feel-art-again

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Feel Art Again: "Judith Beheading Holofernes"

In response to my recent plea for pre-1900 female artists (at the bottom of the post on Lady Laura Alma-Tadema), reader Megan suggested Artemisia Gentileschi's "Judith Beheading Holofernes." Gentileschi's life and artwork are fascinating, and she is definitely a departure from the male artists we usually discuss in "Feel Art Again." So, without further ado, I present Artemisia Gentileschi and "Judith Beheading Holofernes." 1. Many of Artemisia Gentileschi's paintings are retellings of biblical stories... READ ON

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Feel Art Again: Gustave Moreau

Gustave Moreau was born on this date 182 years ago. Although the French artist is well-respected within the art world, he's not exactly a household name. To celebrate his birthday, let's aim to change that, and make him a household name at least with mental_floss readers. 1. During his lifetime, Gustave Moreau rarely exhibited his paintings or offered them for sale. When he did exhibit, though, he did well: He took prize medals at the Salon in 1864, 1865, 1869, and 1878. 2. Moreau's associates are... READ ON

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Feel Art Again: "Peacocks"

Melchior d'Hondecoeter was a 17th-century Dutch painter who specialized in birds. He died exactly 313 years ago on this date, at the age of 61. So let's take a look at Melchior d'Hondecoeter's life and his 1683 painting, "Peacocks." 1. Like many artists, Melchior d'Hondecoeter was born into a family of other talented artists. Both his father, Gijsbert, and his grandfather, Gillis, were also established painters specializing in birds. Melchior initially studied under his father but, upon his father's... READ ON

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Feel Art Again: DuanPen Update

Yesterday, the 'Feel Art Again' post discussed a young Thai artist, DuanPen. While all the facts in the post are true, I purposely left out one crucial detail: DuanPen is an elephant. April Fools to those of you who believed DuanPen was a human artist; points to those of you who figured it out. To learn more about DuanPen and other elephant artists, or to buy elephant-created artwork, check out the Asian Elephant Art & Conservation Project. 'Feel Art Again' appears every Tuesday and... READ ON

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Feel Art Again: DuanPen

Over the course of the past six months, several readers have requested more modern artwork. I am happy today to be able to present a work by a very contemporary Thai artist, DuanPen. 1. DuanPen is only 9 years old, but she's already making a name for herself in the art world. Her abstract pointillist paintings sell for $500 to $750, on average. Her paintings were exhibited in the Kawamura Art Museum in Japan and in galleries in America and England. 2. Although DuanPen's parents are not artists, there... READ ON

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Feel Art Again: "Gathering Pansies"

In January, we discussed Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema and one of his paintings, "The Roses of Heliogabalus." His second wife, Lady Laura Theresa Alma-Tadema, was also an accomplished artist. Since "Feel Art Again" has been suffering a dearth of female artists and spring is almost upon us, now is a good time to take a look at Lady Alma-Tadema's "Gathering Pansies." 1. Originally, Laura trained in music and those close to her "thought that she would show some originality as a composer." She took up painting... READ ON

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Feel Art Again: "The Bed"

Back in November, I briefly discussed Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in part 1 of "November Artists," mentioning the last words he uttered to his father before his death. After the Review Session and Exam a few weeks ago, reader Ginny requested some more in-depth coverage of Toulouse-Lautrec. I am more than happy to oblige. 1. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is almost as well known for his physical appearance and health problems as he is for his artwork. At age 13 and age 14, Toulouse-Lautrec fractured his thighs.... READ ON

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Feel Art Again: "Israel in Egypt"

The British painter Sir Edward Poynter was born on this day in 1836. To celebrate his 172nd birthday, we'll take a look at his first great success, his large historical painting, "Israel in Egypt" (1867). 1. Like Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema's paintings, Sir Edward Poynter's paintings are rich in architectural detail. Not surprising, since his father was Ambrose Poynter, a well-known architect. Poynter was accused of disregarding architectural accuracy in the creation of "Israel in Egypt," though. The... READ ON

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Feel Art Again: "The Parting of Sea King and Princess Volhova"

Yesterday marked the anniversary of the birth of Mikhail Vrubel, one of Russia's greatest 19-century artists. Vrubel's 1898 work, "The Parting of Sea King and Princess Volhova," is exemplary of Vrubel's oeuvre, with metallic tones and fairy tale subject matter. Today, we'll delve into the life of this Russian artist who, despite his striking work, isn't very well-known in America. 1. Mikhail Vrubel graduated from the Law Faculty of St. Petersburg University and then promptly enrolled in the Imperial... READ ON

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Feel Art Again: "Brudeferden i Hardanger"

The great Norwegian landscape painter Hans Gude was born on this date 183 years ago. His 1848 collaboration with Adolph Tidemand, entitled "Brudeferden i Hardanger" ("The Bridal Procession in Hardanger"), is his most well-known work. In honor of his birthday, today we'll look at Hans Gude himself, "Brudeferden i Hardanger," and Adolph Tidemand. 1. For "Brudeferden i Hardanger," Hans Gude painted the landscape, while Adolph Tidemand painted the revelers. A wedding party dressed in traditional garb is shown... READ ON