Buying Paintings Realism

In literature as well as art realism is the depiction of subjects as they appear in practical, everyday life. Realism does not deal with interpretation or embellishment. The point of realism is to capture people or situations in a gritty and real way. Similar to realist photography, the realist painter does not place emphasis on stylization but is most interested in depicting situations just as they appear to the naked eye.

While realism depicts real characters in real situations, there tends to be emphasis placed on the sordid or ugly. In this way, realism is very much the opposite of idealism. In idealism the theory is that the reality and regular world around us is merely a reflection of a higher truth. With realism, however, it’s as though we’re saying “all I know for sure is what my eyes and other sense organs tell me”.

As a reaction to the idealism of Romanticism in France during the middle of the nineteenth century, realism became the popular cultural movement in many ways. Realism is often linked to demands for political and social reform, as well as ideas about democracy. Dominating the literature and visual arts of England, France and the United States between the years 1840 and 1880, realism was popular throughout many facets of life.

Realists tend to throw out such hubris as classical forms, theatrics and lofty esoteric subjects in favor of the most commonplace subjects and themes. A very famous example of a realist painting is Jean-Francois Millet’s ‘The Gleaners’ from the year 1857. This painting portrays three women working in the fields. The colors are very realistic, almost drab, by contrast to non-realist paintings.

Realism as an art movement appears as early as 2400 BC in India in the city of Lothal. Examples of this type of art can be found around the world and throughout art history. In a very broad sense, realism is art that shows any subject or object that has been observed and accurately depicted, though the entire art piece may not conform to realism conditions.

During the late sixteenth century the most prominent mode of art in European art was a form called mannerism, which showed artificial and elongated figures in very unreal, though graceful positions. Then an artist by the name of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio emerged and changed much of the direction of art simply by depicting real humans doing real things. His work shows images painted directly fro meveryday life and shows an immediacy that had never been seen before.

Dutch art had any realism entries, with their fondness for homely details and humble situations and subjects. Rembrandt is a very well known example of Dutch realism in paintings. The Barbizon School took realism in a whole new direction when, by observing and painting nature, the beginnings of Impressionism took shape.

Realism still plays a role in paintings and art of all kinds today. From film to television and the fine arts, realism is still a major player in the world of creative and expressive processes and productions. Throughout human history there have been those that wish to see things as they are and those that see in reality a hint of the divine. Realism went a long way in providing the one extreme with which we’ve discovered several in betweens in more modern and contemporary art.

Buying Paintings Precisionism

 

 

Also known as Cubist Realism, and related to the Art Deco movement, Precisionism was developed in the United States after World War I.  The term for this movement was coined in the 1920s, and influenced by the Cubist and Futurist movements; the main themes for these paintings were mainly regarding industrialization and modernization of the American landscape.  These elements were depicted with the use of precise and sharply defined geometrical shapes, a reverence for the industrial age, but with social commentary not a directly fundamental part. 

The degrees of abstraction ran the spectrum as some works had photo realistic qualities, and though the movement had no presence outside of the United States, the artists that made up this particular grouping were a closely knit collective remaining active through to the 1930s.  Georgia O’Keefe remained as one of the leading proponents of this style, and stayed so for many years afterwards until the 1960s, her husband was a highly regarded mentor for the group.  In a post post-Expressionist phase of life in the art world, Precision ism has affected and influenced the movements of magic realism which utilizes aspects such as juxtaposing of forward movement with a sense of distance, and pop art in which themes from mass culture were used to define art much there forward.

Just after the 1950s began, the movement of pop art was clear in places such as Britain and the United States, and employed elements of advertising and comic books to create a foundation that might have been taken as a reaction to the then popular movement of abstract expressionism.  Though the term wasn’t coined until 1958, it was later linked with Dadaism from the beginning of the century, and at one point was called Neo-Dada because of the strong influence from artist Marcel Duchamp.  Later affecting artists like Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns, bringing the definition to come to mean one of low-cost mass-produced and gimmicky artwork, and stressing everyday values with common sources like product packaging and celebrity photographs.

