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Gustave Caillebotte was a French Impressionist painter, collector, patron of art and impresario.
Caillebotte was born into a noble and wealthy family, educated as an engineer and lawyer, but became interested in painting and studied at the Paris School of Fine Arts. In 1874 he met Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Claude Monet and presented his work at Impressionist exhibitions. Over the next six years, Caillebotte became the chief organizer, promoter and financial sponsor of Impressionist exhibitions, and used his fortune to purchase works by other Impressionists, notably Monet, Renoir, Camille Pissarro, Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Alfred Sisley and Berthe Morisot.
Caillebotte bequeathed his collection of paintings to the state, some of which later formed the basis of the Impressionist collection at the Musée d'Orsay.
In his paintings, Caillebotte combined in a unique synthesis of academic, realistic and impressionist styles. He painted many family scenes, interiors and landscapes, as well as domestic scenes and streets of Paris.
Theo van Doesburg, real name Christian Emil Marie Küpper, is a Dutch painter, architect and sculptor, art theorist, co-founder of the Style Group and of Neoplasticism.
Theo van Doesburg co-founded with Piet Mondrian the De Stijl abstract art movement. The basis of van Doesburg's views was the attempt to reduce all forms of objective harmony in a work of art to certain geometric elements. These new principles soon had a significant influence on the development of architecture, literature, graphics and music.
George Gershwin, born Jacob Gershwin, is an American composer and pianist.
George's parents emigrated from Russia to the United States in 1891, and he was about 12 years old at the piano, becoming virtually self-taught. Gershwin published his first song in 1916, but it was Swanee, written by a 20-year-old Gershwin in 1918, that made him famous. The income he received for it allowed Gershwin to concentrate on musical theater. In the 1920s, however, George, along with his older brother Ira, were major songwriters and hit songwriters on Broadway. The lyrics for all of Gershwin's films were written by Ira Gershwin, as were the lyrics for most of his musicals, although early in his career Gershwin worked with other lyric writers, including Irving Caesar and Buddy De Silva.
The Gershwin brothers' first Broadway hit was the song Lady Be Good in 1924. In his songs, Broadway shows, and movie scores, composer George Gershwin achieved unprecedented success with his masterful mastery of jazz, classical, and popular music styles. These include "Rhapsody in Blue" in 1924, "Concerto in F" in 1925, "An American in Paris" in 1928, and "Second Rhapsody" in 1931. Between 1919 and 1935. Gershwin wrote music for 31 musicals, one of which - Of Thee I Sing - in 1932 became the first musical to win the Pulitzer Prize for Dramaturgy. Gershwin's songs have also been used in numerous films and award-winning musicals over the years.
The opera Porgy and Bess, co-written with Dubose, Dorothy Hayward, and Ira Gershwin, was the Gershwin brothers' most ambitious project, combining memorable songs with drama. It was first performed in Boston in 1935 and was made into a movie in 1959.
In 1937, at the age of only 39, the brilliant composer died of a brain tumor. George Gershwin was at the height of his career, leaving a significant and lasting mark on the world of classical music. Today, his orchestral works are performed by most of the world's prestigious symphony orchestras. Ira Gershwin, who was two years older, lived 46 years after George's death.
Jean-Paul Riopelle was a Canadian painter and sculptor from Quebec. He had one of the longest and most important international careers of the sixteen signatories of the Refus Global, the 1948 manifesto that announced the Quebecois artistic community's refusal of clericalism and provincialism. He is best known for his abstract painting style, in particular his "mosaic" works of the 1950s when he famously abandoned the paintbrush, using only a palette knife to apply paint to canvas, giving his works a distinctive sculptural quality. He became the first Canadian painter since James Wilson Morrice to attain widespread international recognition.
Frederick Childe Hassam was an American Impressionist painter, celebrated for his urban and coastal scenes. Born on October 17, 1859, in Dorchester, Massachusetts, Hassam was a pivotal figure in introducing French Impressionism to the American art scene. His prolific output includes over 3,000 works ranging from oils and watercolors to etchings and lithographs.
Hassam's technique was characterized by the use of light and vibrant colors, often focusing on bustling cityscapes and tranquil New England coastlines. He spent significant periods in Europe, particularly Paris, where he absorbed elements of the avant-garde styles of the time. Despite this, he often emphasized a connection to English landscape traditions over French ones.
