp-e0apsw4BI0uAiTVy272ZKmFS7MJ8mQxLCXTm3FlJMFn9zyA1HlhfW-evWnhT_eXfhP0Ke8Wltn99ynt0oLcPHSUWjh6l4hQmAlgG3kziintSU9TfsgI6bSPape4o_wauz0UpDHvA6Z/w326-h640/Pritchett%20editorial%20cartoon.jpg" width="326" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><p>Bland lifestyle cartoons are no threat to anyone. But compare the draftsmanship and the content of this cartoon to the brilliant and biting humor of Ramirez.</p> Newspapers shouldn't withdraw editorial cartoons just because the target feels offended. Those newspapers that do, no longer understand the nature of caricature and might want to consider getting out of the editorial cartoon business. </div></div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com72tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-63203747709893523752023-11-05T12:40:00.002-05:002023-11-05T12:42:40.271-05:00THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE THREAT TO TRADITIONAL ART <p>Artists have historically performed many important functions, such as drawing pictures for young women to show what their future husband will look like naked. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKxHeNDsstvgW-2X6nmUXX-sNPl3L5JwyIORnq-C571ObG7WY3Dq32pwAyqiYHGGitxZcOCh7nizPuH8ASRnDqwpdhsibYAyPKE4051_nKyJQdUa4iLs-NKPdgr3dPKhcO0pMI-jPb4WMP8t750BNQ-xfWSbjYNgtuXCiSh5EvmRoeEQ9kr7Ps/s2173/future%20husband%20naked%202%20.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1527" data-original-width="2173" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKxHeNDsstvgW-2X6nmUXX-sNPl3L5JwyIORnq-C571ObG7WY3Dq32pwAyqiYHGGitxZcOCh7nizPuH8ASRnDqwpdhsibYAyPKE4051_nKyJQdUa4iLs-NKPdgr3dPKhcO0pMI-jPb4WMP8t750BNQ-xfWSbjYNgtuXCiSh5EvmRoeEQ9kr7Ps/w640-h450/future%20husband%20naked%202%20.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Note that the above drawing will be "hand made." No computers involved. The artists will "read your future by aura and tap into <i>the source</i>" in order to provide you with: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidj9x2E4rPfFqiBsahxRQm6oWRYadIqBsCrXmuu4L6Don7aFXhY15gDN7Cs8VesgaR97EZeMTacaGJ11dbixfo0frG9dETonm_a1e-sEymkPRBlLE-lznIcA4e5IjrZrLg8N1ZMB0WxV0R7qo8ulkCNXcU4uIUIE7Rg0O59hZ5DeoEOdE2QTD/s819/Screen%20Shot%202023-11-05%20at%2011.32.48%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="819" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidj9x2E4rPfFqiBsahxRQm6oWRYadIqBsCrXmuu4L6Don7aFXhY15gDN7Cs8VesgaR97EZeMTacaGJ11dbixfo0frG9dETonm_a1e-sEymkPRBlLE-lznIcA4e5IjrZrLg8N1ZMB0WxV0R7qo8ulkCNXcU4uIUIE7Rg0O59hZ5DeoEOdE2QTD/w400-h166/Screen%20Shot%202023-11-05%20at%2011.32.48%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The huge demand for such information has been a major source of revenue for traditional artists: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJ1JPE9kY1j0Es-hwtim2HqVQIsmHS0vJC2c3BWWdlCwlq1dTrsSpKWVbCnLxXRaG6bfyhhsps7d4KviHpCWJnhhTMQzEp9Hkh7_34gzPj-HvKyjUCRIJMmcA3UoOjcoNETbv2kAsuWtTXbc60bJ_rewe1eHQylnyVEVHd0QC2y7gx02n-uLE/s1432/future%20husband%20Screen%20Shot%202023-10-06%20at%202.50.28%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1432" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJ1JPE9kY1j0Es-hwtim2HqVQIsmHS0vJC2c3BWWdlCwlq1dTrsSpKWVbCnLxXRaG6bfyhhsps7d4KviHpCWJnhhTMQzEp9Hkh7_34gzPj-HvKyjUCRIJMmcA3UoOjcoNETbv2kAsuWtTXbc60bJ_rewe1eHQylnyVEVHd0QC2y7gx02n-uLE/w400-h300/future%20husband%20Screen%20Shot%202023-10-06%20at%202.50.28%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXa-lWnKJfx4gMUDMOznvCz6JYXzMM3MGQd8tUBX_c3qYXkd_KJCLlRvPn_ql0GJguDOZesZBmz2Bhv_5RU3Hjf5VTVbdCWgOlQZiuYdoGGCOqfZzMB5F-02RM0cONlphbM3gfPD-T2j8BldGzZsKuGr8xCsFRAeuMTH3G3KaFcArmyU8PueQ/s2265/future%20husband%20Screen%20Shot%202023-10-06%20at%202.48.31%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1435" data-original-width="2265" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXa-lWnKJfx4gMUDMOznvCz6JYXzMM3MGQd8tUBX_c3qYXkd_KJCLlRvPn_ql0GJguDOZesZBmz2Bhv_5RU3Hjf5VTVbdCWgOlQZiuYdoGGCOqfZzMB5F-02RM0cONlphbM3gfPD-T2j8BldGzZsKuGr8xCsFRAeuMTH3G3KaFcArmyU8PueQ/w640-h406/future%20husband%20Screen%20Shot%202023-10-06%20at%202.48.31%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQyS2zk-46XV15S-0q08Xdxc8NXcsctLbh7mnL6YDlAI0Q0lrx1YMUgo986fm2L4XWC0QMPY0JiTWil72uoaB7oyhKYHG3czvn2KMSFvzEVb1JLXvjDnZR60En_F1hK9jWU5gxaWzS4jHzgahxCjYmmqgeRinizQjEkAxvtlUPE3RJAgiK2eQ/s1069/future%20husband%20Screen%20Shot%202023-10-06%20at%202.54.10%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="855" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQyS2zk-46XV15S-0q08Xdxc8NXcsctLbh7mnL6YDlAI0Q0lrx1YMUgo986fm2L4XWC0QMPY0JiTWil72uoaB7oyhKYHG3czvn2KMSFvzEVb1JLXvjDnZR60En_F1hK9jWU5gxaWzS4jHzgahxCjYmmqgeRinizQjEkAxvtlUPE3RJAgiK2eQ/w512-h640/future%20husband%20Screen%20Shot%202023-10-06%20at%202.54.10%20AM.png" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You'd think such an important role for art would be safe from incursion by cold Artificial Intelligence. After all, what kind of person would trust a machine to tell them whether their future husband will be overweight or have a tattoo on his butt? Only a true artist could know such things.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Despite this fact, today there are <a href="https://www.alucare.fr/en/deepnude-top-4-applications-deepnude-with-test-free/?%2018" target="_blank">numerous AI image generators offering a variety of "clothes removal functions"</a> which you can use to learn intimate details about your potential life partner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdzXxmfwsXIxYo4Px8XTksfVMJI80WpUc9Ep8hT2HhTQnriKe3NMtwjiAuD5Bv7CfdtHVZQqEU_cLldwfIsDg9kaR4K2xL07KnWirgyQZ2eteMEoqoCA2yGEq9FDGm-kq8gNFWLPUmHdPxsTEea_DQvAzDBKsIhjLVivZcD4_R1ymXePYEjPx9/s1096/Screen%20Shot%202023-11-05%20at%2012.13.34%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="1096" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdzXxmfwsXIxYo4Px8XTksfVMJI80WpUc9Ep8hT2HhTQnriKe3NMtwjiAuD5Bv7CfdtHVZQqEU_cLldwfIsDg9kaR4K2xL07KnWirgyQZ2eteMEoqoCA2yGEq9FDGm-kq8gNFWLPUmHdPxsTEea_DQvAzDBKsIhjLVivZcD4_R1ymXePYEjPx9/w400-h268/Screen%20Shot%202023-11-05%20at%2012.13.34%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">With the click of a button, <i><b>Nudify.online</b></i> will strip the clothing in a photograph in less than a minute. And <i><b>Soulgen</b></i> reminds you that after you've used their software to create a NSFW image from a photo of your beloved, if you have some really detailed questions "you can reuse the image and write a text to create exactly what you want with that character." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I can understand how people interested in a meaningful lifelong commitment would want to seize upon this information to help them make their choices. But how can they be so easily duped into believing that AI will give them reliable information? Better to stick with authentic art, made by a genuine artist.</div><div><br /></div></div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-68252344978107972882023-10-25T17:30:00.005-04:002023-10-27T08:31:46.628-04:00ONE LOVELY DRAWING, part 70<p> The great Mort Drucker drew this ad for Burger King in 1990:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbCFKIttodjdPYORbIxJaMb4f7ilu_bEEwC3amaoZ1G4rTpxOZo2EtPf6bnBOAY2yYPnQGNED6UAanwHLVROThqYr7EpyBVLBll88LYKX-zeiUJuyl93EtnGiyll8lCbh2EQbMJNZFZGYJ-NibWaEJTrBwSbTiDeKZsDZu5UT31r1srmNLZIE/s2535/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20ad%202023-10-24%20at%2011.01.56%20PM%20copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="2535" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbCFKIttodjdPYORbIxJaMb4f7ilu_bEEwC3amaoZ1G4rTpxOZo2EtPf6bnBOAY2yYPnQGNED6UAanwHLVROThqYr7EpyBVLBll88LYKX-zeiUJuyl93EtnGiyll8lCbh2EQbMJNZFZGYJ-NibWaEJTrBwSbTiDeKZsDZu5UT31r1srmNLZIE/w640-h186/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20ad%202023-10-24%20at%2011.01.56%20PM%20copy.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are 40 different faces in this riot of a drawing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQbvz28H62QXNBzgUlCWxjmTw-8VMStyv6hZmoU7b2B9pFsMo5STQb_5UOR_H0PJL7F0Kb6TQvBZ6J_SOtnhHUCWG6mSVK2P62dRpihEJ5iD4tVsbda3o7P5zC6jDg1lANa3wmkNaCGWKnfSWOlCvI_Peld-4HzGSyW_-9UIQFaIgv1HUr15N/s3032/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20detail%20IMG_5087.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2004" data-original-width="3032" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQbvz28H62QXNBzgUlCWxjmTw-8VMStyv6hZmoU7b2B9pFsMo5STQb_5UOR_H0PJL7F0Kb6TQvBZ6J_SOtnhHUCWG6mSVK2P62dRpihEJ5iD4tVsbda3o7P5zC6jDg1lANa3wmkNaCGWKnfSWOlCvI_Peld-4HzGSyW_-9UIQFaIgv1HUr15N/w640-h424/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20detail%20IMG_5087.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Xpxg5AY0b4vT5ip7vl2Eg0R0753DHzlMKFw7lPQZAo3NJySS6zgDVoZ7F3FQHycnDyCEnrKDolqMBibwnYUx8vWWoVS8q4ej_AeDrEqHwM1w80zMNwLY9aMfoEHu2wQ5HP2jbeXxcjSG9aiQcZ0WghqWTtRxmo84XW3ivhgK38OGVkdrpNcJ/s2765/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20detail%20IMG_5088.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2581" data-original-width="2765" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Xpxg5AY0b4vT5ip7vl2Eg0R0753DHzlMKFw7lPQZAo3NJySS6zgDVoZ7F3FQHycnDyCEnrKDolqMBibwnYUx8vWWoVS8q4ej_AeDrEqHwM1w80zMNwLY9aMfoEHu2wQ5HP2jbeXxcjSG9aiQcZ0WghqWTtRxmo84XW3ivhgK38OGVkdrpNcJ/w640-h598/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20detail%20IMG_5088.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Most cartoonists rely on a basic template of four or five facial expressions, but Drucker is able to conjure up an endless cavalcade of faces. Note how he never seems to repeat the same mouth twice in this drawing. Note all the different angles; very few people stand up straight.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9to9YVFPhFvXk3pOmx1_YiAAEvcOqunWMYZhI7R6A5EuCTBd6fokWOb8YC_vBf5VWSILCJrFpPuGipSIHMtWz7oSVAzMPNT8ina5Rg4qmLLb6UPMowoab0bZtF8naUTE5zaz9gB5Vx9YNaErsfE4XVi4CeFwvlU3ksSQwLuGA6Wd1V4kR5Vi0/s2413/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20detail%20IMG_5090.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2413" data-original-width="2229" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9to9YVFPhFvXk3pOmx1_YiAAEvcOqunWMYZhI7R6A5EuCTBd6fokWOb8YC_vBf5VWSILCJrFpPuGipSIHMtWz7oSVAzMPNT8ina5Rg4qmLLb6UPMowoab0bZtF8naUTE5zaz9gB5Vx9YNaErsfE4XVi4CeFwvlU3ksSQwLuGA6Wd1V4kR5Vi0/w592-h640/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20detail%20IMG_5090.jpg" width="592" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Drucker packs his creative choices together densely, which gives the drawing a feeling of generosity. His lively, bouncy line helps us feel his joy at the infinite variety of humanity.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_ki68tfNOpVrglNWJbuahtTk0eo0KFZE54DB2MqcstYAfrnjnBvIqUcIrIa37KKxe-Ww6S-Drfxg7uGJm4C85YhAcZROaemMwKOAlUvT1KFSIHbNoi6KDjZA4eSuBNDpB1ZALXnqM54t8GYAMIVzVPoQ5084YdhTsQyXAF72u6er2DaaHJUR/s2019/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20detail%20IMG_5091.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1992" data-original-width="2019" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_ki68tfNOpVrglNWJbuahtTk0eo0KFZE54DB2MqcstYAfrnjnBvIqUcIrIa37KKxe-Ww6S-Drfxg7uGJm4C85YhAcZROaemMwKOAlUvT1KFSIHbNoi6KDjZA4eSuBNDpB1ZALXnqM54t8GYAMIVzVPoQ5084YdhTsQyXAF72u6er2DaaHJUR/w640-h632/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20detail%20IMG_5091.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClxpXkbu5U0r2SC98t4TaWkbA-SznKAssWDO-huiCYymhgfi1qmXy8r-GUjA04rdm2-wnYost-BrbOouJ_D1eRC-ztpwvgc_qJfKHh8xPv07VmVRq69x1zjLlrmBcGcZz4igO_fRPLCwAJKXkMULhtMQsdXE0-Chu0hBE4PEWi6IZ2aqrJuyG/s2265/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20detail%20IMG_5092.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2068" data-original-width="2265" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClxpXkbu5U0r2SC98t4TaWkbA-SznKAssWDO-huiCYymhgfi1qmXy8r-GUjA04rdm2-wnYost-BrbOouJ_D1eRC-ztpwvgc_qJfKHh8xPv07VmVRq69x1zjLlrmBcGcZz4igO_fRPLCwAJKXkMULhtMQsdXE0-Chu0hBE4PEWi6IZ2aqrJuyG/w640-h584/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20detail%20IMG_5092.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And that's before we even begin to talk about his trademark hands.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwEQhXvochH386-mvIhs0Pb-Rt1M7SbRu6jDoUXNAbpoJPuIWdw2EbE7PUzeMhxe3hq8n-QPaPuzSQ5WvYcue0fUjPt4PhnIpTTqmuxPejDlubUqFiCvNqOTvueeZxFLkVrx3jBkfieP9sFpbXWuWp1OBy_nqgQikgGIPe4pl-Ekc_zuk_grY/s3196/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20detail%20IMG_5093.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3196" data-original-width="2005" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwEQhXvochH386-mvIhs0Pb-Rt1M7SbRu6jDoUXNAbpoJPuIWdw2EbE7PUzeMhxe3hq8n-QPaPuzSQ5WvYcue0fUjPt4PhnIpTTqmuxPejDlubUqFiCvNqOTvueeZxFLkVrx3jBkfieP9sFpbXWuWp1OBy_nqgQikgGIPe4pl-Ekc_zuk_grY/w402-h640/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20detail%20IMG_5093.jpg" width="402" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To appreciate the sensitivity of Drucker's line, drill down on the smallest details. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTmwLtJPnjvFbfajYj6-rq-GxV-9au6edfBeOO8l9x0pUC9lXSxEhrCo0pVSKyF9KJzB3QGOlf1HzijyQ5G7_etoF89Z3cehXOA6qGSBUnHgV2nxoXCvVZne9ortMGYzrO3atg23jZVoJzQN4FqAmnGJ2ltnUaie77gBYDO53DwnkkUSx3QqG/s1059/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20close%20up%20%20IMG_5093.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="1021" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTmwLtJPnjvFbfajYj6-rq-GxV-9au6edfBeOO8l9x0pUC9lXSxEhrCo0pVSKyF9KJzB3QGOlf1HzijyQ5G7_etoF89Z3cehXOA6qGSBUnHgV2nxoXCvVZne9ortMGYzrO3atg23jZVoJzQN4FqAmnGJ2ltnUaie77gBYDO53DwnkkUSx3QqG/w618-h640/Drucker%20Burger%20King%20close%20up%20%20IMG_5093.jpg" width="618" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">Note how he varies the thickness of his line to convey 3-dimensionality, or shadows, or conceptual emphasis. When a feature is less significant (like the shadow on the tip of that nose) Drucker's touch can be as light as a feather.</p><p style="text-align: left;">One lovely drawing indeed!</p>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-52912385915732909732023-10-21T11:49:00.003-04:002023-10-21T11:50:06.923-04:00A NEWSPAPER AD FROM 1976<p>In 1976 Northwestern Hospital placed an ad in a Chicago newspaper announcing the opening of two new medical facilities. Every copy of that advertisement-- except mine-- has now been used to line bird cages, wrap dead fish or fill garbage dumps. That leaves me as the only person left to praise its evanescent poetry.