Watteau at the Met & at the Frick; New Art Books; Short Fiction & Poetry; Extensive Calendar of Events…And More! ART TIMES Vol
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Inside: Raleigh on Film; Bethune on Theatre; Behrens on Music; Trevens on Dance; Seckel on the Cultural Scene; Hendler on Long Island Artscene; Watteau at the Met & at The Frick; New Art Books; Short Fiction & Poetry; Extensive Calendar of Events…and more! ART TIMES Vol. 26 No. 3 Nov/Dec 2009 Watteau at The Met & at The Frick By RAYMOND J. STEINER Watteau, his time, and selected col- (French, Italian, Austrian INASMUCH AS I find it increasingly leagues, both concentrate on an era of and Czech painters) com- more difficult to find exhibitions that fine draftsmanship and composition prise the exhibition — the I care to spend time at, it is hearten- that is certainly welcome to many of whole a grand presenta- ing indeed to find two outstanding today’s viewers and, assuredly, both tion of its central theme: shows* almost “across the street” well worth a visit for the aficionado the interplay of the arts of fine art. in subtle line, color and form, equally obvious in the drawings, paintings, porcelain figurines and musical instruments that are included in the show. In an era when cultural sensitivity was refined almost to the breaking Jean-Antoine Watteau (French, 1684-1721) Studies point, Watteau and his of a Flutist and Two Women, ca. 1717 Red, black, and white chalks on buff laid paper, colleagues went all out (Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art) to demonstrate just how powerfully effective in expression Music at Case Western Reserve Uni- the artist could be. Compared to the versity, and Katharine Baetjer, Cura- effusion of proletarian, political, and tor of European Paintings at The Met, starkly prosaic “art” of today, the the ingenious intertwining of the arts sheer gorgeousness of this show is al- splendidly highlights just how much most overwhelming, forcibly remind- can be derived by going beneath the ing the viewer of just how much we surface message of visual creativity. lost when we ousted beauty from the Although the paintings are gloriously modern artist’s repertoire. Conceived lush, for this viewer, the drawings by Georgia J. Cowart, Professor of Continued on Page 5 Jean-Antoine Watteau (French, 1684-1721) Three Studies of Seated Women, ca. 1717 Red, black, and white chalk with graphite on gray-brown laid paper, (Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art) from one another. Although one of Since it is scheduled to close ear- the exhibitions closes at the end of lier, I shall begin with “Watteau, this month, there is still time for Music, and Theatre” at The Metro- viewers to take in “Watteau, Music, politan. Some 60+ works — paint- and Theater” at The Met and “Wat- ings, drawings, engravings, as well teau to Degas” at the Frick in a lei- as Meissen porcelain figures and surely one-day visit to New York City period musical instruments nestled — something I did in preparation for in amongst the works of about a this review. Both venues center on dozen of Watteau’s contemporaries CSS Publications, Inc. Support the Arts; PO Box 730 Enrich your Life Mt. Marion, NY 12456-0730 www.arttimesjournal.com 845-246-6944 Jean-Antoine Watteau (French, 1684-1721) Italian Comedians, ca.1719 Red, Subscribe to ART TIMES black, and white chalks, with stumping, on cream laid paper, (Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art) ART-LITERATURE-DANCE-MUSIC-EXHIBITIONS-THEATRE-FILM-ART-LITERATURE-DANCE-MUSIC Nov/Dec 2009 ART TIMES page 2 Peeks and Piques! ART TIMES Commentary and Resource for the Fine & Performing Arts CATHARSIS COMES IN many guis- years ago when fire devastated my in my study, I broke for lunch and, ART TIMES (ISSN 0891-9070) is published bi- es … sometimes purposely sought boyhood home in Brooklyn, New York since the weather permitted, decided monthly by CSS Publications, Inc. with copies after, at other times imposed by — for — a mind-searing incident that has to begin a Spring ‘ritual’ that I have distributed along the Northeast Corridor primarily want of a better term — Life. My writ- never totally been erased from my been practicing for over twenty-five throughout the Metropolitan and Hudson Valley Regions, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jer- ing of The Mountain was one of the memory. This time, although it was years — the maintenance of our sey each month. Copies are also available by mail former instances. I had accumulated not my home, the fire was dramatic equipment for the coming season of to subscribers and arts organizations throughout the US and abroad. Copyright © 2009, CSS Publi- an unwieldy