Favorite Paintings
Tyler Green points us to this article in the Guardian about the The National Gallery's search for Britain's favorite painting. I love assignments like this and so challenge y'all as well. Here's Tyler's and my choices:
1. What's your favorite painting by an American?
Tyler couldn't chose just one (I totally understand): "I'd be tempted by a John Marin skyscraper or a Joseph Stella of the Brooklyn Bridge. Both are thoroughly American. Maybe a Rothko, too. Or James Rosenquist's F-111. "
With the caveat that this is my choice this week, I choose Edward Hopper's Early Sunday Morning
Like nothing else that springs to mind it embodies all that I love about America and American painting.
2. What's your favorite painting in America?
Tyler chose "Matisse's Bathers with a Turtle, at the St. Louis Art Museum" (a brilliant choice, IMO).
Same caveat, I choose Vermeer's Young Woman with a Water Pitcher (at the Met)
beyond sublime.
Your turn.
1. What's your favorite painting by an American?
Tyler couldn't chose just one (I totally understand): "I'd be tempted by a John Marin skyscraper or a Joseph Stella of the Brooklyn Bridge. Both are thoroughly American. Maybe a Rothko, too. Or James Rosenquist's F-111. "
With the caveat that this is my choice this week, I choose Edward Hopper's Early Sunday Morning
Like nothing else that springs to mind it embodies all that I love about America and American painting.
2. What's your favorite painting in America?
Tyler chose "Matisse's Bathers with a Turtle, at the St. Louis Art Museum" (a brilliant choice, IMO).
Same caveat, I choose Vermeer's Young Woman with a Water Pitcher (at the Met)
beyond sublime.
Your turn.
posted by Edward_ at
12:20 PM
20 Comments:
Not that anyone else would choose this, but my personal favorite painting in America is László Moholy-Nagy's A IX.
Favorite painting by an American? I guess László partially qualifies, but instead I'll say something by Warhol, probably Electric Chairs.
I'll say something by Warhol, probably Electric Chairs.
I considered Warhol...Gold Marilyn or something...but in the end thought that it's not as all-encompassing (for me anyway) as Hopper's street scene is. The László is an intriguing choice...your website connects the dots somewhat (particularly the Nocturn pieces)...personal hero?
Not even remotely qualified to comment.
It's totally subjective Mac...it could be something your neice has up on the refrigerator...the interesting thing is not if anyone else agrees with your choice, but what your choice reveals...that is, your taste.
Your favorite is "your" favorite.
But I've only seen a small...make that tiny...fraction of the works...make that microscopicly tiny.
Plus I suck at remembering stuff like this.
OK, here is one I could remember:
Villa de Marlia: A Fountain
Apparently John Singer Sargent is most famous as a portrait artist and his work with oil, and most of his well-known works don't float my boat. Ironically his watercolors absent people have always caught my eye.
Here's another of his I always liked
Flotsam and Jetsam
Even though it violates what I said above. But then I really don't know shit. Really.
I had consdiered Sargeant for mine as well, Mac. I'd say you know more than you think you do.
Any particular Sargent?
well it's an awful cliche, but Madame X perhaps. Again, I interpreted the question as somewhat anthropological. YMMV.
Besides, Madame X inspired one of the first short stories I ever wrote, and to me that's all tied up with aesthetics and art appreciation in my early years, blah, blah, blah
AND...she's hot.
BTW, before I forget to mention it, I went to your site Josh and would like to compliment you on the site and your work. My favorite (at least from a laptop view) was The Truth and the Light.
OK, I had to go look up Madame X, but I did recognize it when I say it. Didn't know it was Sargent though so I can't pretend otherwise.
I've always loved Moholy-Nagy's paintings, photograms, all of it— I would definetly count him as an influence. And I'm into his use of techniques and mediums that were "futuristic" for their time.
Thanks for the comments, macallan. If I can I'll ship out The Truth and the Light to New York for a group show I'm in this September, but I don't think the gallery will let me bring a piece that big. There's always next time...
Love the Hopper E.
While I could never pick a favorite, I really like Albert Bierstadt's Sunrise, Yosemite Valley. True he was born in Germany, but he moved here at age 2. There are probably others I like (maybe even more than this one) but this was the one that made time spent in a museum and money spent on a poster rather than in a bar and on beer while a college age kid visiting TCU worthwhile.
I really love the light in these early western paintings. The fact that they also helped seal the deal on creating Yosemite and Yellowstone Parks works for me too.
BTW, thanks again for this spot away from the, er, hubub at OW. Its been like finding a new restaurant after the list has gotten too long at your favorite.
Oh yeah, Correggio's, Head of Christ is, IMHO, one of the most powerful portraits of anyone, let alone Christ that I have ever seen. The hint of sadness in his face seems to say "I know you've sinned", but it also says "and you're already forgiven".
Wow. Just, Wow.
The Correggio is spectacular...
I went to your site Josh and would like to compliment you on the site and your work.
Wow, seconded. I like The Truth and Light as well, but really enjoyed Flatlands 2, All Hours 1 and Nocturn 1 as well.
Whoops, thirded. My wife just demanded drinks at Le Central and then a viewing of your work...soon.
Thanks, crionna. If you don't make it to the Hotel des Arts you can always come by my studio when I get back from tokyo.
Very strange. Just got back from breakfast at my corner diner in Brooklyn. After witnessing the sunrise I wrote my daily poem and was looking for an image on google that I could use to recapture the light. I was thinking of Vermeer's Pitcher painting, but stumbled randomly on your link to the Hopper painting. How strange that you have both these paintings next to one another...
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