</p><p>Northwestern hired illustrator Franklin McMahon to humanize the mission of the hospital for a general newspaper audience:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFs05QHcm2-7hctCU16GJMPFaAzORQ8eX07tYBAlP9W5wCgA_oRN7HQqcGJGm9LSUg3D5dDWFngkwnR6PdU_xAJMAZV4EdQUa9Amm-3bJteodamh0zSOvnREVij8a4LAZzOOG-Ik-FdNxvc6_qlL_BGsJlg3jfDcyi5TUsp_e-TpftUKks5rCH/s4952/mcmahon%20NU%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4952" data-original-width="4093" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFs05QHcm2-7hctCU16GJMPFaAzORQ8eX07tYBAlP9W5wCgA_oRN7HQqcGJGm9LSUg3D5dDWFngkwnR6PdU_xAJMAZV4EdQUa9Amm-3bJteodamh0zSOvnREVij8a4LAZzOOG-Ik-FdNxvc6_qlL_BGsJlg3jfDcyi5TUsp_e-TpftUKks5rCH/w528-h640/mcmahon%20NU%203.jpg" width="528" /></a></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMXwy3Yk7HAQH2pLJl4zgJ6iXCNy9NYsnIuCRnaOAzgVSU2F8fE37Ar9beLwPuyyaAtZTsz_Cs_S-Tz3OEaKQ2fERBnpOhX1Pmzpa61QAeWR3g8zdMwe1WZtvYAkpAmeVqOA3R4PW7HZqRSaWs2SknHVZd9Vm1lDs0ue1E0nzWMAxNO9tUsjy/s2434/mcmahon%20detail%20NU%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2031" data-original-width="2434" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMXwy3Yk7HAQH2pLJl4zgJ6iXCNy9NYsnIuCRnaOAzgVSU2F8fE37Ar9beLwPuyyaAtZTsz_Cs_S-Tz3OEaKQ2fERBnpOhX1Pmzpa61QAeWR3g8zdMwe1WZtvYAkpAmeVqOA3R4PW7HZqRSaWs2SknHVZd9Vm1lDs0ue1E0nzWMAxNO9tUsjy/w640-h534/mcmahon%20detail%20NU%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Detail</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Look at the lovely, graceful way McMahon portrayed the grief of families in the waiting room:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRuz4mM6bCIJA7_xxny8MgUcpk_ogE-qHyAEXrwmkxeJe2_kuEbwa9RGg-Y398vAG8dV-kHrCcO7cDqf06Upp-jVxSZBmDURNiPKczUN0SQCW8jClYJ6fIAIqgBXq5A1DRqwP0XPThSiH4KLC3zmElkPt5Affl2Gt01kFRU3vll3igWBjzbGJ/s3700/mcmahon%20NU%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2511" data-original-width="3700" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRuz4mM6bCIJA7_xxny8MgUcpk_ogE-qHyAEXrwmkxeJe2_kuEbwa9RGg-Y398vAG8dV-kHrCcO7cDqf06Upp-jVxSZBmDURNiPKczUN0SQCW8jClYJ6fIAIqgBXq5A1DRqwP0XPThSiH4KLC3zmElkPt5Affl2Gt01kFRU3vll3igWBjzbGJ/w640-h434/mcmahon%20NU%206.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></p><p>Look at how beautifully he portrayed the architecture:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wj_A2mlD-jPEkqp8faf3dkq7Rq0k0z3pJxVKkFTwk6Hs9r8udxt9MvilwgJRh_kboMsM3Vjh9GLQwUIvTw4N64n-zZcInrD3Ic_-aKMWlwR52_eJ-GNMRz_z6PF_V1P1je3f5nq3uIqJL30Ay0NvLW1SP8rTUyu_5TpD7q6IdgKTqtoLrjq-/s4978/mcmahon%20NU%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4978" data-original-width="3800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wj_A2mlD-jPEkqp8faf3dkq7Rq0k0z3pJxVKkFTwk6Hs9r8udxt9MvilwgJRh_kboMsM3Vjh9GLQwUIvTw4N64n-zZcInrD3Ic_-aKMWlwR52_eJ-GNMRz_z6PF_V1P1je3f5nq3uIqJL30Ay0NvLW1SP8rTUyu_5TpD7q6IdgKTqtoLrjq-/w488-h640/mcmahon%20NU%205.jpg" width="488" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn9cXwgUspw1Or1EnaN0qntrkqSpvhRq7uSzVFYEvTbc8CxrspozPS_eCSMye4frZ-kSZlzwi-_cl2BzzbypQsBmqvLfQyG4qkM0PvEqbB3jpHSIRbniRv-XVCZtR95DEZ8RpfOAmjVIRBHHQAkf3C1k2n6jdrX8CcVPcKkLTevQCBgX_BOsdr/s2630/mcmahon%20NU%20detail%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1533" data-original-width="2630" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn9cXwgUspw1Or1EnaN0qntrkqSpvhRq7uSzVFYEvTbc8CxrspozPS_eCSMye4frZ-kSZlzwi-_cl2BzzbypQsBmqvLfQyG4qkM0PvEqbB3jpHSIRbniRv-XVCZtR95DEZ8RpfOAmjVIRBHHQAkf3C1k2n6jdrX8CcVPcKkLTevQCBgX_BOsdr/w640-h374/mcmahon%20NU%20detail%205.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Detail</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>McMahon made complex medical equipment less foreboding and more interesting.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6VcJ9DH-qn1YY-qPY7Td0lV-XNBQyDKJqdzEYgo88OGsqFpINqT_HDV7SBn1-JCVINw6GzCvtJnvDdNLW6hn4A5NREFHoUz6ofnJ9atEVVT55fxUD6qiPyIIONqwWAjRRg8S_Rbc2rJ8Uko_DaNkO5_CbNr8GE0QCCw3Uy1JVlZFOZ3iD3xLf/s5133/mcmahon%20NU%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5133" data-original-width="4275" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6VcJ9DH-qn1YY-qPY7Td0lV-XNBQyDKJqdzEYgo88OGsqFpINqT_HDV7SBn1-JCVINw6GzCvtJnvDdNLW6hn4A5NREFHoUz6ofnJ9atEVVT55fxUD6qiPyIIONqwWAjRRg8S_Rbc2rJ8Uko_DaNkO5_CbNr8GE0QCCw3Uy1JVlZFOZ3iD3xLf/w534-h640/mcmahon%20NU%2010.jpg" width="534" /></a></p><p>Today an advertiser would use photographs or (horrors!) photo-illustration to handle this mission. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDlQkd2tdfoSL02DSmyADn5ClhJwhYvjKbEALb5BijofVt82nvnLAqOD0PR_1fmRF61DvXmDlPsP7Ak5ScBUXKn1I3ydklqp5P9Mu0QLyBXh-eaBaOFLqAzct-YCk0n6VfUX05Exo8k9UKt7lnpGaZjdXqWWTcAoY7TPq-txaaQeCnANZSGT7u/s2131/Screen%20Shot%202023-10-21%20at%209.37.44%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="2131" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDlQkd2tdfoSL02DSmyADn5ClhJwhYvjKbEALb5BijofVt82nvnLAqOD0PR_1fmRF61DvXmDlPsP7Ak5ScBUXKn1I3ydklqp5P9Mu0QLyBXh-eaBaOFLqAzct-YCk0n6VfUX05Exo8k9UKt7lnpGaZjdXqWWTcAoY7TPq-txaaQeCnANZSGT7u/w400-h236/Screen%20Shot%202023-10-21%20at%209.37.44%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Northwestern Memorial Hospital in photograph (above) and illustration (below)</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7keX27p1xQwXuB50waDtc9sJrebUFCWdum6_D4d2qSQ_Rgo9Yn9UKPNwVsPyUuzvG0WJnugUYgj6ehifS8BxW-F6E-9LDxzW7BgO9ypXBCuQSjrXbU_rPxyVzSittc5hzVwyQQxkiCsR4mtVilDfbnUqHbPIISgXzZ8UPIY2hS83mcRq9gBN5/s5193/mcmahon%20NU%202.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="5193" data-original-width="3880" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7keX27p1xQwXuB50waDtc9sJrebUFCWdum6_D4d2qSQ_Rgo9Yn9UKPNwVsPyUuzvG0WJnugUYgj6ehifS8BxW-F6E-9LDxzW7BgO9ypXBCuQSjrXbU_rPxyVzSittc5hzVwyQQxkiCsR4mtVilDfbnUqHbPIISgXzZ8UPIY2hS83mcRq9gBN5/w478-h640/mcmahon%20NU%202.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What a difference illustration makes in charm and in understanding. But in fairness, there are very few illustrators left today who are capable of McMahon's thoughtful treatment of such a subject. </div><p><br /></p>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-73563568599928489012023-10-14T08:09:00.006-04:002023-10-14T16:32:21.799-04:00BURT SILVERMAN EXHIBITION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53dOn3YhZhwAg1K0Xl9EdQuaIohfGT1oyf8Cib0vhttC7Uj4t6_zkeiv7il0WdI__swboSUXFNmpUmQJ939oln4dD1bnX_FJxQgrDBrbnizSewnOcdZSDV55vn6R8dRgSUlAgyBFAU6EGRDmHOe1wa8-lLasLwrcXsDUM9AHCT5-p4chiAhOD/s4563/Silverman%202021%20At%20long%20last%20%2025x21%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4563" data-original-width="3859" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53dOn3YhZhwAg1K0Xl9EdQuaIohfGT1oyf8Cib0vhttC7Uj4t6_zkeiv7il0WdI__swboSUXFNmpUmQJ939oln4dD1bnX_FJxQgrDBrbnizSewnOcdZSDV55vn6R8dRgSUlAgyBFAU6EGRDmHOe1wa8-lLasLwrcXsDUM9AHCT5-p4chiAhOD/w542-h640/Silverman%202021%20At%20long%20last%20%2025x21%20copy.jpg" width="542" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="text-align: left;">A major new exhibit of the work of <a href="https://burtonsilverman.com/" target="_blank"><b>Burt Silverman</b></a> has just opened at the </span><a href="https://salmagundi.org/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank"><b>Salmagundi Club</b></a><span style="text-align: left;"> in Manhattan. The exhibit-- a feast for the mind and the eye-- contains 35 significant paintings.</span></p><p>For many years, Silverman has been one of the premier painters in America. He's from that generation of thoughtful painters who used realism as a vehicle for reflection and discovery. The result, on display in the exhibition, is rich with nuance and heavy with nutritional content. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrSdgRSmdhkzQ5mkgzXFpJVx1L4Oq6gopHiWjQGmwwmvMpyh0Cu-Wj0XloQqNyzZud9n8U1nP3GqB-ibZRDuCa9tlrVEkGVsPWFqlNq0INM_V0yscUSSBCAcL410Th2QwqAsN1BD10Jqg2VEJC6cZqnzDHvKuCXdZaS0Iejz55fcF-XSyb4_j/s2560/Silverman%20Mannequins-scaled.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1871" data-original-width="2560" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrSdgRSmdhkzQ5mkgzXFpJVx1L4Oq6gopHiWjQGmwwmvMpyh0Cu-Wj0XloQqNyzZud9n8U1nP3GqB-ibZRDuCa9tlrVEkGVsPWFqlNq0INM_V0yscUSSBCAcL410Th2QwqAsN1BD10Jqg2VEJC6cZqnzDHvKuCXdZaS0Iejz55fcF-XSyb4_j/w640-h469/Silverman%20Mannequins-scaled.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">All paintings in this review copyright Burton Silverman</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p>A good example is this 1994 watercolor, <i>The</i> <i>Machine</i>:</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRkGDtX1_wBZUkY5aFO5ZCBqLUmRv3QeQkrfOMnNSJur8iTewQ_MhLCaEr_o8FCXlD0z6vJ8An_cuTuRaFarfg4cYqTUuu7ua9tgPoKRxgXMcVKlUBAjF1fsJW21HvbGwX9r65lG6ZIlsA1PORO8BDE-0TSfCVhuHDNBqX2hNiuXJJT8uIMD3/s1775/1994%20THE%20MACHINE%20%20Best%20blu%20smoke%20w-c%2022x28.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1775" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRkGDtX1_wBZUkY5aFO5ZCBqLUmRv3QeQkrfOMnNSJur8iTewQ_MhLCaEr_o8FCXlD0z6vJ8An_cuTuRaFarfg4cYqTUuu7ua9tgPoKRxgXMcVKlUBAjF1fsJW21HvbGwX9r65lG6ZIlsA1PORO8BDE-0TSfCVhuHDNBqX2hNiuXJJT8uIMD3/w640-h432/1994%20THE%20MACHINE%20%20Best%20blu%20smoke%20w-c%2022x28.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Most of this painting is as loose and abstract as any Mark Rothko or Jackson Pollock painting:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit48T1Hn4NHpvluweEhwyiiPHWKlE-dgP2g1rqx3H9UyXahACpiaGpwFVoAGmOmPYqY4FMhJchv-oywJeH1eEBUh26r0SHrENN8Oe2-0idVS-d5V4uHkZrjt1mZIYZod8FhOc_g_d4e3UGEcO3u49_WDFczcOoRBR570j6oR4ROBvjaujb5s36/s321/silverman%20detail%205%201994%20THE%20MACHINE%20%20Best%20blu%20smoke%20w-c%2022x28.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="321" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit48T1Hn4NHpvluweEhwyiiPHWKlE-dgP2g1rqx3H9UyXahACpiaGpwFVoAGmOmPYqY4FMhJchv-oywJeH1eEBUh26r0SHrENN8Oe2-0idVS-d5V4uHkZrjt1mZIYZod8FhOc_g_d4e3UGEcO3u49_WDFczcOoRBR570j6oR4ROBvjaujb5s36/w640-h554/silverman%20detail%205%201994%20THE%20MACHINE%20%20Best%20blu%20smoke%20w-c%2022x28.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWJHwFjHwmT_4KiHUFCCrBKHefTWc5DflSbWpRqTuQKl1GGGQeDUPETXAQqX3elZ6S2Jj6ftF22G79p2J0GDbqlMEGsICOPfaCDcgN8PGGGS9Jzhjm5acgcD72RfY1nwYD5voGxikKy0GhxLLi66v-bI1nJB9fvwOZtCX_zr-TU5zhUxrIjvh/s400/detail%204%201994%20THE%20MACHINE%20%20Best%20blu%20smoke%20w-c%2022x28.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="400" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWJHwFjHwmT_4KiHUFCCrBKHefTWc5DflSbWpRqTuQKl1GGGQeDUPETXAQqX3elZ6S2Jj6ftF22G79p2J0GDbqlMEGsICOPfaCDcgN8PGGGS9Jzhjm5acgcD72RfY1nwYD5voGxikKy0GhxLLi66v-bI1nJB9fvwOZtCX_zr-TU5zhUxrIjvh/w640-h476/detail%204%201994%20THE%20MACHINE%20%20Best%20blu%20smoke%20w-c%2022x28.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here, design reigns supreme. These areas aren't governed by objective external references.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xS8gsLiOuMGC3UJg1ph_Eti4bjKg1886PQKPXHUMK0RlIbT6buv2iTEGFbDqVnrS2FyrVI871Wb8xusWn7ZSpNJrSrqTN4EckhTJL8Cxr1C9-c9AkHg8SJ2QW1MIbzt2-4POB5GxlQJMB8wBZpapiX6thouVMkjDqm_GrKi51tVlUXNi865e/s454/detail%207%201994%20THE%20MACHINE%20%20Best%20blu%20smoke%20w-c%2022x28.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="454" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xS8gsLiOuMGC3UJg1ph_Eti4bjKg1886PQKPXHUMK0RlIbT6buv2iTEGFbDqVnrS2FyrVI871Wb8xusWn7ZSpNJrSrqTN4EckhTJL8Cxr1C9-c9AkHg8SJ2QW1MIbzt2-4POB5GxlQJMB8wBZpapiX6thouVMkjDqm_GrKi51tVlUXNi865e/w640-h472/detail%207%201994%20THE%20MACHINE%20%20Best%20blu%20smoke%20w-c%2022x28.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" left="" style="clear: both;" text-align:=""><br /></div><div class="separator" left="" style="clear: both;" text-align:="">But in key places Silverman sharpens his focus and paints solid objects realistically. He uses folds on clothing, treads on tires and similar hard edged details to create a composition which rescues the abstract elements from a fugue state. </div><div class="separator" left="" style="clear: both;" text-align:=""><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1qhSAeH_bkhuaFxatX4v1oGKGFdzPb9gS23gg2EqU9iCvTmGhwrIoT8Ix3gwZ-oTku1zg2zRSHM4paDLMxC2iDgcYkOhDHOMgK3_GzeaG_gLsKx8gTMZ_gBl_97Dz8x1u-QvL8-aygmmuK1sOjZH8i0n9AJa86qimFAjuu4IraEPdz8qeQBJ/s419/silverman%20detail%206%201994%20THE%20MACHINE%20%20Best%20blu%20smoke%20w-c%2022x28.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="419" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1qhSAeH_bkhuaFxatX4v1oGKGFdzPb9gS23gg2EqU9iCvTmGhwrIoT8Ix3gwZ-oTku1zg2zRSHM4paDLMxC2iDgcYkOhDHOMgK3_GzeaG_gLsKx8gTMZ_gBl_97Dz8x1u-QvL8-aygmmuK1sOjZH8i0n9AJa86qimFAjuu4IraEPdz8qeQBJ/w640-h598/silverman%20detail%206%201994%20THE%20MACHINE%20%20Best%20blu%20smoke%20w-c%2022x28.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> These touches keep the picture in an objective, three dimensional reality.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHAX5zZueDxI3X_hsUaxsqW1GjXbIAyDc9ab11c5q7S2MNS60P7pDwq0Vxs919XAVL_XZ1fRJGeeIEulqoppvN0d2ouMaTvXXZJkE2cN6SpcR20iEYTbV8OUdW2_3tv-a26bC8Ripp1kHDiQFuu0pXjjSZCEeDbp43ez20uWCVVSEJcBVYYp_/s563/Silverman%20detail%201994%20THE%20MACHINE%20%20Best%20blu%20smoke%20w-c%2022x28%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="413" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHAX5zZueDxI3X_hsUaxsqW1GjXbIAyDc9ab11c5q7S2MNS60P7pDwq0Vxs919XAVL_XZ1fRJGeeIEulqoppvN0d2ouMaTvXXZJkE2cN6SpcR20iEYTbV8OUdW2_3tv-a26bC8Ripp1kHDiQFuu0pXjjSZCEeDbp43ez20uWCVVSEJcBVYYp_/w470-h640/Silverman%20detail%201994%20THE%20MACHINE%20%20Best%20blu%20smoke%20w-c%2022x28%20copy.jpg" width="470" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The theme of this picture-- humans wrestling with machines-- is as current as this morning's headlines about coping with the complexities of artificial intelligence. Other paintings in the exhibition invite the same kind of reflection on other themes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Silverman's brand of realism is very different from much of the realist revival of the past 20 years, which often exalts technical skill and soulless photo-realism. The abstract designs inherent in Silverman's painting remind us of the importance of aesthetic values neglected by so many technicians in the "realist revival." More importantly, Silverman finds in the material world themes worthy of contemplation and extrapolation. Their messages aren't obvious; Silverman doesn't offer us diagrams or roadmaps. He's far too oblique for that. This brand of realism takes time to unfold. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For those who claim that realism is "dated" in the fast moving art world of AI, conceptual art, NFTs and indigenous futurity, the only anachronism in Silverman's art is its emphasis on humanity and depth-- important attributes that are rarely to be found in much of the contemporary art scene. </div><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGPQYPzd9sF0HA4fhRfoJxhb4NVz8GZib8rxdSp-MJzimPR2jX50HhX3lYRzjEnoS_7Hiv1qqIiI0m8GkMOAXFX3Gj14LT8WBZAB74u4IFCBvuQIGBZAxaozC7oiti4p5FiiJqtcjkIzv2w3S17RaFWliI9TH-c9d_1PhPXcFbaHwJqRVXB66/s4032/Silverman%20IMG_4996%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1019" data-original-width="4032" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGPQYPzd9sF0HA4fhRfoJxhb4NVz8GZib8rxdSp-MJzimPR2jX50HhX3lYRzjEnoS_7Hiv1qqIiI0m8GkMOAXFX3Gj14LT8WBZAB74u4IFCBvuQIGBZAxaozC7oiti4p5FiiJqtcjkIzv2w3S17RaFWliI9TH-c9d_1PhPXcFbaHwJqRVXB66/w640-h162/Silverman%20IMG_4996%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></p>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-55921898859205217762023-10-07T15:38:00.001-04:002023-10-07T17:41:26.832-04:00LEYENDECKER: ANOTHER LOOK<span style="text-align: left;">A few weeks ago </span><a href="http://illustrationart.blogspot.com/2023/07/the-new-york-times-fumbles-leyendecker.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">I criticized a museum exhibition and an art critic</a><span style="text-align: left;"> for their shabby efforts to reduce the great achievement of J.C. Leyendecker to a "gay fifth column." They claimed to see "hidden messages"(such as an erect penis) in Leyendecker's paintings, which they claimed were designed to undermine "the majority's straight erotics." I responded that Leyendecker's work is still under-appreciated, and that a rare exhibition of his originals should acknowledge his broader legacy, rather than serve as a political tool for tiresome people with a narrow agenda. </span><p style="text-align: left;">Some readers suggested that if Leyendecker deserves broader attention, I should help give him more attention rather than whining about the people who don't. Fair enough:</p><p style="text-align: left;">It's important to remember that most people became familiar with Leyendecker in an era when printing technology was relatively primitive and full color reproduction was rare.