Featured New game: Yea or Nay?

No cat ....

 

I thought I saw another bird over there, yourturn. Some kind of ground dweller, like grouse.

 

Hmmmm ....... I wonder how that happened?

 

Brad, I was thinking maybe you did it intentionally... guess you did!

 

Not the same artist.

 

Well, I don't care for either of them. Of the two A is somewhat more pleasing.

A: The loaf of bread is bigger than the bird. There doesn't seem to be a perspective point. The bird top left is too big in comparison to the bird in flight. The partridge/grouse looks like it has a broken neck and is laying across the squash.

B: Not at all what I like. Shows a lot of discord. Not something one would want to look at in a relaxing moment.
Baker mentioned the long neck. That doesn't bother me as much as the deformed hand. To me she appears to be looking back over her shoulder, so how did she get her hand in that position. And as I said the hand is not shaped well.

 

Oh, I just saw the second picture of the partridge/grouse and now I see the head is not laying over anything. That appears to be the spout of a glass teapot.

 

A: A bit out of perspective done by some bird lover, but I don't care for it.

B: Discordant and reminds me of a certain hurricane that hit a nude in the center with a bunch of spanish moss lol.

I'm not hot on either of these. Thanks for this thread Brad.

 

Painting A: someone had too many pots of paint to play with. some of the individual birds are ok but the overall scene just lacks cohesiveness.

Painting B: Sybil's personalities all trying to escape at the same time!

 

A. Looks like a theatre backdrop. Artist doesn't paint bread or fruits very well. Someone has taken the time to do it so I admire that, looks like it's painted by a female artist. Not one I would keep on the wall.
B. I prefer this one. I think the composition is strong. Reminds me of a canal in an industrial area and the reflections in the water. Looks on the bottom right hand side as if woman is getting swallowed up. I'd say a male artist for this one.

 

Ha!!!! Sybil!!!!!
How many here even know who that is?
~
No......NOT on Moonlighting..............................sigh........................

 

A) Female......interesting.
B) I did see the canal reference but didn't state so.

 

A fun, challenge!

I read the earlier posts, went off to feed cats, and came back to post my thoughts when I found Houseful's post, with which I completely agree. I was very surprised that B. attracted little-to-no interest as that is the one I prefer, too. As with Pat P., I didn't notice the woman at first either.

I like the balance of the elements in B., such as the bright shots of color at the bottom that juxtapose the drab colors above. I like the soft, flowing (feminine) lines that envelope/ensnare the woman and provide a counterpoint to the rigid, vertical (phallic?) shapes on the top right...and speaking of phallic (forgive me), at the very center of that picture, in the light vertical divider, is what looked to me like an attempt to convey female genitalia. The whole thing conveyed to me an aura of male-female tension.

 

Well dissected.

 

Painting A: yes, I like it, but that being said, would not buy it! Kind of ethereal, and peaceful....somewhat muted tones. Colorful birds are nicely done too.
Painting B: don't really like it. Truthfully, didn't even see the woman until I read Gila's post!!! Not like me to miss that!!!!!

But this is fun Brad!! Keep 'em coming!!!

 

Great thought, Brad. You're going to analyze us. Fun time!!!

Here are my impressions: -

A. Nice, colorful. Immediate uninvited first thought was Religious, then Medieval. Then, unrealistic. No way would several different birds be feeding together. Last thought, not bad, OK, but not for my collection and probably couldn’t resell for a profit. Skip this one.

B. Hey, HON, got a response. We can write her off for future invitations. Her answer was, “Thanks very much for inviting me but I’m going to be tied up all weekend. “ Never did like her anyway.
As for the artist – Feel the same way. Too much effort put into making a statement that is still unclear as to what you’re trying to say. Force an answer from me – lacking talent – would title it “Sadistic.” NO THANKS!

 

I hesitate to offer an opinion ( Tomato head man ring any bells ? ) But A reminds me of a study for a mural for a dining room wall by a semi talented but amateur painter . The second one looks positively tortured ,like someone painted a perfectly acceptable 80's style lady and then freaked out on her . I actually like B , if it didn't have all those threads (?) or whatever the hell they are supposed to be . The first one I would have liked 30 years ago , when I was heavily into Victorian .

 

Looks like we may have exhausted the comments on this pair. It seems rather mixed as to whether or not people like or appreciate these paintings. They were chosen for their similarity in composition and lack of clear focus. I find the latter rather disconcerting in both. You really don't know what to look at and your focus darts about. It seems that many of you picked up on this immediately.

I am with most of you in that I think the artist of painting A had some talent but fell short on execution. The birds and other elements are well done but there are scale and perspective problems. I like the comment about this being dining room mural-like. I could see this hanging in a breakfast room but not in mine.

There is not a whole lot I like about painting B. I almost get the feeling that someone did a portrait and didn't like it so added all the other stuff over it. I would want to obliterate her myself ... LOL. I do rather like the comment that the woman is unraveling by threads.

Both paintings are by unknowns. Painting A is probably from the 40s and bears a monogram that I was never able to attribute. I think it is by an amateur with some experience. Painting B probably has more age than most would guess. The canvas is stretched and tacked rather than stapled, which tends to date paintings to the 60s or earlier. It is unsigned and I get a feeling that this is student work. Both paintings are sold.

Painting A got schlepped around for a few years including several stints on ebay at $99.00 with free shipping. I had it two separate times in my store at various prices. I finally traded it to another dealer who commented that she liked it as I was pulling it for a final time. The tag on it read $145.00 at that point. I offered it to her at $100.00 and she said she would think about it. I then countered that I would trade it for a large art deco lamp shade she had at a slightly higher list price and pay her the difference in cash ($20.00). She took it and I sold the shade with an appropriate chrome fixture I provided easily on ebay for $350.00.

Painting B sold first time I listed it on ebay for $99.00 with free shipping. I didn't have any competing bidders but it sold readily. Of the two paintings, I thought this one would have been the harder to sell. Obviously someone really liked it and comments here seem to suggest that it tends to elicit feelings at polar opposites. This may be better than a painting that is pleasant but doesn't elicit any strong feelings.

I will post another pair of paintings in a bit........