(Mr. H is still good for a kick in the rear about 4:30 when the painting energy starts to flag.)

--TE

Here in Seattle we head to Starbucks when that happens!

I think Jimi Hendrix was from the Seattle area.

That song - All Along the Watchtower, which is one of my favorites, was written by Bob Dylan. Word around the campfire was that when Dylan heard the Jimi Hendrix rendition he was so blown away that he proclaimed that from that moment on it belonged to J. H., and didn't perform it anymore.

Dylan produced an album in 1970, the year Hendrix died, called "Self Portrait." The album cover (below) is explained by Dylan in an interview:

"We moved to New York. Lookin' back, it really was a stupid thing to do. But there was a house available on MacDougal Street, and I always remembered that as a nice place. So I just bought this house, sight unseen. But it wasn't the same when we got back. The Woodstock Nation had overtaken MacDougal Street also. There'd be crowds outside my house. And I said, 'Well, * * * * it. I wish these people would just forget about me. I wanna do something they can't possibly like, they can't relate to. They'll see it, and they'll listen, and they'll say, 'Well, let's get on to the next person. He ain't sayin' it no more. He ain't given' us what we want,' you know? They'll go on to somebody else. But the whole idea backfired. Because the album went out there, and the people said, 'This ain't what we want,' and they got more resentful. And then I did this portrait for the cover. I mean, there was no title for that album. I knew somebody who had some paints and a square canvas, and I did the cover up in about five minutes. And I said, 'Well, I'm gonna call this album Self Portrait.'"

This first is a rather nice self portrait, I think, by the French Academic painter, sculptor & history painter, Paul Delaroche, 1797 - 1856.

Followed by the portrait of Henrietta Sontag, also by Delaroche.

Next is a self portrait by Alphonse Maria Mucha, 17x11, 1907. I don't think I understand where he was going with this. I like the execution but can't explain the lower half all that well. Maybe he's sitting in a chair - in an odd way.

Three great ones, Mike.

The Mucha's hard to read, and you can eventually get it with study, but it is sort of odd. But you gotta admire the really innovative, mouse's-eye-view angle, showing the underside of the palette.

I didn't know much about Delaroche, but your attribution sparked disgust when I remembered going through the University art program way back when and the word "Academic" was considered a condemnation. I want my tuition back.

Thanks!-TE

Tom,

This Mucha was an interesting figure. I'm wondering if the self portrait above could be cropped, though I can't find anything to contradict the image above. Sometimes I'm fooled.

Alphonse Maria Mucha was a Czech (1860 - 1939) that found his way to Paris in 1887, and continued his studies at Acad

Here are two of the large Slav Epic paintings as shown in the photo above. Pretty industrious I'd say.

1- The Abolition of serfdom in Russia (I've stood and looked at St. Basil's cathedral from that very spot in Red Square)

2- Apotheosis of the Slavs (Slavs for Humanity)

Me too.

There is a Mucha museum worth visiting in Prague at the Old Town Square. It holds paintings, photographs, charcoal drawings, pastels, lithographs and personal memorabilia, as well as many of his correspondences and artwork he did for advertising purposes.

These are the paintings of Joseph Rodefer de Camp, American painter, 1858-1923.

1- The blue cup
2- The Blue Mandarin coat 43x37, 1922
3- The Fur Jacket 30x25, 1910
4- Pauline 24x20, 1907

I especially like the first one. The lighting is very effective, I think.

Mike, thanks for these. DeCamp's become one of my favorites lately. He has a refined feel for atmosphere, and in the public portraits, he gives plenty of "breathing space" around the subjects.

A fellow artist once remarked to me that her work changed radically when she realized, "I wasn't painting light, I was painting air." (Not spatial air, but instead a palpable feeling of humidity, depth, and atmosphere.) I've always felt DeCamp accomplished that feeling very effectively.

Best--TE

I'll do another shameless plug of my bookstore (if you knew how many hundreds of hours I've put into my bookstore, you'd understand). ;) Realize that purchases made in the bookstore help support the Forum.

You can find a book on DeCamp on my bookstore page here: http://fineartbooks.com/history-bostonschool.htm

There's one book just on him and he's also featured in the Boston Painters book.

Boston School
 

Dear Mike:
Thank you for these inspiring selections.

Last fall, CSOPA made a pilgrimage to the Boston Museum to see the Americans in Paris exhibit and the Boston School painters with brilliant portraitist, Marie Minifie, leading use through the galleries. It was a day to remember!

In August of last year, CSOPA also hosted a three-day advanced portrait workshop with Richard Whitney who is a great teacher in the Boston School of painting. He puts early emphasis on contour and design which is evident here - especially with The Blue Cup. Interestingly, Whitney drew upon examples from the Russian portraitists to drive this point home.