amount of information enough to be equally memorable. growth and rebirth. My first task is cations, Inc. about art and artists over the past Situated in an out-building about 60 to ready the tractor/lawnmower by Publisher: Cornelia Seckel thirty-or-so years — too much to keep feet from the house, my ‘haven’ was a taking it outside the shop so that I Editor: Raymond J. Steiner neatly in my head — so I thought I’d walled-off space that I had carved out can better grease parts, change oil, Contributing Writers: Henry P. Raleigh Robert W. Bethune kill two birds, so to speak, by writing from a larger building that housed etc. My routine is to put the lawn Ina Cole Dawn Lille a book that would not only put things our equipment and tools — trac- tractor on a battery charger for an Frank Behrens Francine L. Trevens in some order and empty my over- tor/lawnmower, tiller, various power hour or so — which I did after lunch. Ginger Lee Hendler flowing mind but also, at the same and hand tools — in short the stan- Next is to top off the gas tank — which Subscription Rates: USA: $18 /1 year $34 /2years time, serve as a form of ‘payback’ to dard paraphernalia that makes up a I did after unplugging the charger. Foreign: $35 /1 year $45 /2 years all those artists who helped flesh out workshop. I had insulated my study Sometime a little after four in the Contact for Print and Online Advertising Rates: the book by contributing their indi- against the odors and mess next door afternoon, I went out to start the CSS Publications, Inc., PO Box 730, Mt. Marion, NY, 12456. Phone or Fax (845) 246-6944; vidual stories and experiences over and there I kept my notes and files on tractor and move it outside — which email: [email protected] those years. My original intention art and artists (two small file cabinets did not happen. There was a burst Web site: www.arttimesjournal.com of writing a straightforward book on that had all the background ‘stuff’ on of flame when I turned the ignition Deadline for Advertising is June 15 for Jul/Aug; the course of American art gradually individual artists, local lore, Wood- switch and I immediately jumped off Aug 15 for Sep/Oct; Oct 15 for Nov/Dec; Dec 15 for Jan/Feb; Feb 15 for Mar/Apr; Apr 15 for May/Jun. morphed into a novel and, for better stock history and events that went the tractor to see if I could extinguish Items for inclusion in the Calendar and Oppor- or worse, The Mountain was the re- into The Mountain), my oil paints, it. As I frantically tried to smother tunities section must be emailed, mailed or faxed to the ART TIMES office by the 12th of the preceding sult. Whether I successfully put all of canvases, brushes, palette knives, (I the fire with a piece of plastic tarp publication month. Email for guidelines. my thoughts in linear order and hon- am, as some know, a ‘Sunday After- (the only thing handily available) I ART TIMES solicits short fiction and poetry — see ored all those who contributed to its noon’ plein-air painter — I had, in realized that, in the process of trying our listing in Writer’s Market, Fiction Writer’s Market, Poet’s Market and other trade magazines final form — only readers of my novel fact, a view of an Alpine path I had to extinguish the flame, I was lean- or send a legal-sized Self Addressed Stamped can determine that — it was clear to painted during our trip to Aminona, ing over the gas tank! Reason clicked Envelope (SASE) for Guidelines. Guest articles on me that translating my thoughts into Switzerland, propped up in a corner in, and I ran to the house and dialed the arts are also considered but must be preceded by a written Query. Our “Speak Out” section is a words proved to be a major cathartic so that I might assess its good and bad 911. By the time I came back out, the forum for reader’s relevant opinions on art-related experience. For weeks after I’d put the points in between reading or writing), tractor was engulfed in flames that matters; viewpoints expressed in the “Speak Out” section are not to be construed as positions held final tweaks in — and made the final a Julian easel (a gift from my friend quickly spread throughout the shop. by the publisher, editor or staff of this publication. touches on — the manuscript, I felt Chen Chi), sketch pads, my books on The fire-trucks had come within min- Queries, Mss. without SASE included will not be acknowledged. We do not accept electronic submis- incredibly clear, lightened of a burden art and philosophy, posters, several utes (thank God for volunteer firemen sions. Sample copy: 9x12 SASE. that had been slowly building over works of art by others, a large antique whose Easter dinner I had so rudely ART TIMES welcomes your letters and comments.