My Favorite Things: 75 Works of Art from Around the World 0810943875, 9780810943872

Citation preview

w

!

U.S.A. $29.95

Canada $39.95

obed Illaebuong Jar with Floral Decoratl

RedBci

Through her popular television series and numerous books on

art,

Wendy

Sister

Beckett has introduced millions to the pleasures of painting and sculpture. Now, with

My Favorite

Things: 75 Works of Art from

the World, Sister

and

eclectic

Wendy gives us

Around

her most personal

book to date.

In short essays, Sister

Wendy conveys

her affecZ2

tion for 75 favorite

works of

art.

Her

diverse

and

View of i

engaging selection covers painting, sculpture,

Some

decorative art, even architecture. choices are quite famous;

Michelangelo, Rembrandt, to

name just a

few.

Then

among them works by

there are those unexpected

and French

Each work

of art

is

assessed

with fondness and admiration, whether

it is

of Western art history or a little-known

work by an

anonymous

in

HHifeii"

Mautiiug Cup

A PRIM2E SS OF

sl

an icon

color,

My Favorite

Things

a great introduction to various styles and periods art history for readers of

Wendy's innumerable

all

fans, this

collection of essays that will fell in

ice

/l?e

Voujv'o

I

artist.

Lavishly illustrated in is

£

Van Gogh, and Vermeer,

surprises, like a Chinese painting

porcelain figures.

a.

of her

ages. For Sister

book

is

a splendid

Woman with the Pearl Bd

^Mman

in

Blm

remind them why they

love with her in the first place.

Everyone

be charmed by Sister Wendy's joyful and

will

lively

prose and her Superb choice of artworks that deserve universal admiration.

75 plates in full color

~i

SAINjTJOH _1

YOUTH WITH HEAD RIBBON Ascensio Julia

)0I1

c/ he Cnev. UJr. &\obed^Walker O) kaiingon UJuddtngdon

ACHILLES KJLLINC

efetltl

M£ifc£> beaf City

The

Biglin Brothers Racin
e res

and

Foals Beneath Large

Oak Trees

tAtfiena

PTIST RETIRING CAimg

TO THE DESERT

&t. Jerome

t

Ascanius Shooting the Staa of Sjlvi

1

•^Bi*

^/^C^

J/lZlWStffa

^M£Sl^4

%*»

9



€> *V* &££%,

flc Reverse of the Bronze

cast, d.

medal fok lionello

D'erre. 1444

4" (10 cm)

National Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C. Samuel H. Kress Collection

hough he died young, Lionello d'Este, the duke of Ferrara, was Renaissance example of a wise ruler

Sometimes the reverse This medal the

little

new bride. The

medal

is

as arresting as the front.

love, teaching the lion ("lionello")

lion

is

shy,

private than love?

in the face

compassionate, and good.

Lionello's marriage by

with

his tail

the family symbol, the eagle, leaves

more

just,

side of a great

commemorates

god of

—

The

between

him

sail, it is

to get

a great

showing Cupid,

how

to sing for his

his legs, but willing,

on with

it,

while

because, what

is

suggested, points to steadfastness

of whatever the winds of fate might brine;, and the lion

is

only intent on learning the gentle art of serenading his new bride.

71

Christ CuscoveReC) in Tfte xecnpLe 1342. Panel, 191/2 x 1334

"

(49.5 x 35

cm)

Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

hen Jesus was twelve, to see the temple.

Then he got

there was a wild search for

Joseph

at last

lost,

or so they thought, and

him throughout

the city.

found him in the temple teaching the

God, and when they astonished.

took him to Jerusalem

his parents

told

Of course,

Mary and

priests

about

him how upset they had been, he was

he told them, he had been in "his

father's

house," because his real father was God.

Here we see

how

even holy people

have misunderstandings. There

and Jesus, which Joseph

him

for

worrying

where he would have to work

at

her; he

be.

it,

is

is

is

who

a real

love each other can

distance

between Mary

trying to bridge. She

is

cross with

taken aback that she did not

know

Love does not mean understanding; we

even in the Best Families.

REMBRANDT MiVI

Athena c.