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfaKZ7PUJ1JxNK4FtUImYdtVx2nJ8H-lYFgqACxqP7hb9IObW0G4bXDzvo_vqRfruJaomljU7Aa9ABvbPFrGWHS_l6AzhPb0gHXNjgtl6WGRYyM9AXmzsLlB7m9rpDDtZ-zTH-Xb-iaYKy6qC1UeorGTfoS6DIE76ftKyYX1jx8flouhfDucwD/s5358/Leyendecker%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5358" data-original-width="4188" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfaKZ7PUJ1JxNK4FtUImYdtVx2nJ8H-lYFgqACxqP7hb9IObW0G4bXDzvo_vqRfruJaomljU7Aa9ABvbPFrGWHS_l6AzhPb0gHXNjgtl6WGRYyM9AXmzsLlB7m9rpDDtZ-zTH-Xb-iaYKy6qC1UeorGTfoS6DIE76ftKyYX1jx8flouhfDucwD/w500-h640/Leyendecker%207.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">So when the public is given a chance to view his original paintings, they are surprised by his acute powers of observation and his astonishing technical skills.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIoKEHfSh7UOYEt_WW6XcpcDnna8wfvJHawz6DR3Mg_7g-6FUga4v5KS6IMe2ODwf0ubdZw71oj2EPXCZM6vOoKaHIBgVyP_XdvoPoeQaKqyYF61WLjOLerh-18MjqUkMq4y_Cb9FXyxN8Fb3MjemW6cMOKKUa9EmnzdSsdsweAqM5q_Yo9Spv/s4032/Leyendecker%20IMG_4933.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIoKEHfSh7UOYEt_WW6XcpcDnna8wfvJHawz6DR3Mg_7g-6FUga4v5KS6IMe2ODwf0ubdZw71oj2EPXCZM6vOoKaHIBgVyP_XdvoPoeQaKqyYF61WLjOLerh-18MjqUkMq4y_Cb9FXyxN8Fb3MjemW6cMOKKUa9EmnzdSsdsweAqM5q_Yo9Spv/w480-h640/Leyendecker%20IMG_4933.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-small;"><i>Images courtesy of the Kelly Collection of American Illustration</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmaESIGkH7Q_re3nimgsZAXEaXbMIGaI-RoQVdl10F_gA1Zai2WrjS3THFfrdDIdu6eeptQVqAmTvKn7AfQkUU9_yQZDxoDyICYrP4k0uZKxn5JLm2uVnraImzzsDDy4yXiL7qBwzlOdPZDgf75YLnnbLHkS3lduRselC_dZZ7NV9-Pn-93Mb/s3024/leyendecker%20IMG_4941.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2652" data-original-width="3024" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmaESIGkH7Q_re3nimgsZAXEaXbMIGaI-RoQVdl10F_gA1Zai2WrjS3THFfrdDIdu6eeptQVqAmTvKn7AfQkUU9_yQZDxoDyICYrP4k0uZKxn5JLm2uVnraImzzsDDy4yXiL7qBwzlOdPZDgf75YLnnbLHkS3lduRselC_dZZ7NV9-Pn-93Mb/w400-h351/leyendecker%20IMG_4941.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-size: x-small;"><i>Every artist today would know enough to paint those white highlights, but how many would also notice that the reflected light on the underside of the black beads is a warm color due to her skin, or notice the proper color for the shadow of the beads on her flesh? More importantly, how many would even care, if their picture was to be reproduced in two colors? </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitF3Zj30Ipb6p_Pld69uMzPPs3INC0VeBxQetnBF0Lcab6IrNiJGdp2YCiViHUPlIo6AN_S-sZ3CuA-Qe3-bpQ0SLBOclY5tN9ahFVPCqhcYkyisMftn64rDdqx58PDWTfjK-aNL7cjK76kuBfzy05eTHgDRu4EtfRjCAiby0BntTUwHG4a_T4/s3267/leyendecker%20head%20detail%20IMG_4942.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3267" data-original-width="2693" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitF3Zj30Ipb6p_Pld69uMzPPs3INC0VeBxQetnBF0Lcab6IrNiJGdp2YCiViHUPlIo6AN_S-sZ3CuA-Qe3-bpQ0SLBOclY5tN9ahFVPCqhcYkyisMftn64rDdqx58PDWTfjK-aNL7cjK76kuBfzy05eTHgDRu4EtfRjCAiby0BntTUwHG4a_T4/w528-h640/leyendecker%20head%20detail%20IMG_4942.jpg" width="528" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">In books about Leyendecker, we repeatedly see the same pictures of his stylish Arrow collar man, or Kuppenheimer ads, or sports figures. But Leyendecker did hundreds of quality covers on a variety of topics for <i>The Saturday Evening Post </i>and <i>Collier's </i>that you rarely-- if ever-- see reproduced. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1b47yYkVFq_-cqYmGC52aC8uDeTs3q_u6oKGnRTglL1vA45nhLpePxq65vRrew9UsmWAJpstgga7hzKKF0MrEgFCyNRP8SP1OzQCcgoHj9zAXmVy3JUFbR9zg_WJHfNFxhMTAN263Wlkovz88_vLBUj2Cqp2WrkkuobdWbLkV5JeV7IZhUs6/s5603/Leyendecker%200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5603" data-original-width="4298" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1b47yYkVFq_-cqYmGC52aC8uDeTs3q_u6oKGnRTglL1vA45nhLpePxq65vRrew9UsmWAJpstgga7hzKKF0MrEgFCyNRP8SP1OzQCcgoHj9zAXmVy3JUFbR9zg_WJHfNFxhMTAN263Wlkovz88_vLBUj2Cqp2WrkkuobdWbLkV5JeV7IZhUs6/w490-h640/Leyendecker%200.jpg" width="490" /></a></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODq1q1pHhELt_UeB4avsmplkLZZRXhs7g0xUyMhMEJwVKack59Fp8WuzX1gtdnq2LvpnN-lCf52M0TiOjaWZzQg6z58egI8QMpOj2vUYgIlUyo369119ZRR9Hv_hdV0HcI9CZllDcVfEsTue5VysVzi0BApIz_6s_PSmijIFUgLGoKwKvbMPC/s5653/Leyendecker%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5653" data-original-width="4375" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODq1q1pHhELt_UeB4avsmplkLZZRXhs7g0xUyMhMEJwVKack59Fp8WuzX1gtdnq2LvpnN-lCf52M0TiOjaWZzQg6z58egI8QMpOj2vUYgIlUyo369119ZRR9Hv_hdV0HcI9CZllDcVfEsTue5VysVzi0BApIz_6s_PSmijIFUgLGoKwKvbMPC/w496-h640/Leyendecker%204.jpg" width="496" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXl_sRkOVhLddc7RZAQWgSXQgEfxbmAKaKQQowG68iskuQkTrnR6-KaDDKXKc-XeWywJ5UStsENnMmSGimSc5JCjgbWO0Cl6eDAZLg0cKPQK9DJTifNepLWpFghiwhgHf3iS6r_b4ANpaApeQ3mw9zsefBaflkZlMrkbU40ksr6Ai055ZV_0B5/s1360/Leyendecker%204%20detail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1360" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXl_sRkOVhLddc7RZAQWgSXQgEfxbmAKaKQQowG68iskuQkTrnR6-KaDDKXKc-XeWywJ5UStsENnMmSGimSc5JCjgbWO0Cl6eDAZLg0cKPQK9DJTifNepLWpFghiwhgHf3iS6r_b4ANpaApeQ3mw9zsefBaflkZlMrkbU40ksr6Ai055ZV_0B5/w640-h562/Leyendecker%204%20detail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvjFiUWocmfm4HUT1ADyFFfd1-vEfq-j7PscbndQs4cZ4toJHWWkl0uRBc6QB-qkkPDTRslAJ2SZAm3m8HAG7Za0F68Gcq-3cuO52vGY1jUEt795WpEHPfryMBKH0WIwXI5oQQ9YjLEJQ9AhJ4vgO3mW5acEThj4TttnLqvTMBlbpNLkf0dsG/s1309/Leyendecker%20detail%202%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1309" data-original-width="1075" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvjFiUWocmfm4HUT1ADyFFfd1-vEfq-j7PscbndQs4cZ4toJHWWkl0uRBc6QB-qkkPDTRslAJ2SZAm3m8HAG7Za0F68Gcq-3cuO52vGY1jUEt795WpEHPfryMBKH0WIwXI5oQQ9YjLEJQ9AhJ4vgO3mW5acEThj4TttnLqvTMBlbpNLkf0dsG/w329-h400/Leyendecker%20detail%202%204.jpg" width="329" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Fo38YmNGUXBskwn62EZNlqpnv9cIsSWs7nxtYj8mBTm8ALzJpQR4rn7niUj1GanWGEbD-ONFkBKnN0MUVsI_vuDj1Bh9HxgSkc3AwkaN3rbh6Q-Ha2nHLlDQERcpS0NPHxKjHssCIPAcN2bCVbWmyofcgE7SmCoICB3DhTLy2KjEv8I3Ghza/s5645/Leyendecker%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5645" data-original-width="4376" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Fo38YmNGUXBskwn62EZNlqpnv9cIsSWs7nxtYj8mBTm8ALzJpQR4rn7niUj1GanWGEbD-ONFkBKnN0MUVsI_vuDj1Bh9HxgSkc3AwkaN3rbh6Q-Ha2nHLlDQERcpS0NPHxKjHssCIPAcN2bCVbWmyofcgE7SmCoICB3DhTLy2KjEv8I3Ghza/w496-h640/Leyendecker%206.jpg" width="496" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizj2S2ZTEuJE5o79qF3OUI6mh9ZwBsTQ_Si8JOw-6Lz8PY5BZ4tWyLrKhXIH9xRDcKpuRdErwh7GVDaOkd3DqqOFjjYnEWpLXGv4qjZvGK1K67Iv2rqkwjE117LNC2PmChh3PSL3lKG_oU36oXCbUK2Ztkj9evE3KCI6KDEF4TFKrun3WqvFFn/s1824/Leyendecker%206%20detail%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1603" data-original-width="1824" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizj2S2ZTEuJE5o79qF3OUI6mh9ZwBsTQ_Si8JOw-6Lz8PY5BZ4tWyLrKhXIH9xRDcKpuRdErwh7GVDaOkd3DqqOFjjYnEWpLXGv4qjZvGK1K67Iv2rqkwjE117LNC2PmChh3PSL3lKG_oU36oXCbUK2Ztkj9evE3KCI6KDEF4TFKrun3WqvFFn/w640-h562/Leyendecker%206%20detail%20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXrJ__YY705h05KoX5fDUMnLt9BolwtqA9kqNw9oM0GOiMefuRzwhxIcfoPxWL-JGfWLRxDA-jf7GYYnKO4TZQXs1oxEdHZNM7DJPzPB2o3fLytH2_IxCjFDm8eH6Gi16X9TZRMLQB03c1i8VxlHdsIWQYcW8rYtPZVa6-JBuTvNZYbP1j-kr/s5642/Leyendecker%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5642" data-original-width="4364" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXrJ__YY705h05KoX5fDUMnLt9BolwtqA9kqNw9oM0GOiMefuRzwhxIcfoPxWL-JGfWLRxDA-jf7GYYnKO4TZQXs1oxEdHZNM7DJPzPB2o3fLytH2_IxCjFDm8eH6Gi16X9TZRMLQB03c1i8VxlHdsIWQYcW8rYtPZVa6-JBuTvNZYbP1j-kr/w496-h640/Leyendecker%205.jpg" width="496" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0Qkkt7HVcGajhwrIXgc6MSl3IbFwStqPvfKHN-MmHQYvRX-ge7ZxzTGryuZ0UVoUnDb91dDiL987Rjv76mxsr03Nqe28E6HAgYEjzpanPogp0JerguXZyImK49-lw-STlJcyR1JHM3eEJWhz7pzrH4MTuvq0mGMdymAZFqKgs2aAgWSB8mvD/s5551/Leyendecker%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5551" data-original-width="4398" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0Qkkt7HVcGajhwrIXgc6MSl3IbFwStqPvfKHN-MmHQYvRX-ge7ZxzTGryuZ0UVoUnDb91dDiL987Rjv76mxsr03Nqe28E6HAgYEjzpanPogp0JerguXZyImK49-lw-STlJcyR1JHM3eEJWhz7pzrH4MTuvq0mGMdymAZFqKgs2aAgWSB8mvD/w508-h640/Leyendecker%202.jpg" width="508" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">There's still a rich lode of Leyendecker's oeuvre which has yet to be mined and appreciated. It deserves to be taken seriously.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-30267014713938199552023-10-01T15:15:00.000-04:002023-10-01T15:15:50.785-04:00A NEW BOOK OF ILLUSTRATORS' SKETCHBOOKS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGfXYrb6PsOWH7Sozm9z9QyUl4mM2ilomjKlsfz62XfW0DtFKQbQnngLP0FVwoBHAgr6gVoGqAAY3uHIn0e8xqtu1CyyPR2kwCnkBzsUDRNk6kGASwkyIZdZhgETeXYLMqBX2PxegjlewOMnOX9sKSorz8TcIZVUpBaYx9xrI8UhCEh2wwpNJ/s3823/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20cover%20%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2739" data-original-width="3823" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGfXYrb6PsOWH7Sozm9z9QyUl4mM2ilomjKlsfz62XfW0DtFKQbQnngLP0FVwoBHAgr6gVoGqAAY3uHIn0e8xqtu1CyyPR2kwCnkBzsUDRNk6kGASwkyIZdZhgETeXYLMqBX2PxegjlewOMnOX9sKSorz8TcIZVUpBaYx9xrI8UhCEh2wwpNJ/w400-h286/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20cover%20%20.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><p><br /></p><p>Bill Watterson, creator of the legendary comic strip <b><i>Calvin & Hobbes</i></b>, said, "Every line you draw drops your pants."</p>It's true. A pen nib is a better lie detector than a polygraph needle. Unlike paintings, which can be polished and refined and layered with glazes, drawing is a more direct and immediate medium. It records initial inspirations and preliminary ambitions, and reveals every tremor or wrong move. It betrays your mistakes and displays your successful gambles. <br /><br />Perhaps for this reason, drawing was historically considered a secondary art form, a stepping stone to what Vasari described as the three primary arts: painting, sculpture, and architecture. But in the 20th century, drawing gained new respectability. As our appreciation for spontaneity, experimentation, vitality and economy grew, classical academy paintings came to be viewed as boring. Collections of preliminary studies and informal drawings were mined for deluxe art books and museum exhibitions. <div><br />It’s not surprising that the spotlight has continued to move, back to the origins of drawing in the sketchbooks of artists. Sketchbook pages by Edward Hopper and John Singer Sargent and a hundred other artists have been published. J.M.W. Turner's watercolor sketchbooks are cherished as the moment of first inspiration for his large oil paintings. <br /><br />Now Martin Salisbury has come forward with a rich collection entitled <a href="https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/illustrators-sketchbooks#" target="_blank">Illustrators' Sketchbooks</a>, showcasing the private sketchbooks of 60 well selected illustrators. For each artist there is a thoughtful description of the illustrator with quotes, along with 5 or more pages from their sketchbooks.<div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyeRfFtLkVHzvw-atWkCQWfF_z5VuNfcWspQmqPbMrHuvZlGhKzzlFUMx9-2Aqf75nZfG5mjYo-sJucV15NNs8O0J7rdxqK5KuU6qlXD0oC9iu4ayS_y1OEjvepqNqjHWuoFzn7g24WNyBVD4w7wkyc4ELMt2vzg7u97cZLQhyphenhyphenOZbVxXFCdX1/s3699/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20%20Cober%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2604" data-original-width="3699" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyeRfFtLkVHzvw-atWkCQWfF_z5VuNfcWspQmqPbMrHuvZlGhKzzlFUMx9-2Aqf75nZfG5mjYo-sJucV15NNs8O0J7rdxqK5KuU6qlXD0oC9iu4ayS_y1OEjvepqNqjHWuoFzn7g24WNyBVD4w7wkyc4ELMt2vzg7u97cZLQhyphenhyphenOZbVxXFCdX1/w640-h450/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20%20Cober%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Alan Cober</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXKGeZooMG8l5bR_xdSy9722pAwtvXQs_r5D1Vg8p6iH9M7UST4_H7foQxYr_j2FgclINdmKzgy1EGksWhEq-AbTbphYNLH6UH4bfmZldRWH30Z6pG6y_P7_OJVKDWmCznANseR9haQ6JRAqtpuA5DEEiq9QnF-TAGBhNv5mBwAeQIzpV0Up4/s3698/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20Searle%20%209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2651" data-original-width="3698" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXKGeZooMG8l5bR_xdSy9722pAwtvXQs_r5D1Vg8p6iH9M7UST4_H7foQxYr_j2FgclINdmKzgy1EGksWhEq-AbTbphYNLH6UH4bfmZldRWH30Z6pG6y_P7_OJVKDWmCznANseR9haQ6JRAqtpuA5DEEiq9QnF-TAGBhNv5mBwAeQIzpV0Up4/w640-h458/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20Searle%20%209.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Remarkable entries in the sketchbook of Ronald Searle <br />showing how he experimented with the effects he later used in his drawings</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1er0a-CQULaB0N_oQGI-JqXQO6dSo7bhxgom_jgRVQycc9pKyZlr6JKzLfZ0Td2MnduLrRIp98JS4Ds2iX8uJRx_x3L0ClciwPq1JNyjYp-4qPUaZfxqUOsgEhEBtHHeNRxXZzc12I_m9ZwtpWzXKaqHifHqrCLOY4xCZNh2uLYkMWQAA0z4M/s1420/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20Cuneo%20%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1420" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1er0a-CQULaB0N_oQGI-JqXQO6dSo7bhxgom_jgRVQycc9pKyZlr6JKzLfZ0Td2MnduLrRIp98JS4Ds2iX8uJRx_x3L0ClciwPq1JNyjYp-4qPUaZfxqUOsgEhEBtHHeNRxXZzc12I_m9ZwtpWzXKaqHifHqrCLOY4xCZNh2uLYkMWQAA0z4M/w406-h640/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20Cuneo%20%205.jpg" width="406" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><i>Sketches by </i></span><i style="color: #45818e;">John Cuneo, one of my favorite contemporary illustrators</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidl63UWyJycL3re65PlQVaWqXvtL-zCR3GE_4T52GNVeivYMeNGVQEnLJPbmaE8p9ylYC25DqOmXESB7w5xZyBMr_UW-huY9-sP9rD0oNPsgRPp_u5p_hY_998XbZBbm6wOAqeAE0DEdEovBi1J21c6BUnUKd4vJsim3HoBRNpoabOSDI9EBnc/s3732/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20Cuneo%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2640" data-original-width="3732" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidl63UWyJycL3re65PlQVaWqXvtL-zCR3GE_4T52GNVeivYMeNGVQEnLJPbmaE8p9ylYC25DqOmXESB7w5xZyBMr_UW-huY9-sP9rD0oNPsgRPp_u5p_hY_998XbZBbm6wOAqeAE0DEdEovBi1J21c6BUnUKd4vJsim3HoBRNpoabOSDI9EBnc/w640-h452/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20Cuneo%2010.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwO3EgU5jKDnW-q1bNusb9RFTgY_6oAHsuOGH177BrjSm3pKuF5UQ4WqoKkq3_u_OlSDWUR6MruOj0EhZ7eJcBdNPPVWQsWlwymTp_bf2_lNx_WwJJY8s912H1Vbxsh460lRiAzBfal2wtdR0CM7WEu1B5OqRfuWhgKcnxuIuUIVvo_NcIpvfZ/s1853/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20%20Cuneo%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1853" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwO3EgU5jKDnW-q1bNusb9RFTgY_6oAHsuOGH177BrjSm3pKuF5UQ4WqoKkq3_u_OlSDWUR6MruOj0EhZ7eJcBdNPPVWQsWlwymTp_bf2_lNx_WwJJY8s912H1Vbxsh460lRiAzBfal2wtdR0CM7WEu1B5OqRfuWhgKcnxuIuUIVvo_NcIpvfZ/w640-h428/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20%20Cuneo%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFq-Kh09F3FjsqslpqUA7h7AFMtmPhWWcUJG3Jk8Dl7jI1x5UmNBwHfVvZCQkgp6iorI5HARo0cdrghJk_QDAHRVaTjuw-tlV29-mySXocInyEurbM9iKIrxQR3qmSDHWsYNx_tVDUhaHZSmI2ZaBTOZONHpcoXOqwlywUdg2PyDHewOqc86Qu/s3659/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2657" data-original-width="3659" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFq-Kh09F3FjsqslpqUA7h7AFMtmPhWWcUJG3Jk8Dl7jI1x5UmNBwHfVvZCQkgp6iorI5HARo0cdrghJk_QDAHRVaTjuw-tlV29-mySXocInyEurbM9iKIrxQR3qmSDHWsYNx_tVDUhaHZSmI2ZaBTOZONHpcoXOqwlywUdg2PyDHewOqc86Qu/w640-h464/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20%206.