# Favorite Paintings.



## MrMerlin777 (Aug 27, 2008)

A question for those here into visual art. What are some of your favorite paintings?

Here are some of mine.

Violin and Guitar - Pablo Picasso
Nighthawks - Edward Hopper 
Starry Night - Van Gogh
The Mona Lisa - Leonardo Da Vinci
The Scream - Edvard Munch

Just some of the many I like.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Aug 27, 2008)

http://www.puritanboard.com/f52/painting-3886/


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## TimV (Aug 27, 2008)




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## Seb (Aug 27, 2008)

For the classics I like most of Peter Paul Rubens works. 
One of my favorites of his is my current avatar: Abraham Meets Melchizedek

For more contemporary art I really like M.C. Escher and some of Salvador Dali's works.


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## Presbyterian Deacon (Aug 27, 2008)

*The Blue Boy -- Thomas Gainsborough*


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## Presbyterian Deacon (Aug 27, 2008)

*The Scream -- Evard Munch*


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## TimV (Aug 27, 2008)

I guess I'm as twisted as PD, as I also love that one


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## ColdSilverMoon (Aug 27, 2008)

Ohhhh..now you've started a great thread. Here's my all-time favorite, _The Execution of Lady Jane Grey_ by Paul Delaroche:


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## Presbyterian Deacon (Aug 27, 2008)

TimV said:


> I guess I'm as twisted as PD, as I also love that one




 I resemble that remark!


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## ColdSilverMoon (Aug 27, 2008)

Here's another great one, _Bird in the Airpump Experiment_ by Joseph Wright of Derby:


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## Marrow Man (Aug 27, 2008)

My favorite painting is van Gogh's _Starry Night_.

A close second -- and I hesitate to say this b/c it does technically violate the 2nd Commandment -- is Rembrandt's _Storm on the Sea of Galilee_. It was actually stolen a decade ago and has never been recovered.

No one can go and have a look in my basement, however...


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## ColdSilverMoon (Aug 27, 2008)

_Oath of the Horatii_, by Jacques Louis David


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Aug 27, 2008)

http://www.puritanboard.com/f52/vincent-van-gogh-30327/


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## ColdSilverMoon (Aug 27, 2008)

My favorite artist is William Bouguereau. He was criticized for being "sweet and sentimental" and was overshadowed by the Impressionists, who were just coming to prominence. But his technical ability is unmatched, in my opinion, and his figurative painting is superb. Unfortunately, most of his paintings contain either (non-sexual) nudity, images of Christ, or both. Here is one of my favorites that contains neither, _Le Lever_:


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## ColdSilverMoon (Aug 27, 2008)

Last one of the night, I promise. One of the most famous paintings of all time, _Las Meninas_, by Velazquez.


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## SolaGratia (Aug 27, 2008)

Who is the painter (Velazquez) with the brush, in the painting, looking at? 

That is the question in the Velazquez painting?


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## DMcFadden (Aug 27, 2008)

Presbyterian Deacon said:


>



That painting is located less than 2 miles away from me. My wife and I take walks several times/week and often end up near the Huntington library. We are annual members of the Huntington and she frequently does some of her reading in the beautiful gardens.

For my tastes, I prefer Rembrandt.


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## JBaldwin (Aug 27, 2008)

Seb said:


> For the classics I like most of Peter Paul Rubens works.
> One of my favorites of his is my current avatar: Abraham Meets Melchizedek
> 
> For more contemporary art I really like M.C. Escher and some of Salvador Dali's works.



I love to tell this true story about Salvador Dali. Many years ago, when I was visiting the Art Institute in Chicago, I stopped on my way out to look at the Salvador Dali paintings. At the time, I did not know who he was, nor did I (or do I now) care for his paintings. As I looked at the paintings a gentleman came up and stood behind me. Eventually, he tapped me on the shoulder. When I turned to look at him, I noticed he had a very interesting moustache. He asked me what I thought of the paintings. I replied, "They are good--_for what they are_." He said nothing, but continued to stand there and look at the paintings. 

I looked for a few more moments and then made my leave. A young man chased me down as I was leaving the room. He said, "Do you know who you were talking to?" "No," I said. "That--was Salvador Dali. He is teaching a class here this week." 

By the way, I am huge fan of the pre-Raphelites and Monet.


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## 21st Century Calvinist (Aug 27, 2008)

Oh come on y'all! I know you are all big Thomas Kinkade fans.
Personally, I like some of Dali's work. However, Rembrandt is my favorite. Also a fan of the Impressionists.


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## Southern Presbyterian (Aug 27, 2008)

I'm kind of partial to the work of Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams. 

[Sorry, I couldn't resist.]


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Aug 27, 2008)

ColdSilverMoon said:


> _Oath of the Horatii_, by Jacques Louis David


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Aug 27, 2008)

I am becoming a lover of Dutch Theology and Culture so it is fitting that this has always been my favorite...


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## ColdSilverMoon (Aug 28, 2008)

I like this one, _Police Verso_, by Jean Leon Gerome:


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## Seb (Aug 28, 2008)

ColdSilverMoon said:


> Ohhhh..now you've started a great thread. Here's my all-time favorite, _The Execution of Lady Jane Grey_ by Paul Delaroche:



I'm surprised at how emotionally moved I am by that painting.


