What’s a lithograph?
A lithograph is a type of print that is made using hydrophobic (water hating/oil loving) and hydrophilic (water loving) areas of a surface, that can then be inked with oil based ink and printed on paper. It's actually a pretty chemical heavy, complex process but the result is usually a print that looks almost hand drawn. If you look at Alex Katz's "Blue Umbrella", for example, you can see at the edges of the lines and forms that it looks almost like it was drawn with crayon. This is because lithography basically allows you to make a reproducible image from a drawing done in wax crayon or pencil on a stone.
How come this Rodin statue has a blue/teal hue to it? All the other bronze statues have that familiar black/copper undertone. Is it a different material? Also, why is bronze black?
Each of Rodin's sculptures is treated with a combination of chemicals whose purpose is to change the surface color and finish, or patina, of the bronze cast. During his life, Rodin was very specific about the patina of his works with colors ranging from dark, almost black, to green, to even gold!
Dark brown patinas were achieved by applying potassium sulfides to the surface. Green is a natural result of oxidation of the copper in bronze but can also be achieved by adding chlorides to the surface.
You'll notice a sculpture that looks almost like gold in this show, which is much closer to the natural color of bronze. It is the bust of a woman called "Suzon."
Yeah Suzon looks like an Olympic medal. Every one else looks like they were hewn out of a mountainside. Thank you for your help!
How does one mold or shape bronze? It’s a metal right? So is a heated torch used? Or do you chisel it?
Bronze is actually cast! First you need to sculpt the work out of another material, in Rodin's case clay, and then make a mold into which molten bronze can be poured. Once the molten bronze is cool, you're left with a bronze version of the piece.
The exhibit talks about how many different sculptors and specialists worked for him, who he directed in the making of his works. What stages in the process was Rodin most involved with personally?
I supposed I would say that he was most involved in the sculpting in clay. That said he did continue to oversee the whole process. I don't think there was a defined point where he "handed it off."
The actual act of casting in bronze is a very technical process that required the expertise of a foundry.
Yes I watched the video! Amazing
Our next question is, what is the functionality of this hat’s huge brim? Is it purely decorative?
This hat's shape and color were an indication of status in Korean society during the Joseon period.
I'm not sure of the origin of the wide brim, but I do know that it was eventually banned by the government because it was deemed too large to be practical. If all of the officials wore these hats (which they often did for formal occasions) there was a limit to how many men--or rather, their hats--could fit in a room!
Ah! That’s hysterical! Thank you so much.
It says that the red on the women’s coffin as well as the gender pronouns were dismissed as mistakes
How frequently would red/gender pronouns be noted on the sarcophaguses? Like all of the women’s, or a select few?
It wasn't all of them. The phenomenon addressed in A Woman's Afterlife was especially prevalent in one particular time period on coffins like the one belonging to Bensuipet, the one in the gallery.
Coffins followed different trends during different time periods and there were even different types produced at the same time based on regional differences and what the deceased could afford.
So it’s a practice -female to male to back again- that was only in one particular time/sect? Thank you!
You're welcome!It's not actually clear when, where, or how long this belief was held in general. We only know when it was addressed in coffin decoration.
Tell me more.
This statue shows Amunhotep, son of Nebiry, with the typical accessories of a scribe, which show his intelligence despite not actually working as a scribe in his lifetime.
You can see another sign of his importance in the lines on his chest, which show his age and wealth in a very stylized way.
Why is this painting important?
That's a big question! Art is definitely subjective and what one person likes or considers groundbreaking isn't necessarily the same across the board.
One of the things that makes this work special is the technique and process that went into its creation.
The artist mixes lacquer with water, oil paint, and powdered pigments and applies many layers of different colors onto linen and wood.
The process recalls ink painting and lacquer production which are two techniques steeped in historical and cultural associations of China. But he has applied them to a distinctly contemporary art form.
How was the texture made on the halos? Was it scratched into plaster or a thick coat of paint or some other medium and then gilded?
The halos were executed in gold leaf applied to a gessoed wooden surface. The gold leaf was then applied and burnished to be smooth and lustrous. The textured design you see was applied after with incisions or punch marks.
Is there a name for that technique?
It’s simply referred to as “tooled gold.”
Who were the Burghers?
The Burghers of Calais were 6 prominent citizens who offered their lives to the English crown in exchange for the end of the siege on their city, the French town of Calais, during the Hundred Year's war between England and France! Ultimately, their lives were spared, but Rodin chose to depict them before they received that news, in a moment of despair.