Some of his most acclaimed works capture the essence of places like the Isles of Shoals in Maine and East Hampton in Long Island, where he later made his summer home. These settings often featured in his paintings, reflecting the picturesque and serene landscapes that contrasted with his urban subjects.
Hassam's legacy includes his influence on American collectors and institutions, helping to cultivate a taste for Impressionism in the United States. His works are held in major museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art, ensuring his continued recognition as a key figure in American art history.
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Émile Bernard, a French painter, was a significant figure in the Post-Impressionist movement. He is most famously associated with the development of Cloisonnism, a painting style characterized by bold outlines and flat, vivid color planes, and he played a role in Synthetism, a synthesis of forms and colors in art.
Bernard's artistic journey was influenced by his interactions with notable artists such as Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, and Louis Anquetin. His works, which often explored themes of symbolism and religious imagery, ranged from traditional paintings to engravings and illustrations. One of his notable works, "Madeleine au Bois d'Amour," is displayed at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.
Despite his early success and influence, Bernard's artistic trajectory took a turn towards classicism later in life, distancing himself from the avant-garde styles he once embraced. His extensive travel experiences, particularly his time in Egypt, significantly impacted his art, leading to a broader range of stylistic elements in his later works.
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Konstantin Alekseyevich Korovin (Russian: Константи́н Алексе́евич Коро́вин) was a Russian artist and stage designer, renowned for his pivotal role in the transition from Russian Realism to Impressionism. Born in Moscow in 1861, Korovin's artistic journey began at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, where he was heavily influenced by his mentor, Alexei Savrasov. His early work reflected the Realist tradition, but his style evolved after exposure to the vibrant art scenes of Paris and the influence of French Impressionists.
Korovin's contribution to art is marked by his vibrant palette and dynamic brushwork, capturing the transient effects of light and color with a spontaneity that was novel to Russian painting at the time. His works, ranging from lush landscapes and intimate still lifes to vivid portraits, showcase his mastery in evoking mood and atmosphere. Notably, his paintings of the Russian North and scenes of Parisian life have been celebrated for their lively, atmospheric qualities and are held in high esteem in museums and galleries worldwide, including the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow and the Russian Museum in Saint Petersburg.
Beyond painting, Korovin's legacy includes significant contributions to theater design, where his innovative use of color and lighting brought new dimensions to stage productions in Russia, collaborating closely with the Moscow Art Theatre. His scenic designs for operas and ballets are credited with revolutionizing the visual aspect of Russian theater, making him a pivotal figure in both the visual and performing arts.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques, Korovin's works represent a unique blend of Russian tradition and Western artistic movements, making them highly sought after. His ability to capture the essence of a moment, whether in the tranquil Russian countryside or the bustling streets of Paris, continues to captivate audiences and scholars alike.
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David Davidovich Burliuk (Russian: Давид Давидович Бурлюк), a pioneering figure of the Russian Futurist movement, was a Ukrainian poet, artist, and publicist, born in 1882 in Semirotovshchina, Kharkov, Ukraine, and died in 1967 on Long Island, N.Y., U.S. Known for his eclectic contributions that spanned poetry, painting, criticism, and publishing, Burliuk's work was instrumental in introducing the Russian avant-garde to Europe and the United States. Despite having a lesser volume of work in poetry and painting compared to his contemporaries, Burliuk's knack for discovering talent and promoting it was unparalleled. He was among the first to publish the works of Velimir Khlebnikov and to recognize the genius of Vladimir Mayakovsky, significantly contributing to their renown.
Burliuk's artistic journey was marked by his involvement with the Futurist and Neo-Primitivist movements. His early work, including an exhibition with the group Zveno ("The Link") in Kiev in 1908 and his participation in the Hylaea group, set the stage for his later achievements. He was a co-author of the influential Futurist manifesto "A Slap in the Face of Public Taste" in 1912, advocating for a break from traditional art forms and the embrace of modernity. Burliuk's commitment to Futurism was evident in his publishing endeavors and his collaborations with notable artists of the time.
In his later years, after emigrating to the United States in 1922, Burliuk continued to engage with the art world, contributing to pro-Soviet groups and publishing his works and those of his contemporaries. His efforts were recognized in several exhibitions, including a significant show at the Brooklyn Museum's 1926 International Exhibition of Modern Art. Despite facing challenges, such as being denied permission to visit his homeland by the Soviet government, Burliuk's influence remained steadfast. His legacy as a central figure in Russian Futurism and his contributions to the broader art movement are celebrated to this day.