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Oliver Jeffers</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqcs6Dl-wf_azObsf_fyXcE1I2ydbqQmhEgUPobkGusflxtKtmErdAIf9ff11JJpxHloC1XVAoRETyBUqXqE7H8UBlV2AOM96wwOPTHaLVFndtuFgL1YpTglJpLyc5_66AfT67BlpFJFKsg8lznMYKzLLio5n8Zau105qxZ0EcpAgn49JJ2X2/s3324/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2308" data-original-width="3324" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqcs6Dl-wf_azObsf_fyXcE1I2ydbqQmhEgUPobkGusflxtKtmErdAIf9ff11JJpxHloC1XVAoRETyBUqXqE7H8UBlV2AOM96wwOPTHaLVFndtuFgL1YpTglJpLyc5_66AfT67BlpFJFKsg8lznMYKzLLio5n8Zau105qxZ0EcpAgn49JJ2X2/w640-h444/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20%207.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdClcTInmfOsNsx0RKZjIcCcG48RfRkR8GxWpCRaHm2m8BgfBTYyOX17SfY-eXbeNxCLAH8Z3V4ckbFO1hcz2VuI7GW8-vsYDtZutnol2B5jyZfbJ8A5gkKSc6k9SRaF0pkzah1RTBy5HMPGbKT0mAMprkzzW2Sf-jqHtSQdzXosyb75hKDBwR/s3569/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20%208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2416" data-original-width="3569" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdClcTInmfOsNsx0RKZjIcCcG48RfRkR8GxWpCRaHm2m8BgfBTYyOX17SfY-eXbeNxCLAH8Z3V4ckbFO1hcz2VuI7GW8-vsYDtZutnol2B5jyZfbJ8A5gkKSc6k9SRaF0pkzah1RTBy5HMPGbKT0mAMprkzzW2Sf-jqHtSQdzXosyb75hKDBwR/w640-h434/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20%208.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Charles Tunnicliffe</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JzLZZLyzpnBqpTCignu1UHwDAJQM1KHsVj69mTh6mtgliPUJogGBRerTrTsZP0BfDr3bM2_Oy6juticTVkagnng0UR-vymrK1A-BkeJ1CT0ySk6dC1V9U4OlcG2ikjDNz68ehhKHkhqRbHZjqmfMJMkfHKP6Sgp2GkCksYnLVXv1j3pMof7i/s3656/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20Kenyon%20Cox%20%20%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2646" data-original-width="3656" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JzLZZLyzpnBqpTCignu1UHwDAJQM1KHsVj69mTh6mtgliPUJogGBRerTrTsZP0BfDr3bM2_Oy6juticTVkagnng0UR-vymrK1A-BkeJ1CT0ySk6dC1V9U4OlcG2ikjDNz68ehhKHkhqRbHZjqmfMJMkfHKP6Sgp2GkCksYnLVXv1j3pMof7i/w640-h464/Salisbury%20sketchbook%20Kenyon%20Cox%20%20%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Kenyon Cox</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The book contains several of the usual suspects such as Beatrix Potter, Quentin Blake and Edward Gorey but I most enjoyed some of the names that were new to me, especially the examples from international illustrators.</div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">An interesting selection of images that you won't normally see in books and magazines.</div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-72352470933578806042023-09-26T11:00:00.003-04:002023-09-26T11:29:10.801-04:00HOW MacNELLY KEPT IT LOOSE<p> There's a lot going on in this political cartoon by the great Jeff MacNelly.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54shQHhT2Q_nx0xIF_4y74QGjij86xwF-I1zr76csIcv2uWV5kHs1A2-oGuVyyx3-zn8QFidSdKJjXCFoQou-KzJyuZUcvKrgQfp8k2QnkiBil5fk4zmbnDJ_7EJzrzf_KtPBCc3-x___jS-HsJO1jyQp0lsElwQSNd2tcenEP3LT2CeqULhX/s5246/MacNelly%20ambulance%201.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3892" data-original-width="5246" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54shQHhT2Q_nx0xIF_4y74QGjij86xwF-I1zr76csIcv2uWV5kHs1A2-oGuVyyx3-zn8QFidSdKJjXCFoQou-KzJyuZUcvKrgQfp8k2QnkiBil5fk4zmbnDJ_7EJzrzf_KtPBCc3-x___jS-HsJO1jyQp0lsElwQSNd2tcenEP3LT2CeqULhX/w640-h474/MacNelly%20ambulance%201.tif" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Using three point perspective, he fits important information neatly through each of the three windows of the ambulance; he wraps lettering and symbols at orthogonal angles around the different vehicles (even respecting the curvature of the motorcycle gas tank); he foreshortens the figures at the end, while decreasing the size of the text in the word balloon; and he even has energy left over to draw the ambulance's front wheels at a different angle than the rear wheels.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's hard to draw with that kind of precision and detail while still keeping the drawing lively and spontaneous but MacNelly manages it. </div><div><br /></div>MacNelly pulls off the same trick with this next cartoon: recognizable caricatures of eight different senators, sitting in chairs at eight distinctive angles, surrounded by a variety of embellishments.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfEisSB23ER8DAXKvIp_9oiVIccxHelBetOch4QGoxiESTWk3l6hrxtaNNqyACjdx8FDLRF4JOeJLSaYW5dsjowteKTfZRszVdQcaDcvJRzE9B9uwkSVV1N9oIximXuC4kU8xeEn1bmqLEjmGkji6QzE-Q3glLRebsYSoBlTj0VSvvA_V1Rff/s5166/MacNelly%20senate%20hearing%201.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3473" data-original-width="5166" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfEisSB23ER8DAXKvIp_9oiVIccxHelBetOch4QGoxiESTWk3l6hrxtaNNqyACjdx8FDLRF4JOeJLSaYW5dsjowteKTfZRszVdQcaDcvJRzE9B9uwkSVV1N9oIximXuC4kU8xeEn1bmqLEjmGkji6QzE-Q3glLRebsYSoBlTj0VSvvA_V1Rff/w640-h430/MacNelly%20senate%20hearing%201.tif" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVqWWXWVu_as7HfqIn6MNMEoEpaZVRRUSpdGaNF0sbODwrHO8yQuJFjqo9OH99sZ6fa7Ko5BH3Pol8gCTVbFwAEJCwH7IHqHbgvpFZOZ8zrgghHGzpbV-VRbFZmA3qHctyRMCNgjrAvAmvOQ9VS7EQWLx0BC8bY_TuOjIo3t-XNEqWHXcoYi6l/s1493/MacNelly%20senators%20faces%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1493" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVqWWXWVu_as7HfqIn6MNMEoEpaZVRRUSpdGaNF0sbODwrHO8yQuJFjqo9OH99sZ6fa7Ko5BH3Pol8gCTVbFwAEJCwH7IHqHbgvpFZOZ8zrgghHGzpbV-VRbFZmA3qHctyRMCNgjrAvAmvOQ9VS7EQWLx0BC8bY_TuOjIo3t-XNEqWHXcoYi6l/w640-h350/MacNelly%20senators%20faces%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGPdEjud0iOqxVu0y24BAfbgsCu2V7rOloztO429Nv8o1A2Es4z2Ssvpb0mwMs3T1pYOKE5-FWO-wp8geviPZLYsT6GmC25983dirEKqMesyY1vYGNQ6004CvWzzxkVec1m0hwsZgsA03Op_3Z2AEpopHelpCi5F11D7iqFyFc5GsRhYOH-Ry/s1186/MacNelly%20senators%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="1186" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGPdEjud0iOqxVu0y24BAfbgsCu2V7rOloztO429Nv8o1A2Es4z2Ssvpb0mwMs3T1pYOKE5-FWO-wp8geviPZLYsT6GmC25983dirEKqMesyY1vYGNQ6004CvWzzxkVec1m0hwsZgsA03Op_3Z2AEpopHelpCi5F11D7iqFyFc5GsRhYOH-Ry/w640-h374/MacNelly%20senators%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">Even this third cartoon, which appears much simpler, is crafted with a watchmaker's precision.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsH5HHXsNJJiqV0of6g0mN0uvYhXWoge0Zr0VuI6CgYk_VvrOR5GXwrpl5gY9wvQui4vJekPCKgEu2Nhtq7f6degaAwUXyDxsB380m-12aaMS6tKSaxvHNxF_MbzqjvnzJtsMz3_jShy9scpjmgYMU0hS7ZF_J3VTig7EtnJT_rQp-YxBGBkhB/s5628/MacNelly%20Perot%20cartoon%20Untitled_Panorama1.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3562" data-original-width="5628" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsH5HHXsNJJiqV0of6g0mN0uvYhXWoge0Zr0VuI6CgYk_VvrOR5GXwrpl5gY9wvQui4vJekPCKgEu2Nhtq7f6degaAwUXyDxsB380m-12aaMS6tKSaxvHNxF_MbzqjvnzJtsMz3_jShy9scpjmgYMU0hS7ZF_J3VTig7EtnJT_rQp-YxBGBkhB/w640-h406/MacNelly%20Perot%20cartoon%20Untitled_Panorama1.tif" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Note the beautifully constructed face of the threatening bull: with only a reverse 3/4 profile to work with (partially obscured by a drooping ear) MacNelly does wonders with that deadly eye, the curl of the lip showing uneven teeth, the hair on the chin and the ring in the nose. Who can draw like this today?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2l-s3YDEFSD4tSIIn_IcBrR5vV3dByqCM6FVbAHE67C_vc-8YGNHUMWX2WC1dBSXzlpWXhdzD1GeCnooAE4z3r6pwdCOh9TjrzO04mU2eKAwpPHmaZRAwQqDixqy2PoWqQO8x0zfSDltJ_QkWFtHzZOZIwZfeVr8HLO4JNOSXq_dlNOoJ5e91/s1137/MacNelly%20bull%20face%20%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="831" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2l-s3YDEFSD4tSIIn_IcBrR5vV3dByqCM6FVbAHE67C_vc-8YGNHUMWX2WC1dBSXzlpWXhdzD1GeCnooAE4z3r6pwdCOh9TjrzO04mU2eKAwpPHmaZRAwQqDixqy2PoWqQO8x0zfSDltJ_QkWFtHzZOZIwZfeVr8HLO4JNOSXq_dlNOoJ5e91/w468-h640/MacNelly%20bull%20face%20%205.jpg" width="468" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The figure of Perot is tiny in the background, yet his ultra-simplified likeness is convincing, and details such as the rodeo gloves and the big hat are remarkably effective for their size.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEJq2egH85zqwMEu_IxxEsFAnl_vpbOuWlyl0THh89BPNF3axx6o52zZBEsITvfSbcIThnyMCRw4gWak_mOfdLbYBs6mKCIO6Fwunq2HAoUKfY80M5Vlpl6PvmtwjR3sTdbW6V_JECPGUESGQOgMwHkd40tp7hmWjHn1VrdAqgwa1dC-hl5Kt/s1177/MacNelly%20detail%20hat%20%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1177" height="509" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEJq2egH85zqwMEu_IxxEsFAnl_vpbOuWlyl0THh89BPNF3axx6o52zZBEsITvfSbcIThnyMCRw4gWak_mOfdLbYBs6mKCIO6Fwunq2HAoUKfY80M5Vlpl6PvmtwjR3sTdbW6V_JECPGUESGQOgMwHkd40tp7hmWjHn1VrdAqgwa1dC-hl5Kt/w640-h509/MacNelly%20detail%20hat%20%205.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">Many artists who are able to exert this kind of control let the control dominate the picture. Not MacNelly; his drawings were always jaunty and friendly and informal. How did he do it?</p><p style="text-align: left;">For one thing, look at how he darkened that bull. It's one wild scribble:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Z6Oi5IMbxwF-fojoKPDnDxIYNc7pVdWlkUwKRquXd29-q9rWQ-1ZWY3ZMLAzGvi4bFn_eeMf0C74sQJlPAypCspHHyibqGYK3Y3pZUD_-S3b37_yfTr6Fy-5yZ6urfx0eR4VqCFqradRLHgcZLWvk4Vk96uAEloAzbMTN680cZ051CfdZDcA/s1467/MacNelly%20bull%20detail%20cartoon%20%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1092" data-original-width="1467" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Z6Oi5IMbxwF-fojoKPDnDxIYNc7pVdWlkUwKRquXd29-q9rWQ-1ZWY3ZMLAzGvi4bFn_eeMf0C74sQJlPAypCspHHyibqGYK3Y3pZUD_-S3b37_yfTr6Fy-5yZ6urfx0eR4VqCFqradRLHgcZLWvk4Vk96uAEloAzbMTN680cZ051CfdZDcA/w640-h476/MacNelly%20bull%20detail%20cartoon%20%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Even when he's drawing something like the shade on the side of a flat wall...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZT44aNwYtlxEx69NKhgGQ61XdXYFdkK6A_xgqenkKXgcdAoJGD1Jl2qkES3xxczmfRFjMfLkzwqM3E11hH-upr-Z2nTNTcpfEb5w5b6bkx6uONQQxzPWD-udLi2jJ4poXfATKFi5q3-bXXcZ3cGgYfBJU942BWH-GkrEqlsjTnEq4a25HxuSG/s5003/MacNelly%20porch%201.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3695" data-original-width="5003" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZT44aNwYtlxEx69NKhgGQ61XdXYFdkK6A_xgqenkKXgcdAoJGD1Jl2qkES3xxczmfRFjMfLkzwqM3E11hH-upr-Z2nTNTcpfEb5w5b6bkx6uONQQxzPWD-udLi2jJ4poXfATKFi5q3-bXXcZ3cGgYfBJU942BWH-GkrEqlsjTnEq4a25HxuSG/w640-h472/MacNelly%20porch%201.tif" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>... he doesn't use consistent lines. No gray screen, zipatone or even cross-hatching here. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdQ3tl8jivFXV--rvohXQN-mTW6W_i-AXW2QI1_8BrB6jK6uMEU9hcULRAT-vEuDC9mhyx29DQc6a7jzwiwBPvcl-rlxHBAs2lTxBpoK4kGu1vj0laHR69UODK_hyeG9oAigBD3OHo-FalOzcPwfKlp8akSwMnIpEOEry8WWCez14H6zmFBCc/s1339/MacNelly%20shade%20on%20wall%20cartoon%20%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1339" data-original-width="871" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdQ3tl8jivFXV--rvohXQN-mTW6W_i-AXW2QI1_8BrB6jK6uMEU9hcULRAT-vEuDC9mhyx29DQc6a7jzwiwBPvcl-rlxHBAs2lTxBpoK4kGu1vj0laHR69UODK_hyeG9oAigBD3OHo-FalOzcPwfKlp8akSwMnIpEOEry8WWCez14H6zmFBCc/w416-h640/MacNelly%20shade%20on%20wall%20cartoon%20%201.jpg" width="416" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">These disorderly, unsystematic lines infuse his drawing with life. Compare MacNelly's loose approach with the work of other masters of "control," such as Franklin Booth, Virgil Finlay or Reed Crandall. Compare it with the antiseptic technical drawing of Chris Ware and his legions of followers. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Here's another drawing with a level of detail that might prove deadly in the hands of a less certain artist:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDSdZmtKXEaed0npX4H0fKIfN32ULcl-NIPPM2fsj8p_QP0pUFBJzgm4FxOQaYtdLNJtMVXqWR-8ShuDcClCU9dQXWj6tFMZFZD8_Fp-rJmZCaARMmDMgrDwKNFbO1JOQXUTyK7jtrwHx7yHbyBvXz42SSwcyehMs4gKs_qtMj6k72KHrudLa/s5127/MacNelly%20Russia%201.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3706" data-original-width="5127" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDSdZmtKXEaed0npX4H0fKIfN32ULcl-NIPPM2fsj8p_QP0pUFBJzgm4FxOQaYtdLNJtMVXqWR-8ShuDcClCU9dQXWj6tFMZFZD8_Fp-rJmZCaARMmDMgrDwKNFbO1JOQXUTyK7jtrwHx7yHbyBvXz42SSwcyehMs4gKs_qtMj6k72KHrudLa/w640-h462/MacNelly%20Russia%201.tif" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">MacNelly pulls the same trick shading that wall:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZw82usxRdU7Gp5JZP25L90GlVjW6eNvHm80BTnmk4B_O5afiipDvkSUZUEX8AfRkuic7UXl0AGeqNu_6227Pmre6aoKL2era-MMUAvrJ1U4ih6h2cui7fqcuuG7qZR9KlYc-eqHq_uKlg8GWN8CILauysxi3bz2aninr9i88RlP6yPUEuyhd/s1008/MacNelly%20wall%20%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="1008" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZw82usxRdU7Gp5JZP25L90GlVjW6eNvHm80BTnmk4B_O5afiipDvkSUZUEX8AfRkuic7UXl0AGeqNu_6227Pmre6aoKL2era-MMUAvrJ1U4ih6h2cui7fqcuuG7qZR9KlYc-eqHq_uKlg8GWN8CILauysxi3bz2aninr9i88RlP6yPUEuyhd/w640-h476/MacNelly%20wall%20%208.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">But he has other tricks too. If you're going to draw 16 distinctive people in a line, with their heads cocked at different angles and wearing different hats, you don't want them to serve as an anchor weighing down your drawing, you want them to contribute energy. I love the way MacNelly smears this crowd together with line, and draws them hugging the curvature of the earth.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHAA7vqfugROHGFIUgnLgalRHm-3Ta2hzfHNbefz1eI0L7tJGZsFc3HUchbROfFFb_0aYOZIMwR3nzJRv9F2MLReQqXucfPy8trfNt53OEbZNAWsTQb6L0zKODfTKU59VtUShwlnwyGW_FbGoxw1W5436ESMSo_53JuenzkC1G1rvMrnlDE0D/s2447/MacNelly%20crowd%20cartoon%20%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1578" data-original-width="2447" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHAA7vqfugROHGFIUgnLgalRHm-3Ta2hzfHNbefz1eI0L7tJGZsFc3HUchbROfFFb_0aYOZIMwR3nzJRv9F2MLReQqXucfPy8trfNt53OEbZNAWsTQb6L0zKODfTKU59VtUShwlnwyGW_FbGoxw1W5436ESMSo_53JuenzkC1G1rvMrnlDE0D/w640-h412/MacNelly%20crowd%20cartoon%20%208.jpg" width="640" /></a></p>It's hard to think of a more dynamic way of drawing a crowd of patient people waiting in a long line.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today's shrinking newspaper industry offers so few platforms for artistic talent. Heaven knows what MacNelly would be doing as an editorial cartoonist in today's market. But looking over our shoulder at his dazzling drawings, we get a renewed sense for what good drawing once contributed to journalism, and might contribute again. