EphemeralFox

Living life vicariously through tumblr

[academic-vampire]

𝔩𝔢𝔱’𝔰 𝔰𝔱𝔲𝔡𝔶 𝔱𝔬𝔤𝔢𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔥𝔞𝔲𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔩𝔦𝔟𝔯𝔞𝔯𝔶 🪶

[ephemeralfox]

I love you...

[ur-daily-inspiration]

[natureell]

[constanzarte]

Death of Sappho, by Miguel Carbonell Selva

[uroko]

by: にゃあさんのページ

[ephemeralfox]

[diaryofnishtha-deactivated20240]

"Sometimes falling makes you beautiful"

-unknown

[proserpinangel]

blue

[sanseterrer]

The greenery in love

[happyheidi]

[pmamtraveller]

CENTAURS /1868/ by EUGÈNE FROMENTIN

This is an exceptional piece, a depiction of the centaurs, creatures half-man, and half-horse from Greek mythology. These figures are portrayed in a dynamic, almost mythic landscape, reflecting Fromentin's interest in mythological themes and classical texts such as those by Homer and Ovid, in which centaurs were key characters.

Fromentin's painting clearly shows his great skills in applying a vibrant color palette, capturing the fluidity of the centaurs and the atmospheric qualities of the background. The composition perfectly sets the centaurs in a luscious natural setting, underlining their intimate bond with the wild.

The painting is dynamic, as it presents the centaurs in motion. The way they are arranged and the different poses express emotions ranging from aggressiveness to playfulness. The emotional richness of the scene brings forth a certain degree of complexity in these mythological figures, making the viewer want to understand more about their character beyond just being beasts.

The centaurs symbolize the struggle between civilization and barbarism by drawing comparisons between the human intellect and primal instincts. "Centaures" is Fromentin's romantic vision about nature and what it means to be human, providing drama and grandeur to the mythological narrative.

[pmamtraveller]

ADIEU! /1892/ by ALFRED GUILLOU

"Adieu!" is a tragic scene of shipwreck that carries with it the mental torture of a Breton fisherman suffering from the loss of his beloved. In a way, it captures the themes of bereavement and despair by pointing out the perils faced by those dependent on the sea.

In the composition, there is an interesting dramatic interaction between the figures and the stormy sea to showcase a key element of struggle against nature. The fisherman clutching on the lifeless body of the woman clearly adds to the tragic narrative of the painting.

Guillou captures profound emotion through the expressions and body language of the figures. The fisherman’s anguish and the serene yet tragic depiction of the woman evoke a strong sense of empathy from the viewer.

The painting brings out the harsh realities of Breton fishermen in the late 19th century, showing just how perilous their profession had become and how maritime disasters affected families and communities. This painting has indeed remained famous to this very day simply because of the expression it holds for human emotions, eloquently brought forth through the lens of life at sea.

[pmamtraveller]

YOUNG GREEKS ATTENDING A COCK FIGHT /1846/ by JEAN-LÉON GÉRÔME

Here, two almost naked young Greek figures are depicted, gazing with an ardent look the cockfight going on in front of them. The viewer can see excitement and anticipation from their body language and facial expressions. It was a regular cultural practice for passing time in different regions, including Greece itself.

The juxtaposition of the youthful figures with the violent act of the cockfight symbolizes themes of vitality and the primal instincts of human nature. Adding to the painting's complexity is the battered Sphinx in the background, contrasting youth with decay and mortality.

The traditional Greek attire worn can also be seen as part of the ritualistic atmosphere of the cockfight. In this case, the minimalist clothing of the figures can be used to emphasize their concentration on the event while bringing out the richness in the imagery; this evokes the cultural significance of the cockfight that was a social and competitive gathering at the time.

It is, on the whole, a painting inviting viewers to reflect on all the complexities of human experience: the interplay between civilization and primal instincts, and the fleeting nature of youth—all that combined to make it a compelling work.

[pmamtraveller]

THE OREADS /1902/ by WILLIAM-ADOLPHE BOUGUEREAU

The Oreads are mountain nymphs of Greek mythology, and they are closely associated with the goddess Artemis (Diana in Roman mythology). Bouguereau, in the painting, depicts the nymphs at a very ethereal moment, ascending into the air with glee after a night of frolick in nature.

The flowing forms and harmonious arrangement of the Oreads create a sense of movement and unity. Their bodies are arched and bent, with limbs extended in various directions, giving the impression of a graceful, synchronized dance, emphasizing their connection to nature and the divine.

The three satyrs look on in wonder and lust at the ascending nymphs. The artist depicts them in muscular forms with exaggerated features to express their animalistic side—the opposite of the wraithlike beauty, which is what the Oreads were meant to be. It is through this dynamic that a sense of lust is introduced into this painting.

