Gustave, Courbet

Courbet is a founder of the Realism movement in the 1800s. Though he came from a prosperous farming French family, he felt representing the lives of peasants was more in line with his Republican ideals. He even at one point did prison time for is political ideas. His legacy is one of bold social commentary in his work. Personally, I wasn't expecting to see "Origin of the World" coming out of the 19th century. A little shocking but a very interesting idea. My little joke is that every artists needs to have a shocking crotch painting (mail or female), so I want to rebel and not have one (but really, I just don't think I'm brave enough to do one). But with Courbet's "crotch painting", I'm see much more validity than shock value when considering his place in the art world and his contribution to social commentary.

Antonio Allegri da Correggio

His name is actually Antonio Allegri but was called Correggio (because he came from Correggio). He was a part of the Italitan Mannerism movement. He lived from August 1489 to March 5, 1534.

He didn't especially have a widespread reputation during his life (though he was always employed). His work had Baroque emotion but mixed themes of mythology and religion. It is a little difficult to find a stylistic link in his work.

Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot

Corot came from a Bourgeoisie family and painted in the 1800s. He was a painter in the Barbizon school. He simultaneously painted in the style of Neo-classicism and while using plein-air techniques that would be so influential in the Impressionism movement.

His techniques varied over the years. As he matured, it seems, his painted gained more poetic power and moving towards the impressionistic style.

I think my favorite is Ville D'Avray. The reflection he captured on the water is extremely real and captures a really familiar sort of outside day. I can almost feel the experience of being in the scene.

Joseph Cornell

Joseph Cornell lived from 1903 to 1979. He was an interesting character from a prominent New York family of Dutch descent. His work consists of very impressive assemblage sculptures and has the same tendency as Kurt Schwitters to create poetry from ordinary objects.

He was very influenced by the surrealists and his work, in turn, supplied inspiration for the pop art movement.

He was wary of strangers and became somewhat reclusive. However, his really beautiful and though-provoking.

CM Coolidge

This is a fun one. What insanely, highly referenced imitated work. In fact, just last night I was watching up and there was a reference to the poker playing dogs.

Living from 1844 to 1934, he was a druggist, sign painter, started a newspaper, and most interestingly was the one who thought up the cut-outs where you put your head in the hole and look like the character on the front of the cut-out.

These anthromorphic paintings were done as an advertising contract that wanted dogs depicted doing various human activities. I wonder if he had any idea the lasting impact these paintings would have in popular culture.

Fun one to know more about.

John Constable

He is a famous Romantic artists from England and painted many beautiful landscapes in the early 19th century. He was not extremely well-off in his lifetime and sold more paintings in France than his native England.

He married and had 7 children but was deeply scarred later in life from his wife's death of tuberculosis at the age of 41. He never quite recovered and was known to paint more stormy dark scenes after this time.

His art was considered rebellious in that he painted from studying actual nature scenes instead of making them up in his own mind. He could not have imagined how influential his work would turn out to be for the French impressionists.

Cecil Collins

Sometimes labeled a neo-romantic and often compared to William Blake. I can definitely see similarities. His drawings have a mystic dream-like quality that is very interesting.

He wrote extensively about art. He was also a lecturer and taught drawing.



















The Fall of Lucifer, 1933








The Cells of Night, 1934














The Sleeping Fool, 1943















The Angel of the Flowing Light, 1968

Christo (and Jeanne-Claude)

A very interesting environmental art couple. They originally went by just the name Christo and did all their work together. They used to fly in separate planes in case one crashed, so that the other could be able to continue their work alone. Born on the same day in 1935, Jeanne-Claude passed away last year.

The idea is to create new ways of seeing familiar landscapes. Christo also was quoted to say work like this takes some amount of courage because it is not preserved. He posits that is it harder to create a work that is not meant to last. I thought this idea was really interesting because most artists seem to have something in them that urges them to look for ways to make a permanent lasting impression, almost as though they are seeking some kind of immortality. I liked that idea of looking at this from the opposite perspective.

Beautiful stuff:














Wrapped Coast, Little Bay, Australia, 1968-69














Running Fence, Sonoma and Marin Counties, California, 1972-76


















Surrounded Islands, Miami, Florida, 1980-83


















The Umbrellas, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan and the Tejon Pass area, Southern California, 1984-91



























The Gates, New York City, 2005

Giorgio de Chirico

De Chirico is responsible for the small movement of Pittura Metifisica. Though this movement is very small, it was very important for the Surrealists. His painting was inspired by Schopenhauer and Nietzsche. There is a lonely haunted quality of his paintings that I find quite interesting.



















Love Song, 1914


















Mystery and Melancholy of a Street, 1914


















Metaphysical Interior with Biscuits, 1916


















The Disturbing Muses, 1925


















Archeologists, 1927

Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin

I am returning to my art histories after a bit of a hiatus. I was thinking about taking an art course, but I decided to save the moneys and just do some studying on my own. I also am thinking that I need to put less pressure to remember every detail. I think I should be more interested in knowing who the artists are, their significance, and some of their work. Just a brief introduction.

So, today, I'm learning about Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin. Long name. He was a Rocco era painter, but apparently his work did not have the same level of gaiety that other Rocco painters showed. He was a master at still lifes and depicted scenes of French middle class.


















The Copper Drinking Fountain, ca. 1734


















Return from the Market, 1739























The Prayer Before Meal, 1744













Still Life with Jar of Olives, 1760

Marc Chagall

Chagall is a prominent 20th century artist that inspired and influenced much of modern art. He stayed close to his Jewish roots and Picasso declared that after Matisse and Chagall pass, there wouldn't be an artist who knows color as well. I can see that especially in the painting of the blue house.

His paintings are characterized with quirky motifs, especially the ghostly floating forms. He had a clear longing for his home, after living in France, Germany, and the US, and one can suppose that had an impact in the information communicated through his art.

There is melody and a certain kind of dreamy happiness in his work. Even in expressing dramatic scenes, there is still a folky sort of calming, happy feeling.

Beautiful stuff. Another good one to understand better.