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p></div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-53791243622838182502023-09-18T10:20:00.006-04:002024-03-15T21:20:58.190-04:00THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF FACESThis drawing by Romanian artist Dan Perjovschi is about an inch tall:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8Nm-PDxO4QKoO6h7uM5B7pcUli3S4kYjSuy4nDPN_ReSuthxxSnIdES8-No9kR5MqrtCXLeLK5XO0hQGq6HFq22GC5IjA386lvMj46gDnrEpIlF0jAkw6_DjDhVgA-Gonui7CRUZMBVqCvSKaPpL-DYNaVJ3O2WV0_MsQJYyRMu7NLid3QRp/s198/detail%201%20IMG_4454%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="198" data-original-width="144" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8Nm-PDxO4QKoO6h7uM5B7pcUli3S4kYjSuy4nDPN_ReSuthxxSnIdES8-No9kR5MqrtCXLeLK5XO0hQGq6HFq22GC5IjA386lvMj46gDnrEpIlF0jAkw6_DjDhVgA-Gonui7CRUZMBVqCvSKaPpL-DYNaVJ3O2WV0_MsQJYyRMu7NLid3QRp/w291-h400/detail%201%20IMG_4454%203.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" left="" style="clear: both;" text-align:=""><br /></div><div class="separator" left="" style="clear: both;" text-align:="">It's one in a long line of faces like these...</div><div class="separator" left="" style="clear: both;" text-align:=""><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHwk583xuyNhKRA07rAhWwdq0Q6gG4ULySsUflt4jnxpv_cd-NLIJ_qbOD-A0pv0mRtDAzhU_whiyjatiPuKhInsZTmR-W5udEW7x2WTfIdw7vVoJPyvfflE1DQ-izw6i6xY4dprpXv2Ynz99Tl0nio_k8vhCfr3EhIEF2VmBPZE0Mt4nql5q/s604/faces%202%20Detail%203%20IMG_4454%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="604" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHwk583xuyNhKRA07rAhWwdq0Q6gG4ULySsUflt4jnxpv_cd-NLIJ_qbOD-A0pv0mRtDAzhU_whiyjatiPuKhInsZTmR-W5udEW7x2WTfIdw7vVoJPyvfflE1DQ-izw6i6xY4dprpXv2Ynz99Tl0nio_k8vhCfr3EhIEF2VmBPZE0Mt4nql5q/w640-h206/faces%202%20Detail%203%20IMG_4454%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />...which are part of an even larger grid...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXjAkRPgmt8f6xfIDjYA_rtPTxVOh9MAhn-xpuMAL5cvCHqOZTCE3Q1DrgaYD-ZCO9I0MRUjrGmzc5C6ilvk-hHlIGaIXORLqbsspbzYa8ymHbZsJFfOJ4PKLulPiwBYOn4vwQGAoe19p2UXRvlVGXkbhMILWsYZ0G7WgSymueDNcTSeiMlrt/s918/Detail%204%20IMG_4454%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="918" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXjAkRPgmt8f6xfIDjYA_rtPTxVOh9MAhn-xpuMAL5cvCHqOZTCE3Q1DrgaYD-ZCO9I0MRUjrGmzc5C6ilvk-hHlIGaIXORLqbsspbzYa8ymHbZsJFfOJ4PKLulPiwBYOn4vwQGAoe19p2UXRvlVGXkbhMILWsYZ0G7WgSymueDNcTSeiMlrt/w640-h420/Detail%204%20IMG_4454%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">... which continues on and on...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDKgmb1BXj6DgeHrP2DX_gSoakiZ5HY2CJtflL-0zlWWUdt0dO3Ld8YegI5OW4epxBaoxstDIWag60SMf0bmlM2E_MBpj6T3jJj7K3dZApqVD3JL0lXZoTnh_vp8Ki8B1jlJLzdZwxqpdiRgKotUpzGMpo5uGVJ3gPP8zRxh-2_TLhLTwpln8/s3692/IMG_4454%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3692" data-original-width="2783" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDKgmb1BXj6DgeHrP2DX_gSoakiZ5HY2CJtflL-0zlWWUdt0dO3Ld8YegI5OW4epxBaoxstDIWag60SMf0bmlM2E_MBpj6T3jJj7K3dZApqVD3JL0lXZoTnh_vp8Ki8B1jlJLzdZwxqpdiRgKotUpzGMpo5uGVJ3gPP8zRxh-2_TLhLTwpln8/s16000/IMG_4454%203.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>...and on and on!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qZxQpqQ2tq44RFKGfsu0opMMzQmh3W7V23vDvik85MehETXqBsL59IbBiXh3lyaK9ut_5xz9K0D2Q3QA5C7dvhmeDBBxkkoX5r8NKo1DIzUgPLEpMQ-_--cEXrjmxfi2Ms8DCf0m7RTr9uuW21feV5JpFVFqRd_AqK8mYXHujuUZPP29JXXh/s4032/IMG_4457.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qZxQpqQ2tq44RFKGfsu0opMMzQmh3W7V23vDvik85MehETXqBsL59IbBiXh3lyaK9ut_5xz9K0D2Q3QA5C7dvhmeDBBxkkoX5r8NKo1DIzUgPLEpMQ-_--cEXrjmxfi2Ms8DCf0m7RTr9uuW21feV5JpFVFqRd_AqK8mYXHujuUZPP29JXXh/w480-h640/IMG_4457.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I really like these obsessive, energetic little faces. I stumbled across them in the <a href="https://www.taubmanmuseum.org/">Taubman Museum of Art</a> in Roanoke Virginia. Each tiny face is more important <i><b>and </b></i>less important than you'd suspect.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The individual faces are <b><i>more</i></b> important because each is different, and worthy of a look-- no Photoshop or AI here. Mr. Perjovschi doesn't coast on autopilot-- he paid for each of those faces. His variety was stunning, and his sustained intensity was a little freaky. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdm9nqPVNUtf_CmgY4ta5EkEEEyvJdNsCXSudMAMyO_9zsBwrM3FfN-0VP0bUWgJtRF5xLw9aQBsmBH9fDw93JUBfeMVU5yTZPERodC0S2lU9uPy8mxZwgp19eT3xKqPnfgnLE0ZHUPlm-lu2EfO_vjeDMdO1K4FnyNzoZYa6YWu1pAcYhW1r/s507/IMG_4455%20detail%20close%20up%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="507" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdm9nqPVNUtf_CmgY4ta5EkEEEyvJdNsCXSudMAMyO_9zsBwrM3FfN-0VP0bUWgJtRF5xLw9aQBsmBH9fDw93JUBfeMVU5yTZPERodC0S2lU9uPy8mxZwgp19eT3xKqPnfgnLE0ZHUPlm-lu2EfO_vjeDMdO1K4FnyNzoZYa6YWu1pAcYhW1r/w640-h272/IMG_4455%20detail%20close%20up%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5X801fMzaaq1GBCapQE4vXNPye7LCAn1ao3MB3V9gnfyjk5UT6lxTTAAKo_MAS1SXRyefkjMOr2mdQi4bEYbVoOYGN8rPUrgySmAdrXAqBfChu3KfsE5G47OAXLBUx_FYtHJnZ293d2kYzVZ_rOqOQbMr4Dn7Q9VoNyVAokoz8mZbM_eL1uHs/s982/IMG_4455%20detail%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="982" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5X801fMzaaq1GBCapQE4vXNPye7LCAn1ao3MB3V9gnfyjk5UT6lxTTAAKo_MAS1SXRyefkjMOr2mdQi4bEYbVoOYGN8rPUrgySmAdrXAqBfChu3KfsE5G47OAXLBUx_FYtHJnZ293d2kYzVZ_rOqOQbMr4Dn7Q9VoNyVAokoz8mZbM_eL1uHs/w640-h408/IMG_4455%20detail%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> But at the same time, each individual face is <i><b>less</b></i> important than you'd think. The tiny faces blur together to create a single design effect. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ynxo1a6MVYHrFPk0smW0sH0qXBLuwO99JJ0UQcRKdTJKOuWdfhbSWG394rrNCQL6RD0UfpXu4hmwjNUsKFjF_GTFlLJsH15-SAcnGgDtq_7E502CkO2ZwAQZS3LtUkDHtJFXWfoAM07XY43VTVQAY6fexf1Aiw2QTXZo3uK3OcImgsqOD91W/s4032/IMG_4455.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ynxo1a6MVYHrFPk0smW0sH0qXBLuwO99JJ0UQcRKdTJKOuWdfhbSWG394rrNCQL6RD0UfpXu4hmwjNUsKFjF_GTFlLJsH15-SAcnGgDtq_7E502CkO2ZwAQZS3LtUkDHtJFXWfoAM07XY43VTVQAY6fexf1Aiw2QTXZo3uK3OcImgsqOD91W/w480-h640/IMG_4455.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-cBsSrScOgsO32oc8PPfcG_hiLMzNS6_QcE7tpxSjFKCdiK-PvBFS6mylXn3rvUFtIpKRFwslFQZ3s5-9JKYSOSYlBBCmExL3_SXa1v5TBgByDcITkSIQgI-PApO0ePVDJFESSwD0EcIV1S69j6mTQhXiNafD8yUI6CZEPI6rwFpbgtiChEE/s4032/IMG_4456.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-cBsSrScOgsO32oc8PPfcG_hiLMzNS6_QcE7tpxSjFKCdiK-PvBFS6mylXn3rvUFtIpKRFwslFQZ3s5-9JKYSOSYlBBCmExL3_SXa1v5TBgByDcITkSIQgI-PApO0ePVDJFESSwD0EcIV1S69j6mTQhXiNafD8yUI6CZEPI6rwFpbgtiChEE/w480-h640/IMG_4456.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TK9P2T1M2jPrj_sZ28sY2iXo140VS7Hk2nUBsQVpn6JkRMLWY2YB6uAZWujSzmg8tjTdl_d3NVReQokmwFDPMgsJDL0jNzw1yTHaLo2HIBmvkrM6D2PnIjc_nL3Q-q4oiXItiqLzadDgqd3VnZ23ol18S-p5Im-_Vq8AziTHW_hPeIgubRaa/s4032/IMG_4459.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TK9P2T1M2jPrj_sZ28sY2iXo140VS7Hk2nUBsQVpn6JkRMLWY2YB6uAZWujSzmg8tjTdl_d3NVReQokmwFDPMgsJDL0jNzw1yTHaLo2HIBmvkrM6D2PnIjc_nL3Q-q4oiXItiqLzadDgqd3VnZ23ol18S-p5Im-_Vq8AziTHW_hPeIgubRaa/w480-h640/IMG_4459.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinm_zzsp_lVWJOvq91jrnqK6sLo3WidvyeygkNFbEcZYlfYqdMz7mPCYg_q6FS8OBXWTpCJQKYnFJy3ANEnewuEoYprGcq08q2xgUVPR7feCeAvdlbL-1bbvqJOOEF4LgJ9niiItywQiuLXE3LKW6mBH_-7s8_LJeOq63_GTKGS7P_eA8UABQE/s4032/IMG_4460.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinm_zzsp_lVWJOvq91jrnqK6sLo3WidvyeygkNFbEcZYlfYqdMz7mPCYg_q6FS8OBXWTpCJQKYnFJy3ANEnewuEoYprGcq08q2xgUVPR7feCeAvdlbL-1bbvqJOOEF4LgJ9niiItywQiuLXE3LKW6mBH_-7s8_LJeOq63_GTKGS7P_eA8UABQE/w480-h640/IMG_4460.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After thousands and thousands of these obsessive faces, they tend to disintegrate into more abstract shapes-- lines gone crazy in a way slightly (but not totally) different from the craziness of the faces they echo.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZIFVC3j3o0Km5_GDTlYcyGZazu30Wu5BTLLUaMHpc1IrxZ8UaTulb4D5hgfuUhL0_XZoW1bnW-88MgtDFM_vB16quZ0unCXQTFfhJ-OT5sghl3vugjuHpRbuPT5DdBNR5AWZZE4IoN_8Io9Yf51w0hs4EWDiTEJb6aOGOS4HhBCtQOknJPY2/s971/IMG_4460%20detail%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="971" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZIFVC3j3o0Km5_GDTlYcyGZazu30Wu5BTLLUaMHpc1IrxZ8UaTulb4D5hgfuUhL0_XZoW1bnW-88MgtDFM_vB16quZ0unCXQTFfhJ-OT5sghl3vugjuHpRbuPT5DdBNR5AWZZE4IoN_8Io9Yf51w0hs4EWDiTEJb6aOGOS4HhBCtQOknJPY2/w640-h296/IMG_4460%20detail%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I take my hat off to Mr. Perjovschi for the intensity of his vision, for the level of clean, honest work that he puts into it, and to the art museum in the small town of Roanoke, Virginia, for introducing me to his drawings.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p></div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-7046168001636581612023-09-12T12:59:00.000-04:002023-09-12T12:59:00.749-04:00ARTISTS IN LOVE, part 22<p><i><span style="color: #45818e;"> <b>Another in a series about the strange doings at the intersection of art and love.</b></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoym8hv5-fvPz6gQLt6MwXaLi18ZTjv_9bsfuUjyg_HdSnDCt24XugiilnDLCJI3MsMKgwvspQ7BxggL14AZSBOIxsiFJdd5eY9szNJKBanwu6ExrYfM3Th1hRV8AaSdjrlN5qDHVDG7WFWnEE-U1-1Uwl4Qk64IgTyXYs-7E-xGQxD2Sp0EE/s1308/Swinnerton%20004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1308" data-original-width="1278" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoym8hv5-fvPz6gQLt6MwXaLi18ZTjv_9bsfuUjyg_HdSnDCt24XugiilnDLCJI3MsMKgwvspQ7BxggL14AZSBOIxsiFJdd5eY9szNJKBanwu6ExrYfM3Th1hRV8AaSdjrlN5qDHVDG7WFWnEE-U1-1Uwl4Qk64IgTyXYs-7E-xGQxD2Sp0EE/s320/Swinnerton%20004.jpg" width="313" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Jimmy Swinnerton</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Jimmy Swinnerton's life was even zanier than the comic strips he created (including<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Sam and his Laugh, Professor Nix, Little Katy and her Uncle, Mount Ararat, Mr. Batch, Mr. Jack, Little Jimmy, Canyon Kiddies, The Daydreams of Danny Dawes, and Rocky Mason, Government Marshall</i></span>.) </span> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Born in 1875, Swinnerton ran away from home at age 14 to join a traveling minstrel show. </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 12pt;">He used blackface makeup as a disguise to elude his parents and the sheriff. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 12pt;">Swinnerton led an adventurous life during the waning days of the wild west. He rambled from job to job (and from bar fight to bar fight). He drank heavily, gambled constantly, spent recklessly, and lied shamelessly. These attributes made him irresistible to women. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Depending on how we count, Swinnerton had somewhere between four and six wives. Hi</span>s biographer claimed that Swinnerton also “had a lady friend hiding behind every sagebrush on the desert," but let's confine ourselves to his wives. Here's the scorecard:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></p><ul style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #45818e;"><i><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Swinnerton's first wife was Thalia Treadwell, a glamorous San Francisco heiress. They married under mysterious circumstances; when friends asked for details, Swinnerton would only say, “the marriage took place between [San Francisco
and New York] but I can’t tell you the place nor date for legal reasons.” The couple quarreled bitterly, and Thalia</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> abandoned her new husband and went to Japan. </span></i></span></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><li><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><i>Swinnerton next married Harriet Hacker after a whirlwind courtship. Harriet was beautiful but she “enjoyed the night scene“ a little too much, going out to the clubs and sometimes not returning for days. When Swinnerton
contracted tuberculosis he asked Harriet to move to the desert for his health, but she refused, citing the shortage of nightclubs in the desert.</i></span></span></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><li><i style="color: #45818e; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Although still legally married to
Harriet, Swinnerton moved to the desert alone. There he quickly found a new girlfriend, Espie Castle. The 1910 US
census reports that Jimmy married Espie (which would've made him a bigamist) but in response to questions, he was evasive about their status. When Espie had a religious
conversion and asked Swinnerton to join her in pious living, he quickly left</span>.</span> </i></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #45818e;"><i><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">In 1917 Swinnerton belatedly divorced Harriet and two days later married his third – or fourth – wife, Louise Scher, a statuesque blonde divorcee.</span></span> The two quarreled constantly over Louise's spending habits on lace nightgowns. Swinnerton borrowed thousands of dollars from her mother to pay for Louise's extravagances, then left without repaying her.</i></span></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><li><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #45818e;"><i>By 1933, Swinnerton was living in Las Vegas. He divorced Louise and quickly married his fourth – – or fifth – – wife, Gretchen
Richardson. On her way to the wedding, Gretchen stopped
off at a Vegas casino to play roulette. She placed a
