The Wyeth’s: Three Generations at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture
By N. C. Wyeth
I recently had the chance to see the Wyeth’s: three generations show at the MAC. Prior to this visit, I had never seen any of the Wyeth’s work in-person, although I’ve seen many reproductions before. One of my favorite Andrew Wyeth paintings, not included in the show, is Christina’s world.
This was a remarkable show! It showcased selected work from Andrew, N.C., and Henriette Wyeth. Included in the show were many medium format and large-scale paintings. The subject matter ranged from war images, still life, landscapes, and illustrations. The mediums used were watercolor, gouache, graphite, and oil paint. There were also a number of illustrations displayed in the books they were originally reproduced in. This was a nice added bonus to see this! However, it really made me realize how much visual information you miss, due to the small scale of the illustrations, compared to when you don’t see the original, larger format pieces. The quality and skill of the draftsmanship and handling of color was impressive in all of the pieces. My favorite pieces were some of the Maine landscape paintings by N.C. and a winter landscape in watercolor by Andrew Wyeth. There was also a beautiful still life painting of household objects by Henriette. Truly all of the images though were stellar. It was difficult to pick just a few favorites. I’m so glad to see the Wyeth’s show arrive at the MAC and I would highly recommend seeing it!
Note: Images featured in this blog may or may not have been in the show. Please view the rest of my website and new images are being added, so check back often.
#AndrewWyeth #NCWyeth #HenrietteWyeth #Wyeth #NorthwestMuseumofArtsAndCulture #MAC #landscapes #stilllife
Copyright 2023 Tim Bovey.
By N. C. Wyeth - http://www.minrec.org/artwork.asp?artistid=65&cat=2&page=1, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33537821
By N. C. Wyeth
By N. C. Wyeth - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76471151
Andrew Wyeth
Fun Facts: Peter Paul Rubens 1577 - 1640
The Three Graces, Peter Paul Rubens, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Peter Paul Rubens, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Venus with a Mirror (After Titian), Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Peter Paul Rubens, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In honor of the anniversary of Ruben’s upcoming birthday in June, I wanted to share some fun facts about the life and work of this remarkably talented artist.
Rubens was born in Siegen Germany.
He began training as an artist at 13.
For eight years he travelled and worked in Spain.
At the age of 33 in Antwerp, he was appointed the court painter to the rulers of the Netherlands.
His major business was altarpieces, which suited him well because he liked to work on a large scale.
He lost his wife to the plague in 1625 in Antwerp and he was devastated.
He began working on several commissions for Charles I, including the ceiling of the banqueting house at Whitehall.
Rubens became involved in politics with governor/consort, Isabella, and worked as a representative of the Netherlands.
He became Isabella’s close confidante and she valued his advice.
He also received a patent of nobility, which boosted is social status and also became a ‘gentleman of the household.’
After tiring of politics, he returned to Antwerp to see his children and dedicated himself to his work.
One of his most important patrons was King Philip IV of Spain, who commissioned more than 80 paintings.
At 53, he married Hélène Fourment and she was featured in many portraits, as Venus in a version of the ‘The Judgement of Paris’
In his final years, he spent a lot of time with his children in his country house, Chateau de Steen, and painted landscapes not to sell, but for himself.
He suffered for many years with gout and after a bad attack, which left him unable to paint, he died in 1640.
Source: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/
I hope you enjoyed these fun facts. Please check the other updated sections of the website.
#PeterPaulRubens #Rubens #Renaissance #TheThreeGraces #VenusWithAMirror
Copyright 2023 Tim Bovey.
Fun Facts: Eugene Delacroix 1798-1857
Liberty Leading the People, Eugène Delacroix, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In honor of the anniversary of Delacroix’s birthday here are some fun facts about his work and life.
He was born on April 26, 1798.
His father was Minister of Foreign Affairs and an Ambassador to Holland.
His mother was the daughter of the renowned cabinet maker, Jean-François Oeben, who worked for King Louis XV.
