Degas and the Ballet: Picturing Movement, The Royal Academy, London, United Kingdom, by Larissa Woolf, Arts Editor, www.VisitMuseums.com
The Royal Academy in London is hosting an amazing exhibition on the Impressionist painter, Edgar Degas. Born in the late 1880’s Degas was fascinated and obsessed with the world of ballet for over four decades. Almost two thirds of his artistic output was devoted to ballet in some way and his talent and attention to detail were legendary. The focus of this exhibition is on Degas and the notion of movement and stillness in his painting in conjunction with his technical and conceptual skills. It also explores the other mediums that were beginning to emerge during the century such as photography and film and its relation to his painting. In this context we learn how skilfully Degas pushes the boundaries of art and his ability to co-habit two worlds simultaneously: that of art and the world of images. Like his contemporary artists Degas’ focus was on modern life rather than the ancient, classical world of the heroic.
Born into a cultured Parisian family Degas soon immersed himself in art and strove for a kind of vivid realism that was unparalleled. His study of ballerinas was constant and obsessive and he managed to gain backstage access to the dancers at the Opera and inside their practice rooms. He revelled in his ability to suggest plausible movement on stage. In the oil painting “Robert le Diable”, dated 1876, Degas depicts an unusual scene from a play in which dead nuns have arisen from the grave and are dancing with devils. The viewpoint is as if we are sitting in the stalls with the real theatre audience and to this end Degas skilfully incorporates the viewer into the painting. The exhibition portrays that Degas’ ability to blend the dancers’ swirls is a triumph and a skill that the camera simply wouldn’t be able to achieve.
One of my favourite paintings in the exhibition is “2 Dancers on the stage” in which Degas has painted two ballerinas in an apartment with the backdrop of Paris behind them. The scene is both immensely poetic yet also realistic because of its setting; the colours are both fluid and vague. Degas made hundreds of sketches, in pastel and chalk, in preparation for his paintings and many of these are showcased. One sketch which I found particularly skilful is ‘Study of legs’, dated 1873, in black chalk. The detail attests to his draughtsmanship and you get the real sense of a work in progress. Degas would draw and redraw until he got the picture right with a passion and zeal that was to fuel his work. He repeatedly drew the dancers from a different view and angle as if he was circling around them. One of the highlights for me is his pastel and charcoal sketch, entitled “Dancer, Study for L’Attente, dated 1882; a beautiful rendering of a ballerina leaning on bent knee, head down, featuring the the braids in her hair in incredible yet fluid detail. Degas’ style is astonishingly beautiful and poetic yet at the same time staying true to the Impressionist creed of portraying the human body as it is. In ‘The Rehearsal’ we see a group of dancers rehearsing to the accompaniment of a violin. They are in battement 2nd position and Degas skilfully ‘freezes’ the movement of their dance. His many sketches featuring multiple lines that captured movement and his attention to lines and form was at the heart of everything he did. It is no surprise then that when the first camera appeared in 1895 he was an ardent enthusiast. Degas liked to paint dancers because it recalled the movement of the Greeks and there is definitely a sense of the sublime in his work.
The exhibition also showcases many of Degas’ beautiful and delicate bronze sculptures. ’The Little Dancer Aged 14 was one of the largest sculptures he made and interestingly was the only one of his sculptures that was displayed to the public. In the 1870’s he made a series of wide narrow canvases that depicted classrooms; it was an inventive approach to representing modern individuals at work. Here we see he might have been inspired by the special cameras used at the time that recorded paranomic scenes. He returned again and again to the same format whilst his paintings gradually got wider, the colours richer and the brushwork more vigorous.
In later years we see how his painting became more muscular, shown for example in ‘After the Bath, Woman drying her back’, dated 1896. As he got older he would paint from memory and his dynamic strokes of pastel would bring his dance figures to life; as effectively as modern photography could. His beautiful painting ‘Dancers in Blue’ is definitely my favourite oil painting of the exhibition. We see four ballet dancers, in blue dresses, resting back stage. The intimacy between the dancers is palpable and we as an audience are invited to share this private moment between the ballerinas. The orange in the background of the painting implies movement as one’s eye zigzags from the restful blue to the more active orange. Each dancer is gracefully and poetically portrayed.
It is hard not to marvel at the sculptures, drawings and paintings that are portrayed in the exhibition. It is a show that should not be missed and attests to Degas immense and broad talent as a draughtsman, sculptor and artist.
Degas and the Ballet: Picturing Movement, The Royal Academy, London, United Kingdom, by Larissa Woolf, Arts Editor, www.VisitMuseums.com
Monday 26 September 2011
Wednesday 22 June 2011
The Romanov collection at the Pinacotheque in Paris, France
The Romanov collection, The Pinacotheque de Paris, 26th January to 15th September 2011, 28 place de la Madeleine, 75008, Paris. By Larissa Woolf, Arts Editor, www.visitmuseums.com.
The Pinacotheque museum in Paris is showing at the moment the treasures of the Hermitage Museum from St Petersburg. It is a fantastic exhibition, showcasing more than one hundred works of art from all around Europe and the world and renowned artists that date right back to the fifteenth century. Beginning from the end of the eighteenth century the imperial leaders each began a massive project towards collecting rare and impressive pieces of work from around the world, beginning with Peter the Great in the seventeenth century to Nicholas 1st.
Under Peter the Great Russia saw the beginning of a genuine cultural opening and curiosity towards the Western Europe and foreign lands. The Great Embassy went overseas in 1697-1698 and visited workshops, libraries and museums and literally fell in love with what it saw and so began the history of avid Russian collecting. Once bought they transferred these paintings to St Petersburg which was built according to a model of Amsterdam with canals and Dutch, German, French and Italian architecture.
Peter the Great amassed a collection of 400 paintings, 165 of them were from Holland and Flanders. One example was a Joos de Momper le Jerne (1564-1635)oil painting,’ Monks in a cave’ - a beautiful and luminous landscape scene of monks in a rustic and religious setting. Within the collection is a magnificient Rembrandt, entitled ‘David and Jonathan’, where the two figures are depicted against the background of the city. The luminous colour and the detail of the figures attest to his great skill as a painter.
Catherine II of Russia was also an enlightened leader who, interestingly enough, had an enduring writing relationship with the French philosopher Diderot and spoke to Voltaire, and d’Alembert on a regular basis. It was her idea to buy a whole collection rather than just one piece, for example she bought the Comte von Bruhl’s collection and 4,000 drawings from the Phillip Cobentzel’s collection. One of the paintings that figures in her purchase is Rembrandt’s ‘Portrait of a bearded man with a beret’ which is particularly beautiful; invoking a solemn atmosphere and infused with complex and life like detail such as the wrinkles on his face and his subdued expression. One of the most impressive paintings of the collection is Gabriel Metsu’s ‘The sick person and the doctor’ in which we see a dark, black robed, ominous looking doctor’s exchange with an old lady in her bedchamber. The lady is depicted in a rich, sumptuous gown, fur trimmed with orange silk and is quite clearly dying. The solemn, funeral like atmostphere of the room is clearly depicted.
