Friday Flowers: A Few Camellias

Camellia Japonica: C.M. Wilson

Happiness
(By Carl Sandburg)

I asked the professors who teach the meaning of life to tell
     me what is happiness.
And I went to famous executives who boss the work of
     thousands of men.
They all shook their heads and gave me a smile as though
     I was trying to fool with them
And then one Sunday afternoon I wandered out along
     the Desplaines river
And I saw a crowd of Hungarians under the trees with
     their women and children and a keg of beer and an
     accordion.

Camellia: Happy Holidays

Well, I couldn't find an appropriate poet's birth date to go with our lovely camellias. Therefore, I fell back on this Sandburg classic, simple but strong. And, with such gorgeous flowers to appreciate, how can one not be inspired towards happiness?

As for the camellias, I'm happy that I was finally able to share them with you. Again, they're from my trip to the Huntington. I was hoping to get around to one of the flower show, but that hasn't happened. Being so late in the season, it's unlikely that I'll get around to showcasing one this time. Oh well, there's always next year. ;-)

Resting on a Quiet Night

Entryway at the South Coast Botanic Gardens on a winter afternoon

It's one of those nights when my energy ebbs low, even though I have plenty about which to write and to share, photographs and ideas aplenty. Certainly, I could push myself to produce a witty review of some art exhibition or a lighthearted celebration of a birth date or historical fact. But, let's be honest, I'm tired.

Instead of some coherent essay or critical review, I'll offer you a couple images, featuring two of my favorite compositional elements, the passageway and the reflection. I have an affinity to their thematic qualities and find them aesthetically pleasing.

Just because I'm having a lazy evening doesn't mean that I'm going weak on the content. ;-)

Empty swimming pool reflecting the twilight sky

And some music. . .

Friday Flowers: Snow-In-Summer

Cerastium Tomentosum: Snow-in-Summer

Well, it may not be Summer just yet, but we've got "snow" already. ;-)

I decided we'd go with a less popular type of flower this week. While visiting the South Coast Botanic Garden, I noticed a nice bank of these darling ornamental flowers, silvery and small. So I took a few photos to share with you all.

Last week, I had hoped to have some poetry to go with this week's floral selection. Well, time ran out and I figured that it was better to get a post up without a thematic poem than to skip our weekly view of botanical beauties.

Cerastium Tomentosum: Snow-in-Summer


Anyways, I think these precious little flowers need no verse nor lyric to enhance their bright charm.

Strangeness In Your Smile

Mona Lisa (c.1503-06) by Leonardo da Vinci

I can't let the day end without celebrating the birth date of Leonardo da Vinci. As I've mentioned previously, he isn't my favorite High Renaissance artist, but he certainly deserves our esteem.

Since I'm a bit pressed for time tonight, let's just take a moment to appreciate his most famous work, La Gioconda. She makes me smile. ;-)

Billy Bones' Fancy

Skull and crossbones

Another "whimsy" post for you all. ;-)

Time has been tight over the last few days; it's the norm with holiday weekends, messing up my writing schedules. But I had a good time this year, definitely a change from recent years. Maybe my advancing age is leading me to cherish family time a bit more. In any case, I'm fairly happy with things right now.

So, why the pirate theme? I came across this eye patch wearing skull upon the Men's Room of one of the local dive bars. I think it's an old promo for some Jamaican rum. It looked so cheesy and out of place that I had to photograph it and share with you all.

Arrr, mateys!!!

Truth Is Beauty; Beauty Is Truth

Detail of the Transfiguration (1520) by Raphael

The precise date of Raphael's birth is not certain, but April 6, 1483, is one commonly held date. So, let's go with it for our celebration. ;-)

I don't get passionate about Raphael's work, but I am endlessly enchanted by it. Serene beauty rules his aesthetic reality. Gorgeous, young Madonnas, draped in sumptuous fabrics, sitting in an Arcadian landscape, hint of the celestial glory made manifest in earthly form.

Raphael is not my favorite artist, but he places high on the list. His art is the perfection of Renaissance ideals.

Detail of Madonna and Child with Book (1503) by Raphael

In the local collections, only the Norton Simon has a Raphael, the lovely Madonna pictured above. It is always a treat to go see this beauty.

Springing into Spring Time

Detail of Irises (1889) by Vincent van Gogh


A Prayer in Spring
(By Robert Frost)

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfil.


Finally, we've made our way past winter, my least favorite season. The cold, the gloom, the lack of flowers, these all drag on me, weighing down my spirit. Writing helps alleviate the heaviness, but I hate the inefficiencies that nag at all my projects.

If I keep on blogging for a series of years, you'll recognize the seasonal pattern. But Spring is finally here!!! And I'm ready to have some fun! ;-)

Detail of Spring (1896) by Alphonse Mucha

So, let's listen to some music.

