Art and Museums
High Society from Cranach to Velázquez and from Rembrandt to Manet at the Rijksmuseum
Over the centuries, many powerful monarchs, eccentric aristocrats and fabulously wealthy burghers have commissioned portraits of themselves, arrayed in all their finery, from the best painters in the world. Preferably standing, life-size and full-length. The young Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit are the only couple that Rembrandt ever painted life-size, standing and full-length (1634). This prestigious format was primarily reserved for monarchs and members of the aristocracy. It was not until some time later that it was used for high society in general. more »
Faithless Pictures; The Complex Relationship Between Image and Reality
“The number of pictures increases, but what we see decrease”, says Sean Snyder, one of the artists. Society is in the midst of a technological revolution. The stream of images and the balance of power are now changing because of the ubiquity of the smartphone camera and the immediacy and reach of social media. These are new times, and art is posing new questions. In each their own way, the works presented at the “Faithless Pictures” exhibition address the vast amount of imagery that surrounds us, the visual torrent that seemingly represents our lives, our times, our world – the news clips, holiday photos, and flickers from the depths of the internet that meet us in a fragmented world of half illusion and half reality. more »
Scout Report: Computer Dating, "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu", Western Front WWI,Women's History, Vaccinations, Newsmap, "Look Out Honey, 'Cause I'm Using Technology"
Websites you may not have discovered: Historic American newspapers; Discussing concepts including the wisdom of crowds and the law of large numbers; the four songs that accompanied that song in the Billboard's top five; history of computer dating is much older than many people realize; 'Black Broadway,' a city within a city;" discussions of concepts of the wisdom of crowds and the law of large numbers; enriching the experience of visiting a museum or gallery; keeping current with updates from all over the web can present a challenge and Conscientious Photography Magazine; the Academic Family Tree and 37 "lessons, activities, exhibitions, videos and tools that can be used to teach students about women's history in America" more »
Casanova, The Seduction of Europe: “He knew the greatest figures of the age, from monarchs like Louis XV of France and Catherine the Great of Russia, to popes, to intellectuals like Voltaire and Benjamin Franklin”
Casanova was considered by his own contemporaries to be a witty conversationalist, autobiographer, gambler, spy, and one of the greatest travelers of all time. More than 80 works of art, including paintings, sculptures, works on paper, period furnishings, delicate porcelains, and lavish period costumes, re-create this luxurious and sparkling world of masked balls, palaces, theaters, and operas. more »