This is a blog about art appreciation. Not about art criticism, but about learning to feel and understand art. For yourself. So that each time you go to a gallery, you get a kick out of it. Very few people really do get a kick out of art, but we’ll gradually learn this skill together.
Occasionally, you may come across a short story, not even art-related, but, hopefully, a blip of comedy on the spirited landscape of old and new masters.
To get a taste of what you can get here on art, in simple but serious presentations:
Story of a “sister” sculpture to Michelangelo’s David: 1
Holbein’s Ambassadors: detective investigation explaining its true meaning: 1
Van Gogh secrets you can’t read anywhere else about: 1, 2
Modigliani’s secret to painting nudes: 1, 2, 3
Matisse borrowing ideas from Pollaiuolo: 1
Painting nature, not copying it: 1
Cezanne’s secrets: 1
Rhythm in paintings: 1
Why is this masterpiece a masterpiece?
- Leda and the Swan,
- Roublev’s Trinity,
- Lowry’s Accident
- Repin’s Barge Haulers – and how it is revealing the secret of the Russian soul
Art, sometimes, is best appreciated when accompanied by a good laugh:
Outrageous public art in Russia: 1
Mindblowing art of the High Renaissance: 1
Kranach: Stop goggling at my breasts, in Old German (1526): 1
All texts and research are purely original and hopefully protected by copyright.
If you want to get in touch:
Standing Ovation, Seated 
Respect, an extinct trait in many areas of human society. Family to compassion. This morning I read essay by Monica Uszerowicz in Hyperallergic about photographer Laura Aguilar. Blog and art example for compassion. Seems you know these two words as well…
regards, Drager
Where are you gone, Kirill? We miss you!
Hello, hope to be coming back real soon )
I’m very happy to read this.
Dear Kirill I wish you and your family all the best.
See you soon.
Best, do you have any info on swimmingpools/baths/spa in art history?
Very nice blog. Original and interesting. You have won over a new follower.
thelonelyauthorblog
Thank you, and welcome! Glad you found it interesting and origianal )
Nice blog. Interesting artwork images and equally impressive commentary. Van Gogh’s “Postman” is part of the collection from the Barnes Foundation. I recognized it. Good work.
Thank you and welcome! I am glad you liked the blog.
What a joy to find your blog! And until I read your comment of Nov. 19, 2012, I did not suspect you weren’t a native English speaker; you understand the language’s nuances very well. Is this blog purely for hobby, or are you in the art business?
I am a collector, and help artists, but it’s a hobby. Yet. Thank you for reading my blog, I am happy you like it!
Is there any way to contact you directly?
Yes, certainly –
Hello there, I’ve nominated you for the Creative Blogger Award. Here is my link to it: https://susanrobertswriter.wordpress.com/2015/04/23/creative-blogger-nomination/
Thank you, Susan! Much appreciated!
Hey! You have very interesting blog and I like it very much! A lot of colorful photos and very clever articles! I’m glad to meet you in my blog too! If you like fashion or music, come! Good luck! And I hope to see you in my blog. -Vlad
I think ‘standing ovation’ approaches in a way is such an unfussy way to discuss art and culture. It is refreshing to not feel patronised about a subject usually reserved for the elite or student finance (in debt we are forever)
Thank s , your writtings are quite interesting. I am curious ,.. ,, Have you written anything on
Fauvism ?
Thank you! I’ve written a lot on Matisse.
I typed “matisse” in the search form in the left side bar and this is what I got:
https://artmoscow.wordpress.com/?s=matisse
“Matisse’s last will” is, perhaps, the most important… http://wp.me/p2SuQi-RC
Thank – You
” HNY ” …!!!
Happy new year to you too! ) Thank you!
You have been officially FRESHLY FEATURED! Great blog find. Honored to have you on my list.
I am honored and very proud to be featured in your blog. Thank you!
Great blog! And much needed by those of us like myself who just see pretty colors. Thank you!
Thank you, and welcome to this blog! Life’s getting much richer when art becomes something more than just pretty )
Hi sir!!! I enjoy your blog a lot and it inspires me to blog more so I’ve nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. See here: http://keeppicturing.wordpress.com/2014/08/07/very-inspiring-blogger/
Congrats and keep bloggin…:)
-Keep Picturing..:)
Thank you! I am happy for you, and glad this blog inspires you to keep being creative! )
Thank you for the appreciation of art! I am new to the blogging world here on WordPress and I like how you want people to understand art for art and not to criticize it. I am going to enjoy this blog, hope you don’t mine if I re-blog some of your post, really cool! Thank You! My blog is for the appreciation of art, womanhood, love and attitude so I am going to be visiting a lot. Take care Thanx again!
