Dirk Bouts, The Virgin and Child, c. 1465. National Gallery, London. I love it when I go to an exhibition which makes me think about something in a completely new way – or for that matter, which makes me look at something differently, or even properly, for the first time. That is certainly what happenedContinue reading “163 – Mary, multi-tasking”
Author Archives: drrichardstemp
162 – Betrayal Redeemed
Cornelia Parker, Thirty Pieces of Silver, 1988. Tate. Given that my current series of talks is called Looking in Different Ways, Cornelia Parker, about whom I will be talking this Monday, 18 July at 6pm, is a perfect choice. She sees the world in such a completely different way to most artists, and, with allContinue reading “162 – Betrayal Redeemed”
161 – Negative Spaces
Sybil Andrews, Via Dolorosa, 1935. British Museum, London. As my next two talks are entitled Negative Spaces, I wanted to write about the concept, and explain the reasons why I am using it. And I want to do this because the artists to whom I am dedicating the first talk, Mary Beale and Sybil AndrewsContinue reading “161 – Negative Spaces”
160 – Painted by a madman?
Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1895. Private Collection. If you think I’m being rude – or insensitive – I should point out that the title of today’s post is simply a translation into English of words that Edvard Munch himself wrote on the first (or second) version of The Scream. An infrared photo of the offendingContinue reading “160 – Painted by a madman?”
Some Virtues
Andrea del Verrocchio, Model for the Funeral Monument for Cardinal Niccolò Forteguerri, c. 1476, Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The Sculpture course Form, Function, Material and Memory is rapidly drawing to a close. The last talk will be this Monday 27 June at 6pm, when we will consider Memory – Something to Remember. This will look atContinue reading “Some Virtues”
Psyche, a coda (a repeat)
Antonio Canova, Psyche revived by Cupid’s Kiss, 1787-93, Louvre, Paris. So far in my series on sculpture I haven’t mentioned Antonio Canova, although I will this Monday, 20 June at 6.00pm, when I will discuss the very substance of art (or, at least, the different substances from which sculpture is made), in a talk entitled Material:Continue reading “Psyche, a coda (a repeat)”
159 – Michelangelo, holding a candle…
Michelangelo Buonarroti, Angel, 1494-5. San Domenico, Bologna. You would think that no one could hold a candle to Michelangelo – but everyone has to start somewhere, and the young sculptor must have learnt from someone. Indeed, today’s work is an example of the young genius responding – directly and overtly – to someone else’s work,Continue reading “159 – Michelangelo, holding a candle…”
158 – Never forget…
Gianlorenzo Bernini, An Elephant with an Obelisk, 1665. Piazza della Minerva, Rome. This is the sculpture I was going to write about last week, before I ran out of time. Like Apollo and Daphne, it is a perfect introduction to the forthcoming course which starts this Monday 6 June, Sculpture: Form, Function, Material and Memory.Continue reading “158 – Never forget…”
Back to the Chase
Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Apollo and Daphne, 1622-25, Museo Borghese, Rome. It’s got to that stage… I was wondering what to blog about this week as an introduction to my new lecture series, Sculpture: Form, Function, Material and Memory and I realised that a great choice would be Bernini’s astonishing Apollo and Daphne. Indeed, I was rather surprisedContinue reading “Back to the Chase”
157 – Florid
Caterina Angela Pierozzi, The Annunciation Miniature, 1677. Colnaghi, London. I’ve just read a wonderful article in the New York Times, A Messy Table, a Map of the World by Jason Farago, and I’m half inclined to post a link to that today (which I have) and leave it at that. It’s a richly illustrated piece,Continue reading “157 – Florid”
dr richard stemp 