The biggest buy for the Hermitage was the Crozat collection in 1772 and Catherine had amassed an amazing 4,000 paintings by the end of her reign including works by Nicolas Poussin, Marie Louise le Brun and Claude Joseph Vernet.
The next Russian leader was just as prolific, Alexander I amassed art on a grand scale and felt it was an important aspect to his reign both for cultural posterity and for his standing as a leader. He had an amazing collection of Spanish art and Josephine Bonapart sold him the collection in the chateau de Malmaison. Francisco Ribalto and Diego Velasquez da Silva are some of the artists that were amassed. His successor Nicolas 1st inspired significant changes to the collection from 1825. One of the paintings that he bought was by Sofoniska Anguissola, entitled ‘portrait of a young lady in profile’ figuring a beautiful, rich detailed portrait of a lady holding three flowers wearing a rich green velvet dress lined with pearls. Another stunning piece is the oil painting by Andrea Vaccoro of Marie Magdeleine, the vision of her looking towards the sky in immense sorrow is profoundly moving. Amongst the collection, to name but a few, is Titian, Natale Shiavane and Gabriel Metsu.
The outstanding collection at the Pinacotheque in Paris reveals how enlightened and cultured these great Russian leaders were and how, through their effort, an entire cultural revolution was begun and a legacy left. To experience the magic of the Hermitage museum without having to travel to Russia go to the museum.
The Romanov collection, The Pinacotheque de Paris, 26th January to 15th September 2011, 28 place de la Madeleine, 75008, Paris. By Larissa Woolf, Arts Editor, www.visitmuseums.com.
Recommended Hotels in Paris
The Pinacotheque museum in Paris is showing at the moment the treasures of the Hermitage Museum from St Petersburg. It is a fantastic exhibition, showcasing more than one hundred works of art from all around Europe and the world and renowned artists that date right back to the fifteenth century. Beginning from the end of the eighteenth century the imperial leaders each began a massive project towards collecting rare and impressive pieces of work from around the world, beginning with Peter the Great in the seventeenth century to Nicholas 1st.
Under Peter the Great Russia saw the beginning of a genuine cultural opening and curiosity towards the Western Europe and foreign lands. The Great Embassy went overseas in 1697-1698 and visited workshops, libraries and museums and literally fell in love with what it saw and so began the history of avid Russian collecting. Once bought they transferred these paintings to St Petersburg which was built according to a model of Amsterdam with canals and Dutch, German, French and Italian architecture.
Peter the Great amassed a collection of 400 paintings, 165 of them were from Holland and Flanders. One example was a Joos de Momper le Jerne (1564-1635)oil painting,’ Monks in a cave’ - a beautiful and luminous landscape scene of monks in a rustic and religious setting. Within the collection is a magnificient Rembrandt, entitled ‘David and Jonathan’, where the two figures are depicted against the background of the city. The luminous colour and the detail of the figures attest to his great skill as a painter.
Catherine II of Russia was also an enlightened leader who, interestingly enough, had an enduring writing relationship with the French philosopher Diderot and spoke to Voltaire, and d’Alembert on a regular basis. It was her idea to buy a whole collection rather than just one piece, for example she bought the Comte von Bruhl’s collection and 4,000 drawings from the Phillip Cobentzel’s collection. One of the paintings that figures in her purchase is Rembrandt’s ‘Portrait of a bearded man with a beret’ which is particularly beautiful; invoking a solemn atmosphere and infused with complex and life like detail such as the wrinkles on his face and his subdued expression. One of the most impressive paintings of the collection is Gabriel Metsu’s ‘The sick person and the doctor’ in which we see a dark, black robed, ominous looking doctor’s exchange with an old lady in her bedchamber. The lady is depicted in a rich, sumptuous gown, fur trimmed with orange silk and is quite clearly dying. The solemn, funeral like atmostphere of the room is clearly depicted.
The biggest buy for the Hermitage was the Crozat collection in 1772 and Catherine had amassed an amazing 4,000 paintings by the end of her reign including works by Nicolas Poussin, Marie Louise le Brun and Claude Joseph Vernet.
The next Russian leader was just as prolific, Alexander I amassed art on a grand scale and felt it was an important aspect to his reign both for cultural posterity and for his standing as a leader. He had an amazing collection of Spanish art and Josephine Bonapart sold him the collection in the chateau de Malmaison. Francisco Ribalto and Diego Velasquez da Silva are some of the artists that were amassed. His successor Nicolas 1st inspired significant changes to the collection from 1825. One of the paintings that he bought was by Sofoniska Anguissola, entitled ‘portrait of a young lady in profile’ figuring a beautiful, rich detailed portrait of a lady holding three flowers wearing a rich green velvet dress lined with pearls. Another stunning piece is the oil painting by Andrea Vaccoro of Marie Magdeleine, the vision of her looking towards the sky in immense sorrow is profoundly moving. Amongst the collection, to name but a few, is Titian, Natale Shiavane and Gabriel Metsu.
The outstanding collection at the Pinacotheque in Paris reveals how enlightened and cultured these great Russian leaders were and how, through their effort, an entire cultural revolution was begun and a legacy left. To experience the magic of the Hermitage museum without having to travel to Russia go to the museum.
The Romanov collection, The Pinacotheque de Paris, 26th January to 15th September 2011, 28 place de la Madeleine, 75008, Paris. By Larissa Woolf, Arts Editor, www.visitmuseums.com.
Recommended Hotels in Paris
Monday 13 June 2011
Guggenheim Museum New York
The permanent collection at the Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York, USA.
For further details see www.VisitMuseums.com. By Larissa Woolf, VisitMuseums.com Arts Editorial Contributor
The Guggenheim Museum is one of the landmark museums that should without a doubt be top of the list for museums to visit in New York. It is a collection of art from the mid nineteenth century to the present day and presents an incredibly rich, in depth and challenging portrayal of modern art whilst also showcasing some of the world’s finest modern and abstract paintings from the likes of masters such as Van Gogh, Gauguin, Picasso and Kandinsky. Opened in 1937 it began with the collection of its founder, Solomon R Guggenheim, which he transformed into a public foundation that would exhibit but also preserve his vast collection of art. Housed in its impressive white, circular unmistakable building the Guggenheim becomes an exploration and celebration of modernism and abstraction.
One of the first paintings on view is Van Gogh’s “Mountains in St Remy” which he painted whilst he was recuperating from his psychiatric problems in an asylum. Its swirling waves and rich, bold colours portray Van Gogh’s enthusiasm for nature, landscapes but also his vivid imagination. More arresting is the emotional emergency of the picture and the feeling that in his painting he is healing himself. Similarly we see Paul Gauguin returning to a state of primitivism in his painting ‘Haeve Mae Tahiti’ and his idyllic vista of island life. His move towards a simpler, more idealised way of life is reflected in his art and style. It was after 1918 however that Guggenheim and his wife collected solely non objective art. Their belief in the spiritual dimensions of pure abstraction and the bringing together of multiple viewpoints simultaneously to create a pure, direct way of looking at art was at the core of their interests and philosophy.