silver dollar on number 12 and when the number hit, she decided it was an omen and stayed to gamble rather than go to her wedding. She eventually showed up several hours late. </i></span></span></li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="color: #45818e;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfcRFEaVo-T5zKDPhQL2QIWEWo0jmFlH80lMVrmBXUwGDEvC7QWqU3khmdaiZjjbU9o7b1b-C33Q7T24wUjhcqoPmOfDEfsNm-zP6RI-d9TPKpz0fIzUrEx4GDhSKCOjwfgW1CtpXHRlELlDBJpABH0h8cVntVNAj7B-5OPV01onu6K3_t9eL/s1073/Espie%20swinnerton.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="521" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfcRFEaVo-T5zKDPhQL2QIWEWo0jmFlH80lMVrmBXUwGDEvC7QWqU3khmdaiZjjbU9o7b1b-C33Q7T24wUjhcqoPmOfDEfsNm-zP6RI-d9TPKpz0fIzUrEx4GDhSKCOjwfgW1CtpXHRlELlDBJpABH0h8cVntVNAj7B-5OPV01onu6K3_t9eL/w194-h400/Espie%20swinnerton.jpg" width="194" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Espie</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS58WWtOujHFY77_2orgP0T7mrQBWwIn1Z-vsgd3VM_9oLazaCzpZeyK5XEeBYYeVxgNGdtuINoXSCWTPITyCGGlCZHXY8J97xzZOoRHaCfCaeMAIB7CfVmzqKa_r6Bu9e71cu76ImcJAOa1CHqua7g0d7dyFvOUrhq82b75e7ojM-k8TIvGZT/s1566/Gretchen%20swinnerton%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1566" data-original-width="1391" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS58WWtOujHFY77_2orgP0T7mrQBWwIn1Z-vsgd3VM_9oLazaCzpZeyK5XEeBYYeVxgNGdtuINoXSCWTPITyCGGlCZHXY8J97xzZOoRHaCfCaeMAIB7CfVmzqKa_r6Bu9e71cu76ImcJAOa1CHqua7g0d7dyFvOUrhq82b75e7ojM-k8TIvGZT/w355-h400/Gretchen%20swinnerton%202.jpg" width="355" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Gretchen</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Yt51euYas8nmsVgXdZevxT1jcU5bJX4teB3-wYcj0g-tD_uCJ2kPT9vCM7kaWCXpJNersPwNgHlMqnIydUZxJXSAA9JDblgFF1mhX1ECqyz7NqKpNyaTvzoNfZsEAjOFgqEoCVtmYlv-quYKKdNQkRsa-Ml0pMwEW3c-G3gxpJyK9cXL-2IV/s1327/louise%20swinnerton%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="1327" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Yt51euYas8nmsVgXdZevxT1jcU5bJX4teB3-wYcj0g-tD_uCJ2kPT9vCM7kaWCXpJNersPwNgHlMqnIydUZxJXSAA9JDblgFF1mhX1ECqyz7NqKpNyaTvzoNfZsEAjOFgqEoCVtmYlv-quYKKdNQkRsa-Ml0pMwEW3c-G3gxpJyK9cXL-2IV/w400-h253/louise%20swinnerton%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">Louise</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1evBiqheK7s2DS_sjqTePp1LZknMuLDuCY0OUR6dQBBFOWmaR-Ih6371fV7Pe3vhF1GilWzqDJC0XKXZ0xhIHXGYZRr4XjDSBx_n8fFBUKGrP-PpDDyLxZ3SOh66NBsr66kGDzp_kckNudPE3U0c3M9OxwoAtzqY3j9ZFQePbRoua_9-5F8AY/s1899/mr.%20and%20mrs.%20swinnerton%203.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1899" data-original-width="1486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1evBiqheK7s2DS_sjqTePp1LZknMuLDuCY0OUR6dQBBFOWmaR-Ih6371fV7Pe3vhF1GilWzqDJC0XKXZ0xhIHXGYZRr4XjDSBx_n8fFBUKGrP-PpDDyLxZ3SOh66NBsr66kGDzp_kckNudPE3U0c3M9OxwoAtzqY3j9ZFQePbRoua_9-5F8AY/w313-h400/mr.%20and%20mrs.%20swinnerton%203.jpg" width="313" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e;">The final Mrs. Swinnerton</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span>Swinnerton was quick to marry and just as quick to leave. He seemed to lack the patience or interest to explore what lay beneath the surface of his wives. Yet, his</span> attitude toward art was the exact opposite.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Swinnerton </span><span>had infinite patience for painting the same desert landscapes over and over for decades. He would loyally return every year to the same sites to paint the same scenes. </span>One of his exasperated wives complained, “why I do this each year I have never been able to figure out, because it’s the same trip, same road, auto camps, same climate, and has been for the last several years." </span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj018Uff5qJ46aXhrABGqISJqABIMXLq6UUEoG0lMLRpGnyl68d78VEp-5oaB067gdIqaESFFMUmb88RU02rkOaULAe-9HOdnjiwYQvGUWZ9IhBiolB-mK957kXYyJMKzB5htilotgy3ujfBpkNKUBVsCFF7MzFhAhQ0HC5En5bzpVZcRQdoZ_P/s2349/swinnerton%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1766" data-original-width="2349" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj018Uff5qJ46aXhrABGqISJqABIMXLq6UUEoG0lMLRpGnyl68d78VEp-5oaB067gdIqaESFFMUmb88RU02rkOaULAe-9HOdnjiwYQvGUWZ9IhBiolB-mK957kXYyJMKzB5htilotgy3ujfBpkNKUBVsCFF7MzFhAhQ0HC5En5bzpVZcRQdoZ_P/w640-h482/swinnerton%206.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dWdtffXyeGWcEBFCwmGawRifBT3XtJes8oFzv4lEzAes-JlBphEPh1_fRHZFsSmP_QZ-ARRzBzeEXHFs0VT4XvaBdGQDIfyk9f61mRmIIwnvKrrvuGmX2yImJBUMCxorEOT-DAXYDRMPbh7rMV4M4LIqObazAC5ojdzYAUv4p1hR9PQszhqu/s2006/swinnerton%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2006" data-original-width="1940" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dWdtffXyeGWcEBFCwmGawRifBT3XtJes8oFzv4lEzAes-JlBphEPh1_fRHZFsSmP_QZ-ARRzBzeEXHFs0VT4XvaBdGQDIfyk9f61mRmIIwnvKrrvuGmX2yImJBUMCxorEOT-DAXYDRMPbh7rMV4M4LIqObazAC5ojdzYAUv4p1hR9PQszhqu/w386-h400/swinnerton%205.jpg" width="386" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;">Even Swinnerton's grandfather urged him to stop wasting his time on the same flat, drab "hellholes" such as Death Valley and the Mojave Desert and paint more glamorous landscapes. Swinnerton responded that beauty lay beneath the surface, and that patience and faithfulness would be rewarded: "Just you put full confidence in the [beauties of the desert] and she’ll show you all her secrets." He would spend all day in the hot sun, carefully waiting for the desert to reveal her charms.</div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEqzUcPN_xVxFjTDWJx0kHBs8ugD2u7hkX2rn7onMxCwTiWJpK-dfuo6hQ7DOR1mLLx5JmLLX0DG0Tb3OcOXUmjcE3G_yihi6jVWHrwfrozv26yYMaLdDmA8MkQSeChY7LR-7sxXNMEqq9c4pUCIOl07qMPFLoC7-o1VoWrQs3eMyeHKFBEjQ/s1380/Swinnerton%208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1291" data-original-width="1380" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEqzUcPN_xVxFjTDWJx0kHBs8ugD2u7hkX2rn7onMxCwTiWJpK-dfuo6hQ7DOR1mLLx5JmLLX0DG0Tb3OcOXUmjcE3G_yihi6jVWHrwfrozv26yYMaLdDmA8MkQSeChY7LR-7sxXNMEqq9c4pUCIOl07qMPFLoC7-o1VoWrQs3eMyeHKFBEjQ/w400-h374/Swinnerton%208.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><i>One has to wonder how Swinnerton's love life would've <br />changed if he'd devoted the same level of effort to his wife</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRT7ewXxmGFMOQ_gb07t9pw73z5cYWaowWriNeGLcRl1R6IZnmn1VoW6QhS4BPCq97vXhTrNo8Dutnn1_TP_hjpGVGno5KmtcV76lXEA5SXPmO3Ld2RKSCV3QBz69S0CuzYJrj3YLlP33rnvsEfWXU6FYEsfCI_YKaQeo_ycTL8NO5PZrciRCw/s2029/Swinnerton%209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1764" data-original-width="2029" height="557" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRT7ewXxmGFMOQ_gb07t9pw73z5cYWaowWriNeGLcRl1R6IZnmn1VoW6QhS4BPCq97vXhTrNo8Dutnn1_TP_hjpGVGno5KmtcV76lXEA5SXPmO3Ld2RKSCV3QBz69S0CuzYJrj3YLlP33rnvsEfWXU6FYEsfCI_YKaQeo_ycTL8NO5PZrciRCw/w640-h557/Swinnerton%209.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Clearly Swinnerton didn't require the same variety in his landscapes that he required from his wives. He found a sustaining variety in the rocks and sand (“Every minute in the desert is all new and completely different.")</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It's also noteworthy that Swinnerton lied incessantly to his wives, yet as a painter he was obsessed with accuracy. His mission was to make a true, literal representation of reality.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">For some reason, Swinnerton's values in art didn't seem to carry over to his love life. If painting gave him any insights into patience and the nature of beauty, those insights didn't seem to apply to his wives. It's true that every artist must make tradeoffs, but looking at the meager quality of Swinnerton's paintings, one has to wonder whether he struck the best trades.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><br /> </div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-30467742681947671882023-08-26T00:41:00.004-04:002023-09-20T09:26:10.024-04:00NORMAN ROCKWELL, THE THUNDERBOLT OF KARMA<div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;">Critics have studied Norman Rockwell's work from many perspectives, but no one has analyzed Rockwell's role as a vehicle for vengeful gods dispensing karma. </ul><ul style="text-align: left;">Behold the gods at work:</ul><ul style="text-align: left;"></ul></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><br /><li><span style="color: #45818e; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">In 1994, a wealthy couple bought a painting by Norman Rockwell. The couple spent a fortune because they admired Rockwell's talent and bonded with the painting which had "all the humor and artistic quality that Rockwell created in... his works.” Decades later, the couple discovered the painting was not by Rockwell but by illustrator Harold Anderson. Suddenly the painting's qualities disappeared in their eyes. The humiliated couple filed a lawsuit blaming the seller for not recognizing that </span><span style="color: #45818e; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">the painting was an “open and obvious” forgery.</span></li></ul></div></blockquote><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwJ2SA69GuPQkQGzYxWOgPCQ6W41cvUUPg4xFRoPm3ArZNkvF3LBKhQwSkFXNnq35WYZTfQirioqAiOWkayDE4pjo_C5LkRhMB7AH2m1PJlh03BQa0YBBxL_VRcVD-YCclrtTN8fv8g4n9mjK5CxExiY0Z7Gr6dvG5rcOmfqM3XaBntrL6THf/s218/Rockwell%20Anderson%20cm-jan2015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="218" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwJ2SA69GuPQkQGzYxWOgPCQ6W41cvUUPg4xFRoPm3ArZNkvF3LBKhQwSkFXNnq35WYZTfQirioqAiOWkayDE4pjo_C5LkRhMB7AH2m1PJlh03BQa0YBBxL_VRcVD-YCclrtTN8fv8g4n9mjK5CxExiY0Z7Gr6dvG5rcOmfqM3XaBntrL6THf/w400-h365/Rockwell%20Anderson%20cm-jan2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">In the 1950s Norman Rockwell's boss, the art director of The Saturday Evening Post, pressured Rockwell to give him several original paintings as a "gift" for the art director's personal collection. When Rockwell mustered the courage to ask for his paintings back, he received no reply. Other artists working for The Post complained that they were similarly pressured to "donate" their originals in order to stay on the art director's good side when he handed out new assignments. In this way, the art director amassed an art collection worth millions. He left that collection to his sons, thinking it would put them on easy street. </span></b></i> </li></ul></div></blockquote><blockquote><p><i><b></b></i></p><blockquote><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">However, the inheritance turned out to be a curse. The sons bitterly squabbled over the paintings for the next 30 years. One was accused of manipulating his father to screw his brothers out of the art. Other brothers filed lawsuits claiming the father was mentally incompetent. The brothers accused each other of theft, misconduct, civil violations, liability for damages, etc. They sued each other again and again. By the time they had exhausted themselves and settled their feud, their lives were mostly over and their family was in tatters.</span></b></i></blockquote><p></p></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoUtN__c7W-baMc3pzb6bvzSRvvHQBAxosfXnWf583NEs7jtC8_jvHPU35Sw7nFSMvmubACp11Z_QgP3PzeHTc2HSOs3LGfv-GhEHkahcSrFO1-xLwkqvFCw3qP4d9qaaPh0ugr1fHi5Nh5lVI3YDWjmPczH-NBvnmbaXVdsvworYNB91flb9/s1235/Rockwell%20Stuart%20auction%20%202023-08-25%20at%2010.21.24%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1235" data-original-width="1146" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoUtN__c7W-baMc3pzb6bvzSRvvHQBAxosfXnWf583NEs7jtC8_jvHPU35Sw7nFSMvmubACp11Z_QgP3PzeHTc2HSOs3LGfv-GhEHkahcSrFO1-xLwkqvFCw3qP4d9qaaPh0ugr1fHi5Nh5lVI3YDWjmPczH-NBvnmbaXVdsvworYNB91flb9/w594-h640/Rockwell%20Stuart%20auction%20%202023-08-25%20at%2010.21.24%20PM.png" width="594" /></a></div><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">In 1943, Rockwell created four pictures about people waiting to see President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Rockwell admired Roosevelt and gave the pictures to Roosevelt's press secretary. For many years they hung on the walls of the White House to entertain the public. Then in 2017, descendants of Roosevelt's press secretary learned of the pictures and claimed they properly belonged to the family. Family members began fighting amongst themselves over who owned the pictures and who had authority to donate them to the White House. The newspapers noted that in the years of lawsuits that followed, the family tore itself apart over the art. </span></b></i></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8jb9N3WYv3i0W_1mgdoySObi_7rT0iEUGnI_B0fz37LpP-yhbACNTXvd5gBsfcpuZzjTWSggXkBdc8NsyS_rGCL66P9LeUxn5ljsVnWK4xzsi5AW5b_TyJCcY_3XKXYI-NokFNWxvQmFH_OdwaffhhLEkiP86YBVnnOthBQPTBkAm37P9l9W/s3857/Rockwell%20White%20House%20IMG_4430.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2537" data-original-width="3857" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8jb9N3WYv3i0W_1mgdoySObi_7rT0iEUGnI_B0fz37LpP-yhbACNTXvd5gBsfcpuZzjTWSggXkBdc8NsyS_rGCL66P9LeUxn5ljsVnWK4xzsi5AW5b_TyJCcY_3XKXYI-NokFNWxvQmFH_OdwaffhhLEkiP86YBVnnOthBQPTBkAm37P9l9W/w400-h263/Rockwell%20White%20House%20IMG_4430.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div></div></blockquote><p>Rockwell was a thin, soft spoken man who lived for his art. He wasn't always good at defending his own interests. A casual observer might be forgiven for concluding that Rockwell was exploited by aggressive profiteers who saw an opportunity to feed on his talent and sacrifices. </p><p>Rockwell may have missed out on some of the money but ask yourself: which side ended up better off? Which side offered a more meaningful existence? </p><div>It seems the wrathful gods occasionally place artistic talent on earth as glittering bait to lure and trap the unworthy-- those who, lacking talent to make art, see only opportunities to exploit or profit from those who can. </div><div><br /></div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-37275220752446455532023-07-26T12:30:00.005-04:002023-08-09T12:38:27.733-04:00RETURNING FROM COMIC-CONI just returned from San Diego Comic-Con, the happiest place on earth, with the flash mob of dancing Cap'n Crunches still ringing in my ears.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7s8yfuVG6Toq3J4DoYzmTAvUEBroFnoKAkJpYfuVrGKUHCIJMyN2CJCTgdjohBM8r3N7nRIAyGAqADnkjewNQfCSO4MaWMBm4m1HRK0hRUp4P_x7hU5lC2ygfeBDpdEPx_hDUp3qdXGP-11Kdq0YD8ju1D6XkiZ6t5JTj57kwyfipl0Lzg7G/s1942/Cap'n%20Crunch%202023-07-26%20at%207.49.46%20AM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1376" data-original-width="1942" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7s8yfuVG6Toq3J4DoYzmTAvUEBroFnoKAkJpYfuVrGKUHCIJMyN2CJCTgdjohBM8r3N7nRIAyGAqADnkjewNQfCSO4MaWMBm4m1HRK0hRUp4P_x7hU5lC2ygfeBDpdEPx_hDUp3qdXGP-11Kdq0YD8ju1D6XkiZ6t5JTj57kwyfipl0Lzg7G/w640-h454/Cap'n%20Crunch%202023-07-26%20at%207.49.46%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Celebrating a change in the Cap'n's uniform, adding a stripe which promotes him from Commander to Cap'n.</b></i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Every year Comic-Con is a petri dish of emerging technologies, raw capitalism, suppositious art, trinket peddlers, cosplay, and new legal developments. For those with patience and curiosity, there are nuggets of excellence and strength hiding around every corner.</div><div><br /></div><div>For me, one of the real delights was the bunny rabbit at the bottom of this cartoon by Sullivant:</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEo-xGSHtcDkD7ReocaSFyBGo6yAmZsNdZXoBom1-TNr_hrgE_xViCAfKCto6ix2f0Qm7KzLl2LJKPOUAEAiaDy9qd_T0wjS0uQReKTPxZjkCJXXURqB-T0sPGU3BR_jgRkB63Nm4D5LfBZH5YkZf3vBMqjnbEB9wUA2L0zXYzQ-E68284QnIY/s802/Sullivant%20_3982A.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEo-xGSHtcDkD7ReocaSFyBGo6yAmZsNdZXoBom1-TNr_hrgE_xViCAfKCto6ix2f0Qm7KzLl2LJKPOUAEAiaDy9qd_T0wjS0uQReKTPxZjkCJXXURqB-T0sPGU3BR_jgRkB63Nm4D5LfBZH5YkZf3vBMqjnbEB9wUA2L0zXYzQ-E68284QnIY/s16000/Sullivant%20_3982A.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af;"><i>Opossum to rabbit: "I had a drink and it went to my head."<br />Image courtesy of <a href="https://www.tarabaillustrationart.com/" target="_blank">Taraba Illustration Art</a></i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sullivant drew the bunny the hard way: we are looking down, from behind, with the rabbit's head tilted back.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXsDJtfhq1SUpjyDPLfSW7vCH4YMg6YWitbcBu_hC_Qq6Z2BxqsB95dpEEQehn6JNsldIeORdRSk0GQ1rh3aY98aqXKp2KwV9p1QjyEGJGmLRd2shvuPnDXcSxO0EVys5Oy7j0SuiCgGz7GLj6_sbKZOqREZ3pSGKS5twoi3hMsthClvhVmJI/s1104/Sullivant%20IMG_3980%202.