(La Belle Dame sans Merci)
There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the infinite passion of life.
~Federico Fellini
I have always associated the classical artists with romance. Whether the subject matter, the style of painting, or simply the fact that they existed long ago, their work speaks to me of elegance and style and love.
Sir Frank Dicksee is one such painter. Though he lived in a time long after the early romantic artists (1853-1928), I associate his work with the other artists of that same period whose work is considered part of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. (If you click on some of these pictures, including the one above, it will open up a window with a much larger version. Your cursor will indicate with ones can be clicked on)
(The End of the Quest)
The Pre-Raphaelite artists were greatly influenced by Romanticism and medievel culture. It is no surprise then that a person like me who grew up enamoured with the tales of King Arthur, and fantasy in general, would be drawn to works with a medievel sensibility.
(Chivalry)
One of the things that never ceases to amaze me with works like these is the quality of light that they achieve. Considering the age of these oil paintings, and others that are much older, it is amazing how vivid they remain. Many are so luminous that they fairly glow.
(The Mirror)
I have mentioned before that one of the things that impresses me is the way certain artists can capture the flow, the movement, and the texture of fabric. In Chivalry above you can practically feel the crushed velvet of her dress, the clothes in The Mirror look silken. I am in awe of that kind of talent. The fabrics, patterns, and colors associated with medieval times are among my favorites and Sir Frank Dicksee renders these so richly. The detail in his work is incredible.
(Elsa)
During his lifetime, Sir Frank Dicksee was also a sought after portrait painter. With these examples one can see why. I have seen several classical paintings that incorporate an orange hue similar to that seen in Elsa’s wrap. It really makes the painting ‘pop’, to use HGTV venacular.
(Spring Maiden)
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
~Henry Drummond
It is a tribute to his talent that he could paint men and women in a very stylized way that hearkens back to earlier classical works but could also render his portraits in a very realistic manner.
(Miranda)
One of the facts that I found really interesting when researching Sir Frank Dicksee was the fact that he was a book illustrator. Considering the fact that most of my Friday Favorites feature people whose work grace the covers of books, it is a nice connection between work a century or more apart.
(The Duet)
Once again I marvel at the texture and the richness of detail of these medieval themed paintings. It makes me wish that I could see the process from start to finish. These paintings have to be awe-inspiring to see in person.
(An Offering)
The object that the man is holding in An Offering is very curious (click on the picture to see it larger). It looks to be topped with an angel or cherub kneeling. Are its hands bound behind it? Very curious. And is it just me or does the reclining woman look like Julianne Moore in An Ideal Husband?
I hope you enjoyed today’s Friday Favorite and I wish everyone a weekend filled with l’amour.
In our life there is a single color,
as on an artist’s palette,
which provides the meaning of life and art.
It is the color of love.
~Marc Chagall
(Two Crowns)
My favorite era in art is the Renaissance style painters.. I love this.
This week might be my favorite Friday Favorite so far! These are wonderful, each one has a story to tell. Thanks for sharing.
La Belle Dame sans Merci was always one of my favourite poems from school, and that is a great painting. They all are. Thanks Carl.
I’ve always loved the Pre-Raphaelite painters! I was not familiar with Dicksee, but these are wonderful paintings and as you say, his treatment of light and fabric is marvelous. Thanks, Carl, for introducing these works to us!
I love the Pre-Raphaelites! And the various artistic movements that were going on around them…it was a fun time. If it were only me in the house there’d be a lot more William Morris – style in the place.
I have been told that I look rather like one of those Pre-Raphaelite girls. If only I were a bit more…willowy, and a bit less curvy…I’d throw on a long flowing robe and do some comparisons. 😉
A wonderful artist you chose to feature this week!!!
I’m sure his name didn’t have the same meaning back then..and it just goes to show the 12-yr-old is never far from the surface, in my case.
I really like “The Offering”, my eye tends to linger on who’s doing the offering.
“The End of the Quest” reminds me of Aragorn and Arwen 🙂
Carl – these are all simply glorious.
Thank you for putting these on your blog
I know a few of them and had forgotten just how wonderful they are
Another great Friday Favorite. Thanks, Carl.
I’m very glad that you featured this artist. His “La Belle Dame Sans Merci” is popular but I was not familiar with most of the other works you showed. “The Mirror” would have to be my favourite, but the scarf in “Elsa” is captivating!
These are wonderful. How fascinating the mix of light and fabric. It’s incredible that you look at the pictures and can tell the difference between silk and satin. His pictures make one feel good just to look at them.
Ahh, such beautiful pictures…not only do I appreciate their beauty as you do, I appreciate that the woman were considered beautiful and they all appear to be above 115 pounds. Their long hair, their rounded shoulders (and bellies for a few!) are quite, quite lovely. Thanks for posting such paintings for us.
They are great paintings- I have a postcard copy of ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ stuck above my desk. Both the poem and the painting are favourites.
Thanks for the Beautiful , Beautiful artwork! But, I’ll tell you his name is making me have a little bit of a Beavis and Butthead moment. Sorry.
Hi, Carl, don’t know how to e-mail you, but hey, did you see Masterpiece Theater’s Dracula? Wondering what you think.
Yes, Sheri, his name does seem to be one that a person would not want to have in this day and age.
No LK, I didn’t find out about it in time to watch it. Was it a one night show or is it a two-parter? I am such a fan of the book that any film/tv adaptation always worries me. I’ll have to look into this and depending on the reviews and opinions of bloggers I may pick it up when it comes out on DVD.
Glad everyone enjoyed this one. The classics are quite amazing.
Carl, here’s a link:
http://www.shoppbs.org/sm-pbs-masterpiece-theatre-dracula-dvd–pi-2582459.html
thanks for sharing! like Imani, i wasn’t familiar with the others you’d posted. pre-raphaelite stuff has long been a favorite of mine, too. my whole craft room is hung with prints like these (including, yes, ‘Belle Dame’)…great inspiration when it’s time to sew those ren faire gowns!