In Pablo Picasso’s painting, ‘Woman Ironing’ we see how Picasso’s bleak colour scheme of blues, whites and greys merge together to form a metaphor for the misfortune of the working poor. Her head hangs heavy, her angular body is unsettling and one can really feel the burden of her body. The iron forms an anchor for her body and the painting and we can see how the space created between her arms and body prefigures cubism and Pablo’s future investigation of space and volume. One of the most striking paintings in the collection is Robert Delauney’s ‘Eiffel Tower’. Tall, imposing we see how he uses angular patches of light and shadow to shatter the tower into fragments; almost as though it was alive. Delauney was fascinated by light and he used the multiple perspectives and fractured surfaces, reminiscent of cubism, to form a grotesque picture of the tower – surely one of the best known icon’s of modernity of its time. In fact as world war one began its rampage through Europe we see its effect on the art of the time as many later works are just a collection of hard to define shapes – a mass of unrecognisable objects and subjects.
For me one of the most beautiful objects in the collection is Constant Brancusi’s bronze sculpture, ‘The Muse’. A smooth, oval, idealised head which has no facial features is balanced by an arm which is resting on a wooden base. Brancusi celebrates the notion that a woman is the muse for aesthetic art and the simplification of form. He reduces the human figure to its essence and thus has created not only an object of aesthetic significance but a sculpture of immense and inspiring beauty.
The Guggenheim museum in New York represents a vital chapter in the history of modern art and its importance as a collection is of supreme, undeniable importance.
For further details and to plan your visit, go to Visitmuseums.com
For further details see www.VisitMuseums.com. By Larissa Woolf, VisitMuseums.com Arts Editorial Contributor
The Guggenheim Museum is one of the landmark museums that should without a doubt be top of the list for museums to visit in New York. It is a collection of art from the mid nineteenth century to the present day and presents an incredibly rich, in depth and challenging portrayal of modern art whilst also showcasing some of the world’s finest modern and abstract paintings from the likes of masters such as Van Gogh, Gauguin, Picasso and Kandinsky. Opened in 1937 it began with the collection of its founder, Solomon R Guggenheim, which he transformed into a public foundation that would exhibit but also preserve his vast collection of art. Housed in its impressive white, circular unmistakable building the Guggenheim becomes an exploration and celebration of modernism and abstraction.
One of the first paintings on view is Van Gogh’s “Mountains in St Remy” which he painted whilst he was recuperating from his psychiatric problems in an asylum. Its swirling waves and rich, bold colours portray Van Gogh’s enthusiasm for nature, landscapes but also his vivid imagination. More arresting is the emotional emergency of the picture and the feeling that in his painting he is healing himself. Similarly we see Paul Gauguin returning to a state of primitivism in his painting ‘Haeve Mae Tahiti’ and his idyllic vista of island life. His move towards a simpler, more idealised way of life is reflected in his art and style. It was after 1918 however that Guggenheim and his wife collected solely non objective art. Their belief in the spiritual dimensions of pure abstraction and the bringing together of multiple viewpoints simultaneously to create a pure, direct way of looking at art was at the core of their interests and philosophy.
In Pablo Picasso’s painting, ‘Woman Ironing’ we see how Picasso’s bleak colour scheme of blues, whites and greys merge together to form a metaphor for the misfortune of the working poor. Her head hangs heavy, her angular body is unsettling and one can really feel the burden of her body. The iron forms an anchor for her body and the painting and we can see how the space created between her arms and body prefigures cubism and Pablo’s future investigation of space and volume. One of the most striking paintings in the collection is Robert Delauney’s ‘Eiffel Tower’. Tall, imposing we see how he uses angular patches of light and shadow to shatter the tower into fragments; almost as though it was alive. Delauney was fascinated by light and he used the multiple perspectives and fractured surfaces, reminiscent of cubism, to form a grotesque picture of the tower – surely one of the best known icon’s of modernity of its time. In fact as world war one began its rampage through Europe we see its effect on the art of the time as many later works are just a collection of hard to define shapes – a mass of unrecognisable objects and subjects.
For me one of the most beautiful objects in the collection is Constant Brancusi’s bronze sculpture, ‘The Muse’. A smooth, oval, idealised head which has no facial features is balanced by an arm which is resting on a wooden base. Brancusi celebrates the notion that a woman is the muse for aesthetic art and the simplification of form. He reduces the human figure to its essence and thus has created not only an object of aesthetic significance but a sculpture of immense and inspiring beauty.
The Guggenheim museum in New York represents a vital chapter in the history of modern art and its importance as a collection is of supreme, undeniable importance.
For further details and to plan your visit, go to Visitmuseums.com
Thursday 26 May 2011
Joan Miro, “The Ladder of Escape”, Tate Modern Museum, London, UK
Tate Modern Museum Exhibition: Joan Miro, “The Ladder of Escape”London, UK. For further details visit www.VisitMuseums.com. By Larissa Woolf, VisitMuseums.com Arts Editorial Contributor
The Tate Modern in London has assembled a magnificent retrospective exhibition on the work of world renowned artist Joan Miro which runs through to 11 September 2011. The exhibition has brought together paintings and sculptures that span the whole of his career, from his first paintings in 1921 right through to work that he was producing at the end of his life. He produced a vast and amazing collection of work that testify to the creativity of the times and to his own personal and unique talent.
Born in the Catalan capital of Barcelona, Miro wanted to be a painter from an early age. His commitment to his native Catalonia and the family farm at Mont-roig and the influences of rural life can be particularly seen in his early works. His painting, ‘The Farm’ (bought by Hemmingway) which he finished in 1922 shows his amazing attention to detail; the painting is teeming with life as he captures the vitality and earthy sensuality of the Catalan scene. We see how his style evolves into an exploration of the inner world and the relation of reality to his imagination – he would soon be exploring with the ideals of Surrealism. In fact Andre Breton, the leader of the Surrealists in Paris called him ‘the most surreal of us all’ acknowledging Miro’s perpetually inventive imagination. ‘In the Head of a Catalan Peasant’ we see how Miro reduces this archetypal figure to a collection of abstract shapes; the hunter’s head is a triangle, there is a beard and pipe, each part combines together to make up a story against a backdrop of vivid blue. He claimed that Surrealism liberated his art and his mind. Eventually he would become fascinated by the subconscious as an alternative to the rational as he juxtaposed unrelated objects together.
The Barcelona series which he produced in the 1930s is a particularly arresting collection of work as we see 50 lithographs of distorted, often grotesque black and white figures teeming with each other. Miro draws eyes on heads, distorted faces and figures in a macabre ensemble of disquieting, nightmarish landscapes and creatures. We see how affected he and his art was by what was going on in the world around him and how the Spanish civil war which was devastating Spain gave him the real sense that the world was collapsing around him.
