Forgive my belated response. Yes, the current crop of "masters" seems to take their work less seriously in many cases. I did a long study of oil painting many years back. Fascinating; major intrigue, spy stuff with violent death and all that. The Van Eyks are credited with "inventing" oil paint as we know it today, but it appears that they just happened to figure out that linseed oil worked, and walnut oil or butter or pig's blood or something else didn't.
There is a tempera painter BTW that is most excellent if you ever get to see his work, Carlo Crivelli.
There is a small crucifixion painting by Jan Van Eyk in the Met. It is absolutely amazing. I recall the first time I saw it, I had a "religious experience" that had nothing to do with Christianity.
My fave, of course is the Marriage of Ardolfino or whatever their name was. Mainly because Jan painted himself into the picture; the "mystical symbology" stuff I don't really care for. I don't know where that painting is, I have never seen it.
I spent some time at the Boston Museum looking at lilies. I have observed that bizarre thing you noticed, how the people stand and not their heads. It is very amusing. What they ought to do is take the darned paintings out in the courtyard and let the sun shine on them, that's the way they were painted. Can't have everything, I guess. |