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William Shakespeare was a British poet and playwright and writer.
William's father, John Shakespeare, was a merchant and official in Stratford. There are reports that he was a sailor for a time before joining a theater company in London. Beginning in the 1590s, Shakespeare began writing plays, and in 1593 he published a poem, Venus and Adonis, which became popular. He dedicated it to the Duke of Southampton, who was a philanthropist and patron of talent, and soon his business was booming.
From 1592 to 1600 Shakespeare wrote his dramas and romantic comedies "Richard III", "The Taming of the Shrew", "Romeo and Juliet", "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "The Merchant of Venice", as well as the comedies "Much Ado About Nothing", "Twelfth Night" and the tragedy "Julius Caesar". The playwright's business was so successful that he even bought a large house in Stratford. In 1599, Shakespeare became one of the owners, playwright and actor of the new theater "Globe". In 1603 King James took Shakespeare's troupe under his direct patronage. In the mature period, the great playwright turned to tragedies, there were "Hamlet", "Othello", "King Lear", "Macbeth" and others.
Although in the 19th century researchers had some doubts about the authorship of many of these works, William Shakespeare is considered the greatest English playwright, one of the best playwrights in the world. His plays have been translated into all major languages and to this day form the basis of the world theatrical repertoire, most of them have been screened many times. According to the Guinness Book of Records, Shakespeare remains the world's best-selling playwright, and his plays and poems have sold more than 4 billion copies in the nearly 400 years since his death.
Willem de Kooning was a Dutch-American abstract expressionist painter. Born in Rotterdam, Netherlands, he moved to the United States in 1926, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1962. He was a leading figure in the Abstract Expressionism movement, known for his dramatic and often energetic style. He gained prominence between 1948 and 1953, creating some of his most iconic works, including the Woman series.
De Kooning's paintings combined abstraction with elements of Cubism, Surrealism, and Expressionism. His style evolved over time, with works that ranged from figurative to more abstract pieces. Among his most notable works are "Woman I" (1950-52) and "Excavation" (1950), which reflect his unique approach to painting, characterized by vigorous brushstrokes, bold colors, and complex textures.
Despite his success, de Kooning faced challenges, including personal struggles with alcoholism and deteriorating health due to Alzheimer's disease in his later years. His artwork has had a lasting impact on modern art, and his pieces can be found in major museums and galleries worldwide, such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
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Hector Berlioz, full name Louis-Hector Berlioz, was a French composer, conductor, and music critic of the Romantic era.
Berlioz received his primary education from his father, an enlightened physician, who gave him his first lessons in music and Latin. By the age of 12, he was already composing music for local chamber ensembles and learning to play the guitar and flute with virtuosity. In 1821 his father sent him to Paris to study medicine, and he received his first scientific degree. But in parallel, he often visited the Paris Opera, where he studied the entire repertoire on the score.
Against the will of his parents, Berlioz took a compulsory course of study at the Conservatory of Paris and in 1830 received the Prix de Rome. In Italy he met the Russian composer Mikhail Glinka and became lifelong friends with Mendelssohn. From 1832 Berlioz worked for 30 years as a music critic for periodicals. He was acquainted with many of the leading writers and musicians of his time, including Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Niccolò Paganini, and George Sand.
Berlioz adored the works of Weber and Beethoven, as well as Gluck, and tirelessly introduced audiences to their works. As a result of his many trips as a conductor to Germany, Belgium, England, Russia, and Austria-Hungary, he taught the leading orchestras of Europe a new style.
Berlioz during these years wrote, among other things, the "Symphonie Fantastique" (1830) that made him famous, and the symphony "Harold in Italy" (1834). After a concert in 1838, where he conducted their performance, the famous violin virtuoso Paganini declared Hector Berlioz a continuator of Beethoven's musical traditions and presented him with 20,000 francs. A grateful Berlioz wrote a choral symphony, Romeo and Juliet, dedicated to Paganini.
In 1844, Berlioz created "Treatise on Modern Instrumentation and Orchestration", which is not just a technical manual, it served as an introduction to the aesthetics of expression in music for generations to come. Among Berlioz's dramatic works, The Damnation of Faust (1846) and The Nativity (1854) are world-famous.
Otto Freundlich was a German painter and sculptor of Jewish origin. A part of the first generation of abstract painters in Western art, Freundlich was a great admirer of cubism.
