ARTIST OF THE WEEK: 31. Juan Gris, ACJ Art Academy

Name: Juan Gris

Born: 23 March 1887, Madrid, Spain

Died: 11 May 1927, Paris, France

Active Years: 1911 - 1927

Nationality: Spanish

Art Movement: Cubism

Field: Painting, drawing

Influenced on: Karl Otto Gotz, Balcomb Greene, Fernando García Ponce

Friends/Co-workers: Amedeo Modigliani, Alice Bailly

José Victoriano González-Pérez, better known as Juan Gris, was a Spanish painter who was born on March 23, 1887, and died on May 11, 1927. He worked most of his life in France and his work is closely related to Cubism, a genre of art that was innovative at the time.

Gris was born in Madrid and studied engineering at the Madrid School of Arts and Sciences. From 1902 to 1904, he contributed drawings to local periodicals there. From 1904 to 1905, Gris studied painting with the academic artist José Moreno Carbonero and began using his name as Juan Gris in 1905.

In 1906, Gris moved to Paris, and became friends with the poets Guillaume Apollinaire, Max Jacob, and artists Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Fernand Léger and Jean Metzinger. In Paris, Gris followed the lead of Metzinger and another friend and colleague Pablo Picasso.

In 1911, after giving up working of a satirical cartoonist, Gris began to paint seriously and developed a personal Cubist style at this time. He exhibited his work for the first time at the 1912 Salon des Indépendants with a painting entitled “Hommage à Pablo Picasso.”

At first, Gris painted in the style of Analytical Cubism, a term he later coined, but after 1913 he began to switch to Synthetic Cubism. Unlike Picasso and Braque, whose Cubist works were practically monochromatic, Gris painted in bright and harmonious colors in the way of his friend Matisse. His work, which favored clarity and order, influenced the Purist style of Amédée Ozenfant and Charles Edouard Jeanneret (Le Corbusier), and made Gris an important example of the postwar  "return to order" movement.

Gris died of kidney failure at the age of 40 in Boulogne-sur-Seine, Paris on 11 May 1927.

FAMOUS WORKS

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Amedeo Modigliani

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Currently, “J art”, an internet mall of “Art Collage JANG” is selling artprints of worldwide famous artists.

In relation with this sale, I will introduce one by one every week, whose artprints are on the sale list, by following categories.

1. Artist’s Bio: Introduce brief bio of selected artist

2. Famous Works: Move to the corresponding artprints in J art by clicking

3. All Works List: Move to all works of selected artist in J art by clicking

4. Related Artists: Move to the works of the artists in J art, who are related to the selected artist.

5. All Artists List: Move to the list of all artists selling artprints in J art

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Thank you.

51. The history of Jazz: 7. Bebop, ACJ Music Academy

How are you?

Following the last week, I am going to start my 51st lecture.

I had conducted music lectures at Art Collage JANG in Seoul, South Korea every Saturday from March 2015 to December 2017.

I am going to introduce the lecture by the lecture’s order every Saturday.

The 7th theme of “The history of Jazz” I will introduce this week is “Bebop”. It is a summary of the contents of “51st ACJ Music Academy, The history of Jazz: 7. Bebop”, which was introduced on June 11, 2016.

'Bebop' is a jazz genre developed in the United States from the early to mid-1940s. In the history of jazz, the emergence of Bebop was a big event, and ultimately it became a signal that marked the start of the "Modern Jazz." Bebop was led by a new generation of young jazz musicians who were eager to turn popular, dance-oriented Swing music into new music for genuine music appreciation.

Bebop was no longer music for dancing, therefore musicians were able to play "quicker tempos". Also, unlike many other jazz genres, Bebop has been thoroughly recognized as the sanctuary of the black people that cannot be infiltrated by white people because it was the music which were thoroughly led and driven by the black people.

Looking at the background of the birth of Bebop, in order to prevent the dance called Swing, it was necessary to create music that were much faster or slower than Swing music, and Bebop was born as a reaction to the Swing. Bebop provided a decisive opportunity for jazz to escape from the dance hall, but it was difficult to reach the public. Bebop was an innovation among musicians of the time, but it was during the 1950s that Cool Jazz was formed when the public recognized the Bebop which was formed in 1940s.

The word ‘Bebop’ was derived from the meaningless syllables used in the vocal adlib ‘Scat Singing’, which features complex chord progression, including rapid tempo and chord changes, advanced instrument playing techniques, and improvisation.

Bebop's leading musicians include saxophone player Charlie Parker and trumpet player Dizzy Gillespie. Charlie Parker had the nickname “Bird,” and he was a true genius who never achieved such a high artistic level while achieving musical innovation for such a short period of time. Dizzy Gillespie, on the other hand, wasn't a genius, but played an almost equal role in the formation of Bebop as Charlie Parker, and the term “Bebop” also officially began in the song "Bebop" released by Gillespie.

