I am denser than osmium. Before I existed, osmium was the densest substance known to man. The reason I know this is because I looked it up. The reason I know I am even DENSER than osmium is just this: Several weeks ago Josie actually stated what her favorite painting is. I kept thinking, "Wow! Josie knows what her favorite painting is!" And the logical thought after that should have been, "What is my favorite painting?" But it was usually something stupid like, "What did I come in here for?" or "Where did I set my beer down THIS time?" Sometimes I wondered about the favorite painting thing.
I guess for about 20 years or so, my favorite painting has been "The Cardsharps" by Caravaggio (pictured above). I don't know about Josie, but I based this on an actual painting I had actually seen, unlike "The Mona Lisa" which is a made-up painting for a Tom Hanks movie. (Ha Ha, just kidding! I'm sure it is a real painting or Ray Evans wouldn't have written that song for Nat King Cole to sing.) The reason I think "The Cardsharps" was my favorite painting was twofold: It's right here at the Kimbell and 2) (oops, I forgot the 1!) Whenever I go to the Kimbell, I stand there and look at it for a VERY LONG TIME. Plus one time it played a crazy trick on me. (okay that's three things). In April 2002, we went to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. AND IT WAS THERE! If they didn't have those little plaques that say things like "On loan from the Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas," I would have really thought I was crazy. As in "Hey I love this painting and it's in EVERY museum! How awesome is that!?"I pondered on the whole favorite painting thing some more and came to realize that "The Young Sheperdhess" by William Bouguereau (I wish I knew how to program that to F7) is my current favorite painting. I discovered this painting at the San Diego Museum of Art in January 2006. It's there on my right side bar thing. After I decided that, I realized I knew nothing at all about Bouguereau (which is probably French for "bugger of a name to spell") so I googled him. His Wikipedia page had a picture called "Interrupted Work" that looked A LOT like a painting postcard that I had on my corkboard.
"Interrupted Work"
This is a little corkboard in my guest room with a painting postcard from all of the art museums I have visited (except the Met). The picture in the bottom right is called "Whisperings of Love." This was a painting I really liked at the New Orleans Museum of Art. I saw the painting and bought the postcard in May 2003.
I ran into the guest room, grabbed the postcard, flipped it over and the very first line printed on the back was: William Adolphe Bouguereau. So I had bought these two postcards three years apart, from museums 1,840 miles apart, and they were pinned up on my board just 9 inches apart and I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS THE SAME ARTIST.Hey scientists!! There IS a substance denser than osmium, and I am it.
11 comments:
What? Nothing on velvet?
One of my favorite classes in college was Art History 101. I actually looked forward to the midterm and final where you had to identify various artists from a slideshow.
As for prison shows, what you watched is similar to the environment in which I work.
Well at least you have a favourite painting. I've never thought about what mine would be. One of my favourites is Nu Descendant un Escalier by Marcel Duchamp (http://mapage.noos.fr/momina/duchamp/duchamp.html) and I love Magritte.
Geewits, you're not dense at all. You've just proven it. You have two paintings that you love, and they're both by the same artists. That means you like his work, and that means you're not dense. Okay... I had a point here somewhere.
"The Cardsharps" by Caravaggio is probably one of the most perfectly composed pictures I've ever seen. That's the hardest part of painting is the composition. Everything in that picture is just perfect, the light, shadow, negative space, positive space. It's gorgeous, and I have never seen it before. Thanks for sharing it!
Nat King Cole singing "Mona Lisa." Wonderful. I like the song so much more than I like the painting. "Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art?"
Picking a favorite anything is hard. There are things that we like, but to pick the best always seems to change day to day, mood to mood, doesn't it?
The Cardsharps is most excellent. I always think the lady is going to win, even though the knave is cheating.
Geewitsium? Bouguereau's paintings are beautiful. You've just introduced me to his work. Thank you. I wouldn't dare try to pronounce his name.
JR,
Do you teach art to your prison inmates? They'd probably like Hieronymus Bosch.
Jazz,
So you prefer modern art. I'm not a big fan, although I could look at M.C. Escher's stuff for hours. Magritte's stuff is interesting, too.
Josie,
I have a theory on why I never noticed the name of the artist on the other picture. I fell in love with that picture because I imagined Anne Rice had stood in the same spot and stared at that picture for hours and was thus inspired to write "The Witching Hour." The haunted soul Dierdre in the book forever had a spirit creature hovering over her left shoulder.
Ticknart,
Ray Evans was originally going to title his song, "Prima Donna," but his wife talked him into changing it. That's not a woman in "The Cardsharps." It's a young wealthy man.
LGS,
The two paintings I've seen are BIG. "Whisperings of Love" is 62" (1.57 meters) and I felt like I could step into it. As far as the pronunciation goes, I too would never attempt it. Maybe Jazz would know how? (Boozh-a-row?)
Geewits,
Are you kidding? Why would I have to teach it? They live it every day.
Those are very nice works of arts (aka paintings).
I don't think I have a favorite painting... I guess that's kind of sad?
I haven't had the privilege of visiting too many art museums in the world, but the one that I really enjoyed was the Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. I spent almost all day there some years ago and was spellbound by Monet's Water Lilies - the sheer size of it was stunning! Plus the Rodin sculptures...well, what can I say? And the Gainsboroughs...I felt like I was standing in front of the actual person in the portrait and that they could have suddenly walked straight out of the picture. I would definitely go back there some day and recommend to anyone to go.
JR,
LOL! Good point.
Jeanette,
I don't think that's sad. I don't have a favorite food. There's no rule about favorites.
Leslie,
I wish we had gone there. For some reason we went to the MOMA when we were in San Fransisco. Some of it was okay, but generally when I look at modern art I have to restrain myself from laughing at it.
Okay, now that you've pointed out it's a young man, I can see it. Funny, though, I've thought it was a woman all my life. I really liked the idea of a woman of that time playing cards.
Ah, well.
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