king of bones

I made a painting: sancti michaelis ossa regis.

4x5, 2013

nail polish, acrylic paint, glitter, & photo collage on canvas

pink dressed

earlier this week I ventured to the wilds of uptown to visit the vermeers at the met for my birthday. unfortunately the vermeer gallery was closed (tragic circumstance), but I was still glad to make a stop by the sargents in the american wing. sargent's portraits are incredible for me because of the life he somehow manages to paint under his subject's skin. there's a dimension to their flesh which is hard to explain. my new favourite painting is the incredible mrs hugh hammersley:

sargent's brush strokes are clearly influenced by the impressionist movement here, their shape becomes more irregular & free formed. I just love the vivacity in this woman's face. the motion in her pose. the whole painting is just full of life. the space surrounding her eyes is stunning, the shades of peach, pink, & red in her skin makes you feel her blood flowing. she's radiant. 

she's also sargent's sister. which I think explains her lively air & tenacious pose. 

it also helps that her pink dress is fabulous. 

I felt like painting.

in an act of exceptional procrastination yesterday I decided I would make some use out of one of the canvases I've had in my closet for a million years. my obsession with the virgin mary served as my inspiration...

pink madonna of the rocks, mixed media, 11x14.

this picture is both brighter & darker than my original... not sure how that happened.

UPDATE:
mini video of said painting after the jump.

Loves: Madame X

I ventured to The Met on saturday with a friend & sat for a bit in front of one of my favourite paintings, Sargent's Madame X. I have always been drawn to this particular painting because of its simplicity and elegance. Sitting in front of it this weekend I realised also how inherently sexy it is.

Sargent painted it without the presence, but with the permission, of Virginie Amelie Avegno Gautreau, a socialite who was known for her daring fashion choices. Sargent wanted to expand his showing presence & intended the portrait for this purpose. 

The original painting, however, was met with ridicule & astonishment. In it, Mrs. Gautreau's right dress strap was falling down her shoulder & this became something of a scandal. After the showing Sargent repainted the strap to its current position & then stashed the painting away for over thirty years.

He later sold it to The Met with the stipulation that its model's name not be mentioned, saying; "I suppose it's the best thing I've done". The Met titled it Madame X & has had it on display ever since.

Sargent & Madame X

There is something so sensual in the way Sargent paints these upper crust ladies... Something spontaneous and breathless about them. My friend mentioned how the redness of Madame's ear makes her feel alive, & I couldn't agree more. It seems to hint at the blood coursing through her veins. So much of her skin is bare, & the turn of her head revealing her throat is incredibly intimate & trusting. I think it is a very erotic piece.

I also think Mr. Gautreau is a lucky man!

N