He began apprenticing for the painter Pierre-Narcisse Guérin in 1815 who had one of the largest studios in Paris at the time.
His talent was overlooked by Guérin, but he became heavily influenced by the painter Théodore Géricault.
Delacroix posed for Géricault’s The Raft of the Medusa (1819, Musée du Louvre).
His most iconic painting was Liberty Leading the People, which was about the revolt that happened in 1830 in Paris surrounding the freedom of the press and the severity of the restoration regime.
In 1832 he travelled to Morroco and it inspired over 72 paintings about the landscapes, attire, sounds, colors, and the beauty of the people.
He began to work on ceiling murals in churches, some of which include Jacob Wrestling with the Angel and Heliodorus Driven from the Temple, as well as Saint-Michael Slaying the Dragon on the ceiling.
He moved back to Paris and in 1857 was accepted into the Academy of Fine Arts.
He passed on August 13, 1857 with his governess, Jenny Le Guillou, who was with him in his final hours.
Source: https://www.musee-delacroix.fr
#Delacroix #EugeneDelacroix #LibertyLeadingThePeople #TheodoreGericault
Copyright 2023 Tim Bovey.
Eugène Delacroix, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Figure/Life Drawing at the Spokane Art School
After Degas. Tim Bovey. Graphite, 9” x 12”
Hello, I wanted to share some exciting news! For those of you in the Spokane area, I’ll be hosting figure/life drawing, open-studio sessions at the Spokane Art School starting April 9th, at their new location at 503 E 2nd avenue. It’s a great opportunity to work independently from a variety of models for projects, sketchbooks, and/or finished drawings. To register for sessions and for all the details, please visit their website below. I hope to see you there!
https://spokaneartschool.net/classes/adults-classes/
#FigureDrawing #LifeDrawing #Spokane #SpokaneFigureDrawing #SpokaneLifeDrawing #SpokaneArtSchool
Fun Facts: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo 1696-1770
Tiepolo, The Glorification of the Barbaro Family, ca. 1750, Metropolitan Museum
Tiepolo, An Allegory with Venus and Time, 1754, National Gallery, UK
Tiepolo, Seated Man, Woman with Jar, and Boy, 1740-46, National Gallery, UK
In honor of Tiepolo’s birthday being in March, I thought I’d share some fun facts about this wonderfully talented draftsman and painter.
He was trained by Gregorio Lazzarini (1655-1730).
He was considered the greatest Rococo painter but his style was founded in the manner of the High Renaissance.
He completed many altarpieces and large-scale, decorative frescoes, in palaces, churches, and villas, which have a light, airy/atmospheric feel and are light in color.
His subjects often dealt with ancient history, religion, Gods and Saints, and mythology.
By combining deep perspective and retaining compositional clarity, Tiepolo revolutionized fresco decoration/painting.
His compositions have a zig-zag pattern, which help give the illusion of space/depth and expanding into heaven.
At the time, he was known as the “new Veronese” because of his ability to mimic the color in Paolo Veronese’s work.
One of his contemporaries considered his imagination to be “all spirit and fire.”
He completed 2,400 drawings, 2 sets of etchings, and acres of frescoes in his lifetime.
Sources: nationalgallery.org.uk, nga.gov, getty.edu
Please check all of the other sections of my website. I’ve been updating images and there are more blogs on the way. Stay tuned!
#Tiepolo #GiovanniBattistaTiepolo #Rococo #ItalianOldMasters #HighRennaissance
Copyright 2023 Tim Bovey.
Fun Facts: Titian's ‘Venus and the Lute Player’
Titian. Venus and the Lute Player, 1565-70. Metropolitan Museum.
The painting was left unfinished, when Titian died, except for the landscape background, which was fully finished by the artist.
It exists in two versions. One is more finished and resides in Cambridge, and this one that is pictured, is more incomplete and is at the Met Museum in NYC, NY.
After Titian’s death, it was acquired by the artist Tintoretto and some finishing touches were done by another artist, most likely Tintoretto’s son, Domenico.
