Art - Knowing what I like

"The Aficionado" by Pablo Picasso

I seem to remember from somewhere some words of disdain from an aficionado of art apparently looking down upon those who would only say of art that they "know what they like"; what they like often being the "real world" they inhabit being reproduced much like a photograph. This was simply dismissed by the expert as the admiration of "technique" and not any particular grasp of true artistic expression. More contempt  followed for "chocolate box" scenes, or the sentimental depiction of rosy cheeked children at play. 

Well, maybe so, but I know what I like, though certainly I would agree that if anyone wishes to simply reproduce what they see, then use a camera. Much quicker, and it saves on paint.

One way of saving on paint

Anyway, I am waffling as usual, and in fact this is all a preliminary to posting a few paintings that I like and know. What I have come to dislike over the years are paintings of "important people", often on horses (and definitely well above the rest of humanity) or alternatively - or both - in garb designed to impress. Most look very pleased with themselves; yet when you read up on their lives it often becomes difficult to understand exactly why. As far as the art is concerned such works were often commissioned, and the artist reduced to little more than a tradesman.

Philip IV, looking pleased with himself

Then, of course, there are the paintings that draw their inspiration from various mythologies, often Greek, where the human form, in diverse states of undress, is depicted engaging in questionable pursuits - deemed acceptable purely by tradition and the classical heritage of the intelligentsia. Warfare, rape and pillage. Or, alternatively, biblical scenes; the ancient prophets, Samson perhaps, events from the New Testament, St Paul on his travels and suchlike. 

Thus the past dictated the present. Yet what price seeing with new eyes or as in the Good Book:- behold, I make all things new?

Some Greek mythology for those who like that sort of thing

Well, this is all a bit light and tongue in cheek, but before moving on to a few of the paintings I like, a mention of the ramblings of another idiot, E.L.Wisty (aka the late great Peter Cook) who would sit on a park bench and ramble on about some subject or other for five minutes or so. He was the founder member of "The World Domination League" but took time out from this pursuit to offer his opinion on various subjects.

Once he chose to speak about art and told his audience that he himself dabbled, "not representational, more the abstract stuff rather like Picasso." He said though, that he used more colours than Picasso, who he observed would only use one colour at a time, having various "periods" such as his blue period and his rose period. The reason for this, according to Mr Wisty, was not artistic at all but simply that Picasso was "too damned stingy to pay for more than one colour at a time." He himself though liked to use many colours all at once and "splash them about a bit, all over the canvas."

Mr Wisty then spoke of how he had once taken one of his very own works to an art dealer. The dealer, he said, had looked at the work and then commented that he had "never seen anything quite like it before" but advised him that his work "had not quite matured yet" and asked him to "come back in a hundred years time" when his work may have "developed and matured."

Mr Wisty, reflecting upon this, rued the fact that more often than not artists only became famous after they were dead, which he observed was "a fat lot of good", to be "recognised" only after you were dead. He then suggested that one way of avoiding such a fate was to be "extremely controversial", which he himself had achieved by once painting a portrait of Sir Winston Churchill  "without a head". He admitted that he had not intended to do so, but had began his portrait with the feet and when he moved on up he found that he had "no room left for his head." Nevertheless, he saw his work as "controversial" and took it to the editor of a Sunday Newspaper, seeking to "become famous." According to E. L. Wisty the conversation went like this......

I said:- "Look, this is my portrait of Sir Winston Churchill". 

He said:- "Where's his head?"

I said:-  "I've left it off, it's extremely controversial!" 

Well, Mr Wisty was given short shift by the editor, who threw him down the stairs. 

Mr Wisty then moved on to assert that many sought to become artists only to "come into contact with nude ladies", observing that if you were, say, a blacksmith, it would be no good saying to a female customer: - "get your clothes off". Anyway, finally, after a brief criticism of Rubens (who "could not paint for toffee") Mr Wisty ended his discourse. And not once did he crack a smile.

E. L. Wisty's controversial portrait

Anyway, I will now move on to the various paintings that I know I like. Not exhaustive and I will not say much about them. 

