Interesting ‘Art History’ Facts
A few of these tales persist because they exemplify the attributes we connect with artists: they're inventive, non-conformist, and a little odd. However, in many situations, the reality is just as amazing as the artwork they produce.
We appear to have lost sight of the fundamental meaning and value of the artwork, which could only be grasped by examining the context. Art is more than a nice thing to look at. It's also a strange thing to read about.
----> Here are some fascinating facts about the art world culled from history to wow your next date at the museum.
***** Natural Ultramarine was as valuable as gold during the Renaissance costing per ounce more than half the annual rent of a good size studio in Florence. It was considered one of the three purest colors besides gold and vermillion and a reflection of God’s glory. Because of its high cost, it was reserved by artists for the most revered subjects such as the robes of the Madonna and Christ.
***** Salvador Dali Drove a Car Filled with Cauliflower
There are so many incredible stories about Salvador Dali and his antics. The pet ocelot. The most famous mustache of all time. The time he almost suffocated inside a deep sea diving helmet while trying to explain surrealism. The whole interview with Merv Griffin. Perhaps the performance that was most “out there”, however, was his trip to Paris in a car filled with cauliflower.
***** Leonardo Da Vinci started painting Mona Lisa in 1504 or 1505 and finished only shortly before he died in 1519. Some reports say that it took him 10 years to perfect Mona Lisa’s lips. He was a procrastinator and often regretted not finishing many of his works.
***** There May Have Been a Conspiracy To Murder Mark Rothko
Mark Rothko’s death has all the elements of a murder mystery. After his death, there was the suspicious handling of his estate and a lawsuit from his family that exposed corruption in the international art world. Between betrayal, missing paintings, laundered money, and forgery, there is just enough evidence to make one think that maybe his death wasn’t a suicide after all.
***** Realism is considered by many to be the beginning of modern art
https://www....y/realism-art
***** Andy Warhol Liked to Keep Mummified Feet From Ancient Egypt in His Studio
There are a lot of great stories out there about Andy Warhol, including a lot that he told himself. One of the best, though, had to be about the mummified foot. See, Warhol was a hoarder, and he used to fill warehouses with his stuff. He used to create “time capsules” filled with random objects, and it was discovered later that one of those objects was a foot from Ancient Egypt. Where did he acquire it? Not sure, but one theory suggests a flea market–which could be another story unto itself.
***** Michelangelo's painting on the Sistine Chapel ceiling took 4 years to paint
https://www....e-chapel.html
***** Leonardo Da Vinci was left-handed and his personal notes were written in mirror writing starting from the right side of the page to the left.
***** Gustav Klimt Used Cat Urine as Fixative
The Kiss is undoubtedly one of the most iconic works of the 20th century and a painting with which nearly everyone is familiar. What fewer people know, however, are the stories about its painter, Gustav Klimt. And what stories they are! A little research will turn up some lascivious details about his life, but even better was his fashion sense (he wore muu-muus with nothing underneath) and his studio overrun with cats (he is the famous painter version of the “Crazy Cat Lady” stereotype). His obsession with cats actually led him to cover the pages of his sketchbooks with cat urine. He believed it was the best fixative available. The odor was bad, but worse, he destroyed works that would likely be worth millions today.
(*View ‘The Kiss’ and learn some more info about the piece): https://www..../The-Kiss.jsp
***** Pablo Picasso was considered a suspect in the theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911. He was arrested and questioned after his friend Guillaume Apollinaire pointed a finger at Picasso. Both were later cleared and released.
***** During the Renaissance, and particularly in the 1500s, being an artist was not considered a suitable occupation for a gentleman. Since art involved working with hands, artists were considered craftsmen and were given the same social standing as tailors or shoemakers.
*****Art was part of the Olympic Games
From 1912 to 1948, art was part of the competitions. Architecture, literature, sculpture, music, and painting were awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals. The artists had to create pieces based on the Olympic spirit in an attempt to replicate the original Greek festivities. Alongside these competitions, other cultural events took place in the host country.
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