Unlike his father, George Vanderbilt wasn't a huge art collector. He collected prints, but beyond that, he generally preferred to spend his money on his home and lands rather than paintings and sculptures. However, he still managed to acquire quite a few notable works of art that are now on display at Biltmore. Here are some of my favorites.
Category: European Art
Turner: The Life Behind the Paintings
If you enjoy the works of J.M.W. Turner (as I do) and want to know more about him, I suggest reading Franny Moyle's Turner: The Extraordinary Life & Momentous Times of J.M.W. Turner (New York: Penguin Press, 2016). It's a detailed and comprehensive book about Turner's life, art, personality, and career. This post is about some of the things I learned from the book.
An Oasis in New York City: The Frick Collection
The Frick is one of my favorite museums. It’s a small, world-class museum with collections and scholarship of the highest international importance. It's also a calm oasis in the middle of New York City.
Turner and His Disappearing Colors
Before synthetic colors, it was important to choose your paints wisely. Some artists, like J.M.W. Turner, didn't always do this, and their paintings discolored quickly.
What is History Painting?
History painting was an important genre in 18th and 19th-century European art. The term is used all the time, but doesn't simply refer to paintings of history. Learn about the characteristics of a history paint and why all the most ambitious artists wanted to pursue it.
Thomas Gainsborough and His Daughters (DailyArt Magazine)
Please read my article for DailyArt Magazine about Thomas Gainsborough's portraits of his two daughters.
The Romance of the Mountains at the Newark Museum
Thoughts on the Newark Museum's exhibition The Rockies & The Alps: Bierstadt, Calame, and the Romance of the Mountains (March through August 2018).
A Guide to Romanticism
What is Romanticism in art? Learn about the different themes and stylistic attributes of Romantic painting, sculpture, and architecture. Find out how it's different from Neo-Classicism, the style that preceded it.
The War of Art: A John Singer Sargent Fun Fact
A little backstory on John Singer Sargent's portrait of French siblings Edouard and Marie-Louise Pailleron. In this unusual case, animosity between the artist and one of the sitters made for surprisingly effective painting.
Giorgio Vasari, the First Art Historian
Giorgio Vasari is considered to be the father of art history. In the mid-16th century, he wrote a set of biographies of Italy's most important artists and architects. It's been influential ever since then. A new biography of Vasari, published in 2017, takes a complete look at Vasari's life and work as both an artist and writer.
