Article in washington post
lilianapontes
THE WASHINGTON TIMES, SUNDAY, OCT. 29, 2000 -- PAGE C8
Artists advocate return to classics
Reign of modernism will end in 21st century, critics contend
By Robert Stacy McCain
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Art in the 21st century will draw its inspiration from traditions that
were
largely neglected during modernism's 20th-century heyday, say artists,
critics and collectors who advocate a return of classical ideals.
``I look at modern art as very much like what happened with communism _ it
was an idea that was a house of cards and couldn't work,'' says Allan Banks,
president of the American Society of Classical Realism and vice chairman of
the American Society of Portrait Artists.
``A lot of the rubbish that we've been handed (in the 20th century) has
pretty much played itself out,'' Mr. Banks says. ``I think you're finding
generations of (artists) who are really interested in getting back to
discipline and tradition.''
While American artists are enjoying this return to tradition -- Mr. Banks
says leading portrait painters now report being ``booked two and three years
advance'' -- public tastes have likewise turned toward the traditional.
There is renewed interest in 19th-century artists such as
thePre-Raphaelites -- a movement begun in England in 1848 by Dante Gabriel
Rossetti and others -- as well as later Victorian painters like John William
Waterhouse and neo-classical artists like Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema.
Canadian artist Jonathon Bowser says such artists were long ignored by
educators.
``Those Victorian painters were swept under the rug -- we didn't learn
about them in art school,'' says Mr. Bowser, who specializes in landscapes
and fantasy paintings in a style he calls ``mythic naturalism.''
Mr. Bowser says he believes ``art should speak to the universal human
condition.''
``Modernism, by definition, cannot be universal, because if you're not
conversant with the lexicon, you're not invited to the debate.''
Nothing exemplifies art's turn toward tradition as much as the revived
interest in William Adolphe Bouguereau, the 19th-century master of the Ecole
de Beaux Arts in Paris.
Bouguereau's carefully finished mythological scenes and romantic genre
paintings were attacked as ``sentimental'' by admirers of the
Impressionists,
and later critics relegated him to the role of a villain in the story of
modern art's triumph.
Modern critics are unreserved in their scorn for Bouguereau. The New York
Times denounced him as ``bland and boring'' when his paintings were
exhibited in Hartford, Conn., in 1984. Six years ago, the Christian Science
Monitor sneered at Bouguereau's work as ``official art'' that was mostly
``purchased by rich, undereducated Americans.''
But his work has risen sharply in value in recent years. Bouguereau's
painting ``At the Fountain,'' displayed for years in an Evanston, Ill.,
library, was appraised at $100,000 in 1992. Auctioned last year by
Sotheby's,it sold for $900,000. An auctioneer from Sotheby's called the
Bouguereau a
``show stopper.''
Critics may still sneer but, as the London Daily Telegraph admitted in
1997, ``Bouguereau is among the few painters who has become ever dearer ...
as the rest of the market slumps.''
Among the collectors of Bouguereau's work is actor Sylvester Stallone. In
May, Bouguereau's ``Charity'' sold for $3,528,000 -- the most ever paid
for one of his paintings, eclipsing the $2.6 million paid for his ``Alma
Parens'' in 1998.
Among Bouguereau's most enthusiastic admirers is collector and critic Fred
Ross.
Bouguereau is ``the greatest painter in the history of the world,'' says
Mr. Ross, a New Jersey businessman who has founded the Art Renewal Center,
dedicated to encouraging artists in what he calls the ``humanist''
tradition.
``We have to go back to where art was at its peak and build from there,''
says Mr. Ross, who locates that peak prior to the 20th century: ``Real art
is about life. Modern art is art about art. It's about `pushing the
envelope.' It's about time somebody stamped that envelope `return to
sender.' ''
The revival of traditional art owes much to Boston painter R.H. Ives
Gammell, who trained dozens of artists before his death in 1981. Mr. Gammell
felt the need to pass along the tradition he had absorbed from his mentor,
William Paxton, who had been a student of Jean Leon Gerome, who in turn
studied under the French master Jacques Louis David.
Mr. Gammell ``woke up one day and realized that this tradition was not
being passed on,'' says Mr. Banks, who studied under Mr. Gammell. ``He took
it upon himself to teach a handful of students at a time and worked with
them from scratch.''