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## ColdSilverMoon (Aug 28, 2008)

Seb said:


> ColdSilverMoon said:
> 
> 
> > Ohhhh..now you've started a great thread. Here's my all-time favorite, _The Execution of Lady Jane Grey_ by Paul Delaroche:
> ...



Try seeing it in person (National Gallery, London)...it's definitely one of the most moving works I've seen. Lady Jane Grey was a champion of the Reformed faith in England. You can see this painting and then head up to the British Library to see and read original letters she wrote - amazing faith and theological insight, especially for a 17 year old!


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## mvdm (Aug 28, 2008)

Albert Bierstadt. It is said that the subject of his painting is not nature itself, but the Creator. You can see how he directs you *through* and *past* the landscape and points you to the Creator. 

This one adorns my fireplace: 

http://imagecache5.art.com/images/-...2006-sierra_nevada_in_california-Z00D6UYQ.jpg


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## D. Paul (Aug 28, 2008)

ColdSilverMoon said:


> Ohhhh..now you've started a great thread. Here's my all-time favorite, _The Execution of Lady Jane Grey_ by Paul Delaroche:



Please, what's the story behind this? (I'm sure I can "google" it, but I'd like to hear you tell it.)


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## SueS (Aug 28, 2008)

Seb said:


> ColdSilverMoon said:
> 
> 
> > Ohhhh..now you've started a great thread. Here's my all-time favorite, _The Execution of Lady Jane Grey_ by Paul Delaroche:
> ...






Same here - I always get choked up when either seeing it or reading about her death.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Aug 28, 2008)

My ancestor, Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger, was involved in the attempt to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne and his Protestant rebellion against Queen Mary played a role in her death even as it lead to his own execution at the Tower of London.


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## SueS (Aug 28, 2008)

D. Paul said:


> ColdSilverMoon said:
> 
> 
> > Ohhhh..now you've started a great thread. Here's my all-time favorite, _The Execution of Lady Jane Grey_ by Paul Delaroche:
> ...





Let's see if I can remember it from memory.....

Jane Grey was the daughter of one of the English nobility and 3rd or 4th (?) in line for the crown, being a cousin of Edward, the son of Henry VIII, and like him, was Reformed. She was highly educated and mentored by some of the early English reformers and was forced into a political marriage with (can't remember his first name) Dudley, and when the frail Edward died, she was elevated to the throne rather than Edward's half sister, Mary, of "Bloody Mary" infamy with the expectation that Dudley would be the real ruler. There was quite a bit of political infighting and after a period of only nine days, Mary seized power, arresting both Jane and her husband for high treason. They were both sent to the Tower of London - Jane was housed in a suite of rooms there and permitted two women companions. She was imprisoned for a little more than a year during which time she was constantly harrassed by agents of Mary and the Catholic church to recant her Reformed beliefs and return to Rome with the guarantee that her life would be spared if she did. At one time she was interrogated by a panel of Catholic clergy and admirably stood up to their questioning. 

In the end, she was beheaded. The picture shows how, while blindfolded, she groped for the chopping block and had to be shown where it was.

Lady Jane Grey was executed in February (?) of 1555. She was several months past her 17th birthday.


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## ColdSilverMoon (Aug 28, 2008)

SueS said:


> Let's see if I can remember it from memory.....
> 
> Jane Grey was the daughter of one of the English nobility and 3rd or 4th (?) in line for the crown, being a cousin of Edward, the son of Henry VIII, and like him, was Reformed. She was highly educated and mentored by some of the early English reformers and was forced into a political marriage with (can't remember his first name) Dudley, and when the frail Edward died, she was elevated to the throne rather than Edward's half sister, Mary, of "Bloody Mary" infamy with the expectation that Dudley would be the real ruler. There was quite a bit of political infighting and after a period of only nine days, Mary seized power, arresting both Jane and her husband for high treason. They were both sent to the Tower of London - Jane was housed in a suite of rooms there and permitted two women companions. She was imprisoned for a little more than a year during which time she was constantly harrassed by agents of Mary and the Catholic church to recant her Reformed beliefs and return to Rome with the guarantee that her life would be spared if she did. At one time she was interrogated by a panel of Catholic clergy and admirably stood up to their questioning.
> 
> ...



That's pretty much exactly right. Of note, she did not want to be Queen - she was more or less tricked into it by her ambitious father. He brought her to London and when she exited the carriage everyone bowed to her, which was shocking since she didn't know she was the Queen! Also, technically Bloody Mary did have the legitimate claim to the throne. But her taking the throne and executing a more or less uninvolved Jane was both a political and religious statement. 

Just FYI, she was the granddaughter of Henry VIII's sister - I think that makes him her great-uncle. And her husband by forced marriage was Guildford Dudley. Though to his credit, he did seem to truly love her. You can still see where he scratched her name on the wall of his prison cell in the Tower of London. You can see her grave in the Chapel St. Peter Ad Vincula, along with Anne Boleyn's. Jane is one of my favorite figures in English history, though her story is a tragic one....


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