Ebook Gallery

The Role Model Essay. Yep, I can hear the groans now. Remember that wonderful paper that you had to write in high school, which perhaps even swayed the college acceptance letter towards a yes or a no? Well, that’s the subject I’m going to be pontificating about today.

I can smugly sit here and say that I never had to write such an essay. However, that does not mean that I never thought about it. Please, with all of the American teen drama shows/films/series, there is no escaping that one second of seeing the angst of ‘Who do I write about’ and wondering about it for yourself! (Possible references here may include Spanglish – you know, Adam Sandler, Paz Vega; Gilmore Girls with the incomparable Alexis Bledel; Dawson’s Creek – Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, Joshua Jackson, James Van Der Beek; and there were a fair few essays in Boy Meets World!).

The obvious ones spring to mind: Mother Theresa, Bill Gates, Sports figures, Humanitarian Actors and Actresses, etc. Great. All fine. But admittedly, for this kind of essay – as subjects, they are a bit overdone. So, in order to diversify somewhat, allow me to propose a lesser-known candidate. Ok, so, high school may be over, but I think that it is definitely worthwhile to pay attention to the hidden humanitarians and those contributors to the arts who have not been lauded as such. James T. Dyke is one such person.

Georges Lemmen
Madame Lemmen Reading, 1907.
Watercolour and gouache on paper.
Dyke Collection and National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Those who are heavily involved within the art world will, I’m sure, be aware of who this man is. For those of you who aren’t, allow me to explain. James T. Dyke is one of the foremost American collectors of 19^th– and 20^th-century French drawings and prints. He has been an avid collector for over thirty years, resulting in a spectacular collection of art. However, this is not why I believe that he should be put into the spotlight. No, it is for his generosity and commitment to culture that he deserves some recognition. It is his collection of French drawings which is in the National Gallery of Art, and it was he who made this exhibition possible. As Chairman of the Trustees’ Council, he not only made his collection available to the public, but he also permanently donated several of the pieces to the Gallery. What’s more, this exhibition is open free of charge to the public. His philanthropy is not purely arts-based however, as numerous donations in his name can be traced to medical sciences and the National Guard, amongst others. So, there it is – culture, generosity, and commitment to the arts. Could you ask for anything more?

Edgar Degas
Two Women Ironing, c.1885.
Pastel and charcoal on three joined sheets of brown paper.
Dyke Collection and National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

To take full advantage of the collection which has been made accessible to the public at Washington’s National Gallery of Art, head over to the Color, Line, Light: French Drawings, Watercolors, and Pastels from Delacroix to Signac exhibition. It will be running until the 26^th May 2013, so you can still make it! However, a peek at Victoria Charles’ French Painting could prove to be somewhat easier if you don’t happen to live in the D.C. area.

Islam: What has it given us? Other than the obvious furious debates surrounding it and hatred in Western countries which has stemmed from some spectacular ignorance…

But that’s another story.

Today, I don’t want to kick-start a massive hoo-ha (in British English that word means trouble/ruckus, in case any Americans out there thought I meant something slightly off colour), but I do want to look at some of the lesser known facts and figures of the world’s second-largest religion.

Dervish’s Patchwork Cloak
Iran, mid-19th century
Cotton, Felt, Fur
Collection of Julius Heinrich Petermann, 1857
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin

1.) Islam has been around for around 1400 years.

2.) This has led to the medieval Islamic inventions or discoveries of:

– Sulfuric Acid and Hydrochloric Acid. Chemists, you may say thank you.

– For art, Arabesque : if you’re unfamiliar with the design, just check out a Mosque… or the Spanish Alhambra!

– Marching bands. So you thought that was American? Think again! This has been around since the 1500’s… and was started by the Ottoman Empire (today known as Turkey).

– Coffee! The earliest evidence of knowledge of brewing coffee beans as a beverage comes from the Yemen, in approximately the 1400’s. Everyone: you may say thank you!

– The watch… this timeless accessory (bad joke intended) certainly has made it through the ages!

– The submarine. Ottoman Ibrahim Effendi invented a working submarine in 1720… Ok, so not exactly contemporary, but we’re out of the medieval period.