Charlie Parker

Dizzy Gillespie

By the 1950s, Bebop formed a very wide base among musicians, forming one of two great mountain ranges of jazz with Cool Jazz. Bebop's position in the popular music industry is very important. Until the formation of Bebop, popular music did not deviate greatly from the means for entertainment, but after Bebop appeared, many jazz musicians began to focus on this genre. Bebop was a unique and abstract music, and a genre in which jazz provided a place for aesthetic evaluation. 

"Bird Lives" sculpture, Robert Graham, Kansas City, Missouri

Statue of Gillespie in his hometown of Cheraw, South Carolina

You can also review this lecture from following media.

Next week, I will introduce you “Cool Jazz” as the 8th theme of “The history of Jazz” lectures.

Thank you.

Charlie Parker's grave, Lincoln Cemetery

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The Stories about Art Films: 7. Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003), ACJ Movie Academy

Basic Info

Title: Girl with a Pearl Earring

Genre: Drama

Country: United Kingdom, United States, Luxembourg

Language: English

Running time: 100 minutes

Release date: 31 August 2003 (Telluride), 16 January 2004 (United Kingdom), 30 January 2004 (United States)

Staff

Director: Peter Webber

Producer: Andy Paterson, Anand Tucker

Screenplay: Olivia Hetreed

Music: Alexandre Desplat

Cinematography: Eduardo Serra

Editor: Kate Evans

Cast

Colin Firth as Johannes Vermeer

Scarlett Johansson as Griet

Tom Wilkinson as Van Ruijven

Judy Parfitt as Maria Thins

Cillian Murphy as Pieter

Essie Davis as Catharina

Joanna Scanlan as Tanneke

Alakina Mann as Cornelia

Chris McHallem as Griet's Father

Gabrielle Reidy as Griet's Mother

Rollo Weeks as Frans

Anna Popplewell as Maertge

Summary

“Girl with a Pearl Earring” is a 2003 drama film directed by Peter Webber. The scenario of the film is based on the 1999 novel of the same name written by Tracy Chevalier, which was adapted by screenwriter Olivia Hetreed. 

In this film, Scarlett Johansson appeared as a young servant, Griet, who worked at the house of Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer at the time he painted “Girl with a Pearl Earring (1665).” 

Girl with a Pearl Earring, Johannes Vermeer (c.1665)

Hetreed read the novel before its publication, and her husband's production company convinced Chevalier to sell the film rights. Initially, the production envisioned Mike Newell as director and Kate Hudson as Griet. However, Hudson withdrew shortly before filming began, and the film was suspended until Peter Webber was selected as the director and he re-initiated the casting process.

The film has been well received by critics and nominated for ten British Academy Film Awards, three Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards.

Movie Review

“A homage to 17th Century Flemish painters (not just Vermeer)”

“The whole movie was like a painting”

“Visually stunning, though lacking in dramatic intensity”

“This is a visual treat”

“A film where art and cinema blend”

“Colorful and splendid picture upon the excellent Dutch painter and his model”

"The secret history of the extraordinary masterpiece"

Interesting stories about the film

1. Although Vermeer and the painting are both true, the scenario of the film is based on the novels of Tracy Chevalier and thus largely fictional or hypothetical. Currently, only 36 Vermeer paintings are known to exist, and none of the models has ever been accurately identified.

2. The painting that Griet inspired Vermeer to paint while she is washing the window of his studio is "Woman with a Water Jug." The painting is currently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA.

Woman with a Water Jug, Johannes Vermeer (1660–1662)

3. In the film, Vermeer is working on the painting "The Concert", which was stolen in 1990 and is still missing. The present value of this painting is over 200 million dollars and one of the most famous stolen paintings in the world.

The Concert, Johannes Vermeer (c. 1664)

4. The picture shown when Griet visited Pieter Van Ruijven is "The Girl with the Wine Glass".

The girl with the wine glass, Johannes Vermeer (1659–1660)

Thank you.

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Interesting Art Stories: 13. Three Girls, Amrita Sher-Gil, ACJ Art Academy

How are you?

On every Thursday, I am introducing the stories about various artists and their paintings with the title “Interesting Art Stories”.

The 13th story for this week is "Three Girls" by an Indian painter Amrita Sher-Gil.

“Three Girls” is a portrait by Amrita Sher-Gil, an Indian artist, who was often considered to be the Indian ‘Frida Kahlo’.

Born on January 30, 1913 and died on December 5, 1941, Sher-Gil has been called "one of the greatest avant-garde women artists of the early 20th century" and "a pioneer in modern Indian art.”

Amrita Sher-Gil

She began getting formal art education at the age of eight and first gained recognition for her oil painting titled “Young Girls (1932)” at the age of 19. Sher-Gil, at age 28, died around midnight on December 5, 1941, after being seriously ill and slipping into a coma just days before the opening of her first major solo exhibition in Lahore. The cause of her death has not been ascertained, but a failed abortion and subsequent peritonitis have been suggested as possible cause of death.

