Celebrated the world over for dexterous works across the arts, Benvenuto Cellini struck a virtuoso performance through the skill of his hand and the intricate workings of his mind. That ‘the devil is in the detail’ duly applies to this polymath. For example, consider Perseus with the head of Medusa, a feat in bronze with … Continue reading Pass the Salt: Cellini’s Famed Salt Cellar
Among the grounds of Versailles, Le petit Trianon and its hamlet were Marie-Antoinette’s turn at the provincial life – as a hobbyist might take up historical re-enactment. A living, breathing, working set: Complete with rustic exteriors, windmill, bridge and players. The hamlet was a blend of fancy and function; as closely as it could be … Continue reading Marie Antoinette at Versailles: The Petit Trianon & Queen’s Hamlet
Dada and Surrealism respond to cultural circumstances, into which their respective aesthetic and ideological frameworks come into play. The dadaist response post-WWI is overtly politicised in Berlin, where the aftermath of war in Germany was felt acutely, providing a state of social and political disorder which German artists could exploit through the dada channel. Dada, … Continue reading Dadaism & Surrealism: Responses to Culture
Dada (1916-1924) and Surrealism (1924-1966) stand as two movements from markedly different time periods and cultural contexts. Both of these span artistic, literary and intellectual activity of the early 20th century, involving circles of writers, poets and visual artists who feed into a larger group output. Dada launched in 1916 in Zurich as a direct … Continue reading Dadaism & Surrealism: An Introduction
