This posting is a continuation of a series that can be found on my sidebar. I started the series with the idea of showing that art history is not linear, and that the totality of art is a never-ending circle of inspiration. Knowing that, all art should be viewed freshly.
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| Amish quilt, 1885 (University of Nebraska) | Victor Vasarely, Alom, 1967 |
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Highboy by Christopher Townsend, 1740s | AT&T Building by Philip Johnson, 1984
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| Piet Mondrian, 1921 | Eames House, 1949 |
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| Detail of a painting by Piero di Cosimo, c. 1495 | Olivetti poster by Milton Glaser, 1968 |
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| Greek amphora, 535-530 B.C. | Wedgewood pottery, 1792 |
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Bookbinding from the library of Louis XIII, before 1643 | Louis Vuitton "Blois" pattern
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Another great selection Mark - I love the open pediment on the AT&T building. I like the way something from classical architecture has been given a modern twist, and it looks comfortable.
ReplyDeleteHello Mark:
ReplyDeleteWe find these kinds of comparisons hugely interesting and fascinating. So much of what we consider to be modern owes its inspiration to something existing in the past, as you have shown here. This is, indeed, an idea which could be researched and developed endlessly and is a subject to which, we very much hope, you will return at some future date.
Hi, Rosemary - I always thought there was a lot of humor in the design of the AT&T building, and that Philip Johnson was winking at us. I enjoy that it's modern and classic at the same time.
ReplyDeleteHello Jane and Lance: I will certainly be adding to this series in the future — it's too much fun not to! It's a comparison that I'd especially love to share with young art students.
ReplyDeleteHello Mark, Not having references to art from the past would make my ceramics very dull. Has everythinhg been done before? Maybe so.
ReplyDeleteGreat Series. Thank you.
Mark,I expect you could easily devote your whole blog to this series and never run out of interesting subject matter. I would beg to differ on the Johnson structure which is post modern. If it were modern it would have a flat top.
ReplyDeleteBtw the Eames living room in its entirety is currently on display at LACMA and its quite wonderful.
Hello, Gina - I think your ceramics not only keep a tradition alive, but also refresh that tradition, which is very exciting. In my own work, I often look to the past, and my inspiration might be in the smallest of details — how the Van Eykes would treat reflections on glass, or maybe what makes an N. C. Wyeth sky recognizeable.
ReplyDeleteMister Scott, you are of course correct in calling the AT&T Building post modern! (I actually called it modern just to see if you were reading any of the comments.) I believe Michael Graves has designed a building that is bureau-like, as well, and I'll be featuring him in this series soon. I agree that the series could be its own blog, which is why I've made it a sidebar page. It's providing me a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see the Eames exhibit you mention. One thing that I really appreciate about Charles and Ray Eames is that their designs were so refined, but in that refinement retained playfulness. Their living room and offices reveal the sense of play, and I think that might be the biggest part of what it means to follow a passion.
SO glad I passed the test!
ReplyDeleteFYI here are a couple of interesting links:
http://la.curbed.com/archives/2011/09/entires_eames_house_living_room_being_moved_into_lacma.php
http://framework.latimes.com/2011/09/25/time-lapse-video-charles-and-ray-eames-living-room-packed-up-moved-to-lacma/
Thanks, Scott — I'll check them out!
ReplyDeleteInteresting comparisons, Mark. The Louis Vuiton to the court of Louis XIII is not that big a stretch. :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Yvette - The Louis Vuitton pattern is called the "Blois" pattern, and I think the inspiration for it might actually have been a monogrammed wall from the time of Henri II of France. But if I were Louis Vuitton, I'd certainly have researched the styles of Louis I through Louis XVIII.
ReplyDeleteI was looking at a photo of the Duchess of Windsor's stack of Louis Vuitton luggage and wondered, who was more regal, Wallis or Louis Vuitton? My bet is on Louis.
Very instructive--you've inspired me to include a more varied array of images in my Renaissance History classes. I'm always trying to convince my students that the Renaissance is "modern" but they don't quite believe me!
ReplyDeleteWhat I find interesting in this edition of "not linear" is the close copies. The Piero di Cosimo updating, while humorous, also draws many parallels between our world and that world (as does your own profile portrait of yourself). On the other hand, the Wedgwood vase seems to say more about 18th century England than it does about ancient Greece. --Road to Parnassus
ReplyDeleteHi, Donna - Your comment about your Renaissance History classes reminds me of an observation I shared with my own class, which was that during the Renaissance, biblical scenes were often depicted with the attire of the artists' day. It would be like seeing the participants of the Last Supper all wearing tee shirts! I think that was pretty modern.
ReplyDeleteHello Road to Parnassus - Thank you for reminding me that my very own profile portrait could be a part of this series!
ReplyDeleteI certainly agree with you about the Wedgewood vase. I spent a lot of time with that pairing, trying to find Wedgewood vases shaped like true Greek amphoras — this was as close as I got. Wedgewood did create a close reproduction of the Portland Vase, but throughout this series, I've wanted to showcase something other than exact copying.
I love this series and was glad to see you covering it this week. My favorite would be....oh, wait...I got sidetracked looking at that fabulous button! LOL! Great post!
ReplyDeleteHi, Theresa! The button looks like it might be woven, but it's actually glass. It's even more of a gem when viewed in person.
ReplyDelete