Art

Why we turn to art in this difficult moment, and where to find virtual tours – The Philadelphia Inquirer

Published

4 years ago

March 21, 2020

A few weeks ago, I started to seriously fantasize about a springtime trip to Ghent, the Belgian city hosting the most comprehensive exhibition ever of the works of Jan van Eyck, the artist who perfected oil painting.

Now, like most people, my travel ambitions are limited to a walk around the neighborhood. Even if I were in Ghent, I could not see the show because the museum hosting it is closed, along with thousands more museums around the world, including in Philadelphia.

Art through a curator’s eye

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Indeed, there is so much available it is impossible to say where to start, let alone to draw conclusions. I explored impulsively, letting one thing lead to another, as things do on the web. I can report, though, that many of the sites offer interpretation and documentation difficult to find elsewhere. They really enable you to see an artist through the eye of a top curator.

Their drawback, of course, is that you are not seeing the works with your own eyes, noticing things for yourself in the presence of a handmade object. Online art viewing offers plenty of detail, expertise and fun facts, and even animation. The art’s emotional content — the reason I suspect many are turning to art in this difficult moment — is more elusive.

And while exploring Brazil’s Museu de Arte S ão Paulo Assis Chateaubriand, which features an enormous open room in which paintings are mounted on Plexiglas panels, all facing the same direction, I found myself stuck only looking at the paintings’ backs.

But when I switched from my desktop to my tablet, after installing the Google Arts & Culture App, I was able to walk around my bedroom while on-screen I toured the museum. It was fun, but to really see the works of art, you need to leave the walk-through and peruse the high-definition images on the site.

While each museum’s website is unique, the Google app standardizes the experience so you can quickly see whether an institution offers virtual walk-throughs and slideshows, which the site calls stories, in addition to selections from the collections. There is no real relationship between the size of the museum and its online offerings.

Vermeer at your leisure

For example, Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum, one of the largest in the world, offers only one story. But it is an important one, a discussion of Johannes Vermeer’s The Art of Painting.

As the viewer scrolls down, the camera moves over the surface of the painting and captions appear describing the painter’s methods, possible meanings of the painting, and the clothes and artifacts to be seen. You probably spend more time with this painting in this virtual version than if you make the trip to Vienna and had to dodge the shoals of tourists brandishing selfie sticks who converge on this canvas. (I’m still glad to have done so.)

This museum, like most, offers images of some of its most important works, and I couldn’t leave without taking a look at some of the great paintings of Pieter Bruegel the Elder such as Children’s Games, The Peasant Wedding, and The Tower of Babel.

These are incredibly complex works, full of symbolism and incident, humor and warning. They reward time and patience, and it might be easier to immerse yourself in these paintings and on-screen than it is standing and looking at them in a museum.

The Tower of Babel, that quintessential story of misplaced confidence, misunderstood communication, and monumental failure, seems resonant with our moment. As you stare at the screen you can see the beauty of the edifice, the swarms of workers, and the king who is giving orders, oblivious that the building is falling down even as it rises up.

And since our digital devices are tools of distraction as well as exploration, I was soon looking at the analysis of Bruegel’s The Fall of the Rebel Angels from the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. The slideshow does a great job of explicating one of the painter’s darkest canvases, which combines images of the beginning of time with the end of the world and teems with monsters and grotesques.

Bruegel in VR

On the Google Arts & Culture home page, I found a link for the museum’s virtual reality film of the work. In A Fall With the Rebel Angels, St. Michael and his heavenly allies flap their realistic birdlike wings as they grapple with dark demons, while fantastical creatures float past.

It takes place in an apparently three-dimensional space. If you tilt the viewing angle, you can see almost all the way to heaven. This is not an improvement on Bruegel, but it is engaging, which is what the internet is designed to be.

Seeing that I was in virtual Brussels, I decided to click my way to virtual Ghent. The website there is essentially a promotion for the now-shuttered show, but it contains several good slideshows that at least hint at what makes Jan van Eyck such an uncannily precise yet spiritual painter.

I love knowing that a blue brooch worn by an angel in one of the panels of the Ghent Altarpiece shows the reflection of a specific window at its original location, and the reflection is optically correct.

Like the best of what I discovered online, it gives me something to think about when I can get out of the house and start looking at art for real.

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Art

Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork

Published

22 hours ago

September 13, 2024

Harry Miller

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.

Alleged Fraud Scheme

Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.

Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.

Massive Seizure of Artworks

In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.

Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.

Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed

In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.

Court Proceedings Ongoing

The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.

Impact on the Local Art Community

The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.

For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.

As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.

While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.

Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.

As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.

Art

Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone – BBC.com

Published

2 weeks ago

September 2, 2024

Harry Miller

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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com

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Art

Somerset House Fire: Courtauld Gallery Reopens, Rest of Landmark Closed

Published

4 weeks ago

August 18, 2024

Harry Miller

The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”

On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.

Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”

The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.

Blaze in the West Wing

The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.

About Somerset House

Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.

Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.

Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.

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