18 April, 2011

No Pressure






My essay on Henri Matisse's painting, The Conversation, 1938, will be, as far as I can tell, the only available essay on this work.  But, no pressure.
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11 comments:

Celeste Bergin said...

He was a swear-er. That is mighty interesting. I always had him figured a gentlemanly ....must have been the tie that made me think that. Thanks for the videos. :)

April 18, 2011 at 11:31 PM
Sharon said...

No Pain, No Gain! Take a deep breath, speak from the heart & go for it!!! Remember "Exactitude is not Truth."

April 19, 2011 at 1:03 AM
Johnnny said...

In the Conversation, it appears as if he is in pajamas. She might be wearing a black robe. They are most definitely next to a window which overlooks some ponds. Hope that helps!

April 19, 2011 at 5:00 AM
Casey Klahn said...

Johnny, thanks very much. You have The Conversation of 1912 described, but I will be posting about his painting of the same title from 1938. He also painted one titled The Conversation, Yellow Dress and Blue Dress, in 1941. That one, at least, is contemporary in time and theme. There are several "two girl" subject paintings and in the period before and in the early part of WW II.

April 19, 2011 at 5:48 AM
Casey Klahn said...

Sharon - I should take your advice. My response emotionally when I saw the painting is the main thing. The details...

It is mostly written, BTW. I am making the effort to write well is the thing.

April 19, 2011 at 5:50 AM
Casey Klahn said...

Celeste.

Matisse was and is mostly an unknown entity to the public in general.

He was a "Man of the North," like van Gogh and another guy I know very well who is an artist who grew up in the cold north and found sunlight to paint colors. Can you tell I like that theme and why I like it?

Matisse is a funny contradiction. Look at his bespectacled, Sunday suit pictures, and then imagine a "Wild Beast."

April 19, 2011 at 5:53 AM
Donna T said...

No pressure at all, Casey. You are so passionate about his work - it is bound to come through in your writing. I was surprised to learn about his swearing too and very interested in his hands dancing above the canvas before he made a stroke. Maybe his models would have stuck around longer if he thought as much about his salty language in advance!

April 19, 2011 at 1:16 PM
Casey Klahn said...

That part about him discovering his hand in film, and his being perplexed @ it, plus the friend's quote @ "risking his life" are the two parts that get to me.

The swearing story is full of irony.

Thanks, Donna.

April 19, 2011 at 2:47 PM
loriann signori said...

Thanks for sharing Casey! It amazed me how he "practiced" his brush dance before actually performing it.

April 19, 2011 at 7:00 PM
Jala Pfaff said...

I just watched the top video. I love how he seems to be simultaneously having fun and taking it very seriously.
On to watch the second one now.

April 20, 2011 at 1:10 AM
Casey Klahn said...

Jala and Loriann. It is fascinating to watch the man in action. I wish there were ten more like this on YouTube.

April 20, 2011 at 5:40 AM

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Abstract Expressionism, Art Criticism, Artists, Colorist Art, Drawing, History, Impressionism, Modern Art, Painting, Pastel, Post Impressionism