Those efforts, along with Mr. Gammell's 1946 book, ``Twilight of
Painting,'' helped spur a traditionalist movement that has grown steadily in
recent decades, though with little recognition from established art critics.
The hostility of art critics is a pet peeve of traditionalists.
``We have put our artistic culture into the hands of philistines and I'm
just trying to find a jawbone of an ass,'' says Mr. Ross, referring to the
Israelite hero Samson's feat against the original Philistines.
Though most people prefer traditional art, the opinions of critics prop up
the reputation of modern art, he says.
``Real people will reject modernism every time, if they're given a context
that justifies the feelings they've always had,'' Mr. Ross says, likening
modern art's critical hegemony to ``the emperor's new clothes.''
One artist who bemoaned the influence of modernism in art was the late
sculptor Frederick Hart.
``Art is a dying force in public life,'' said Mr. Hart, whose ``Ex
Nihilo'' at the National Cathedral is perhaps his most famous work. ``It is
now in the world of art as a cult, where you have to know the peculiarities,
the rites, and that makes art meaningless to the vast majority of people.''
It is not corporations, but a generation of enthusiastic young amateurs
who
have created a burgeoning Internet universe devoted to promoting traditional
art.
Iian Neill experienced ``the iron grip of modernism'' while an art
student.
``A couple of years ago ... I realized that fine -- and unjustly maligned
-- artists like Bouguereau, Gerome and Alma-Tadema were excluded from our
art
galleries, museums, textbooks and university courses due to the iron grip of
modernism,'' says Mr. Neill, an Australian whose Renaissance Cafe site
features an extensive gallery of works by 19th-century artists.
Alan Linh Do of Frederick, Md., set up his Web site devoted to English
painter John William Waterhouse after he became ``hooked'' on the artist's
portrayals of Arthurian legend.
``I am hoping to help revive the interest in classical art
throughWaterhouse,'' says Mr. Do, a recent graduate of Drexel University in
Philadelphia.
Last year, he visited England to view the paintings of Waterhouse and
other
Victorian artists. ``These works are classics and unbelievably stunning up
close. I was extremely emotional when I saw those of Waterhouse,'' Mr. Do
says.
Valerie L. Criswell, an Internet consultant from South Carolina, ``first
became aware of the Pre-Raphaelite art movement when I took a course on
Victorian history while in college,'' she says.
``There are close ties between historical periods and the art that is born
from them,'' Mrs. Criswell says of the inspiration for her Nouveau Net site.
``The fusion of Victorian ideals into Pre-Raphaelite art captivated me.
``The art clearly demonstrates the Victorians' struggle between religious
morality and innate human sensuality.''
The combination of Internet technology and traditional art has proven
potent, according to Mr. Banks.
``Now we are seeing, with the computer, we are finding that a lot of
(traditional artists) are able to communicate,'' says the painter, who notes
he has received inquiries from artists as far away as Spain and Taiwan. ``I
think it's going to be a major factor in bringing people together.''
``The Internet is the greatest thing,'' agrees Mr. Ross, whose Internet
connection allowed him to reach as far as Australia to hire Mr. Neill to
design the Art Renewal Center's Web site.
Mr. Ross says he hopes to revive the 19th-century tradition of the Paris
salons, ``a competition between the greatest artists in the world.''
He is working with sponsors, galleries and museums to develop a series of
annual salons he hopes to begin as early as next year.
``My goal,'' Mr. Ross says, ``is to build this as the focal point upon
which a movement for renewal can be built.''
-- END --
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lilianapontes
Ulrich Osterloh
but Alma-Tadema really is terrible kitsch
the cindy sherman of his time
Ulrich Osterloh
superficially 'impressive' (to some, I guess) doesn't mean it comes from the
heart or has anything to say to the human spirit
i thought i had found the yang to the present yin just now, but it turns out
to be an even blacker yin
Millie Nary
>
>
>
>THE WASHINGTON TIMES, SUNDAY, OCT. 29, 2000 -- PAGE C8
>
>Artists advocate return to classics
Articles such as this have been appearing on a
regular, if thankfully less frequent basis for
the past century now! Ever since the advent
of Impressionism! Artists who are of classical
bent would dearly love to see a return to that
genre, but until the general public begins admiring
all of those classic monumental bronzes and other
such "OLD FASHIONED" public art again, it ain't gonna
happen kids!
