Thursday, September 30, 2010

14th - 18th Century Paintings at the MET

After the special exhibit of Doug + Mike Starn, and the Antiquities, I allocated my time to the paintings section, both ancient and in 20th century.

Starting with the end of Gothic period and the beginning of Italian Renaissance, we were greeted with devotional pieces, serene and other worldly.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art _8301

Below few examples are those in line with Fra Filippo Lippi and Botticelli, who valued line more than shades and volumes.  They might strike someone as old fashioned but its distinctive style can be compared to the modern day mannerism therefore they need no apology and who can deny their beauty?

Madonna and Child with Donors, c. 1365, Giovanni da Milano  _8314
Madonna and Child with Donors, c. 1365, Giovanni da Milano

Saint Lawrence Enthroned with Saints and Donors, Fra Filippo Lippi _8273
Saint Lawrence Enthroned with Saints and Donors, Fra Filippo Lippi

Portrait of a Woman (l), probably 1450s, Master of the Castello Nativity; Portrait of a Woman with a Man at a Casement, c. 1440, Fra Filippo Lippi; Portrait of a Woman (r), 1430s, Attributed to Paolo Uccello _8306
Portrait of a Woman (l), probably 1450s, Master of the Castello Nativity; Portrait of a Woman with a Man at a Casement, c. 1440, Fra Filippo Lippi; Portrait of a Woman (r), 1430s, Attributed to Paolo Uccello

Madonna Adoring the Sleeping Child, early 1460s, Giovanni Bellini _8307
Madonna Adoring the Sleeping Child, early 1460s, Giovanni Bellini

The Birth of the Virgin, 1467, Fra Carnevale (Bartolomeo di Giovanni Corradini) _8275
The Birth of the Virgin, 1467, Fra Carnevale (Bartolomeo di Giovanni Corradini)

Saint Justina of Padua, 1490s, Bartolomeo Montagna (Bartolomeo Cincani) _8300
Saint Justina of Padua, 1490s, Bartolomeo Montagna (Bartolomeo Cincani)


With Titian, El Greco and Caravaggio, we entered a new era definitely.  We now see the works in the height of the Renaissance period and these masters presented highly realistic but not slavish or high stylized dramatic take of daily life or biblical events.

Portrait of a Man, c. 1515, Titian (Tiziano Vecellio) _8278
Portrait of a Man, c. 1515, Titian (Tiziano Vecellio)

The Lute Player, probably c. 1597, Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi) _8345
The Lute Player, probably c. 1597, Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi)

View of Toledo, El Greco (Domenikos 
Theotokopoulos) _8337
View of Toledo, El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos)

The Vision of Saint John, 1608–14, El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos) _8335
The Vision of Saint John, 1608–14, El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos)

Works by Rubens, Van Dyck always made me a little disoriented timeline-wise.  I often mistakenly place these works in a later period, because the way they handled the subject matters and their fluid techniques. They also possessed certain polish I personally more associate with 18th century paintings.

Portrait of a Woman, Probably Susanna Lunden (née Fourment, 1599–1628), Peter Paul Rubens _8340
Portrait of a Woman, Probably Susanna Lunden (née Fourment, 1599–1628), Peter Paul Rubens

Self-portriat, possibly 1620-21, Anthony van Dyck _8341
Self-portriat, possibly 1620-21, Anthony van Dyck

Portrait of a Young Woman with a Fan, 1633, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)  _8287
Portrait of a Young Woman with a Fan, 1633, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)

Even some early Rembrandt (above) had such qualities but most of his works drew us to a world which was very realistic but much more earthy.  His characters breathed and sweated.

