This post is in honor of CTyankee!!

[Coventina]

Our beloved amateur art historian!!



I am grading end-of-semester papers, some dealing with material since the beginning of the semester.

Anyway, I'm reading a short essay about the "Arnold Feeny Portrait." I couldn't remember ever discussing such an object in class.
When I got to the line, "Arnold Feeny is in all black with a black top hat, and the woman is wearing a green dress with her hand holding it up in such a way that it looks as though she was pregnant" I finally figured out that the work in question was actually the
Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Van_Eyck_-_Arnolfini_Portrait.jpg



I love my students!!!!

[awoke_in_2003]

1. I love CTyankee's posts....

I am a very technical/mathematical person. I work in flight simulation. In college, I DREADED an art history class I knew I had to take. I just don't "get" that type of thing. It ended up being my favorite class I ever took. I don't get to do much art study, but what I get to do I do enjoy. CTyankee always teaches me something new and good- even if I don't always "get" it.

[Coventina]

3. I love them too!

I chuckled over your comment because when meeting new people and the usual questions about careers, when I tell people that I'm a professor of Art History one of two things happen:

1) They say something like you, that it was one of the best classes they ever had or
2) It completely kills the conversation, because they can't think of anything polite to say.

[awoke_in_2003]

4. Some people are just closed minded...

I used to be, until around the age of 30 and started tearing down the wall I used to "protect" myself. Life is short- experience everything you can

[Gore1FL]

24. I struggled in Art History

It was a state requirement that I have 3 hours in non-European and U.S. History, so I found myself in "Primative and Tribal Arts." I had to retake it, but it was renamed to "Tribal Arts of Africa and Oceania" or some such.

I'd would have maybe had a better experience in the era of sharing files, but I had to draw what was shown on slides and take notes. Nothing I drew looked all that different from anything else I drew, so studying was worthless.

Instead of making art interesting, it was a drudgery. I must confess, I haven't been to an art museum in the subsequent 30 years.

[Coventina]

25. Ouch! That does sound like a tough experience.

30 years ago, the state of the field of African and Oceanic arts was drastically different.

There probably weren't even textbooks on the subject, which is why you had to draw sketches in class.

Even today, I can tell you that the chapters on Oceania and Africa are the shortest in the global survey.

Mostly due to bigotry toward those peoples and their arts, but another contributing factor is that their art tends to be made out of more perishable materials.

May I offer you an apology on the behalf of my discipline?
I wasn't an art historian 30 years ago, but I promise I'm not doing that to my own students.

[CTyankee]

9. Your story is one I have heard over and over again. My husband was a sociology major

and had to take such an art course and he never stops talking about the paper he wrote on Siennese art of the 15th century...and this was as an undergrad! And so many people have told me that same story right here on DU!

I hope everyone here will encourage their kids and grandkids to take those art courses even if they are econ or science majors. They are invaluable in learning to live your life and appreciate your senses. It is why art is so necessary for kids who are art deprived in their schools. Please fight for budgets that don't cut these courses!

[awoke_in_2003]

10. Totally agree, and I will

with my grandchildren. The oldest granddaughter (12) is big on science class, but also does choir. I am going to talk to her about an instrument. I wish I had learned the piano. Learning that make other instruments easy.

[Shrike47]

16. I originally read that as 'Siamese art of the 15th century' and I was REALLY impressed!

[CTyankee]

18. Oh, dear, no. neither he nor I have NO expertise in Asian art...

sheesh, western art is hard enough to keep up with......but don't get me started...

[malaise]

2. +1,000

Love her posts

[cali]

5. she's a du treasure

[CTyankee]

6. I am so embarrassed...I know I shouldn't be but I am...

You are so kind and sweet. Thank you for your lovely words...

I love "Arnold Feeny Portrait"! OMG. That is so great!I'm sure your students are having a wonderful time...

OK, now knock it off folks! Back to work looking and appreciating great art!!!

[awoke_in_2003]

11. There are some here

that make DU worthwhile- you are one of them.

[CTyankee]

13. Please don't make me tear up...get a wisecrack off quick...

[calimary]

21. That one caught me unawares, too, CTY! Totally missed it for a few moments!

HILARIOUS!!! I'm gonna be chuckling about that for days! I had an art history class in college that was an absolute show-stopper! Standing-room-only every week. You had to get there early. I was an art major anyway so I could always get in somewhere. It was everybody's favorite, across campus. Phil Leider, who founded ArtForum, was the lecturer. Compelling as all-get-out. He just opened up your head and let your brains fly around the room.

BTW - I too love your posts! It's like having a mini "Artist's Date" - as Julia Cameron would describe in her "Artist's Way" books.

[Hekate]

7. I love those posts. CTY makes me really see the art.

[Solly Mack]

8. One of my favorite people!

[CTyankee]

14. Solly, you are sweet and endearing...I think we've been comrades here on DU for a LONG time...

we go back, my friend...

Thanks, hon...

[Solly Mack]

26. (((CTyankee)))

Hush, now. You'll let my secret out. (sweet)

[boston bean]

12. She's a treasure!

[CTyankee]

15. thank you, bb. I love your posts in HOF. YOU are a treasure!