Wonderful!

Jeanine

Note to Cynthia: Your book store is a treasure trove! I ordered three today and will be back!

That pretty much says it, Tom. I think that de Camp provides this very well.

Jeanine,

That does sound like a memorable trip. Not long ago my daughter and I arrived in Boston and rented a car in the downtown area, we promptly got eaten up by the "big dig" and was fortunately spit back out some time later. In a driving rainstorm, about 5:00 o'clock in the afternoon traffic, we were forced into a hotel where we had the privilege of paying $450 for the night and an additional $40 to park in their parking lot. Boston made New York City look like Wichita, Kansas. Not what I'd call user friendly. We took a Greyhound bus out of town.

As much as I like the last one, The Blue Cup, I take exception with the first by de Camp:

Blue Bird 32x32, 1919

I don't know why he could not have moved the bird and hand over just a shade to our left, such that it would not have created those nasty tangents with the line of the lady's shoulder. I think the bird could have contrasted well against the light blouse. Maybe it would read better to me in person.

And then another fairly straight forward composition entitled "Sally."

I think he put that bird deliberately there so it was not so obvious a silouette. If you squint, the bird shape breaks up the line of the shoulder, and attention is drawn there because of the contrast and the disruption. There is a little bit of the light blouse behind the bird, keeping it from blending into the background. Just my opinion (*see below)

In Atlanta, we are privileged to have this work of DeCamp's at the High Museum. It has puzzled me in person, because of the placement of the figure with so much space above the head. *I'm still compositionally illiterate, I guess.

Julie,

Regarding the Blue Bird image, it's probably best judged in person on a matter such as this, the bird may shine more brightly than is perceived in these reproductions. It still bothers me a bit. Notice how he didn't mind sharply contrasting the head of the Cello below.

About the Lady in the Mandarin Coat, I'm not bothered by the generous room above her head. I've jiggered with it a bit below removing approx. half of the head room. Now we can compare the one above to what I imagine your concern to be.

I believe his reasoning has to do with the space created to the left and right of the head when the arms are pushed out to the side. That space, left and right, is then matched above the head as you go around from left up to top, then down right to the other sleeve.

Per usual, I'm practicing without a license.

And then another: The Cellist 28x23, 1908

In my humble opinion the below pretty much describes Mike's comments on the placement of the subject in the painting. The "X" shows a central composition to me equalizing the sides and top.

Just an opinion.

John,

I think that pretty well illustrates what I was trying to say.

These are the paintings of Austrian academic classical artist, Hans Markart, 1840-1884.

I think these are interesting compositions, and this guy seemed to have a real flare for execution, which is demonstrated well in the crop of the first image. It appears that these first two images were painted when the artist was in his early thirties. I was still trying to master my times tables at that age.

1- Ms. Clothilde Beer 32x27 1874
2- crop of same
3- Karoline Gomperz 53x37 1870
4- Lady with red plumed hat 59x39

This is the Spaniard, Jose Gallegos y Arnosa, 1859-1917.

This is a little gem, I think. All this is such a small package.

El Rosario - Oil on panel, 7x11 1902

7x11 !!!!?

Actually, it's listed as: 7 x 10 7/8 inches (17.8 x 27.9 cm)

I usually just round them off but maybe I shouldn't in this case.

Shakespeare's sonnet
XXIV.

Mine eye hath play'd the painter and hath stell'd
Thy beauty's form in table of my heart;
My body is the frame wherein 'tis held,
And perspective it is best painter's art.
For through the painter must you see his skill,
To find where your true image pictur'd lies,
Which in my bosom's shop is hanging still,
That hath his windows glazed with thine eyes.
Now see what good turns eyes for eyes have
done:
Mine eyes have drawn thy shape, and thine for
me
Are windows to my breast, where-through the
sun
Delights to peep, to gaze therein on thee;
Yet eyes this cunning want to grace their art,
They draw but what they see, know not the
heart.

El Rosario
 

Stunning, Mike! The second detail highlights the genius of this overall composition. One has to wonder how he captured this. My guess is that it was at least begun discretely right there in church which would explain the tiny size.

Thank you also for the sonnet. It added another dimension and sweetness to my morning.

I must agree with you Mike. That definitely is a gem. It was common for Spanish painters of the 19th century to produce small compositions like this. Then they also worked large formats (like 6 or 7 meter paintings) in compliance with conditions in their scholarship grants to Rome or Paris. Historical paintings, mostly. I

Carlos,

What great examples. I especially like the nun's painting. You are right, what better place to paint than a nunnery. I, being an uncloistered heathen, encounter too many distractions.

