WOMBAT YEARS

Browsing the online print collection of the British Museum on a strange day, sitting watch in the gallery. So there:

I. “Les Ages de l’homme”, late 16th century engraving by Dutch D. de Vosthem. Death how I like him best, in casual reaper pose. Title actually says “the ages of man and the animals they resemble”. Order of animals:
Piglet - Wtf (Tapir?) - Deer (Stag party!) - Bull - Lion - Fox - Wolf - Dog - Donkey.

II. “The Ages of Man”, 1540. Woodcut by Jörg Breu the 2nd. Love this one because it is printed from 4 smaller blocks forming one large (49.1x66.3cm) print. 
Goat - Veal - Stag - Lion - Badger - Wolf - Dog - Cat - Donkey (Link)

III. “The various ages and degrees of human life”, 1739. Etching,  37.2x47.2mm. Published by John Evans. Both sexes, 10-90. (Link)
No animals.

IV. The Ages of Woman. Etching, 39x50.3cm. According to description a 1560-80 engraving by Cristofano Bertelli, attributed to: Nicolò Nelli. According to other part of description a 17th century print. What now. 
Interesting here is the fact that women don’t get to be Lions or Possums,  only birds. Birth - 80. I’ll leave the recoginition of which bird corresponds to which age to you ornithologists out there. (Link)

V. The Ages of Man - sibling print to IV, here it doesn’t say 17th century. Whatever, Birth - 80. Piglet - Sheep - Stag - Bull - Lion - Wolf - Fox - Dog - Donkey, maybe.

VI. 1482, hand-coloured woodcut, “The Ten Ages of Man” chart, with associated animals and witty text. Life back then was not kind to the elderly, by 80 foolishness sets in, by 90 the kids mock you (associated animal: the donkey), and “may god have mercy” if you make it to 100.
Bambi - Veal - Bull - Lion - Fox - Wolf - Dog - Cat - Donkey - Goose

VII. 1780-1800, hand-coloured etching, Shakespeare’s seven ages, artist unknown. No animals, which is sad. Admittably, this is just in here because of hand coloured and pink next to yellow, which always rocks.

Further reading:

And I realised that all those animals were really me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZua0IB5FaY

Half Shark-Alligator Half Man:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abky6hbKPpg

Woke up way before my alarm this morning, just looking at the ceiling (not a very interesting ceiling). Then got sick of my lack of enthusiasm, forced myself into robot mode and did laundry, dishes, vacuumed and played with cat to make up for vacuuming. Then went to metro, waiting for my metro to come. When it finally did I watched it coming in, doors opening, doors closing, leaving -  without getting up from my bench. Wtf. Smiled at my mopy self, then took the next metro.

adamisinky:

Peep and Tanuki’s cat-sized etching press arrived today. 

O - M -G <3

Soo a little while back I was posting about Klinger’s “Eva und die Zukunft” suite of prints. It featured a large feline, some narwhal surfing (best take on the Deluge ever) and A&E getting expelled from paradise.

The print shown above, from the suite ”Oeuvre Priapique“ was made by Dominique Vivant, Baron de Denon. Aka the “Eye of Napoleon”  aka the first director of the Louvre aka Musée Napoléon. Back then the job description for Napoleon’s #1 art guy included a considerable amount of looting aka curating the art spoils of war, making sure the collection in Paris was above all others.

But enought about the guy, on to the print: Paper size ~8x10cm, gorgeous take on the expulsion from paradise! Maybe not en par with the draughtsmanship of Klinger, but such a nice etching of a swift kick in the butt by an angel! Now GTFO!

Further reading:

Earlier, in the Garden of Eden:
http://pbfcomics.com/16/

Suprême NTM:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7trJTujKv8

IAM - L’empire Du Côté Obscur:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW4PtgKDc1k

Oh Gabriel <3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06YE_KsedfQ

Source, btw:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1509946&partId=1&subject=16808&page=5

Franz von Stuck
Die Sinnlichkeit (Sensuality), 1889-91
Etching and drypoint on paper

German painter, printmaker (and knight) Franz von Stuck (1863 - 1928); heavy on symbolism, allegory and erotic implications.
He did multiple variations of the “Lady/Snake” theme (curiously, the painted version is called “Die Sünde” (Sin) while this print is Die Sinnlichkeit. Makes you wonder).