Man in Oriental Costume (''The Noble Slav''), 1632, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) _8281
Man in Oriental Costume (''The Noble Slav''), 1632, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)

Hendrickje Stoffels (1626–1663), mid-1650s,  Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) _8285
Hendrickje Stoffels (1626–1663), mid-1650s,  Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)

Woman with a Pink, c. 1660-64, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)  _8294
Woman with a Pink, c. 1660-64, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)

Minerva, 1635, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn) _8280
Minerva, 1635, Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)

In contrast, Vermeer's characters posed in their frames calmly and the time was suspended.  We were afraid to disturb the delicate tranquility.  The protestant country's still life genre paintings had same effects as well.

Young Woman with a Water Pitcher, c. 1662, Johannes Vermeer _8296
Young Woman with a Water Pitcher, c. 1662, Johannes Vermeer

Still Life with Oysters, a Silver Tazza, 
and Glassware, 1635, Willem Claesz Heda _8279
Still Life with Oysters, a Silver Tazza, and Glassware, 1635, Willem Claesz Heda

Rounding up this century's output, I selected two pieces by Velázquez.  His works in a way were similar to those by Rembrandt but were less robust and little stranger. The modernity of his self-portrait was staggering. 

María Teresa (1638–1683), Infanta of Spain, 1651-54, Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez   _8330
María Teresa (1638–1683), Infanta of Spain, 1651-54, Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez

Portrait of a Man, c. 1630-35, Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez  _8333
 Portrait of a Man, c. 1630-35, Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez

Goya, though was active in 18th Century, continued Velázquez's effort seamlessly.  The sense of doomed darkness in the most repressive regime during the time was palpable.

Manuel Osorio  Manrique de Zuñiga, possibly 1790s, Francisco de Goya y Lucientes _8320
Manuel Osorio  Manrique de Zuñiga, possibly 1790s, Francisco de Goya y Lucientes

Majas on a Balcony, Attributed to Francisco de Goya y Lucientes _8323
Majas on a Balcony, Attributed to Francisco de Goya y Lucientes

In the more enlightened sphere, we are in the most delicate theatrical world of Watteau.  Immediately, the delicacy and intrigues of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro resonated. It was poignant to think that such illusion of idyllic world will be shattered half a century later, during the French Revolution (1789–1799).

Mezzetin, c. 1718-20, Jean Antoine Watteau _8326
Mezzetin, c. 1718-20, Jean Antoine Watteau

The French Comedians, 1720-21, Jean Antoine Watteau _8328
The French Comedians, 1720-21, Jean Antoine Watteau

In my next post, I'll discuss paintings and a couple sculptures from 19-20th century.

Because the time constraint and because my believe that the MET was not really in the league with, say the Louvre, I failed to plan my visit and didn't bother to consult the floor plan handed to me when I asked for German painting section, and only after having exited at the end of the day, I realized that I had regrettably missed paintings by those titans like Jan van Eyck, Albrecht Dürer, Hans Memling, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Hieronymus Bosch, Hans Holbein the Younger. However, the consolation was that I had seen them in my three previous visits and they will serve as an enticement for me to go back, as if I need any.

>> New York City Report, September 2010, Part XII: 19th and 20th Century Art at the MET  
<< New York City Report, September 2010, Part X: Art from Ancient Worlds at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Banned Books in Mao's China

Growing up in Mao's China, I read very few books with literary values when I was a kid, except for certain books stamped as "For Denouncing Purpose Only" my father was able to keep due to his work in Culture Bureau of the province.

I remembered he read Pushkin to me, in Chinese translation, not the Russian he was also fluent at, since I knew no such language and had declined my dad's offer to teach me Russian. How stupid I was!

Back to the books, I remembered also an old copy of "The Sorrow of Young Werther" but I never dared to touch it because the morbidity associated with it. 

When I was in middle school, that country had finally opened up and I started to read more literature written by Tolstoy, Balzac, Chekhov and Shakespeare.

China still has banned books, either due to political reason or if the books were deemed pornographic.

When I was in college, Danielle Steel's Family Album was included in banned pornographic books. At the same time, I read a Chinese translation of 1984 borrowed from my university library.  Apparently, Chinese authorities believed that the Big Brother applied to the Soviet Union only.

