I have recently gained a new appreciation for medieval enamels! Their effect is colorful, shiny, and wonderful, and here is some of what I’ve learned about the art form.
Tag: Art That Inspires Me
What’s So Special About the Book of Kells?
I got a lot of confused questions yesterday while unboxing my deluxe The Book of Kells by Bernard Meehan. I thought that everybody was familiar with the Book of Kells, but I see that's not true, so let me explain what the Book of Kells is and why it's so special.
At Atlantic City by William Trost Richards
I discovered it while choosing works for my recent Luminism article on DailyArt Magazine, and I can't get it out of my head. It seems to depict an otherworldly fairyland... but it actually depicts a casino town on the New Jersey shore.
Art That Inspires Me: The Paintings of Paul Cézanne
In his Cézanne: A Life, Alex Danchev claims that admirers of Cézanne's work can't really explain why they like it. Since I love a good challenge, I've done my best to prove him wrong. He are my thoughts about Cézanne.
Up Close and Personal With Illuminated Manuscripts
Last week, I attended the New York Antiquarian Book Fair and enjoyed taking a close look at the medieval illuminated manuscripts offered for sale there. This opportunity reminded me how manuscripts' greatest qualities are best enjoyed in person.
Art That Inspires Me: Lady Agnew of Locknaw by John Singer Sargent
I love the American artist John Singer Sargent (1856-1925), and I have wanted to write an Art That Inspires Me post about him for a while. However, there are just so many things that inspire me about Sargent, and I struggled to pick a few to focus on. This is my all-time favorite Sargent painting. It depicts Lady (Gertrude) Agnew of Locknaw, the wife of a Scottish nobleman.
Art That Inspires Me: Still Life Painting
I recently enjoyed an art exhibition at my local library. I saw many wonderful works there, but I noticed that the majority of the pieces I was drawn to were still lives. So I started to think about why that is. Back in the days of the European and American artistic academies, still life was considered the least prestigious of the painting genres, but it's one of my personal favorites.
Art That Inspires Me: Japanese Buddhist Deity
This installment of Art That Inspires Me features a Japanese Buddhist statue that appeared on a poster sent to me by the Yale University Art Gallery.
Art That Inspires Me: El Anatsui
El Anatsui (b. 1944) is a Nigerian artist who creates beautiful, tapestry-like works out of found materials like bottle caps and scrap metal. I've been lucky enough to see his work at a few different museums.
Art That Inspires Me: Thomas Cole
I don't think it will come as a surprise to anyone that Thomas Cole's work is on my list of art that inspires me. To talk about why I love Cole's work in general, I would probably have to write a whole book, so I'm going to focus on one particular painting that I recently saw for the first time. It's called A Snow Squall, and it was painted in 1825.