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