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXsDJtfhq1SUpjyDPLfSW7vCH4YMg6YWitbcBu_hC_Qq6Z2BxqsB95dpEEQehn6JNsldIeORdRSk0GQ1rh3aY98aqXKp2KwV9p1QjyEGJGmLRd2shvuPnDXcSxO0EVys5Oy7j0SuiCgGz7GLj6_sbKZOqREZ3pSGKS5twoi3hMsthClvhVmJI/w626-h640/Sullivant%20IMG_3980%202.png" width="626" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-small;"><i>Note Sullivant's foreshortening of those ears</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The artist's honest struggle is there for all to witness; look at how he gouged that paper. Look at those lovely brush marks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzj02OoxXonf11pXVxzzQQDSYU2gEQOvtiLa6lZpiAMF0CcEw72JZKQhMCN9uIALUhEzpPJY7KQSR1y0-bj3Xmttge7_0VKIP64PdTOvgnnn6pTvwTbGX1usuGY7E640ng4Ok5CN-uC52igUi-BhmQEilnN2BzTuFRkgzVVcYpYrMeytt6mVex/s577/Sullivant%20rabbit%20detail%20IMG_3979%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="577" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzj02OoxXonf11pXVxzzQQDSYU2gEQOvtiLa6lZpiAMF0CcEw72JZKQhMCN9uIALUhEzpPJY7KQSR1y0-bj3Xmttge7_0VKIP64PdTOvgnnn6pTvwTbGX1usuGY7E640ng4Ok5CN-uC52igUi-BhmQEilnN2BzTuFRkgzVVcYpYrMeytt6mVex/w640-h409/Sullivant%20rabbit%20detail%20IMG_3979%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>One of the major topics of conversation at Comic-Con was the impact of AI. Today the machine can do the struggling for us, quickly and invisibly. No more chewed up paper. No human sweat and strain unless the machine is instructed to simulate it. The next generation of artists will be trained in "prompts" and will be able to generate a hundred images of a bunny from any angle, "in the style of Sullivant." </div><div><br /></div><div>As you can imagine, the artists exhibiting at Comic-Con were uniformly unhappy about what AI portends for traditional art. They sold T shirts to make the point.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiotF6Z-4Q4D__bKrHJSp1qibqKansWCKEiL5FsWTJA66W1YUG19lk5tUPJski013-1-nbYB0M8AWj44g7d945tOyAiGau2R5_qcRtZ4Sd4EemQx-WGfMb4oHll2ZJ9w4LKXp04Y29V6BX07kS_XGCJiAdCd-v_cBrMUtT8lD4Qit-qIaU_eD8e/s1803/fuck%20AI.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1803" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiotF6Z-4Q4D__bKrHJSp1qibqKansWCKEiL5FsWTJA66W1YUG19lk5tUPJski013-1-nbYB0M8AWj44g7d945tOyAiGau2R5_qcRtZ4Sd4EemQx-WGfMb4oHll2ZJ9w4LKXp04Y29V6BX07kS_XGCJiAdCd-v_cBrMUtT8lD4Qit-qIaU_eD8e/w640-h424/fuck%20AI.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>It's not clear how effective this T shirt campaign will be in stemming the tide of AI. Artists argue that AI "steals" images but computer scientists and lawyers at Comic-Con say "no," AI does not copy or steal in any sense cognizable under copyright law. AI learns from pre-existing images as traditional artists do. </div><div><br /></div><div>Lots of changes are underfoot. Evolutionary transformations are taking place. But regardless of marketing considerations, the strength of good drawing remains immutable. I often quote Ralph Waldo Emerson here: "Excellence is the new forever." </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com137tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-58737035669071859662023-07-12T05:26:00.003-04:002023-07-12T09:04:10.136-04:00PHOTOGRAPHS CAN'T HELP YOU DRAW INVISIBLE LINES<p> Cartoonist Stan Drake had a gift for drawing from photographs. He easily turned photos into elegant line.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZmY9E4YiQHnVcMUZb9gfuSTEHUrVXKJSS_vkmI6Gm9lDXlYGoQekSq8Pu-Vlfltw1qCANw3gwQ1AZzH9Sntv9rKGEFCCF6rVdpI22WTsNuIZkHr-X_wE4srWobLFIuTE__XWeJ1QSWJcrLNe7qYGztQaaZ7a5OB8UchC_y2a-GJdr6CkFp7Q/s1600/stan%20drake%20%20slick102.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1301" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZmY9E4YiQHnVcMUZb9gfuSTEHUrVXKJSS_vkmI6Gm9lDXlYGoQekSq8Pu-Vlfltw1qCANw3gwQ1AZzH9Sntv9rKGEFCCF6rVdpI22WTsNuIZkHr-X_wE4srWobLFIuTE__XWeJ1QSWJcrLNe7qYGztQaaZ7a5OB8UchC_y2a-GJdr6CkFp7Q/w520-h640/stan%20drake%20%20slick102.jpeg" width="520" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">But a photograph couldn't show him how to draw those invisible motion lines. Look how awkwardly Drake expressed movement in this next picture. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge74ZR27NbdXeopJVA7Bk_cwPcgZm9dFBQPjld9VUDwtoHy23OvWq4ql6e8C2cQpI5t6WJ7C7PUXa3z8T3yIjOykvE0MrOVq44u0aPRv94Q6KpyFS-MBzxxSDPva33h8x5AZJOPypOc_thdklFwXFT9fdwI6kzf3mC2PjX_B5qrFb7Yqwq-LR0/s1098/stan%20drake%20juiet%20jones.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="1098" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge74ZR27NbdXeopJVA7Bk_cwPcgZm9dFBQPjld9VUDwtoHy23OvWq4ql6e8C2cQpI5t6WJ7C7PUXa3z8T3yIjOykvE0MrOVq44u0aPRv94Q6KpyFS-MBzxxSDPva33h8x5AZJOPypOc_thdklFwXFT9fdwI6kzf3mC2PjX_B5qrFb7Yqwq-LR0/w400-h340/stan%20drake%20juiet%20jones.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">Drake's motion lines are contradicted by the <br />hair hanging flat and other body language </span></b></i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">Similarly, look how badly Al Hirschfeld-- a talented artist in other respects-- draws the path of this punch:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_6eZQNcBu2lbYaZRwLUFyxbFo3OUtyv6TFwetFBrWtw8xu7cYAAJng5QFBXu1IHxt9cFpovVO7NSQjJAoci4a4kIOdHXAry3klCmdfwl-L91rXUIEyt-UVMUkA8WOFlsbHsrKCG9EiFw1NhZaHtsssym1HyjEDhVOEKyT6Uem-fKhPs84j0w/s2202/blog%20punch%20Hirshfeld%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1404" data-original-width="2202" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_6eZQNcBu2lbYaZRwLUFyxbFo3OUtyv6TFwetFBrWtw8xu7cYAAJng5QFBXu1IHxt9cFpovVO7NSQjJAoci4a4kIOdHXAry3klCmdfwl-L91rXUIEyt-UVMUkA8WOFlsbHsrKCG9EiFw1NhZaHtsssym1HyjEDhVOEKyT6Uem-fKhPs84j0w/w640-h408/blog%20punch%20Hirshfeld%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Contrast Hirschfeld's motion line with the line of Leonard Starr, who understood the arc of an arm:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Z_tBjbAotEcMB17IWxof_fGN6TAwrz9a57x2fA-skqtIYStvvkBc5cKIlUD0de7nBquc0iCcHqhVbdzpJJ43ew4L-66nMMAXdWfMYZEQyGHxHJj6p4ACiqlvrN7lWu9H6N-DEhCR32qx79giBAmQwcsx6ezVCjsaCP90kYcBCS-lLg-TrknC/s1279/leonard%20starr%20On%20Stage%20hit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="1279" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Z_tBjbAotEcMB17IWxof_fGN6TAwrz9a57x2fA-skqtIYStvvkBc5cKIlUD0de7nBquc0iCcHqhVbdzpJJ43ew4L-66nMMAXdWfMYZEQyGHxHJj6p4ACiqlvrN7lWu9H6N-DEhCR32qx79giBAmQwcsx6ezVCjsaCP90kYcBCS-lLg-TrknC/w640-h464/leonard%20starr%20On%20Stage%20hit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>Motion lines expose many an artist who doesn't know anatomy. A photograph can't help you map invisible lines. </span><div><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: left;">Capturing movement with a static drawing requires an artist to <i><b>imply</b></i> beyond what is visible. To show what has taken place before or after the recorded instant, it helps to understand the distribution of body weight and support, balance and counterbalance, the function of muscle and bone, the flow of clothing and hair.</span><div><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="624" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTlJl9nhlrr-sKS5ZTU-q8XnR4-U723BqXphAZRPT6yLo49713NBEFeh9esKW2qRx52hUT6fqMiLZ8hUK0MAAAwlgu-YAiXHQO3Z0K_9Q9Ulfzjw-kfYfzJAFJr4KO0zDMQOhbz6La4PCc0EnOsNPZnDlWNMan6soJKIGOXtDvJWKnqre4gl0/w568-h640/blog%20punch%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="568" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">Notice how there's no weight behind this punch.</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Photo reference is a great tool for artists who have already paid their dues but if you haven't, it leaves you exposed when it comes to the invisible parts of drawing. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-61108294374777948862023-07-03T15:23:00.004-04:002023-08-23T21:41:54.411-04:00THE NEW YORK TIMES FUMBLES A LEYENDECKER REVIEW<p>More than any other profession, art criticism creates temptations to say stupid things. It's the duty of every critic to resist those temptations.</p><p>That was my thought after reading Blake Gopnik's <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/29/arts/design/jc-leyendecker-the-arrow-collar-man-who-hid-a-radical-idea.html" target="_blank">silly review in the New York Times</a> of the current J.C. Leyendecker exhibition in New York. </p>People have long understood that Leyendecker was gay, and that his sentiments emerged in his paintings of dashing and muscular men. But in recent years, there has been an effort to abscond with Leyendecker's legacy, injecting gay connotations into every brush stroke, and transforming the artist into a clandestine warrior for gay rights, while neglecting his broader array of artistic talents that produced 322 brilliant covers on a wide variety of subjects for <i>The Saturday Evening Post</i>. <br /><br />As far as I can tell, this unfortunate trend began in 2008 in the poorly researched book, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Leyendecker&i=stripbooks&crid=Q75GTOLAQSO7&sprefix=leyendecker%2Cstripbooks%2C82&ref=nb_sb_noss_2" target="_blank">J.C. Leyendecker</a></i> by Judy Goffman Cutler and Laurence Cutler. It was certainly appropriate for those authors to note that Charles Beach, Leyendecker's model for the famed Arrow man, "was not only a homosexual but a kept man, the live-in lover of the famed artist who thrust himself into such an exalted status," but 200 pages later the book's fixation on "thrusting" continued unabated. We were still reading that "Charles Beach and Joe Leyendecker are held up as examples of monogamy among the gay community, so often criticized for promiscuity," or that "Charles' Dorian Gray image never [ages] in Joe's eyes nor in ours either" or that "members of the gay community [remember Leyendecker] for icons of masculinity and sensitivity." The authors inform us (without support) that Leyendecker was sending out "subliminal" homoerotic messages. <div><br /></div><div>That book seems to have been the springboard for the new narrow focus in the show, <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="css-yywogo" href="https://www.nyhistory.org/exhibitions/under-cover-leyendecker-and-american-masculinity" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border: 0px; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: var(--color-signal-editorial,#326891); text-decoration-style: solid; text-decoration-thickness: 1px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="">“Under Cover: J.C. Leyendecker and American Masculinity,”</a><span style="color: #363636;"> at the New York Historical Society, and also in Gopnik's review of the show. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #363636; font-size: 20px;"><span face="nyt-imperial, georgia, times new roman, times, serif"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2010 Gopnik penned a puerile <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/01/AR2010070107266.html" target="_blank">attack on Norman Rockwell's art</a> because Rockwell's work <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/30/AR2010113006911.html" target="_blank">"offended"</a> <span style="font-size: 16.5px;">Gopnik. He wrote, "I can't stand the view of America that he presents, which I feel insults a huge number of us non-mainstream folks." If Rockwell was insufficiently gay for Gopnik's taste, Leyendecker passes the test because Gopnik fantasizes Leyendecker to be "</span>a gay fifth column into American culture, undermining the majority’s straight erotics" with "a defiant message hidden beneath" and "reveling in [his art's] secret subversion." Gopnik even sees Leyendecker as "preparation for the uprising that came in 1969 outside the Stonewall Inn."</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Turning back for another gratuitous swipe at Rockwell, Gopnik falsely implies that Rockwell was hostile to Leyendecker's sexual orientation: </span><div><b><i></i></b><blockquote><b><i><span style="color: #76a5af;">Norman Rockwell, 20 years younger than Leyendecker and eventually his neighbor, writes quite brutally in his memoir about how Beach had “insinuated” himself into Leyendecker’s life and especially about the duo’s social withdrawal once he had.</span></i></b><div></div></blockquote>If Gopnik had bothered to read Rockwell's autobiography, he would've learned that Rockwell deeply admired Leyendecker and wrote about him with great affection and concern.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, Leyendecker painted beautiful men who reflected a gay aesthetic. He also painted beautiful women, beautiful children, beautiful fabric, beautiful metal surfaces and even beautiful elephants. You'd never know it from Gopnik's review. And that brings me to my primary gripe: Leyendecker painted major pictures of romantic heterosexual scenes, domestic scenes, parenting scenes and other types of images demonstrating diverse skills. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8K1w6Zw_xWMFz3u4n0sca6KBpPxDjPqnbjoxabQsanc5X8M8kVQzAc4fj2TpMi2NchISEFndCCh1PhWLNhnez9Ob6jzzbSKGsKSxLu6zYB3stQUi8G_A8g-tz96XxRPfxehgDcF_4vvmsyyTxPwf3PbKEvJ0Lcqj14Jh3qBNekQs8ZkLnJVg/s2941/Leyendecker%20.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2941" data-original-width="2181" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN8K1w6Zw_xWMFz3u4n0sca6KBpPxDjPqnbjoxabQsanc5X8M8kVQzAc4fj2TpMi2NchISEFndCCh1PhWLNhnez9Ob6jzzbSKGsKSxLu6zYB3stQUi8G_A8g-tz96XxRPfxehgDcF_4vvmsyyTxPwf3PbKEvJ0Lcqj14Jh3qBNekQs8ZkLnJVg/w474-h640/Leyendecker%20.jpeg" width="474" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRWGAGMgqDk5xBb10SrRtOABD0FbfE4pB4eFfe_V4stZnVBROY5tdkmG8uyYvowlNUkHED7gNXF1QP_5Gy3wg57pF86K1Jdl4xtTA5IDhmHWrvVUGNLT-1R9yRBdQoNB9i8iXTQsXjRyUzZpvT8sHCdURS9Leuu-zMrBwYzujIMYjAOb1LaMh/s1577/Leyendecker%20Cleopatra_and_Anthony.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1577" data-original-width="950" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRWGAGMgqDk5xBb10SrRtOABD0FbfE4pB4eFfe_V4stZnVBROY5tdkmG8uyYvowlNUkHED7gNXF1QP_5Gy3wg57pF86K1Jdl4xtTA5IDhmHWrvVUGNLT-1R9yRBdQoNB9i8iXTQsXjRyUzZpvT8sHCdURS9Leuu-zMrBwYzujIMYjAOb1LaMh/w386-h640/Leyendecker%20Cleopatra_and_Anthony.jpeg" width="386" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">But what image does Gopnik select for his review? The following mediocre, unrepresentative painting, because Gopnik is able to spin it into a masturbatory fantasy:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzuRQpxWwzU4kqabTpL0eUQcPCRP6h92b7hsqxzJ1EiJ5QU6vPvDF1EPgPIU14Ir1EX7WffuwpEaiDq5nYOYhPtTNUFB9QbRtjW57-AN35FAKg0RFHCpwsqiZsyQrfr3MnGE9iMNUb07dkwwyR7W068rsxCzaILjVZ06e-4tfC7oxObbdNMNvn/s1102/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-03%20at%202.35.15%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzuRQpxWwzU4kqabTpL0eUQcPCRP6h92b7hsqxzJ1EiJ5QU6vPvDF1EPgPIU14Ir1EX7WffuwpEaiDq5nYOYhPtTNUFB9QbRtjW57-AN35FAKg0RFHCpwsqiZsyQrfr3MnGE9iMNUb07dkwwyR7W068rsxCzaILjVZ06e-4tfC7oxObbdNMNvn/w436-h640/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-03%20at%202.35.15%20PM.png" width="436" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Gopnik writes:</div><i><b><blockquote><span style="color: #45818e;">There’s one case where the subversion was barely hidden at all: In an ad for Ivory Soap, the shadow Leyendecker placed on his model’s crotch seems clearly to hint at an erection, according to an exhibition wall text. You can’t unsee it once it gets pointed out.</span></blockquote></b></i></div><div>Leyendecker exhibitions are too few and far between to be wasted on such nonsense. Leyendecker was a remarkable talent and the New York Times owes him better coverage than Gopnik monopolizing the conversation with his personal fetishes. Are there no copy editors left?