Rococo to Impressionism at LACMA

I enrolled in a Gallery Course at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and attended it from 8:30 to 11:00 am on Saturday morning...yes they provided coffee.  The course was taught by Mary Lenihan, Director of Adult Programming at the museum.  She talked about art from the 18th and 19th century from Watteau to Cezanne.  She describe Rococo art as having a "shell form" and showed examples of Watteau and Chardin some with neoclassical influences (Greek and Roman).  She also describes the technical advances during this period that changed how artists worked.  This included portable easels, paint tubes, and pallet knives.  The artist was then free to paint outside and capture the bright colors of the landscape.  She also talked about how the "Salon" in Paris, the artist capital of the world, and how they controlled the art.  There were no private art galleries or sellers.  Everything was sold through the Salon with a jury of critics deciding what was good or not.  This led to little changes in the art until the Impressionist formed their own show...the refused artists...and the control of the Salon lessened.  This opened the door to creative paintings from the Post Impressionists, the Barbizon School who painted the simple life of villages in soft colors, and the Fauvists called "The Beasts" for their use of wild bright colors.

After about a half hour talk, she took us to the 3rd floor of the Ahmanson Building to look at art from these periods.

"Soap Bubbles," after 1739 by Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin, France, 1699 - 1779

"The Perfect Accord," 1719 by Jean-Antoine Watteau, France 1684-1721.  This small panel was painted on wood and hung in a fancy coach.

"Portrait of Jean-Pierre Delahaye," 1815 by Jacques-Louis David, France 1748-1825

"View of La-Ferte-Saint-Aubin, Near Orleans," 1837 by Constant Troyon, France, 1810-1865.  The artist was influence by England's John Constable a famous landscape painter.  The artist shared his vision of paintings the simple life of the country with other artist who lived in Barbizon and formed their school of work.  

"The Beach at Honfleur," 1864-66 by Claude Monet, France 1840-1926.  This Impressionist showed brush strokes in his work which was not allowed by The Salon. 

"View of Vetheuil," 1880 by Claude Monet.  In this painting Monet uses the blending of colors side by side and when viewed from a short distance the colors blend beautifully.

Bergamot Station on Thursday Morning

I received a tip from a colleague about a Roberto Gil de Montes show at the Lora Schlesinger Gallery in the Bergamot Station family of galleries in Santa Monica and roamed on over.  I was delighted with his works.  He incorporates pre-columbian symbols from Mexico into his paintings.  The catalog states that these reference a rich cultural visual language creating hypnotic patterns and psychological portraits.  It goes on to say that colorful works infused with symbols and metaphors that reference time, memory, cultural identity, lifestyle and history.

Born in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1950, he moved with his family to East Los Angeles as a small boy. Here he advance in school and graduated with his BA and MFA from the Otis Parsons Institute. Now, he lives near the Pacific Coast in Central Mexico near indigenous Meso Americans and
appreciates their culture and lore as seen in his paintings.

Here is a bit of what I saw:

"Wixaritari," 2014 oil on canvas

Top "Yo Cora," 2013 pastel on paper.  Bottom "Dream 2," 2013

Top "Island," 2013 pastel on paper, Bottom "Dia de la Virgen," 2013 

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"Henry Moore," 2014 oil on linen.  The artist was highly influenced by the British sculptor, Henry Moore when he visited museums and sculpture gardens while he lived in Los Angeles.

"Turtle Release," 2014 oil on canvas

"Chac Mool," 2014 oil on canvas

"Victor's Dream," 2013 pastel on paper

"Coming Home," 2014 oil on linen

"The New Calendar," 2014 oil on Linen

Next, went into the Lois Lambert Gallery and observed the graphite drawings on Arches paper by Robert Taub entitled "The Earth Sings a Sad Song, Europe 1919-1945."  The artist describes: "This very personal project is an examination and exploration of cultural, national, political and Jewish identity.  And most of all, it is a yahrzeit candle for the millions gone." The scenes are taken from photographs.

"Burning of the Reichstag," (German Capitol Building).  The Reichstag was burned down by the Russian Army in 1945.

"Jewish Quarter, Amsterdam,"  "A mystical and beautiful place until..."  Robert Taub

"Warsaw Ghetto Prisoners,  This image depicts Jew captured during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, which took place April 22 - May 18, 1943."

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"Nazi Demonstration, 1933."  "During the 1930's leading up to Hitler coming to power, there were many violent clashes between the Communists and the Nazis in Germany.  This is a scene of a memorial service held for Nazis who died fighting in the streets of Berlin during one such protest."  The church in the background is The Berliner Dome, a Lutheran Church I attended while visiting in Berlin.  It is in the center of the city on Museum Isle across from the Opera House.

"Reverend Martin Niemoller, Anti-Nazi pastor, who at first supported Hitler, but he later changed his mind.  In 1943 he was sent to Dachau, but he survived the war and passed away in 1984 at the age of 92."
"First they came for the trade unionists, and I wasn't a trade unionist, so I said nothing.  Then they came for the communist, and I wasn't a communist, so I said nothing.  Then they came for the Jews and I wasn't a Jew, so I said nothing.  Then they came for me, and there was no one left to say anything."  Martin Niemoller

"Abba Kovner, Commander of the FPO, Vilnius 1943.  After his time as the Commander of the Jewish Partisans Organization, Kovner became a prominent Israeli poet and writer, and lived his life out on a Kibbutz in Israel."

