Mart's Incoherent Ramblings

"Alexandre Cabanel (28 September 1823–23 January 1889) was a French painter.

Cabanel was born in Montpellier, Hérault. He painted historical, classical and religious subjects in the academic style. He was also well-known as a portrait painter. According to Diccionario Enciclopedico Salvat, Cabanel is the best representative of the L'art pompier and Napoleon III preferred painter[1].

He entered the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris at the age of seventeen. Cabanel studied with François-Édouard Picot and exhibited at the Paris Salon for the first time in 1844, and won the Prix de Rome scholarship in 1845 at the age of twenty two. Cabanel was elected a member of the Institute in 1863 and appointed professor at the École des Beaux-Arts in the same year.

Cabanel won the Grande Médaille d'Honneur at the Salons of 1865, 1867, and 1878.

He was closely connected to the Paris Salon: "He was elected regularly to the Salon jury and his pupils could be counted by the hundred at the Salons. Through them, Cabanel did more than any other artist of his generation to form the character of belle époque French painting" [2]. His refusal together with William-Adolphe Bouguereau to let the impresionists in the Salon lead to the establishement of the Salon des Refusés.

A great academic painter, his Birth of Venus is one of the most known 19th century paintings. The picture was bought by the emperor Napoleon III; there is also a copy in the United States. At the Metropolitain Museum of Art in New York City. Althought it is not the original. It is a smaller replica painted in 1875 for a banker, John Wolf. It was gifted to them by Wolf in 1893." (wikipedia)

further details of the concert can be found at

Rock For Wayne's Myspace Link

www.Wayne Thunder.com

Rest in peace wayne. Rock on

Francesco Goya, often referred to as the last of the old masters and first of the moderns. This dark painting is titled "Saturn Devouring His Sons" (not named by him) was originally painted on the walls of the house he lived in and not inteded for the public to see. There have been many attempts to explain the meaning behind this painting. Some people say that Goya is trying to portray Spain's dark time, cannibalising its own self, yet some say it is influenced by his many children's deaths (only 1 survived to adulthood). Yet no one can be certain as he didn't leave anything behind to investigate.

A friend of mine once commented that "An underlying belief that perfection can exist is what creates such disappointed expectations in the first place". That comment got me brain juices working. Because looking at the other end of the spectrum, there's also the quote that says "nothing is perfect". SO, what is the meaning of nothing, and what is perfect? I feel that the phrase "nothing is perfect" is a paradox because nothing does not exist (how can it exist when its "nothing") and if nothing does not exist, how can it be perfect?

Now, back to the first question, what is nothing? nothing cannot be something because it is nothing, it shouldnt exist and by calling nothing something, it wouldnt be nothing anymore wouldn't it. So does that mean when someone's trying to achieve perfection is actually doing nothing? and that perfection is achieved when nothing is present? but if nothing is present, how can it be perfect because perfection is something that exists and nothing is not nothing anymore...

Maybe it's because perfection and nothingness are abstract terms constructed by men. They do not exist nor co-exist. Therefore practicality speaking, there is no way we can attain perfection and yet no attempt ever produces nothing. The strive to keep nothingness away keeps people going forward and the reward is a step towards perfection and since these two concepts are impossible to attain, no one can be truly satisfied. This process of progress is called 'drive'. An individual's drive to succeed. Drive in some definitions would be to push forward, to propel or to move ahead. But question is, what are we moving ahead towards? What is the only thing that is certain to come our way

Death

so in the end we lose everything and end up with nothing...!?

just perfect

i don't know what i'm taking about :S

A very well known Dutch Painter during his time, specialising in still life. Personally i'm not a big fan of still life but these images are just amazing. It's not often i get to see deep contrasts of light and dark in paintings of flowers. Its interesting how he used a darker approach to turn a innocently pretty subject into a beautiful work of art.

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (July 15, 1606– October 4, 1669)

One of the greatest artists in european art history and arguably the father of modern composition. this is an image he created when his wife saskia lay in bed dying of tuberculosis.

Another one in the freedom series of paintings by Norman Rockwell, this one titled "Freedom Of Religion"

(February 3, 1894 – November 8, 1978)

"Freedom From Fear"

All Images Copyright to their respective artists. if i am in breach of any copyright infringement, please comtact me and i'll remove the images immediately

This has to be one of the most amazing paintings of all time, Nymphs and Satyr by William Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905)