Birmingham Alabama Art Museum (I)

After lunch at Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, Amy went back to work but David II, Emmett Lee, Nana (Laurie) and yours truly had time to explore an attraction in Birmingham.  It was hot, so we looked for something indoors…

We decided to visit the Birmingham Museum of Art.  I took this photo of David II, Nana and grandson Emmett Lee in front of the museum.

Notes:

·         For art and design lovers, the museum is a bargain.  Both parking and admission are free!

·         My photos are intended to provide an overview of the broad scope of the artistic creations on display at the museum.

·         I did learn that by putting my camera on the sport setting, no sensor light is emitted so the works of art are protected.  However I also take photos of the information posted next to the item on display and in some instances my camera failed to take pictures clear enough for my use in writing this post.

There is a sculpture courtyard in addition to the indoor exhibits that are spread across both floors of the museum.  This sculpture, entitled “Fuel Dog” was created in 1992 by Charles Lucas.  The artist uses metal scraps and pieces as well as wood pieces in his works.  To learn more, you can go to http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-3388.

Another sculpture in the courtyard was “Reclining Nude”, a work completed in 1984 by Fernando Botero.  He is an 86 year old Colombian artist who is known for creating bloated oversized images.

A number of quilts were on display in the first gallery we entered inside the museum.  This one, with a ‘roman coin’/’strip pattern’ design was completed in 1991 by Mary Maxtion.  Mary was born in 1924 and was raised in rural Alabama, learning to quilt from her mother. 

Part of the Folk Art exhibit included this untitled work of musicians with a fiddle and banjo by Shields Landon (S.L.) Jones who was born in 1901 in West Virginia.  Raised in the southern Appalachians, Jones was a skilled wood carver until he had a heart attack in the early 1990’s.  Then he took up painting, creating this work ca. 1992.    

This spooky but attention getting creation is entitled “Voodoo (Tree of Life)”.  It was created by Herbert Singleton in 1991.  Singleton is an internationally known folk artist who was born and raised in Louisiana.  Initially he earned a living as a construction worker but in the 1970’s he began carving totems and branches and his work evolved from there…

The maker of this beautiful and ornate chest is unknown.  It was made in England in the mid-1600’s, using oak, walnut, rosewood plus bone and mother of pearl in the inlays.

Laurie and I have always loved old tiles.  We would have collected them but they’ve always been too pricy for us.  This scene is made from Delft tiles.

Delftware or Delft Blue is blue and white pottery (and tiles) made in and around Delft in the Netherlands from the 1500’s on to today.  The most highly regarded period of production was from 1640 – 1740.  

To see a collection of amazing Delft tiles, you can go to https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=antique+delft+tiles&id=F68465271F12BA989FF86D115832F660DEC87087&FORM=IQFRBA.

This French mantle clock was made ca. 1755.  The case was made by Balthazar Lieutaud using oak, brass, gilt bronze, enameled metal and glass.  The works or movement was made by renowned scientist and watchmaker, Ferdinand Berthoud.  He was especially famous for his sea chronometers.

To learn more about Berthoud and his body of work, you can go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Berthoud.  Exquisite and very expensive timepieces are still manufactured in his name to this day…

We’ve also always loved Staffordshire pottery items…and this display certainly captured our attention.  Collecting Staffordshire pottery and porcelain is very popular with a huge selection of both average and excellent items available on the Internet. 

Note:

·         Staffordshire Potteries really refers to an industrial area in Staffordshire England.  In the early 1700’s North Staffordshire became the center of ceramic production due to the ready availability of clay, salt, lead and coal.  Hundreds of companies produced decorative or practical items.

We loved this large painting with it bucolic vision!  Its entitled “Chatsworth House and Park”.  It was painted in 1725 by Flemish artist Pieter Tillemans.  The artist is best known for his paintings of sporting and topographical scenes.  For much of his life, he lived and worked in England and he is regarded as one of the founders of the English school of sporting painting.

To learn more and to view a few more of Tillemans’ paintings, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Tillemans.

This lovely lead glaze earthen ware or cream ware teapot was made ca. 1770 in Leeds England.  I really like the color…

I think that this painting is quite striking…the ruins and the figures contemplating them and possibly what they represent. (Unfortunately I didn’t capture the artist’s information)

This oil painting on canvas is titled “Three for Five” and it was painted in 1890.  The artist was John George Brown.  Born in Great Britain, Brown moved to New York when he was fairly young and he’s considered an American painter.  He became famous for his depictions of young street vendors on the streets of the city…

This is a portrait of Oliver Hazard Perry, “Hero of Lake Erie”.  It was painted in about 1857 by Jane Stuart, who was the youngest daughter of Gilbert Stuart, the famous portraitist who is best known for his painting of George Washington.

Jane is best known for her miniature paintings and portraits, like her father particularly those made depicting George Washington.  In the early 1800’s she took on the responsibility of supporting her family after her father’s death.  

To learn more about Jane Stuart and to view few of her paintings, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Stuart.

Note:

·         Oliver Hazard Perry became a hero during the War of 1812 when he built an American Fleet at Erie Pennsylvania and then led American forces in a decisive naval victory against the British fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie.  He received a Congressional Gold Medal for his effort.  As a side note, Perry is also famous for two of his quotes: “Don’t give up the ship” and “We have met the enemy and they are ours!”

This dressing table was built ca. 1820 – 1830 in Baltimore Maryland.  It’s constructed from mahogany and maple.

Charles Eugene Shannon painted this work which is entitled “Conversation Piece”.  Shannon, who was from Montgomery Alabama, focused his work on the everyday lives of African Americans.  Shannon also earned a lasting reputation as the man who discovered, exhibited and documented folk artist, Bill Traylor.  

To view the array of Traylor’s works, go to https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=bill+traylor+artist&id=7BEC362F3DD5481AF44EC1DD090233379013D2C6&FORM=IQFRBAy.  

“L ‘Aurore” (Aurora) was painted by Frenchman William-Adolphe Bouguerean in 1881.  It was first in a series of 4 paintings depicting the time of day.  In Bouguerean’s realistic style paintings, he used mythological themes, creating modern interpretations of classical subjects, with an emphasis on the female human body. 

Laurie was particularly taken with this oil painting.  It’s entitled “Moonlight in Virginia”.  It was painted on a panel in 1884 by George Inness.  Despite the luminous moon, the somber tones project the mood of the South recovering from America’s Civil War. 

Inness was one of the most influential American artists of the nineteenth century.  His prolific career spanned more than 40 years and 1,000 paintings.  He consistently earned praise for his ability to project depth of mood, atmosphere and emotion.  He’s often called the “Father of American Landscape Painting”.

To learn more about George Inness and to view a selection of his works, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Inness.

A further sampling of the variety of art works on display at the Birmingham Museum of Art, will be posted this week… Website: http://artsbma.org.  

Just click on any of these images to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave