Run through Retiro -- the weather is gorgeous again! Had to get to work on my final projects, but at 12:30 I met up with Isabel at the Thyssen to see exhibit of Jean-Léon Gérome (French, 1824-1904). He was a French painter who was often criticized in his time for defending the less-than-popular Academic painting genre at a time when the Impressionists and Realists were gaining steam. JLG's work is really varied though. There are lots of classical elements and icons in his works, but always with a twist (for example, La Pelea de gallos --The Cock Fight-- is a classical-looking scene of nudes but with a chicken fight at the center of attention, something that never would have been painted in classical times). Some of his paintings look absolutely photographic too -- and I love the vibrancy of his colors.
JLG started painting around age 16, and his first works were very technical to demonstrate his artistic skill and drawing ability. He was a student of Paul Delaroche, also studied Ingres, and painted lots of portraits and Italian peasants (during his year-long visit to Italy, which brought him in contact with Roman ruins and archaelogy). From then on he developed his "Neo-Grec period" during which he gained considerable respect and recognition (particularly with The Cock Fight piece from 1847).
In addition to classical theme, JLG was also very interested in the "East" and traveled to Egypt, the Middle East and Arab countries several times. I really liked the vibrancy of the colors and how extremely meticulously JLG paid attention to details in these paintings. There was a picture of a Mosque interior ("Public Prayer in the Mosque of Amr") which looked just like the mesquita in Córdoba with the red and white arches -- the sense of distance and representation of perspective in this painting is incredible too! There was another of a pigment vendor (such bright colors -- looked just like the markets we saw in Marrakesh! -- against the very dully colored, dusty street scene) and another of a rug salesman (reminded me of Velásquez's Las Hilanderas because it depicted a tapestry work of art within a painting). I really liked the painting of the bath scene (a white girl, probably a harem girl, curling with her back to the viewer in a beautiful bath, such gorgeous ceramic tiles around her but she looks so frightened and vulnerable) but my favorite piece was of "The Black Bard" -- a man dressed in a coral-colored robe, seated on the floor with a brilliant turquoise wall of painted tiles behind him -- which I actually thought was a national geographic photo when I first saw it used for advertisements of the exposition. JLG actually newly-invented photography to help him achieve the realism of these pieces.
Then we saw the room with all the huge history paintings -- JLG especially liked ancient Rome, 17th century France and the Napoleonic era. Apparently, Hollywood and American film studios used these scenes for inspiration in designing the visual layout for the big gladiator movies. Always an archaeology fan, JLG paid very close attention to accurately depicting historical details in these pieces (for example, the meaning of the thumb up or down in the Roman gladiator arena). What I really liked about the history paintings was how JLG often chose to focus on the moment just after the climax of the scene. For example, in painting Julius Caesar's death, he paints the moment when Caesar is lying dead on the floor and all the senators have just evacuated, leaving behind the dead man in a the empty room. Also, in painting the crucifiction of Christ, JLG paints the moment when everyone is leaving the three crosses on the hillside, night is falling and clouds hang heavy in the sky. Christ and the crosses are actually physically out of sight; however, the three long shadows appear eerily in the lower right hand corner of the scene -- an image even more haunting than any crucifix painting or sculpture I've ever seen.
The last room we saw was especially interesting because it combined JLG's painting and sculptural works -- in fact, the two often influenced and inspired one another. Recurring images (such as seated female nude) appeared cross-referenced in multiple works in multiple forms. One thing I really liked about the sculptures was that they were polychromatic -- the hair or jewelery would be painted, making the sculpture look all the more life-like. The exhibit suggested that JLG thought of himself as "a modern Pygmalion" -- interesting as my women in art class has talked a lot about the myth of sculptor Pygmalion and his beautiful sculpture-statue-turned-lover-and-wife Galatea. I really liked his painting of Pygmalion and Galatea as Galatea turns alive -- while her legs are white, cold and stone-like, her upper body skin looks warm and pink and she is twisted as she kisses Pygmalion. JLG really has an excellent use of color...
After the exhibit, returned home for lunch, then went to the institute for Spanish. Discussed how the topic of domestic violence -- "maltrato" has especially come to light in Spain over the last decade. Every evening on the news there is some story about a woman beaten and killed by her husband or lover. These types of stories rarely make it on the news in the US (at least, definitely not with this great of frequency) and so they've definitely caught my attention. We also talked about gender and politics in Spain -- for example, Spain's minister/secretary of defense is currently a woman and most Spaniards don't think twice about it. However, a female secretary of defense in the US would likely cause much more controversy... interesting how different countries view representations of power.
At 9pm we had the Cena Bing (sponsored by the Bing family) at Restaurante La Tahona, calle Capitá Haya 21 near Cuzco metro. We started off with drinks at the bar, then were seated at the long table (with all the Stanford students, program directors, most of the professors and even our flamenco teacher). We feasted upon: chorizo, red peppers, morcilla de burgos, housemade bread, lechazo asado (lamb), salad, and for dessert, vanilla ice cream with one of those flaky cakes with cream and powdered sugar. Various types of vino, champagne and some after-dinner shot of anis-flavored liquer too -- Santy (program director) actually started off the evening with a Spanish saying that went something along the lines of, "when spaniards get together, we have a drink. if we didn't know each other before hand, we drink until we get to know each other. if we get together with someone we already know, we drink until we don't know each other any more." Oh dear. Santy always has a joke up his sleeve... and his cell phone (with ring tone of "Taxi! Taxi!") too. I was sitting across from Professor Baker and his wife though, so I definitely did not want to follow this Spanish style of drinking, but the other end of the table... good thing we had a room separated from the rest of the restaurant because they made so much noise!
