A few representations of Sebastian seen in Spain and Portugal, June 2011
Following are a few of my favorite works that I saw at the Prado during my visits there this month.
This small altarpiece, divided into three horizontal and three vertical rows, is dedicated to Saint Christopher, who protects against sudden death. His image occupies the central row, which is topped by the Crucifixion.
2
Altarpiece of the lives of the Virgin and Saint Francis
Maestro Nicolás Francés
1445-1460
This altarpiece consists of nine large panels plus the eighteen that make up the predella. The main scene is The Virgin with the Christ Child surrounded by Angel Musicians, which is completed with five scenes from the lives of Christ and the Virgin in the right and central areas, and three scenes from the life of saint Francis, in the left area. All of them are framed with gothic ogee tracery.
3
The Garden of Earthly Delights
Hieronymus Bosch
1500-1505
The open triptych shows three scenes. The left panel is dedicated to Paradise, with the creation of Eve and the fountain of life, while the right panel shows hell. The central panel gives its name to the entire piece, representing a garden of life’s delights or pleasures. Between paradise and hell, these delights are nothing more than allusions to sin, showing humankind dedicated to diverse worldly pleasures.
4
The Triumph of Death
Pieter Brueghel “the Elder”
c. 1562
In this moral work, the triumph of Death over mundane things is symbolized by a large army of skeletons razing the Earth. The background is a barren landscape in which scenes of destruction are still taking place. In the foreground, Death leads his armies from his reddish horse, destroying the world of the living. The latter are led to an enormous coffin with no hope for salvation.
IKEDA Manabu - History of rise and fall - 2006 - pen, acrylic ink on paper, mounted on board - 200x200cm
BYE BYE KITTY!!!
Between Heaven and Hell in Contemporary Japanese Art
Friday, March 18 — Sunday, June 12
Japan Society
Bye Bye Kitty!!! is a radical departure from recent Japanese exhibitions. Moving far beyond the stereotypes of kawaii and otaku culture, Japan Society’s show features sixteen emerging and mid-career artists whose paintings, objects, photographs, videos, and installations meld traditional styles with challenging visions of Japan’s troubled present and uncertain future.
Max Beckmann - Der Nachhauseweg (Sheet 2) from Die Hölle
German Expressionism: The Graphic Impulse
March 27–July 11, 2011
The Museum of Modern Art
Abstract Expressionist New York
The Museum of Modern Art
October 3, 2010–April 25, 2011
Heat Waves in a Swamp: The Paintings of Charles Burchfield
June 24–October 17, 2010
Whitney Museum of American Art
The Frick Collection
1 East 70th Street
New York, NY 10021
Get a VERY close look at Holbein’s portrait of Sir Thomas More at the Google Art Project:
Although there were some few major paintings missing that I really would have liked to have seen (or seen again), this is an excellent exhibit. It is worth it alone for the chance to see a full set of the 50 etchings of his “Der Krieg” portfolio of 1924.
Otto Dix
Neue Galerie
March 11-August 30, 2010
“This spring, Neue Galerie New York presents ‘Otto Dix,’ the first solo museum exhibition of works by this major German artist ever held in North America… More than almost any other German painter, Otto Dix (1891-1969) and his works have profoundly influenced the popular notion of the Weimar Republic. His paintings were among the most graphic visual representatives of that period, exposing with unsparing and wicked wit the instability and contradictions of the time.”
While on vacation in Berlin, I was delighted to have a chance to see the Frida Kahlo retrospective.
Graphic Heroes, Magic Monsters: Japanese Prints by Utagawa Kuniyoshi from the Arthur R. Miller Collection
Japan Society
Friday, March 12 — Sunday, June 13
>> japansociety.org/event_detail?eid=31ec3399
This show is an absolute must see. Simply stunning.