First Salvador Dali, best known for his surreal "dreamscapes", but I go for the following more down to earth subjects:-

"Portrait of Lucia"

"Portrait of the Cellist Ricardo Pichot"

Next, Picasso, who passed through various styles (as well as colours, as Mr Wisty observed) and once again I like his more representational paintings, although one or two are more "abstract". 

Here are some that I know I like:-

The Visit (Two Sisters)

Old Jew and a Boy

Poor People on the Seashore (The Tragedy)

"Girl with Mandolin"

"Two Women Running on Beach"

""Weeping Woman"

"The Old Guitarist"

After Picasso, a Japanese artist, Hokusai:-

"The Great Wave off Kanagawa"

One from Gustav Klimt. I don't like "bling" (!) but for some reason I do like this....

"Portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer I"

And now William Blake:- "The Ancient of Days"

Of course, Vincent Van Gogh:- 

"Bedroom in Arles"

"Starry Night"

Finally, Monet, not Water Lillies, but "The Magpie". Feel the chill in the air:-

Portraits now of the actual artists, whose lives are always fascinating to read about. Apart from William Blake, they are all self-portraits:-

Salvadore Dali

Pablo Picasso

Hokasai

Gustav Klimt

William Blake

Vincent Van Gogh

Claude Monet

Postscript:- "Starry, Starry Night" by Don McLean

Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and grey
Look out on a summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills
Sketch the trees and the daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
In colours on the snowy linen land

Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now

Starry, starry night
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue
Colours changing hue
Morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand

Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now

For they could not love you
But still your love was true
And when no hope was left in sight
On that starry, starry night
You took your life, as lovers often do
But I could have told you, Vincent
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you

Starry, starry night
Portraits hung in empty halls
Frameless heads on nameless walls
With eyes that watch the world and can't forget
Like the strangers that you've met
The ragged men in the ragged clothes
The silver thorn, a bloody rose
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow

Now I think I know
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they're not listening still
Perhaps they never will




Related Quotes:- 

"The collective will of an epoch precipitates into the arts. The rules of linear perspective characterized by a fixed station point symbolize rational, enlightened man at the center of his measurable world........The act of fixing the station point brought the temporal world into focus. The light of the visible world was gathered in a single point. The world was now measurable........A fatal blow came from Cezanne who unpinned the fixed station point. Unpinning the station point was the most definitive act of the Modem epistemology........Linear perspective was invented in order to look backward to antiquity for precedent, Cubism was invented to engage the present in all of its multi-cultural fullness. Perspective is precedent, rules, history, models, arrogance; Cubism is searching exploring, experimenting, discovery, and doubt. Perspective is ultimately a tool of archaelogists and historians, Cubism is a tool of inventors." 

(From "Cezanne Picasso Braque: Birth of a Language" by Jim Blake)


"The history of art is never regular or predictable, and it constantly changes. Rarely created in an isolated moment of inspiration, it is nearly always an amalgam of circumstances and experiences, feelings and opinions, social, environmental or political situations, or developments in technology, beliefs, traditions or thinking. It is also always about endeavour, ability, process and product. Which is why it manifests in such a multitude of ways, and expresses anything from the universal to the commonplace. Additionally, art has many functions. While much of it appears to have been created in imitation of the world, it is much more than that. It mirrors the times in which it has been made and, depending on the culture and location, can express and emphasize many different things, such as beauty, truth, death, order, immortality, power or harmony. As a form of communication or decoration, it can express philosophical points or religious beliefs, or it may simply entertain. Like any  other language, art becomes more fascinating when it is understood." (From "Art in Minutes", Susie Hodge)




"I think a lot of modern art is complete bullshit. But I admire the creativity. The weird shit people think of! Some of the most interesting things I've ever seen in my life, I've seen in modern art museums. And that's what art is all about. It's supposed to make you think.”

(Oliver Markus Malloy, from "Bad Choices Make Good Stories - Finding Happiness in Los Angeles")




"Modern paintings are like women, you'll never enjoy them if you try to understand them.”

(Freddie Mercury)