Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun

‘Self Portrait of Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun’ [1790], Oil on canvas, 100 x 81 cm

The ‘Self Portrait of Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun‘ [1790] shown above is delicate, forceful and gracefully timid of pose. The feathery handling of hair, elaborate white-cream fabrics and curious pose whilst looking to the mirror extols her professionalism.

Did you notice that this painting is actually a self portrait of Vigée Le Brun producing a working portrait?

Élisabeth married influential art dealer Jean-Baptiste Pierre Le Brun in 1776, himself born into an impressively artistic family. His great-great uncle was Charles Le Brun – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Le_Brun.

Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun herself is daughter of French portraitist Louis Vigée and sister to playwright Étienne Vigée. Skillful art heritage assisted Élisabeth Vigée in successfully competing within aristocratically lucrative landscapes. Eventually Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun is rewarded for her hardworking technical merit through membership to the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture in 1783.

In addition to actively seeking industry connections quality reigns supreme, dot com.

‘Portrait of a Young Woman’ [c.1797] by Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Oil on canvas, 70.5 cm x 82.2 cm

‘Portrait of a Young Woman‘ [c.1797] by Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun incorporates a studio posing style Élisabeth was familiar with. Further research is required to understand the placing of arms, folded inside outer garments.

The backdrop is Renaissance in style whilst Vigée Le Brun’s work intermixes Baroque, Neoclassical and Rococo themes. A learned expert, without question, given to intensively study her past and contemporary art Masters.

We can see a sense of movement to her subject’s hair, windswept, traversing waves set sail across the Atlantic, Pacific or Mediterranean oceans. Her outer garments are perfectly defined and believably intricate.

Fashion, Fashion, Fashion with added Heart Eyes Emoji.

Supercool.

‘Portrait of Charles-Alexandre de Calonne‘ [1784] by Madame Vigée Le Brun, Oil on canvas, 155.5 x 130.3 cm

How does one begin to describe this painting by Madame Vigée Le Brun of Charles-Alexandre de Calonne?

Beyond Words.

I want to lean forward in an attempt to prevent his precariously placed paper document from falling to the ground. Her painting so breathtakingly real it positively interacts with us as the viewer. A calm, easy, attentive posture. Tremendous power emanates from the subject.

Digitalised Virtual Reality – the optical illusion provoking a sensory response with body and mind.

Here is a past The Unfathomable Artist article about John W Waterhouse, therein explaining his similar ‘VR-like’ ability:

https://theunfathomableartist.wordpress.com/2014/08/21/john-w-waterhouse-the-lady-of-shalott/

‘Portrait of Madame Du Barry’ [1781] by Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Oil on panel, 27 1/4 x 20 1/4 inches (69.2 x 51.4 cm)

I decided to include ‘Portrait of Madame Du Barry‘ for.. the.. straw.. hat. Spoken rather slowly to imagine my awe.

Artistic painters enjoy certain textures. A past article about woven textural specialist Guiseppe Arcimboldo illustrates my point here: https://theunfathomableartist.wordpress.com/2014/10/31/guiseppe-arcimboldo/

Madame Du Barry wore a peignoir for this particular sitting, a dressing gown. The painting was commissioned for the Duc de Brissac, Louis Hercule Timoléon de Cossé-Brissac [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Hercule_Timol%C3%A9on_de_Coss%C3%A9-Brissac] according to the artist’s ‘Souvenirs’ 1835-37.

Further information about the artist can be found by reading ‘Vigée Le Brun’ by Joseph Baillio, Katharine Baetjer, Paul Lang.

Madame Du Barry has her visual identity stored for us upon the canvas, and also digitally too.

Should we call this a UI or a Unique Identity?

Cue trailer.

Artemisia Gentileschi The Baroquess

‘Judith and Her Maidservant’ by Artemisia Gentileschi, c1625-27, Oil on canvas, 184 cm (72 in) × 141.6 cm (55.7 in).

Art fans interested in Italian Baroque..

..Artemisia Gentileschi to the rescue.

