Our Blog-Bud The Brighton Pensioner has a post up today about Amsterdam (as was his post yesterday) but he said something in passing that resonated with me, said utterance bein' this:
I've spent hours (on multiple occasions), literally, sitting on the banquette placed about eight feet from this painting... just staring. The first thing that hits you when you see the painting is its immense size... nearly seven feet high by 10 feet wide. You MUST view the thing at some distance, and then you MUST view the work close up to marvel at Seurat's technique.
I used to have a matted and framed print of the Bathers in the way-back but it... like so many other things... got lost in the Great Divorce Debacle of 1998.
It's prolly a matter of opinion but I think the National Gallery's collection of Impressionists rivals that of the Musee d'Orsay in Paris*. The Orsay does trump the National Gallery in terms of architectural grandeur, though.
Update, somewhat later: I thought so. This isn't the first time I've posted on this subject. But that post was over five and a half years ago, so I think I might could be forgiven.
*secret message to Lou: DON'T miss this!
Now, as far as I am concerned, art stopped being art pretty much when the last impressionist put down his paint brush and palette. Picasso and the cubists or whatever they call themselves leave me cold, but Titian, Canaletto, Turner, Constable, Manet, Monet etc are fine by me.Brian and I have much the same tastes and given the fact Brian is British, one thing led to another and I immediately thought of The National Gallery in London, which is the home of my very favorite piece of Impressionist art... the "Bathers at Asnières," by Georges Seurat. Here's a thumbnail:
I've spent hours (on multiple occasions), literally, sitting on the banquette placed about eight feet from this painting... just staring. The first thing that hits you when you see the painting is its immense size... nearly seven feet high by 10 feet wide. You MUST view the thing at some distance, and then you MUST view the work close up to marvel at Seurat's technique.
I used to have a matted and framed print of the Bathers in the way-back but it... like so many other things... got lost in the Great Divorce Debacle of 1998.
It's prolly a matter of opinion but I think the National Gallery's collection of Impressionists rivals that of the Musee d'Orsay in Paris*. The Orsay does trump the National Gallery in terms of architectural grandeur, though.
Update, somewhat later: I thought so. This isn't the first time I've posted on this subject. But that post was over five and a half years ago, so I think I might could be forgiven.
*secret message to Lou: DON'T miss this!
I think you may have found a common readership thread. I consider my art appreciation a 19th century relic. I love the techniques of the Impressionists, and can read about the style and painters for hours. The only reason I would ever go to Paris would be to see the art, and then quickly board a train for Provence, to see the sky and the light (le ciel et la belle lumière). Well, I might get some Chinese food in Paris, but after that I'm on the road!
ReplyDeleteThere are many reasons to go to Paris, art and food are but two. The Second Mrs. Pennington and I went once a year (or more) just for the fun that was in it. You gotta take a lil bit o' salt with your sweets, though... Parisiennes can put New Yorkers to shame when it comes to rudeness. But it IS a beautiful city.
DeleteOnce a year when we lived in London, I should add.
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ReplyDeleteAgree, Buck, with your love of the impressionists and also your point about the scale many of the works--they really have to be viewed in person to appreciate them. Besides the National I spent many hours in the Tate--perhaps my favorite Gallery over-all. But, did you ever get to the Courtauld Gallery over by the Univ of London? (It's on the 2nd floor of a non-discript bldg, you take a freight elevator up, lol) Has perhaps one of the finest collections of the impressionists and post-impressionists ANYWHERE. My fave gallery for impressionists..Check out its website..
ReplyDeleteYou know, I was never a fan of Dali AT ALL until Vietnam. That was such a surreal war that it gave me a greater appreciation for what he was saying. I remember standing before one of his massive works at the Tate post Vietnam, melting clocks & all, and thinking to myself: "NOW I understand." lol (Remember, I went directly from DaNang to RAF Bentwaters/Woodbridge, and the war was still going full-bore, so it was all still fresh) And funny thing, as I criss-crossed the country in the years immediately after I got out visiting old squadron-mates it was simply amazing how many had Dali prints hanging. I don't think it was a coincidence..
I've never even heard of the Courtauld Gallery, let alone been there. I have been to The Tate, though. They had some great temporary exhibitions in addition to the permanent fare.
DeleteI don't know anyone who has a Dali print. Must be a fighter-jock thing. ;-)
Hadn't even heard of the Courtauld? Gee, Buck, you missed out on possibly the single most concentrated collection of impressionist paintings in the world--all the major artists of that genre are heavily represented--If you ever get back you've GOT to go see..
DeleteI STILL have one helluva long to-do list where London is concerned, even after livin' there for three years and goin' back at least three times on several extended visits. I'll add the Courtauld to the list.
DeleteHey there, thanks for the link, Buck.
ReplyDeleteYou're most welcome.
DeleteAgreed for the most part on art. I do like Georgia O'Keefe and Jackson Pollack. But it is Titian, Caravaggio and Monet that do it for me. And Van Gogh - his painting "Village at Auvernes" is at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and when it's on display I can stare at it for hours. There is so much depth, so much life in the painting; and the paint is nearly 3-dimensional, the brushstrokes are so thick; you can see the madness.
ReplyDeleteI like O'Keefe, seein' as how she's a homey (adopted, but so am I) but Pollack? Not so much. As a matter of fact, I had a couple o' Pollacks I tossed out in the way-back. They were drop cloths. (insert smiley-face thingie here)
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