1655

Oil on canvas,

46V2 x 357a"

(118 x 91

cm)

Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon

he Athenians tried to make sense of what happens in life

by creating myths, poetic

literally true

but that carried

stories that

a spiritual

Athena was the goddess of wisdom,

I who their

were not

meaning.

Pallas

warrior goddess

a

protected the people of Athens in Greece

enemies attacked them, especially

if those

when

enemies

were other gods. Here Rembrandt

sees the

thoughtful, yet not weighed

goddess

as

down by

of her helmet and body armor. She

what calls

is

just; she

it,

to die.

is

very young, very

the gleaming mass will fight

an example of how to

Some

paint this picture, but

live,

only for

and, if duty

have said that Rembrandt did not

whoever

did,

he was

a

great

artist.

S

-

)TVS

from

Detail

Bernardino Altarpieee

St.

San Bernardino, Bergamo,

^orenzo Lotto there his if

is

1521

one of my favorite

artists

because

somewhere in anyone else, even

nearly always a smile hidden away

He

work.

it is

is

Italy, c.

never paints the same

as

the same subject.

Here painting

minds to

is

is

his angel

meant

God

from an

to stand

altarpieee,

behind an

which means the and raise our

altar

during services. This cheeky angel

is

looking

out to the congregation and checking up on them. You can guess what he

writing

down

doing with

is

the details of

behaving. His sharp eyes

show

that

tell

his

pen and book

how

us, "I see

he has crammed himself into

position, but he

wants him, even

is

is

you!" His feet

a rather

ready to spring up the

if his

—he

the worshipers are

awkward

moment God

wings are rather small for him.

That lovely red tunic with heavy-shaped angel!

its

blue collar covers quite a

78

.O

/ye c.

VLMttMZU f-UppA

youNQ

^

(^icerciRgAcliA/Q

1480s. Fresco, 40 x 56 %

"

(101.6 x 143.8 cm)

The Wallace Collection

\icero was one of the a

great

Roman

famous lawyer who published

his

writers in antiquity,

speeches and

Foppa imagines what he must have been and invents book.

this picture

Of course,

book written ancient days.

it

It

like as a child,

boy absorbed

would not have been

a

many more

— this

in his

storybook or

were not any

would have been an adult book,

clearly enjoying himself

He

little

for children, as there

book, and there are is

of a tidy

letters.

in

a

those

a difficult

scattered around. Cicero is

his play,

not his work.

can even turn his back quite happily on the garden

outside. All he wants to

do

is

read and read and read.

7!)

Giovanni

Bellini

Saint $ef ome fReafting c.

1480-90

Oil on panel, 19M x 15" (49 x 38.1 cm)

National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Samuel H. Kress Collection

his

is

a very

everywhere. But

rocky picture with great stones

when we look

closer,

of them are not natural; they have

once was

a

we

fallen

see

most

from what

high building. In the background

we

can see more ruined buildings, and only in the distance, over the sea to the right, can

we

faintly

glimpse a castle that has not fallen down. Nature

seems to be taking over, clearly

on the

Saint

rabbits in the center.

Jerome was

a great scholar

translated the Bible for us. in the desert,

like the light shining so

He

lived

and he did not want

who

first

most of his to

life

be bothered

with possessions. So Bellini shows him wearing practically nothing

But Saint Jerome light-filled

and using rocks for

is

his chair.

too inturned to see

beauty of the scenery.

looks rather uncomfortable!

all

No wonder

the

he

HI

82

Claude Lorrain Ascanius Shooting the Stag of Sylvia 1682 Oil on canvas, A1 A x 59" (120 x 150 ]

cm)

Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

T,

.his

may have been

ever painted.

the

picture Claude

last

If so, it is a fitting

climax to

his lifelong love of the Italian countryside.

There was

legend that the shooting of

a

the sacred stag by the king's son, Ascanius, started a terrible

shows us the

war

last

in Italy,

and Claude

moment when

that

war

could have been averted. Ascanius has not jvet shot the stag. In fact, the stag feels quite secure and looks back calmly the

bow and

he can

still

back. In a

the

man with

arrows. Ascanius has free will; not

do

it.

moment, he

and the war

at

But he cannot hold

will let s*o of the arrow,

will begin. All the tranquility

we

see will be shattered, nature will be devastated,

and the temple

will

be ruined.