In my opinion Artemisia can effortlessly flow between pre-Raphaelite, Renaissance and Baroque styles. The latter style incorporating her most dominant structural preference.

Typically extreme contrasts between dark shading counter-referenced by strong natural or incandescent light upon subject/s revealing foreground details.

The Baroque style is often accompanied by dynamic, intense action designed to infuse a sense of pictorial awe and..

.. Controversy.

I could have happily chosen Orazio Gentileschi, her father, here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orazio_Gentileschi to write about however I wish to balance my blog with various artists. For further details about Artemisia Gentileschi’s life please read her Wikipedia page, here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemisia_Gentileschi

The purpose of this article is to examine her artworks displayed on this page.

This original version of ‘Judith and Her Maidservant’, shown above, clearly emphasizes a female artist at the height of her ability. A father and daughter learned of their craft.

Professional artists of their own volition.

The swaying candle flame, gripped sword at the ready, shadows exquisitely represented. Seriously, we have never seen artistic shadow painted better. A simple statement suffices, noting those superlative Baroque italics included.

Artemisia delivers to us a masterpiece as if with the birth pangs of effort and tumult. It really is ‘As Good As It Gets’.

Except of course there is no romantic comedy in this painting. A greying, lifeless severed head tells a completely different, graphically violent story.

Cardinal robe red drapery overhanging silent gestures tells of an urgent sense of concealment to their obvious caution. Concerned expressions magnify their violent crime.

Only death now seems to be at peace following the previous painting Act scene #1 of ‘Judith Slaying Holofernes’ [c1614-20] by Artemisia Gentileschi, here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judith_Slaying_Holofernes_(Artemisia_Gentileschi)

Let thee shudder as we turn our attention to her next masterful painting chosen for this blog article:

‘Bathsheba’ by Artemisia Gentileschi, c1636/7, Oil on canvas, 265.43 × 209.55 cm (104.5 × 82.5 in).

Immediately it was emotively certain for me to include an example amongst her distinctive ‘Bathsheba’ paintings, shown above.

Renaissance of composition.

For the love of goodness, please look at that silver bathing vessel. It exudes perfect metallic strength, depth and solidity. Should I ever paint metal like this I shall dance around a hallway with all the grace of a mountain goat cascading rocky climbs.

Glass in hand. Celebratory.

Truthfully, Artemisia is modestly accentuating compositional skills at the very word of experts during her lifetime. The architectural construction, also, Beyond Words. The silks, sublime.

Everything in life has rhyme and reason.

The feminine figures foreground positively engages us as viewers. Feigning, whilst attentive. Could it be that the two standing attendants (maidservants) are competing with one another for Bathsheba’s favour?

Engrossed in their respective beautifying function.

Next I chose to venture a painting by Artemisia Gentileschi extolling her pre-Raphaelite competence:

‘Allegory of Inclination’ by Artemisia Gentileschi, c1615
– 1616, ceiling canvas Casa Buonarroti, Galleria, Florence.

Heaven appears to be a firmament in this painting, ‘Allegory of Inclination’ by Artemisia Gentileschi.

Shown above.

Her dreamy-peculiar distant expression. Sensuous handling of the subject material. Modesty covered fleetingly as if by a soft breeze. A bowl of revelation. The star of Magi. Hair tied attractively away from her face to depict important work with far-sighted vision.

Porcelain skin for chastity. The absence of extreme shading for angelic purity. Harmonious legs. Withdrawn body posturing.

Artemisia Gentileschi is quite the feminist throughout her work. I perceive her as willfully strong, confident and determined. Respected as an equal both in society and as a female artist of her generation.

Michelangelo’s nephew, Michelangelo Buonarroti, does not surprise me with his considerable regard at choosing according to eQuality for work relating to the artistic interior decoration at Casa Buonarroti.

Artemisia delivers fine art each and every time.

‘Danaë’ by Artemisia Gentileschi, c1612, Oil paint, copper, 41.5 cm (16.3 in) × 52.5 cm (20.7 in).

‘ Danaë ‘ shown above is an unusual composition.

