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mangofirst

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Yes it is an anamorphic perspectuve, first done by Galileo, the Eye. You see the skull when looking from above right, or below left. It was intended to be hung on a stairway, thus people descending the stairs with painting on right, or ascending with painting on left would suddenly have skull come into view.

Look at detain if the insturments and globe, and other items in that painting like the clothing, the fur.

All of those itmes have meaning, especially the lute.

Edited by dwilawyer
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I skewed the smaller photo and came up with this:

 

I've always assumed Holbein used a lens to see and then paint that skull distortion.  Two logic points:

 

1. Holbein wasn't doing Ergot (or whatever) like Bosch and this isn't his MO.

2. For it to be reversible by a computer skew algorithm as per Mustang Guy's work it can't be just painted from whim.

 

Could be a sort of third in that stupid lens tricks were all the rage at the time.

 

Dave

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Same is true of many artists work, Mark.  Reproduced as postage stamps on TV they say nothing.  Same is true of recorded opera for many of us.  Unless you've seen it on state the recordings just don't do much for you.

 

Dave

Edited by Mallette
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Same is true of many artists work, Mark. Reproduced as postage stamps on TV they say nothing.

 

One of the things that surprised me the most of walking in the Smithsonian's museum of art was the size of some of the paintings. Seeing them in person is completely different, it also forces you to see that the size of the work is also part of how the artist wanted you to see it, some were also surpassingly small. 

 

I know very little about art but it can still be appreciated.

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I skewed the smaller photo and came up with this:

I've always assumed Holbein used a lens to see and then paint that skull distortion. Two logic points:

1. Holbein wasn't doing Ergot (or whatever) like Bosch and this isn't his MO.

2. For it to be reversible by a computer skew algorithm as per Mustang Guy's work it can't be just painted from whim.

Could be a sort of third in that stupid lens tricks were all the rage at the time.

Dave

Here is an article in the history of it, I don't know how accurate it is, but it jives with what we were taught in undergrad, there are some mind blowing contemporary street drawings with chalk.

Pieces were done at this time that could only be made out by putting a cylindrical mirror in the center of it to make out what it contained. This was in order to hide the message of the painting from authorities.

Bosch was one generation before Holbien, and was from the same hometown as Erasmus. Experts believe that Bosch was influenced by his writings, that I will leave up to the experts. Holbein, when he went to England, had a reccomendation from Erasmus.

The Ambassadors by Holbein is filled with symbols that were commentary and satire about the issues of the day.

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Start exposing the kids to this stuff young.  The teenagers couldn't seem to care less but the youngsters can't seem to get enough.  I loved it when the 9 year old started telling me all she knew about cubism after I mentioned there would be a Picasso where we were going.  Little ones love Jackson Pollack and the idea of splattering paint around.  Teenagers have to get over their craziness... they will come back around eventually.  

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There's a deep spirituality present in these works at full size. His work is largely informed by mythology (abstracted, of course).

blue-green-and-brown.jpg

I never appreciated Rothko until I walked into the gallery space one day to see six of these works. My mind was blown.

I didn't really care for the first image you posted but like you said, it's a completely different experience to view them IRL. I like this one very much, though.

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I heartily recommend that if you should ever find yourself in Spain, go to the Prado in Madrid.  There is a whole room filled with Bosch's work, and I do believe, some of Bruegels.  There  are also additional works on display in the whatever they call the national museum in Amsterdam, and I think one or two at the national museum in Switzerland .  Could be wrong about the later, it's been over 40 years since I visited these places.

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I heartily recommend that if you should ever find yourself in Spain, go to the Prado in Madrid. There is a whole room filled with Bosch's work, and I do believe, some of Bruegels. There are also additional works on display in the whatever they call the national museum in Amsterdam, and I think one or two at the national museum in Switzerland . Could be wrong about the later, it's been over 40 years since I visited these places.

One of those Bosch images came from the Prado website. I'm such a nerd that I actually got out a measuring tape to see how big the Garden of Earthly Delights is. I would of course love to see famous works IRL. My only problem with taking a trip to Europe (besides funding) is choosing which countries to visit. I think I would have to just take an entire year to do all I want to do.

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