Yet Miro shows his artistic dexterity as we see in his most famous and beautiful series, The Constellations which he painted in January 1940. Here again the crescent moons, swirling lines, profusion of stars, eyes and arrows combine together with misshapen creatures. The art is both beautiful and disturbing, peaceful and disquieting, the figures of anxiety teem with symbols of beauty. However way it makes you feel Miro’s art certainly has extraordinary powers to bring out emotion and you cannot view his art without experiencing them. His symbolism became more and more pared down in his later works, seen most prominently in his series of blue triptychs which form perhaps the core of his technique. His later works, such as the Burnt Canvases which he created in late 1973 attest to his continuing energy and his challenging of orthodox ideas.
At the Tate Modern you will not only see some of Miro’s most famous and awe inspiring works but you will be able to learn about him as a man, artist and thinker and gain an understanding of his work. This champion of surrealism is well worth a visit!
Tate Modern Museum Exhibition: Joan Miro, “The Ladder of Escape”London, UK. For further details visit www.VisitMuseums.com.
The Tate Modern in London has assembled a magnificent retrospective exhibition on the work of world renowned artist Joan Miro which runs through to 11 September 2011. The exhibition has brought together paintings and sculptures that span the whole of his career, from his first paintings in 1921 right through to work that he was producing at the end of his life. He produced a vast and amazing collection of work that testify to the creativity of the times and to his own personal and unique talent.
Born in the Catalan capital of Barcelona, Miro wanted to be a painter from an early age. His commitment to his native Catalonia and the family farm at Mont-roig and the influences of rural life can be particularly seen in his early works. His painting, ‘The Farm’ (bought by Hemmingway) which he finished in 1922 shows his amazing attention to detail; the painting is teeming with life as he captures the vitality and earthy sensuality of the Catalan scene. We see how his style evolves into an exploration of the inner world and the relation of reality to his imagination – he would soon be exploring with the ideals of Surrealism. In fact Andre Breton, the leader of the Surrealists in Paris called him ‘the most surreal of us all’ acknowledging Miro’s perpetually inventive imagination. ‘In the Head of a Catalan Peasant’ we see how Miro reduces this archetypal figure to a collection of abstract shapes; the hunter’s head is a triangle, there is a beard and pipe, each part combines together to make up a story against a backdrop of vivid blue. He claimed that Surrealism liberated his art and his mind. Eventually he would become fascinated by the subconscious as an alternative to the rational as he juxtaposed unrelated objects together.
The Barcelona series which he produced in the 1930s is a particularly arresting collection of work as we see 50 lithographs of distorted, often grotesque black and white figures teeming with each other. Miro draws eyes on heads, distorted faces and figures in a macabre ensemble of disquieting, nightmarish landscapes and creatures. We see how affected he and his art was by what was going on in the world around him and how the Spanish civil war which was devastating Spain gave him the real sense that the world was collapsing around him.
Yet Miro shows his artistic dexterity as we see in his most famous and beautiful series, The Constellations which he painted in January 1940. Here again the crescent moons, swirling lines, profusion of stars, eyes and arrows combine together with misshapen creatures. The art is both beautiful and disturbing, peaceful and disquieting, the figures of anxiety teem with symbols of beauty. However way it makes you feel Miro’s art certainly has extraordinary powers to bring out emotion and you cannot view his art without experiencing them. His symbolism became more and more pared down in his later works, seen most prominently in his series of blue triptychs which form perhaps the core of his technique. His later works, such as the Burnt Canvases which he created in late 1973 attest to his continuing energy and his challenging of orthodox ideas.
At the Tate Modern you will not only see some of Miro’s most famous and awe inspiring works but you will be able to learn about him as a man, artist and thinker and gain an understanding of his work. This champion of surrealism is well worth a visit!
Tate Modern Museum Exhibition: Joan Miro, “The Ladder of Escape”London, UK. For further details visit www.VisitMuseums.com.
Thursday 5 May 2011
Frick Museum, New York City
The Frick Museum, New York, USA. For further details visit www.VisitMuseums.com. By Larissa Woolf, VisitMuseums.com Arts Editorial Contributor
The Frick museum is one of my favourite museums in New York. It houses a spectacular collection of Old Masters paintings by major European artists. It includes also some superb eighteenth century furniture and porcelain, Limoges enamels, oriental rugs and other works. Founded by Henry Clay Frick , the Pittsburgh coke and steel industrialist, the collection is vast and eclectic As soon as you walk into its doors there is a feeling of calm and serenity, the oak panelled walls and beautiful courtyard with the sound of the fountain lends to the unique atmosphere of this former residence on 5th Avenue overlooking Central Park. Artists such as Rembrandt, Tiepolo, Ingres, El Greco, Vermeer can be seen, to name but a few.
One of the most attesting paintings at the museum is Giovanni Bellini’s painting, ‘St Francis’. We see St Fancis of Assissi transfixed as he receives Christ’s stigmata and the transcendental light captured by the painter is fabulous. The shepherd and the donkey seem to be oblivious to what is going on which adds to the uniqueness of the piece. It is a painting of incredible spiritual force and the greatest Renaissance painting in the United States and the best preserved.
Of the many works on display is the famous painting by Hans Holbein the Younger of Thomas More. Hans Holbein came to London in 1526 and was introduced to Thomas More by Erasmus. At the time of painting More was Lord Chancellor but he refused the Supremacy of the King and so was beheaded in 1535. We have here an evocation of one man’s mind and character. His resilience and inner convictions shine through and Holbein has painted a portrait with immense detail such as More’s stubble and the velvet sleeves of his robe. One can really feel More’s strength of character shine through the painting.
Likewise Jan Vermeer’s portrait, ‘Mistress and Maid’ is equally riveting. We see the class distinction between mistress and maid and the tension between the two women is almost palpable. The subject matter – that of the maid handing a letter to her mistress – means that the two women become almost equals in the sharing of illicit information. Vermeer was a master of light and the subtle effects of it can be seen in his rendering of the lady and the objects on the table. It is truly a masterpiece.
Another of the highlights in the museum is a superb portrait by Ingres of the Comtesse d’Haussonville. An aristocrat, she was the mother of three children but was also a liberal and published books. The painting took him three years to paint and brilliantly catches the provocative, beguiling expression on the Comtesse’s face and her quiet confidence.
I highly recommend a visit to the Frick museum – it is not be missed! - and leave lots of time to take in the countless masterpieces that are there to be seen.
For further details on visiting museums in New York, USA visit www.VisitMuseums.com
The Frick museum is one of my favourite museums in New York. It houses a spectacular collection of Old Masters paintings by major European artists. It includes also some superb eighteenth century furniture and porcelain, Limoges enamels, oriental rugs and other works. Founded by Henry Clay Frick , the Pittsburgh coke and steel industrialist, the collection is vast and eclectic As soon as you walk into its doors there is a feeling of calm and serenity, the oak panelled walls and beautiful courtyard with the sound of the fountain lends to the unique atmosphere of this former residence on 5th Avenue overlooking Central Park. Artists such as Rembrandt, Tiepolo, Ingres, El Greco, Vermeer can be seen, to name but a few.
