Heavy snow and visitors to the Shiba Jingu Palace - Ichiryusai Hiroshige

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Inspired by: Ichiryusai Hiroshige - Heavy snow and visitors to the Shiba Jingu Palace – 1858

Hiroshige was one of the last great ukiyo-e artists. He was a member of the Utagawa school, which was one of the four major schools and stood at the forefront of this 19th century movement. Since Japanese artists often took on the name of their school, for part of his life he was known as Utagawa Hiroshiga.

During Hiroshige’s time, the print industry was booming. Tourism was also on the rise, and these prints became the equivalent of travel postcards for the Japanese. This print was published 1858, the year of Hiroshige’s death. It is part of One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, an illustrated guidebook to the city now called Tokyo.

Ukyo-e first appeared in the West after Japan began trading with the Dutch in 1609. At that time the prints were only used to wrap parcels for shipping. They didn’t gain real attention until they appeared at the Paris world’s Fair of 1855. There, they caught the attention of the Impressionists, who went nuts over them. They were all over the walls in Monet’s home in Givernny. Van Gogh also covered his walls, and made several direct copies of Hiroshige's work.

Piero di Cosimo - Portraits da Sangallo

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Inspired by: Piero di Cosimo - Portraits da Sangallo 

Giuliano da Sangallo was an architect along with his father, uncles and his son. Giuliano commissioned these portraits soon after his father’s death. A death mask was probably used to recreate his father’s likeness. This diptych is an early example of a portrait in which the subject’s profession plays a key role. On the table in front of each subject lies the tools of their profession. Giuliano got a pen and dividers for architecture, but Francesco, who was not only an architect but more importantly a musician, got a piece of sheet music. Giuliano was a part of the Renaissance scene. He assisted in the design of St Peter’s Basilica. He was also called upon to help Michelangelo remove mold from the Sistine Chapel ceiling after the younger artist had applied too wet a plaster. Originally Piero di Lorenzo, Cosimo took the name of his master Cosimo Rosselli. He also took his daughter in marriage, and assisted him in his Sistine Chapel frescos. During his lifetime, Piero acquired a reputation for eccentricity. Reportedly, he was deathly afraid of thunderstorms, and so pyrophobic that the only food he cooked was hard-boiled eggs, which he prepared 50 at a time while boiling glue for his artworks. The great historian Vasari wrote, “Through his brutish ways he was rather held to be a madman. He could not stand babies crying, men coughing, bells ringing, or friars chanting,”  See original: https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/SK-C-1367

Jacques-Louis David - The Intervention of the Sabine Women

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Inspired by Jacques-Louis David - The Intervention of the Sabine Women

In the 8th century BC, the Romans abducted the Sabine women to increase their child bearing population. They abducted 30 women, including the princess Hersilia, who became the wife of Romulus the Roman leader. Years later the Sabines returned to Rome to get revenge. In the ensuing battle Hersilia, the Sabine women and all their kids intervened to stop the bloodshed. Hersilia is standing between her father Tatius, King of the Sabines and her husband Romulus first king of Rome. In the end the two tribes sued for peace and formed a joint government.

The children in the foreground seem to be oblivious to the battle going on around them. Two of the children are having a wrestling match. The one attacks his brother like they were in a schoolyard brawl. In the middle of all this mayhem, the baby between Romulus’ feet casually sucks his thumb.

Go here for original photo: bit.ly/3vyNqAN

Jacques-Louis David - Napoleon Crossing the Alps

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Inspired by: Jacques-Louis David - Napoleon Crossing the Alps

This was the first of five versions of this painting. When Napoleon became the First Consul he attempted to make peace with Charles IV of Spain. While talks were underway to re-establish diplomatic relations, a traditional exchange of gifts took place. Charles received Versailles-manufactured pistols, dresses and jewels for the queen from the best Parisian designers. In return Napoleon was offered sixteen Spanish horses from the royal stables, portraits of the king and queen by Goya, and this portrait that was to be commissioned rom David. Charles decided to hang it in the palace in Madrid, so Bonaparte instructed David to produce three additional versions. David threw in an extra for himself. This version remained in Madrid until 1812, when it was taken by Joseph Bonaparte after his abdication as King of Spain. During his exile in the United States it hung at his Point Breeze estate near Bordentown, NJ. In truth, this is a pretentious depiction of the event, since Napoleon crossed the Alps on a mule and instead of leading his army into battle, he followed them.

To see the original:bit.ly/4c98K06

Tahitian Women on the Beach - Paul Gaugin

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Inspired by Paul Gaugin - Tahitian Women on the Beach

Born in Peru, he emigrated to France, and secured a job as a stockbroker in Paris. He did quite well as a broker. By the age of 31 he was pulling down 30,000 Francs a year, the equivalent of about $150,000 today. At the age of 35 he gave it all up to be a painter. This new job was not a success, so in 1891 he left his wife and five children and headed for Tahiti. He stayed there for ten years, returning once to try to sell his work and raise capital to return. His life in Tahiti was tempestuous. He married three times, all teenage island girls (13 and 14). This was considered a marriageable age in the Tahitian culture, but in western culture it is considered pedophilia. Gaugin was not the only French colonist that took advantage of the Tahitians desire for status or financial gain. These weddings were not legally binding and all three of his wives eventually left him. Gaugin used his wives for the models in countless paintings. The model for both of the women in this painting is Teha’amana, his first Tahitian muse, lover and eventually wife.

In 1901 when he became seriously ill with syphilis and in trouble with the French authorities, he left town. Alone and impoverished, Gauguin died of a stroke in the Marquesas Islands on May 8, 1903. He has been championed and reviled by art history. His painting was magnificent, but his lifestyle seems unacceptable.

If you would like to see the original painting: bit.ly/43HIFQS