By exploring that fraction of everyday imagery, the artists found themselves working with contemporary consumer culture, and this became apparent in parts of Britain, Spain, and Japan around the same point in time.  In Britain in particular, where pop art seemed to stem from at that point in 1947, and many works began blurring the boundaries between art and advertising.  Whereas in Spain, the movement became interrelated with the “new figurative”, the work arose from the roots of informalism which began to be a critical aspect in this part of the world.

In Japan, pop art has been seen and utilized throughout much of the country’s native artwork through such means as Anime and the “super flat” styles of art, and became the means through which the artists could further critique their own culture through a more satirical lens.  When choosing a stimulating piece by these artists, it may be a more invigorating exercise to find some of those other artists to whom these later artists owe much of their inspiration towards their own work, and Precision ism is just as appropriate a place to start for you as anywhere else in the artistic spectrum.

Today, Precision ism can be seen as fundamental influence in commercial and popular art, but cannot be too overlooked as being one of a few different movements to affect our present day stance on art’s utility and functions.  With the postmodern present coming to light, maybe we shall once again be drawn back to the past that we have come to take for granted too often, and reveal a new age to define a new century of experience.

Buying Paintings Neoclassicism

Buying Paintings: Neoclassicism

 

Between the 18th and 20th centuries, a few quite distinctive trends were absorbed into the category of Neoclassicism, and it during these times that the movement as a whole came to absorb the classical inspirations that created a revival of ideals.  These ideals, though standards from ages past, were defined by the artists synthesis of these elements into new works of art.  It does not recreate styles of art from scratch, but instead shows the artists control over a particular body of classical works.  By drawing from the classics of the past, Neoclassicism was paying tribute to eras of awareness that perhaps slipped away, but to regain some sense of these classical influences.

In Europe, neoclassicism began as a reaction against the Baroque and Rococo styles, and a desired return to the art of Romanesque and Renaissance classicism.  Each individual grouping of Neoclassicism, whether affecting architecture or the visual arts, has attempted to capture the ideas of times gone by to utilize them in forms of art that were considered modern at the time.  In neoclassicist painting in particular, the subject matter seems to hearken back to those classical ideas by reviving those Greek to Renaissance themes, and forcing them into peculiar constraints that would recreate the elements into new formats.

The Neoclassical style of artwork was heavily present during both the American and French Revolutions, and revival in the interest of classical thought in the style of ancient Greece and Rome, at times affecting a more Byzantine stance in some countries.  A counterbalance came in the form of the Romanticism movement, and it never replaced Neoclassicism so much as aided in the influencing of many artists throughout the 19th century and beyond.  When the architecture began to dominate the main aspects of neoclassicism, and has been found to be academically selective of the best Roman models guided with self-restraint.

At first, the style had been grafted with other popular European forms of architecture, and this style became quite pronounced as neo-classically inspired furnishings were popular for the time.  The style soon had international renown, and it was at this point that the architecture became strongly influenced by Roman designs after the discoveries at Pompeii, during excavations that took place at that time.  Though all these designs seem a bit absurd and overcomplicated nowadays, there was a flush of Greek inspired work in the forms of busts and vases after 1800, and this was called the Greek revival.

Continuing to be a force after the turn of the 19th century, even as Romanticism and Gothic styles took favor, but it seemed anti-modern to influential critical circles by the late 19th century.  In the mid-19th century, several European cities had grandiose examples of the neoclassical style of architecture, and even early American architecture reflected this movement in various national monuments, and some of those monuments were the Lincoln Memorial and the National Gallery in Washington D. C.  Soon, however, World War II would shatter those preconceptions for the world round.

Covertly, there were many modernists that chose to express a neoclassical influence with subtle tribute here and there, and even Picasso played around with reincorporating neoclassical motifs into his work at one time.  Even the Art Deco style was using these ideas on a very sly level of utilization, playing with classic Grecian lines and even breaking out in American culture through architecture and the dime by 1950, and became a strong ideology in the time between both World Wars.  This literary and very literal side of the movement rejected the romanticism of Dada, for example, for the restraint of religion and reactionary politics.