Sharon Barcone
"Millie Nary" <mil...@noemailever.com> wrote in message
news:3aba0...@oracle.zianet.com...
> In article <e3XmX3lsAHA.369@cpmsnbbsa09>, lilian...@email.msn.com
says...
> >
> >
> >
> >THE WASHINGTON TIMES, SUNDAY, OCT. 29, 2000 -- PAGE C8
> >
> >Artists advocate return to classics
>
> Articles such as this have been appearing on a
> regular, if thankfully less frequent basis for
> the past century now! Ever since the advent
> of Impressionism! Artists who are of classical
> bent would dearly love to see a return to that
> genre,
Maybe not, maybe artists with a "classical bent" would just like to do what
they love without being attacked for it. Maybe it isn't your bag but that
should not be a reason for others to reject what they believe in. Also the
term "classical" can refer to techinque or theme. Those who use classic
techniques for creating their art can still create a modern look in their
style and those who paint classic themes may do so in a very modern style.
Classic technique is very mindfull of the physical properties and chemical
reactions of the media used to create permanent lasting works of art. And
that's a good thing.
>but until the general public begins admiring
> all of those classic monumental bronzes and other
> such "OLD FASHIONED" public art again, it ain't gonna
> happen kids!
>
At least is the US there is a great deal of interest in classical
representational work. Those who do it may not get rich but they can make a
living doing what they love. Who could ask for more? (Well, some do, of
course.) "Old fashion", well it doesn't have to be.
sharon
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Ricardo Pontes
> regular, if thankfully less frequent basis for
> the past century now! Ever since the advent
> of Impressionism! Artists who are of classical
> bent would dearly love to see a return to that
> genre,
Hardly, this is the first article in years that has put classical art in a
good light. Im sure i have missed a few, but if there are many more. Please
post them, i would love to get a hardcopy of them. And classical artist of
today are not stuck in the past, as some modernists might lead you to
believe. They draw inspiration from many sources and are not bound up by
the subjects of the past, which there is nothing wrong with. The subjects
of the past are timeless, i hope you dont consider yourself above them.
Ulrich,
What is your basis for saying that Alma Tadema is terribly Kitch? What is
your opinion on Bouguereau? Please supply us with a few images from the
artists to support that.
Thank you
RIcardo Pontes
mdeli
<Ricard...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Articles such as this have been appearing on a
>> regular, if thankfully less frequent basis for
>> the past century now! Ever since the advent
>> of Impressionism! Artists who are of classical
>> bent would dearly love to see a return to that
>> genre,
>
>
>
>Hardly, this is the first article in years that has put classical art in a
>good light. Im sure i have missed a few, but if there are many more. Please
>post them, i would love to get a hardcopy of them.
You probably won't hear anything, Sensible quires like that are rarely
answered here.
> And classical artist of
>today are not stuck in the past, as some modernists might lead you to
>believe. They draw inspiration from many sources and are not bound up by
>the subjects of the past, which there is nothing wrong with. The subjects
>of the past are timeless, i hope you dont consider yourself above them.
>
The mantra of the modern art fundamentalist is that any contemporary
exhibition of skill and craft is kitsch, commercial and illustration,
end of discussion. You can always tell why this is so by looking at
their work. They can't tell the difference between subject matter and
skill and have been talked into believing that if they really learned
their craft they would emulate nothing but the past. This is because
most modern artists never had an idea in their lives.
>Ulrich,
>
>What is your basis for saying that Alma Tadema is terribly Kitsch? What is
>your opinion on Bouguereau? Please supply us with a few images from the
>artists to support that.
>
Is beautifully executed kitsch really as awful to look at as a badly
crafted Picasso horror or an incompetent Matisse schmier?
...no skill no art
Modern Academic Art is incompetence in search of an idea.
Tired of Modern Art? Check out my web page!
Brian Shapiro
By the way, if one were to believe Odd Nerdrum, kitsch can be superior to
art.
"Ricardo Pontes" <Ricard...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:#5S3ei9sAHA.344@cpmsnbbsa07...