Picasso's "Guernica" Undergoes Medical Check At the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid

A technician works as a camera mounted on a mobile robot-like structure moves across Pablo Picasso's 'Guernica' painting at the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid. AP Photo/Paul White.It’s always fascinating to see the ways in which increasingly sophisticated technologies enable us to learn more and more about art’s great masterworks--AND take better care of our artistic treasures.

Experts have long been concerned about the health of Picasso's "Guernica," one of the world's most iconic paintings but one which is diagnosed as extremely delicate after a hectic life. A mobile, robot-like structure, which using advanced infrared and ultraviolet photographic technology, is taking thousands of microscopic shots of the painting to allow analysts to penetrate the work like never before and see its real condition. AP Photo/Paul White.

From ArtDaily.org:

Pablo Picasso's "Guernica," one of the world's most iconic paintings, is getting a full health check as it marks its 75th anniversary. A giant robotic machine is taking tens of thousands of microscopic shots of the black-and-white anti-war masterpiece to allow experts to penetrate the work like never before and see its real condition after a hectic life traveling the globe....

Read the rest of the story here...

Beauty and the Beast?

Breton Brother and Sister, 1871 - Adolphe-William Bouguereau - Metropolitan Museum of Art - New York (USA)William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) was a French painter, dominant in the academic painting tradition during the second half of the 19th century. He was honored for his mythological and allegorical paintings, and his portraits. The achievements of this artistic genius were long ignored by scholars--overshadowed by the study of the avant-garde movements of the same period, which led to Modern Art.

Henri Rousseau - 1891 National Gallery - London (England) Painting - oil on canvas

On the other side of the technical wizardry of Bouguereau was Henri Rousseau (1844-1910) the French painter who is considered the archetype of the modern naive painter (although he was by no means the first naive artist). Rousseau is known for his richly colored and painstakingly detailed pictures of lush jungles, wild beasts, exotic figures--as well as landscapes and portraits. These two artists were working at the same time in Paris. Bouguereau had the far greater success at the time--since the art world of the day only allowed for one type of art--one set of standards. Thankfully, we live at a time when all styles of and approaches to art can peacefully co-exist--and be celebrated.

The Magic of Modigliani

Portrait of Jeanne Hebutern, Amedeo Modigliani (1918), Yale University Art Gallery, oil on canvasAmedeo Modigliani reigns unique among the early modern artists--in part due to his affinity with the Italian artistic tradition that was his heritage. Art historians are only just beginning to fully comprehend the significance of Modigliani’s contribution to art. Visit the link above to learn more about this fascinating figure of Modern Art. I also highly recommend the book, Modigliani: A Life by Meryle Secrest. You can order it from Amazon--in paperback and Kindle formats. It definitely will dispel many of the false myths about Modigliani--and lend insight into the true nature of the man.

I also strongly encourage you to visit the Early Italian Renaissance and Mannerist traditions. These are at the very heart of Modigliani’s work.

Valencian Institute for Modern Art Shows a Retrospective of Spanish Painter Menchu Gal

Menchu Gal, Nocturno en el Cantabrico, 1950 Menchu Gal was a female painter who was always able to find something to celebrate--even during the bleakest and most depressing episodes of the Spanish Civil War--which dramatically altered her life. Known for her landscapes and portraits--Gal’s primary tool was extreme color, which harks back to the Fauves of the early 20th century. The following article will give you some insight into this fascinating artist:

VALENCIA.- The exhibition, organized in collaboration with Menchu Gal Foundation and sponsored by Social Kutxa, shows oils, drawings and watercolors, representing different stages of the creative artist and genres that grew from his first works influenced by êcole de Paris in the 30's, to his latest creations of the 90's.

Read the entire article here...

Did You Know?: The Genius of Picasso

The most prolific creator in the history of art--and one of the most brilliant--was definitely Pablo Picasso. Most of us know him as one of the great giants of modernism--who developed Cubism with Georges Braque--a movement that would change the way we ALL see. But Picasso’s style evolved throughout his lifetime--and he created over 21,000 works of art (with more being catalogued regularly). Cubism was but a short stop for him over a very long career. Did you know, for example, that Picasso was a magnificent painter of the more classical style?

Pablo Picasso, The Old Fisherman (Salmereon) 1895, Museu de Montserrat, BarcelonaThis amazing work was created when Picasso was the tender age of 14. For those of you who perhaps don’t favor the Picasso works you already know--consider revisiting his entire production. Picasso was an artist who definitely bucked traditions--and established new ones. But...he knew the “rules” of art before he broke them--and there’s much to be said for that.