The other day I went to the art museum by myself for the second time. I had to find a western American painting to write a paper on for my art history class. The funny thing is that while my professor told us that we should write it on one of the pieces at the museum, so far he’s told us in class that 3 of the paintings there are fakes. So I’m a little nervous to write my paper on a painting when I could go into next class and hear him say that it’s a fake and the subject of my paper is invalid. But I think I chose a good one and everything will be okay.
One thing that I didn’t know about the Phoenix art museum is that it has an incredibly famous painting, Jean-Leon Gerome’s Pollice Verso. I saw it last time I went and I was completely surprised, because I had no idea that it was in their collection. While I was looking at it again, one of the museum docents came up to me and started talking to me about it. She was like: “I bet you didn’t know that this is probably the most valuable painting here at the museum.” I told her that I did and agreed with her and told her that Gerome is an incredible artist. She was taken aback and asked me how I knew about him. I was a little surprised because the dude is famous. But I guess I shouldn’t have been too surprised because even on the information card about him it starts with the sentence: “Not many people have heard of the artist Jean-Leon Gerome….” I also told her that I was an art student but she was still surprised that I knew about him and asked me what I liked about the painting. (She was kind of creeping me out at this point) I told her that it’s just the detail and the way that he painted. You can tell he was very academically trained. There are also two bronze gladiator sculptures there too which are absolutely awesome. I wish I could have a copy of each one!
One thing that I didn’t know about the Phoenix art museum is that it has an incredibly famous painting, Jean-Leon Gerome’s Pollice Verso. I saw it last time I went and I was completely surprised, because I had no idea that it was in their collection. While I was looking at it again, one of the museum docents came up to me and started talking to me about it. She was like: “I bet you didn’t know that this is probably the most valuable painting here at the museum.” I told her that I did and agreed with her and told her that Gerome is an incredible artist. She was taken aback and asked me how I knew about him. I was a little surprised because the dude is famous. But I guess I shouldn’t have been too surprised because even on the information card about him it starts with the sentence: “Not many people have heard of the artist Jean-Leon Gerome….” I also told her that I was an art student but she was still surprised that I knew about him and asked me what I liked about the painting. (She was kind of creeping me out at this point) I told her that it’s just the detail and the way that he painted. You can tell he was very academically trained. There are also two bronze gladiator sculptures there too which are absolutely awesome. I wish I could have a copy of each one!
 |
| The Gladiator Painting! |
 |
| Gladiator studies |
Although tempted, I resisted telling her about how my art teacher said that some of their western paintings are fake. LOL! I’m sure it would have really irritated her. But it gets me wondering though about other paintings I’ve seen or looked at in museums. How many of them are fakes and I don’t even know it?
Oh speaking of paintings, I’ve always wondered what the Mona Lisa would look like if it were cleaned. It turns out that there is a copy of it that was just restored, and they think that the copy may have been made at the same time the mona lisa was being painted. (What I’m trying to say is that a younger artist was copying Leonardo as he was painting his version.) Whatever the case, here is the link to the article. And a comparison here.
After I browsed around I went to the museum store. I LOVE museum stores, they sell the strangest most eclectic things ever. I didn’t think I would really find anything, but I spotted something that I hadn’t seen before. It was this strange cement cube with one side of it hollowed out and a chrome drain on the top. I was really confused at first, but then I read the pamphlet near it and it said it was a Haisui Planter. Here is an excerpt from the pamphlet:
Have you ever seen plants growing out from odd places? Like from concrete walls or maybe drainages? Well, why not bring it home and see for yourself! “Haisui” drainage in Japanese, will allow you to enjoy the survival instincts of plants first hand.
LOL. Okay so it’s made in japan so some of the wording is a little strange…But anyway so you put some seeds into it and then you watch them grow through the drain! It says that each one is handmade, and I thought it looked really cool and reminded me of new York city and all the concrete there. I happened to look at the price and it was 50 dollars, but 75% off! Wow, only 12.50! I had to buy it. Now I’m very excited about it and I wonder what I should plant in it. It’s kind of funny that I’m going to be planting things and then watching them struggle and use survival instincts for my own amusement. Okay maybe its not that bad, but it’s a funny thing to think about.
Oh speaking of paintings, I’ve always wondered what the Mona Lisa would look like if it were cleaned. It turns out that there is a copy of it that was just restored, and they think that the copy may have been made at the same time the mona lisa was being painted. (What I’m trying to say is that a younger artist was copying Leonardo as he was painting his version.) Whatever the case, here is the link to the article. And a comparison here.
After I browsed around I went to the museum store. I LOVE museum stores, they sell the strangest most eclectic things ever. I didn’t think I would really find anything, but I spotted something that I hadn’t seen before. It was this strange cement cube with one side of it hollowed out and a chrome drain on the top. I was really confused at first, but then I read the pamphlet near it and it said it was a Haisui Planter. Here is an excerpt from the pamphlet:
Have you ever seen plants growing out from odd places? Like from concrete walls or maybe drainages? Well, why not bring it home and see for yourself! “Haisui” drainage in Japanese, will allow you to enjoy the survival instincts of plants first hand.
LOL. Okay so it’s made in japan so some of the wording is a little strange…But anyway so you put some seeds into it and then you watch them grow through the drain! It says that each one is handmade, and I thought it looked really cool and reminded me of new York city and all the concrete there. I happened to look at the price and it was 50 dollars, but 75% off! Wow, only 12.50! I had to buy it. Now I’m very excited about it and I wonder what I should plant in it. It’s kind of funny that I’m going to be planting things and then watching them struggle and use survival instincts for my own amusement. Okay maybe its not that bad, but it’s a funny thing to think about.
 |
| Haisui Planter! |
 |
| It looks so modern! |
 |
| The space to put some dirt and seeds. |
And on a last random note, I just have to say that it’s true what people say about the light rail here. There really are a lot of weirdos that ride it!! I think I got “holla’d” at least five times. The strange guys here at the stop actually talk to you and approach you. In nyc, even the hoodlums know when to not cross the line and bother you, but here its like they have absolutely no shame whatsoever. I just read a story the other day about a girl who was assaulted at the light rail station by a guy that was following her and then tried to get her to talk to him. Many guys think this sort of behavior to get a girls attention is funny and not hurtful, but trust me- females do NOT see things their way. We don’t see this kind of attention as flattering AT ALL. Maybe people don’t know how to act because mass transit of this type is new to them, or maybe they are all just legit crazy.
And on a last random note, I just have to say that it’s true what people say about the light rail here. There really are a lot of weirdos that ride it!! I think I got “holla’d” at least five times. The strange guys here at the stop actually talk to you and approach you. In nyc, even the hoodlums know when to not cross the line and bother you, but here its like they have absolutely no shame whatsoever. I just read a story the other day about a girl who was assaulted at the light rail station by a guy that was following her and then tried to get her to talk to him. Many guys think this sort of behavior to get a girls attention is funny and not hurtful, but trust me- females do NOT see things their way. We don’t see this kind of attention as flattering AT ALL. Maybe people don’t know how to act because mass transit of this type is new to them, or maybe they are all just legit crazy.