3.) Did you know that there is such a thing as a Burqini?! (Swimsuit for Muslim women, which looks a bit like a wetsuit, but is made from swimwear fabric.)

4.) The first Muslim Palestinian to win the Nobel Peace Prize was Yasser Arafat. This was in 1994.

5.) The first (and so far only) Iranian, and first female Muslim, to win the same prize is Shirin Ebadi. The rumour goes that her prize was confiscated in 2009 by the Revolutionary Court. Needless to say, this was later denied by the authorities.

6.) Some very well-known figures in Western culture are Muslim. These include:

– Muhammad Ali

– Mike Tyson

– Jermaine Jackson

– Dave Chappelle

– Said Taghmaoui (you may recognise him from Lost, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra)

7.) The Turkish architect Sinan, one of the most famous Islamic architects, built the Suleymaniye Mosque in the latter half of the 16^th century. This Mosque is still one of the dominant features of the Istanbul skyline.

Now, did you know all of that? If so…. Well done. If not, why not try looking up a few more fun facts? Disclaimer: not guaranteed to defuse all volatile debates, but dropping one or two nuggets of information into the argument may calm events down a tad. At any rate, isn’t it better to be thought of as rather odd, than start a game of fisticuffs in the local?

Child’s Dress
Turkmen, Afghanistan, mid-20th century
Cotton, Silver, Coins, Cowry shells, Pearls
Collection of Hans Burkhard
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin

Art and architecture – with 1400 years worth of history, it is of course to be expected that such a powerhouse that is Islam would bring some degree of art history to the table. You can get an insight of just how much diversity and richness of art Islamic culture has produced at the National Museum of Berlin. Running since November 2011 (and currently still ongoing), the Muslims’ Worlds exhibition welcomes you! If Berlin isn’t your next port of call, why not get yourself a copy of Gaston Migeon and Henri Saladin’s Art of Islam?

Here we are again at the 17^th century, the time of Master Rembrandt and his many self-portraits. But, frankly, when I consider wanting to go back in time, I don’t fancy returning to the 17^th century. There were a tonne of wars. Famines in Russia, France, and Finland and a plague in both Seville and London. Shakespeare died, for crying out loud – I’m still mourning this loss.

Rembrandt van Rijn, The Landscape with the Three Trees, 1643.
Etching, drypoint, and engraving, 21.3 × 27.8 cm.
Collection of Marie and George Hecksher.

The Good:

• Jamestown, Virginia was established – which later led to a massacre of 347 English settlers by the natives (essentially score one and only)
• St Peter’s Basilica was completed
• Torture was outlawed in England (we’re still waiting for that in other countries)
• Cape Town was founded
• New Amsterdam was founded and soon thereafter renamed New York – I wonder what it would be like if it were still named as such?
• The Taj Mahal was started and completed
• The steam engine
• Bach and Monteverdi
• Rubens
• Donne and Milton
• Galileo and Newton
• (As discussed before) Ice cream

Rembrandt van Rijn, Self-Portrait with a Velvet Beret and a Jacket with a Fur Collar, 1634.
Oil on oak, 58.4 x 47.7 cm.
Gemäldegalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin.

The Bad:

• The pilgrims arrived on the Mayflower
• Aurochs became extinct (I bet you don’t even know what they are)
• Mount Vesuvius erupted
• The Great Fire of London (which might be good because it got rid of that pesky plague)
• The Ottomans
• Louisiana was claimed by France
• Salem witch trials
• Calculus

So maybe a fair amount of interesting and positive things occurred, but the bad here weigh rather heavily. I’m much happier in the 21^st century, with the ability to look back smugly and mock.

Rembrandt van Rijn, Portrait of Hendrickje Stoffels with a Velvet Beret, c. 1654.
Oil on canvas, 74 x 61 cm.
Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Visit the de Young Museum in San Fran to see Rembrandt’s Century, through 2 June, whilst still enjoying all of the luxuries of today. Also, keep an eye out for Rembrandt by Émile Michel, out soon from Parkstone!

-Le Lorrain Andrews

The saying goes that “it” (the world/life/politics/beliefs/love and so on and so forth) is not black and white. But what if it was?