Either way, I’m sitting watch at FAFA Gallery in Helsinki all day (fuck, all weekend), reading Paradise Lost - so probably more snake / fall of man / sin themed prints coming up. Come visit if you’re in the ‘hood.

Further reading:

Time to crank up the volume:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJKbd3QMQS0
LONG SNAKE MOAN

diehler:

Tired printers

Manno Kalliomäki (1948-2005)
Hautausmaa ja luuranko haamut
(Cemetery and skeleton ghosts)
Etching and aquatint, 1973
Edition of 5

Manno Kalliomäki was a Finnish printmaker / artist based in Turku.
Dark Finnish humor and at times biting social commentary = BHP approves!  

Not much on the web about him, unfortunately.
Go see this print here: http://www.bulevardi7.com/se/myyntikokoelmat/?isokuva=6478 

Further reading:

Also not so sure what kind of music he was into (his obituary says he had a well sorted collection of over 2000 records), but here’s Finnish tango classic “Kohtalon Tango” played on a mechanical organ, for that Monkey Island feeling you’ve been trying to reconnect to for years now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKDXNberllg

Goes well with the cemetery / skeleton choir etching, too.

EVA UND DIE ZUKUNFT
(Eva And The Future)
Max Klinger, 1898

Eva und die Zukunft is Max Klinger’s third suite of prints, printed by Wilhelm Felsing, published by the Klinger himself. Shown here is the 6th edition (!), via the Met: http://metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/90028445?img=0
In case your German is a bit rusty, here’s the titles for the prints:

I. Eva
II. 1st Future
III. The Snake
IV. 2nd Future
V. Adam
VI. 3rd Future

Klinger being Klinger, he re-did the Adam plate later, will post about that another time. Forgot to make special random whatever “happy 300 posts” post, now at 302. Hm.
Love the cat scaring them out of paradise, Adam’s defiant(?) pose outside the gates and the reign of Death as the last print of the series, so great. Go to the Met page to look at unresized HD versions of the prints!

Also so close to 600 followers, you’re all amazing!

Further reading:

This actually calls for an audio book version of Paradise Lost, but the ones out there have terrible accentuated p’s and s’s, so unlinkable. Best to read it in your own voice within your head anyway. Library time!

The Library of the Undead:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX3X1U2lR3k

Books!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZBb1J8vPIU

Helsinki Moments

The amazing CBH is still visiting BHP, and we’re dilligently working on our upcoming edition. Nothing much to write, just a whole lot of drypointing and proofing going on. See pictures.
Now that I’ve refilled my Sodium Hydroxide supplies there’ll also be a lot of steelfacing over the next few days, so stayed tuned for More News from Nowhere Helsinki.

Further reading:

I had to, kinda:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MajmI5j7Bs

Recently recommended to me, kinda into it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krGDNbT4CSE

on-painting:

You know what you can name.

Understanding the reference systems you move in holds one of the tougher learning curves you need to continuously handle when starting to learn any craft. Sometimes that’s easy - in painting for example, when interested in depicting objects, faces or basic…

Do yourself and your peers a favour, read this amazing essay. Like the previous installments posted by on-painting it is written with painting in mind, but easily covers most other artistic practices as well. 
BHP highly recommended reading.

LA VS StP in HEL

I have a couple of favourite spots in Helsinki, and one of them is pictured above - I walk past it every morning: a curious meeting between Catman and Priboy.
I like it because it reminds me of the time the amazing Priboy was visiting Helsinki, crashing at my place, and within seconds of entering my appartment for the first time spotted some Catman stickers on my kitchen table and exclaimed “Oh, Camilla!”
You guys totally need to hook up and exchange stickers.

My only weakness is a listed crime 
My only weakness is … well, never mind, never mind
Oh, street artists of the world
Unite and take over

If St. Petersburg, Tel Aviv and Los Angeles are kinda far away, a walk through Helsinki might take you to all these places, street art wise. 

Further reading:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ_94PJHaGI

Alternatively:
THE SHAPKA 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La1qNWi4LjQ

THIS IS LOS ANGELES
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utsHQy3ywS8