One of the themes of the painting is a celebration of love; the object is beauty and the means of expression are poetry and music.
It also speaks to the on-going debate, at the time, about “seeing” versus “hearing” as the main ways of perceiving beauty.
The painting also speaks to the Renaissance conventions of courtship, such as the real and the ideal and nature and art.
It also entertains the idea of the 3 kinds of beauty, according to Marsilio Ficino: souls (perceived by the mind), bodies (perceived through the eyes), and sounds (through the ears).
Sources: titian.org, metmuseum.org
I hope you enjoyed these fun facts. Please check the other updated sections of the website.
#Titian #Venus #VenusAndTheLutePlayer #Renaissance #Love #Beauty
Copyright 2023 Tim Bovey.
Bing Crosby Painting at the Crosby House, Gonzaga University
Bing Crosby, 1930’s
Artist Norman Rockwell standing amongst his paintings at exhibit at Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Park, Los Angeles, 1965
Even though this happened in October, 2022, I still wanted to share it with the community in-case it was missed. I also found out about it after the fact and was late to publish this blog. I still think it deserves to be re-shared because it’s a great resource of entertainment history/artifacts and a tribute to the local legend, Mr. Bing Crosby. Also, where else in Spokane can you see an original Norman Rockwell Painting!
The Crosby house, on the Gonzaga University campus, is a museum of memorabilia and artifacts featuring the talented singer, film actor, and radio performer, Bing Crosby. A painting of Bing, by the artist Norman Rockwell, was unveiled after it was deeded to the Crosby House by a gallery in Wyoming. Crosby is revered in Spokane as a local celebrity. Here are some fun facts about Bing. He was born in Tacoma, Washington in 1903, but also lived in Spokane. His records went to number one 44 times and he appeared in numerous films from the 1930’s to the 1970’s. He was also a radio star where is long-running series Kraft Music Hall, was his most famous.
The artist Normal Rockwell was best known for his 323 cover illustrations for the Saturday Evening Post publication, depicting nostalgic, Americana scenes of everyday life and important events. He was also a talented and prolific artist and his work is rarely seen in the Pacific Northwest. What an amazing draftsman and painter! This will be a fantastic addition to the collection at the Crosby House and I’m looking forward to seeing it.
Source: bingcrosby.com
#NormanRockwell # Rockwell #BingCrosby #Crosby #Gonzaga #GonzagaUniversity #CrosbyHouse
Copyright 2023 Tim Bovey.
Fun Facts: Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’
Johannes Vermeer Girl with a Pearl Earring 1665 Mauritshuis, The Hague.
Johannes Vermeer’s most famous painting.
Dubbed the “Dutch Mona Lisa.”
We do not know who the model was but the painting was considered to be “tronie,” a painting of an imaginary figure.
The point of a “tronie” was to make a study of a head that would portray a type or character.
“Tronies” were made popular by Rembrandt in the 1630’s.
The “pearl” was too large to be real but it was most likely a glass drop varnished to give the appearance of a pearl.
The “pearl” was masterfully painted with what appears to be just 2 strokes of white paint and not even a indication of a hook of any sort.
The painting was considered controversial at the time because the model’s lips were parted, which was not seen at the time.
17th century Dutch women did not wear turbans. This was added to give her an exotic, other-worldly look.
The painting was not appreciated for many years and in 1881 was sold for only 2 gilders and 30 cents.
It was later discovered that it was a Vermeer and, as such, became one of the most famous paintings in the world.
Source: https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/our-collection/artworks/670-girl-with-a-pearl-earring/#origin-artwork
I hope you enjoyed these fun facts about Vermeer! Stay tuned for more blogs and check back for new work added.
#Vermeer #JohannesVermeer #GirlWithAPearlEarring
Copyright 2023 Tim Bovey.
Botticelli at the Portland Art Museum
Sandro Botticelli (Italian, 1445–1510), Madonna of the Magnificat, ca. 1483. Tempera, oil, and gold on wood panel. Private collection.
