I saw it today and I found it a great one hour's worth.
Most of Rembrandt's self portraits were shown and
a realistic and worthy review, although the artist
who made the portrait for the camera was shown up
I think.
One shown by Poussin contrasted very well.
Interesting contrasts too with several Van Goghs.
Great for schools, especially for those about to enroll
in some art college. ( I feel that the past has been consigned
to an area of disrespect and even contempt when I read
or hear the various comments of youth)
I have always found Rembrandt's self portraits, especially
those in his later years as especially fine. Whatever he did
with the brush, the results were almost spiritual.
Little views of his life were worth including, as his uselessness
in ordering his finances, and his unconventional attitudes to
women/sex/religion, and the fact that so many portraits were
done, probably for money.
Wish I had recorded it.
--
Thur
Cheers;
Chris
Thur
The Art Students League system:
-They hire a bunch of artists representing ALL different "isms."
-The student picks chooses any class he wishes.
The student pays tuition fee for a short period only (one month per
class) and can switch teachers whenever he likes.
Above all, no marks and no baloney certificates!
If the student bugs the teacher he can be barred from his class.
However, the student is always free to leave any class and the teacher
can't do a thing about it.
If the teacher can't attract enough students for a certain time
period, he's out the door.
In essence it is then the student who judges the teacher, not the
other way.
The school should have a good art library and by in a city that has
museums and large libraries.
My personal opinion as to art history has always been, just walk into
the nearest university and listen to the lectures that interest you. I
doubt that anyone will even notice and you will save tubs of money.
You can also do this for a lot of other courses. Today's libraries
also have art lectures on DVD available.
The advantages:
You are on your own! Your tuition is the minimum.
You can look at the work of any teacher and most any student and you
can usually communicate with them. This will give you the opportunity
to make your own judgments.
You can quit school when you like or go there for the rest of your
life. With good timing you can even work at a job should it be
necessary.
The Art Students League has been around a very long time and has in my
opinion produced many important artists and employed many important
teachers.
This way no dominating group representing one "ism" can take the
place over and exclusively hire their friends as they do in most
universities.
Regards, Bill
> I like your idea of letting students pick and choose from a
>variety of disciplines. But hiring and firing teachers based on their
>popularity with students is like putting the inmates in charge of the
>asylum.
Why?
> Followed to it's logical conclusion, it would turn a school
>into a play ground with everyone majoring in fun and games.
The ASL has consistently turned out important artist in spite of "fun
and games."
> To me a
>school consists, basically, of a student sitting on one end of a log
>and a teacher sitting on the other. With each sitting as long as
>he/she believes something is being accomplished. Every thing else is
>frills.
Students may believe something is accomplished, it doesn't meand its
true.
> I have to agree on the danger of a school becoming so self
>centered and convinced of its own merit that it is closed even to the
>hint of a fresh approach or a new idea.
That's what most universities are today.
> Finally, most education is
>done by students themselves and the teacher merely serves to "draw
>out of " (e-duco) the student what ability is already there.
>
This is true in universities where the teachers know almost nothing.
I'm sure you are a result of this.
For most education the teacher conveys knowledge and the student
absorbs it and learns the subject. He knows more at the end of the
course. If someone can't draw after three university years I can't
entirely blame the student especially when you find out that the
teacher can't draw either..
>> I like your idea of letting students pick and choose from a
>>variety of disciplines. But hiring and firing teachers based on their
>>popularity with students is like putting the inmates in charge of the
>>asylum.
>
> Why?
>
>> Followed to it's logical conclusion, it would turn a school
>>into a play ground with everyone majoring in fun and games.
>
> The ASL has consistently turned out important artist in spite of "fun
> and games."
I actually agree with Mani on this. If the students were not serious
enough, then indeed you might end up with them not preferring the best,
but that hasn't proven the case at the original ASL in NYC, nor is it
proving the case with the Art Students League of Denver, which is based
on the original ASL model. Since there is nothing to be gained - no
degrees, no grades to pad a GPA - except what you learn, there is no
incentive to pay your money and attend classes if you aren't getting
just that: learning. If you want fun and games, you don't have to pay
$100 a month or whatever to have that. So the students who do sign up
are serious about learning, and as a result, serious learning happens.
---------------
Marc Sabatella
ma...@outsideshore.com
Music, art, & educational materials
Featuring "A Jazz Improvisation Primer"
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