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El Anatsui, Ghana b. 1944, The Deluge, 2021
The subject here is nature,
And I can’t recall a tapestry more powerful.
Though unlike Medieval examples,
there are no human figures, so there can be no moral content.
Wow - this is exciting. Do you think he might make me a jacket?
Manet, Woman with Fans, 1873
This piece is on loan from the Musee D’Orsay in exchange for our monumental street scene by Caillbotte.
The French website says its subject shows "amusement, complicity and curiosity, with a hint of melancholy and distraction." . Sounds about right. A great portrait of a fascinating person, Amina de Calais. (1843-1884). She hosted a salon for celebrated painters, writers, and composers. She was only 30 at the time of this portrait.
Camille Claudel, bust of a Young Roman
My favorite piece from last year’s Claudel retrospective - the artist was age 18-23.
Donatello, Bust of a young Neoplatonic man
Claudel’s piece is not as powerful as this one - but at least it brought Donatello to mind.
Soga Shohaku (1730-1781), letter to a friend, 1754
Another young artist - with a real joie de vivre.
A recent gift to the museum.
Makes for a nice comparison with the piece shown below
that was found online:
Cy Twombly (1928-2011), untitled 1969
The Twombly is more like an explosion,
the Soga is more like condensed water dripping down a window pane.
Two contrasting ways of dealing with social pressure.
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Chai Zhenyi and Chai Jingyi, 17th C.
Love these sister entomologists.
Emilie Charmy (1880-1974), L’Estaque, 1910
I had forgotten all about her,
— and her paintings still catch my eye.
Gallery signage quotes a contemporary critic who said she "sees like a woman, but paints like a man" - and then called such an opinion "wildly gendered". For me - the above is something Matisse might have done - and the quip would apply just as well - wild or not.
But
Matisse, Collioure Landscape, 1905
Xia Chang (1388-1470) Bamboo Leaves in Spring Rain 1444
The display case is much shorter than the scroll (50 feet), so they show a different section each time.
Hopefully, I’ll still be alive to see yet another section when it’s put on display again in 2044.
Yan Ling (1585-1664.), Landscape in the style of ancient masters 1642
I wasn’t going to show this piece because it’s rather dry and academic though perfectly executed according to the standards of the time.
But so is the French NeoClassical piece posted below, so it does seem to belong in this post,
And now we visit the two special exhibits that brought me to the museum in the first place:
Jean-Benoit Suvee (1743-1807) Belgian, Summer or the Festival of Pales,1783
Paula Modersohn- Becker , bust of the sculptor Carla Rilke-Westhoff, 1905
l've written about these two shows
here
*****
My membership to the Art Institute of Chicago expired October 31 - not sure when I’ll rejoin.
None of the upcoming shows in 2024 are appealing - but eventually the Caillebotte show will summon me back.