One of the most attesting paintings at the museum is Giovanni Bellini’s painting, ‘St Francis’. We see St Fancis of Assissi transfixed as he receives Christ’s stigmata and the transcendental light captured by the painter is fabulous. The shepherd and the donkey seem to be oblivious to what is going on which adds to the uniqueness of the piece. It is a painting of incredible spiritual force and the greatest Renaissance painting in the United States and the best preserved.
Of the many works on display is the famous painting by Hans Holbein the Younger of Thomas More. Hans Holbein came to London in 1526 and was introduced to Thomas More by Erasmus. At the time of painting More was Lord Chancellor but he refused the Supremacy of the King and so was beheaded in 1535. We have here an evocation of one man’s mind and character. His resilience and inner convictions shine through and Holbein has painted a portrait with immense detail such as More’s stubble and the velvet sleeves of his robe. One can really feel More’s strength of character shine through the painting.
Likewise Jan Vermeer’s portrait, ‘Mistress and Maid’ is equally riveting. We see the class distinction between mistress and maid and the tension between the two women is almost palpable. The subject matter – that of the maid handing a letter to her mistress – means that the two women become almost equals in the sharing of illicit information. Vermeer was a master of light and the subtle effects of it can be seen in his rendering of the lady and the objects on the table. It is truly a masterpiece.
Another of the highlights in the museum is a superb portrait by Ingres of the Comtesse d’Haussonville. An aristocrat, she was the mother of three children but was also a liberal and published books. The painting took him three years to paint and brilliantly catches the provocative, beguiling expression on the Comtesse’s face and her quiet confidence.
I highly recommend a visit to the Frick museum – it is not be missed! - and leave lots of time to take in the countless masterpieces that are there to be seen.
For further details on visiting museums in New York, USA visit www.VisitMuseums.com
Thursday 7 April 2011
Leonardo da Vinci Forster Codices at the V & A Museum, London
Leonardo da Vinci’s Notebooks (Forster Codices) late 15th / early 16th century, Medieval & Renaissance Galleries, Victoria and Albert Museum Permanent Collections, London. For further details visit, www.VisitMuseums.com By Larissa Woolf, VisitMuseums.com Arts Editorial Contributor
Amongst all the delights and riches that are on offer to view at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London make sure you take a detour to discover this small yet incredibly important group of notebooks in the permanent collection. Leonardo da Vinci, the grand master of paintings and inventions, used to note and sketch many of his ideas, observations and drawings. He started recording his thoughts in the late 1480’s and three of his small notebooks, – each the size of an outstretched hand – have survived the test of time and have come to the Victoria and Albert Museum as a bequest of the writer John Forster. Written in intricate handwriting in pen and ink on paper they are showcased together with an in depth commentary. You can digitally peruse each of the diaries to discover many of the different gems of thoughts and ideas that are in each. Leonardo da Vinci was born in 1452 in Italy and was an artist, scientist and engineer. Perhaps best known for his enigmatic painting ‘The Mona Lisa’ in the Louvre Museum, he was regarded in his day as a true Renaissance man, a genius then and a genius now whose paintings and inventions changed the world. His interests were vast and eclectic and interestingly he wrote in Italian, not Latin and wrote from right to left. In diary one for example we see how he makes notes on a way of making harmless explosions in a room – as court artist in Milan he would have been responsible for court entertainment and performances. Interspersed with this, is detailed anatomical drawings. In Diary 2, we see his interest in the properties of vision that led him to consider problems of painting and representation. There are sketches of clouds for paintings on one page followed by philosophical thoughts on the nature of government. A sketch of the Virgin and Child which now also resides in the Louvre Museum, Paris is prefigured as are drawings of hats, studies for doorways, building designs, helmets and even the Milan cathedral. His insights in the Arts and Sciences were legendary
Truly interesting – a genuine piece of living history – you can catch a glimpse of his visions and garner an insight into the thought processes of a genius.
Leonardo da Vinci’s Notebooks (Forster Codices) late 15th / early 16th century, Medieval & Renaissance Galleries, Victoria and Albert Museum Permanent Collections, London. For further details visit www.VisitMuseums.com, London, UK.
Leonardo da Vinci, Forster Codices, Volumes I, II and III, Late 15th - early 16th Century.
V & A Museum, London, UK
Amongst all the delights and riches that are on offer to view at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London make sure you take a detour to discover this small yet incredibly important group of notebooks in the permanent collection. Leonardo da Vinci, the grand master of paintings and inventions, used to note and sketch many of his ideas, observations and drawings. He started recording his thoughts in the late 1480’s and three of his small notebooks, – each the size of an outstretched hand – have survived the test of time and have come to the Victoria and Albert Museum as a bequest of the writer John Forster. Written in intricate handwriting in pen and ink on paper they are showcased together with an in depth commentary. You can digitally peruse each of the diaries to discover many of the different gems of thoughts and ideas that are in each. Leonardo da Vinci was born in 1452 in Italy and was an artist, scientist and engineer. Perhaps best known for his enigmatic painting ‘The Mona Lisa’ in the Louvre Museum, he was regarded in his day as a true Renaissance man, a genius then and a genius now whose paintings and inventions changed the world. His interests were vast and eclectic and interestingly he wrote in Italian, not Latin and wrote from right to left. In diary one for example we see how he makes notes on a way of making harmless explosions in a room – as court artist in Milan he would have been responsible for court entertainment and performances. Interspersed with this, is detailed anatomical drawings. In Diary 2, we see his interest in the properties of vision that led him to consider problems of painting and representation. There are sketches of clouds for paintings on one page followed by philosophical thoughts on the nature of government. A sketch of the Virgin and Child which now also resides in the Louvre Museum, Paris is prefigured as are drawings of hats, studies for doorways, building designs, helmets and even the Milan cathedral. His insights in the Arts and Sciences were legendary
Truly interesting – a genuine piece of living history – you can catch a glimpse of his visions and garner an insight into the thought processes of a genius.
Leonardo da Vinci’s Notebooks (Forster Codices) late 15th / early 16th century, Medieval & Renaissance Galleries, Victoria and Albert Museum Permanent Collections, London. For further details visit www.VisitMuseums.com, London, UK.
Leonardo da Vinci, Forster Codices, Volumes I, II and III, Late 15th - early 16th Century.
V & A Museum, London, UK
Cult of Beauty Exhibition - V & A Museum, London
The Cult of Beauty, The Aesthetic Movement 1860-1900. At the Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington, London from 2 April to 17 July 2011. See www.VisitMuseums.com for further details. By Larissa Woolf, VisitMuseums.com Arts Editorial Contributor
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London is currently putting on a fantastic exhibition until 17 July 2011 on the Aesthetic Movement in Britain. This innovative show has bravely taken on a subject theme that is both wide and challenging as it embraces all areas of the art, literary, cultural and design world in late Victorian England. As you enter through its doors into this iconic cultural era you will be amazed by sublime Pre-Raphaelite paintings by the likes of grand masters such as Rossetti, Millais and Edward Burne Jones as well as iconic pieces of furniture, objets d’art and ceramics designed by craftsmen such as William de Morgan and Lawrence Alma Tadema, to name but a few of the grand masters on display.