This painting symbolizes the passage of night into dawn, hence renewal and the cyclical nature of life. The ascension of the Oreads may be a return to their celestial realm, alluding thereby to liberation. This etches out Bouguereau's feel for charging his works with deeper meanings beyond mere representation.

[pmamtraveller]

STRANGE TALES: WIERTZ'S ART

Antoine Wiertz (1806–1865) was a Belgian painter and sculptor whose life and work reflected a deep passion for the dramatic and the unsettling. His paintings were described as a strange, often monstrous potpourri lacking focus and refusing aesthetic categorization.

Hunger, Madness, Crime (1853)

At the centre of the painting is a woman with a baby swaddled up on her laps. From her appearance, one would say she has gone mad; hunger drove her into crime, evident with the babies' leg in the pot at the fireplace. Hunger in the painting is clearly illustrated with the dirty plate and empty basket of groceries on the table, and further by the conditions of the living space she is in. 

The Young Sorceress (1857)

It is a very late depiction of the long-standing fable of witchcraft: the young woman has an intense expression, as she is getting on her broomstick, being egged on by the spells of the old and wizened witch behind. The scene is filled with a variety of symbolic objects.

The Reader of Novels (1853)

This is one of his paintings that just has me so curious. Much is left for the viewer to fill. In the painting, there lies a nude woman who is reading a book right above her face. A mirror suspended on the right side of the painting reflects her body. The woman's clothes are on the beds foot while some garland are on the mirrors edge. Beside her on the bed are several other books, and the hand of a horned figure is reaching up to those books from below and behind a curtain.

Premature Burial (1854)

The painting visits a not uncommon dread in the nineteenth century: that of being presumed dead, buried, and then recovering to find yourself in a coffin. This did happen, particularly during cholera epidemics, as indicated by the lettering on the opening coffin.

The Beautiful Rosine (1847)

Wiertz painted a pretty model whose name he gives as Rosine. She stands in a state of undress, facing a skeleton slung from a metal eye screwed into the top of its skull. She looks up at the bones of the face, and the vacant eye sockets, with a faint wry smile on her face, as we are left to ponder the artist’s meaning.

[pmamtraveller]

SCENES FROM MODERN LIFE; THOMAS EAKINS

Thomas Eakins (1844–1916) was an influential American painter known for his realism and focus on the human form. His father was a calligrapher and writing teacher, and at first, that seems to have been Thomas Eakins’ direction, too. He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts where he learnt drawing and anatomy.

The Champion Single Sculls (Max Schmitt in a Single Scull) (1871)

Created to commemorate the victory of Eakins's friend, Max Schmitt, in a rowing competition on Philadelphia's Schuylkill River. Eakins, a passionate oarsman himself, depicted Schmitt in a moment of calm rather than in the throes of competition. The painting captures great detail in the water, oars, and weather, Eakins even included himself in the artwork, rowing in the background.

Portrait of Dr. Samuel D. Gross (The Gross Clinic) (1875)

It is a portrait of the renowned Philadelphia surgeon in the surgical amphitheater of Jefferson Medical College (now part of Thomas Jefferson University). Eakins includes himself in the painting, seated at the far left, sketching the scene. The patient's mother, who looks away and shields her eyes, unable to watch the surgery, is also included. The procedure took place before the advent of aseptic technique, so instruments were clean but not sterile, gloves and gowns were not worn.

Arcadia (c 1883)

This painting was an unusual venture into mythology, created during a period when Eakins was experimenting with photography. Eakins had bought his first camera in 1880 and started to use it as a photographic sketchbook. Although it can be read as another step in his campaign for painting from life, the work features models posed in a pastoral setting, including his future wife, Susan Macdowell, and his nephew, Ben Crowell.

Swimming (The Swimming Hole) (1885)

Bathers have been a popular and recurrent theme in paintings since the dawn of the art. Here, Eakins features identifiable figures, which are Eakins himself and several of his students. However, its exhibition in 1885 sparked controversy due to its graphic portrayal of nudity and identifiable figures. This backlash contributed to Eakins's resignation from the Academy in 1886 after a series of complaints about his promotion of nude studies.

The Agnew Clinic (1889)

This fine painting shows the surgeon performing a partial mastectomy, and the whole scene is a testament of how surgery had advanced in just fourteen years. The clean white gowns worn by the doctors, the use of sterilized instruments, techniques promoted by Agnew. Eakins completed the painting quickly, in just three months, rather than the year he took for his earlier masterpiece, The Gross Clinic.