Garçon à la pipe

Pablo Picasso, Garçon à la pipe (Boy with a pipe), 1905

Garçon à la pipe is one of Picasso's most well-known Rose Period paintings, both due to its art historical importance as well as its art market presence. (See my previous Rose Period post here.)

The subject of the painting is intriguing for its relatively obscure subject matter and unknown model. The interplay of masculine and feminine elements suggests a mythological character and it was proposed* that Picasso was inspired by Paul Verlaine's Crimen Amoris.

Now, the most gorgeous of all these angels

Was sixteen under his crown of flowers.

Arms folded on necklaces and fringes,

He's dreaming, eye filled with flames and cries.

The painting originally sold in 1950 for $30,000. When it appeared at auction again in 2005, it set the record for the most expensive painting ever sold, reaching $104,168,000. This record has since been replaced by Jackson Pollock's No. 5 from 1948, but Garçon à la pipe remains a cultural and commercial icon.

I'm wearing PRPS jeans, a Ralph Lauren chambray shirt, vintage jewelry, and a self-made flower crown. My dad made the wooden pipe.

[Picasso image from theartofjesse.blogspot.com and Verlaine translation from http://membres.multimania.fr/hiyami/kindred/crimen.htm.

*by Picasso biographer John Richardson.]

EMILY KAME KNGWARREYE

Aboriginal art is a category that is often overlooked in Art History Survey courses. However, it is interesting to note the way contemporary Aboriginal art interacts with the Western art market.

Emily Kame Kngwarreye was an Australian Aboriginal artist (1910-1996) whose work transcended its indigenous tradition.

Kngwarreye began her art career around the age of 80, beginning with hand-dyed batiks, intended as garments and ephemera for traditional women's ceremonies.

Kngwarreye eventually began working with paint and canvas, creating works inspired by the physical landscape of her home in the Northern Territory.

A key subject of Kngwarreye's work is the yam, the primary food source of her tribe.

Kngwarreye's work gained critical attention after a number of international exhibitions of Australian Aboriginal art, and it wasn't long before her home was flooded with prospective art dealers.

In May of 2007, Kngwarreye's painting Earth's Creation set a record for the highest amount ever paid at auction for an Aboriginal work, selling for over $1 million. Unfortunately, Kngwarreye did not live to experience her international art world fame, but she set a new precedent for the commercial value of Australian Aboriginal art.

Inspired by Kngwarreye's paintings, I wore a 1960's Bill Blass dress and jacket, vintage necklace, vintage snakeskin clutch, and Theory sandals. For the record, this Bill Blass set is my all-time favorite Goodwill find, and no alterations were needed! Meant for each other.

[Kngwarreye images from slowpainters.wordpress.com and thisfabtrek.com.]

ART TO WEAR: Untitled.

Not only is this purse the perfect multi-season color combination, but I also love its similarity to this stunning Untitled piece by Mark Rothko.

Large Combined Clutch Bag, $159, at Zara.

See my Rothko post here!

GILLIAN AYRES

This vintage skirt has been hanging in my closet for some time, and only recently did I note its resemblance to the work of English painter Gillian Ayres.

Ayres (b. 1930) is well known for her large scale nonrepresentational paintings utilizing thick impasto.

Central to Ayres's work is the use of bold, uplifiting color and texture built up with her hands.

Although she figures prominently in the British art scene, Ayres has very little interest in art theory, and instead champions the visual impact of her pieces.

In 1960, Ayres was the only female artist included in the seminal Situation exhibition at the Royal Society of British Artists Galleries in London. Works included in the show were required to be no less than 30 square feet in size and nonrepresentational.

She was honored in 2011 with the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).

Ayres is represented by the Alan Cristea Gallery in London.

I'm wearing a vintage skirt and necklace, Rebecca Beeson tee, and thrifted espadrilles.

[Ayres images from leninimports.com, taylorgallery.co.uk, millthorpesschoolart.co.uk, and fadwebsite.com, respectively.]

PORTRAIT OF IRENE

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Portrait of Irene, 1880

I'm sending thoughts and prayers along the East Coast and beyond, in hopes that all will fare well in the wake of Hurricane Irene.

"An artist...must have confidence in himself, and listen only to his real master: Nature." --Pierre-Auguste Renoir

[image: picasaweb.google.com]

BERTHE MORISOT

I took these photos of my little cousin and myself earlier in the summer, and I must say it was quite the challenge. From dressing Adelaide, trying to get her to sit still (hence the coconut marshmallow in her hand), and ultimately enlisting other family members as assistants, it reminded me of just how much work little children can be! The whole affair lasted 20 minutes, and that was about 18 minutes longer than she would have liked. All told, Adelaide was a good sport, and I'm happy to have a little girl to dress up.

These photos were inspired by the work of Berthe Morisot (1841-1895), a French Impressionist painter.

Morisot was considered one of les trois grande dames of Impressionism, along with Marie Bracquemond and Mary Cassatt.

As a descendant of the Rococo master Jean-Honoré Fragonard, and eventually the wife of Édouard Manet's brother, Eugène, Morisot was provisioned with an understanding and capability in art that was rare for a woman of her time.

Morisot's work was intended as a response to her haute bourgeoisie upbringing, and addressed the cultural restrictions of her gender and social class.

Morisot and Eugène Manet had a daughter, Julie, in 1848, who became the subject of the greater portion of Morisot's paintings thereafter.

Julie's memoir, Growing Up with the Impressionists: The Diary of Julie Manet, was published in 1988.

I am drawn to these works for their subtlety--the beautiful brushstrokes belying a bevy of saturated hues, and the sweet subjects of mother or nurse and child.

I'm wearing a Plenty dress and Cynthia Rowley x Roxy sandals. Adelaide is wearing a cotton sundress I bought at the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet in Hawaii.

[Morisot images from shafe.co.uk, abcgallery.com, and artchive.com, respectively.]

ART TO WEAR: AbEx

Jackson Pollock, Number 1A, 1948

If you've visited this blog a few times, you're probably acquainted with my obsession with Abstract Expressionism (examples here, here, and here). However, I'm not completely sold on these new Litas. I appreciate the similarity to AbEx, but buying paint-splattered shoes sort of seems like you're missing out on all the fun. New DIY project?

What do you think? Would you rock the Lita Paint?

$174.95 at Solestruck

[Pollock image from artchive.com.]