The Aesthetic movement was characterised not only by the desire to create a new form of art based on the revolutionary ideal of ‘Art for Art’s sake’ but was a movement that was savagely reacting to the materialism, ugliness and rigidity of Victorian England. Artists were searching for a new kind of art free from the stiff cultural ideas and moral codes of the time and instead focused on what was beautiful and sensual. They aimed to create visual and tactile delights, art that didn’t have a moral or religious message and that had as one of its principal ideals the stimulation of one sense by another. The exhibition opens dramatically with ‘The Sluggard’- a stunning , life size statue by Leighton of an athlete waking up from sleep. The fact that this was not marble but painted to imitate bronze would have been a shock for many contemporary Victorians. We are introduced to the three key motifs of the Movement: the peacock, representing pure beauty and resurrection; sunflowers, symbol of masculine beauty and the lily; a new flower for the Victorian garden, representing purity. We learn that furniture became works of art as well as functional objects, such as the beautiful and evocative Edward Burne Jones sideboard, entitled ‘Ladies and Animals’. Ceramic tiles, chairs, stained glass panels and the wallpaper designs of William Morris, known throughout the world for his floral and vibrant patterns, are showcased. The craze for blue and white china and amassing as large a collection as possible paved the way for fierce competition between artists like Rossetti and Whistler. Moreover Japanese inspired motifs infiltrated all aspects of artistic life and shows its influence in many of the paintings, drawings and decorative objects.
Without doubt one of the most impressive sections of the exhibition is the array of Pre-Raphaelite portraits that adorn one of the first rooms of the show – the curators clearly set out to impress us and it works! Walking alongside these iconic and whimsical beauties is truly awe inspiring, amongst them Frederick Leighton’s Pavonia (1858-9), her sultry, decadent beauty reaching out to mock or inspire us; her face framed by a stunning, colourful array of peacock feathers. One moves from grand master painting to another – Rossetti’s ‘Veronica Veronese’ for example is tremendous. She sits in a rich green velvet dress with full lips, her trademark rich auburn hair, long neck and voluptuous curves in a passionate reverie, gently plucking her violin and contemplating life. These painters were truly creating new types of beauty, a new art, an aesthetic ideal.
Admittedly the exhibition is perhaps too adventurous, presenting us with a wealth of information that seems at times a little overwhelming as it tries to give us such an in depth critique of all the intricacies of the Aesthetic movement and its various champions and critics. We hear about the intense rivalry between John Ruskin and Whistler and the former’s virulent attack on Whistler’s pictures at the first Grosvenor show and his scorn for the concept of ‘Art for Art’s’ sake. Yet as you walk through and admire all the showcases you would be hard pressed not to find objects and paintings that correspond to your own personal interest. Jewellery by Edward Burne Jones , a purse by Jane Morris are juxtaposed with furniture designed by Godwin, Cameron’s black and white photos, Elgin’s marbles, and grand Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces such as Whistler’s ‘Symphony in White, Rosettti’s ‘Day Dream’ and Leighton’s ‘The Bath of Psyche. For me I was particularly transfixed by the two fans that were on display, one a black gruesome fan with bats encircling each other. The other fan, entitled ‘Fan of Lady X,’ in ink, watercolour, gouache on sandalwood was particularly unusual as a historical piece of social life, acting as a modern day autograph book with 39 artists’ autographs and portraits etched at the top of each baton. A social movement with strong links between the artists and its patrons we come across delightful portraits of aristocrats such as Frederic Leighton’s ‘Countess Bromlow’ and Millais’ realistic portrait of Kate Perugini, Dickens’ daughter as well as a video installation of the Peacock room, the most celebrated interior in the Aesthetic style. Not to forget a commentary on Oscar Wilde and the important role he had as the most famous aesthete of his time, his super subtle sensibility and passionate response to poetry and decoration so at odds with Victorianism.
My advice is to go the Victoria and Albert Museum as soon as you can.. And if you are a Pre-Raphaelite art lover, like me, allow plenty of time!
The Cult of Beauty, The Aesthetic Movement 1860-1900. At the Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington, London from 2 April to 17 July 2011. See www.VisitMuseums.com for further details.
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London is currently putting on a fantastic exhibition until 17 July 2011 on the Aesthetic Movement in Britain. This innovative show has bravely taken on a subject theme that is both wide and challenging as it embraces all areas of the art, literary, cultural and design world in late Victorian England. As you enter through its doors into this iconic cultural era you will be amazed by sublime Pre-Raphaelite paintings by the likes of grand masters such as Rossetti, Millais and Edward Burne Jones as well as iconic pieces of furniture, objets d’art and ceramics designed by craftsmen such as William de Morgan and Lawrence Alma Tadema, to name but a few of the grand masters on display.
The Aesthetic movement was characterised not only by the desire to create a new form of art based on the revolutionary ideal of ‘Art for Art’s sake’ but was a movement that was savagely reacting to the materialism, ugliness and rigidity of Victorian England. Artists were searching for a new kind of art free from the stiff cultural ideas and moral codes of the time and instead focused on what was beautiful and sensual. They aimed to create visual and tactile delights, art that didn’t have a moral or religious message and that had as one of its principal ideals the stimulation of one sense by another. The exhibition opens dramatically with ‘The Sluggard’- a stunning , life size statue by Leighton of an athlete waking up from sleep. The fact that this was not marble but painted to imitate bronze would have been a shock for many contemporary Victorians. We are introduced to the three key motifs of the Movement: the peacock, representing pure beauty and resurrection; sunflowers, symbol of masculine beauty and the lily; a new flower for the Victorian garden, representing purity. We learn that furniture became works of art as well as functional objects, such as the beautiful and evocative Edward Burne Jones sideboard, entitled ‘Ladies and Animals’. Ceramic tiles, chairs, stained glass panels and the wallpaper designs of William Morris, known throughout the world for his floral and vibrant patterns, are showcased. The craze for blue and white china and amassing as large a collection as possible paved the way for fierce competition between artists like Rossetti and Whistler. Moreover Japanese inspired motifs infiltrated all aspects of artistic life and shows its influence in many of the paintings, drawings and decorative objects.
Without doubt one of the most impressive sections of the exhibition is the array of Pre-Raphaelite portraits that adorn one of the first rooms of the show – the curators clearly set out to impress us and it works! Walking alongside these iconic and whimsical beauties is truly awe inspiring, amongst them Frederick Leighton’s Pavonia (1858-9), her sultry, decadent beauty reaching out to mock or inspire us; her face framed by a stunning, colourful array of peacock feathers. One moves from grand master painting to another – Rossetti’s ‘Veronica Veronese’ for example is tremendous. She sits in a rich green velvet dress with full lips, her trademark rich auburn hair, long neck and voluptuous curves in a passionate reverie, gently plucking her violin and contemplating life. These painters were truly creating new types of beauty, a new art, an aesthetic ideal.