83

Madonna and c.

Child

1465-70. Distempera on canvas, 17 x 12 % Berlin, Staatliche

Museum,

"

(43 x 32

cm)

Preussischer Kulturbesitz

Gemaldegalerie

hat makes this small painting so wonderful safety child.

He

Then

his

well

is

it

has. There are so

wrapped

many protections

in clothing,

mother holds him

with just one

tight in her arms,

head as she presses her cheek against rapped

up

in a great

it.

And

is

the air of

for the sleeping little

hand

free.

even protecting

then

Mary

his

herself

shawl, so that mother and child are bound

together. Yet she looks sad.

She knows

that her

son will

nv up and she will not be able to protect him anylonger. But, for the

moment, her love makes

him absolutely

safe.

is

86

YOUTH WITH HEAD RIBBON ROHAN. PDJINNINCJ OF THE JT CENTER! I

AFTER QREEK ORIGINAL OF 5TH CENTER! PRONZE.

X

3

M. 17

"

(45 en); M.

OF FACE

5TddTLIQr1E flNTIKCN JflnniAINQEN.

N

lothing

The

are

lips

is left

still

gilded, but

during the centuries. of

some

youth

this wistful

the

life

he

He

of this

The

who

5

/

3

ft.

b.

BC.

"

8

(13.6

rNNKM

bronze except the hauntingly beautiful head.

whatever gave

likelihood

is

that this

life

is

lost

a grave marker, a memorial

to us; the

is

what

boy mourns

a worldly youth, with elaborately curled locks kept

by a metal ribbon. The

pictured here

eyes has been

for

never know.

will

frustrating for

to the

died before he attained his promise. That

countenance communicates, even

is

en)

full

him as death.

makes

and he knows

it.

mouth looks In

if

life

eternally,

more appealing. He has

all

that

is left

of

place

had been as

a strange way, the very bitterness so

the head even

Now,

petulant, as

in

faintly

lost everything,

him broods

in

silence.

87

GIOVANNI DI PAOLO SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST RETIRING TO THE DESERT 1453.

c.

Tempera on

poplar, 12 'A x 15'A" (31 x 38.8

cm)

National Gallery, London

I esus lived an ordinary

life at

home

until

he was grown up,

but John the Baptist, whose job was to prepare people for Jesus

by baptizing them, was unusual from the beginning. He in the desert,

on

insects

I

wearing clothes made from camel skin and living

and wild honey.

love this picture that imagines

desert

life, still

very young, leaving

the mountains. Giovanni needs to

all

him

setting off

behind

show

us

and goes so high up the rocky

was

I

am

glad

we do

their only child,

hills

that the

as

a

on

his

he climbs up

John twice

he can depict the whole journey. John carries

minute.

lived

so that

tiny knapsack

world below seems

not see his poor father and mother; he

and they must have missed him dreadfully.

S!)

90

Gabriel Metsu I'vommtr,

Keamm aS(gtter

on canvas,

1663. Oil

20!^ x 16" (52.1 x 40.6

cm)

National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

here are three figures in this picture: the lady, the servant, and the dog. the

letter,

and she

is

servant has just brought

waiting for the lady to read

With

give her a reply.

The

all

it

and to

that light streaming in, the

painting on the wall has been covered up to protect

but the maid amuses herself by

peaking

may

at

what

is

underneath.

give us a clue about

The

up the

lifting

It is

where the

cloth

a sea scene, letter

it,

and

which

comes from.

lady seems to be lost in thought, and the dog

thinks the envelope in the servant's

why

He

thinks,

are

some mysteries

the

little

should he be

left

in

out?

And

is

for him.

then there

in this picture, like that shoe.

dog been playing with

shoe dropped off

hand

it?

Or has

her excitement over her

Has

the lady's letter?

offuuim babeam^Jhg&t

mtmgrftt-tmmmq;

cfciv

^fbbduammmltfjjtteatpito tetontf fclaandl 15 afpibo tcftuto* tWidtaa, oinmrnatmartmatt/ p!

'

DYING LIONESS DETAIL OF 30" (75

L.

I,

J~ie

for

X

FRJ6ZE FP-X>M NIINEVEH.