Hamlet.
If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this
plague for thy dowry: be thou as chaste as ice,
as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny,
Get thee to a nunnery, go; farewell. Or, if thou.
wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men
know well enough what monsters you make of
them. To a nunnery, go; and quickly too.
Farewell.

Ophelia.
O heavenly powers, restore him!

Hamlet.
I have heard of your paintings too,
well enough; God hath given you one face, and
you make yourselves another: you jig, you
amble, and you lisp, and nickname God's crea-
tures, and make your wantonness your ignorance.
Go to, I'll no more on't; It hath made me mad,
I say, we will have no more marriages; those
that are married already, all but one, shall live;
the rest shall keep as they are. To a nunnery, go.


Aaron Shikler's JFKennedy

This seems appropriate on this - the Ides of March.

Vincenzo Camuccini - Mort de Cesar 1798

Caesar - "Well, the Ides of March are come," and the seer said to him softly: "Ay, they are come, but they are not gone."

Et to, Vincenzo?

Interesting overall lighting and movement throughout, but I must admit I had to look and look before I could figure out where Caesar was.

Mike--

Tibi gratias agimus quod nihil fumas.

Best--TE

Tom,

I don't smoke, but sometimes I turn real red!

Perscriptio in manibus tabellariorum est

Michele,

It does look to be a well thought out composition. It's interesting that Mr. Camuccini chose the Senators who were striking the blows to make in the highest key and Caesar left relatively mutted below. It's also been said that Caesar wore purple. Ah well, compositional compromise, much like Shakespeare's play. And yet the 1798 painting seems pretty true to the facts as they are presented to us today.

This that follows is a historical record of Caesar's death:

The Senators approached Caesar to petition him with various things, but this time, he was approached by 60 men bent on his death. With daggers concealed under their togas, they surrounded Caesar and waited for the signal that would send shockwaves rippling throughout the world.

Tillius Cimber was the man expected to deliver it. He petitioned Caesar to pardon his exiled brother, likely knowing full well that Caesar would refuse. When Caesar did so, the conspirators gathered more tightly around him, forcing Caesar to stand. Cimber then grabbed and pulled Caesar's purple robe from his shoulders, the signal to send the conspirators into action. Publius Servilius Casca, who positioned himself behind Caesar, was the first to strike the mark. He stabbed Caesar in the upper shoulder, near the neck, and Plutarch wrote that Caesar said, "Vile Casca" or Casca what is this? Reacting with the tenacity of a grizzled legionary veteran he apparently grabbed Casca's arm, stabbing it with his own writing pen, probably still completely unaware of the scope of the plot. At this point, the ferocity of the attack was revealed in earnest. The assassins stabbed Caesar relentlessly, each taking a shot at the dictator. The attack was so rapid and vicious that several conspirators wounded each other. Brutus, the great symbol of Republican virtue and freedom for tyranny was wounded in the hand by an errant dagger, as he himself stabbed Caesar in the groin. Though the line made famous by Shakespeare, "Et tu Brute" (translated as "You too Brutus", "You too my son", or "even you Brutus") was supposedly spoken by Caesar as he saw Brutus approach with dagger in hand, this is likely a complete dramatic fabrication. The ancient sources suggest that Caesar said nothing, and this seems most likely, considering the duress he was under. After the initial attack, though many say Caesar fought valiantly in his defense, he likely had little idea where all the shots were coming from.

Despite the overwhelming assault on him, Caesar still had the presence of mind to maintain his dignity for posterity purposed. Resigning himself to the assassination, Caesar pulled the folds of his toga over his head so as to prevent anyone seeing his face at death. In all, Caesar was stabbed 23 times, and inevitably collapsed. At the foot of the blood splattered statue of his old friend, rival and son-in-law, Pompey, Gaius Julius Caesar died at the age of 55, on March 15, 44 BC.

Out of curiosity I've tried to apply the Golden Section to the above Camuccini painting of Caesar's death. It would appear that some consideration was given to these principles.

Although, with the Golden Section calculations there doesn't appear to be any real guidelines as to where you start or when to finish. My thinking is that as long as you stick to the principles you can create as many sections as you wish and stop anytime. It just depends on how complicated the composition is. This composition having quite a few scattered elements it begged for more than a few of sections.

It's interesting how elements of the painting keep leading you back around and to the center of the action. The arm in the bottom left stops your eye and delivers you up to the statue which then points you to the right and across to the fellows (obviously only able to muster enough courage to flip the finger at Caesar, they're probably demanding a timetable for withdrawal) that again point back toward the action along with those at the bottom right.

Emile Munier was born in Paris on June 2, 1840 and lived with his family at 66 rue des Foss

Mike,

At the beginning of my not so illustrious pursuit of the portrait I turned up my nose at the idea of painting children.