Surely life would be a lot easier. Rules and expectations would be clear-cut and to the point. If the choice of colour was not an option, all decisions would be a lot easier, right? If we look at old films, photographs, TV, and documentaries which were shot in black and white, we hark back to what appears to be a graceful and elegant world. Simple, classy, well-organised and put together: even the music that accompanies the films/TV shows/documentaries evokes a simpler and more innocent time.

Robert Doisneau
Picasso and the loaves, 1952
Gelatin silver print. © 2013 Gamma-Rapho / Getty Images
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

I know that in reality, life was not quite so straightforward… we had a Great Depression and a couple of World Wars to prove it. (It is true that as soon as black and white meet, shades of grey inevitably appear.) But, sometimes, it would be nice to imagine that back then, in the era of black and white, they had life sorted.

However, that is what we have art and film and photography for; we use it as a means to escape our own reality, or even as a means to help us understand it. If black and white highlights the contrasts then colour blends them together, so sometimes it is necessary to just take a step back and go back to black and white for a moment to see what is truly important.

Picasso understood this, and we can see this very clearly in his series of black and white palette explorations. He strongly believed that colour weakens the structure and independence of line and form, so he went back to the basics and a simple, but strong, palette. It can be seen through different periods of his work, from the Rose and Blue periods, through to Cubism, and even in Surrealism; thereby proving that this was not just a passing flight of fancy.

Picasso Black and White
Exhibition Catalogue
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Picasso was to influence some very big names in the art world, including Jackson Pollock and Arshile Gorky, and their black and white pieces may be said to especially reflect the intensity of Picasso’s own works in these tones. His influence and experiments in the area of black and white on form and structure have filtered through into other areas of art as well. Photographers such as Annie Leibovitz have learnt that reverting to black and white can greatly enhance their composition and subject, which has certainly led to other photographers taking their cue from her (which I am sure that many female fans of Jake Gyllenhaall and Ryan Gosling are very grateful for!).

To find out more about Picasso’s mastery over monochrome, head over to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston which will be holding a Picasso Black and White exhibition until the 27^th May. If the Lone Star State is a bit of a hike, as an alternative, why not pick up a copy of Picasso by Victoria Charles?

Japan, in comparison with many other countries, is rather small, though it ranks tenth amongst the world’s highest populations. More fascinatingly, it has one of the richest and most eclectic art histories to speak of when considering it on its own. Yes, various countries in Europe do this or that, and Africa has a slew of artistic variety, but we’re just talking one country – 6852 islands, if you really want to talk about how amazing Japan’s universally-acknowledged solidarity is.

Utagawa (Ando) Hiroshige, Inside Kameido Tenjin Shrine, 1856.
Woodblock print, 34.1 x 22.2 cm.

Continuously infiltrated by other powers (China, Russia, Germany’s money, and the United States), art in Japan has successfully maintained a focused and healthy presence in the art world since the seventh century – which is not to say there aren’t older relics, but Buddhist art was the first to make an impact. From woodblock prints to Ukiyo-e, and calligraphy to shungas, at the end of the day I would argue that Japan had a larger influence on European art than the other way around. Just a few examples of this hypothesis include Degas, Van Gogh, Monet, and Mucha.

Katsushika Hokusai, The Great Wave of Kanagawa, originally 1826-1833.
Part of the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, no. 21.
Colour woodblock print.

Get over to the Tokyo National Museum to get a glance at the Highlights of Japanese Arts exhibition. Find yourself enthralled with mirrors, picture scrolls, and military attire. Can’t get enough art from The Land of the Rising Sun? Check out Hiroshige by Mikhail Uspensky or Forbidden Asia by Hans Jürgen-Döpp.

-Le Lorrain Andrews

Animals: We keep them as pets; use them for food, clothing, and transportation; we travel thousands of miles to see them on safari; gawk at them in zoos; revere them in certain religions; abhor them and call them vermin; experiment on them for medicine and for beauty; work alongside them in certain jobs; use them therapeutically; compete them; bet on them; cage them; free them; hurt them; heal them; study them; and learn from them. They truly are deeply ingrained into our way of life, and have been since the dawn of time.