This artwork, to my mind, describes two stories in one painting. Especially with the interpolation between Danaë and various artworks of Cleopatra by Orazio and Artemisia.

Interestingly Orazio, her father [link shown earlier in this article] also uses similar gold coins falling in his $30.5 million ‘Danaë‘ masterpiece sold January 2016.

His ‘Danaë‘ painting here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana%C3%AB_(Orazio_Gentileschi)#/media/File:Orazio_Gentileschi_-_Dana%C3%AB_and_the_Shower_of_Gold_-_2016.6_-_J._Paul_Getty_Museum.jpg

With professional art collecting all factors might be evaluated. Historical, monetary, emotional, sentimental, proficiency, influence, provenance, creativity, artistic status and social interconnection.

That Artemisia was an industrious woman is a true testimony of her fighting spirit to achieve artistic greatness. A spirit that urges a naturally gifted person without compromise to stand proudly with her peers.

Please note that a scholarly article is available online by Britiany Daugherty which includes inciteful research into Artemisia Gentileschi’s life and works, link here:

http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1056&context=artstudents

Darren Baker Prime Real Estate

‘Classical Horse’ on canvas by Darren Baker, 36 in x 48 in

I wonder how especially delighted Equestrian art admirers would be for the opportunity of British artists Darren Baker and Sally Lancaster to produce an Art Exhibition together?

‘Champagne’ by Darren Baker, Oil on canvas, 28 cm x 40 cm

Ah, the Result. Just look at our ‘Sweet Ballerina’ shown below, waiting patiently.

‘Sweet Ballerina’ by Darren Baker, 23 cm by 20 cm (image shown with white border)

My favourite artists evoke an extraordinary sense of admiration. Power of artistic quality. Flair for vivid imagination. Incredulous symbology. Compositional genius. Weightiness of message.

Darren Baker pushes the boundaries of hyperrealism straight up into the stratosphere.

Having actually experienced an olfactory moment whilst looking at an image of onions Darren Baker had painted is certainly profound.

Suddenly whilst writing this piece the artist John W Waterhouse has leapt into my mind. The weightiness of Darren Baker’s technique allows comparison. To appreciate my thinking further please read:

https://theunfathomableartist.wordpress.com/2014/08/21/john-w-waterhouse-the-lady-of-shalott/

And then we return to Darren Baker.

What makes my ‘olfactory moment’ intriguing is that I have anosmia. Long attributed by myself as occurring from about 7 years of age. Regrettably my olfactory sense is therefore extremely finite. Only strong chemical smells can cause me to briefly capture the fleeting note of an aroma.

Vinegar and onions for instance.

Darren has either purposed to accomplish this olfactory wonder and/or his Realist crafting is so highly tuned that the subject detailing causes complimentary senses to become involved. An artistic crafting of visual-memory triggers linked to additional senses other than sight and touch is certainly a commendable talking point.

Yet I speak from personal experience. Perception being the culmination of all cognitive reasoning gathered together at the blink of an eye. The sixth sense if you will. Intuition.

Darren Baker is already demonstrating his capability at creating art that includes the sense of touch relative to the people, subjects or objects on view. By sight.

Encourage and be encouraged.

Having felt the power of horses and the gracefulness of dancers myself.

To conjure a sense without the sense itself is a sheer feat of hand-to-brush-to-canvas wizardry. Entirely at the forefront of Realist painting is the believability of depth and touch. Highly delineated imagery presented conceivably.

Would it be correct to explain Realist art viewing as first ‘touching as if with one’s eyes?’.

Like the bonfire I did not turn aside from gazing towards in close proximity at 7 years of age. The alluring art I could see dancing as fire-crackling mercilessly against a mountain of wood. Interestingly at this same age I gazed surreally upon a low slung Sun in the sky, pausing whilst playing with friends. Pondering its defiant blazing absurdity.

I find the whole idea that Darren has engineered onions and vinegar into compositional art recipes fascinating. Look at the popularity of cookery shows we see in the televised media.

