Featured New game: Yea or Nay?

Painting A
I can appreciate the bold strokes of facial structure... it has a rather haunted (or maybe detached) expression, for me. Looks 1800's-ish. I get a very chilly feeling from the colors. I wouldn't buy it, but if somebody gave it to me (somebody who visits my house, anyway!) I would hang it on a wall by a window, with her looking out. Her mood would suit Cleveland's usual weather.
Painting B
Yikes, he looks messed up! Or maybe the artist is just taking "license" to show ugly or difficult aspects of human nature. Either way, he needs some lovin'. Unlike the first painting, I do feel a warmth, an aliveness, even with the pain (literal or figurative). Again, I wouldn't buy it for myself, but I know a Hipster I might invite to view it! If somebody gave it to me (and again, somebody who's gonna expect to see it displayed)... I guess I'd just lean it against some books in the bookcase, maybe near some 1950s-60s titles relating to teens or swingin' sixties or such.

Another interesting pair, Brad! A real contrast, for me. If pushed to choose, I guess I like Painting B better, although my idea about Painting A looking out a window kinda intrigues me.

 

I prefer Painting A between these 2. I see the subject in A as a strong, early to mid-20th century woman - an artist herself, perhaps? I see a determined face. Although not classically beautiful, nicely painted (watercolor?) in this "light and shadow" style. I'm hoping she is identified somewhere.

I can only imagine B hanging in a gallery show featuring the down-trodden, homeless, beat up and beat down. He's got a puffy black eye on his right (our left), an almost invisible one on his left (our right), a generally vacant look (mouth hanging open a bit) and a deformed right side (our left) all of which make me feel that he's recently been in a fight. Either that, or the artist did a lousy job of depicting him.

He's depressing, as King has mentioned, and I don't think all that well painted. If he was one of the population I described above I would hope that the artist would have done something to make him look more sympathetic. If he was someone else, I hope he didn't have to pay the artist for this.

 

I think the artists of both A and B had talent and both paintings have merit. Neither fit exactly with the kinds of portraits I usually like, although A comes closer than B.

I agree with what's been posted previously that B has more "life"... gives me more of a sense of the artist capturing a moment in time rather than just capturing what someone looked like.

It seems to me that A may be unfinished, just a sketch done during a class or a session, never meant to be framed. B, on the other hand, does look more finished.

 

I neither like them nor hate them, but might hang the 2nd one in the powder room across from the toilet to encourage my guests bowles to flow more freely !

 

I like the one with the food in it the best of the three. And you are saying that one has the same signature as Painting B does?

 

Yes. In pair #4, painting B of the fish platter still-life is by V. Wheeler. He/she also did the still-life with the pineapple in it. I just put it up for comparison in my concluding remarks.

 

I can't say any of them are really my style. Then again this is from someone with signed prints of communication satellites on her bedroom wall. (and no I'm not kidding) Of the last two, if I had to pick one I'd pick the lady. The gentleman just looks like 20 miles of bad road. She looks like an interesting person; he looks like a night in county lockup.(LOL)

 

Thanks for the clarification. I got confused and thought it went with Painting B of pair #5!

Now that I've gone back and re-read it, your closing comments on pair #4 make a lot more sense.

 

Are we done with pair #5?

I like both of these.

Painting A portrays strength and stoicism. The subject is not very accessible to the viewer. I like the comment about having her look out a window while we observe her. I find the technique effective. Portraits in watercolor can often look over-worked and I get the sense that this was pretty effortless for the artist even if it might not have been. The use of shadowing is effective. I think the artist to be accomplished.

Painting B is much more coarse but still effective. As others said, the subject is laid out for us to see as he is. I get the impression that this was done fairly quickly by someone with talent. The technique is not literal but I find the execution not nearly as accomplished as the first painting. I am not so sure how effective this would be as a portrait. I see it more as a character study.

 

Guess we are done with these so will post final comments. Both these paintings are by listed artists who studied under or were mentored by more famous artists.

Painting A is by Chicago artist Ann Roman. She had some kind of association with Constantine Pougialis and you can see his influence throughout her work. Not a lot is known about her but there is a growing auction record for her work.

I purchased this as part of a large lot of works by both her and Pougialis. It was one of 4 watercolors done on a large single sheet of paper front and back. I cut it in two, creating two two-sided paintings. Here is the painting that is on the backside of this work.


It slightly overlapped the center margin so part of it was lost when cut. This work was part of my collection for many years but I sold it about a year and one half ago when I was culling my collection a bit. The selling price was somewhere around $75.00 if I remember correctly. The other half, matted and framed, was sold years before for roughly double that. Both sides of it were more similar to the back of this one.

Painting B is by William Harry Gothard (1908 - ?). He is a well known social realist with a strong reputation. He studied under both Issac and Raphael Soyer. My understanding is that this work was created when he was a student under the latter. I purchased this from an ebay seller who maintained he received it directly from the artist and passed on the information about the painting. I think you can see the influence of Soyer in this work. This painting remains in my collection.

 

R U sure you don't mind hearing how much we love or loath the artwork in your possession ??

I know it's just opinions.....but are you sure you want to continue ?

Just askin....

 

Brad, there was a burglary of a large number of Sawyer's works... I forget if it was while he was still alive or not. But I think the stolen works were all or mainly original prints.

 

Was not aware of that. Seems it was in 1987 just weeks after his death ....

http://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/23/arts/artworks-by-soyer-are-stolen.html

 

I like the painting on the back of Painting A.

 

I don't mind at all. I am not very attached to most of what I am posting here so far. I am sure that I will post some that are nearer and dearer at some point. Either way, I understand that everybody's tastes are different and will not be offended if someone hates what I like.

Part of the purpose of this exercise is to show people the possible value in works that may not strike a chord in them. This is why some kind of critical critique is important to the process. Letting you know about the sales record and reputation of the artists is an indication about outside validation for artist's works. However, even works by unknown artists can have appeal and value. I would hope this is really more than about yea or nay and that it will help people to hone their own art eye, so to speak.

 

This modernist architectural painting is more typical of her work that has sold and also very similar to much of that of Pougialis. He was also a well known portrait artist and seeing her work on this portrait really reinforces the idea of his influence on her. I have one other portrait by her but have not seen any others.

 

Ah, that fits my memory... thought it was something like that. I have a few items that may be connected to Soyer and a couple of other artists who were his friends, so did some research on them last year. I really like Soyer's work.

 

And work by a known artist can be not all that appealing... but still have value because of the artist's name.

That part always bothers me, but it's a fact of life. Celebrity sells.

 

Found another portrait by Ann Roman on ebay .....


http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANN-ROMAN-LISTED-CHICAGO-MID-CENTURY-ABSTRACT-MODERN-FIGURE-SURREALISM-PAINTING-/400838430717?nma=true&si=o3AdNJpEBOrpbqQwyGCeSFzkWAM%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Compare it to this one by Constantine Pougialis .....