__________________________________________________________________

THE SUBJECT OF ART: HISTORICAL, GENRE, LANDSCAPE
& MORE BY RUTH KELLY OF AMUNATEGUI ART & ANTIQUES

One of the first things we notice about a picture is its
subject. Certain themes are characteristic of a period in time –
Religious in the Middle Ages when painters received their
commissions from the Church; Portraits in the Renaissance as
individuality was emphasized; Historical themes in the 17th
Century when Royal palaces demanded them; and Genre paintings as
the middle class introduced art into smaller homes.

The French Academy established a strict hierarchy of subjects
led by Historical themes which could be religious, mythological,
allegorical or portraits; then came Genre pictures depicting
types of people and subjects of everyday life; Landscape
followed including landforms, vegetation, architecture,
seascapes and animals; finally, last in order of importance, the
Still-Life. Historical paintings were considered of highest
significance since they had a moral purpose whereas other
subjects merely reflected reality. Although today no theme is
considered superior, understanding a picture's subject continues
to be a key element of art appreciation and enjoyment. The
following objects further illustrate these points:

HISTORICAL: Tapestry "The Triumph of Alexander," 17th Century,
Flemish. Historical pictures represent persons or events of
great importance. This 17th Century tapestry does both. More
than any other conqueror, Alexander deserved to be called "the
Great." Handsome, brilliant and brave, Alexander also had a
privileged education--the Greek philosopher Aristotle tutored him
from the age of 13. The son of King and conqueror Philip of
Macedon, Alexander exceeded by far his father's ambitions and
became the greatest conqueror the world has ever known. After
defeating the Persian army, Alexander announced that Babylon
would not be plundered and the city welcomed its new King. This
tapestry portrays Alexander entering Babylon, in the year 331
BC, through a road carpeted with flowers while prominent
Babylonians present him with gifts.

PORTRAIT: "Aristocratic Lady," Anonymous. A good portrait must
accomplish truth and beauty. By truth we mean achieving a
likeness in the broadest sense of the word, capturing the
model's character and soul as well as physical attributes.
Beauty refers to the aesthetic pleasure derived by looking at a
picture. The lady portrayed here is not a classical beauty but
the painting is artistically pleasing--her expression conveys her
position in life and you can almost touch the different textures
of her dress such as fur, lace and silk. A painter who lacks
technical proficiency will produce lifeless, commercial images
with the most handsome model. Conversely, a talented painter can
produce a splendid portrait with an ugly, even grotesque person.

GENRE: "Musketeer Smoking a Pipe" by listed artist F. Roybet.
This sub-category of the Genre theme is known as Costume
painting. It portrays an 18th Century character, a Musketeer,
clearly recognizable by his attire: a cape, a large collar, an
oversize hat, and sword. The fact that the Musketeer is
standing on the street smoking a pipe is another tell-tale sign
of a Genre picture. The situation portrayed is a common,
ordinary, trivial event. Paintings of Musketeers are
characteristic of 19th Century French painter Ferdinand Roybet.

SEASCAPE: "Clam Fishing" by listed artist E. Berthelemy. This
fine oil painting falls into the Coastal Seascape or Marine
category. It elevates a simple, unpretentious subject--such as
humble women picking clams on a cloudy day by the sea
shore--giving it a moody, luminous atmosphere. It could also be
classified as a Genre painting as it depicts a type of people
doing an everyday task. Pierre Emile Berthelemy (1818 - 1890)
was one of France's foremost 19th century marine artists.

We invite you to see the tapestry and paintings described above
and much more in Ruth's shop: Amunategui Art & Antiques

__________________________________________________________________
SHARE PAST TIMES WITH A FRIEND
SHARE PAST TIMES WITH A FRIEND

Do you enjoy receiving Past Times every month? Do you know
others who would enjoy receiving it? We invite you forward this
issue on to others. Happy reading!

__________________________________________________________________
ABOUT RUBY LANE

We are one of the largest Internet sites for collectors, with an
active community of hundreds of shops from all over the world
offering antiques, fine art, arts & crafts, and collectibles.
Ruby Lane displays quality inventory in over 2,000 categories.
Visit us at www.rubylane.com

__________________________________________________________________
CONTACT US:

If you have a suggestion on how Ruby Lane can better serve you,
or if you have an article you would like to submit or a subject
you would like us to cover in an upcoming issue, contact us at
newsletter-main@rubylane.com

For previous newsletters, view the Past Times Archives.

If you have received this mailing in error, please accept our
sincere apologies as we value your privacy.
Click here to remove your name from future Ruby Lane mailings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ruby Lane
Shop * Sell * Relax Antiques, Collectibles, Fine Art, Jewelry and Fine Handcrafted Items
http://www.rubylane.com