CM). BRITISH

kings of Assyria

enjoyment but had

lion.

On

hunt.

is,

spiritual link

in

i.e.

with the

a serious political purpose, centered

some

lioness,

dying

in

is

agony from the arrows

defiance and refusing to surrender.

The

lion

on

lion,

and

killing

great though

of course, successful, but the sculptor

Here he shows a roaring

some

the walls of the palace of Ashurbanipal,

The king

645

MUSEUM, LONDON

they had

felt

C.

their hunts,

which were not

not any animal but, above

unknown

also engrossed by the cost of this hunt. that

have wounded her to the death, yet

stands for

all

that

opposed the

the lion stands for the irrational, the untamed, the chaotic element

magnificent figure,

isn't

it

hard to

know on which

side

lie

the

sculptor pictured a lion

king, that

world of animal power, which cannot be controlled or understood. The king represents reason,

human power;

all,

just

the

artist's

still

huge

civilization,

in life. Yet, in this

sympathies— the

lion or the ruler?

147

infrtto

fumkt

Si (JMiSacclIo

(Funeral Memorial for Guidarello Guidarelli), detail c.

1524-25

Marble, lenght of the detail

Museo

Civico,

shown 35%"

(89.9

cm)

Ravenna

ullio

Lombardo

is

one of the rare sculptors from that

cit

of painters, Venice. Here he has captured the tragedy of youthful death, highlighted

by the

willfully extravagant armor.

The young

knight died not in battle but in a singularly foolish duel, losing his

life

over a squabble about borrowing and keeping somebody's finery. His splendid dead face,

mouth half-opened

as if to expostulate, contrasts

with the stone pillow and the enforced immobility of death.

He

should not have died, so young and so needlessly, and Lombardo

makes us aware of

it.

'.•

T^v '

w

%

III

&&K

I

•.-..

«

:••

•

•

•
o//ec/eo ot/ Ji/s ldJ/aoa> 1648. Oil on canvas,

45%

x 70" (116.5 x 178 cm)

Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

hodon was an was

falsely

ancient

Greek general who

accused and executed. Part of the pun-

ishment was that he was not allowed to he buried; they burned his body and threw away the ashes.

His loyal wife gathered

shows her

at

them

up, and here Poussin

her loving task. The heavy weight of

authority presses

down on

her, all those perfectly

ordered temples and buildings where the law honored. But like

a

bad

her husband. She

as trees

power

law,

is

condemning innocents

ignored, even by nature,

and mountain surround the massive

But the

15'2

it is

is

is

woman crouched

at

the one in the light.

the foot of

all

city.

this

\ Hicbolas of Ban Rebuking tbc Ccmpcst PReOeLLA pangL procd an AlTARpiece origin aLIy painl

POR

S.

NICCOLO.

C. 1433.

TGOOpeRA ON WOOO,

llJfe

X

23^" (28

X

59)

ASfrCDOLeAN (DUS6UCD, OXPORD

p YOUR NACDG IS NICHOLAS, YOU (DAY GGT CALLeO MICk. IN T}oL1_anO, IT

WOULD BG

TURNGD INTO SANTA

Tl}€

PR6S6MT Op

OROWNINQ to siNk

l}GRe, Y)G IS

IS

GIVING Tt)6S6 SAILORS

TfrGlR LlV€S, AS Y)G

T}ow

X>\qY) Tl?e

TORN UN06R TDG pORCG Op

IT

WAS A SAINT WftO

SAV€S TYjGCD PROCD

IN Tl}G QRGAT TGODpeST. T^GIR SftiP IS JUST

—Look

CDGRCDAIO

CLAUS. SO SAINT NICHOLAS

CLAUS, BGCAUSe DC

LOVeO QIVINQ PR6S6NTS.

IS

BUT

wavgs argj

Tl?G

ABOUT

TfreiR saiLs Tiavc

WlLD WINO, ANO GVGN

SW1O0CDINQ AWAY PROCD Tt}e.

