Let's keep in mind the hierarchy of the European Art Academies. They taught that the most important subjects were "History" oriented which meant subjects taken primarily from ancient and mythological history chosen for allegorical and didactic value. Some say it was "great men doing great things." Next in line were portraits of historical fugures, the "great men" and finally it was landscape and still life the "great men's objects and land". So artists were ranked according to their ambitions for doing History Painting. A well-known story is about Ingres who spent years in Rome. He supported himself doing "little pencil portraits" of rich French tourists (David Hockney says he used the camera lucida for that). But he was adamant that he be referred to as a "History Painter", slamming the door on those who sought him out as the artist who "draws portraits". Since Georgione portraiture was not as important as allegorical historical art. This is still the case with post-modern art. The odd period was Impressionism and early modernism when still life and landscape, the most debased "academic" genres, were purposely chosen by artists who sought to upend the official hierarchy.
WC --- On Thu, 10/16/08, Chris Miller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > From: Chris Miller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: Is art sacred? > To: [email protected] > Date: Thursday, October 16, 2008, 5:00 PM > I am talking about "The people who *mostly* make things > on commission today" > -- which would include, but not be limited to, > "portraits in the academic > style of recognizable pictorial techniques" > > There's also muralists, monumental sculptors, and > probably a few other kinds > that are slipping my mind. > > A hundred years ago , one could walk into a major American > museum and likely > find examples of the best contemporary portraiture - in > temporary if not > permanent exhibit. > > Not so today. > > > > ____________________________________________________________ > Click to lower your debt and consolidate your monthly > expenses. > http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2231/fc/Ioyw6ijmNTw5tXCvpEEWR7L4srhPAH > vmx2bvbypyJs24ScCvTJaGNG/