Sunday in the Neigborhood Gardens

Colleen and I enjoyed six gardens in our neighborhood of Windsor Square and Hancock Park through our local historical society.  We were docents at one home and I had the privilege of viewing these two Morgan cars that were on display in the garden where we were assigned.  The one on the left is a 1958 four cylinder and the red one is a 1987, 8 cylinder.  They Morgan family makes about 500 cars a year at their factory in England.  The cars have a wooden frame.  They are beautiful pieces of art.

"Twin Visions" on Tuesday at the Rutberg Gallery

I roamed through the Jack Rutberg Fine Arts Gallery, 357 N La Brea Ave., L.A., to check out the "Twin Visions" exhibit...the works of identical twin brothers, Jerome Witkin and Joel-Peter Witkin. They were born in September of 1939 in Brooklyn, New York.  Joel-Peter lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico and his works, according to Wikipedia, "often deals with such themes as death, corpses, and various outsiders such as dwarves, transsexuals, hermaphrodites and physically deformed people." Jerome lives in Syracuse, New York and quoting Wikipedia, "is an American figurative artist whose paintings deal with political, social and cultural themes, along with serious portraiture that melds the sitter's social position with a speaking likeness that reveals character."  These twin brothers were reportedly estranged from each other and never have exhibited together, until now.

Jack Rutberg, was as always an excellent host, welcoming me to his gallery and talking about the amazing artists he represents.

Here is a bit of what I saw:

"Night In A Small Town," 2007 Joel-Peter Witkin

"Life is an Invention: The Constellation of Balthus," 2007, Joel-Peter Witkin

"The Raft of George W. Bush," 2006, Joel-Peter Witkin

"Face of A Woman," 2004, Joel-Peter Witkin

"Vincent and his Demons II," 2012 by Jerome Witkin

"Retablo," 2007, Joel-Peter Witkin

"Vincent and His Demons III," 2012 Jerome Witkin

"The German Girl," 1997, Jerome Witkin

"Crack House," 1990, Jerome Witkin

"A Jew In A Ruin," 1990, Jerome Witkin

"Study For Terminal," 1986-87, Charcoal on Paper, Jerome Witkin

"Terminal," 1987, oil on linen by Jerome Witkin as seen in a book.

I found two gems upstairs at the gallery:  "Seated Woman," 1931 by David Alfaro Siqueiros, 1896-1974

"Seated Woman," 1963, Mahogany, by Francisco Zuniga (1912-1998)

Huntington Library, Gardens and Museums on Thursday

Thursday was a picture postcard day in San Marino, CA and a fine day for roaming around the library, gardens and museums with veterans.  We learned a lot about the Gutenberg Bible on velum, one of only 14 remaining, printed and painted 600 years ago.  It took about 5,000 sheep and other animal skins to make the velum for the printed pages.  Then each page was painted by artists showing scenes in the bible...with actual gold accents.  A wonderful docent answered all our questions.

We then strolled by the Shakespeare garden to the American art museum where I took pictures of some of the favorites seen below.  Then off to the Chinese garden with a view of the lake, bridges and pavilions while we sipped great tea and munched on cookies.  Then off to the Japanese Garden, Rose Garden and the Huntington Mansion to see the furnishings and  great art....English and French.

It was a great day...tired feet but happy minds.

"Abraham Lincoln," modeled 1860 cast 1880 by Leonard Wells Volk, 1828-1895.  On May 18, 1860, Leonard Volk made a life mask of Abraham Lincoln by covering the future president's face in plaster, letting it set, and carefully removing it.  He then used the mask to create numerous bronze sculptures of the 51 year-old presidential candidate.

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"Sailing Ships off the New England Coast," 1855 by Fitz Henry Lane, 1804-1865

"Chimborazo," 1864 by Frederic Church, 1826-1900

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"Bronco Buster," 1895 by Frederic Remington, 1861-1909

"Untitled," by Harry Bertoia, 1915-1978  "Based on the form of a tree, this sculpture's roughly patinated bronze leaves seem to flutter in an unseen wind."

"Benediction," 1922 by Caniel Chester French, 1830-1911 bronze

"Free Floating Clouds," 1980 by Sam Francis, 1923-1994 Acrylic on canvas

Silver by Allan Adler, 1916-2002.  This "Silversmith to the Stars," was the most innovative silversmiths working in Southern California after WWII.  Clients included Eleanor Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra, Carol Channing, Steven Spielberg and Michael Jackson

"Bird Drinks Creek Dry, Fish Escapes," 1965 by Edward Ruscha, b. 1937

"Brillo Box," 1964 by Andy Warhol, 1928-1987, "art that was intended to provoke anxiety about the nature and value of art." 

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"Leaded Glass Window from the James A. Patten House, Evanston, Illinois," 1901 by George Washington Maher, 1864-1926 and Louis Millet, 1856-1923

"Pandora", 1858 by Chauncey Bradley Ives, 1810-1894, marble.  Note she has not yet opened the box that will release horrors into the world.

"Mrs. William Playfair," 1887 by John Singer Sargent 1856-1925

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"David Wilson Jordan," 1899 by Thomas Eakins, 1844-1916

"The Inner Studio, Tenth Street,": 1882 by William Merritt Chase 1849-1916

Painting is "Study," by William Merritt Chase
Chair created in 1869 by George Hunzinger, 1835-1898

"Zenobia in Chains," 1859 in marble by Harriet Goodhue Hosmer 1830-1908 

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"Puck," 1843 marble by Harriet Goodhue Hosmer

"Vesuvius from Portici," 1774-76 by Joseph Wright of Derby (British, 1734-1797) "Wright magnifies the volcano's terrifying mass against the minuscule buildings below"...Pompeii...with the moon rising through the smoke and clouds. 

"Charles Stuart Forbes," 1882 by John Singer Sargent