painting of the month

Beach in Moonlight -- Mc Clelland Barclay, 1930 (Laguna Art Museum)

interestingly disinterested paint

Some intriguing commentary from Clement Greenberg in the 1950s Pocket Library of Art series' Matisse volume -- the painting is Matisse's 1919 White Plumes and the model was Antoinette, one of Matisse's favorites at that time:

The good looks of the girl, the bizarre splendor of her hat, and the rich simplicity of design and color are at first sight almost cloying.  Yet, even though Matisse has turned out his share of superficial work, this is not part of it...Antoinette's sex appeal is so solemn as to contradict itself, what with the fixed stare of her eyes and the rigid set of her features that make her more effigy than woman.  What is really seductive are the appurtenances, the Indian red background, the pearly whites and grays in the features--that is, the paint, the disinterested paint.

Matisse was still alive when this particular small pocket book series was published (he died the following year in 1954) and if he ever read Greenberg's critique, it would be interesting to know what he thought of it.


Pictured:  White Plumes -- Henri Matisse, 1919 (Minneapolis Institute of Art)

painting of the month

   View at Folly Cove, Rockport, Massachusetts, 
The Artist's Garden

Ellen Day Hale (1855 - 1940)

 

(Image from www.the-athenaeum.org)

frida and salma

July 6th was the birthday of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (July 6, 1907 - July 13. 1954), whose unique talent and celebrated yet troubled life became the subject of the 2002 biopic Frida.  Directed by Julie Taymor and starring Salma Hayek as Kahlo, Frida won two Academy Awards and was generally praised by critics -- particularly for Hayek's interpretation of Kahlo's complex character.  This month's American Airlines' Spanish language magazine Nexos has a spotlight piece on Salma Hayek, in which she reflects upon Frida Kahlo and how though the artist wasn't a conventional beauty, she was nonetheless charismatically and singularly beautiful.  That despite her being an invalid and having what might be perceived as less than perfect features ("tenía una ceja" or a unibrow, and "un poco de bigote" or a bit of a moustache), she was confident and brave and always her own person.  She also embraced her cultural heritage proudly in her personal style and in her vivid paintings. "Como ella no hay dos," Salma concludes. "Y para mí siempre fue hermosa."

I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought 

there are so many people in the world, there must be someone
just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do.  
-- Frida Kahlo

*********

Pictured:  Frida Kahlo; Salma Hayek in Frida; and The Two Fridas -- Frida Kahlo, 1939

painting of the month

The Rabbit's Meal -- Henri Rousseau, 1908 (The Barnes Foundation)

artist birthday

Today was once the birthday of British artist John Linnell (June 16, 1792 - 1882), known for his portrait work and landscape painting.  Linnell studied with Benjamin West and John Varley and entered the Royal Academy at the impressive age of just thirteen.  Linnell was also a friend and patron of William Blake, and unlike more conservative artists was supportive of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood when they first came upon the scene.  His career was prolific and successful, and he was additionally prolific as the father of nine children.

Pictured:  John Linnell -- Self Portrait (1860); St. John the Baptist (1867); A River Landscape, Sunset; Lady Torrens and Her Family (1820); William Blake Portrait (1825).  

All images from Wikimedia Commons

painting of the month

Seaside at Agay -- Armand Guillaumin (1841-1927)