After the dinner, which lasted until past midnight, all of us students headed out en masse to the metro. Max, being tall and a New Yorker, took charge in directing the herd through the metro station, changing metros at one stop, and eventually arriving at Gran Vía to go to Moondance, where Adam works. So we all got in for free, the music was good and the club had a good sized crowd. I stayed out until 3am when I caught the bus home and happily went to sleep! I'll miss these "social thursdays" when I leave Madrid, haha!
JLG started painting around age 16, and his first works were very technical to demonstrate his artistic skill and drawing ability. He was a student of Paul Delaroche, also studied Ingres, and painted lots of portraits and Italian peasants (during his year-long visit to Italy, which brought him in contact with Roman ruins and archaelogy). From then on he developed his "Neo-Grec period" during which he gained considerable respect and recognition (particularly with The Cock Fight piece from 1847).
In addition to classical theme, JLG was also very interested in the "East" and traveled to Egypt, the Middle East and Arab countries several times. I really liked the vibrancy of the colors and how extremely meticulously JLG paid attention to details in these paintings. There was a picture of a Mosque interior ("Public Prayer in the Mosque of Amr") which looked just like the mesquita in Córdoba with the red and white arches -- the sense of distance and representation of perspective in this painting is incredible too! There was another of a pigment vendor (such bright colors -- looked just like the markets we saw in Marrakesh! -- against the very dully colored, dusty street scene) and another of a rug salesman (reminded me of Velásquez's Las Hilanderas because it depicted a tapestry work of art within a painting). I really liked the painting of the bath scene (a white girl, probably a harem girl, curling with her back to the viewer in a beautiful bath, such gorgeous ceramic tiles around her but she looks so frightened and vulnerable) but my favorite piece was of "The Black Bard" -- a man dressed in a coral-colored robe, seated on the floor with a brilliant turquoise wall of painted tiles behind him -- which I actually thought was a national geographic photo when I first saw it used for advertisements of the exposition. JLG actually newly-invented photography to help him achieve the realism of these pieces.
Then we saw the room with all the huge history paintings -- JLG especially liked ancient Rome, 17th century France and the Napoleonic era. Apparently, Hollywood and American film studios used these scenes for inspiration in designing the visual layout for the big gladiator movies. Always an archaeology fan, JLG paid very close attention to accurately depicting historical details in these pieces (for example, the meaning of the thumb up or down in the Roman gladiator arena). What I really liked about the history paintings was how JLG often chose to focus on the moment just after the climax of the scene. For example, in painting Julius Caesar's death, he paints the moment when Caesar is lying dead on the floor and all the senators have just evacuated, leaving behind the dead man in a the empty room. Also, in painting the crucifiction of Christ, JLG paints the moment when everyone is leaving the three crosses on the hillside, night is falling and clouds hang heavy in the sky. Christ and the crosses are actually physically out of sight; however, the three long shadows appear eerily in the lower right hand corner of the scene -- an image even more haunting than any crucifix painting or sculpture I've ever seen.
The last room we saw was especially interesting because it combined JLG's painting and sculptural works -- in fact, the two often influenced and inspired one another. Recurring images (such as seated female nude) appeared cross-referenced in multiple works in multiple forms. One thing I really liked about the sculptures was that they were polychromatic -- the hair or jewelery would be painted, making the sculpture look all the more life-like. The exhibit suggested that JLG thought of himself as "a modern Pygmalion" -- interesting as my women in art class has talked a lot about the myth of sculptor Pygmalion and his beautiful sculpture-statue-turned-lover-and-wife Galatea. I really liked his painting of Pygmalion and Galatea as Galatea turns alive -- while her legs are white, cold and stone-like, her upper body skin looks warm and pink and she is twisted as she kisses Pygmalion. JLG really has an excellent use of color...
After the exhibit, returned home for lunch, then went to the institute for Spanish. Discussed how the topic of domestic violence -- "maltrato" has especially come to light in Spain over the last decade. Every evening on the news there is some story about a woman beaten and killed by her husband or lover. These types of stories rarely make it on the news in the US (at least, definitely not with this great of frequency) and so they've definitely caught my attention. We also talked about gender and politics in Spain -- for example, Spain's minister/secretary of defense is currently a woman and most Spaniards don't think twice about it. However, a female secretary of defense in the US would likely cause much more controversy... interesting how different countries view representations of power.
At 9pm we had the Cena Bing (sponsored by the Bing family) at Restaurante La Tahona, calle Capitá Haya 21 near Cuzco metro. We started off with drinks at the bar, then were seated at the long table (with all the Stanford students, program directors, most of the professors and even our flamenco teacher). We feasted upon: chorizo, red peppers, morcilla de burgos, housemade bread, lechazo asado (lamb), salad, and for dessert, vanilla ice cream with one of those flaky cakes with cream and powdered sugar. Various types of vino, champagne and some after-dinner shot of anis-flavored liquer too -- Santy (program director) actually started off the evening with a Spanish saying that went something along the lines of, "when spaniards get together, we have a drink. if we didn't know each other before hand, we drink until we get to know each other. if we get together with someone we already know, we drink until we don't know each other any more." Oh dear. Santy always has a joke up his sleeve... and his cell phone (with ring tone of "Taxi! Taxi!") too. I was sitting across from Professor Baker and his wife though, so I definitely did not want to follow this Spanish style of drinking, but the other end of the table... good thing we had a room separated from the rest of the restaurant because they made so much noise!
After the dinner, which lasted until past midnight, all of us students headed out en masse to the metro. Max, being tall and a New Yorker, took charge in directing the herd through the metro station, changing metros at one stop, and eventually arriving at Gran Vía to go to Moondance, where Adam works. So we all got in for free, the music was good and the club had a good sized crowd. I stayed out until 3am when I caught the bus home and happily went to sleep! I'll miss these "social thursdays" when I leave Madrid, haha!
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