I have come to discover that these little people are far more interesting and challenging to do justice. In addition I have found that to create a happy client I must capture the identity of the child in the Parent's mind and not necessarily just a likeness.

The simple story conveyed by and for the third painting is illustrious of just how my pride causes me to overlook the beauty of a thing.

Thank you for the post.

John,

Still, others would call these trite or sentimental. Usually people in the trade, people that look at paintings all day long. I try and see a painting on my wall apart from the weight of those that know so much. At the end of the day we all have to figure it out for ourselves.

Here are a few more from Emile Munier, always with the hands and feet:

1- The Broken Vas 36x24
2- La Lettre
3- Distracting the baby 20x15

And finally, one of our recent arrivals to Florida. Probably just arrived from Minnesota looking for a condo - something in oak.

This first image is from Eugene de Blaas and is interesting because of the placement of the signature. Sometimes it gets to be a challenge as to where to place your mark but on this composition there seems to be other more traditional opportunities. I am of the opinion that the placement of the signature can often act as an integral part of the composition. I don't suggest that this placement is wrong, it's just different.

And another interesting composition from Alphonse Mucha.

1- Portrait of a lady, Pencil-WC-Gouache
2- The Artist , Oil on canvas board, 1920

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_thinking

http://www.cheathouse.com/essay/essa...ssay_id=109932

http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonlin...riting/1.1.xml

I like Munier's work, because he not only captures the iamge of children well, but also creates a narrative around what these kids might be doing.

SB, great points are made at that site.

Buried back on page seven of this voluminous thread is a quote by a Mr. Damon Denys.

His quote reads:

"If the visual elements do not attempt to describe a theme, the painting cannot be said to possess a composition at all. In such cases, the painter has only produced an arrangement of visual elements. He is a painter, but he is not an artist."

Based on the volume of Myspace entries that yuz guys are producing I can only conclude that you are bored out of your minds. So, maybe we can exercise our brains a little more on this matter of compositon.

I offer the following images for your consideration.

If you accept Mr. Denys's "theme" premise you could argue that my first image is no composition at all. I'm not sure I accept the premise. Although, if you ask me what theme the image is trying to convey I'm not sure I could answer the question. The opposing view might be: I don't have to answer that question, you're not the boss of me. A theme I've heard from the random child on occasion.

If you can pull yourself away from your Myspace (I was not accepted at Myspace, but instead was juried into Assface - a slightly smaller community) maybe you could ponder the following:

1. What is the theme of the second image? If it is enough to call it "lady in a white dress," then why can't it be enough that the theme of the first image is "boots on the ground pointing East?"

2. What would be the theme of the third image by Winslow Homer?

3. Would you consider the first image to be well composed, without regard to "theme?"

Thanks for sharing!
 

I think that Norman Rockwell set an excellent examle for " art ...to be easily accessible to the people".

Mike--

All I can say is "bloody critics!"

As if producing an "arrangement of visual elements" weren't enough to occupy one well into old age. To answer your question, yes the first one is a well-composed piece. Brings to mind Jamie Wyeth's boot-trampled weed, and I don't think many people are debating whether that painting is art or not.

I would submit that the insistence on a "theme" is a literary requirement/ conceit that comes from the mind of a wordsmith, not a visual artist, so isn't it a little presumptuous to assume that wordsmithing makes one an arbiter of who is or isn't an artist?

I'm not saying that one has to be an artist to be a critic, but a good critic at least has a minimum understanding of process. I don't know many visual artists that make up the story first and then a painting to go with it, though some occasionally do. (Illustrator/ authors, but that's another discussion.)

And wouldn't Denys' requirement of "theme" relegate all art that he estimates as good to "mere illustration"--a term that most art critics have made an instant stamp of inferiority? Well, which is it guys? ("Mere illustration" being another phrase that sets my teeth grinding.)

Humor and Composition
 

[QUOTE=Mike McCarty]


Based on the volume of Myspace entries that yuz guys are producing I can only conclude that you are bored out of your minds. So, maybe we can exercise our brains a little more on this matter of compositon.
t have to answer that question, you're not the boss of me. A theme I've heard from the random child on occasion.

If you can pull yourself away from your Myspace (I was not accepted at Myspace, but instead was juried into Assface - a slightly smaller community) maybe you could ponder the following:
_____
Mike, I laughed so hard at your take on Myspace that I forgot to think about the subject! Thanks for the interjection of your very special sense of humor. I've missed the many valuable learning experiences provided by this forum before the popularity of Myspace. When I stop laughing, :D I'll be able to think about a thread several eons ago, I just might have started. Composition is one heck of an important subject.