Antiques -> Decorative-Arts

Gothic art refers to any art, whether it’s a painting, a sculpture, or some other medium, created from about the mid-12th century through the end of the 14th century. Art was still created over the next century that’s often called International Gothic, but this type of art was more secular and generally had a more natural style than the Gothic art produced during the preceding 200 hundred years. It’s those 200 years that are considered the span of the Gothic art movement. The last century of International Gothic eventually turned into the Renaissance period.

Gothic architecture that was often used in cathedrals was created during the same 200-year period as the art. France was the birthplace of Gothic art, with the change springing from changes in the Romanesque style of art. Sculptures, paintings, fresco and stained glass were some of the most popular mediums.

Gothic art began as sculptures of Christian icons, and then artwork telling Christian stories. Eventually the art style became popular in the secular world, with it being used to tell non-religious stories, as well. It was during the Gothic period that often artists were required to belong to some sort of artists’ trade guild. Recordkeeping for artists and their work was more detailed than ever before. More Gothic artists are known than from any of the previous eras. It was also during the Gothic period that some artist began regularly signing their names to their work.

Gothic sculpture became a huge part of the movement, and popularized the idea of sculptures of Saints and other figures in cathedrals and abbeys. The first building considered to have been created in the Gothic style is the abbey at St. Denis, built in the early 12th century. Other buildings followed, with the idea becoming popular in Germany and throughout the rest of Europe.

Paintings done in that style didn’t really start to appear for half a century after the sculptures became popular. And like with many era changes, there’s no one moment when it’s clear that the Romanesque style had been replaced with Gothic art—the change is gradual, with more animated expressions and body poses, and slightly more realistic ratios as far as size. Panel paintings and illuminated manuscripts represent a huge amount of Gothic paintings. Oil paintings on stretched canvas weren’t really popular until the Renaissance period that would follow.

For this reason, finding authentic Gothic art from the original period is very difficult, and very expensive. Most surviving art is in the form of illustrations and sculptures. For the avid collector, a dealer is probably the best way to find pieces, though some sellers on eBay tend to specialize and may be helpful.

Reproductions and a variety of types of art in that style have been created since the end of the movement, of course, and almost any kind of dark, fantasy or Celtic art today is often called Gothic. Some vintage Gothic art done in an authentic style created just 100 years ago can be quite valuable.

Originally posted 2008-12-27 14:00:48. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Antiques -> Antiquities -> Greek

Greek sculptures are amazing works of art, almost all of which reside in museums or private collections. A collector would do well to find painstaking reproductions of famous sculptures, or art depicting them. The history of these art pieces is interesting, though, whether you’d like to own a reproduction, a new piece created in the Greek style, or whether you’re simply interested in developing a new appreciation for the sculptures of the masters.

The earliest of the Greek sculptures we know of today dates back to 900 BC, and unlike the white marble structures that most recognize, it was made from terra cotta. The sculpture, which was unearthed from two separate graves where pieces had been buried, is known as the Lefkandi Centaur, because it’s believed that it represents Chiron the centaur from mythology. This also makes it the first time Greek myth appeared in an art form, if the experts’ guesses are correct about what the sculpture represents.

The Geometrical period, which ranged from about 900 to 700 BC, saw most Greek sculptures done in either terra cotta, ivory or bronze. The bronze sculptures were usually left as offerings to the gods. Many sculptures were of horses or men, but a variety of animals were also represented.

The Daedalic period saw Eastern influence in the depiction of the flowing hair and wigs and very triangular jaws on figures. Then the Archaic period of Greek art and sculptures gave way for more rigid figures and more Egyptian influence, in art that usually depicted myths, or sometimes even just daily life. And the Classical period saw Greek sculptures become more realistic and lifelike. It was this period that produced some of the most amazing and beautiful sculptures in the world, and likely the ones that you can look at and instantly recognize as Greek. The first sculptors whose names are widely known today came from this period in Greek history.

It’s also interesting to note that when you see Greek sculptures, they’re typically all white. But archaeologists have discovered that most such sculptures were actually originally painted a variety of colors. By using very detailed testing, some have even been able to reproduce the paint and colorings used on Classical statues. The sculptures are white now merely because the paint has dried with age and fallen away, some experts say.

Greek sculptures are timelessly beautiful, and any home can benefit from this type of artwork. If you’re looking for a piece to use on a table as a centerpiece, or a frieze to adorn a wall, then choosing a sculpture that speaks to you or fits the atmosphere you want to convey is the most important thing.

If you want to collect Greek statuary to display as a group for its own sake, do some research into the sculptors and pieces that are most well-known. Online auctions like eBay are a great place to look for Greek art in general, as well as reproduction Greek sculptures or sculptures done in one of the different Greek styles.

Originally posted 2008-12-30 05:00:38. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Antiques -> Architectural and Garden -> Stained Glass Windows-> Pre-1900

Stained glass windows are more than just functional windows, they are works of art that can express exalted meanings or simply beautify a room. When you are shopping for antique stained glass, it’s important to understand the amount of time that went into each piece. Remember, the little imperfections that are commonly present on most stained glass windows are part of their charm and in many cases, they may actually increase the value.

The first step made by the designer is to come up with the actual design for the stained glass window. This was typically done on paper and the artist may try several different designs until they find one that works right. The colors that will be used for the window are usually determined at this phase as well. Most concept drawings for stained glass windows are nearly as beautiful as the windows themselves.

Once the artist had the design and concept ready for their stained glass window, they would need to select the glass. This process was the most time consuming and some artists would spend months trying to find just the right piece. Once the glass had been found, the next step was to start cutting it into the correct sized pieces that would later be assembled together into the window.

The mosaic of glass pieces was very important for a stained glass window. They had to be fit precisely so that they could later be soldered together. Each piece would be individually hand painted and the designer would then lay each piece out in the final design.

Once this was completed, the stained glass window could then be soldered together. Most often lead was used as a part of this process and to this day, most stained glass windows do contain lead. The soldering was an intricate process and more times than not, there would be small imperfections. This was often considered to be an important part of the process and although perfection was usually sought, it would be centuries before this could be attained.

Even though today’s stained glass windows that are assembled by machines may be perfect, they lack that special charm that antique windows have. When you are shopping for stained glass windows that are antiques, think for a minute about the hard work that went into creating that work of art. Whether it is a simple floral design or an intricate religious piece, stained glass windows are definitely keepsakes whether you hang them on the wall or actually install them into a window.

The next time you come across a stained glass window, think about purchasing it to preserve this form of artwork. They can beautify any home, and there is nothing quite like these unique works of art. They make wonderful conversation pieces and can be used just about anywhere in the home.

It is a lot of fun to collect many different stained glass windows and to see if you can end up finding the same designer’s work again.

Originally posted 2008-09-01 05:00:22. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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