Favorite Paintings

[Horsa]

I wanted to add a couple of George Stubbs paintings here but couldn't, unfortunately. My favourite artist is George Stubbs because his favourite subject matter is my favourite animal & I've got horses on the brain. He also wrote a book on horses & knew equine anatomy very well & drew & painted horses anatomically correct.

 

[monfed]

Any of those renaissance times paintings. Not sure what the fuss is about Mona Lisa. I mean sure I like a smiling lady but not sure how it's the GOAT painting.

 

[britbox]

Any of those renaissance times paintings. Not sure what the fuss is about Mona Lisa. I mean sure I like a smiling lady but not sure how it's the GOAT painting.

There's a school of thought that Mona Lisa is actually a feminized self-portrait by Da Vinci.

 

[Horsa]

This is a link to information about my favourite painting with a copy of my favourite painting. It's Whistlejacket by George Stubbs.
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/george-stubbs-whistlejacket

 

[Moxie]

There's a school of thought that Mona Lisa is actually a feminized self-portrait by Da Vinci.

I'm not sure what "school" that is, but it's surely Pre-K. It's fairly well-documented who she is.

 

[britbox]

I'm not sure what "school" that is, but it's surely Pre-K. It's fairly well-documented who she is.

It was in the news a few years ago. Some Italians were going to try and exhume Da Vinci's grave to do some DNA tests and check out his skeleton to check the theory. No shit!

 

[Moxie]

It was in the news a few years ago. Some Italians were going to try and exhume Da Vinci's grave to do some DNA tests and check out his skeleton to check the theory. No shit!

That is kind of hilarious. I did look it up and I see what you mean. I have to say I'm inclined to think that it's Renaissance graduate students running out of things to write theses on. For the record, I also happen to be one of those people that thinks it was actually Shakespeare that wrote Shakespeare.

 

[Moxie]

Any of those renaissance times paintings. Not sure what the fuss is about Mona Lisa. I mean sure I like a smiling lady but not sure how it's the GOAT painting.

Paintings aren't like sports. There's no GOAT. And even in sports, it's debatable. That painting is famous, largely, because it is one of the first naturalistic portraits in history. And of the those, the most beautiful. It was painted by Da Vinci, after all, and he took painting to a new level, and he changed portraiture with this painting. Also, for the enigmatic smile, and for the history of it, including being stolen, and recovered. The Italian Renaissance created for us in the West, by a huge measure, what we understand as beauty. Rightly or wrongly. But between history, reality and lore, it is considered the most valuable painting in the world. That doesn't make it the greatest. But if we made a Top-20 of important ones, or even likely Top 5, it would be there.

 

[monfed]

Paintings aren't like sports. There's no GOAT. And even in sports, it's debatable. That painting is famous, largely, because it is one of the first naturalistic portraits in history. And of the those, the most beautiful. It was painted by Da Vinci, after all, and he took painting to a new level, and he changed portraiture with this painting. Also, for the enigmatic smile, and for the history of it, including being stolen, and recovered. The Italian Renaissance created for us in the West, by a huge measure, what we understand as beauty. Rightly or wrongly. But between history, reality and lore, it is considered the most valuable painting in the world. That doesn't make it the greatest. But if we made a Top-20 of important ones, or even likely Top 5, it would be there.

 

[tented]

I have a few that range from Joan Miro to the ethereal works of El Greco. My two favorites, though, are Las Meninas by Diego Velazquez and Guernica by Pablo Picasso. The former because of all the different viewpoints depicted of the Spanish royal court and the painting of Velazquez himself into the photo, all while the king and queen enter from behind--as reflected in a mirror--is one of the heights of artistic creative genius. The latter due to the sheer power of the political statement Picasso was making against Generalisimo Franco--who was a galician who spoke gallego growing up, yet was adamant about centralizing the power of Madrid and Castililan over all others because of the fear of all things Red. He therefore permitted the sacrifice of the Basque town in the buildup to the Second World War. The piece has great drama and symbolism.

I thought of this thread after discovering Edvard Munch’s painting “Jealousy”

 

[shawnbm]

I am very happy this ten year old thread is still alive and getting looks!

 

[shawnbm]

Can someone post one of their favorites of Jackson Pollack and tell us why you like the painting? Some folks don't "get" him so it could be an interesting chat.

 

[britbox]

Ride of the Rohirrim, Jack Vettriano style.

 

[britbox]

I thought of this thread after discovering Edvard Munch’s painting “Jealousy”

View attachment 8707

Edvard Munch’s painting “Jealousy” in Jack Vettriano style

 

[britbox]

The last two "paintings" were generated using Midjourney AI.

 

[tented]

The last two "paintings" were generated using Midjourney AI.

Did you provide the AI with the Munch picture, then basically say, Show me this in the style of Vettriano? Or did the AI already “know” the painting?

 

[shawnbm]

AI in the world of art. I thought the two paintings looked vaguely sterile and lacking in human touch.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I am also a big fan of Jackson Pollock,
Our National Art Gallery in Canberra brought 'Blue Poles' in 1973, people were outraged the amount of money it was back then, of course it has tripled in price over the years and has become the 'most visited' piece of art in the gallery
Every time I visit the gallery over the years I love to sit and gaze at it.It is an abstract painting
It embodies Pollock's idea's about pure painting and unconscious.It is a painting of a complex experience of life, between darkness and light,also turmoil and elation.

 

[shawnbm]

I guess it can't be shown here so I shall look at it on the internet.

 

[shawnbm]

Ah yes ^^^ I recall Blue Poles. Something tells me it is one of those works you can't really appreciate without seeing it in all its glory. I know Guernica did that for me, as did Las Meninas and the two Majas