</div><div><div><br /> </div></div></div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-271800739298926332023-06-30T10:26:00.006-04:002023-06-30T10:35:12.091-04:00THE EFFORT THAT COUNTS<blockquote><br /></blockquote><p><span style="color: #45818e;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiql5Ytie9hU2FcOGCOf68_mrLaI8rXsZC10vZPBQxF-UzNt1Y2j_g8yrHAKe0Xhso923Su3kkX0P02wPhrOQM_-1h4pZJCUP7Lf9uXiflpqTfp5o5L7vQLTe0LlAgICJuw-LFrO786MKLGzC6TZmY9FFD0KuEURzRNLs_PiJRDTJXbaP1ZZw/s2949/Effort%20by%20James%20Daugherty%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2949" data-original-width="2021" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiql5Ytie9hU2FcOGCOf68_mrLaI8rXsZC10vZPBQxF-UzNt1Y2j_g8yrHAKe0Xhso923Su3kkX0P02wPhrOQM_-1h4pZJCUP7Lf9uXiflpqTfp5o5L7vQLTe0LlAgICJuw-LFrO786MKLGzC6TZmY9FFD0KuEURzRNLs_PiJRDTJXbaP1ZZw/w438-h640/Effort%20by%20James%20Daugherty%20.jpg" width="438" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #76a5af; font-size: x-small;">James Dougherty</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e;"></span></div><span style="color: #45818e;"><i><br /></i></span><p></p><p>Lou Reed recalled the time <a href="https://youtu.be/rFQNPbv_1YM" target="_blank">Andy Warhol scolded him</a> for not working hard enough:</p><p><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;"></span></p><blockquote><p><b><i><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: helvetica;"><span jsname="YS01Ge"></span></span></i></b></p></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><p><i><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: inherit;"><b><span jsname="YS01Ge">No matter what I did it never seemed enough.</span><br aria-hidden="true" /><span jsname="YS01Ge">He said I was lazy, I said that I was young.</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white;" /><span jsname="YS01Ge">He said, "how many songs did you write?"</span><br aria-hidden="true" /><span jsname="YS01Ge">I'd written zero, I'd lied and said "ten."</span><br aria-hidden="true" ys01ge="" />"You won't be young forever.</b></span><br aria-hidden="true" /><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="color: #45818e;"><b>You should have written fifteen."</b></span></i></p></blockquote></blockquote><p>When Reed explained he was uncertain what to write, Warhol brushed him off. </p><p><b><i><span style="color: #45818e;"></span></i></b></p><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">You think too much. </span></b></i><div><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>That's cause there's work that you don't want to do. <br /><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>It's work. The most important thing is work.</span></b></i><p><b><i><span style="color: #45818e;"></span></i></b></p><p>Milton Glaser was a different type of artist, but agreed on the importance of work. In fact, he urged that we abandon the word "art" and replace it with the word "work." Calling it work, like every other type of honest labor, would not only "restore art to a central, useful activity in daily life" but would also eliminate anxiety for everyone who is obsessing about whether they are artists or not.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX81p2NbWnQoGIO-FfKGjTqEUoNHJXujUFIPn9duxYyq1DjXolMdx32osI-0nqJxO6RaFz5yNQsUOActCCkXGDpprQJDOuZCj2ak5c-18gpLmf4WcEHXCKNC03dtMMtDYBANDEUmm1eu8oZ7R0VrFVzOG54twvbdfRG5TVLqwfM0bKxYK0oVRS/s2027/Saul%20Tepper%201931%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1292" data-original-width="2027" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX81p2NbWnQoGIO-FfKGjTqEUoNHJXujUFIPn9duxYyq1DjXolMdx32osI-0nqJxO6RaFz5yNQsUOActCCkXGDpprQJDOuZCj2ak5c-18gpLmf4WcEHXCKNC03dtMMtDYBANDEUmm1eu8oZ7R0VrFVzOG54twvbdfRG5TVLqwfM0bKxYK0oVRS/w640-h408/Saul%20Tepper%201931%20.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #76a5af; font-size: x-small;">Saul Tepper</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Before the era of video games, civilizations that valued hard work and disparaged slackers were often rewarded with great art. The Italian Renaissance and the golden age of Greece were two such periods; those cultures faced political strife, religious violence, civil uncertainty and military threats as great as ours yet their artists accomplished great things without electric lights or air conditioning. </p><p>The Stuart period in England (1603 - 1714), a culture which shamed idleness, produced Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, John Donne, and Herbert, followed by Milton's <i>Paradise Lost</i> and Bunyan's <i>Pilgrim's Progress,</i> before ending the century with Alexander Pope, Daniel Defoe and Jonathan Swift. It became the cultural home of great painters such as Rubens and Van Dyck. While this was going on, Isaac Newton was transforming human understanding of the universe, Francis Bacon was inventing the modern scientific method and William Harvey was discovering the circulation of the blood. Newspapers were invented and indolent minds which for centuries had dwelt on witchcraft and superstition were challenged. Great architects such as Christopher Wren and Inigo Jones flourished. What a fruitful century! </p><p>Of course, not all work pays the same dividends. A lot of what passes for artistic effort today doesn't seem directed at enhancing the quality of the work. </p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">During the last century, fine art became more fixated on pure self-expression. Illustration, which involved purposeful work in the empirical world, was demoted to a lower spiritual plane. But as Glaser wrote, "The dissociation of art from other human activities has impoverished our lives." He noted, "Michelangelo didn't paint the last judgment to express himself. He painted it because the Pope wanted to scare the bejeesus out of the congregation." The type of "work" involved in pure self-expression primarily involves emoting-- which can be difficult to distinguish from laziness. That's why it helps if fine artists can establish their bona fides with suicide, addiction or emotional incapacity.</span></b></i></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">A second type of effort which preoccupies many of today's artists is self-promotion. Artists such as Hirst and Koons have become sensationalists, achieving fame by causing commotions. This is the work involved in smashing plates and gluing them to a great big canvas. While there seems to be no artistic growth or edification from this type of labor, the financial growth can be considerable. </span></b></i></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><b><span style="color: #45818e;">Perhaps the most slippery and inimical challenge of all is the work currently outsourced to labor-saving software such as <i style="color: black; font-weight: 400;"><b><span style="color: #45818e;">ChatGPT and its progeny.</span></b></i> "Effortless" art presumes that there was nothing to be gained from the effort. This assumption may resonate easily with a culture centered around "labor saving" kitchen appliances, but it's not clear that art functions the same way. Previous civilizations that were less afraid of hard work would be wary of "easy art." If ChatGPT had spared Michelangelo's four years of hard labor painting the Sistine Chapel, how would that have affected the outcome?</span></b></i></li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcUb6UfHL9E04UV4cBOA-fEybpBmLfwho4VsaAbZUrvB6FEgU4uUGbAQ_KIJ_knj6_0E4a5_UexvBF_9LowX93m36ebaH5BQWILIuwEfNqYmm6qiccBWxxpvV-1T-bVv0n1ZmG-KySCLXHBHOGnliP4cERVFXJGhoAeeMd-QZisd5ig8s1p_j/s901/869C0A61-1FDB-475D-A939-703D37A0DE66.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="751" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcUb6UfHL9E04UV4cBOA-fEybpBmLfwho4VsaAbZUrvB6FEgU4uUGbAQ_KIJ_knj6_0E4a5_UexvBF_9LowX93m36ebaH5BQWILIuwEfNqYmm6qiccBWxxpvV-1T-bVv0n1ZmG-KySCLXHBHOGnliP4cERVFXJGhoAeeMd-QZisd5ig8s1p_j/w534-h640/869C0A61-1FDB-475D-A939-703D37A0DE66.png" width="534" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-small;">John Cuneo</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The type of "work" that goes into creating what we now call art has become increasingly wobbly. At the same time, much of the art turns out to be increasingly minor compared to what past civilizations have produced. Are the two trends related? It's too early to say.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div><div></div></div></div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12189014.post-32309750965959284942023-05-30T06:45:00.002-04:002023-05-30T06:45:32.185-04:00TRIP REPORT FROM ROME<p> Hi, gang. I'm in Rome studying beautiful sculptures from antiquity.</p><p>This place would be a nightmare for <a href="https://illustrationart.blogspot.com/2023/03/barney-bishop-iii.html" target="_blank">Barney Bishop III</a> because several of these sculptures have penises.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaYwwRoSOKk_3IpYJjgYWqbB2x1I1d_k0ThYM4J2reKMq9PKvz1tcr_LzbRda6TQXszaOBU8yLWaARTaA4lcwR5GaY3qvL815dqAFawLRJXjC4KABrJjLM4HOuphIiildtB03bVjFT12G0QxVOsbxHpKZEYr_eghK1NIp8O8kYCVdrGzow9A/s1921/IMG_2782.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1921" data-original-width="912" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaYwwRoSOKk_3IpYJjgYWqbB2x1I1d_k0ThYM4J2reKMq9PKvz1tcr_LzbRda6TQXszaOBU8yLWaARTaA4lcwR5GaY3qvL815dqAFawLRJXjC4KABrJjLM4HOuphIiildtB03bVjFT12G0QxVOsbxHpKZEYr_eghK1NIp8O8kYCVdrGzow9A/w304-h640/IMG_2782.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><br /><p>One thing apparent from these great sculptures is that each manifests an enormous struggle.</p><p>For example, artists struggled to escape mortality and the way of all flesh by preserving as much of tender skin and hot passion as they were able in permanent marble. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_qeIsUT8TV6yslCaapg1OmEK2VzLW9naXZBvDWWMp2P7S3ttMXTRGHj06VY77ZO379Eivj325zbomoGYj_6OGQ738Bc_1t9OPefZ9-6xVZC53Zg884HoXpDgPWK6tVg7vzY2E0efIs45n0acTRKWf29lJ4AS737WHxQypTkjjfi9MGS0jA/s4032/IMG_2758.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_qeIsUT8TV6yslCaapg1OmEK2VzLW9naXZBvDWWMp2P7S3ttMXTRGHj06VY77ZO379Eivj325zbomoGYj_6OGQ738Bc_1t9OPefZ9-6xVZC53Zg884HoXpDgPWK6tVg7vzY2E0efIs45n0acTRKWf29lJ4AS737WHxQypTkjjfi9MGS0jA/w480-h640/IMG_2758.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxH6QFDTi5HjA604_rtZUOQ4vPgyEsAXhqaypQ9epjYaFimVWf8N-I9XkBbNroKjHS1KoddpevSx4cqKYIm8DbC-1ahg-9I61zNppo3g5rV5-XrvDyV1raYsxUlwcLD9-FBgaEb7V7E9u3JKOd8Y_QsItaOJDe1IhegPSTEkt0fYqMwtpXw/s4032/IMG_2759.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxH6QFDTi5HjA604_rtZUOQ4vPgyEsAXhqaypQ9epjYaFimVWf8N-I9XkBbNroKjHS1KoddpevSx4cqKYIm8DbC-1ahg-9I61zNppo3g5rV5-XrvDyV1raYsxUlwcLD9-FBgaEb7V7E9u3JKOd8Y_QsItaOJDe1IhegPSTEkt0fYqMwtpXw/w480-h640/IMG_2759.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF5VYrOQXuKyY6ldof92n45yNnZ113Pd9XEbDGMlOtnUB64kG9qIKNkzCtZ49L855wp9kxc2jp6dtMAE3jfWjcOs-nNNsWJm37UqF0-6bu79Wfg5llECf9fvw9Ny2eHN8Ne-oGaClihyUAonQhlvOCJIid1pSc-L7bY6eS08qiimJzxmxpw/s4032/IMG_2760.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF5VYrOQXuKyY6ldof92n45yNnZ113Pd9XEbDGMlOtnUB64kG9qIKNkzCtZ49L855wp9kxc2jp6dtMAE3jfWjcOs-nNNsWJm37UqF0-6bu79Wfg5llECf9fvw9Ny2eHN8Ne-oGaClihyUAonQhlvOCJIid1pSc-L7bY6eS08qiimJzxmxpw/w480-h640/IMG_2760.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubdSYiFpRcswO2wkGSaSyISyEFU-AyR8KwSeg9EEMG-kCK-tnB8LMtEYYKVMHVskDOBHygkXnLaA7U0qQBWsCiaVtG6QlWbipy2CLmkJduEGd0GO1gbVfcxS865tFHd2LYDu0SIakyRJThNOT85rEV33fKVZ8SxfxMRXJGnwlrI0N1IJCKw/s4032/IMG_2761.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubdSYiFpRcswO2wkGSaSyISyEFU-AyR8KwSeg9EEMG-kCK-tnB8LMtEYYKVMHVskDOBHygkXnLaA7U0qQBWsCiaVtG6QlWbipy2CLmkJduEGd0GO1gbVfcxS865tFHd2LYDu0SIakyRJThNOT85rEV33fKVZ8SxfxMRXJGnwlrI0N1IJCKw/w480-h640/IMG_2761.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>Or, some struggled to escape the limits of two dimensions, with art that literally jumps off the wall:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYqGWFjjOHd732iKQfcCiu18jpmgV51jq_ffhasqD7eHrrAXW7zzAZKSqYTXfU8UPR90vAawTw2QKQNYz70iLFKvDypt96eBAiCTfkoCuWBcGEerzTAHiln179-wXuyh__GeMGW6DCLcbWKW1QQwDLdBivQU1qzs4-eCK394zeHUX9_W_Mw/s2016/IMG_2779.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYqGWFjjOHd732iKQfcCiu18jpmgV51jq_ffhasqD7eHrrAXW7zzAZKSqYTXfU8UPR90vAawTw2QKQNYz70iLFKvDypt96eBAiCTfkoCuWBcGEerzTAHiln179-wXuyh__GeMGW6DCLcbWKW1QQwDLdBivQU1qzs4-eCK394zeHUX9_W_Mw/w480-h640/IMG_2779.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />Many struggled against oblivion, and the inevitable loss of our personality, our face, our individuality. The memories of our loved ones gives us the consolation of a few extra years but even that is soon gone. In Rome we see miles and miles of busts of people hoping for a little endurance.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkcufEaUJCdDSapA1T30hxmHLDrpfanLX46FdTIq1EPk7zXEgtR2gR6xBmPCPxtvLrb5wVM3XusZmYNzY0NSLMp9VQ8OjZXqxHwsi-No4Oa3uzP_M3e5KYeeTTaBn1H1VEf9gGtOpe5mKL-bGhPgVMd57SIt_aBDUKL-MK0-2OgID0a81bA/s2016/IMG_2792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1330" data-original-width="2016" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkcufEaUJCdDSapA1T30hxmHLDrpfanLX46FdTIq1EPk7zXEgtR2gR6xBmPCPxtvLrb5wVM3XusZmYNzY0NSLMp9VQ8OjZXqxHwsi-No4Oa3uzP_M3e5KYeeTTaBn1H1VEf9gGtOpe5mKL-bGhPgVMd57SIt_aBDUKL-MK0-2OgID0a81bA/w640-h422/IMG_2792.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><div><br /></div><div>Some struggled to escape the limits of static material by capturing the freedom of motion in solid rock.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6etdd1GBdN9uPp1_KA87NMCAswPtmDfrOZJmy0bxEAOqg2Hbk_cJZk_7Yp2W9xOgHzRBg3yVgerY93_GLCkqlePGoYJi24BuTR7uUMPjmugTKMhm_X1CKFL4GYcxXbyZw_VwWbKSy1v0LjNhcnm7n7CWPzhpfauHI20-VRIzcUGjylKKNnA/s1512/Bernini%20at%20Borghese%20IMG_2784.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1502" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6etdd1GBdN9uPp1_KA87NMCAswPtmDfrOZJmy0bxEAOqg2Hbk_cJZk_7Yp2W9xOgHzRBg3yVgerY93_GLCkqlePGoYJi24BuTR7uUMPjmugTKMhm_X1CKFL4GYcxXbyZw_VwWbKSy1v0LjNhcnm7n7CWPzhpfauHI20-VRIzcUGjylKKNnA/w636-h640/Bernini%20at%20Borghese%20IMG_2784.jpg" width="636" /></a></p><p>Artists today no longer have to struggle with these heartbreaking constraints. Digitization gives our work permanence. Video empowers us with motion, audio preserves our voices and our personalities, holograms give us three dimensionality. In so many ways, artists have been freed from the struggle that bedeviled earlier artists. </p><p>So what's the consequence of our freedom?</p><p>At the Villa Borghese modern sculpture is exhibited side by side with ancient sculpture, for comparison. Here are two sculptures by modern sculptor, Giuseppe Penone.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTot6MnE3YJVR9KX83iUGJmHzB769RdOAXZG5MLHMEtRUZVJVY0J12WLA90Xx6u6SBvaEYGBPY6ZGJRCzmHdDdvVJH1oztPr6WhJ7bdI20NAu8N5uStkd9VzBRNhoA3UyM91p9ANvHoVkgPwPOiJpnfG6WVNBHvZEu2n7FLw4wk9zvTnqwOA/s1976/Borghese%20modern%20IMG_2763.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1976" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTot6MnE3YJVR9KX83iUGJmHzB769RdOAXZG5MLHMEtRUZVJVY0J12WLA90Xx6u6SBvaEYGBPY6ZGJRCzmHdDdvVJH1oztPr6WhJ7bdI20NAu8N5uStkd9VzBRNhoA3UyM91p9ANvHoVkgPwPOiJpnfG6WVNBHvZEu2n7FLw4wk9zvTnqwOA/w640-h490/Borghese%20modern%20IMG_2763.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRsSJ0VscNBdRg-SyTnb33GSxsXse7jhz8v8_5Lp5gFSHxaMqP9qZpa8Vsv6XoW2qwG-pAvsSCCGgIOxW0eAVQgukCTFSXsNCUe5aNgQH6-_q_L42GKXRr2cg7R36x4Vo9r3bppyMBQTnfMRe0q7uh3_Sz9ZBEB-NGmujmCHmK0RnRq980hQ/s2012/Borghese%20modern%20IMG_2762.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2012" data-original-width="1357" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRsSJ0VscNBdRg-SyTnb33GSxsXse7jhz8v8_5Lp5gFSHxaMqP9qZpa8Vsv6XoW2qwG-pAvsSCCGgIOxW0eAVQgukCTFSXsNCUe5aNgQH6-_q_L42GKXRr2cg7R36x4Vo9r3bppyMBQTnfMRe0q7uh3_Sz9ZBEB-NGmujmCHmK0RnRq980hQ/w432-h640/Borghese%20modern%20IMG_2762.jpg" width="432" /></a></p><p>They are exhibited accompanied by long, pretentious explanations by the artist. Minor struggles will invariably produce minor art. </p></div></div>David Apatoffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11293486149879229016noreply@blogger.com74