Use of the guitar in art
adrianfoden
My wife has a keen eye for the visual arts and bought me a little gift at an
auction this week. It's a small abstract sculpture of a guitar playing
man... it's difficult to describe it - quirky, charming, surrealistic and
appeals to just the kind of thing that I like to stumble across in galleries
/ museums.
Here's some pics.. http://www.adrianfoden.freeserve.co.uk/daliman.htm
There's a stump of an old cherry tree in the orchard here that I'll bolt it
on to - I think it looks jolly good outdoors and will (I hope) become more
characterful as it weathers and picks up a patina.
Anyway that aside... it set me thinking about the use of the guitar in art
(as opposed to the guitar *as* art!) and I was wondering if you had (or have
come across) any other interesting
pictures/paintings/installations/sculptures etc.?
John Sorell
@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk:
> http://www.adrianfoden.freeserve.co.uk/daliman.htm
Adrian,
I like that! What is the material?
John
(it sort of reminds me of Tom Risner)
Steve Comeau
news:c8nnnj$qad$1...@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
History of Guitars and Guitarists" by Frederic V. Grunfeld at an antique
book store. Published in 1969, the book traces, among other things,
representations of guitars or guitar-like instruments in art and
architecture. Starts with the Egyptians playing an instrument called a
"nefer". Talks about lyres, lutes, vihuelas, and a whole lot of stringed
instruments that preceded the development of the guitar. Even covers some
of the tunings used on these instruments. Includes 227 black & white photos
or plates of artifacts and paintings that depict the guitar.
Pretty much an academic read with some fascinating tidbits. I bookmarked
some pages for future reference, e.g. a section describing how difficult it
was to keep lutes, some with up to 24 strings, in tune - "One can see the
lutenists tuning up, but one never hears them play." Sounds like some mando
players I know. :-)
All the best,
Steve Comeau
adrianfoden
>
> Adrian,
>
> I like that! What is the material?
>
> John
I should have mentioned.. it looks like its made from some kind of brazed
together brass/bronze alloy type plate. Even though it's hollow its quite
heavy - just over 10 lbs - for its size (about 2' high x 1' wide). I can't
find any distinguishing marks on it that would point me to a maker. It
strikes me as something that was made rather than produced so I hope it
might be marked inside somewhere - I'll have to unbolt it from its plinth
and see if the wee man has anything inside his legs or feet!
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
I've always loved this one--how do you think this posture would work
for you?
http://www.carleton.edu/curricular/ARTS/classes/arth242/guitarplayer.htm
Steve
--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
madgamer
adrianfoden wrote:
> I can only think of 2 instances where the guitar was used in art. one is a very fsamous painting by a well known surrealist
who's name I can't think of. T he other is a painting titled" the
guitar lesson" which a woman and here young female student in a pose
that some would call pornographic. The artist's name also escapes me
but I have a small reprint of the picture from the "new Yorker"
Larry
>
>
>
misifus
That's a very interesting picture by Goya. I noticed that the
left-handed player had a right-handed guitar, and check out those
very modern looking shoes.
-Raf
--
Misifus-
Rafael Seibert
mailto:rsei...@cox-internet.com
http://www.ralphandsue.com
misifus
I said, "Goya" when it's clearly Manet. My mistake.
Steven Bornfeld
I think Manet has made several paintings of guitarists. Don't remember
if the others were as artificially posed. I believe Frederick Noad used
a Manet as the cover for one of his books--a much more authentic
painting of a guitar lesson, with the much older teacher listening
pensively to his student.
I also remember a Picasso (I believe it's in the Guggenheim) of an old
blind guitarist--blue period.
Steve
>
Barry Hansen
Musical Instruments.
http://www.themomi.org/museum/MGia/enter.html
---------------
Don Mackie
and, before the play started we were looking at the ornate decoration of
the place. Built around 1910. The usual assortment of caryatids and
cherubim as well as assorted masks. But on the front of the boxes are
musical instruments. A trumpet, a horn and a banjo! I had a close look,
definitely a 5 string banjo. Seemed like and odd choice and hardly in
keeping with the 'classical' style of the rest I decided an artisan with
a sense of humour had been involved.
--
Just a smile. Just a glance.
Mike brown
<bornfe...@dentaltwins.com> wrote:
There were (are) quite a few Picasso paintings with guitars in them.
And there is that poem, which I can't recall from memory (and am too lazy
to go and look for it) " A man bent over his guitar, the day was .......
I associate the poem with one of Picasso's paintings.
MJRB
Ra
"Don Mackie" wrote
> But on the front of the boxes are
> musical instruments. A trumpet, a horn and a banjo! I had a close look,
> definitely a 5 string banjo. Seemed like and odd choice and hardly in
> keeping with the 'classical' style of the rest I decided an artisan with
> a sense of humour had been involved.
Maybe the decorations were added later?
After WW1, the banjo rivaled the mandolin, as America's most popular stringed instrument.
The guitar was still a background instrument, at that time.
--
best regards,
Ra
----------------------------------------------------
Surf Pick
http://surfpick.com
there is no substitute
----------------------------------------------------
Lawrence Lucier
>
> I've always loved this one--how do you think this posture would work
> for you?
>
> http://www.carleton.edu/curricular/ARTS/classes/arth242/guitarplayer.htm
>
http://www.ciube.it/catalog/arte/images/Pablo%20Picasso%20-%20The%20Old%20Guitarist.jpg
Lawrence Lucier
>
> > I can only think of 2 instances where the guitar was used in art. one is a very fsamous painting by a well known surrealist
> who's name I can't think of.
Picasso maybe.....
T he other is a painting titled" the
> guitar lesson" which a woman and here young female student in a pose
> that some would call pornographic. The artist's name also escapes me
> but I have a small reprint of the picture from the "new Yorker"
Balthus
Born Balthasar Klossowski in 1908, Balthus was a
prominent figure
in modern painting despite working in a
self-consciously pre-modern
style. He rejected the twentieth century trend
toward abstraction,
though his work had definite elements of
surrealism. He cultivated an
image as a quintessential old world European
aristocrat, adopting the
title "Count" and living in a series of palatial
country estates. He was
best known -- or at least, most notorious -- for
his paintings of young
girls in dreamlike reveries, occasionally in
various states of undress
and vaguely erotic scenarios. His most shocking
work, The Guitar
Lesson, has not been shown publicly in decades.
John Sorell
news:40B0AACF...@shaw.ca:
That kind of playing posture is how I hosed up my shoulder!
John
madgamer
Lawrence Lucier wrote:
Thanks Lawrence I could not remember the painter's name. The guy who
wrote the article was allowed to see the painting for lie 10 minutes
because it was in a private collection. It is a fascinating study to
view. I wish I could see it for real rather than just the picture of it
in the article, thanks again
Larry
Steven Bornfeld
That's the Picasso I was thinking of--thanks!
Steve
Hippy
1/3 scale (he's 20 now,kinda outgrew it) Gibson Explorer in a Mystic
green/purple/blue...and hung it on the wall under a picture frame light. Its
playable, but goes out of tune in a song or two...
fits a small wall thats across the room from the others.
Hippy
Rock it-Ride it-Roll it
"Don Mackie" <don...@spammmesenseless.iconz.co.nz> wrote in message
news:donald-79EE7D....@news.iconz.co.nz...