Andy Warhol
Panda Bear, 1983
Acrylic paint and silkscreen on canvas, 24.9 x 19.9 cm
Bruno Bischofberger collection, Zurich

Our treatment of our (usually) four-legged friends, as a society, differs greatly from one country to the next. Whilst in America, dogs may be getting used to being fed from the table and being dressed up in all kinds of (some would say ridiculous) outfits, in South Africa they are regarded predominantly as guard dogs, and are kept outside. In places where animals run wild, they fight for survival, and fully own the great expanse of space which they are privy to. Outside of these far-flung lands, these same animals are locked up and fed and watered on a schedule that runs like clockwork.

Certain animals have found themselves with a celebrity status, internet memes being responsible for some (Grumpy Cat?!), whilst merely belonging to an actual celebrity works for others. Tinkerbell, for example, Paris Hilton’s prize pooch, has earned some big celebrity miles due to being constantly photographed in Ms Hilton’s handbag. Max and Bubbles are perhaps two of the more unusual celebrity animals which have been thrown into the spotlight, belonging to George Clooney and the late Michael Jackson respectively. Bubbles is the high-maintenance chimpanzee who had to be re-housed in an Ape Center in Florida due to aggressive tendencies, and Max was Mr Clooney’s beloved potbellied pig, and constant companion for over 19 years until his death (the pig’s, not Clooney’s).

Edouard Manet
The Cats’ Rendezvous, 1868
Lithograph, 43.5 x 33.2 cm
Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris

I find it extremely strange that, as humans, we treat animals with such different attitudes. In general, I think we need to start showing animals a little more respect. Yes, certainly let us continue to use them in our daily lives, but humanely – be it as pets or in zoos. (Is dressing an animal up and spoiling it really the best thing for that animal? I don’t think so…) And above all, we must be far more respectful of the natural habitats of many of the world’s animal species. Conservation is a term which people should definitely make a little more room for in their vocabulary! On behalf of all the unsung Maxes, Bubbles, and Tinkerbells out there, I’ll give a little shout out to Aretha Franklin… all together now, R-E-S-P-E-C-T…

To see how animals have been treated in art, you need go no further than the Fine Arts Museum of San Diego, which is currently hosting a comprehensive exhibition of Artful Animals until the 28^th of April. Otherwise, why not check out John Bascom’s Beauty of the Beast?

I’m supposed to talk about pretty landscapes and painters from the 17^th century until now that have slowly incorporated said landscapes into their paintings more and more, until finally Landscape became its own genre. And fine: nature is nice; butterflies, yay. Instead, I’d like to note that BP is sponsoring this. BP! The company that is ruining similar landscapes to the ones we’re meant to enjoy in the exhibition. Did the corporation’s discussion for putting this on the agenda include a “yeah, we better show them now before the destruction and decimation of our planet is complete”?

Meindert Hobbema,
The Avenue at Middleharnis, 1689.
Oil on canvas, 103.5 x 141 cm.
The National Gallery, London.

The extraction and ceaseless use of natural gasses and oil is doing palpable and appalling things to the environment and atmosphere. Nevertheless, as an international society, we choose to ignore the annihilation of our ecosystems and extinction of animals so that we can drive Hummers in already over-crowded cities and wear our sweaters in excessively air-conditioned rooms. We live in deserts but have lush, green lawns. We have large, rarely used but immaculately maintained personal swimming pools. We need BP as much as BP needs us and I think it’s time we become less dependent on one another.

Jules Dupré, Sunset after a Storm, 1851.
Oil on wood, 47 x 56.5 cm.
Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s amazing that such a large, well-known corporation is supporting the arts. I live in continual fear that one day I will wake up and society will not be able to provide music/art/drama classes for students and that museums and theatres will close and never open again because the skills will no longer be developed. But does it really have to be BP? Surely this is the most hypocritical exhibition to have ever existed.

J.M.W. Turner, Calais Pier, with French Poissards Preparing for Sea: an English Packet Arriving, 1803.
Oil on canvas, 172 x 240 cm.
The National Gallery, London.

I am argued out. How about you walk or cycle over to the Tate Britain to enjoy breath-taking landscapes in Looking at the View? Rather, sit in your own backyard or a park and read Landscapes by Émile Michel.

