Art--You Philistines

[de officiis]

Those are cool. I never knew a housecat could be so terrifying.

[Hastur]

Those are cool. I never knew a housecat could be so terrifying.

[Montegriffo]

$450 million for transvestite Jesus sets new record for piece of art.

[Fife]

$450 million for transvestite Jesus sets new record for piece of art.

Well, that's clearly proof of, . . . what?

[SuburbanFarmer]

$450 million for transvestite Jesus sets new record for piece of art.

Well, that's clearly proof of, . . . what?

A new outfit for Barbie, I guess.

[Montegriffo]

[Hastur]

$450 million for transvestite Jesus sets new record for piece of art.

Well, that's clearly proof of, . . . what?

BREAKING DOWN 'Scarcity Principle'
When a product is scarce, consumers are faced with conducting their own cost-benefit analysis, since a product in high demand but low supply will likely be expensive. This means that the consumer should only take action and purchase the product if he or she sees a greater benefit from having the product than the cost associated with obtaining it.

[de officiis]

New Portrait of Lord Nelson Found, Scars and All

The average American may only be vaguely familiar with Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, the British Navy admiral and hero of the Napoleonic Wars. But to the United Kingdom, he is like George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant and George Patton rolled into one. In general, portraits of the genial general and naval genius show him in a flattering light. Some depict him as almost divine. But Camilla Turner at The Telegraph reports that a recent re-discovery of a long lost painting aims for realism, showing his battle scars and war-weary face in a way other artists avoided.

Turner reports that the image is a painting completed by Italian artist Leonardo Guzzardi in 1799. It is one of a series of portraits painted by Guzzardi depicting the naval hero. In his paintings, Guzzardi did not shirk from showing the wounds on Nelson’s face or his missing arm (after losing it in battle, he apparently returned to giving orders just half an hour after the amputation, according to personal accounts). But over the years, institutions that own those portraits, some of which just show Nelson’s face and some of which depict his entire figure, painted over or lightened the facial disfigurement.

In fact, Turner reports that the same had been done to the rediscovered painting, which was found in an American collection by art dealer Philip Mould. During a restoration effort, the paint was removed, revealing the original reddish wound and missing eyebrow.

“Nelson is emaciated and battle worn, with a scarred head, a missing arm (undetectable in the rendering), a blood-shot eye, and largely missing eyebrow,” Mould writes in a description for the portrait, now on display (and for sale for an undisclosed price) from Philip Mould & Company. “The portrait is uncompromising, so much so that one past owner, no doubt discomforted by the broken eyebrow, had it painted in to match that on the right.”

Mould tells Turner the experience was like “reversing plastic surgery.” “Seeing the scar emerge was a remarkable moment—Nelson the human replaced the more heroic projection,” he says.

[Montegriffo]

A watercolour thought to be painted by Adolf Hitler has sold at an auction in Germany for 130,000 euros (£103,000; $161,000).

The 1914 painting of Munich's city hall was put up for sale by two elderly sisters. Their grandfather had bought the painting in 1916.

A private buyer from the Middle East, who wished to remain anonymous, bought the work, auction house Weidler said.

Experts generally consider Hitler's artworks to be of poor quality.

The auction was held in the central German town of Nuremberg.
The original bill of sale was included with the painting, which contributed to the relatively high selling price, auction house director Kathrin Weidler said.

The sellers would donate 10% of the proceeds to a charity that helped disabled children, Ms Weidler added, according to Reuters news agency.

Previous sales of Hitler's art have caused controversy, and been criticised by some relatives of Holocaust survivors.

As a young aspiring artist, Hitler sought admission to the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, but was rejected.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30160663

[SuburbanFarmer]

A watercolour thought to be painted by Adolf Hitler has sold at an auction in Germany for 130,000 euros (£103,000; $161,000).

The 1914 painting of Munich's city hall was put up for sale by two elderly sisters. Their grandfather had bought the painting in 1916.

A private buyer from the Middle East, who wished to remain anonymous, bought the work, auction house Weidler said.

Experts generally consider Hitler's artworks to be of poor quality.

The auction was held in the central German town of Nuremberg.
The original bill of sale was included with the painting, which contributed to the relatively high selling price, auction house director Kathrin Weidler said.

The sellers would donate 10% of the proceeds to a charity that helped disabled children, Ms Weidler added, according to Reuters news agency.

Previous sales of Hitler's art have caused controversy, and been criticised by some relatives of Holocaust survivors.

As a young aspiring artist, Hitler sought admission to the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, but was rejected.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30160663

Don't know how they judge such things, but that's a lot better than I could do with watercolors.