Artwork of the month: A recently restored masterwork.

This sculpture is truly amazing now that it has been restored to its assumed original orientation.  We used to joke about how it looked as if he was swimming, or diving into water rather than praying.  Turns out the jokes had merit.

Francesco Mochi

Italian, 1580-1654

"St. Paul the Hermit"

, marble

Before restoration.

Andrea Bergondi

Italian, 1722-1789

"St. Paul the Hermit"

1772, marble

Recently restored, repositioned and reattributed.

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts purchased "St. Paul The Hermit" in the year I was born, 1973. It was believed to be the work of Italian sculptor Francesco Mochi.

Eike Schmidt, curator of sculpture and design at the Minneapolis Institute of arts, discovered that the sculpture was by Andrea Bergondi in 1775.  The Midwest Art Conservation Center, restored the sculpture, removing cement that was added in the 1960s to create a solid base, cleaned it, and reorientated the sculpture so St. Paul would appear to be praying instead of diving.  

St. Paul is the first hermit saint of the Christian church, he retreated to Egypt to live a solitary life dedicated to the worship of God.

Regardless of its story, this sculpture is on exhibit on the third floor of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and is worthy of your time.  Go check it out, spend some time with this sculpture.  

Artwork of the month: Judith.

There was a time when the subject of "Judith" was a popular trend for artists to work on.  The character Judith is a heroine, the savior of her people as a result of her own sacrifice and belief in the Hebrew god.  Judith is a beautiful woman, widowed and del reliant.  Her anger with her people over their mistrust that God will deliver them from the coming invaders army, she sets off with her maid to take maters in her own hands.  

She promises the general of the Assyrians information on the Israelites, gets him drunk seducing him with her beauty.  When Holofernes passes out Judith cuts his head off and sneaks out of camp with it.  the assyrian army is demoralized and disbands not attacking the Israelites.  Judith is a hero.

The book of Judith is not in the Hebrew bible and as a result it is excluded from the Protestant scriptures.  The Catholic church has always maintained the the book of Judith is the word of god and can not be excluded.

The character Judith is a powerful archetype that has been played over and over again.  I would even consider Rosy the Riveter to fall into the same archetype as Judith.  A strong willed, self-reliant, powerfully intelligent god fearing woman, and a patriot.  The Archetype is common throughout history and used as propaganda when needed to inspire a nation.

Judith has been a very popular subject for artists.  The Minneapolis Institute of arts has over 20 "Judith" works in its permanent collection.

Agostino Carracci

Italian, 1559-1602

"Portrait of a woman as Judith"

Oil on canvas, 1590

Attributed to Antonio Gionima

Italian, 1697-1732

"Judith presenting herself to Holofernes"

Oil on canvas, first half of 18th century

Francesco Ladatte

Italian, 1706-1787

"Judith with the head of Holofernes

Terracotta, 1738

Pietro Della Vecchia

Italian, 1603/5-1678

"Judith with the head of Holofernes"

Oil on canvas, 1635-50

Giovan Gioseffo dal Sole

Italian, 1654-1719

"Judith with the head of Holofernes"

Oil on canvas, 1695


There are hundreds of works featuring Judith, but none of them have the impact as Caravaggio's "Judith beheading Holofernes" as it is and always has been the masterwork about Judith.  This painting is a perfect harmony of brutality and beauty.  This painting is at the National gallery of ancient art of Barbarini Palace.

Michelangelo Merisi detto il Caravaggio
Italian, 1571-1610
"Judith beheading Holofernes" 
Oil on canvas, 1598-99

I intend to paint my own version of Judith...
...It will be abstract, but you will know it.

Artwork of the month: The Death of Germanicus.

The dirty little Emperor Tiberius poisoned his adopted son Germanicus.  Envy will do that to a guy if he is as twisted as Tiberius was.  This romantic painting is a stoic tribute to his death. 

Nicolas Poussin

French, 1594-1665

"The Death of Germanicus"

1627, oil on canvas

What I love more than anything, Poussin was giving respect to the past and at the same time taking the composition for his own, reinterpreted in his own voice.  The original composition was based on a roman sarcophagus relief.  Poussin connected the history of his subject matter with his composition.   His forms were an important part of his content, and I am very happy that someone understood the importance enough to record it.  

Painting history, it is a noble art...

...and one where I will be mistaken.  

Artwork of the month: Minnesota Art history.

With Minneapolis being the center of the art world now its good to look at artists in Minnesota's past that helped build our current art scene.

Robert Koehler is a serious figure in the development of the arts in Minnesota.  Koehler was the director of the Minneapolis School of Art (the Minneapolis College of Art and Design) in 1893, and he was also assisted in the establishment of the Minneapolis' Museum of Fine Art (the Minneapolis Institute of Arts). Koehler was an integral part of training artists and creating a local appreciation in Minnesota.

These painting are on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

Robert Koehler

American, 1850-1917

"Head of a Woman"

1881, oil on canvas

"Rainy Evening on Hennepin Avenue"

1902, oil on canvas

Philip Little

American, 1857-1942

"Portrait of Robert Koehler"

1910, oil on canvas

Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.
-Mahatma Gandhi 

Artwork of the month: Kandinsky's "Composition #8"

I discovered Wassily Kandinsky in 1996.  It was a portion in my life when I learning how to oil paint.  My work at the time were expressionistic abstract oils, all improvisational and without any preconceived thought.  After Kandinsky I began my work toward compositional oil painting.  Compositional oil painting is not simply working with the surface area of an oil painting, it is a philosophy.

I have traveled to the Guggenheim art Museum in New York seven times now simply to view this one oil painting.  Composition #8 is Kandinsky's peak, it was his best and although his work continued to progress ever forward conceptually, he was never able to reach that height again.

Wassily Kandinsky
Russian, 1866-1914
"Composition #8"
1923, oil on canvas

From this digital picture the lines look hard and solidly defined.  Standing in front of this you can see that they are also delicate and completed the first time the brush hit canvas.  Composition #8 is a treasured work of art and one that I will go spend some time with again very soon.


I should be painting instead of blogging...
...but you are reading so I keep writing.

5 reasons we all might like Goya.

In lieu of "Artwork of the month" I give you Goya.

I like Goya, maybe you do too.  I have been looking at one of his paintings for years now.  So why do we like Goya?

1.  Francis Bacon and Goya would have been great friends. 

2.  Goya's work is dark, realistic philosophically and visually, and honest.

3.  Goya is a war hero of sorts.

4. Goya's historical prowess is accurate. 

5.  He is not boring all of the time.

 This oil painting is on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.  I enjoy looking at Goya's work for the visual record of his times hat it gives us.  Albeit, I do not really like his work.  It is boring to me.

Francisco Jose de Goya Lucientes

Spanish, 1746-1828

"Self Portrait with Dr. Arrieta"

1820, Oil on canvas

“The dream of reason produces monsters."

- Goya