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Posts from the ‘Art’ Category

Oct 31

Bolshoi Theater Reopens

The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, the historic center of Russian ballet, reopened Oct 28th after undergoing 6 years of renovation.  A gala performance was held to celebrate the occasion which included an entirely Russian program with Russian performers.  The honored guests of the evening included President Dmitri Medvedev.

In total, $700 million was spent to meticulously restore the historic theater.  As a result of the renovation, the artists’ dressing space has been increased,  the acoustics have been fine-tuned and improved technology has been incorporated into the theater mechanics.  At the same time, original art and architectural elements ranging from stucco work to door handles have been restored to their original 19th-century appearance having been removed in Communist era revisions.  Below are images from the reopening while more images of the renovations can be found on the Theater’s website.

Russia is a trip I hope to take some day – starting in Moscow and working my way through the countryside to St. Petersburg. Capping off my perfect day in Moscow, with any luck, will be a performance at the Bolshoi.  There is something so appealing about the great European opera houses. Aside from the elegant styling of the interior art, the opulent surroundings hearken back to an age where being seen at the theater was a quintessential social event.  Performances are also guaranteed to feature world-class talent.  Where else, for instance, would you go to see the best ballet in the world other than the Bolshoi?  Thankfully the Theater has been fully restored and can resume performances in its traditional home.

Exterior of the Bolshoi Theater illuminated for its reopening gala Oct 28, 2011 (Photo: AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (L) and his wife Svetlana (R) applaud the reopening ceremony of Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, Russia (Photo: EPA / Vladimir Rodionov / Ria Novosti / Kremlin Pool)

Bolshoi Theater seating (Photo: EPA / Maxim Shipenkov)

Theater foyer during the reopening gala (Photo: Reuters/Anton Golubev)

Oct 27

Mysterious Bull Legs

Four-legged winged bull in the Khorsabad Court exhibit (Photo: Oriental Institute)

I was recently in Chicago and decided to get off the beaten path and visit the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago.  It’s a great, albeit small museum covering Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt and other ancient near Eastern civilizations.

One exhibit area is domonated by pieces from the court of King Sargon II who ruled Assyria from 721-705 B.C.  In the center is a 16ft tall winged bull with a human head.  This sufficiently impressive piece along with its twin would have guarded a city entrance.

Looking more closely at the bull figure, it appears to have been made for viewing from very specific angles and not so much in the round.  In the image above, the bull has four legs when you look straight on, but if you move 90 degrees, there are two symmetrical legs under the head.  From the right angle, you can see that there are 5 legs!

This protective bull genie has an extra leg!

The Louvre also has some 5-legged Assyrian human-headed winged bulls.  It just goes to show that you should look carefully at art.

Oct 19

Auction Day 2: The Sale

The Skinner European and Decorative Arts auction spanned two days.  I watched some live and overall it was quite calm and orderly.  Bidders in the room came and went but usually there were only a dozen or so active at one time.  Some were clearly some “professionals” (antique shop owners? interior designers?) but there were also “private citizens” like me.  There were 8-12 employees on the phone with buyers.  Another two were handing all the active on-line bidding.  With 1300+ lots, things moved at a pretty good pace but I followed along without a problem.

It was interesting listening to the bidding volley back and forth.  Here was one of my favorite exchanges from the auctioneer:

“So we’ll open at $700.  $700 where?”

“$2100 online”

“(Laughing) $2100 is even better.  Do I have $2200?

Lot 3, Fine Yellow Gold, Cloisonne Enamel, and Stone-mounted Carved Rock Crystal Bowl (Photo: Skinner, Inc.)

Sadly, I wasn’t present for the most exciting item of the auction: a carved crystal bowl with a gold, enamel and stone base.  It was a delicate piece and had an auction estimate of $8-10, 000.  It sold for $201,450 including the buyer’s premium!  That’s incredible!  Other items going above their estimates included a 18th century French screen, a 19th century wooden Dionysius copy (which I presume is a rarity), and a painted porcelain plaque.  There were also many items that sold below their estimates so patience would have really paid off if you were looking to buy.

Lot 1127, Portrait of a Lady and Her Maid (Photo: Skinner, Inc.)

I was happy with one of the predictions I made during the preview session.  I really liked the early Spanish colonial Portrait of a Lady and Her Maid.  It was detailed and had a dark palate characteristic of its era.  There was also a wonderful naivete to it as evidenced by the woman’s face, upheld arm and her awkward position in a very non-linear chair.  This was a beautiful piece of folk art and I knew the $300-500 estimate was too low.