I also want to expand a little of this discussion.  When I was again in college, the student union wanted to play video of Gone With The Wind to celebrate International Women's Day.  Somehow, our nervous university authority heard of the plan and persuaded or ordered the union to change the plan.  Instead, we were treated with glorious The Blue Lagoon, with scantly-clad Brook Shields and all.

Music and songs were often capriciously manhandled as well.  In the 1970s, before and after a movie, audience had to stand up and sing The East Is Red a song compared Mao Zedong to the sun, and Internationale, a famous socialist, communist, social-democratic and anarchist anthem.  How time has changed.  Internationale has been more or less banned now in the People's Republic of China.

My rumination proves that banning ideas and speeches is as foolish as it is irrational.

Devils' Dance / 魔鬼的舞蹈 / Teufels Tanz
Devils' Dance © Matthew Felix Sun


Devastating Novel "The Land of Green Plums" by Herta Müller
Ashamed of Oneself - Reading Book "Never Let Me Go"
- Molotov's Magic Lantern: A Journey In Russian Histoy by Rachel Polonsky and Some Journeys of My Own
- David Malouf's Ransom
- Review of "As Above, So Below" by Rudy Von B. Rucker

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Art from Ancient Worlds at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Ever since the opening of the new Greek and Roman Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on April 20, 2007, I longed to visit it.  Finally, I got chance to admire the beautiful hall, as well as incredible collections there.  In the same trip, I also concentrated on Byzantine works, which I had not paid much attention in my previous visit.  For a museum as big as the MET, I had to strategize and concentrate on a portion of its vast collections in order to really look at the art, instead of just greetings and then moving on.

I found this introductory video online and it can guide my dear readers who are not familiar with this project.




At the entrance hall to the Greek and Roman wing, visitors can see most imposing statues and columns.

Greek _8244

Greek _8186

Greek _8262

Below pictures are only the corridors to the big display rooms at the end and smaller ones on the sides. 

Greek _8213

Greek _8184

Greek sculptures from all periods are included and I can spend hours and hours in these rooms.

Greek _8211

Greek _8190

Marble head of a youth from a relief, Greek, late 4th century B.C., Said to be from Rhodes _8189
Marble head of a youth from a relief, Greek, late 4th century B.C., Said to be from Rhodes

Beyond the beautiful sculptures so identified with Greek culture, there were many other objects with high historical, cultural and artistic values.  I particularly love the weird small sculpture below, like the Female Figure with strange profile and the Harp Player in the strange pose, and terracotta and metal artifacts below:

Marble femal figure, Cycladic, Final Neolithic, c. 4500-4000 B.C. _8221
Marble female figure, Cycladic, Final Neolithic, c. 4500-4000 B.C.

Marble femal figure, Cycladic, Final Neolithic, c. 4500-4000 B.C. _8223
Marble female figure, Cycladic, Final Neolithic, c. 4500-4000 B.C.

Marble seated harp player, Cycladic, Early Cycladic I-Early Cycladic II, c. 2800-2700 B.C. _8225
Marble seated harp player, Cycladic, Early Cycladic I-Early Cycladic II, c. 2800-2700 B.C.

Greek _8219

Terracotta neck-amphora (storage jar), Greek, Attic, Proto-Attic, second quarter of the 7th century B.C. _8207
Terracotta neck-amphora (storage jar), Greek, Attic, Proto-Attic, second quarter of the 7th century B.C.

Greek _8205

Greek Vase shadow (Greek _ 8218)_500

Terracotta krater, Greek, Attic, Geometric, c. 725 B.C. _8216
Terracotta krater, Greek, Attic, Geometric, c. 725 B.C.

Terracotta neck-amphora (jar) with twisted handles, Greek, Attic, c. 440 B.C. _8263
Terracotta neck-amphora (jar) with twisted handles, Greek, Attic, c. 440 B.C.