Portrait of a Man

Portrait of a Man (c.1470-75) by Hans Memling, on exhibit at the Norton Simon Museum

I was able to attend opening night for the Norton Simon Museum's showcase of Hans Memling's Portrait of a Man, on loan from the Frick Collection. This show will be running until April 30, 2012.

I'm not big on Northern Renaissance art, but Memling is interesting. He certainly transcends the flesh, capturing the subject's personality or mental state. The portrait on view is well worth checking out, subtle but compelling. And the other Memling on view, Christ Giving His Blessing, which is a part of the permanent collection, is also quite excellent.

Here are a couple photos from tonight.

The exhibit spotlights Memling in context with other 15th century artists.



Opening Night for Memling's Portrait of a Man


Enjoy!!!

Scaramella Va Alla Guerra

Woodcut portrait of Josquin des Prez (1611)

I usually prefer celebrating great artists on the date of their birth, but sometimes that isn't known. So, I'm left memorializing on the anniversary of their date of death. Such is the case with my favorite Renaissance composer, Josquin des Prez.

In my generation, most hardcore enthusiasts of classical music enter through cinematic soundtracks and scores. For instance, by being exposed to the orchestral music of John Williams' movie masterpieces, such as Star Wars or the Indiana Jones movies, the listener might be encourage to try out the music that inspired Williams, be it Holst, Wagner, or Richard Strauss. And by developing a familiarity with the art of orchestra music, the listener becomes a fan of "classical music" as a whole.

That's not how I became a classical fan. I have always been deeply interested in religion and spirituality. I'm especially wild over artistic expressions of devotion and spiritual insight. As a Catholic, I was no stranger to sacred music and its ceremonial role. And so, I began to listen to classical music from the other direction, early music into the modern.

And Josquin des Prez was the composer who sealed the deal with my love for classical music. Here's a bit from Wikipedia:

Josquin lived during a transitional stage in music history. Musical styles were changing rapidly, in part due to the movement of musicians between different regions of Europe. Many northern musicians moved to Italy, the heart of the Renaissance, attracted by the Italian nobility's patronage of the arts; while in Italy, these composers were influenced by the native Italian styles, and often brought those ideas with them back to their homelands. The sinuous musical lines of the Ockeghem generation, the contrapuntal complexity of the Netherlanders, and the homophonic textures of the Italian lauda and secular music began to merge into a unified style; indeed Josquin was to be the leading figure in this musical process, which eventually resulted in the formation of an international musical language, of which the most famous composers included Palestrina and Lassus.

Now let's listen to some music.

Art Is Never Finished

Virgin of the Rocks (Louvre) by Leonardo de Vinci

Again, we celebrate the birth date of another Old Master! Leonardo was born on April 15, 1452. He was an amazing thinker, great artist, and the archetype of the Renaissance Man. His influence upon subsequent artists was profound and far-reaching. Even into late Twentieth Century post-modernism, his ideas still bear fruit.

That being given, I'm not a big Leonardo enthusiast. To be honest, I generally prefer the works that bear his influence, such as some mid-period Raphaels, over the works of the Master himself. The Mona Lisa and the Last Supper are certainly masterpieces and are rightly held in high regard, but they don't ring my bell. For me, it is the Virgin of the Rocks and various sketches that capture the interest.

The appeal of the sketches are self-evident. They show the creative energy and unedited invention of the artist. But why the Virgin? I confess. I am enthralled by the "Madonna" genre. That's why I have such a passion for Raphael's works. I feel that the Virgin of the Rocks sets the stage for the High Renaissance exploration of the genre. When I look at it, I see those Madonnas that have come before and those that will come afterwards. It is a pivotal works within the genre. Moreover, it embodies Leonardo's aesthetic ideals as well as any of his other works.

In any case, here's a link to Leonardo da Vinci's Wikipedia page.

And here's a cool video inspired by his illustrations:

And, for today's inspiration, a quote:

"In rivers, the water that you touch is the last of what has passed and the first of that which comes; so with present time."

Enjoy!!!

Figures Slumbering in the Stone

Michelangelo was born on March 6, 1475. Overall, he isn't one of my favorite artists, but I have boundless appreciation for his work. However, the Pieta is probably my favorite sculpture of all time. I fell in love with the Virgin Mary when I first saw it. Creepy, but true. ;-)

Here's a link to its page at the St. Peter's Basilica website.

For a decent bio of Michelangelo, check out his Wikipedia page.

Carried Over the Waves of the Resounding Sea

Sandro Botticelli was born on March 1, 1445. I am also amazed by the beauty and grace of his paintings. Mesmerizing masterpieces, they keep me captivated with their ethereal elegance.

Its hard to choose a favorite. My answer changes from day to day, year to year. Today, I think my dearest love goes to the Birth of Venus. She is the ideal expression of Italian Renaissance femininity.

However, if you can pull yourself away from Venus, there is an abundance of beauty in Botticelli's gallery. I like this Botticelli site. For a brief bio of this great artist, Wikipedia is a good place to start. Enjoy!!!