[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Tuesday, 20 October 1998 Volume 05 : Number 318 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jimandkatemundie@juno.com (James G Mundie) Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1998 11:42:50 -0400 Subject: [Baren 1907] boxes, lightbulbs, and Van Gogh Dave wrote, regarding cases for the [Baren] exchange: >At the rate of exchange as of a few >minutes ago, that's just about $22 That is a bargain if ever I heard one! *** Dave also wrote, regarding 'Solex' lightbulbs: >My workroom faces south, >and I have huge problems with mixing colours in such a room, with its >wildly variable illumination. But if I close the curtains and mix my colours >under illumination from light bulbs, I never really know what I'm getting ... I have the same problem when painting. Because of the location of my studio (faces north [good!] and west [bad!]), I'm often forced to supplement natural light with halogen and other types of bulbs. This of course gives one a slightly different impression of the actual color (cooler or warmer depending on the light source). I've gotten pretty good at making the adjustment, but I'd prefer a 'natural' source of illumination. Ah, to be able to paint at night with 'real' light! *** Sarah wrote: >two prints from van Gogh's collection ... >how he had the money to buy these prints if he supposedly was totally broke ... Well, remember that at the time that Van Gogh picked up those prints, they were _cheap_-- as they should have been as they were the equivalent of newspaper advertisement circulars (practically two to a penny and fairly close on the ground). Occidental artists could get Japanese prints by the handful for practically nothing. Van Gogh, Gaugin, and Whistler-- to name a few-- all collected them, as they were among the few who considered the prints to be 'art' and at all valuable if only for compositional inspiration. Van Gogh pinned up those prints "carelessly" as one would a poster or postcard from an exotic land. To illustrate this point a bit further, an old instructor of mine (now approaching 90) amassed a very impressive collection of Japanese woodblock prints in the 1930's and '40s. When asked how he got them he said, "We bought 'em for a nickel. They used to wrap fish in them!" He is inclined to hyperbole, but I think his comments aren't too far off the mark. Mise le meas, James Mundie ------------------------------ From: Gary Luedtke Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1998 13:29:17 -0400 Subject: [Baren 1908] dave's post re van Gogh Two things about Van Gogh, During his painting years, about ten, he was supported by his brother Theo. When his "allowance" was received in the post, he would then go out and buy the necessaries; paint, canvas, food, wine, tobacco, etc. I presume he got the money for the prints this way as well. Also, at that time, the prints were extremely cheap, often used as wrapping paper for other goods being imported into Europe. The other contribution is questionable, and I apologize if I heard it from Baren, I don't remember. (Almost sounds like one of Graham's contributions) An art thief was apprehended in Paris after his van stalled in traffic. He had just robbed the Louvre. Asked how he could mastermind such a complicated thing as stealing priceless pictures off the wall of Europe's most prestigious museum, but not make a successful getaway, his reply was, " I did not have de Monet to buy Degas to make de Van Gogh." Gary ------------------------------ From: Phil Bivins Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1998 13:35:11 -0400 Subject: [Baren 1909] Re: boxes, lightbulbs, and Van Gogh I missed the NPR report, sounds very interesting. I use the Chromalux light bulbs. Their claim to fame is, closer to natural light and longer lasting bulb life approx 2500 hours! I've had mine for at least two years. They give off a warmer light, I use the 50 watt variety for reading. Of course they are more expensive than regular bulbs, about $7.00. Phil ------------------------------ From: Graham Scholes Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1998 16:54:17 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Baren 1910] re van Gogh >" I did not have de Monet to buy Degas to make de Van Gogh." Nope...can't take credit for that..... Graham ------------------------------ From: Wanda Robertson Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1998 20:54:13 -0700 Subject: [Baren 1911] Re: re van Gogh Graham Scholes wrote: > Nope...can't take credit for that..... Well, wherever it came from, it sure gave me a good laugh this morning! Wanda ------------------------------ From: Jack Reisland Date: Tue, 20 Oct 1998 01:31:08 -0700 Subject: [Baren 1912] Re: Science and Color In response to Dave note, In my work, it is obviously important to be able to match colors accurately. Unfortunately, I too have a south facing studio, and here in Washington, that means almost no sunlight for a good deal of the year, contrasting with blinding low angle sunlight when it does come out. Although there have been some "sunlight" incandescent bulbs around for some time now, I have found them to be of limited use, and instead have been using color corrected fluorescent tubes in hanging fixtures. These are not difficult to find, look for a tube with a Chroma-50 color designation. They should be available at large commercial lighting suppliers, a good source is to find the nearest outlet for GRAINGER Industrial and Commercial Supply and let them know what you are looking for. I believe you can find the nearest location at their web site, www.grainger.com. As for suppliers in Japan, ask around and tell people that you are looking the lights for color matching. As for my difficulty with varying natural light, I'm moving in December to a new studio with north light, in Hawaii. Jack Reisland Reisland Conservation and Restoration ------------------------------ From: Matthew.W.Brown@VALLEY.NET (Matthew W Brown) Date: 20 Oct 98 07:13:03 EDT Subject: [Baren 1913] Van Gogh Baren, As I've noticed a bit of discussion related to Van Gogh, thought I would contribute the following: from Theories of Modern Art, H. B. Chipp: p. 31 (letter to E. Bernard) : "You will be able to get an idea of the revolution in painting when you think, for instance, of the brightly colored Japanese pictures that one sees everywhere, landscapes and figures. Theo and I have hundreds of Japanese prints in our possession." p. 38 (letter to brother Theo): "If we study Japanese art, we see a man who is undoubtedly wise, philosophic and intelligent, who spends his time doing what? In studying the distance between the earth and the moon? No. In studying Bismarck's policy? No. He studies a single blade of grass. But this blade of grass leads him to draw every plant and then the seasons, the wide aspects of the countryside, then animals, then the human figure. So he passes his life, and life is too short to do the whole. Come now, isn't it almost a true religion which these simple Japanese teach us, who live in nature as though they themselves were flowers? And you cannot study Japanese art, it seems to me, without becoming much gayer and happier, and we must return to nature in spite of our education and our work in a world of convention. I envy the Japanese the extreme clearness which everything has in their work. It is never tedious, and never seems to be done too hurriedly. Their work is as simple as breathing, and they do a figure in a few sure strokes with the same ease as if it were as simple as buttoning your coat." A bit more about Van Gogh, his interest in Jap prints, an exhibit at: http://www.friends-partners.org/oldfriends/spbweb/lifestyl/123/van-gogh.html Matt, Lyme, NH ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V5 #318 ***************************