[Luminous Animal]

17. Happy to rec!

[LittleBlue]

19. Her art threads are the best original content on DU by far

I feel like I'm reading a professional article. Such a nice break from the grind of the political debate, especially since all the primary arguing

She is a great asset to this forum

[etherealtruth]

20. To CTYankee ... one of the bet!

[DanTex]

22. K&R. Here's to CTyankee!

The art threads are one of the great things about DU.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

23. I love CTyankee's art history threads!

In college I was a music major but did some art stuff as well, then went in other directions and finally retired from an interesting but very technical and sciencey career at an airline. So now I'm going back to art and music. I'm taking a painting course in which we are learning traditional painting techniques - underpainting, verdaccio, all that stuff, by copying an existing masterpiece. I chose Judith's face from Caravaggio's Judith Beheading Holofernes (of spaghetti sauce fame, LOL). After several months of painstaking work I have finished the underpainting and have started adding color. This is a much harder project than I though it would be and I appreciate the skill of the old masters more than ever. Compared to Caravaggio, I definitely suck.

[CTyankee]

30. I sympathize with you...but I was discouraged early on from even trying to draw.

It was a little traumatic as I was a kid. I'm glad you have the talent and the courage to work in a totally different field.

So I do these essays.Or rather, I research using several sources (thank god for Google). I try to collect info from various sources. Often one source will cite another and then that source cites another...and so on...I'm at the library often, requesting inter-library books my library doesn't have. It's a great service...

I also travel a lot to see art in situ, as it were. And, often, the back stories are fabulous as they often include interesting stories of provenance and outright plunder. Wonderful mosaics of what happened over the years, centuries...

Good luck with your Judith...it's a bit funny that that spaghetti sauce would choose HER face over some other great Caravaggio faces. Wonder if they were being facetious...or someone has a sick humor...

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

32. Art history is so fascinating.

I really enjoy your little essays - you should collect and publish them somewhere. I suppose I bit off more than I could chew when I picked a Caravaggio to copy, but the instructor thinks it was a great choice and that it looks really good so far. One of the other students is doing just the head from the Ingres painting of the Comtesse d'Haussonville, but the others are copying still lifes (still lives?), which I think is just too damn easy. If my final product doesn't suck too much maybe I'll post it. But don't hold your breath.

[CTyankee]

34. Manet, who is the artist that painted the brioche that I posted, did lots of Still Lifes...

Some of those are just exquisite. He did one of a bunch of asparagus that is a gem. Manet was a foodie I guess...

You might also look up the artist Chardin, whom Manet "borrowed" from with the brioche concept. Nice artist...

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

38. I've never been that crazy about still lifes (lives?). They look too staged.

Which they are, of course. But someday I want to do one that consists of normal kitchen stuff like a colander and a blender and a package of Oreos.

[CTyankee]

39. I'd love to see your rendering of it!

[panader0]

27. Huge CTyankee fan here.

CT's posts are a highlight to me. Always entertaining and educational. I must admit that I miss the old "quiz" show though...
And I'm sure your students love their teacher too Coventina.

[Liberal_in_LA]

28. ctyankee's threads are educational, for sure

[FourScore]

29. CTYankee is a masterpiece!

And so are you, Coventina, for posting this.

[CTyankee]

31. Here is a present for you and other DUers who have been so kind.

Your Sunday morning brioche!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

33. The peaches look tasty. Thanks!

[Omaha Steve]

35. Since we are talking art...

We have these two prints up in our home. They are in the Joslyn Art Museum collection. The "Grief of the Pasha" is considered one of their top ten. Rembrandt is the crown jewel. Fasinating story about it here: http://www.omaha.com/go/joslyn-art-museum-discovers-that-it-had-rembrandt-original-in/article_44133ef8-0490-5857-b139-9ce31392a0d6.html#joslyn-art-museum-discovers-that-it-had-rembrandt-original-in-storage




http://www.joslyn.org/collections-and-exhibitions/permanent-collections/european/jean-leon-gerome-the-grief-of-the-pasha/

Jean-Léon Gérôme (French, 1824–1904),
The Grief of the Pasha , 1882
oil on canvas mounted on masonite, 36 3/8 x 29 in., 92.4 x 73.6 cm
Gift of Francis T. B. Martin, 1990.1



http://www.joslyn.org/collections-and-exhibitions/temporary-exhibitions/details.aspx?ID=180


More about the Rembrandt here: http://dataomaha.com/rembrandt#rembrandt-reborn-the-amazing-story-of-joslyn-s-crown-jewel

[Coventina]

41. Beautiful! We have a Gerome here in the Phoenix Art Museum, but I like yours better!

[Omaha Steve]

42. The emotion comes through to any animal lover

Marta gave me our print a good 20 years ago for Christmas. She knew how I feel about that painting. She does too.

[bigwillq]

36. I like CTYankee.

[lovemydog]

37. Heck yes! Thank you CTyankee.

I always learn a little bit more and viewing the art just helps me appreciate it that much more.

Coventina, your story about the 'Arnold Feeny Portrait' (Arnolfini Portrait) cracks me up. Reminds me of a story about my grandfather. When he was a little kid, his favorite church hymn was about a cross-eyed bear named Gladly. Turns out it was a hymn called Gladly The Cross I Bear.

[sufrommich]

40. She is one of my favorite posters here.

Yay CTyankee!