-Le Lorrain Andrews

Symbolism: What is it when it’s at home? What was the point that the artists were trying to achieve? And how should it be interpreted?

Let’s start with the what. This was a technique brought into vogue by the young painters of the late 19^th Century, stemming from French literature (and later, Russian and Belgian); this is where many of the Symbolists gathered inspiration from. The aim was to portray the idea of a subject, to give the suggestion of the true meaning only; poetry in art.

Gaetano Previati
Creation of Light, 1913
Oil on canvas, 199 x 215 c,
Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna
Rome

They accomplished this by using line, colour, and composition (other elements include tone, texture, space, and shape) in their work, and adapted the use of certain images/icons to give their work more meaning and subtext.

Key examples of imagery and symbolism include biblical characters, representative of the emotions that the artists were looking to portray. The main themes were love, lust, death, fear, anger, and sorrow. Characters from mythology (such as Greek) were also employed. Amongst the characters, angels and the Madonna were commonly used to symbolise purity and innocence, whilst characters such as Salome and monsters (like the sphinx) symbolising the femme fatale, love scorned, and the wrath of a temptress. Borrowing also from classical art, the use of the symbolic butterfly (who represented the Greek goddess Psyche) could be interpreted as the mind or the soul.

William Degouve de Nuncques
Angels of the Night, 1894
Oil on canvas, 48 x 60 cm
Kröller-Müller Museum
Otterlo

Colours are also used for their symbolic characteristics: black may symbolise evil, power, sexuality, wealth, mystery, and mourning (amongst others); black and white combined may represent mourning; blue has been associated with peace, purity (when in association with the Virgin Mary), serenity, and loyalty; brown represents earth, home, and comfort; green can be representative of both nature and envy, as well as youth; orange represents energy and balance; pink may be used to indicate girlish purity and sexuality or childish innocence; purple represents royalty, spirituality, and wisdom; and red can symbolise strong emotions, such as passionate love, excitement, energy, danger, and aggression.

So, if I, in my imaginative Symbolist state, were to start painting some paintings in this style of contemporary stories, what might I be able to include? Well, if someone hired me to paint the most recent love-split of a certain Nashville-based twenty-three year old country singer…..ah, ok, you guessed it… Ms Swift, then I may have to paint a pink sphinx crushing a butterfly held by Eros. Or, for Jennifer Lawrence’s most recent awards win: Clymene (Titan of fame and renown) giving Nike (goddess of victory) a golden laurel crown, the ceremony being presided over by Dionysus (god of parties and festivals… and also wine, which could explain one particularly memorable shot of Jennifer after she accepted her award. You know what I’m talking about…), and applauded by Agon (spirit of contest).

I can see it now: the front pages of the morning’s newspapers would be educational. People would have to dig a little deeper to get to the story. The news would become poetry! I may be getting carried away, but at least consider it… At least one day a year, we should have International Symbolist News day. At least for the Celeb/Gossip magazines: there, I feel, we can use a little education.

To check out some Symbolist paintings for yourself, and truly get to grips with the painters’ meanings after all you have learned reading this article (open for debate), the Finnish National Gallery (Ateneum) is holding an In the Spirit of Symbolism exhibition until the 28^th of April. Should you wish to instead browse through some striking examples a little more locally, I recommend picking up a copy of Nathalia Brodskaya’s Symbolism.

I’m a rather plain girl in the sense of THINGS. Function beats form any day as far as I’m concerned (this, of course, excludes a previous post concerning my unhealthy affinity for shoes), ensuring that I will never be counted amongst the infamous and (for unknown reasons) publicised “Gold Diggers” of the world, which is surely a very real concern for any young woman of the 21^st century. It took me ages to switch over to the “smart” phone, which only lasted about a year; as soon as it was possible I reverted back to a “dumb” phone – as long as it calls, texts, does math (because I can’t), and has Snake, I’m happy.

Sharp corners, pointy feet: my own personal death trap.
Writing desk attributed to André-Charles Boulle, c. 1715.
Bérain marquetry of copper on ebony base.