Thanks to this painting being on loan from a private collector, the Portland Art Museum now has this beautiful Botticelli painting on display. This is quite a treasure to see this piece in the Pacific Northwest especially.
10 fun facts about Boticelli:
Born in 1445 in Florence, Italy.
He is most known for The Birth of Venus and Primavera paintings.
Real name: Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi.
Boticelli apprenticed under Fra Filippo Lippi.
At the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy you can see The Birth of Venus and Primavera in one room.
The Birth of Venus was so controversial, at the time, that it was kept hidden for 50 years.
He was in love with Simonetta Catteneo who was his muse and was reportedly the woman who was portrayed in The Birth of Venus.
In 2013, one of his paintings, Madonna and Child With the Young Saint John the Baptist, sold at Christie’s for 10.4 million dollars, which was a record at the time.
The Medici commissioned some works from Boticelli.
He died in 1510 and was not wealthy or revered at the time.
Sources: Sarah Cascone, January 27, 2017, https://news.artnet.com/art-world/renaissance-master-sandro-botticelli-835226
https://lovefromtuscany.com/botticelli-facts/
#PortlandArtMuseum #SandroBotticelli #Botticelli
Copyright 2023 Tim Bovey.
Jundt Art Museum: New to You: Permanent Collection Objects on Display for the First Time
The Young Maiden and Death, 1854, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
I was able to catch this show before it closed. This was an exhibit featuring mostly small-scale prints from etchings/engravings, notably including a Camille Corot and a Salvador Dali. My favorite piece was a Corot print, using a process called cliche verre, which is rare to see. Cliche Verre is a glass plate printing process which involves drawing an image on light sensitive paper. I had not heard of or seen this method before I saw this show. It was quite an unexpected treasure! There were also a small number of photographs, including a beautiful black and white image of an ocean/rocky shore, which reminded me of Ansel Adams, along with a few paintings/drawings included in the exhibit. I would recommend this show, especially If you like prints and remember to look closely at the detail of those etchings/engravings. I am excited to see what future exhibits the Jundt has to offer! Note: Images featured in this blog may or may not have been in the show. Also, please check out all of the sections of my website for updated artwork.
#JundtArtMuseum #Jundt #Corot #CamilleCorot #SalvadorDali #AnselAdams
Copyright 2022 Tim Bovey.
Rudolph Ruzicka, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
M.C. Escher: Journey to Infinity Documentary
I discovered Escher’s artwork when I was in High School where I was impressed with the his genius tessellations. One of the best things about this documentary was that it was entirely narrated in Escher’s own words, through his writings. My favorite kinds of biographies are always autobiographies, because no one can write it better and portray their stories with the most accuracy, than those who lived it.
The documentary had interviews with his family members and they talked about his life and legacy. It charted his beginnings, where he went to school, his love interest, his work and thought processes behind the work and it showed many high-quality examples. I especially enjoyed the portion of the video where it showcased the time he spent drawing from Italian architecture and how it inspired many of his pieces. I would recommend this documentary. It was a fantastic introduction to his work and legacy.
#McEscher #Escher #Tesselations
Copyright 2022 Tim Bovey.
More blogs in the works!
I just wanted to jot a quick note saying that I have more blogs on the way. Make sure to check out the rest of my website for updated works, thanks.
Fun Facts: Gian Lorenzo Bernini
In honor of Bernini’s upcoming anniversary of his birthdate…
#Bernini #GianLorenzoBernini
Copyright 2022 Tim Bovey.
Updating and Adding Additional Work to the Student Work Section
Seated Model. Copyright 2022 Tim Bovey.
Reclining Model. Copyright 2022 Tim Bovey.
Hello, I wanted to post a quick note letting everyone know I’ll be updating and adding more work to the student work section soon. I’ve been going through some of my older pieces and I’m excited to share them with you. Also, check out the other sections for new work that I’ve posted.
Copyright 2022 Tim Bovey.
