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Borsheim Art Newsletter: by Kelly Borsheim copyright 12 July 2011 CONTENTS: Authenticating Artwork: Caravaggio and Ricci Events - Invitation for This Sunday! Something Borrowed, Something Blue Blog Highlights Subscription Info. Sign-up to receive FREE e-news or printed mail. (Your personal information is never sold or given away.)

"Saint Antoine de . . . " oil on canvas by Sebastiano Ricci (Louvre, Paris)

Dear Art Lover, There are so many good artists out there, even if one limits the conversation to the art in the museums. You could confine your search to a style, a time period, or even a country, and still be overwhelmed. I went to visit the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas, last month with a friend. While I have seen many of the paintings before, it is always interesting when the museum rearranges works because you see the art related to other pieces in a new way and often take a fresh look at a familiar "face." Recently The National Gallery of Canada in Ottowa added a new painting to its listing of exhibited works in the show that began on June 17. The painting of Saint Augustine was discovered in a private collection in Britain after being lost for hundreds of years and is now being attributed to Caravaggio. Italian artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610) became known for his dramatic use of chiaroscuro (light and dark), as well as his depicting "normal" (vs. idealized or aristocratic) people in his often religious-themed paintings. Now, I did not get my art education the usual way and thus, am still trying to learn a lot about art history, but this painting did not look like a Caravaggio to me. I do not have a problem being wrong on something I know little about, especially when I have not thoroughly educated myself on the topic or even seen the real painting, but I would not mind seeing more information on this one. The painting was dated when the artist was 28 years old or the year 1600. The leading scholar on this (and co-author of the book coming out with the new attribution proclaimed), Sebastian Schütze, explained that the painting was never thought to be as dramatic as the work of the well-known Caravaggio until the work was restored. The reason that statement caught my attention has to do with some of my past experiences in Florence, Italy. Now, let me preface: Many things are discovered when we go looking, as well as when we clean up and organize things we already have in our possession. That is natural. And treasures need a good dusting off once in a while. In addition, of course, once we really LOOK at something, we notice so much more. That said, many years ago I attended a lecture at the Charles Cecil art school in Florence. It was given by Richard Serrin and was about how the restoration of the Sistine Chapel not only ruined it with non-fresco and overly bright colors, but also changed much of the design work that Michelangelo completed. Mr. Serrin's slides give an incredible and compelling argument. Later on, one of my streetpainting colleagues had confided to me that she wanted to learn how to draw in a more classical style as I do. Her studies were in restoration and did not cover the usual training that fine artists receive. This completely surprised me since I had the assumption that most restorers were technically proficient artists who did not want to deal with the complexities of producing and selling their own fine art. Restoration gave them a paycheck while keeping them involved in the art world and they kept learning and using their skills. After asking around a bit, I understand that most restorers do not receive fine art training to the level of fine artists. So, back to my visit to the Blanton Museum . . . I had admired quite a large painting titled "Flora" by Sebastiano Ricci (Italian 1659-1734). Lately I have been studying classical paintings and sculpture to see how artists used composition to help tell a story. Composition is sometimes used by artists to hint at a figure's future or past. Almost every character in mythology and the religions around the world has specific attributes or symbols to identify them and often describe what they represent. Much of that is lost on today's audiences and thankfully, the museums give interesting write-ups to help viewers see what the artists' contemporary public understood.

Flora
Sebastiano Ricci
125.3 cm x 153.7 cm (49 5/16 in. x 60 1/2 in.)
Oil on canvas, circa 1712-1716
The Suida-Manning Collection, with support from The Cain Foundation in memory of Effie Marie Cain

Original Artworks by Italian painter Sebastiano Ricci

Tarqin The Elder Consulting Attius Navius Oil on Canvas 1690, The J. Paul Getty Museum

Allegory Of The Arts Oil on Canvas 1690-94

The Rape Of The Sabine Women Oil on Canvas 1700, Liechtenstein Museum [Note the influence of Bernini's marble group 'Pluto and Proserpina' (in the Galleria Borghese, Rome).]

Battle Of The Romans And The Sabines Oil on Canvas 1700, Liechtenstein Museum

Venus and Cupid Oil on Canvas 1700

Diana and Her Dog Sebastiano Ricci 29 1/8 x 21 7/8 in. Oil on Canvas 1700-1705, The J. Paul Getty Museum

Perseus Confronting Phineus With Head Of Medusa 25 3/16 x 30 5/16 in. Sebastiano Ricci, Italian Oil on Canvas 1705-10, The J. Paul Getty Museum

The Death Of Seneca (recto), Study Of A Man (verso) Ink Brown Wash Black Chalk 1705, The J. Paul Getty Museum

Apostelkommunion Oil on Canvas 1720-25

Triumph Of The Marine Venus Oil on Canvas 1713, The J. Paul Getty Museum

Venus Entouree De Nymphes Regardant Une Rounde D'Amours Louvre, Paris

------------------------------------ Events - Invitation for This Sunday! You are invited to see over 120 sculptures in a variety of materials and styles by over 45 sculptors, including three of my own sculptures. Organized as the summer exhibition of The Texas Society of Sculptors, the Georgetown City Library in central Texas is a wonderful space for viewing 3-d art. There is even a HUGE charging bronze rhinoceros to great you as you enter the library. Award ceremony and reception: THIS Sunday, July 17 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. on the second floor of the library Awards will be announced at 1:30 p.m. Live music starts at 2 p.m. Georgetown City Library 402 W. 8th St. (just west of the courthouse) Georgetown, Texas 78626 See you there! [Exhibit continues through 23 September 2011.] *************** Mark your Calendars for "First Friday Art Walk" in September … in Indianapolis. Won't you join me at The Franklin Barry Gallery on Friday, September 2, as the galleries on Massachusetts Avenue in downtown Indy will be open late to allow you to browse and mingle and check out the latest works of art. I will be showing artworks inspired by "Italian Living" and I always enjoy my visits to the Franklin Barry Gallery with owner Don Elliott. Start your Labor Day weekend off with some fun!

---------------- Recent Blog Topics: An available sketch of the lovely Valentina Poetry -- really? Saint Agatha at The Blanton Museum of Art Art and Time Selected posts about the marble carving "Gymnast" -- Carving the Neck 3-D Challenges Interested? Subscribe online at: http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.com (This is a different subscription list than the one for this art newsletter.) As always, I do enjoy your feedback and suggestions for topics you would like to read about. Thank you for reading and by all means, forward this newsletter to anyone you think would enjoy it. Pace (peace), Kelly Borsheim 12 July 2011 Sign-up to receive FREE e-news or printed mail. Return to Read Other Newsletters - Table Of Contents Page If you enjoy Borsheim Art News, please forward it to friends and colleagues. It comes to you about 6-8 times a year from Cedar Creek, Texas-based artist Kelly Borsheim.