We love our international food heritage.

Few can hold their work up to the light with the Michelin Stars quality of excellence that Darren Baker boasts modestly through his paintings and eclectically acclaimed client list.

‘Venice’ by Darren Baker, pastel, 20 cm x 25 cm

Darren Baker’s work is unquestionably hyperrealist in quality. The depth of field within ‘Venice’ shown above is a Smörgåsbord of places to explore with our eyes. Reach out to touch your own, personal. Painting. Someone who cares for their art.

Realist painters often draw out the extraordinary from the seemingly ordinary. In 50 years time Darren Baker will have future generations writing and commenting about his work.

The super-impressive charm of paintings such as ‘Herb Garden’ and ‘Breakfast Tea’ first caught my attention and proclamation of awe. Successful commissions for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Bahrain Royal Family and a recently opened Darren Baker Gallery in London 2014 speak volumes. His exemplary talent and ultra-professionalism garnishing favourable influence.

Quite rightly the work of Edgar Degas follows in my next post.

‘StrAwBaBy PaWS Fruit Smoothie’

‘Still Life, Drapery, Pitcher, and Fruit Bowl’ 1893–1894 by Paul Cezanne, oil on canvas, 59 x 72.4 cm

My smoothie recipe called the “StrAwBaBy PaWS Fruit Smoothie” requires:

7 x ripe Strawberries (a mix of medium-to-large chopped into quarters)
2 x good handfuls of fresh ready-to-eat Spinach leaves
1 x handful of Blueberries
1 x whole Banana (sliced to blend)
1 x Pear (I select firm pears so I don’t lose juice whilst slicing ready for the blender)
2 x Apples (crisp juicy varietals are best, medium sized, de-cored and cut ready to blend)

Add water (tap or bottled) to the blended juice to provide a nice smoothie consistency.

1 x tall clear Glass per serving
1 x [electrical] food/fruit Blender
1 x thick milkshake style straw to suck the juice from your glass.

This blended drink should provide 2 to 4 servings dependent upon your preferred serving portion.

Sometimes I vary the drink by substituting two apples for one and adding two pears instead. Or one each of the apple and pear for two bananas.

All the ingredients are blended together with the water and served immediately.
I hope you enjoy my smoothie blend. It’s truly delicious if I may humbly say.

You can put the juice through a sieve/filter if you prefer not to have fruit bits.

You Call THAT Art!? Yes, I do.

Composition IV [1911] Oil on canvas 62.8 × 98.6" (159.5 × 250.5 cm)

‘Composition IV’ [1911] by Wassily Kandinsky
Oil on canvas
62.8 × 98.6″ (159.5 × 250.5 cm)

Firstly, if you have ADHD then this blog has been written with you in mind along with everyone else reading. Maybe ask to buy some nice herbal tea, I recommend Green Tea and Lemongrass. Do you need all that caffeine?

Ok here goes for my blog. Hannah Witton, a well known Youtube vlogger from the UK has raised some interesting talking points in her recent video entitled ‘Is Art Stupid?’ I encourage you to watch her video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHUNplRKexA before reading my blog piece.

Her video is 3 minutes 49 seconds long and will include fun mimicry of museum paintings and a small amount of bosom holding.

Let me tell you a little about my youthful days. In my teens and 20’s I never much cared for the news not unless it was really big news. Kinda ‘meh’, it just wasn’t for me. ‘Hush’ went my Dad as the 6 O’clock news started. Total yawn. School exams, oh my, at that time if you’d asked me to study school exams I’d have made my excuses and let you get on with it.

This is all absurd to me now I’m 41 years of age. I learnt during my early 20’s that I’d let the two most important years of my entire schooling days go-by in apathy. And to think I’d been Head Boy just a few years earlier.

You see, nobody is going to actually live your life for you. Their advice, their insistence, their reasoning.. your way in life is YOURS along with the decisions you make.

Okay, so what has this got to do with art? Erm, good question.

