[Romantic Old Bird]

How about a Favourite Painting thread?

Here's one of mine:


Het meisje met de parel (Girl with pearl earring) Johannes Vermeer c1665 Mauritshuis, Den Haag, The Netherlands

[Kaz]

Good idea, ROB.

Now, this one might not be to everybody's taste, but I saw the original at the Salvador Dali Museum in Figueres a couple of years ago and was absolutely mesmerised by it. See what you think:



Galatea of the Spheres by Salvador Dali

[Romantic Old Bird]

I think it's very clever Kaz! I got a Dali calendar from my son this year. It's 'thought-provoking' at the very least!

I am going to cheat now, and add another one!

I saw this in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence

(Michelangelo's Doni Tondo) and it is so beautiful that it made me cry!

I can't believe it was painted in 1507, the colours are so vibrant and lustrous.

Breath-taking!

Come on everyone else!

[splodge0]

Constable of course.

Oh, the tranquility...........................

[Janette]

I love this picture




Rubens, Saint Magdalen

[Romantic Old Bird]

I love Rubens! He knew a woman should be 'well covered'!

Here's mine for today:


Starry, starry night! - Dhr Van Gogh

[Kaz]

I love the colours in this one:



Claude Monet - Crepusculo

Come on, everyone - let's see your favourites!

[peachy]

Another Van Gogh, this time a little drawing of a prostitute called Sian, who died a terrible death in childbirth a few months after Van Gogh did this drawing.

All the sadness of her life is in this drawing, which is in Walsall's brilliant new Art Gallery.

[Mairi]

That is SUCH a sad little picture, Peachy, but also very beautiful.

I have a favourite painting too which, for two years (from the age of 16 to 18), I used to go especially to see in the Edinburgh Art Gallery, in Princes Street, during my lunch hours from work. I hardly missed a day and used to just stand and gaze at it, silently adoring it.

Last time I was in Edinburgh, I went into the Art Gallery again but couldn't find it anywhere. I enquired about it and they told me it was "in the basement and no longer on show". I begged and pleaded to be taken to see it and was told to come back at a certain time when "someone" would take me down there. Well, I did and they did and, as soon as I saw it again, I promptly burst into tears.

Why this painting means so much to me I have no idea. I managed to buy a postcard of it and will ask Janette to scan it in for me when I see her at the weekend.

[Di2001]

This isn't a painting but a photo. Taken by W Eugene Smith back in 1946. It is called The Walk to Paradise Garden. I saw an exhibition of his at The Barbican in London at the end of the 1980s.

[Kaz]

Do you know what it was called and who the artist was, Mairi?

There are several websites which offer prints of pictures that we might be able to find it on.

[Mairi]

Originally posted by Kaz
Do you know what it was called and who the artist was, Mairi?

Yes, Kaz (oh and, by the way, you will like it too ).

The name of the painting is "The Happy Mother" and the artist's name was Robert Alexander (1840-1923). The painting was done in oil on canvas and measures 79.4 x 114.3 cm (in other words, it's huge) and the colours are gorgeous golds and rich browns. The wee postcard doesn't do it justice but is better than nothing!!

Many thanks for any help, Kaz, in finding it but it's not exactly famous, like Van Gogh or Rubens!!

[Janette]

I am quite fond of this painting, for obvious reasons!

[James]

Good choice Janette.

That's the one I'd like hanging on my wall.

[Di2001]

I've just checked the Ebay list of final prices of the items that were sold in auction and the housemate's painting went for £1,750.00!!!

[Romantic Old Bird]

I wonder who bought it? Possibly Steve?

[Di2001]

In case you are interested ROB, someone who goes by the name of "theeditorgareth" on Ebay bought it.

[Mairi]

Originally posted by Di2001
In case you are interested ROB, someone who goes by the name of "theeditorgareth" on Ebay bought it.

Thanks for the information, Di. Whoever he is, he's a lucky devil. I'd have LOVED that painting.

[Mairi]

With many thanks to Janette and LEE for their help, this is the postcard of the painting I love so much. Sorry about the colours, though. They are nothing like the original.

[splodge0]

Now I like dogs.........

[splodge0]

Originally posted by Janette
I am quite fond of this painting, for obvious reasons!

Whats special about it please??

[Boris]

Whats special about it please??

Is it a painting within a painting ?

The subject matter is quite appealing anyway.

[BusyBee]

Now when I was a school governor we were sent on a course to the local art museum and spent a couple of hours being taught how to 'look' at paintings. It was fascinating you just sat there and examined the painting in sections. I know it sounds boring but instead of looking at a painting quickly and saying "that's nice" or "ugh" you actually were looking at what the artist was trying to depict. Yes I know it sounds

Oh my god I'm getting all philosophical when all I wanted to say was if I used this technique on the BB painting, I could spent hours just deciding why exactly Helen painted Paul black and why Dean gave Brian horns etc.

[Kaz]

Posted by Mairi
. . . . this is the postcard of the painting I love so much

Mairi - it's a beautiful picture. I love it as well.

I'm sorry I wasn't able to find it on the Internet for you. I searched loads of sites and did come across one Robert Alexander picture, but unfortunately not 'The Happy Mother'. I did find out that it was a painting of a sable and white collie, though!

It's gorgeous.

[Mairi]

Originally posted by Kaz
I searched loads of sites and did come across one Robert Alexander picture

I appreciate the detective work you did, Kaz and I'm so pleased you like the painting as well.

I would be interested to know what the other painting is by Robert Alexander, if you can remember the site. I know absolutely nothing about him so any information will be gratefully received.