Scary women

I haven't done an art post in a while. I'm ashamed to say i'm experiencing a temporary lack of enthusiasm for it. In fact i'm experiencing a lack of enthusiasm for being cooped up in the house on the computer altogether. I just want it to be spring or summer. I want to be camping in a field where the long grass is still dewy in the morning when i climb out of the tent and inhale the fresh, clean air. Then i'm walking through it, barefoot and bare-legged and when i kneel in it, i get red imprints of the grass on my legs. I've made a resolution to spend as much time outside this summer than i have ever done before. I want to have lots of things to do and even when i'm not doing anything, i'll be outside - whether it's just lying down in the garden or going for a walk. It just seems that i have to inundate my thoughts with boring crap right now in order to feel confident about my exams so i'm not worrying about what i'm going to do with my life throughout my long summer break. But i suppose things have to get worse before they get better! 

Before i start, i just wanted to post this Ray Lamontagne song, 'Empty', that came into my head as soon as i started chatting on about the grass, listen!:

(ooh i'm so pleased it decided to behave itself and stay in the middle like the rest of the text!)

Anyway, here's a couple of paintings where the women so super creepy and sinister. Almost like dead drag queens. I've looked around to find an explanation for why this is so, but have failed to do so...so feel free to speculate:

Arnold Bocklin - The Siren

My guess for this first painting is to do with the nature of the Siren. In Greek mythology, they were creatures like sea nymphs who by their sweet singing lured mariners to destruction on the rocks surrounding their island. This is sinister in itself so could be the reason for such a funny looking woman.

Pascal Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret - Ophelia

Well Ophelia is a character from Shakepeare's 'Hamlet' who goes mad and drowns herself in a river. In this painting she looks pale, ill, and her eyes just pop from her face - seemingly outlined by the dark circles around them. I would call this portrayal of Ophelia disturbing, but maybe that was the intention of the artist. I feel as if i'm answeing my own question in this post, but i suppose that's a good thing.

If you're interested in looking at more depictions of Ophelia, i've found this webite.

Well now i've sorted that one out, i really do love these artists so i think it would only be appropriate to post a few more of their paintings:

Pascal Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret - Last Supper

Pascal Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret - The Pardon in Brittany

I found the above painting really interesting as it's so realistic. I've nicked it from this website off this page. They've included some information so i thought i'd stick it in here:

The Brittany pardons (pilgrimages), held in small villages throughout this region of France, are yearly religious festivals at which remission of punishment due for sins is granted. Shown departing from a church in procession, the local inhabitants wear the traditional costumes reserved for the event. The almost photographic realism with which the artist has recorded this scene earned him great praise when the work was shown in the Salon of 1887 and at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1889.

Pascal Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret - Marguerite Au Sabbat

 This image ^ seems somewhat reminiscient of his 'Ophelia'. I think she looks distressed and as if she's suffering.

Arnold Bocklin - Island of the Dead

This painting ^ is the third of the five versions he produced of this painting, all slightly different. According to Wikipedia, it partly evokes the English Cemetery, Florence, close to his studio and where his baby daughter Maria had been buried. Poor guy :(

Arnold Bocklin - Lamentation Beneath the Cross

 Whilst trying to find a copy of this painting, i came across this web page which appears to be a record of a conversation between clever people who know lots about art. Or atleast more than me.

Arnold Bocklin - Spring in a Narrow Gorge

I took this image from this web page where i also learned that infact Adolf Hitler adored him and once owned 11 Böcklin paintings. Not sure what to think of that but i did know that Hitler was an artist himself. From what i can recall, he intended it to be his profession until he was rejected by some important art school that he'd set his sights on. 

Arnold Bocklin - Sorry i couldn't find the name of this one!

I hope you enjoyed these paintings. I'm on a bit of a roll and have 3 more posts i want to get done before i go to bed. Otherwise i know i won't do them all and i really want to! :S

Lots of love

Lucy

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