Glad you liked it, and welcome to this blog! never hesitate to have a say whenever you feel any of the artworks I write about does make you feel something. It is important to know for me that I am not writing in vain ))
Hey I just stumbled upon your blog and I found it really wonderful. Thank you a lot for sharing it with us. I would love to follow and learn regularly. Nice to meet you. Have a happy day…:)
Hi, thank you – and welcome! )
Great reading material! Thanks for sharing your knowledge on art. I’ll be back often to revamp my own proficiency. In the meantime I hope you get a chance and check out my blog, I’d love and welcome your input!
https://artistcreatorcurator.wordpress.com
Thank you! You are very welcome to this blog, and I will make sure to get back to you on your posts!
Thank you for following my blog (http://randomstoryteller.com). I enjoy yours immensely–great treatment of subject matter.
Thank you for following my blog (http://randomstoryteller). I have enjoyed yours immensely.
There is not a more fantastic combo than that of art and humor. Too many viewers are intimidated by art, when a bit of humor and explanation to the piece could make art truly appreciated. Nicely done. Thank you.
AnnMarie
You are very welcome – and thank you for your appreciation of the war I wage with elitist art critics ))
Too many ‘art people’ surround their ‘art worlds’ with velvet roping – when honest artists simply want their art appreciated by honest people with real life experiences and valued insight.
AnnMarie
keep at it, you’ve got a wonderful cause…
Love your blog… so educational and yet so entertaining to read. Thank you for what you share 🙂
Is there a way to contact you through email? I would like your opinion on some paintings however I do not wish to mention/offend the artist publicly…
Thank you for your visit, and your decision to follow The Getting Old Blog. As a visually uneducated person who is not instinctively responsive to painting, I have already learned quite a bit from your posts, and hope to learn more as I continue to explore them. 🙂
The pleasure is all mine. I’ve started exploring your blog, and I am thoroughly enjoying it.
I am happy to know you began discovering art. I don’t believe teaching art equals feeling art, but I am sure anyone can learn to feel art, given a few hints at where and how to look. Let me know of your progress!
Slowly, slowly. But I will indeed. 🙂
Found this piece http://www.pinterest.com/pin/460563499364522120/ was intrigued by the composition, particularly by the massive white wall on the left. So constricting!
Very good painting. Utrillo got married about 6 months before he painted it. I don’t have a good knowledge of Utrillo in the 1930s, but the colours must have been showing his status changed ))
The space to explore for the viewer is about 1/6th of the painting area. The rest is “the bowels” of Monmartre, hidden from view, but…nonetheless existing, behind that white house, behind the brown wall of the garden.
I assume the white wall works in a funny way. As the brightest spot it draws the viewer’s attention first, but then it pushes the eye away from it – because the brain registers very fast there’s nothing interesting in the white wall – and towards the street winding away. The white wall sort of pushes the viewer to “walk” up the street.
An interesting effect.
I was intrigued to see the Utrillo painting after reading your explanation of the white wall. Yes, it works in exactly the way you describe drawing the eye down the street of coloured houses and making one wish to walk right down and through…
I’m happy that little note made your art experience more exciting!)
Perusing your blog since being pointed to it by Polly of A Girl And Her Travels. So much beautiful, interesting material. I would love to see a piece on Shilov – I know he is considered by many a corporate (or state) hack of sorts, but I love his technique and paintings of less pretty subjects.
Thank you, Anna. It is always a pleasure to see a blog resonating with readers. I am not sure I can do Shilov. Personally, he is not a bad person and I don’t want to offend him in any way. He is not a crook, like Nikas Safronov. I may try to include him in a post on what happens to a painting when it is beautified too much )
Art is life and it helps to communicate with people that want to understand it, and view it together. With different perspectives to see we all have one, and we all have a different way of interpreting it…not only our own view of something…but someone else’s art form and we all have a different way of expressing it, we all are unique in our own styles we develop. What we find attractive about others is just a preference…sometimes it is a hidden meaning that we see after evaluating the art intensely.
I look forward to reading more of your, self-expression and insight and creativity. It has been interesting so far…I am just getting into this whole blogging thing. But I have always been an artist and an advocate of exploring new places and getting different views! Meeting new people and being inspired from each other…to me that is what life is all about…Art!! Thanks for sharing yours.
You have something to say and it’s worth reading – appreciate the underlying seriousness
Thank you ) I really appreciate it when readers notice I am very serious about art!
Hello! I enjoy your blog and used a comment you made on mine for the promotion of my next exhibition. I tagged your blog along with the comment. I hope you don’t mind.
No, I don’t mind at all, I just hope it was a good comment ) Can you send me a link to it?
You called me a ‘creative proletariat of the 21st century.’ In reference to my blog about gentrification and the Paris commune that was freshly pressed.
http://blogcabinbyvic.wordpress.com/2013/05/30/state-of-the-arts-38/
Hello! I’ve nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. 🙂
Check out the details here: http://fivemsblog.wordpress.com/2013/07/29/the-versatile-blogger-award/
I must have been traveling too much, for I missed your comment. I am sorry. Thank you, it is very nice of you to nominate me! )))
I am so glad that I started following your blog! The more I read the more I enjoy your posts. It is difficult to believe that you are not a native English speaker – your English is excellent! And I fell in love with your sense of humor. Can’t wait for more posts!