Admittedly the exhibition is perhaps too adventurous, presenting us with a wealth of information that seems at times a little overwhelming as it tries to give us such an in depth critique of all the intricacies of the Aesthetic movement and its various champions and critics. We hear about the intense rivalry between John Ruskin and Whistler and the former’s virulent attack on Whistler’s pictures at the first Grosvenor show and his scorn for the concept of ‘Art for Art’s’ sake. Yet as you walk through and admire all the showcases you would be hard pressed not to find objects and paintings that correspond to your own personal interest. Jewellery by Edward Burne Jones , a purse by Jane Morris are juxtaposed with furniture designed by Godwin, Cameron’s black and white photos, Elgin’s marbles, and grand Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces such as Whistler’s ‘Symphony in White, Rosettti’s ‘Day Dream’ and Leighton’s ‘The Bath of Psyche. For me I was particularly transfixed by the two fans that were on display, one a black gruesome fan with bats encircling each other. The other fan, entitled ‘Fan of Lady X,’ in ink, watercolour, gouache on sandalwood was particularly unusual as a historical piece of social life, acting as a modern day autograph book with 39 artists’ autographs and portraits etched at the top of each baton. A social movement with strong links between the artists and its patrons we come across delightful portraits of aristocrats such as Frederic Leighton’s ‘Countess Bromlow’ and Millais’ realistic portrait of Kate Perugini, Dickens’ daughter as well as a video installation of the Peacock room, the most celebrated interior in the Aesthetic style. Not to forget a commentary on Oscar Wilde and the important role he had as the most famous aesthete of his time, his super subtle sensibility and passionate response to poetry and decoration so at odds with Victorianism.
My advice is to go the Victoria and Albert Museum as soon as you can.. And if you are a Pre-Raphaelite art lover, like me, allow plenty of time!
The Cult of Beauty, The Aesthetic Movement 1860-1900. At the Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington, London from 2 April to 17 July 2011. See www.VisitMuseums.com for further details.
Thursday 17 March 2011
Life, Legend, Landscape: Victorian drawings and watercolours Exhibition at the Courtauld Institute, London, UK
Life, Legend, Landscape: Victorian drawings and watercolours.
At the Courtauld Institute of Art, London, UK from 17th February to 15 May 2011. See www.VisitMuseums.com for further details. By Larissa Woolf, VisitMuseums.com Arts Editorial Contributor
The Courtauld Gallery in London is currently showing a small, eclectic and impressive exhibition of Victorian drawings and watercolours. Selected from its own extensive collection, it is important to know that many of these works have never been exhibited before – until now! These watercolours, informal sketches and preliminary drawings span the reign of Victoria from 1837 – 1901 and reveal fascinating insights into the creative process of the artist as well as highlighting the vitality of draughtmanship that was so distinctive of the era. Nude sketches by artists like Frederic Leighton and Rossetti teem with watercolours by heavyweight landscape artists such as J.M.W Turner, Ruskin and Whistler.
One of the highlights of the show is a work by the famous Pre-Raphaelite painter, Dante Rossetti. His study for the preparation of his grand painting, ‘Venus Verticordio’ is astonishing. One cannot fail to admire the sensual and striking features of his muse, inspired in part by Venetian High Renaissance Art, and how delicately he renders her beauty onto paper. Throughout the exhibition we are given titbits of historical and biographical information which makes admiring the works all the more interesting. For instance we learn that Rossetti in his graphite drawing of “Elizabeth Siddal seated at an easel” first spotted his muse in a milliner’s shop in Leicester Square. Not only did he cast Siddal as the Pre-Raphaelite ideal for female beauty but she also became an artist in her own right, under his training, and later on his wife. We see, perhaps more poignantly in these preparatory drawings, how these artists were influenced by the cultural influences of the Renaissance and Greek and Roman literature. John Millais’ “The Parting of Ulysees”, for example, depicts a scene from the Odyssey and his drawings appeared once a week in a periodical. In this miniature but richly painted drawing we see the sorceress Circe waving goodbye to a Greek hero. His ability to draw so evocatively and beautifully and yet on such a small scale testifies to his artistic ability.
Oddly – as I am rather a Rossetti fan – my favourite picture in the exhibition was by a the British painter, Frederick Walker, born in 1840, entitled “The Old Farm Garden”. It is a watercolour and gouache of an amazingly detailed and rich country scene. In it we rather voyeuristically watch a solitary lady in her own country garden absorbed in her knitting, not realising that there is a cat behind her about to pounce on her ball of yarn. There is both a sense of stillness and anticipation in the watercolour and we learn that the woman is in fact modelled by Walker’s own sister. It is both a narrative landscape and an elegant and poetic portrait of a solitary lady.
The exhibition moreover is a good incentive to come and visit the rest of the collection; the Courtauld gallery having one of the most important and varied collections of art in London.
Life, Legend, Landscape: Victorian drawings and watercolours, Courtauld Institute of Art, London, UK from 17th February to 15 May 2011. See www.VisitMuseums.com for further details.
At the Courtauld Institute of Art, London, UK from 17th February to 15 May 2011. See www.VisitMuseums.com for further details. By Larissa Woolf, VisitMuseums.com Arts Editorial Contributor
The Courtauld Gallery in London is currently showing a small, eclectic and impressive exhibition of Victorian drawings and watercolours. Selected from its own extensive collection, it is important to know that many of these works have never been exhibited before – until now! These watercolours, informal sketches and preliminary drawings span the reign of Victoria from 1837 – 1901 and reveal fascinating insights into the creative process of the artist as well as highlighting the vitality of draughtmanship that was so distinctive of the era. Nude sketches by artists like Frederic Leighton and Rossetti teem with watercolours by heavyweight landscape artists such as J.M.W Turner, Ruskin and Whistler.
One of the highlights of the show is a work by the famous Pre-Raphaelite painter, Dante Rossetti. His study for the preparation of his grand painting, ‘Venus Verticordio’ is astonishing. One cannot fail to admire the sensual and striking features of his muse, inspired in part by Venetian High Renaissance Art, and how delicately he renders her beauty onto paper. Throughout the exhibition we are given titbits of historical and biographical information which makes admiring the works all the more interesting. For instance we learn that Rossetti in his graphite drawing of “Elizabeth Siddal seated at an easel” first spotted his muse in a milliner’s shop in Leicester Square. Not only did he cast Siddal as the Pre-Raphaelite ideal for female beauty but she also became an artist in her own right, under his training, and later on his wife. We see, perhaps more poignantly in these preparatory drawings, how these artists were influenced by the cultural influences of the Renaissance and Greek and Roman literature. John Millais’ “The Parting of Ulysees”, for example, depicts a scene from the Odyssey and his drawings appeared once a week in a periodical. In this miniature but richly painted drawing we see the sorceress Circe waving goodbye to a Greek hero. His ability to draw so evocatively and beautifully and yet on such a small scale testifies to his artistic ability.