ART was the only subject I cared about at school with regards to my exams. I genuinely loved Biology, Chemistry, Math, History, and English. Geography was okay. I love all these subjects as much now as I did then, the latter more so than I did.

However when I received an E grade GCSE for Art..

..I was absolutely LIVID. Actually I need to write this ‘lllliiiivvvviiiidddd’ just to emphasise my point because I can go back in my mind to that very moment and recall exactly how I felt.

I mean, how dare someone grade me an E for a piece of art that I’d spent many hours working on with all my earnest effort?

At 16 years old I really liked the concept of what I’d painted for my art exam. Regrettably I don’t have that artwork now. I imagine the Exam Board took one look at it and buried it in the deepest darkest depths of Grecian Hades never to be seen again. It would be wonderful for me to see that artwork again.

Anyway the rather stark point is that I didn’t fully understand art then, not until I started picking up my new digital camera into my mid-to-late twenties. You see, a new freedom was now with me. It’s called Contentedness.

Contentedness brought me the freedom to express myself better. At school my Art Teachers had verbally expressed genuine appreciation for some of my art. Yet skill often takes time to develop.

So, ‘what is art?’ Well, you’re the person who decides what art is because it’s your personal opinion.

By definition art from an artist’s perspective is ‘skill acquired by creativity, inspiration, experience, study, and/or observation.’. Defining art in a way to encompass all reasonable perspectives I say:

‘Art is works of creative skill, intellect and/or phenomenal occurrence relative to the perception and/or imagination of creatures biological or otherwise.’ – Matt The Unfathomable Artist, Copyright © 1st December 2015.

Am I art? Are you art? To me, you most definitely are art. Individual. Unique. Extraordinary.

Whilst typically processioning through a Museum or Art Gallery you choose what you like, dislike, agree with, object to. Relate, don’t relate. Love. Hate. That’s the cool thing. We all have different ideas about art. Afterall, it’s your imagination.

Museum Curators do their best to envisage our collective artistic interests through their vast experience. They will seek to exhibit up-to-the-minute fashionable art during each calendar year.

Knights in shining armour wowing the honour of Maidens. Landscapes of castles that still exist today. Depictions of horror, life, death, birth, beauty and repulsiveness. Things to inspire, to lift your mood, to bring you into a different sense of thoughtfulness.

Maybe take a look here – https://theunfathomableartist.wordpress.com/2014/06/12/rubens-massacre-of-the-innocents/ for an example of highly provocative art.

N.B. I first discovered Wassily Kandinsky’s work in December 2014. I was as excitedly ecstatic at seeing his ‘Composition’ works as I was seeing the Matisse art signature for the first time.

Evolutionary Revolutionaries

Above is Kunstformen der Natur (1904), plate 49: entitled Actiniae by Ernst Haeckel.

The English language translation is ‘Artforms of Nature’.

Above is Kunstformen der Natur (1904), plate 99: Trochilidae by Ernst Haeckel.

Above is Kunstformen der Natur (1904), plate 96: Chaetopoda by Ernst Haeckel.

Haeckel’s work is artistically exceptional. Lithographic process is intricate, often requiring specialist equipment and techniques.

We all have different beliefs or non-beliefs, however, no one can argue with factual drawings. When considering events prior it’s no wonder Charles Darwin boarded a boat in a quest to find natural world answers.

The force of nature is cause and effect.

I would like to mention that this is a serious art blog dignifying natural languages and cultures of the world. Readers will see from my previous and future blogs that I cover as many countries and cultural styles as possible.

My own personal thoughts as regards religion and non-religion is to respect other people’s reasonable law abiding opinions.

Sayings for All

A little over four years have passed by since I first wrote the vast majority of these proverbial sayings.

“Who made the stars work together to make firm your walking?”

“Who put forth a limit to your understanding so that the ape and the elephant does not know?”

“Good Domestic Policy is fair tithe between all.”

“An exception to an agreed rule brings a finger that will wag or a tongue that will sway.”

“Do you really know the heart of the one speaking things to you?”

“Feet dragging back lose much ground. A greedy net awaits.”

