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Islamic art is not the art of a nation or of a people, but that of a religion…
Multicultural and multi-ethnical, this polymorphic and highly spiritual art, in which all representation of Man and God were prohibited, developed canons and various motives of great decorative value.
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Goya: The Original Photojournalist?
Admittedly, Goya never actually took photos. But replace his pencil and etching tools for a camera and Goya was predating the practice of objective war photojournalism by centuries. During the terrible Peninsular War of 1808-1814, the artist visited the Spanish countryside and witnessed unimaginable horrors. His recordings of these became the powerful series Disasters of War, which would go unpublished until thirty years after his death. Goya completed these works for himself, recording simply what he saw and what drew his attention, rather than what any patron wanted to see. Although taken individually they could be powerful propaganda, as a whole the series takes no sides. Goya portrays with equal…
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Why We Owe Spain a Big “Gracias”
This is how I started my office questionnaire (I take my research for these blogs very seriously): “What has Spain given the world….go:” These were the answers I received (and yes, some of the responders are Spanish): Helicopters “America” “Hot men” Tortilla
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Olympia in Venice
Remember the first time you went away from home for an extended period of time? Your mother made sure you packed warm socks and clean pants, even if it was going to be 40 degrees Celsius in your final destination. She called and wrote you often, making sure you were eating your vegetables and brushing your teeth. She loved and worried about you. I imagine this is what the Musée d’Orsay is going through at the moment, having sent one of its most precious babies off to Italy for the summer.
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Goya: A model for ‘those that don’t succeed, try try again’?
Francisco de Goya: 18th Century Spanish bad boy? Overlooked Political Commentator? A sufferer for his art? Yes, yes, and yes. Goya is all of the above. Ok, let’s start with the ‘Bad Boy’ charge. This aspect of his personality may be tracked back to his time studying under a master popular with Spanish Royalty of the time. It’s fair to say that he and his teacher didn’t exactly see eye to eye, which resulted in his receiving poor results in his examinations. Later on, he experienced further disappointment when he submitted entries to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in San Fernando. These were rejected, not once, but twice, in…















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