Hi Art aficionado,
Here are some links for you:
• Pierpont Morgan acquired his first Rembrandt etching in 1900. The Morgan Library and Museum holds three hundred etchings by Rembrandt, and you can look at high resolution scans of them online.
Rembrandt's etchings are often studied for their intense narrative and technical skill. Even if you aren't a printmaker, take a moment to explore recurring themes of his compelling work in portraiture, landscape, the nude, Bible-scenes, and candid snippets of everyday life. #beinspired
• Have you heard the saying; You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with? (<--click the link to read more about it) In your immediate social circle, who influences you? The notion is based on social science, statistics and historical evidence.
Example: If you want to be an artist, how many full time artists are in your core group of friends? Are the folks in your chosen tribe lifting you up to be the best you can be, in the field you’re marching towards?
• I just finished listening to Toby Lester's fine book Da Vinci's Ghost. The author researches deep into the history of DaVinci's drawing of Vitruvian Man. Drawn in the 1400's, when most people could not read or write, the depiction of a circle, a square and a man was used to illustrate the cosmos. It's now one of most famous images in the world.
The details of Leonardo's life will be oddly familiar to some: he was self-educated, a vegetarian, and he had an active imagination & remarkable curiosity. He was also unable to secure steady patronage because he failed to meet deadlines. Leonardo was prone to wandering off in search of new projects, leaving patrons frustrated when commissions were never completed. If you're an artist, read this book. (You might also be interested in this article about Bill Gates' purchase of Leonardo's notebooks.)