The Great Art Debate

[William the White]

Miro's Ballerina II:

I liked that so much that I told my wife I'd like a print of it. I have it on good authority that a framed print may be arriving just in time for my birthday in a few days time.

Print arrived and is making me smile.

[bobo the clown]

Miro's Ballerina II:

I liked that so much that I told my wife I'd like a print of it. I have it on good authority that a framed print may be arriving just in time for my birthday in a few days time.

Print arrived and is making me smile.

Well, happy (almost) birthday.

What IS the spidery thing dangling out of, not quite, her ass then ??

[Bruce Rioja]

She probably knocked it up herself in the garage to save a few Quid. Can't take much doing.

[William the White]

Miro's Ballerina II:

I liked that so much that I told my wife I'd like a print of it. I have it on good authority that a framed print may be arriving just in time for my birthday in a few days time.

Print arrived and is making me smile.

Well, happy (almost) birthday.

What IS the spidery thing dangling out of, not quite, her ass then ??

In fact - birthday. Am now a state pensioner. Looking forward to all the benefits, and very grateful to you workers putting all that effort into my well being...

As for the definitely not a spidery thing, don't know what it is, but I think it's making her kick her leg really high...

[Gary the Enfield]

Lots of artistic highlights from my recent travels in Campania.

I saw two of the three Caravaggios in Naples, lots of other Rennaissance and Neopolitan paintings and some terrific classic sculpture, mosaics and frescoes...

But I think the one thing that sticks out in my mind as being geuinely unlike anything I have ever seen elsewhere on my travels is the 'Cristo Velato' (Veiled Christ), produced by Giuseppe Sanmartino in 1753 at the age of 33.









An haunting vision, even for a devout atheist like me, executed very sensitively and with a lot of skill.

It might also be the most astonishing example of an artistic one hit wonder I have ever seen. As far as I am a aware, Sanmartino produced nothing else of note.

Quite stunning work. I have tried to find something else of note but could only see this (apologies, it's from Wiki)

Neapolitan artist Giuseppe Sanmartino's powerful sculptural style combined sentimental poses, expressive facial features, and sensitive carving of marble. Popular with the eighteenth-century Bourbon court in Naples, Sanmartino primarily produced religious sculptures.

Sanmartino's first major commission was the completion of a marble Dead Christ left incomplete by the recently deceased Antonio Corradini for a chapel in Naples. Sanmartino used Corradini's terracotta model but freely interpreted the work in his own personal style. The success of the statue paved his way towards further commissions from the Bourbons and important Neapolitan churches. In addition to large religious sculptures, Sanmartino produced monumental figure groups, decorative sculpture, and portraits for funerary monuments. Towards the end of his life, he also designed silver sculpture. Many of his works produced in silver and marble were reproduced in other materials, including terracotta and porcelain, from molds that were presumably made under his direction. In 1772 he began a teaching career at the Real Accademia di Belle Arti in Naples.

[TANGODANCER]

Quite a few examples of this technique around, like The Veiled Vestal of Rafaelo Monti. This, and other marble sculptures, is in Chatsworth House and was used in the Kiera Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice.

[thebish]

As for the definitely not a spidery thing, don't know what it is, but I think it's making her kick her leg really high...

it's also making her knee bend entirely the wrong way!

[Bruce Rioja]

I think it's a clagnut rather than a spider.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

As for the definitely not a spidery thing, don't know what it is, but I think it's making her kick her leg really high...

it's also making her knee bend entirely the wrong way!

I know I will lose respect (if I still have some in the bank) from Bobo here, but it does remind me of how the flailing legs in an Argentine Tango or Irish Riverdance can sometimes look like they're made of rubber!

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Quite stunning work. I have tried to find something else of note but could only see this (apologies, it's from Wiki)

Neapolitan artist Giuseppe Sanmartino's powerful sculptural style combined sentimental poses, expressive facial features, and sensitive carving of marble. Popular with the eighteenth-century Bourbon court in Naples, Sanmartino primarily produced religious sculptures.

Sanmartino's first major commission was the completion of a marble Dead Christ left incomplete by the recently deceased Antonio Corradini for a chapel in Naples. Sanmartino used Corradini's terracotta model but freely interpreted the work in his own personal style. The success of the statue paved his way towards further commissions from the Bourbons and important Neapolitan churches. In addition to large religious sculptures, Sanmartino produced monumental figure groups, decorative sculpture, and portraits for funerary monuments. Towards the end of his life, he also designed silver sculpture. Many of his works produced in silver and marble were reproduced in other materials, including terracotta and porcelain, from molds that were presumably made under his direction. In 1772 he began a teaching career at the Real Accademia di Belle Arti in Naples.