Tt}lS

TT}€

TGLLS US Tt?AT

A CTJAQICAL STORY, NOT A TRUE OM6, ANO Tl}AT SAINT

NICHOLAS OlO NOT ReALLY CALCD S€AS

Pl-OAT T)}ROUGT} TT}€ AIR

ANO SApeTY BUT

socneTl^iMG TeRRiBLe

IT IS

TO BRING

A WOKlOGRpuL piCTURC Op

suDognLy BecocniNG

Rielrr again.

1445. Tempera and gold on canvas, transferred from woo(

18x16" (45.7x40.7 cm) The Metropolitan Museum of Art,

New York

Roger's Fund, 1906

aradise

heaven

is

is

heaven, and Giovanni thinks the essence of

being loved. Everybody here has a dear partner. They

be meeting again

a long

time after death has parted them, or they

may be people who have never had

a real friend,

have found one! The pope in the center three-tiered hat, the papal tiara

meet him but

They

all

his

own

—has

fathers

—you can

but tell

now

they

him by

his

not an earthly friend to

loving angel, so has the

nun on the

left.

stand amidst flowers with golden trees behind them,

and when the kissing and rejoicing will lead

may

them

is

over,

an angel at the top right

into even greater glory. Friends, partners, mothers,

—they are

all

waiting for us in paradise, says Giovanni.

m.

#-

M

'

Photo Credits

Resource,

Alinari/Art

36-37;

N.Y.:

©

Giorgio Biserni Fbtografo: 148;

©

e.t.

Archive:

16;

1998 Board of Trustees,

National Gallery of Art Washington: 21, 42-43, 67, 98-99, 121;

The Bodleian

86v:

92;

Library, Oxford:

MS. Ashmole 1511,

fol.

Bridgeman Ait Library, London/New York (BI

(BAL1647)

88644): 50,

By

144, 146;

Westminster

59;

©

The British Museum: 106,

Duke

kind permission of His Grace The

OBE TD

DL:

of

CANALI PHOTOBANK,

132;

Courtesy of Beaux Arts London and Bath: 117;

Italy: 76;

Sackler

Museum, Harvard

University Art Museums, Bequest of

Hervey E. Wetzel.

Courtesy of the Arthur M.

Photo: Michael Nedzweski College,

Harvard

Burrell Collection: 32;

140;

©

in

Museum

of Art, Gift of R.Thornton

of Florence Ellsworth Wilson,

©

Photograph

of Art:

49;

Comte

The Metropolitan Museum

Museum: 157; Musee

Isaac de

Madrid:

Camondo: 122;

14-15,

55;

Museo

©

1954.

1990 The Metropolitan

Rogers Fund 1906. (06.1406). Photograph Metropolitan

by

1988 The Metropolitan Museum of Art:

memory

(54.147.83-84).

Photograph

(1988.159).

The Metropolitan Museum

Wilson,

of Art,

1983 The Metropolitan Museum of

1988.

Collection,

©

Glasgow Museums, The

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The

Art: 48; (34.138) 66;

Malcolm Varon

President and Fellows of Harvard

The Metropolitan Museum

(1982.450.4) Photograph,

Cloisters

©

University: 138;

d'Orsay,

©

of Art,

1990 The Bequest

Paris.

Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Prado,

del

Madrid. All

Rights

Reserved.: 52; National Gallery of Art, Washington. Alisa Mellon

Bruce Fund

©

1998 Board of Trustees National Gallery of

Art: 67; National Gallery of Art,

Kress Collection

©

©

National Gallery, London:

22-23, 30, 40-41, 88-89, 100, 142; Photo: Jorg

Anders: 124; Photo: Daniel McGrath (V

RMN: G.

9;

©

Berizzi:

&

Photo RMN-Gerard Blot: 28; 8;

©

II.

1998 The Board of Trustees National

Gallery of Art: 70, SI, 96-97; 15,

Washington Samuel

A): 96;

©

©

P.

Photo

Photo RMN-J.

Photo RMN-IIerve LewandowsM: 122;

Photo Walter Haberland: 124; Photograph by David Heald

©

The Solomon

R.

Guggenheim Foundation, New York (FN

48.1 172 x 52): 103; Photograph

15s

©

Mauritshuis, The Hague.

