I know Gagarin's face very well. The best part of this portrait, beside good likeness, is a scar on his forehead, as rumors say, is a result of a drunken pleasure flying of a military plain. Boris Shoshensky To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Contemporary Portraits Date: Sun, 6 Dec 2009 17:52:14 GMT
Here's a portrait of the cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, by Lev Kerbel: http://www.ilovefiguresculpture.com/masters/russian/kerbel/kerbel105.jpg And here's a Roman portrait (Republican period) from the Met: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ropo/ho_12.233.htm How would you compare the two? Since the one is carved and the other modeled, there will, of course, be differences in certain formal qualities. But I would suggest that they succeed in presenting a believable, though different, sense of dignity and courage. Which may not have been attributes of those particular men at every moment in their lives but at least we can believe that it was supposed to be. And dignity and courage should characterize the life of every man and woman --- shouldn't it? (at least if it feels human/real/believable/not-phony) Well, if you believe so, then perhaps you will admire these sculptures for achieving that effect. And if you think that achievement is more important than whatever lofty place it may get in a history of art (whatever that strange word now means) -- then you are a fellow philistine. Welcome to the club. ......................... More dumb. I don't care what portrait painters do. They're not interested in art unless they put art first and that means would consider the portrait an engagement with what is possible as art and that would be the metaphor for the "remarkable characterization". The problem of art is not a matter of subject. Put subject first and you put art second, or third, or somewhere down the line of irrelevance. Just like the USSR art and the Nazi art you like so much. You think subject is primary. That's the position of philistines.t is more important than whatever lofty place it may get in a history of art (whatever that strange word now means) -- then you are a fellow philistine. .......................................... ____________________________________________________________ Nutrition Improve your career health. Click now to study nutrition! http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2231/c?cp=9mgLsPuXDxFGxy5ERJjzfQAAJz6c l_zTaptgNR5c8Mer1v9kAAYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASQwAAAAA=