So when choosing a mirror for the foyer I’m much more likely to choose a plain frame with a large reflection as opposed to a smaller glass with cherubs and whatnot on it. I’d much rather look at my face, or see if there’s someone creeping up behind me, than any fancy embellishments (I said I wasn’t a Gold Digger; I didn’t say I wasn’t mildly vain).

Naiad, 1756.
Soft porcelaine and gilt bronze, 26 cm.
Musée du Louvre, Paris

Furthermore, the cracks and crevices of these fancy objects are a right pain in the butt for dusting – even if you have a maid, which I don’t, I’m guessing your more ornate pieces wouldn’t pass the white glove test. And let the klutzes amongst us not forget the imminent danger of clawed feet and the sharp edges of candlestick holders. I have a permanent bruise from a decorative dresser with sharp corners which is still in my childhood home; even though I knew it was there and never moved in all the years I lived there, the corner and my thigh carried on some sort of strange and masochistic affair to which I was only privy to the pain.

This room makes me feel rather claustrophobic. The desk is really nice though.
Roll-top secrétarie for Louis XV’s inner study in Versailles by Jean-François Oeben and Jean-Henri Riesener, 1760-1769.
Bronze, marquetry of a variety of fine woods, Sèvres porcelain, 147.3 x 192.5 x 105 cm.
Palace of Versailles.

Head over to the Met for the Plain or Fancy: Restraint and Exuberance in Decorative Arts through 18 August and fantasise about fancy furniture and decorations. Come home relived that you aren’t the one that has to clean any of it, or stub your precious toes in the middle of the night. If you are looking for decoration tips from the fancier side, get your hands on Decorative Art by Albert Jaquemart – but don’t say that I didn’t warn you. Sound off below! Are you a Plain Jane or a Fancy Pants?

-Le Lorrain Andrews

The Taj Mahal, 1638-1648, Mughal dynasty (Shah Jahan).
Agra, Uttar Pradesh.

When the Mughal Empire is spoken of, I am willing to bet that the majority of people will not be overly familiar with this particular dynasty. It is true, that I am (or was) guilty of being ignorant of what this Empire was, in fact, even where it was. However, I am not so remiss as to be unacquainted with the Taj Mahal! This inspiring and beautiful World Wonder is perhaps the best-known monument to arise out of the golden age of the Mughal Empire. There have been many architectural triumphs throughout the ages which have been acknowledged as truly great, but perhaps only a handful with a personal and moving history.

The Taj Mahal is one such. As possibly one of the greatest displays of heartbreak and sorrow that the world has ever seen, the monument stands tall; displaying Emperor Shah Jahan’s everlasting love for his departed wife.

Today, most everybody (I believe) would be familiar with the spectacular mausoleum that is located in Agra, former capital of the Mughal Empire. It is possibly even more iconic now for those who are familiar with a certain Slumdog Millionaire (thanks Dev Patel!). Over 2 million people every year visit this historic site; they may not go with the intention of honouring the dead Empress, but by the end of their visit they will surely have learnt about the power of one man’s love for his wife.

The Taj Mahal, for me, is truly a testament to the existence of true love. Whilst theirs may initially have been an arranged marriage, it ended up as a union of soul-mates. How can I justify saying this? The fact that Shah Jahan had two other wives… but it was only his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who had such a spectacular labour of love constructed in her memory; this speaks volumes!

“The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs;
And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.”

– Emperor Shah Jahan, 17^th Century

Raja Ravi Varma
Paravur Kayal (Lake), 1897
Oil on canvas, 43.18 x 58.42 cm
Sri Chitra Art Gallery
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

However, as incredible an achievement as the Taj Mahal is, it perhaps should serve only as an indication that we ought to actively search out the culture, legend, and history of the Empire that it was born from. With a span of over 350 years, surely the Mughal Empire has some secrets yet to be discovered?

* Description made famous by Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)

With the help of the British Library, you yourself can search out and discover the mysteries and treasures of this once-great Indian Empire! Mughal India: Art, Culture and Empire is currently being exhibited in London until the 2^nd April. Be sure not to miss such a fascinating opportunity! If, however, you can’t make it to the British Library quite yet, why not get hold of a copy of Vincent Arthur Smith’s Art of India?