It can be a difficult bout to sort through all these items to find the ideal artwork that you would enjoy, and there many whose catalogs are extensive to say the least, making it quite an effort to glimpse through all of those works to find the pieces that you would enjoy the most.  Finding the particular classifications that art periods fall under, such as neoclassicism, can keep your interest guided by where you can find most amount of work that you can acquire.  Keep in mind, however, that many of these pieces are quite priceless to many collectors, and that buying a print of a particular famed work mat be more cost-effective for your budget.

‘The Soup’ ending its 22-year run, says E!

"The Soup" is nearing The End.

E! said this morning its weekly series skewering pop culture will bow out on December 18, ending the franchise’s 22-year run.

The show premiered in 1991 as "Talk Soup" and launched the career of original host Greg Kinnear, who hosted until 1995. He was followed by John Henson (1995-99), Hal Sparks (1999-2000) and Aisha Tyler (2001-02). It was re-launched as "The Soup" in 2004 with current host Joel McHale. The series earned a 2014 Emmy nom for Outstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program

From E!’s announcement:

"As E! counts down to the final episode on December 18 at 10pm ET/PT, Joel McHale will continue to host new episodes that bring viewers the best of the worst in pop culture and look back at some of the series most memorable moments from the past 22 years. New episodes will air Fridays at 10m ET/PT until McHale signs off for the last time and fans say good-bye to the most infamous green screen in TV history, along with the characters that appeared in front of it, including Mankini, Lou the Chihuahua, and of course, the floating talk show heads in the notorious Chat Stew graphic.

"We are incredibly proud of the long-running success of 'The Soup,'" said Jeff Olde, EVP of Programming & Development for E! "'The Soup' has delivered countless laughs and unforgettable episodes, and we are grateful to the talented teams fearless wit and clever approach week after week. Joel took the show to new heights for more than a decade, and his irreverent humor and unique brand of comedy as captured so perfectly on 'The Soup' will be missed.

Over its 22-year history, "Talk Soup" and "The Soup" have welcomed some of the most celebrated actors and singers as well as some incredibly desperate X-listers to stand in front of its jolly green screen and poke fun at the most ridiculous moments in television. Stars and stars that have stopped by include Norman Reedus, Yvette Nicole Brown, Patrick Warburton, Alison Brie, Seth Green, Lucy Lawless, Chris Hardwick, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ken Jeong, RuPaul, Steven Yeun, Joe Manganiello, Wendy Williams, Simon Pegg, Jon Cryer, Joe Jonas, Kal Penn, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Adam Scott, Aaron Paul, Gabourey Sidibe, Larry King, Kelly Ripa, Allison Janney, Adam DeVine, Johnny Weir, Danny Trejo, Jeff Probst, James Corden, Adam Pally, Jane Lynch, Marilyn Manson, Jon Heder, Tyra Banks, Martha Stewart, Nene Leaks, Nancy Grace, Zachary Quinto, George Takei, Chevy Chase, Sean Combs, Evan Rachel Wood, Eminem, Demi Lovato, Sarah Hyland, Jake Pavelka, Katey Sagal, Mayim Bialik, Katie Lee Gifford, Ana Gasteyer, Tyrese Gibson, Anderson Cooper, Andy Cohen, Kylie Minogue, Kristin Davis, Shaquille ONeal, Joan Rivers, Jack Black, Eli Roth, Busy Philipps, Jaime Pressly, Lea DeLaria, WWE Superstar The Miz and Carrot Top.

Join Joel McHale as E! celebrates the long-running series with new episodes on Fridays and the series finale of "The Soup" on December 18. "The Soup" is produced by Wilshire Studios with Joel McHale, KP Anderson and Ed Boyd serving as Executive Producers.

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Willie Robertson on how hunting brings him closer to God

Willie Robertson has a new book out which delves into America's storied history of hunting. "American Hunter: How Legendary Hunters Shaped America" is filled with stories of famous hunters along with personal hunting tales. The "Duck Dynasty" star spoke to FOX411 about his love of hunting and who he likes in the Republican race.