Inventory no. 92: 60—61; Inventory no. 605:126; Photograph

©

1999 The Museum of Modern Art, New York: 62-63; Justin

Pumfrey:

•'!;

V & A

Reproduction of "A

Picture Library: 65,

Woman Reading

9)],

127,

131.;

a Letter" by Gabriel

Metsu courtesy of The National Gallery of

Ireland:

90;

Reproduced by Permission of the Trustees of the Wallace Collection,

34-35,

London:

46;

18, 78;

Walker Art

UK/Bridgeman Art

7.!,

Scala/Art Resource, N.Y.:

Gallery,

Library,

Liverpool,

2."),

Merseyside,

London/New York Hoard

Museums and

Trustees: National

(WGL26114):

©

of

Galleries on Merseyside

(WGL6725): 150-51.

Artists Copyrights:

Paul Klee Pierre

©

1999 ARS,

Bonnard

©

New York/YG

1999 ARS,

Bildkunst, Bonn: 103;

New York/ADGAP,

Paris: 112.

15!

eman

{^y^^^fc/^^

Labed lflaehyon|jM^4iiiMlDral Decoratia

Red Bal c£ock

The Open Window

PeNTH6SILeX^2^^

St.

Bernardino Altarpiece

&&&>&7/fc r/y/asit/u/t/rf/'

Cu

till

AP €

Peeling ^Lp

OF

SS

S/

VOUA/Q

(

rhe Pear/ TrcL

Un

m 6/ue

mm xecop Entrance Hall, Laurent

a JXocfep Hanbsttape

JOHN

1

»'

!:

R03^t>l>BLlC LIBRARY

i^3M

^

03772 J$*a»2 llWlt

TH

W

Ascensio Julii

beneflMfw UbmyWJkei

Beckett studied for her

Oxford University, England. After teaching

the

England

of a contemplative

life

in Norfolk.

in

nun

1970

in

South

up

to take

at a Carmelite

While Sister Wendy has always

maintained a passion for

i^or

1

a teaching order

degree in English at St. Antic's College,

.

monastery

fertitl

Wendy

of nuns, Sister

Africa, she returned to

Boston Public Library. Sato of this material

A

member of the Notre Dame,

she began to devote

art,

herself seriously to the subject in 1980. Since then, Sister

tt(D£tfe:.£errK

Wendy has become

insightful

and

known

widely

accessible art-related books

for her

and

televi-

sion programs.

eat

City

TheBiglinB:

SOME OTHER ABRAMS BOOKS The Beginner's Guide

to

Art

Brigitte Govignon, General Editor

Uessert be 6aufrett

391 illustrations, including 345 plates in full color

A Grand Design: The Art

Museum

of the Victoria and Albert

Edited by Malcolm Baker and Brenda Richardson

366

1C€T0T^AC)]J\/Q

illustrations, including

The Angel

Tree:

253

plates in full color

A Christmas Celebration

By Linn Howard and Maty Jane Photographs by

a]vWaiii

Pool;

Erwitt

Elliott

109 plates in full color

^eadina a Letter

Jacket front:

RAST OlSCOV6R(

© BBC

Jacket back: Youth with HemdROibon.

Roman, beginning of the century ac Bronze,

h.

1

si

IT

century a d 1

/'

(45 cm);

,

after

Ii.

Greek original of 5th

efface 5 X"

Staatliche Antikensammhuuren, Munich

es '

and

Foals Beneath Large

Oak

flthena

Harry N. Abrams,

Inc.

100 Fifth Avenue

TIST RETIRING TOT!

N'eu York, N.Y. 1001

1

www.abramsbooks.com Printed

in

I

tone Kong

(

13.6

cm

>

Madonna and

Child

Lobed maebyangJar uiith Floral Decarati SB The Starry Niqht

toce& Red Balloon

g>lie CAev. iJJr. c7\oberi^MUalker Q/lcattttgon Gs 'o.uth

SsJJtiddingdon oLocn

with head RiBADN The Open Window

3beafCitu 'he Biglin Brothers\

mm

// /

rr/s/Zr r//// f///r/js///r//'

.INCESS

mse /

ne K/ou.

OF SAXO:

OF TH£

M

•

° - 8

llA/Q

J

° 9 - 4

3

90000

/

an "Veelingjlpplcs ^

9

l

7808T0 ir943872

l