Week 9 video Blog.

1. Explain why you selected each of the FOUR videos you choose from the selection listed above.

The Drawings of Michelangelo -because he's amazing
Da VInci - Learning about him has become a passion of mine since I played him at the science museum this summer

The Night Watch - because I like Rembrant.

Albrecht Durer- because it seemed interesting



2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.


The Drawings of Michelangelo _ I think the biggest thing I learned from this video is that Michelangel would be upset if he knew we were viewing his sketches -honestly I found it really comforting to find out that even the great Michelangel had to work and rework his drawings.

Leonardo da Vinci: I think the biggest things I learned from this was that Da Vinci was considered not well educated enough to go certain paintings..that, da vinci was sent to the court of Milan as a musician notas an artists and that his father was involved enough in his life to help him get comminssions, since he was considered "illegitimate" it could have been very different for him.

The Night Watch - I learned all the symbolism in the piece and that this piece was cut to fit the place where it was supposed to hang in a palace, slashed with a knife, splashed with acid and had water poured on it to save it from the acid.

Albtrecht Durer - The biggest thing learned from this movie was how young he was when his talent revealed itself.



2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?
I think these illuminate the artists in ways a text, any text, could never do . I also think that seeing more works of these artists is invaluable.



3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

I really enjoyed the Michelangelo one...it was wonderful to see the sketches.

The Da Vinci video had some of the sketches for pieces I worked with this summer...it was great seeing them.

The Night Watch - actually over shaddowed the book as it spoke more about what had been done to it; both in terms of destruction and how during WWII to save ti from the ravages of the Nazi's. Honestly given that we had just, the day before I watched this, discussed Hitler's affect on art and museums, this really hit home. And the restoration efforts were amazing.

Albrecht Durer - I really liked this, it added a lot to my knowledge of the period...when I think of the Renaissance, I think of Da Vinci and his contemporaries, that the Renaissance also occured in Northern Europe often slips my mind...this movie brings that though to the forefront.

Line Exploration, Hand Exploration

I did this one first because I wanted to have some fun with it





I did this to fulfill the requirements of the assignment.

Museums By Midnight Part 3

When we came downstairs we caught sigh of this gem:

The architectural model and the label for it.

After the Richardson Complex we were soaking wet and more than a little tired, so we caught a cab to the Albright-Knox, and took my car over to the Historical Society( BECHS); best decision we made all night!

Bechs is one of my least favorite places in the city and this time did not disappoint...we were told their were docents around, but could not find any and the folks we did find with BECHS tags on would not answer questions; too bad.






The outside of the building by night
and
The Buffalo's Bethune Exhibit:

The Apostle's Clock

Tools like my dad used to use.

I love this; I am not sure if you'll see it well, but it's called Viewable Storage and I think it's today's version of the old "Cabinet of Wonder"

Take a look inside

Some of the other stuff we found:

Above: The electric building from the 1901 Wold's Fair. If you ever get a chance go to the BECHS resource center and see the architectural model - it's something to write home about.

At the end of the night; we had filled our "dance cards"

We went home, exhausted.

Museums By Midnight Part 2

After the Burchfield-Penny (B-P) we went to the imposing and impressive Richardson Complex, it's next to never open so we were really looking for ward to this

on our way from the B-P we saw this and thought it was a nice shot.

The corner stone of a city icon:

After 10 minutes in the pouring rain we were glad to seek shelter on the steps; under these

Our First View:

Stairway to "nowhere"

A view down the ward

The floor tile border

Mosaic work on the floor

"C-'70" --I'll bet an inmate left it.

A door of what? Take a close look this door has a window opening into it:

Continued it Part 3....

Museums By Midnight Part 1

The National Preservation Trust is holding its National Conference here in Buffalo this week. Along with the regular sessions that such conferences offer they are doing tours of local preservation projects and museums. Thursday, October 20th, 2011 was one such tour, that was opened to the public. This was to take us on Self Guided Tours of Albright-Knox Art Gallery, The Art Conservation Dept of Buffalo State, The Birchfield-Penny, The Richardson Complex, and BECHS.
I had to go the Albright Knox for my Anthropology class to see the new exhibit so we started there, we were not allowed to take pictures and there are none online yet of the three brand new exhibits - so I have none of that venue.
We proceeded to walk across the street to the Art Conservation dept, and had a ball...I've been there before with my museums class last semester and loved it. I had to go again. I was restricted from taking pictures of client's art work that they were restoring - so I took pictures of some of the work areas and permenant displays in the halls everything I took pictures of I made sure to get permission.

daguerreotypes in the hall

Now take a walk through the labs with me

Some of the work areas.

participants looking through the microscopes..at ultramarine and( I think) azurite.
After this we went to the Birchfield-Penny. To look around this is some of what we found there.

Some of Mr Burchfield's own work

I'll continue in another post....