piero figura
Piero Manzoni was an Italian artist. He was a leading figure in the Italian avant-garde movement of the 1950s and 1960s, and is best known for his conceptual and performance artworks.
Manzoni's works often involved the use of unconventional materials, such as his famous series of "Artist's Shit" cans, which were filled with his own excrement and sealed with a label that declared "Artist's Shit". He also created works using cotton balls, balloons, and even human hair.
One of Manzoni's most famous performances was "Living Sculptures," in which he covered himself in gold paint and posed as a living statue in a gallery. He also created a "Base of the World," a pedestal labeled with that phrase, and invited people to stand on it, thereby declaring themselves the center of the world.
Manzoni's works challenged traditional notions of art and pushed the boundaries of what was considered acceptable as artistic expression.
Alexej Georgewitsch von Jawlensky (Russian: Алексе́й Гео́ргиевич Явле́нский), a prominent Russian painter active in Germany, is renowned for his significant contributions to the Expressionist movement. Born in Russia in 1864, Jawlensky's artistic journey led him to Germany, where his career flourished alongside contemporaries such as Wassily Kandinsky. His work is celebrated for its vibrant use of color and emotional depth, qualities that have established him as a key figure in modern art.
Jawlensky's art evolved through various phases, from early landscapes and portraits to his later, more abstract works. Perhaps most notable among these are his "Mystical Heads" and "Saviour's Faces" series, inspired by the spiritual iconography of his Russian heritage, and his "Abstract Heads," where he explored the synthesis of spiritual expression and modernist aesthetics. These series reflect Jawlensky's lifelong quest to capture the soul's essence through the human face, a theme that resonates throughout his oeuvre.
His legacy extends beyond his artistic output; Jawlensky's influence is evident in the formation of The Blue Four, a group that played a crucial role in promoting modern art in Europe and the United States. Despite facing severe arthritis in his later years, which eventually halted his ability to paint, Jawlensky's dedication to his craft remained unwavering. He dictated his memoirs, ensuring his artistic philosophies and insights were preserved for future generations.
Jawlensky's works are held in high esteem and are featured in prestigious collections worldwide, including the Museum Wiesbaden, which boasts the most extensive collection of his works in Europe. His contributions to art have been recognized posthumously through significant sales at auction and the establishment of the Jawlensky Award, which honors contemporary artists' achievements in his memory.
For collectors and art and antiques experts, Jawlensky's work offers a profound insight into the evolution of Expressionism and the enduring power of the visual arts to convey deep emotional and spiritual truths. His life and work continue to inspire and influence, a testament to his significant impact on the art world.
For those interested in exploring the depths of Expressionist art and the legacy of Alexej Georgewitsch von Jawlensky, staying informed about upcoming sales and auction events related to his work is invaluable. Signing up for updates can provide access to the latest opportunities to engage with his impactful and beautiful creations.
Georg Baselitz is a German painter, sculptor and graphic artist. In the 1960s he became well known for his figurative, expressive paintings. In 1969 he began painting his subjects upside down in an effort to overcome the representational, content-driven character of his earlier work and stress the artifice of painting. Drawing from myriad influences, including art of Soviet era illustration art, the Mannerist period and African sculptures, he developed his own, distinct artistic language.
.jpg)
Agostino Bonalumi was an Italian painter, draughtsman and sculptor.
Giovanni Boldini was an Italian genre and portrait painter who lived and worked in Paris for most of his career. According to a 1933 article in Time magazine, he was known as the "Master of Swish" because of his flowing style of painting.
Voltaire, born François Marie Arouet, was a French philosopher-enlightener of the French Enlightenment, poet and writer, satirist, tragedian, historian and essayist.
Voltaire's long life fell on the last years of classicism and the eve of the revolutionary era, and in this transitional period his works and activities had a significant impact on the direction of European civilization. Through his critical freethinking and wit, Voltaire won the minds of many 18th century European rulers. To this day, he continues to enjoy worldwide fame as a courageous fighter against tyranny, bigotry, and cruelty.
Voltaire was an advocate of freedom of speech, freedom of religion and separation of church and state. He was a versatile and prolific writer in all literary forms, including plays, poems, novels, essays, histories, and scholarly expositions. In total, he wrote more than 20,000 letters and 2,000 books and pamphlets. Voltaire's most famous works are the tragic play Zaire, the historical study The Age of Louis XIV, and the satirical novella Candide.