“No greater or lesser claim can be made when all things are made balanced and fair.”

“Scales well balanced benefit all. Not a nod or a wink to be seen.”

“Happiness receives much gain and its home is a joy to see.”

“Wisdom is Open & Non Judgemental. Everyone knows exactly where this stands.”

“Honesty attracts interest. Reward will be great at a promise well kept.”

Even Wisdom says “We are here and we erred. Please now, let our neighbours help us to sell in our streets and we will service all your roads with joy.”

“Great Speakers are good Conductors. Leaders rather than unseasoned followers. Yielders to reason rather than bucklers for selfish gain.”

“Pawns once removed shift balance whilst equal numbers percent a pleasing draw to conclude.”

“Time is a two-way pressure. Yet all things seem relative to only One.”

“Will Confusion lose track of now? Or will it tire six or even seven moves ahead?”

“Resolve lifts up the shoulders, a helping hand keeps comforting a burden.”

“A family is like a beloved homeland. A castle with a roaring fire against the cold and a contented nest for its warmth.”

“Home is a comforting blanket of love residing under one roof.”

“The wise man said, ‘Repair leaks today before night falls!’”

“The Sun provides energy in its daytime. The moon is a gentle guide in darkness.”

“A contender can speak brash words to stir up whilst a seasoned Champion speaks of calm.”

“Equal is the work of the strong ones hands and the speed of their thoughts.”

“One that works hard in life sees prosperous gain. It is like Gold, Silver and Bronze for its sheer weight or like a purse signed with many colourful banners.”

“An emblem is a sign of fortitude and strength. Its people speak out glad things and it welcomes strangers as friends.”

“If your emblem is a Lion, will you keep showing strength? If it is an Eagle, will you keep seeing good food far off in your sights?”

“The mere hen of a wealthy person’s garden lays eggs day by day. She does not concern herself over food nor does she become anxious under rain.”

“A drink quenches the thirst for a moment. Love is remembered forever.”

“A woman’s heart is at its fullest when suckling her newborn child.”

“Diverse. Divers. Context. Is there a current trend entrenching individual opinion? Why is there a searching for fault that is not? Why is there a reading between lines that do not exist? Sensitivity & Sensibility. The love of different words and the love of different pictures. Moving, Equally.”

Protected: Working Title – 314

Protected: Inspired by Two Oh’s

Writing Is Its Own Art Form

As an artistic person I enjoy challenges.

Judgment Clock Derides

Chorus

“You are holding onto love
The revolving trigger of a gun
You’re flying around the skies
Like a Judgement Clock Derides

And when the horseman comes on in
And takes away your pride
And when the singing stops
Judgement Clocks… Deride

Then that’s the time
Reflection chimes
Like a lightning bolt of mine
Then that’s the time
You’ll say the words
Are being blown upon your mind

A carriage rocks
The horse unstocked
Then you’re on your own

Then that’s the time
Reflection chimes
Like a lightning bolt of mine
Then that’s the time
You’ll say the words
Are being blown upon your mind

Chorus

You are holding onto love
The revolving trigger of a gun
You are flying around the skies
Like a Judgement Clock Derides

And when the horseman comes on in
And takes away your pride
And when the singing stops
Judgement Clocks… Deride

Then that’s the time
Reflection chimes
Like a lightning bolt of mine
Then that’s the time
You’ll say the words
Are being blown upon your mind

Then that’s the time
Reflection chimes
Like a lightning bolt of mine
Then that’s the time
You’ll say the words
Are being blown upon your mind”

The Unfathomable Artist

Art Blogging Infinitum

Tag Archives: matt the unfathomable artist

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun

Artemisia Gentileschi The Baroquess

..Artemisia Gentileschi to the rescue.

Darren Baker Prime Real Estate

‘StrAwBaBy PaWS Fruit Smoothie’

You Call THAT Art!? Yes, I do.

Evolutionary Revolutionaries

Sayings for All

Protected: Working Title – 314

Protected: Inspired by Two Oh’s

Writing Is Its Own Art Form