Thank you! You are so kind and nice 😉
You are very welcome. Keep writing!
Hi! I know that Dragon from your photos, it’s from St. Petersburg!!!))))
Yep. It is a collection of photographs, unfortunately, rather typical from Moscow & St.Pete )
Thanks for your thoughts on my blog (even if you didn’t agree with my POV or like that I was asking a question I didn’t really answer). Would contact you privately but don’t see a link. In any case – one of the objectives of the blog is to encourage others to answer the question – as you did – so I can collect data. 😉
Art is tremendously important in our life, it is a wonderful heritage that express the greatness of our talents. I have nominated your for the very inspiring blogger award. If you want to participate, have a look at the rules here http://beinquisitive.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/very-inspiring-blogger-award-thank-you-for-nominating-me/. Have a nice day and keep up with the good work!
Hello, I am sorry for answering late. Thank you for the nomination, it is very flattering ) Hope you’d continue to enjoy this blog.
Thank you so much for stopping by! Love your blog, following now 🙂 A lot of cool pictures and thoughts, look forward to reading more 🙂 Have a wonderful year!
Love, Anna
Anna, thank you – and let’s be friends in 2013 and beyond! Happy new year!
Wow. So glad we crossed paths today here http://soundspictureswords.com/. I can’t wait to hear more of your art critiques and read past blogs. How fun! Cheers.
Thanks for visiting my blog, be in touch with my blog browse through the categories, u may find it interesting
Thank you, it is very interesting!
thanks
Artmoscow? Ah, so I got Russia on the map today, I thought, but – there was no ‘Russia’ 😀
So I guess you are operating from some place very far away from Russia ?
I think Russia has been delayed. I do operate from Moscow )
So I have something to look forward to? Just got a respons from China too, but again it seems they have done something not to be registered. I thought there possibly were something similar from Russia, but I’ll be watching . . .
(Do need Russia 🙂 )
Good stuff! I’m always interested in other ways to look at paintings. I just subscribed, so I’ll be keeping an eye on what you’ve got going over here. Cheers!
Glad to hear that. Everything in the “Art” category here is about new ways of looking at paintings or sculpture, never published before ) Let’s stay in touch, I’ll be with you as well! Thank you! )
Wonderful! I like the idea very much. Hopefully people will engage and debate. I’m trying to do a similar thing with design – what makes good design – in an interesting, inspiring, easy to understand way. It’s all very very new to me too! Cheers 🙂
Jane
I wish you all the luck, let’s support each other! )
Excellent idea for a blog! I will read your posts avidly. I can also relate to you as I’m not an English native speaker either… However, I can’t help but ask: could you tell us a bit more about yourself. Not asking for full disclosure of course but just a few more hints… mainly where are you from and what do you do? 🙂 thanks!
Hello, Joli – thank you for liking the blog – I am very happy to have you among my readers. I wouldn’t want to go into greater details right now, but I think I will, very soon. I do mention in some of my posts that I am a Russian and live in Moscow )
Thanks for passing by my blog. I was actually looking for a blog like yours. There aren’t many blogs that share this great idea that you have. Best wishes!
Thank you – this is very inspiring! I am looking forward to reading your past and new posts as well!
I just happened on your blog through Google and look forward to reading your thoughts. You certainly caught my attention. 🙂
All the best,
Terre
Terre, thank you very much – I am very grateful for this. I hope this blog will prove interesting and inspiring, even for established artists such as youself. Thank you!
Thank “you” for your kind words. Will you be adding a “Subscribe” button/widget so we followers can receive your posts directly in our inbox? 🙂 Have a wonderful week~*
Terre, let me sort it out right now ) And a new post is due in about an hour ) Thank you!
You work fast! Fantastic 🙂
Thank you for visiting my blog and liking a post. I like the idea of your blog and would be happy to learn more about the art that I instinctively appreciate. 🙂
Thank you! I absolutely loved your idea of sharing things you finds beatiful ) I’ll keep watching things you like – perhaps, I could comment sometimes what makes them beautiful for me as well! )
I really hope you will! 🙂
I am glad i found your blog, i like a lot what you do!
Thank you! I understand you study in Moscow? I live here, as you might have already guessed )
Yep, i am a naturalized Muscovite 😉
What an awesome idea for a blog!
Thank you for stopping by my blog. Cheers. 🙂
Thank you – I must say I absolutely enjoy reading yours – and marvelling at the style of your writing ) Speaking of which, if you happen to read some of my posts and notice something wrong in the text/style etc, please do not hesitate to drop me a critical comment. I am not a native speaker and would really appreciate advice from someone who is such an excellent writer. I hope that’s not asking too much from you )