American Impressionism: Treasures from the Daywood Collection at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture
William Frederic Ritschel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
This was a nice collection of 41 American, impressionist paintings from the Daywood collection, including Robert Henri’s, Katherine, which I had never seen before in-person and it did not disappoint. I was already familiar with some of the artists, such as Henri and George Inness, but mostly the rest of the artist’s were new to me. It is fascinating to see the work artists were creating in America during, roughly the same time, as the more famous impressionist art movement in Europe, which undoubtedly receives more press, praise, and attention.
The show was a well-balanced mix of mostly landscape paintings along with some small to medium-sized figurative paintings. The show mostly featured paintings crafted in local color, combined with some intense pure hues in some pieces. The paintings were oil on canvas/board and the sizes ranged anywhere between around 9” x 12” to about 4ft x 5ft. Don’t miss the chance to get an up-close look to appreciate the amazing and masterful brushwork in all these paintings. Admittedly, I didn’t know much about or hadn’t seen many images of the American Impressionism art movement, but this show displayed a decent sampling of works from a wide range of artists working in a similar style. This movement is over-looked and deserves more appreciation, than it gets credit for.
My favorite paintings included the large-format, ocean landscape by William Ritschel, Shores of Monterey, California, John Fulton Folinsbee, Outskirts of Trenton, Charles H. Davis, Summer Afternoon, and J. Alden Weir, June Connecticut 1896.
Overall, I’d recommend the show, if you like impressionist panting. There’s something to be learned from each piece and the compositions are well thought-out/worked out. The color choices and harmonies of the paintings are spot-on also. I’m looking forward to the next great show and also look for another blog in the future from my next museum visit. Note: Images shown may or may not appear in the exhibit. Please check out the rest of my website for updated content, including new student work images to be added soon, and yes more blogs will be added shortly. Thanks for your support.
#AmericanImpressionism #DaywoodCollection #RobertHenri #GeorgeInness
Copyright 2022 Tim Bovey.
By Robert Henri - Heritage Auctions, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87660759
By George Inness - Online Collection of Brooklyn Museum; Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 2005, 41.776_PS1.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10187537
By John Fabian Carlson - Vose Galleries, Boston, Massachusetts, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48919590
By Edward Willis Redfield - SwFhpjKbWZ5TKg at Google Arts & Culture, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=113899884
By Charles Harold Davis - https://www.mfa.org/collections/object/summer-twilight-32262, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=80544594
The Lost Leonardo Documentary on Starz
Salvator Mundi, Leonardo da Vinci, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Recently, I watched The Lost Leonardo on Starz. Let me first say that the focus of the documentary is not about the religious subject matter/imagery in this painting. The movie focuses on the legacy and the mystery of how this painting was discovered, the history behind it, what makes a Leonardo a Leonardo, and the value of this rare find. FYI: There is also a book called The Last Leonardo by Ben Lewis, which is essentially the same story, goes more in-depth, and is an excellent read. I was also pleased to see some updated information about the painting in this movie, toward the end, that I do not remember being in the book.
This movie brought the story of the Salvator Mundi painting to life, with first-hand footage of the prime players of the saga. It talks about the people who first purchased the painting, the final owner who paid just over $450 million (the highest amount a painting had been sold for, at that time), and many others involved in the process. There is a lot of mystery and intrigue surrounding this painting, especially it’s provenance such as when and where it was created. This painting appeared out of the blue, more or less, and someone paid a little more than one thousand dollars for it, initially, when they weren’t sure what it was or who painted it. Without giving too much away, make sure to watch it all the way through to the end. There is updated and surprising information about the painting that emerges at the end of movie, that you won’t want to miss!
I thought the movie did a good job explaining the piece and it’s murky history, as best they could considering how little is truly known about it’s origin. They also did a decent job at interviewing those who were involved in every aspect of the process, including art critics, writers, museum workers, restorers, and art gallery employees etc. I think it was a good effort and it pulled back the curtains of the art markets, especially dealing with the provenance of works, monetary values, and the process of selling paintings. I’ll leave it up to you to decide if this was completed by the hand of Leonardo, his workshop, someone else entirely, or a combination.
