A Brief History of Caricatures
January 31, 2008
By Natalie Aranda A caricature is a portrait of a person that exaggerates certain features in order to express the essence of the person and still make the subject easily identifiable. Although it is often viewed as a comic type of art today, it has a rather long history. The earliest forms date back to ancient days. In the excavations at the Roman city of Pompeii, crude pictures were found drawn on the walls of some buildings that very much resembled caricature. At least, the purpose was obviously the same. The word comes from an Italian verb that means “to load.” The true purpose of caricature... Read more »
Reverse Glass Painting – Centuries Old Art Form
January 30, 2008
By Alan Beggerow Reverse glass painting is the art of painting an image on the reverse side of a piece of glass or glass object so that the image can be viewed from the unpainted side. It has been done since early in the sixteenth century in Europe, and was known in China during the early 18th century. This style of painting has been used for religious art, abstract art, clock faces, realistic landscapes, and scenes with people and portraits. It is a very exacting art form, especially when done as a realistic painting. The image is actually painted in reverse order on the glass. The finishing details... Read more »
What to Look For in Monumental Sculpture
January 29, 2008
By Beau Smith Monumental sculpture is exceptionally large sculpture. It is called “monumental” because monuments are often large sculptures. But such sculptures are not just monuments. Any large public sculpture, or any large sculpture, for that matter, is monumental. What should you look for? It should be sturdy and long-lasting. It should have a powerful presence. It should be the product of a big idea. Last but by no means least, it should be safe. I will review these criteria. A public sculpture has to be a lot sturdier and a lot more structurally sound than a sculpture that goes... Read more »
Julian Beever – Video of Creating a Chalk Artwork
January 29, 2008
Julian Beever is a contemporary artist who has made pavement drawings for over ten years. He has worked in the U.K., Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Germany, the USA and Australia. The pavement drawings have included both renderings of old masters plus a wealth of original inventive pieces of work. We all have to live, and sometimes, Julian takes on corporate advertising projects. Whether you like his work or not, whether you call it art even, it is neat to see this time-lapse video of of how chalk artwork is created. See Julian Beever creating the Aveeno Fountain of Youth chalk drawing in... Read more »
Sotheby’s and Christie’s – Are They in Conflict of Intrests with the Natural Art Market? – part 2
January 28, 2008
I would like to reiterate my ‘warning’ posted at part 1 of the article: this is an unusual rant/rave article, that nonetheless gives an insight in the functioning of the art market. I therefore consider it relevant for publication. Personally I am neutral in the conflict. Further, this situation is now a few years old, and I will follow this article up with up-to-date information, when possible. Continuation of part 1 of the article by Gerard Van Weyenbergh: My investor, is in love with the painting, but still wants to have Sotheby’s and Christie’s opinion about the value of... Read more »
Sotheby’s and Christie’s – Are They in Conflict of Intrests with the Natural Art Market? – part 1
January 28, 2008
Warning: the below article is a ‘rant and rave’-article, which you will not usually find on this site. I do however consider it a worthwhile read for all art investors to help better understand the art market, including art auctions. Besides which, it’s not a bad read to boot! By Gerard Van Weyenbergh “Are Sotheby’s and Christie’s or all major auctions houses still the reference to establish the value of your art works? It is not my intention to have them sue me for my thoughts in this letter. Nonetheless there are so many events these last months that I want to bring in daylight some... Read more »
Who Needs TV When You Can Watch a Painting? -2
January 27, 2008
Continuation of part 1 of the article by : Sometimes a painting really draws you in. Growing up, being fascinated by the Civil War and looking at illustrated histories of it, there was always a specialness to the naval battle scenes. I could spend hours looking at the pictures and playing the scene in my head, famous scenes such as the Monitor and the Merrimack. I could see the smoke, hear the distant resounding shots of the guns, the splashes of the missed shells, the crackle of the grapeshot, and the orders of the officers on both sides, sometimes within earshot as a maniacal maneuver such as... Read more »
Who Needs TV When You Can Watch a Painting? -1
January 26, 2008
By Daniel Kretschmer When I look at a painting, the artist speaks to me. I can picture the painter at work at his easel, making the brush strokes, mixing the paint and pigments. I see the blank parts of the canvas and the colors and I can almost imagine what they are thinking. And I listen carefully. Whatever the picture is, its elements are telling a story, conveying a feeling, offering a sensation of the mind, or giving a message. Sometimes it reveals a secret, a chance to look into the artist’s mind. Much like a writer is vulnerable, and bleeds onto the pages, the painter bleeds himself... Read more »
Tips on How to Buy and Shop for Authentic Native Indian Carvings
January 24, 2008
By Clint Leung Many visitors to the Pacific Northwest will be exposed to Native Indian art while touring the region, especially in British Columbia. Among this aboriginal artwork are the magnificent hand made Pacific Northwest Native Indian wood carvings by the Canadian aboriginal artists in BC. While in some of the major Canadian cities (Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal) or other tourist areas popular with international visitors such as Banff, such carvings will be seen at various retail shops and displayed at some museums as well as some public areas such as parks. Since Pacific Northwest Native... Read more »
Leonardo Da Vinci – A Legacy of Immortal Genius – II
January 23, 2008
By John Keaton – part II of his article on Leonardo Da Vinci: MONA LISA DEL GIACONDA Began in 1503, the Mona Lisa was a commissioned portrait of the Florentine nobleman, Francesco di Bartolommeo di Zanobi de Giocondo’s third wife, Lisa di Antonio Maria di Noldo Gjerardini at the age of twenty four. Painted on poplar wood, the iconic imagery of the Mona Lisa is so ingrained into western culture that the enigmatic smile of the mysterious woman is nearly synonomous with art, itself. As with many of da Vinci’s works, this painting has a stunning history. The allure and myth of the... Read more »







