James Lileks: You Don't Have to be an Artist to Know What You Like

The Minneapolis/St Paul Star Tribune ^ | April 18, 2004 | James Lileks

[quidnunc]

It's almost a pleasure to have an art controversy about something that doesn't involve flaming blasphemy or elephant excrement, eh?

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts is about to sell "The Bohemian," a much-loved painting by William Bouguereau. If the auction brings the expected amount, the institute intends to buy a painting called "Battledore," by English artist Albert Moore. Fans of "The Bohemian" are upset, and if I can boil the argument down: We're trading Babe Ruth for a Little Leaguer.

Do you care? Of course. Because otherwise you would have bailed during the last paragraph. Let's review the case.

Bouguereau, an overly voweled Frenchman from the 19th century, is one of those painters who fell out of favor for a simple reason: He was very good. His work has a luminescent quality — take his works into a dark room and you can read small print by them. Looking at a Bouguereau, you can usually infer what it's about — meaning, you don't stand there wondering if you're looking at a picnic or an explosion in a slaughterhouse.

"The Bohemian," for example, shows a barefoot Romany child with a violin in her lap; Notre Dame rises in the mists behind her. It's the sort of painting that made people gag in '50s and '60s; sentimental, maudlin, and — shudder — attractive to behold. It's a wonder they didn't just feed it through the woodchipper 30 years ago so they could make room for a giant exhibition of large wooden boxes filled with smaller wooden boxes.

But somehow the painting survived. It's been in storage for years, and I found that surprising. Why? I remember it; I'm sure most people would pay it a visit every trip. Museums, however, sometimes take paintings away and put them in dark rooms for reasons not entirely clear, and think we all know why: Some disgruntled security guard drew a Hitler mustache on a pope with a Sharpie, and it'll take seven years to remove the ink with laser beams.

"Battledore," from pictures I've seen on the Web, is expertly painted. But you could say that about a suburban water tower, too. Let's tick off the problems:

-snip-

[stylin_geek]

bump

[EggsAckley]

What a beautiful painting!!

[Socratic]

Thanks for the post. This what the internet is all about; but so vast one never gets to see the little gems of shared values - whether art, life, the art of life, or the life of art. FreeRepublic fulfulls my passions on many levels.

[chesley]

For scans of dozens of Bourgereau's paintings, and other great painters from the Victorian period, and many other periods check out www.artrenewal.com. It is absolutely a fantastic site.

[AnAmericanMother]

This article isn't quite fair.

He makes the newer painting sound like a modern piece of trash. It isn't, it was painting around 1868. It's a well-done Victorian Classical-Revival work by somebody who's obviously a follower of Alma-Tadema.

Her feet aren't "hooves", and the drapery is well handled. She doesn't even look as much like an English girl de bonne famille, as Alma-Tadema's women usually look. She resembles a Roman portrait bust more than anything, and I'm sure the resemblance isn't accidental.

I can't fault the museum for seeking to expand their 19th century collection . . . these paintings went dead out of fashion years ago, and have only recently become valuable again.

[Yardstick]

Here's Moore's "Battledore":

http://www.artmagick.com/paintings/painting2382.aspx

[knuthom]

Here are pictures of them.

The Bohemian

Battledore

[Prime Choice]

There's just no comparison. "The Bohemian" is clearly a superior work, both in terms of artistic quality and impact. Battledore appeals to me about as much as a cold artichoke.

"Battledore"

"The Bohemian"

[Miss Marple]

Judging on technical merit, subject matter, color use, and background, I vote for "The Bohemian." No wonder there is a controversy!!

[knuthom]

A different painting came up when I searched under the name Battledore and the artist. Mine link is wrong, given the author's description.

[AnnaZ]

 His work has a luminescent quality — take his works into a dark room and you can read small print by them.

 

That actually isn't that much of an exaggeration. A computer screen will never do this one justice, but if you're ever in L.A...:

 

A Young Girl Defending Herself against Eros

William-Adolphe Bouguereau
French, about 1880
Oil on canvas
31 ¹/₄ x 21 ⁵/₈ in.
70.PA.3

	The J. Paul Getty Trust

 

[AnnaZ]

It's a well-done Victorian Classical-Revival work by somebody who's obviously a follower of Alma-Tadema.

Except for the lack of marble... LOL.

[Drammach]

Agreed, I think the article is unfair to Albert Moore's work.

http://www.kingsgalleries.com/1024x768/galleries/moore2.htm

[AnAmericanMother]

And look . . . here's the companion piece.

Obviously designed to flank a fireplace or door . . . a nice design conceit.

And I can see trading the little gypsy for this one. The feet in Bougereau's painting are extremely well modeled, but the upper body and head seem a little flat for one of his paintings.

[okie01]

"Obviously designed to flank a fireplace or door . . . a nice design conceit."

And, I guess, that's my problem with "Battledore" -- it's a graphic, a design element.

"The Bohemian", on the other hand, is art, a painting. It has a soul; "Battledore" doesn't.

[DakotaGator]

"The Bohemian" is alive. "Battledore" is wallpaper.

[TalBlack]

I have to say that that "drapery" though well drawn does look oddly flat. It strikes me as not belonging in the picture. I wouldn't be surprise if it turns out that someone didn't like the way the lady was dressed originally.

[Cicero]

Actually I rather like both paintings. The Moore painting looks a bit like the William Morris school of art. Why not sell some of their late 20th century schlock, keep The Bohemian, and buy Battledore as well?

[Prime Choice]

"The Bohemian" is alive. "Battledore" is wallpaper.

I vote this the best and most succinct review to date. Thanks!