San Antonio Art Museum
 

My family & I visited the SAAM today, great fun. I saw my first Bouguereau, "Admiration."

Here is a detail. What struck me most was the complete outlines around the figures, I do not recall any striking lost edges, but so gorgeous. It is much darker than the ARC photo.

I kept trying to ditch the family to go back and stare at this. The size and the complete smoothness of the canvas were amazing. Then the outlines around the figure that you cannot see unless your nose is right up to it. They did not lessen the painting, but added to it - how can outlines do this?

The skin colors, wow. Closeup you could see veins beneath their skin. I would not even know where to begin if I were to paint those colors. They were so smoothly blended it almost did not look like paint. You do not see a single brush stroke anywhere. How do paintings get this smooth?

I also saw my first JSS. I do not know the title. I did not write it down, nor is it on ARC or the museum's website.

I was suprised at how gray/blue her hand was..it was distracting. It looked like the skin of a corpse to me. Other than that, beautiful.

Forgive the bad photo, I was standing below it, HUGE painting.

This one is an American painter. I lost the paper I wrote his name down on. I believe the title was "Street Chivallry"

Does anyone know this artist? It was fabulous. This is a detail - the only photo I took that came out clear.

I almost forgot.

This is by the infamous artist Chuck E. Cheese. A fitting reward for the 4 children who made it through the museum without breaking anything.

They only laughed uncontrollably at the roman statues that had lost their (ahem) parts. My youngest climbed on this metal ball that was chained to some other tv/metal/sculpture thing before I informed him that it was actually a piece of art according to the museum. He only moved it an inch or so. I'm sure they will take our names off that list in a few months....;)

Leave it to an artist to find a "sketch" machine at a kids place.

Bouguereau's mastery
 

Edges are just one of the multitude of weapons in the artist's arsenal. Unfortunately, most artists today don't seem to understand there is more than one way to skin a cat. This is tragically short-sighted to consider vigorous edge handling as more superior than any other arrow in the quiver. Any technique that is overdone can easily become boring and mundane.

There are numerous ways to create depth and atmosphere without overdoing or abusing edges. Bouguereau's edge handling was very subtle and if you would closely examine the painting you would undoubtedly discover subtle variations. However if one has become accustomed to the typical broad impressionistic handling of edges of many Sargent wannabes, Bouguereau's are easily overlooked.

To have the skill to create such convincing illusionistic deceptions without resorting to heavy edge manipulation is the artistic version of beating up someone with one hand tied behind your back.

I am always amused at those who summarily dismiss this great master, who in my opinion was the most creative pictorial innovator in the history of western painting. To dismiss this rarest of geniuses on the basis of his subject matter is to deny oneself the opportunity to appreciate the art of painting taken to the Nth degree.

Thanks for that Kimberly, too bad the web site doesn't offer much regarding the viewing of these paintings. When I return to San Antonio, my hometown, I am usually caught up in family matters and manage to overlook the treasures the city has to offer. When I do get out into the city it's usually in search of enchiladas, tamales, tacos, guacamole. I was thirty years old when I first stepped foot inside the Alamo. On my next visit I will make a special effort to see these great paintings. Thanks for reminding me.

They did however, offer something that I thought Sergio Ostroverhy (our Parisian firefighter) might find of particular interest. "Firefighter jackets of Japan", here is a link to the San Antonio Museum of Art, from this home page you can link to the firefighters jackets information.

Mike,

I saw those firefighter jackets on the website also, but they were not up at the museum yet.

Have you been to the Greenhouse Gallery in San Antonio before? I went there a few months ago, I was very impressed. It wasn't that easy to find, but maybe for you it would be, since you lived there.

Marvin,

I wish I had had more time to study that painting. I plan to go back again soon. I'd love to ask if they had a copyist program. I would not have the time to try & actually copy this masterpiece, but I'd love to do a study of a few chosen parts to see if I can figure out some of the ways he did it. Just studying it isn't good enough. If I actually face the thing with my paints & try to figure out how to copy his style, I think I could learn more.

Kim,

I don't think so. San Antonio is one of those nightmare cities to find your way around. I've always heard it said that San Antonio is one of the four unique cities in the U.S., along with N.Y., S.F. and New Orleans. I guess that would be five counting Uvalde.

Their website is terrific, www.greenhousegallery.com

There is a International Masters competition coming up soon in November that they are sponsoring for anyone interested. They are somehow involved with the ARC I think. I believe I have seen their competition mentioned at ARC. This is one competition that, even if I had the slides, I would not enter yet, but there are artists here who could get in I bet.

This Greenhouse gallery is just a few blocks north of the McNay museum. I visited the McNay this last summer, worth the effort.

Kim,

What kind of camera/film were you using to get those pictures? I know they don't allow flash pictures, so you must have used very fast film. Or was the museum lighting high enough that you didn't need high speed film?

I'm going to the Rembrandt exhibit in Boston next month, and I'd like to take pictures if the'll let me.

Jeff,

I used my digital camera with the flash off. I fiddled with the settings to give it more light.

There were no signs posted saying you could not take pictures, I did look for them.

Just because you didn't see them doesn't mean they weren't there! As photography moderator, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to take you in. Lay down your digital camera and kick it over towards me. That's it, nice and easy and nobody gets hurt.

Noooooooooooo!

Anything but that. Take my first born instead. He is 12, just about to be a teenager - what fun you'd have! (Make sure he gets those braces please).