Greek _8266

Two Bronze Helmets, Greek, South Italian, mid-4th-mid-3rd century B.C. _8182
Two Bronze Helmets, Greek, South Italian, mid-4th-mid-3rd century B.C.

Greek _8215

Terracotta sarcophagus rim, East Greek, Clazomenian, last quarter of the 6th century, b.c. _8198
Terracotta sarcophagus rim, East Greek, Clazomenian, last quarter of the 6th century, B.C.

Gold phiale (libation bowl), Greek, 4th-3rd century B.C. _8256
Gold phiale (libation bowl), Greek, 4th-3rd century B.C.

Roman Art obvious continued Greek tradition but also developed in the directions of its own distinction.  Beyond the usual busts closely associated to Roman arts, I love those murals and mosaics very much.

Roman _8235

Marble head of a Greek General, Roman, 1st-2nd century A.D.  _8187
Marble head of a Greek General, Roman, 1st-2nd century A.D.

Marble head of an athlete, Roman, Antonine period, c. A.D. 138-92, Copy of a Greek bronze statue of c. 450-425 B.C. _8234
Marble head of an athlete, Roman, Antonine period, c. A.D. 138-92, Copy of a Greek bronze statue of c. 450-425 B.C.

Marble Sarcophagus, Roman, about A.D. 220-230 _8237
Marble Sarcophagus, Roman, about A.D. 220-230

Roman Portrait of a young boy, Roman, _8248
Roman Portrait of a young boy

Roman _8249

Roman _8245

Roman _8246

Roman _8247

Roman _8251

Bronze medallion of Mantinea - BETOYPIOC, bust of Antinous, favorite of  Hadrian_TOIC APKACI, horse Mantinea, A.D. 130-137 _8252
Bronze medallion of Mantinea - BETOYPIOC, bust of Antinous, favorite of Hadrian_TOIC APKACI, horse Mantinea, A.D. 130-137

Roman _8258

Byzantine Art collection is relatively small and I had hard time to locate them - they were underneath the main staircases facing the entrance hall.  There were some incredible fabrics from that period and Byzantine Egypt but my batteries went dead before I could capture some images.

Byzantine _8420

Byzantine _8419

Byzantine _8418

Byzantine _8421

I had been to the Egyptian wing before but somehow, I totally missed the gigantic reconstructed Temple of Dendur, Egyptian, Dendur, Nubia, Roman period, ca. 15 B.C.  They were quite well preserved - mysterious and imposing, yet not uninviting, due to the bright light in this room.

The Temple of Dendur, Egyptian, Dendur, Nubia, Roman period, ca. 15 B.C. _8346


The Temple of Dendur, Egyptian, Dendur, Nubia, Roman period, ca. 15 B.C. _8350

The Temple of Dendur, Egyptian, Dendur, Nubia, Roman period, ca. 15 B.C. _8347

The Temple of Dendur, Egyptian, Dendur, Nubia, Roman period, ca. 15 B.C. _8348

The Temple of Dendur, Egyptian, Dendur, Nubia, Roman period, ca. 15 B.C. _8351

The Temple of Dendur, Egyptian, Dendur, Nubia, Roman period, ca. 15 B.C. _8349

The last portion of the artifacts from ancient worlds I want to include in this post mostly contained gold masks and crafts from South America, Mexico, Columbia, etc. They were stunningly rich and slightly grotesque.  Most interesting thing to me was that they resembled some huge bronze masks I saw in Sanxingdui, Sichuan Province, China.  Perhaps, there were some hidden connections since that particular civilization emerged and disappeared mysteriously as well and didn't resemble much of other part of Chinese culture.  Strange indeed.

South American _8178

South American _8174

South American _8176

South American _8177

>> New York City Report, September 2010, Part XI: 14th - 18th Century Paintings at the MET
<< New York City Report, September 2010, Part IX: Doug + Mike Starn on the Roof: Big Bambú at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City