Daily Archives: October 7, 2009

Decoding the Durer in Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol

Albrecht Dürer – the famed German draftsman, painter and writer – is best known for his exquisite, intricate woodcuts and engravings. Dürer’s name is included among art history’s Old Masters, and he continues to earn renown for his innovative, skillfully-executed works. Park West Gallery Artist Bios >>
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Albrecht Durer. Melencolia I (detail). ca 1514.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA / (StarTribune.com) — If you’re curious about that Albrecht Dürer print that pops up on page 263 in The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown’s latest bestseller, you can hop over to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and find it hanging in Gallery 316.

Tom Rassieur, the museum’s print curator, said he hasn’t yet read the book but got a tip that Dürer’s 1514 image Melencolia I plays a role in the plot, so he got it out of storage and hung it.

“Durer is easily among the greatest artists of all time and a real favorite of mine,” said Rassieur. “That print is rife with symbols but I think it’s also a psychological self-portrait that expresses the frustration of a creative genius…”

Read the full article >>
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Park West Gallery Fall Collection

Park West Gallery, Fall Sale, Fine artwork, designer jewelry, Japanese woodcuts, sports memorabilia

Fine artwork, designer jewelry, Japanese woodcuts and sports memorabilia featured

With the holiday season right around the corner, the Park West Gallery Fall Collection was put together with the discerning shopper in mind. The collection is currently featured online and boasts an array of fine artwork, high-end designer jewelry, Japanese woodcuts and sports memorabilia, all of which are being offered at exciting sale prices now through November 15, 2009. Customers may also visit Park West’s elegant, museum-style gallery in Southfield, Michigan to view the Fall Collection and enjoy the 3½ acres of sculpture gardens and luxuriant grounds that surround the gallery.

More than 300 works from some of the world’s greatest artists are featured in the Fall Collection. These artists include the Old and Modern Masters: Rembrandt, Picasso, Goya, Chagall, and Dali as well as contemporary artists: Peter Max, Yaacov Agam, Romero Britto, Simon Bull, Linda Le Kinff, Marcus Glenn, and Itzchak Tarkay. A variety of mediums including oil and acrylic paintings, watercolors and drawings, hand-signed limited edition etchings, lithographs, serigraphs and hand-embellished graphic works make up the collection of artwork.

Fine jewelry from high-end designers such as Erte, Di Modolo, Lumiere, Diara, Roberto Coin, and Gatto Luciano is also featured. While the collection is diverse, all of the jewelry has certain qualities in common: superb craftsmanship, timeless characteristics and unique design.

The Japanese Woodcuts in the Park West Gallery Fall Collection were created in the 1800 and early 1900s and provide a glimpse into the rich history of Japan. The subject matters depicted include: kabuki (depictions of actors from the Edo period, during which the theater was both fashionable and popular); sumo wrestling (viewed by the Japanese to be equally spiritual and physical); the Tale of Genji (perhaps the first complete novel which was written by Lady Murasaki Shikibu in the eleventh century); and Bijn-Ga (meaning pictures of beautiful women).

A portion of Park West Gallery’s extensive sports memorabilia collection has been incorporated into the Fall Collection. A selection of signed photographs and sport-specific memorabilia are included in the offering as well as hand-signed Muhammad Ali collectibles exclusive to Park West Gallery.

Gallery hours: Monday-Wednesday, 10am-6pm / Thursday-Friday, 10am-7pm / Saturday, 11am-6pm

The Fall Collection can be viewed at sales.parkwestgallery.com, and knowledgeable art consultants are ready to assist callers at 800-521-9654.
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Artist Birthdays October 7 – JOHN WHITE ALEXANDER

JOHN WHITE ALEXANDER (Oct. 7, 1856 – May 31, 1915)

  • Nationality: American
  • Field: Painting, illustration
  • Art Movement: Symbolism
  • ARTiFact: In 1875 he began his career in New York as a political cartoonist and illustrator for Harper’s Weekly.
  • Artist Quote: “I have all sorts of crazy notions about getting down closer and closer to my work and even shutting myself up in some place in the woods and be a sort of Thoreau in art.”
  • Notable Artwork (shown below):  Repose, 1895.

John White Alexander. Repose. 1895.

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