No matter how many times I return to this folder, no matter how many times I look at these artworks, I can never get bored of this collection. It's unique, it's amazing and limited when it comes to owning any of it as the artist lady is not selling anything. You can check my previous posts about the exhibition here:
I consider myself lucky to having been given the opportunity to visit the exhibition, before these paintings go back to the storage room and if you're an art lover, you can consider yourself lucky too as I can share the photos with you, here. Each painting has a deep meaning and you'll see why I'm saying that.
Flying Dutchman
For those of you who don't know what the Flying Dutchman is:
The Flying Dutchman (Dutch: De Vliegende Hollander) is a legendary ghost ship, allegedly never able to make port, but doomed to sail the seven seas forever. The myths and ghost stories are likely to have originated from the 17th-century Golden Age of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and of Dutch maritime power. The oldest known extant version of the legend dates from the late 18th century. According to the legend, if hailed by another ship, the crew of the Flying Dutchman might try to send messages to land, or to people long dead. Reported sightings in the 19th and 20th centuries claimed that the ship glowed with a ghostly light. In ocean lore, the sight of this phantom ship functions as a portent of doom. It was commonly believed that the Flying Dutchman was a seventeenth-century cargo vessel known as a fluyt. source
I've heard about the Flying Dutchman before, but I don't think I've seen it on canvas or on any other artwork. We all know a lot of famous stories, legends and most likely those are associated with an image in our minds, which is different for everyone. This is how the artist, Éva Barabás sees the Flying Dutchman.
This is a cropped photo for you to see the details, as it's totally worth it. I wanted to see where the artist puts the action in time and judging by the clothes, I'd say it could very well be in the 17th-century Golden Age.
If you don't know what the Dutch Golden Age means (I hope you do though):
The Dutch Golden Age was a period in the history of the Netherlands which roughly lasted from 1588, when the Dutch Republic was established, to 1672, when the Rampjaar occurred. During this period, Dutch trade, scientific developments, art and overseas colonisation was among the most prominent in Europe. source
Some of the biggest names when it comes to famous Dutch painters come from the Golden Age, like Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn and Johannes Vermeer. Both are my favorites.
Back to the painting, look at the details and the execution. How the layers and colors blend and how the golden light dominates, creating shadows of the crowd.
However, for me, Flying Dutchman means more than just this legend. It reminds me of the living legend Flying Dutchman, Epke Zonderland, the most amazing Dutch artistic gymnast, who left everyone with their jaw dropped countless times. Last time was at the London Olympics in 2012, when he was last to perform. I suppose everyone thought the ranking could not change anymore and the last participant can't influence much, but Epke Zonderland showed the world how wrong they were. Here is the video of his performance, please watch it as it worth gold in my opinion (he got the gold by the way) and you'll see why he is called The Flying Dutchman. I saw his performance live and don't think I can ever forget it. This guy was brilliant.
Jeanne d'Arc
I hope everyone here knows who Jeanne d'Arc or Joan of Arc is, if not, here it is:
Joan of Arc (1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronation of Charles VII of France during the Hundred Years' War. Claiming to be acting under divine guidance, she became a military leader who transcended gender roles and gained recognition as a savior of France. source
She's a well known historical figure, you could probably see her character in movies. The artwork most likely paints a real scene of her life as she dedicated her entire life to fighting for her country.
Somehow I find these paintings simple and marvelous. Their simplicity makes them excellent in my eyes. If you look at the clothes, you can see simple brushstrokes and the colors make a difference.
Desires
A little girl, and old man, a white horse and the rough waves of life. Look at the simplicity of the painting. How the artist highlighted the characters by using different shades.
Caryatid
If you know what caryatid means, you can see it on the canvas as well.
A caryatid is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head. The Greek term karyatides literally means "maidens of Karyai", an ancient town on the Peloponnese.
Caryatids were widely used by artists, architects and furniture designers as well. Famous buildings have caryatids in major European cities, like Paris, Strasbourg.
Kalotaszeg
At first glance I thought the painting is depicting a sad event. Maybe it is, but the title names a region in Transylvania. The folk costumes you see here are traditional and specific to that region and they are famous for that. Again, as I mentioned in my previous posts, the ratio between the characters and the church, the place of the church on the canvas indicates the power of religion in my opinion. I love this painting.
Who Are Still There
A similar scene with a different meaning. Again, the characters are placed at the bottom and the church at the top of the hill. The church had a key and central role in their lives, maybe still has today. However, life has changed, most of the inhabitants have left the village in pursue of a better life. Those who are still there have been left to keep the tradition going. It's the sad reality.
Maybe you remember I'm often asking the question we use in trading, which translated into art language means, If you would be able to buy only 5 paintings this year, would any of these be the ones? My answer to that question is a big Definitely! I love the style of the artist, the deep meaning each painting has.
If you're a newbie, you may want to check out these guides:
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