FOX411: How did the idea of this book come about?
Willie Robertson: I met with our publishing company and they said we have a great idea to put together this collection of great American hunters throughout the time from even before the birth of our country and how it's impacted and shaped it. We started gathering information, wrote some stories, I put some personal stories in it. I wanted to see the impact hunting had on this country. I've grown up hunting my whole life. It's been our family business as well. Obviously our family is passionate about hunting and the great outdoors so wanted to put this collection together.

FOX411:Anything surprised you?
Robertson: A lot surprised me...how hard it was, how harsh our young America was. People really hunted out of necessity. Now we do it because we love it. Back then because they were exploring this big country, they were pushing West, hunting came with that. It's good and bad, we about decimated our buffalo...animals were over-hunted. Thank God for Teddy Roosevelt who was a passionate hunter himself and president. Well-to-do guy from New York but loved to hunt. He put in a lot of the systems that we enjoy today. The refuge system, the parks. Just to make sure the numbers came back. Here we are one hundred years later still enjoying the outdoors.

FOX411: Do you feel closer to God when you're out hunting?
Robertson: I do. It slows down. I'm super busy with the television show and the kids and you get out there and you turn the cell phone off and it's just you and nature and the animals and how they survive. It's very spiritual.

FOX411:What's your favorite memory of hunting?
Robertson: When I took Korie out. She was going to just watch. And I saw this deer and I said, 'You want to shoot this deer?' And she said, 'Yeah' and she had never done it before and we were hunting with a cross bow and I said, 'Do you know where to hit it?' And she said, 'I've watched your videos, I know where to hit it.' And sure enough she was successful. So we cleaned it up and she provided several meals for our family. That's a big deal for us. It's the ultimate farm to table. We're out there in the woods, we see what we're going to take, that's a process. There's a process of cleaning it, there's a process of cooking it and then we all sit down at the dinner table and eat it. Whoever provided it, we're appreciative of that and we acknowledge that. It's a way for us to eat. Who knows if a different time where we needs those skills, I'm glad we have those skills, able to go out and get our own food.

FOX411:So you eat all the food you hunt?
Robertson: I eat it or someone eats it. We've donated a lot of meat. I give it to families that need it. Everything we kill is eaten by someone. There's great organizations. There's Hunters for the Hungry.

FOX411:What do you think of Walter Palmer who killed Cecil the Lion?
Robertson: I try not to judge people. I don't know the guy personally. The story sounded a little shady, how it went down.

FOX411:Would you go on an African safari to shoot wildlife?
Robertson: I probably wouldn't. Again, I'm not going to judge people who do. As long as it's legal, my thing is that as long as it's legal... there's people here in America who don't like people hunting [or] shooting a duck but it's legal. If he did something illegal, I'm certainly against that. But if it's legal, then if someone wants to do that then they're certainly allowed to.

FOX411:Does it bother you when you're criticized for hunting?
Robertson: I'm used to being criticized. Most of the people criticizing like that don't understand what we do. They don't understand hunting. They need to read this book and they'll have a better appreciation of that. A lot of smart people have studied animal patterns to know how many animals need to come out otherwise they'll overpopulate. If they're overpopulate, they'll just get disease and start dying because there's too many. The animal populations are great and thriving. Most of the money for that comes from hunters. All our hunting licenses goes back to conservation. So hunters are the biggest conservationists. That's what in the book.

FOX411:Who are you supporting for 2016?
Robertson: I don't know like everybody else. I'm still watching the debates and trying to figure out who I like. They're are some good candidates on the Republican side, there's just too many. Need to get them down, needs to whittle down a bit. I'm from Louisiana so I like Bobby, we're good friends. I met Trump, he's a good guy. I like a lot of the stuff he says. I like his energy and his passion. I like his leadership especially on business because I'm a business guy. But Ben Carson's great, we'll see.

FOX411:What happens if one of your kids doesn't want to hunt?
Robertson: That's fine. Not everyone's a hunter. You either have that or they don't. There's something about being out in nature, being with the animals, seeing the sunrises and sunsets, being with nature. It's very spiritual for me. My wife's parents are vegetarian so we're used to that. I get it. If they wanted to be vegetarian that's fine, they'd miss out on a lot of good venison.