Also, I’ve added some new images, so be sure to scroll through the website and have a look. Watch for another blog that I’ll publishing shortly. Thank you for your support!
#TheLostLeonardo #Leonardo #LeonardoDaVinci #DaVinci
Copyright 2022 Tim Bovey.
More Blogs in the Works
Hi everyone! I just wanted to let everyone know that I’m working on a couple of blogs that will be published soon. Stay tuned and make sure to check all the other sections of the website for new images. Thank you and happy viewing!
‘Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed’ on Netflix
I recently watched the Bob Ross documentary on Netflix. What an amazing and hard-working talent! It’s still hard to believe that he can complete a beautiful landscape painting in 27 minutes on every episode of his PBS television series, ‘The Joy of Painting.’ Often times too, he would scare his producers and, in the final few minutes of his painting process, he would add a bold, dark object in the foreground, such as a tree trunk and would make it work well within the finished piece.
I won’t talk too much about the documentary, other than to say that my heart goes out to Bob Ross and his family. It’s really awful what happened to him in his business life. Bob was all about the painting and helping people to discover the the joy of painting, not the merchandising. It provides good information about the process his art-making, along with briefly showing his finished pieces, and talks about the successes of his show on PBS (an impressive 31 seasons in all). For these reasons, I would recommend seeing it. On the flip-side, it does shed light on the perils of the business side of art and contracts. Let’s just say that when you purchase almost anything with Ross’s image on it, including art supplies, the proceeds do not benefit his son/family. By the way, his son teaches landscape painting lessons in the style and manner of his father and carries on Bob’s wonderful legacy.
#BobRoss #PBS #TheJoyOfPainting
Copyright 2022 Tim Bovey.
World Photographer's Day-Camera Lego Build
In honor of World Photographer’s day, I thought I’d build my new LEGO camera set and post some build photos. Enjoy! I do love photography. Stay tuned for more blogs posting soon! Check out the rest of my website and leave any questions in the about section, thanks.
#Lego #WorldPhotographersDay #Camera
Copyright 2022 Tim Bovey.
LEGO
Final build. Click! Click! Click!
What a cool build!
'Dreamworks Animation: Journey from Sketch to Screen' at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture
First, I’ll say this show was a very colorful, bright, fun, and interactive exhibit! The experience was much more enjoyable than I anticipated. It’s definitely family-friendly and will appeal to all ages. There were many different mini-exhibits within the show featuring movies such as Shrek, Kungfu Panda, Shark Tale, and many more. Each movie had it’s own small section which was organized and designed well, complete with photos, 3D maquettes or small sculptures, sketches, and movies talking about the processes of creation. The way the show was put together should be appreciated for it’s exhibit design and aesthetic qualities also. There was also a section in the beginning of the exhibit with a large screen and a projection explaining the process of creating and pitching story boards. This is what I like to see because it shows part of the process of how they make these animated wonders.
I think my favorite section was the Shrek feature, although I found myself wanting to see more artifacts from the movie. What they did include however was amazing, such as a realistic 3D mockup of Shrek’s swamp house and what looked like an architectural blueprint/rendering of said swamp house. This was a common element seen in other movie exhibits also, which I appreciated. The 3D mockups were a nice touch and something that’s often not seen, especially prototypes, that were grey in color. It helped to balance out all of the 2D artifacts and give the show variety. Families will also love the opportunities for selfies, with some of your favorite Dreamwork’s characters.
My final thoughts are that you should definitely catch this one before it leaves Spokane! Take the family and then go watch one of your favorite Dreamwork’s movies!
I’ll be posting more blogs soon, so check back real soon and feel free to explore the rest of my website.
#Dreamworks #Shrek #NorthwestMuseumOfArtsAndCulture
Copyright 2022 Tim Bovey.