felt just happy
Forbidden Art: 6 paintings that at various times became victims of censorship
Censorship of art acted not only in Soviet times. In the time of tsarist Russia, works by fairly well-known artists fell under the ban. The reason for the refusal to demonstrate a work of art could be simply a truthful depiction of events or, on the contrary, their unusual interpretation. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that censorship affected real masterpieces of art.
The idea of writing a historical picture originated with the artist in 1881 under the influence of two events: the assassination of Alexander II and the music of Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Revenge”. Two years later, the artist saw bullfighting in Spain and was completely discouraged by the sight of blood.
Then direct work on the painting itself was begun, which was completed after 4 years. The painting was appreciated by critics and artists, but Tsar Alexander III, on the contrary, caused such discontent that he immediately forbade it to be shown to anyone. Continue reading
What happened to 10 famous paintings that were spoiled by vandals
Paintings of famous (and sometimes not very masters) sometimes have a magical effect on people. And it happens that this is not only admiration and enthusiasm, but extreme reactions. So, patients with nervous breakdowns who “reviewed” the statue of Michelangelo “David” regularly come to the Florence hospital. And there are more than a few cases when museum visitors tried to destroy works of art. And the reasons for the vandals were very different.
1. Venus with a mirror. Diego Velazquez
In 1914, suffragist Mary Richardson cut the painting Venus with a Mirror when it was exhibited at the National Gallery in London. Five cuts made by a knife were found in the picture. Richardson protested against the arrest of Emmeline Pankhurst and was soon nicknamed the Mary the Butcher by the press. Richardson claimed that she held a protest rally, not only to raise awareness of Pankhurst’s arrest, but also to object to “how visitors stare at the picture for days on end.” Continue reading
Jesters and advisers of the monarchs: Famous dwarfs of the Middle Ages on the canvases of court artists
Dwarfs in Medieval Europe were very popular, and the love of them in Italian courts bordered on mania: the clans of Ferrari, Visconti, the Medici kept them at court. The Spanish court of King Philip numbered more than a hundred dwarfs, and the French court of Catherine de Medici – about 80. The court artists, portraying the monarchs, did not forget about their favorites. They were especially sympathetic to young people and, capturing on their canvases, showed sincere sympathy for them. The story of the double portrait of the nude midget of Morgante by the Flemish Agnolo di Cosimo, which is described later in the review, is very impressive.
An indispensable attribute of the royal courts of medieval Europe were jesters and dwarfs, which served as fun for nobles and kings. Moreover, their role in the ruling courts and aristocratic families was unusually important. Continue reading
