Thursday, 5 June 2014

Mini-Post: Allegory of the Cold-Blooded Murderbabies



Look at this statue and tell me what you see.
 
No sculptures were harmed in the making of this sculpture.

If you thought, “JESUS CHRIST! THOSE BABIES JUST BEHEADED A DUDE!!” then you are not alone.

It turns out that it is an allegorical representation of painting and sculpture, by Jean-Pierre-Antoine Tassaert, a Flemish sculptor well known for having far too many first names.  The problem with allegorizing sculpture in a sculpture is that you can’t tell what is supposed to be the sculpture-in-sculpture.  It doesn’t help that the product is not, say, a full human form, or even a bust.  Who sculpts a decapitated head by itself?  


That expression suggests the terror of one about to meet his maker.  Although in this case, I suppose that’s not far off.  I would be terrified to learn my maker was a kid with a hammer poised over my skull, too.

Thursday, 29 May 2014

Mythology of the EPA Building: Gods, Nudity, and Animal Furniture



The Environmental Protection Agency: that bastion of protecting the land, water, and air, insofar as it is not more profitable to do otherwise.  It turns out their building is pretty dramatic, too.  It’s not so much green as it is “hulking stone.”  Now you, too, can experience its wonder and majesty through the power of my crummy photography.

A series of faces lines the border of the building.  Some of them seem to be related to crops, like this corn-lord….
 
With a face that says, if you try to turn me into high fructose corn syrup one more time, I will ram my cob up some orifices you will find unpleasant

Or his girlfriend, the Dame of Wheat.
 
Part Harvest Goddess, part Princess Leia, all vacant eyes that will steal your soul

Some of them are more concerned with animals.  Here a man with epic facial hair wears a stylish lion hoodie.
Lions: No. 1 Animal Concern in the U.S.

Or this man, who is adorned with…I want to say an angry Bulbasaur.
 
Did you know that due to their popularity in bloodsports, the Pokemon is a highly endangered species?

There are more detailed vignettes adorning the top of the building, that almost invariably involve naked people using large animals as lounge chairs.

You can lounge naked on a bull.


Or on a horse. Perhaps you would enjoy having an eagle stroke your rod while doing so.


My personal favorite is this lady lounging on a hippocampus, a.k.a. mer-horse.


Note the creature’s shocked and indignant expression as she gently caresses his tail.
 
I say, madam!  Some decency, please.

The dolphins are getting the heck out of dodge before things get out of hand.

The central image combines these elements and more: naked bull lounging, naked horse lounging, an eagle eying up a torch for nuzzling potential, a half-dressed lady ready to start some forest fires, and a naked male that is either a dwarf or an extremely well-developed young boy.  


Perhaps the latter highlights the benefits of overconsumption of hormones in food and water?

Sunday, 25 May 2014

Return of the Review: Weirdos in the Wings Edition



Welcome to part two of the two-part series “Madonna and Baby Jesus” as found at the National Gallery of Art in DC.  This time, it’s all about the entourage of onlookers.  After all, when your hobby is standing around staring at a mother and baby all day, you’re probably a little eccentric.  Once again, all of these images are available in high res at the gallery website.
 
Madonna and Child with Saint Jerome and Saint Bernardo of Siena – Benvenuto di Giovanni, c. 1480/1485

My first thought on seeing this was that it had an adorable little girl with Mary.  However, my second observation on the full size version in person was Holy moly, look at St. Jerome’s luscious eyelashes!
 
Maybe he’s born with it….

I realize that I have trained myself to look for weird things, but seriously, they are way more defined than anyone else, including Mary.  Did St. Jerome have a secret in his closet?  Was his inclusion in the painting sponsored by Maybelline? 

My third thought was that Jesus seems to have fallen in with the pipe plants from Super Mario Brothers at a very young age.
 
Pomegranates: Downfall of Italians since 1480

Moving on to other quirky saints…
 
Madonna and Child with Saint Anthony Abbot and Saint Sigismund – Neroccio de’ Landi, c. 1490/1495

Besides the fact that St. Sigismund looks like he belongs in the most flamboyant of the Hogwarts houses, the main reason this is here is because I love St. Anthony’s adorable pig. 


There are various theories why St. Anthony was often depicted with pigs.  Some legends have it that he was a swineherd before he became a saint.  Maybe it’s a holy pig.  Or an angel pig!  It’s just keeping its wings hidden because if it were to fly, it would make a lot of uncreative swearers unhappy. 

Some angels and saints just have better things to do than gawking at babies.
 
Madonna and Child with Saints and Angels – Bernardo Daddi, 1330s

Big entourage here.  A lot of really ostentatious halos blocking the view for people in the back.  Down front, a couple of angels desperately try to entertain their infant god…
 
Quick! How do you play the Teletubbies theme again?

…but he is far more interested in a bird someone is offering him, as he has a demonstrated interest in mauling small fowl with his bare baby fist.
 
I’m crushing your head!

But at least some of the crowd are making their own entertainment.
 
He he. Hehehe.

This lady is way more interested in tooting her own horn than in paying attention to babies.  And from the snicker her friend is giving her, I assume she is just using it to make fart noises.

Finally, I leave you with this.
 
Madonna and Child with Angels – Sandro Botticelli (attributed), 1465/1470

Two observations:

  • Jesus has no neck.
  •  Those angels would rather be doing anything else.

Holy crap…not ANOTHER diaper…