Thanks for reviving the post, Gary. It is a stunning thing in the flesh.

I read that on Wiki too, but it seems to me he worked mainly on decorative bits of pieces rather than susbtantial individual pieces. Certainly I wasn't able to track much down on the internet.

Thanks Tango - I wasn't familiar with those. I do think the veil is interesting and very arresting when done well: http://timotheechaillou.tumblr.com/post ... il-figures" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[William the White]

As for the definitely not a spidery thing, don't know what it is, but I think it's making her kick her leg really high...

it's also making her knee bend entirely the wrong way!

I know I will lose respect (if I still have some in the bank) from Bobo here, but it does remind me of how the flailing legs in an Argentine Tango or Irish Riverdance can sometimes look like they're made of rubber!

I think we have to give full credit to the bish's understanding of anatomy and his powers of observation, though. It's a good point he makes...

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

As for the definitely not a spidery thing, don't know what it is, but I think it's making her kick her leg really high...

it's also making her knee bend entirely the wrong way!

I know I will lose respect (if I still have some in the bank) from Bobo here, but it does remind me of how the flailing legs in an Argentine Tango or Irish Riverdance can sometimes look like they're made of rubber!

I think we have to give full credit to the bish's understanding of anatomy and his powers of observation, though. It's a good point he makes...

She's obviously facing the other way - not attempting soemthing from the Ministry of Silly Walks...

[bobo the clown]

As for the definitely not a spidery thing, don't know what it is, but I think it's making her kick her leg really high...

it's also making her knee bend entirely the wrong way!

I know I will lose respect (if I still have some in the bank) from Bobo here, but it does remind me of how the flailing legs in an Argentine Tango or Irish Riverdance can sometimes look like they're made of rubber!

I thought it was her minge till it was pointed out that it wasn't quite as central as that would require. Maybe it is a futuristic and anticipatory homage to the coming trend for topiary of the lady-garden and is to reflect the absence of one.

I LOVE the veils in the sculptures, by the way..

[TANGODANCER]

Thanks Tango - I wasn't familiar with those. I do think the veil is interesting and very arresting when done well:

Whole rake of the stuff here:

http://tinyurl.com/qbmyvot" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Lost Leopard Spot]

As for the definitely not a spidery thing, don't know what it is, but I think it's making her kick her leg really high...

it's also making her knee bend entirely the wrong way!

I know I will lose respect (if I still have some in the bank) from Bobo here, but it does remind me of how the flailing legs in an Argentine Tango or Irish Riverdance can sometimes look like they're made of rubber!

I think we have to give full credit to the bish's understanding of anatomy and his powers of observation, though. It's a good point he makes...

She's obviously facing the other way - not attempting soemthing from the Ministry of Silly Walks...

I had already pointed this out to Bobo. I don't think he got the inference when I said the 'spider' was not dangling out of her ass. Maybe next time I should be more blunt and say she's drooling from her front bottom or something similar... I mean, she is meant to be a ballerina, not a clog dancer.
I think maybe the fact her standing foot is on backwards may be giving people the wrong perspective, but I think that's artistic licence to show she's doing that thing on the toes that ballerinas do that makes you think they are about to snap their metatarsals in twain.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

I had already pointed this out to Bobo. I don't think he got the inference when I said the 'spider' was not dangling out of her ass. Maybe next time I should be more blunt and say she's drooling from her front bottom or something similar... I mean, she is meant to be a ballerina, not a clog dancer.

I think ballerina means 'dancer' more generically in some other European languages.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

I had already pointed this out to Bobo. I don't think he got the inference when I said the 'spider' was not dangling out of her ass. Maybe next time I should be more blunt and say she's drooling from her front bottom or something similar... I mean, she is meant to be a ballerina, not a clog dancer.

I think ballerina means 'dancer' more generically in some other European languages.

I think in this case though his ballerina is an English Ronseal merchant - she's doing exactly what we mean by ballerina-ing.

[William the White]

I had already pointed this out to Bobo. I don't think he got the inference when I said the 'spider' was not dangling out of her ass. Maybe next time I should be more blunt and say she's drooling from her front bottom or something similar... I mean, she is meant to be a ballerina, not a clog dancer.

I think ballerina means 'dancer' more generically in some other European languages.

I think in this case though his ballerina is an English Ronseal merchant - she's doing exactly what we mean by ballerina-ing.

Mummy is correct. And spotty too perhaps. The painting's title is Ballarina II - Catalan for both 'dancer' and 'ballerina'...

[thebish]

is she called Nina? or Angelina?

[William the White]

is she called Nina? or Angelina?

I'm at a loss on that question, thebish. I don't know from where it's coming...

Lincoln County Road or Armageddon?

Enlighten?