Masterpieces
October 14, 2011 § Leave a comment
Some famous people have been choosing paintings which they suggest answer the question, what makes a masterpiece? You can see what David Hockney, Phillip Pullman and some art people I don’t know about have selected on the Guardian’s site.
I particularly like what David Hockney says about his choice, Mother and Child, First Steps (1943) by Pablo Picasso and similarly how architect, Amanda Levete, describes her selection, Still Life with Lemons and Oranges (1633) by Francisco de Zurbarán. They both make me go, “Oh yes, now you tell me, I get that too.”
Two things I would note.
1. I am doing my best to ignore art historian, Tim Marlow’s, selection, Hans Holbein’s Dead Christ (1521). I mean, amazing, obviously, but not something I want to contemplate right now.
2. Culture minister, Ed Vaizey, chose The Arnolfini Portrait, which I have previously mentioned on this site – the one where the lady isn’t pregnant, just showing off with lots of cloth. He does point out (in the newspaper, he did anyway) that the faces of the Arnolfinis are almost alien. Rather true, I think. Apparently, he often pops into the National Gallery to see this paintings, so look out for him.
(There may be too many links in this post. This is to show off to my friend, Pamela, that I can do this.)
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