Lot 590, Georges Doussot's La Plage en Ete (Photo: Skinner, Inc.)

Of course, there always has to be the “one that got away” and in this case it was a lovely Impressionistic French beach scene from 1964.  I loved the bold colors, the composition and that you could still see the bare tan canvas since it wasn’t completely painted in.  Doussot’s style started out more somber and eventually became very cartoonist and child-like so this painting was a great treat.  I had bid more aggressively for another item and so I missed out on this one.

The good news is, I did buy a painting!  (If you recall, I left conservative bids on four items.)  I am really happy with it and the final auction price.  I am currently enjoying it on my wall!  Maybe I’ll write about it soon once I can do some more research on the piece and the artist.  Overall I had a great time at the auction and would recommend it to anyone with interest in art, history or the antiques industry!

Oct 18

Vincent Van Gogh: Murder or Suicide?

Vincent Van Gogh, Self Portrait (1889), Musee d"Orsay, Paris

60 minutes had a good story Sunday on a new biography of Vincent Van Gogh.  Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, who won a Pulitzer Prize for their biography of Jackson Pollock, wrote Van Gogh: The Life which was released today (Oct 18).  The authors appear to have written an authoritative 976 page biography enlisting the help of several assistants to pour over every scrap of letter or newspaper associated with Van Gogh.

I’m curious to read their analysis of Van Gogh’s potential medical diagnoses and his relationships with other, but the most surprising revelation of the book appears to be their theory that he was shot by someone else and did not commit suicide.  The 25min news piece sets up the argument nicely with historical inconsistencies and some reflection on Van Gogh’s extreme loneliness and isolation.

Vincent Van Gogh’s art is visionary and his works are masterpieces.  Aside from the potentially sensational murder or suicide story, I am looking forward to a well researched biography of the artist most easily discounted as just insane rather than purposefully creative by art history.

Oct 17

1 Comment

Art Auction Day 1: Previews

I’ve always envisioned that down the road I would be able to own some antiques and pieces of art.  If you look around, you can find affordable decorative pieces for not much more than modern equivalents made in China from the home decor big box stores.

As part of my quest, I have started going to art and antique auctions.  It is standard practice for an auction to hold “preview” sessions beforehand so that interested buyers can inspect pieces up close.  These viewings are in many ways like visiting a museum with a very eclectic collection but are also way more hands-on since you are allowed to open drawers, turn over statues and handle objects (carefully of course).  Even if you are not a very serious buyer, visiting an auction preview can be a lot of fun.This past weekend, there was a European Furniture and Decorative Arts auction at Skinner in Boston.  Overall I was impressed with the diversity of items offered.  There were painted porcelain vases, chandeliers,  gilded mirrors, loads of tortoise shell boxes and delicate glass pieces in addition to the usual dressers and paintings.  You can flip through the catalog online or view each individual item here.

Lot 1004, Grand Tour Micromosaic Plaque (Photo: Skinner Inc.)

One of the obvious highlights of the show was a micromosaic depicting Rome.  It was less than a foot in length but incredibly detailed.  Examining it really closely, I still couldn’t believe it was constructed of inlay.  It would have been difficult to execute even if it were a painting.  Clearly the craftsmanship made this a rare and spectacular work of art.  The subject matter was not as unique as I saw several 19th-20th century “grand tour” art examples including oils, watercolors and bronzes all with the obvious beach, castle and ruins included.  Having just seen the whole range of tourist art in Greece, it’s funny to think that people have always wanted and continue to pick up souvenirs when they travel abroad.

Lot 1253, Bronze of a Classical Muse (Photo: Skinner Inc.)

One piece that I really loved was a bronze Classical Muse by French sculptor Albert Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (1827-1887).  I liked the figure’s pose and her elegant, detailed costume.  At over a foot tall and two feet wide, it is a pretty substantial work of art and was probably more than I was looking for right now.

I did find four items that I was interested in buying and left bids. My art budget is pretty low right now, so my bids were all under the auction estimates.  If I won, then great, I would have bought a really nice piece of art and if not, there would be future auctions.  I also left bids rather than bid live to make sure I didn’t get carried away!

Stay tuned to see how the auction went and how I did….

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