Large

-


The Death of Sardanapalus,  Eugene Delacroix.  1827.  Used extremely well in the "Runaway Horses" sequence of the movie Mishima.  This painting has it all.

https://youtu.be/RIacGGqvVKQ?t=426 


The Raft of the Medusa, Theodore Gericault, 1819.   This commemorates a French naval disaster caused entirely by a fool of a captain, De Chaumerays.  He had not held a command for over 20 years and managed to pile up his ship on the Arguin Bank, mainly because he listened to a passenger and not his experienced officers.  The shore of Africa was only a few miles away.  The lifeboats could have ferried all aboard to safety in a couple of days.  Instead, the boats towed a huge raft with 150 souls on it.   Tiring of the labor, they slipped their cables and left the men to die.  All but 10 did.  Although this was the fault of the Ministry of Marine, Louis 18th caught the anger of the French nation.  It was a political bombshell, and this painting fanned the flames.  Well done, Theo.  The ship was still intact when ships arrived to salvage it, with several survivors alive.  All for nothing.


Watson and the Shark.  John Singleton Copely, 1778.  I have stood in front of this and it is one huge fucking painting.  But below James Rosenquist shows us how huge is done downtown!


James Rosenquist, F-111, 1965.  10' X 86'.  Ho hum.  Americans are consumers so that causes wars, right?  I think a picture of Lyndon Johnson and his rubber stamp government a more appropriate symbol of pure mindlessness resulting in evil.
Rosenquist used to paint billboards.  I have liked this painting since, well, the war started!



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Two Angel Forms Were Seen To Glide

-
Image
’Twas on a lofty vase’s side, Where China’s gayest art had dyed The azure flowers that blow; Demurest of the tabby kind, The pensive Selima, reclined, Gazed on the lake below. Her conscious tail her joy declared; The fair round face, the snowy beard, The velvet of her paws, Her coat, that with the tortoise vies, Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes, She saw; and purred applause. Still had she gazed; but ’midst the tide Two angel forms were seen to glide, The genii of the stream; Their scaly armour’s Tyrian hue Through richest purple to the view Betrayed a golden gleam. The hapless nymph with wonder saw; A whisker first and then a claw, With many an ardent wish, She stretched in vain to reach the prize. What female heart can gold despise? What cat’s averse to fish? Presumptuous maid! with looks intent Again she stretch’d, again she bent, Nor knew the gulf between. (Malignant Fate sat by, and smiled) The slippery verge her feet beguiled, She tumbled headlong in. Eigh
Read more

Where In The World Is Billy D Bunny?

-
Image
''The plight of Davis Paul'' ''Dam you to Hades Billy! why are you setting fire to my Wardrobe with your Cigarette!!?''...you would hear on occasion some kind of verbal anger often from Davis - shouting out in abstract Frustration, 'just because Billy Thought Davis Pauls Clothes were lame'' oh yeah, Billy D was the Dude.........Davis put up with so much crap and nonsense from the rebellious Layabout - come would be antisocial super hero, ''the enabler''...Davis Paul was literally at the end of his tether..all those worrisome late nights... Davis would often shout at Billy, during one of Billy's Trash rampages, ''Aunt may never has this problem ever with peter parker !'' and then the rest of the time, Davis Paul wondering where Billy was? and what was Billy D up too? then after hours and hour of worrying,  Billy would just rock up - staggering through the Front door, Gladiator outfit on, covered
Read more

Two Sides Of The Same Coin

-
Image
 It was a lovely day in November.  At least Tom thought it was November, the air was crisp and cool and it felt Novemberish.  There were no calenders here, while he had a clock he rarely looked at it.  He never had to be anywhere at any particular time in any event, when he had to be somewhere he always showed up on time, if that's the word for it.  Anyway, it was a nice Fall day. Tom stood on his porch that surrounded the small field stone house, he could see and smell the smoke from his neighbor's fires, someone was cooking fish and the big cat was salivating.  Since he had had his coffee he wasn't hungry, but the fish really smelled enticing.  Odd, he thought, I haven't had meat since I got here.  When did I get here?  he thought to himself, I don't remember.  Maybe someplace in town sold meat, although he had never seen such a shop.  It didn't matter, what with the bread and potatoes and butter and honey he was never hungry.  Tom lit a cigarette
Read more