Master Drawing- Fechin's Wife

Economical, yet the structure is fully realized. The judicious use of white finishes the form.




Николай Иванович Фешин
1881-1955

FECHIN'S WIFE

Pencil and charcoal on handmade paper
17 by 12 1/2 in.

at auction via Sotheby's, New York, Tue, 6 Oct 09. They estimate 7,000 - 10,000 USD. I say it should be 4,500 - 7,500 USD. We shall see.

Don't forget to click on the image for a larger file!

UPDATE: Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 9,375 USD, which means the winning bid was 7,500 USD.

Cassandra

With her striking look artist-model Cassandra has proven popular with a number of artists.






Artist Alia E. El-Bermani stated in an interview "... I hired Cassandra who I had drawn from at local groups. She was becoming a semi famous Los Angeles artist’s model. I started the painting purely for the love of paint and the human form. I was hoping a deeper meaning would emerge as the painting progressed but, unfortunately nothing ever came. Perhaps part of that was not having a connection to the model; not knowing her inner thoughts. I like to get to know my subjects well enough to put more into the work, but this model, although beautiful and strong, didn’t offer more of herself than the outward shell. During breaks, she sat in the corner of my studio quietly texting or reading. It was sort of uncomfortable."




Just how personal can a painting of a professional model be?




top to bottom: John Asaro, Hong Ly, Steve Assael, Alia E. El-Bermani, Adrian Gottlieb

Swipe Spot #2

Enric, master of Vampirella, with an easily spotted swipe from Solomon J. Solomon. Note how the chest of the beast doesn't project properly without the accent of a nipple. Is Ajax really stepping down from that 2" beveled edge?





Why has this site included a Simeon Solomon in the S.J. Solomon gallery for apparently 8 years?ARC-SJS

Past is Present

9/11 and the 'Good War'
It was the furies of the Arab world, not Afghanistan, that struck America eight years ago today.
...
tinyurl.com/mhlzzn
... by Fouad Ajami

S.W.L.A.B.R.

Modern master Jeff Koons cites Salvador Dali (the moustache),



and the work of Marcel Duchamp (readymade, a moustache defacing),




as inspiration for his readymade lobster/moustache concept,

but could the inspiration be something more Pop!



For further contemplation. French Coach Couple's, J.C. Leyendecker and Koons.




-Keep it kitsch.

Swipe Spot #1

Often an artist will swipe/quote from another, either as homage, parody, necessity of purpose, or lack of imagination. Here is the first entry in the series "Swipe Spot".

1807, Friedland painted by Meissonnier while at the apex of his career. Note the white horse on the right and its rider.



The Revenge (The Escape) a work done by George de Forest Brush at the beginning of his career. Note how he has transposed a swipe.



...and the figure



The Arab Falconer,1864 by Eugène Fromentin, an artist much celebrated in his time though seldom mentioned today.