Oddly – as I am rather a Rossetti fan – my favourite picture in the exhibition was by a the British painter, Frederick Walker, born in 1840, entitled “The Old Farm Garden”. It is a watercolour and gouache of an amazingly detailed and rich country scene. In it we rather voyeuristically watch a solitary lady in her own country garden absorbed in her knitting, not realising that there is a cat behind her about to pounce on her ball of yarn. There is both a sense of stillness and anticipation in the watercolour and we learn that the woman is in fact modelled by Walker’s own sister. It is both a narrative landscape and an elegant and poetic portrait of a solitary lady.
The exhibition moreover is a good incentive to come and visit the rest of the collection; the Courtauld gallery having one of the most important and varied collections of art in London.
Life, Legend, Landscape: Victorian drawings and watercolours, Courtauld Institute of Art, London, UK from 17th February to 15 May 2011. See www.VisitMuseums.com for further details.
Saturday 5 March 2011
Afghanistan: Surviving Treasures Exhibition at The British Museum, London
Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World – Surviving Treasures from the National Museum of Afghanistan. At the British Museum, London from 3 March to 3 July 2011. See www.VisitMuseums.com for further details. By Larissa Woolf, VisitMuseums.com Arts Editorial Contributor
The British museum in London is hosting an unforgettable and unparalleled collection of priceless art and artefacts from Afghanistan. The exhibition, called “Crossroads of the Ancient World” which runs until the 3rd July 2011 reveals how a country that has been eclipsed by 30 years of chaos nonetheless holds a vast collection of art treasures that dates as far back as 4000 BC. Such a collection has only survived because of the heroic actions of the Afghan people themselves, who hid many of the precious artefacts during the war. Dynamic influences of Greek art and a huge mix of trends ranging from India, Rome, China and Persia combine together to create a cultural history that is teeming with priceless statues, objects of art and artefacts.
Beginning with an important sculpture of Ai Khanum, which dates back to 145 BC, and is a beautiful limestone sculpture of a young man we see how Afghanistan was conquered by the Greeks even though it was a full year’s march away. The exhibition is loosely divided into four sites presenting each archaeological excavation and the treasures that were found. In Al Khanum, an unearthed Greek frontier city, we see the strong effects of Hellenism on the local culture. Video footage gives a compelling picture of the temple and life recreated in Greek times.
The treasures found in concealed storerooms in Begram by French archaeologists are multifold. Goods from China, India, the Roman Empire and the Kushan royal family have been unearthed there. One such find were the intact ivory figures of sensuous women embodying the Indian river Goddess, Ganga, dating back to 1st century AD. The enigmatic women are depicted in detailed Indian dress and stand on mythical creatures called Makara: an imaginary animal made up of a fish, crocodile and elephant. Numerous artefacts were unearthed including extraordinary glass vessel crafted in the shape of fish which, we are told, resemble no other fish in the Roman world but are made of ancient Egyptian roman glass. Porphyry, alabaster, rock crystal, ivory, gold and lapis lazuli are but a few of the materials that have been discovered; many in perfect condition. In the six tombs from a nomad cemetery there are an array of 20,000 items of gold ranging from intricate daggers and headpieces to coins and jewellery.
One of the highlights of the show is a magnificent folding gold crown excavated from the Tillya Tepe site and is from 1st century AD. A crown that can be dismantled and packed flat it was ideal for a nomadic people and perhaps belonged to a wealthy ruler of a Kushan province. In fact walking through the exhibition to a backdrop of huge, majestic mountain ranges on the walls which, combined with the sound of Afghan music, really gives one the sense of being in a frontier land, vibrant and rich, steeped in living history.
The British Museum in London has worked closely with the National museum of Afghanistan in Kabul and has created an awe inspiring, stunning and interesting show – it is not to be missed. Afghanistan – Crossroads of the Ancient World – Surviving Treasures from the National Museum of Afghanistan, British Museum, London from 3 March to 3 July 2011, see www.visitmuseums.com for further details.
The British museum in London is hosting an unforgettable and unparalleled collection of priceless art and artefacts from Afghanistan. The exhibition, called “Crossroads of the Ancient World” which runs until the 3rd July 2011 reveals how a country that has been eclipsed by 30 years of chaos nonetheless holds a vast collection of art treasures that dates as far back as 4000 BC. Such a collection has only survived because of the heroic actions of the Afghan people themselves, who hid many of the precious artefacts during the war. Dynamic influences of Greek art and a huge mix of trends ranging from India, Rome, China and Persia combine together to create a cultural history that is teeming with priceless statues, objects of art and artefacts.
Beginning with an important sculpture of Ai Khanum, which dates back to 145 BC, and is a beautiful limestone sculpture of a young man we see how Afghanistan was conquered by the Greeks even though it was a full year’s march away. The exhibition is loosely divided into four sites presenting each archaeological excavation and the treasures that were found. In Al Khanum, an unearthed Greek frontier city, we see the strong effects of Hellenism on the local culture. Video footage gives a compelling picture of the temple and life recreated in Greek times.
The treasures found in concealed storerooms in Begram by French archaeologists are multifold. Goods from China, India, the Roman Empire and the Kushan royal family have been unearthed there. One such find were the intact ivory figures of sensuous women embodying the Indian river Goddess, Ganga, dating back to 1st century AD. The enigmatic women are depicted in detailed Indian dress and stand on mythical creatures called Makara: an imaginary animal made up of a fish, crocodile and elephant. Numerous artefacts were unearthed including extraordinary glass vessel crafted in the shape of fish which, we are told, resemble no other fish in the Roman world but are made of ancient Egyptian roman glass. Porphyry, alabaster, rock crystal, ivory, gold and lapis lazuli are but a few of the materials that have been discovered; many in perfect condition. In the six tombs from a nomad cemetery there are an array of 20,000 items of gold ranging from intricate daggers and headpieces to coins and jewellery.
One of the highlights of the show is a magnificent folding gold crown excavated from the Tillya Tepe site and is from 1st century AD. A crown that can be dismantled and packed flat it was ideal for a nomadic people and perhaps belonged to a wealthy ruler of a Kushan province. In fact walking through the exhibition to a backdrop of huge, majestic mountain ranges on the walls which, combined with the sound of Afghan music, really gives one the sense of being in a frontier land, vibrant and rich, steeped in living history.
The British Museum in London has worked closely with the National museum of Afghanistan in Kabul and has created an awe inspiring, stunning and interesting show – it is not to be missed. Afghanistan – Crossroads of the Ancient World – Surviving Treasures from the National Museum of Afghanistan, British Museum, London from 3 March to 3 July 2011, see www.visitmuseums.com for further details.
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