Young Girls, Amrita Sher-Gil (1932)

This work, painted in 1935, depicting three women in colorful clothes, contemplating a destiny they are unable to change, is the first work painted by Sher-Gil after returning from Europe to India in 1934. Instead of drawing them sensually, Sher-Gil described them as characters who are going through great adversity but have the spirit that can transcend their destiny that cannot be changed.

Their unhappy and sad face expressions reflect the artist's empathy for their predicament, and it seems that Sher-Gil never made any attempts to express their background to highlight themselves. This work is an emotional story that captures the pathos of Indian women who do not have a say in their own futures, and their facial expressions, body language and the tones of colors used represent the melancholy itself.

Road named in Delhi after Amrita Sher-Gil

It turns out that the models of this famous painting are sisters named as “Beant Kaur”, “Narwair Kaur” and “Gurbhajan Kaur”, the grand-daughters of “Sunder Singh Majithia”, the younger brother of Amrita’s father “Umrao Singh Sher-Gil Majithia.” When Sher-Gil visited her grandparents' home for a holiday, she met the sisters there. She was fascinated by the innocent charm they exuded and thus decided to paint them.

This work shows her move from academic and realist style of painting studied in Paris towards a modern work style where line and color are prominently used. The work also reflects the influence of the works of French painter Paul Gauguin on her work.

This work won the Gold Medal at the annual exhibition of the Bombay Art Society in 1937.

Thank you.

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Self-portrait, Amrita Sher-Gil (1930)

Hungarian Gypsy Girl, Amrita Sher-Gil (1932)

Bride's Toilet, Amrita Sher-Gil (1937)

COMPOSER OF THE WEEK: 12. Frédéric Chopin

Frédéric Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic era, who was born on 1 March 1810 and died on 17 October 1849, and wrote mainly for solo piano. 

Chopin, who had a genius musical talent, was one of the leading musicians of his era and his genius was based on professional techniques that were distinctly different from his contemporary musicians.

Chopin was born in Żelazowa Wola, Poland, and grew up in Warsaw. Chopin, a music prodigy, had musical education in Warsaw and composed his earlier works before leaving Poland at the age of 20, less than a month before the outbreak of the November 1830 Uprising. 

Chopin's birthplace, Żelazowa Wola

Chopin, who settled in Paris at the age of 21, had only 30 public concerts in the last 18 years of his life. Chopin made a friendship with Franz Liszt and was respected by many contemporary musicians, including Robert Schumann.

Franz Liszt

Robert Schumann

In 1837, Chopin, who failed engagement to Maria Wodzińska, had a relationship with French writer Amantine Dupin, whose pen name is George Sand.  The visit to Majorca with Sand from 1838 to 1839 was one of the most productive periods of composition in Chopin's life. Chopin, who was in poor health for most of his life, died in Paris in 1849 at the age of 39.

Maria Wodzińska

George Sand

All of Chopin's works include the piano. Although there are two piano concertos, some chamber works and 19 songs written in Polish lyrics, most of Chopin's works are for solo piano. His piano works require very difficult techniques, and his performances are famous for their emotional atmosphere. 

Chopin's grave, Père-Lachaise cemetery, Paris

Chopin's major piano works include mazurkas, waltzes, nocturnes, polonaises, études, impromptus, scherzos, preludes and sonatas, and some of them were published posthumously. The elements that influenced his style of works were Polish folk music, music of J. S. Bach, Mozart, and Schubert and the atmosphere of the Paris salons he frequented. 

Chopin's death mask, Clésinger

Chopin's music had a great influence throughout and after the late Romantic period.

Thank you.

Frédéric Chopin Monument, Łazienki Park, Warsaw

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The Stories about Music Films: 9. The Magic Bow (1946)

Basic Info

Title: The Magic Bow

Genre: Biography, Musical, Romance

Country: United Kingdom

Language: English

Production company: Gainsborough Pictures

Distributed by: General Film Distributors (UK)

Running time: 106 minutes

Release date: 25 November 1946

Staff

Director: Bernard Knowles

Producer: R.J. Minney

Written by: Roland Pertwee

Based on: The Magic Bow: a Romance of Paganini by Manuel Komroff

Music: Henry Geehl

Cinematography: Jack Asher, Jack E. Cox

Edited by: Alfred Roome

Cast

Stewart Granger as Niccolò Paganini

Phyllis Calvert as Jeanne de Vermond

Jean Kent as Bianca

Summary

“The Magic Bow” is a 1946 British musical film based on the life and loves of the Italian violinist and composer Niccolò Paganini. This film, directed by Bernard Knowles, is one of the entries to the 1946 Cannes Film Festival.

Movie Review

“Better than expected”

“Great film chronicling the life and times of famous Italian violinist Nicolo Paganini”

“Outstanding Acting”

“Great music in this enjoyable biopic of a great talent”

“Niccolò Paganini the devil's violinist !!”

Interesting stories about the film

Two tutors trained Stewart Granger, who starred Paganini for the film, for his posture and violin playing. The actual music was recorded by Yehudi Menuhin, a British virtuoso born in the United States. He used two violins and took six weeks to create great music from the film.

Thank you.

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