SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
Adolf Hiremy-Hirschl
Visual arts
- Thread starter Forostar
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SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
More Hirschl
Hmm, looks like there's a lot of love for Romanticist art here. I have to admit that I never liked it. I'm afraid that all that John Martin and Hirschl stuff Sixes posted could hardly be further from my taste. Ironically, you did post paintings of one of my favourite painters ever - William Turner - but precisely those of the sort that I do not like. To me, Turner is great when he is an impressionist. I suppose that I think of Impressionism as one of the greatest forms of European art ever conceived. Take one of my favourite paintings ever:
Snow Storm Steam Boat off a Harbour's Mouth
I was told - though I don't know if it's true - that Turner had himself bound to the top of a mast during a storm and later painted this picture documenting his impressions. There are monumental paintings that let you see every drop of water on every plank, but I have never seen a picture that so perfectly captivates the atmosphere of a wild storm as this one.
Snow Storm Steam Boat off a Harbour's Mouth
I was told - though I don't know if it's true - that Turner had himself bound to the top of a mast during a storm and later painted this picture documenting his impressions. There are monumental paintings that let you see every drop of water on every plank, but I have never seen a picture that so perfectly captivates the atmosphere of a wild storm as this one.
I guess this one should be right up your alley, then:
A simple study of a horse's head by Adolph Menzel, my favourite Realist painter. He is best known for a number of paintings relating to Prussian history and German industrialisation, most of which really are brilliant; but it's the small, insignificant ones that always strike me the most.
Yes! Horses being a real favourite
SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
That is amazing if true!
As a kid, I used to draw epic battle scenes of the Indian Wars, with the Indians always winning. I did both the blue uniforms of the US army and the feather headdresses of the natives really well, but I could never figure out how to do horses. They always ended up looking like weird donkey-cat hybrids. I never understood what I did wrong.
Many years later, when I was studying prehistoric archaeology, I was shown some pictures of ancient rock carvings from Scandinavia, such as this one:
Suddenly, in the middle of a lecture, I noticed what I'd been doing wrong - I had a completely wrong perception of the anatomy of a horse's head. These carvings look very crude, but they are usually of an astonishing anatomic accuracy - don't let those rectangular bodies fool you!
People are often amazed when they get this pointed out to them: "They already knew that back then! They could already do that so long ago!"
I understand the amazement, but I don't share it. To me, it's obvious: These people were surrounded by teeming wildlife, they observed it every day. And as humans, they were no more or less brilliant than any of those who came after them, so it's a no-brainer they'd figure out how to depict animals. Of course, the Altamira buffaloes are more spectacular (and a lot older!):
With these rational considerations, I feel that I can relate to these artists who lived tens of thousands of years ago as fellow human beings - and that actually makes me appreciate the works a lot more than if I said, "Look, caveman drawings!"
Many years later, when I was studying prehistoric archaeology, I was shown some pictures of ancient rock carvings from Scandinavia, such as this one:
Suddenly, in the middle of a lecture, I noticed what I'd been doing wrong - I had a completely wrong perception of the anatomy of a horse's head. These carvings look very crude, but they are usually of an astonishing anatomic accuracy - don't let those rectangular bodies fool you!
People are often amazed when they get this pointed out to them: "They already knew that back then! They could already do that so long ago!"
I understand the amazement, but I don't share it. To me, it's obvious: These people were surrounded by teeming wildlife, they observed it every day. And as humans, they were no more or less brilliant than any of those who came after them, so it's a no-brainer they'd figure out how to depict animals. Of course, the Altamira buffaloes are more spectacular (and a lot older!):
With these rational considerations, I feel that I can relate to these artists who lived tens of thousands of years ago as fellow human beings - and that actually makes me appreciate the works a lot more than if I said, "Look, caveman drawings!"
SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
Good post Perun.
In contrast, here is a more contemporary artist whose painting "Subway" removes any trace or indication of humanity:
George Tooker
In contrast, here is a more contemporary artist whose painting "Subway" removes any trace or indication of humanity:
George Tooker
SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
My parents had that painting on the wall in the house I grew up in! Flashback!
Good post Perun.
In contrast, here is a more contemporary artist whose painting "Subway" removes any trace or indication of humanity:
George Tooker
That's a pretty creepy picture. I'm not sure how I feel about the style, but I can relate to the content.
With regards to my last post, let's quite literally dig a little deeper and go even further back in time.
Excavations held in the late fifties in a place called Tata in Hungary have yielded an interesting, but generally not particularly spectacular find of Neanderthal groups, dated to approximately 100 000 years ago. The rather sophisticated radiolarit blades add to the picture of prehistoric man, but they are not particularly memorable in themselves. Among the blades, hammers and fossilised bones however, was a piece that has drawn special interest: A nummulit (a fairly big type of fossilised nautical protozoa) with peculiar, cross-shaped engravings:
The piece does not appear to serve any practical purpose, but the engravings are clearly artificial, with the exception of one arm. Perhaps the other arms were engraved to add to the natural crack in the rock. This has caused some archaeologists to consider the possibility that this may be a primitive piece of art. Some even go so far as to interpret it as an "amulet", although there is obviously nothing to support that hypothesis. My old professor has said in a lecture I once attended, that the records of the excavation are a bit questionable and this piece may be a forgery.
However, if the original interpretation is correct, what you are looking at there may well be the oldest artwork known to us; and it was the Neanderthal man who made it.
Excavations held in the late fifties in a place called Tata in Hungary have yielded an interesting, but generally not particularly spectacular find of Neanderthal groups, dated to approximately 100 000 years ago. The rather sophisticated radiolarit blades add to the picture of prehistoric man, but they are not particularly memorable in themselves. Among the blades, hammers and fossilised bones however, was a piece that has drawn special interest: A nummulit (a fairly big type of fossilised nautical protozoa) with peculiar, cross-shaped engravings:
The piece does not appear to serve any practical purpose, but the engravings are clearly artificial, with the exception of one arm. Perhaps the other arms were engraved to add to the natural crack in the rock. This has caused some archaeologists to consider the possibility that this may be a primitive piece of art. Some even go so far as to interpret it as an "amulet", although there is obviously nothing to support that hypothesis. My old professor has said in a lecture I once attended, that the records of the excavation are a bit questionable and this piece may be a forgery.
However, if the original interpretation is correct, what you are looking at there may well be the oldest artwork known to us; and it was the Neanderthal man who made it.
SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
"a fairly big type of fossilised nautical protozoa"
A what now? Can you explain what that is. Google offers little to no help. I'm looking at a fossilized rock right?
A what now? Can you explain what that is. Google offers little to no help. I'm looking at a fossilized rock right?
SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
Oh, Thanks. I looked up "nummulit" and it just gave me something in French 
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
I see movement in that painting. Very good.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Sherlock Holmesian atmosphere! 
Warsaw Cab at Night by Józef Pankiewicz, 1893 / Large version (check those cobble stones!):
http://www.the-athenaeum.org/art/full.php?ID=54107
Warsaw Cab at Night by Józef Pankiewicz, 1893 / Large version (check those cobble stones!):
http://www.the-athenaeum.org/art/full.php?ID=54107
Very nice. I do love art with lots of atmosphere