Wassily Kandinsky was one of the first artists to make completely abstract paintings. His 1913 oil painting on canvas Composition VI is an example of his non-representational works. Kandinsky is another step in the progression from the previous artists Constable, Renoir and Boccioni. Constable, Renoir and Boccioni used recognizable figures and scenes, but used … Continue reading Wassily Kandinsky’s Composition VI
art and collectibles
Umberto Boccioni’s ‘Unique Forms of Continuity in Space’
. Unique Forms of Continuity in Space is a famous large bronze sculpture by Italian futurist artist Umberto Boccioni. Boccioni made the plaster sculpture in 1913, with the bronze examples seen in museums being cast from the plaster sculpture or from other bronze castings. The work is a part of the short lived … Continue reading Umberto Boccioni’s ‘Unique Forms of Continuity in Space’
Art and the the manipulation of the mind
Art artificially manipulates the mind. The artist uses symbols, colors, shapes, timing, angles, sounds, word play and other techniques to play on the audience's psychology, subconscious, emotions, audio and optical physiology and internal sensory processing systems. One significant point about this is that it shows that the mind can be artificially manipulated. That humans can … Continue reading Art and the the manipulation of the mind
New Guide to Authenticating Antique and Art Prints
You can download my new pdf ebook guide: "Identifying Antique Commercial Printing Processes, And The Basics of Authenticating Antique and Art Prints." This heavily illustrated guide reprints previously published articles. It focuses on identifying printing processes, but includes additional important chapters on authenticating and dating antique and fine art prints, and gives the essential basics … Continue reading New Guide to Authenticating Antique and Art Prints
The first Kodak snapshots
This is what the first Kodak snapshot photos looked like. This is a 5x3.75 inches 1890s albumen snapshot of Petersen House in Washington DC, where American President Abraham Lincoln died. The building was across the street from the Ford Theater where he was shot during a play by prominent actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes … Continue reading The first Kodak snapshots
Rare Victorian Trade Card showing pigs playing baseball
Shown is an 1880s American trade card for the anti-cholera Haas Remedy veterinary medicine, showing the plump and healthy Haas Remedy treated pigs beating the skeletal cholera-infected pigs in a baseball game. The 'nine' in the caption was a common old time nickname for baseball teams, with there being 9 players in the starting lineup … Continue reading Rare Victorian Trade Card showing pigs playing baseball
Looking at Artifacts and Ideas 