He was famous for his poor personal hygiene. He followed his father's advice to not wash and often slept in his clothes and boots. His biographer, Ascanio Condivi, noted that Michelangelo "often slept in his clothes and in the boots which he has always worn... and he has sometimes gone so long without taking them off that then the skin came away like a snake's with the boots."
Paolo Giovio, another biographer, remarked that Michelangelo's "nature was so rough and uncouth that his domestic habits were incredibly squalid."
I'm writing an essay about 5 works of art (19th c.), the theme I chose revolves around paintings that were very controversial at the time they were shown to the public yet their controversy is in part what made them such important and influential pieces of art history. The influential pieces I have so far are:
Gustave Courbet, A Burial at Ornans
Édouard Manet, Olympia
Claude Monet, Impression, Sunrise
Pablo Picasso, Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1/5 was allowed to be outside of the period taught in class)
My prof thought it would be interesting for me to include a counter example and chose 1 work that was controversial but didn't end up being as important/influential as the others, do you have any ideas of 19th century paintings that would fit that description?
Help! I learned about this certain type of ancient structure in my undergrad Art History class and cannot remember the name for the life of me or find it on google.
The first chamber is built into a hill and has a high ceiling with many windows to let in light. This is meant for it to feel heavenly. This initial chamber leads to a maze of other chambers with no windows. It was assumed this structure was used for spiritual purposes.
I think the architecture of my local art museum is inspired by this structure and I want to be able to use the proper term when I talk about it lol.
A specific request, but i’m creating a project surrounding text, specifically black and white text in contrast to coloured imagery. except for obvious parallels to artists such as Barbara Kruger, i wonder if anybody knows of any iconic artworks or artists who employ bold text and colours in their work.
Let's say "recent time" being the last 30 years or so.
Perhaps Im suffering from a Mandela effect but I remember the Whitney and MoMa being a lot more cutting edge in Bloomberg's time than it has been recently.
The Dutch museums also seem to be going in a more conventional and low-risk direction.
On the other hand, I feel the museums over in Brussels have been remarkably more cutting edge in this century or maybe Im thinking of Antwerp. Together with the Gulbenkian in Lisbon and the MFA in Montreal.
What are your favorite lectures, either written work or video recordings on YouTube? I'm curious and need some inspiration. I haven't explored many on YouTube but would like to, any and all recommendations welcome! I love anything on Middle Ages, Renaissance, Northern European, British, and post war art.
I was looking at some paintings made by french artist Jacques-Louis David, and I asked myself : how were painters able to represent draperies in movement in such detail before photography was even invented ?
I have been quite obsessed with this question, and I can't find the answer online, so if anyone knows, please, tell me !
I'm looking to find a book/essays that look at the cultural/social/artistic moment that was the French fin de siècle. Wondering if people have any recommendations. I am a PhD candidate in art history and am happy with either scholastic approaches or even more general non-fiction. Thank you in advance!
Of course, this is a very hot take considering art is very much subjective, but from an objective point of view art truly peaked in those eras (general ballpark of course).
Firstly, art had tangible meaning. I dislike how modern art is trying to be all mysterious and always trying to imply something. Just paint the god damn story please lol. I don't care to sit down and interpret why a bunch of differently colored squares is somehow meant to convey a feeling of sadness to me.
For example, take Thomas Cole's The Course of Empire series:
Thomas Cole - The Consummation of Empire. Oil on canvas, 1836, 51 × 76 in
It's easy to follow, there's details to feast on, there's motifs to Roman and Greek architecture and an appreciation for history. There's also fantastical imagery that is fun to look at. The execution is immense. All in all, A+ work.
Anatomy, perspective, all peaked in that era. Artists worked from live models, and the Renaissance brought in mathematical perspective into art. Art school has devolved into trash. There's no longer a sense of academism, but moreso creativity. No, I really don't care about what a 19 year old has to say about the world. I don't really care about their interpretation of whatever. They're young, they haven't been well read, no real experiences. So just please learn about anatomy and perspective and master that before trying to put together scraps on newsprint and or copying real images into some generic hyper-realist piece.
I actually much prefer artwork with less creativity. Take for example Ruisdael's Wheat Fields. It's very simple. Just a path on a Dutch landscape on a semi cloudy day. But there's an immense sense of beauty in something of that simplicity. Clouds are painted so well. Shadow and light weave in and out of the fields giving a sense of depth. Use of pigment is immaculate, everything is just right.
Jacob van Ruisdael - Wheat Fields. Dutch ca. 1670
There's just so much more works in that era that just straight up blows modern paint out of the water. Could go on and on obviously. But you get the point.
Hello, I am looking for painters/artists, preferably contemporary, who use multiple perspectives, meaning they create works that, when viewed from different points, highlight different features. Any suggestions welcome, thanks
Accepted to Fall 25 program. Most reviews I can find online is either about its prestige/fame/academia or the cost of living in London. But I don't see many people address the 9-month duration of the program.
If I want to apply for Phd directly after the MA, I barely know the instructors for 2-3 months and I'll need them to write me recommendation letters.
Disregard the cost and its prestige, how is Courtauld in terms of pursuing academia?
Edit to add: This has been so helpful, thank you!! I am excited to look into the resources you guys shared. Thank you so much for answering my question 🫶🏻 Also... I don't think Elimar looks like a VG either. But, it's been in the news as of late so it was foremost in my mind:) I appreciate you guys!
On the coat tails of the Van Gogh v Elimar, how do specialists determine if a painting is authentic or not? Especially if the artist is notorious for constantly changing and evolving in their style? Or, how do they know a certain individual painted it - and then later discover that may not have actually been the case? Is this how misattribution and reattribution happens? (Here's looking at you Wautier and Gentilecshi <3)
This has been something I've wondered for a while.
Verrocchio, Antonio del Pollaiuolo, Michael Pacher, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Alonso Berruguete, Bernini, Puget, El Greco, Canova, Gerome, Daumier, Dore, Lord Leighton, G F Watts, Von Stuck, Degas, Renoir, Eakins, Rodin, Maillol, Gauguin (I'm excluding Picasso, Matisse, Miro etc as 20th century artists)
Richard Kern, a pivotal figure from New York's No Wave scene, has spent decades pushing boundaries with his raw and transgressive art. His Polaroid collection offers a unique glimpse into his unfiltered vision, showcasing the intimate and provocative imagery that defines his influential career. From experimental films to iconic photographs, Kern’s work continues to challenge perceptions of sexuality, power, and representation.
