Islamic Manuscript Painting at the Morgan Library

 

Last Friday I went to see the Treasures of Islamic Manuscript Painting from the Morgan. On display are a few beautifully handwritten and decorated Persian volumes, and single illuminated pages.  It is the first time the Morgan Library is showing this wonderful collection.  It offers a unique glimpse into the rich Persian book culture, which developed as an art in the thirteenth century.   It is a delight to see these elegantly executed, harmonious paintings, and I strongly recommend you stop by.  Also, you can still view the Drawings from the Louvre selection, until December, and the Ingres works until the end of November.  Admission is free on Fridays from 7 -9 pm.

A visit to the Princeton University Art Museum, a real treat

Robert Henri - Mildred Clarke Von Kienbusch

  There are so many beautiful works of art in the Princeton University Art Museum, I strongly recommend you visit it.   You will see pieces ranging from early Christian religious paintings, to modern video installations.  In addition to their wonderful permanent collection which includes works by artists such as Monet, Van Gogh, Chardin, Jerome, and Rembrandt, the museum curates special exhibitions that vary in content from photographs of dilapidated buildings, to Japanese ink paintings on silk.  A special treat is Jacque Louis David' study for his painting The Death of Socrates.  This large painting provides insight into how the master approached his work, and the unfinished section offers a rare glimpse into the beginning stages of his painting process.
For me this museum is the best kept secret in the region.  It's never crowded, admission is free, and it delights the viewer with some rare and beautiful works (see some photos below).

Belluci, Judith and the head of Holofernes

Auguste Rodin - The Age of Bronze

J S Sargent - Elizabeth Allen Marquand

J S Sargent - An Interior in Venice detail

Hornace Vernet - Academic Study

Kano Tsunenobu - Four Accomplishments

Jenny Saville @ Gagosian Gallery

from Artobserve.com

  I recently saw Jenny Saville: Continuum show at the Gagosian Gallery.  On display there you'll find about 15 drawings and paintings, life-sized, most of which are exploring the mother and child theme.  I guess (based on likeness) that the mothers represented are the artist herself, though I could not find any reference to state this as a fact.  There are also some portraits in the show which in my opinion have less of an impact, so I'll comment a little more on the motherhood series.  These pieces are inspired by "the Renaissance nativity portraits --in particular Leonardo da Vinci's cartoon The Virgin and Child with St. Anne and John the Baptist".  She reworks and overlaps images of restless children, with that of a tender but vigilant mother. The interweaving of oil painted, realistic, figures and charcoal gestural drawings give these works a contemporary and dynamic look.  The theme is emotional, and the figures are well executed, with a modern twist on a classical approach.  Overall, a great show to see.

Vincent Desiderio's new work at Marlborough Gallery, Chelsea

  Yesterday was the last day of Vincent Desiderio's exhibition at the Marlborough Gallery, a beautiful gallery in Chelsea.  Vincent Desiderio is a contemporary American painter, and currently is a senior critic at the New York Academy of Art. Most of his large, realistic paintings in the show are somber and suspenseful.  The stories he tells are so dramatic, that they are sure to capture the audience's attention, leaving a somewhat grim impression on the viewer.   If you look closely you will see that parts of the painting are built up in thick,  heavy paint, reminiscent of certain contemporary abstract paintings. This texture, the  storytelling, the classical approach to figure painting, and the overall composition are the fundamental building blocks of his works.  His paintings seem at once real and surreal, of now and of the past.

Drawings from the Louvre at the Morgan Library and Museum

  I went to the Morgan Library and Museum this week-end to see two shows " Ingres at the Morgan", a collection of 17 drawings, and "David, Delacroix, and Revolutionary France: Drawings from the Louvre".  The star of both shows for me: Pierre Prud'hon!  I viewed many skillful drawings there, but Prud'hon's just blew me away!  I circled back many times to his standing female nude, as the perfect example of academic drawing.  This is a rather large drawing, (about 21" x 16"), executed in black and white chalk stumped to a soft and lovely finish.  However, some of the chalk marks are still visible, to contrast and enhance the smooth finish.  The arabesque and light and shadow patters on the model make this a fluid, harmonious composition. 

   All the Prud'hon drawings shown are inspiring (see portrait below for another example), and it's delightful to see his pieces alongside the others created by equally famous artists of the time.  On display are drawings from Gericault, Delacroix, Ingres, David, and more.  Some photos from the Ingres show and the building can be seen below:

Prud'hon "Portrait of Constance Mayer" 1804

Ingres, Graphite on Paper, 1815

Sargent at Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and more

  Since I was in Boston last week-end I decided to write about my visit to the Boston Fine Arts Museum.  It's not an exhibition in NYC but it's nearby, and worth visiting.  Especially when it comes to American Art, the Boston museum really stands out, showing classical and modern/contemporary works. In addition it hosts a number of impressionist works, of which I was told the Renoir "Dance at Bougival" is the most prized. 

Renoir "Dance at Bougival"

  Speaking of American artists,on display you will find a number of Sargent' oil paintings, and some charcoal drawings, mostly portraits and figure paintings/sketches.  Sargent also was commissioned to decorate the main atrium, and for that he created a number of murals and reliefs. These decorations, reminiscent of the Renaissance murals, are elegant but not intrusive.  I also read that these murals were recently restored.  Another interesting fact is that on display next to his "The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit " are the actual vases that were in the apartment and are depicted in the painting.

 

The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit, JS Sargent

  William Merritt Chase's is another American artist whose work you will find in the MFA. The self portrait seen below is a great example of this artist's impressionistic works.  I was also inspired by a few portraits by Anthony VanDyck, whose paintings have a contemporary feeling even though they were created in the 1600's. More photos from the museum can be seen below.

William Merritt Chase

Anthony VanDyck

Sargent's murals