online store Art History — Blog information about art history, updates about projects, shows, portraits, & more. — Fine Art Paintings & more

Art History

, , , ,

A day like no other

, , , ,

We all get to experience the beauty of nature. How magnificent it is to witness Gods creation. To those who have stood in the midst of a redwood forest, or at the foot of a majestic mountain or waterfall, you know what I am talking about. 

Last week I was blessed with the opportunity to go to the largest art museum in America.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art….Wow, Wow, Wow!

Of course, we expected grandeur from creation but not always from mankind. Too many times people are known for their hatred, wars, and evil ways. A place like the Met is where you flip the coin to experience the other side of mankind. People, artists, architects, painters, sculptors, and craftsmen who had a creative nature to express beauty that stagers the mind. It’s deep within them and yet they have found a way to pour it out in their artistic ways and impact the world in their own lifetime and for generations after they have passed on.

More updates to come of my findings at “The Met”

A side note: I ’m not saying creatives are perfect…far from it. Van Gogh delt will depression and many expect he committed suicide.

The Italian painter, Caravaggio became notorious for his drinking, gambling, sword-carrying and brawling. He was arrested for carrying a sword without a permit, sued for beating a man with a stick. : o


After Benvenuto Cellini killed his rival, the goldsmith Pompeo de Capitaneis, in 1534, Pope Paul III—a Cellini fan—reportedly pardoned the Florentine artist, declaring that men like him “ought not to be bound by law.” In 1660 the Dutch painter Jacob van Loo stabbed a wine merchant to death during a brawl in Amsterdam, and then fled to Paris.  *ARTnews

Scandalous Artist

Caravaggio was know to use prostitutes as models, as in this painting of the death of Mary (mother of Jesus). circa1606 It was documented that the painting was rejected by the patron who commissioned it because of that - or the other reason for rejection might have been because of the improper manner in how Mary was depicted.  

 

It can be seen at the Louve in Paris.

 

Michelangelo only sign one piece of artwork.

When it was unveiled a proud Michelangelo stood by and watched as people admired the beautiful Pieta. However, what was pride quickly turned into anger as he overheard a group of people attributing the work to other artists of his time. That anger caused Michelangelo to add one last thing to his sculpture. Going down the sash on the Virgin Mary, Michelangelo carved his name. He later regretted that his emotions got the best of him and vowed to never sign another one of his works again.

Their surrounding were killing them...

Scheele's Green was invented in 1775 by Carl Wilhelm Scheele.  The pigment was originally prepared by making a solution of sodium carbonate at a temperature of around 90 °C, then slowly adding arsenious oxide, while constantly stirring until everything had dissolved. This produced a sodium arsenite solution. In the 19th century the toxicity of arsenic compounds was not readily known. 19th century journals reported of children wasting away in bright green rooms, of ladies in green dresses swooning and newspaper printers being overcome by arsenic vapors. There is one example of an acute poisoning of children attending a Christmas party where dyed candles were burned.  During Napoleon's exile in St. Helena, he resided in a very luxurious room painted bright green, his favorite color. His cause of death is generally believed to be stomach cancer, and arsenic exposure has been linked to an increased risk of gastric carcinoma.