A Valentine’s ode to art’s inspirations. “Idyllic as it may sound, the relationship between artist and muse is not all sonnets and elegantly reclining nudes. A muse is as likely to be seduced, harangued and assaulted as courted, praised and revered. One moment she is an all-powerful goddess, the next a put-upon working girl.” – The Times (UK)
Tag: 02.14.00
NAZI PLUNDER
The Nazis stole 600,000 pieces of art in Germany and the countries they occupied during Hitler’s 12 years in power, says the U.S. government’s top expert in stolen art from that era. – The Oregonian (AP)
HAVE A COW
The New York Foundation for the Arts has pulled out of administrating a major city-sponsored art project this summer to paint and display 1,000 fiberglass cows. The city had sought to have the foundation impose a rule on artists stating: “Designs that are religious, political or sexual in nature will not be accepted.” – Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (New York Daily News)
GET YER RED HOT RODINS…
Florida bargain hunter says she bought a Rodin drawing at a gift shop for $1.99. – Yahoo (Reuters)
ALL ABE ALL THE TIME
Chicago bookstore wins “Niche-Of-The-Year” award by making a go of selling only books and memorabilia related to Abraham Lincoln. – Publishers Weekly
NAZI PLUNDER
The Nazis stole 600,000 pieces of art in Germany and the countries they occupied during Hitler’s 12 years in power, says the U.S. government’s top expert in stolen art from that era. – The Oregonian (AP)
TIME-SHARE ART
London group gets together to buy art. Their combined funds and expertise about contemporary art give them a leg up on the market. – The Telegraph (UK)
STAN THE MAN LEE RIDES AGAIN
Comics legend Stan Lee (“Spider Man” Fantastic Four”) has a prescription for fading comics. Take ’em to the web with a new way of making them: “simple online animated shorts Lee calls “webisodes.” Designed to accommodate slower modems, they will run between 3 and 5 minutes–complete with bone-crunching, cape-swishing sound–and take between 1 1/2 and 3 minutes to download at 28.8K.” – Time
PORTRAIT OF WAR
During the First World War, Canadian artists painted war scenes, though not in the heroic European tradition. These are canvases to discourage the proposition of war. The canvases, packed away for decades, are now to be seen again. – Maclean’s
- The war “when Canada became a nation.” – National Post (Canada)
MOZART MYTH
Contrary to popular legend, Mozart was not the victim of foul play, says a professor of medicine. It was a case of severe rheumatic fever. – Singapore Straits Times