AMEDEO MODIGLIANI (1884 - 1920)






HIS BIOGRAPHY:

Amedeo Modigliani, one of the most popular artists of the 20th century, was born on July 12, 1884 into the family of Flaminio and Eugenia Modigliani, in Livorno (Leghorn), Tuscany. He was the forth and the youngest child in the family, which belonged to the secularized Jewish bourgeoisie. By the time Amedeo was born, the family business was in down, to go bankrupt some years later. Eugenia Modigliani, Amedeo’s mother, came from France. To contribute to the family income she gave private lessons and made translations. It was she who liked to create myths around the family and encouraged this trait in her younger son.

The attack of typhoid in 1898 was a turning point in Modigliani’s life. After recovering he was allowed to drop school and start to take lessons in drawing and painting at the Art Academy in Livorno. By 1900, his health condition aggravated, he contracted tuberculosis and spent the winter of 1900/01 in Naples, on Capri and in Rome. In 1902, Modigliani enrolled in the Scuola libera di Nudo (Free School of Nude Studies) in Florence. He visited Florence’s museums and churches and studied the art of the Renaissance, which he learned to admire. A year later Modigliani moved to Venice, where he enrolled in the Instituto di Belle Arti di Venezia and continued the self-study of old masters. It is in Venice that he first tried hashish. Two years later Modigliani went to Paris. He took life-drawing classes at the Académie Colarossi and befriended many colleagues from all over the world. Despite his poor health, he participated in the debauched life of the artists on Montmartre. The German painter Ludwig Meidner described him in the following way, “Our Modigliani, or ‘Modi’ as he was called – was a characteristic and, at the same time, highly talented representative of Bohemian Montmartre; he was probably even its last true Bohemian”.

In 1907, Modigliani got his first patron – the young medical doctor Paul Alexandre (Portrait of Paul Alexandre Against a Green Background), who bought paintings and drawings from Modigliani and got him commissions for portraits. Thus, the painting The Amazon (1909) - was a commission from the Baroness Marguerite de Hasse de Villers, which she made on Dr. Alexandre’s recommendations. But the sitter was so infuriated with the finished portrait that refused to take it and Dr. Alexandre bought it.

Through Dr. Alexandre (in 1909) Modigliani made the acquaintance of the Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi, under the influence of whom he switched to stone sculpture, which prevailed over his painting for some time. One of the legends says that Modigliani stole the big blocks of stone for his sculptures from the surrounding construction sites and the railway sleepers, intended for the Métro, for his wooden heads. Modigliani never bothered to refute any gossip and fantasies concerning him.

In spring of 1910, Modigliani got acquainted with a young Russian poetess Anna Akhmatova. Their passionate love affair lasted till the August of 1911, when they parted never to meet again.

Modigliani’s sculptures were exhibited in the autumn Salon of 1912, some of them were even bought; but by 1914 the artist was again more interested in painting. In June of 1914, he met the talented and eccentric English woman, Béatrice Hastings, who had been a circus artist, a journalist, a poetess, a traveler, an art critic, and maybe tried other professions, of which we don’t know. Later she would write of him, “A complex character. A swine and a pearl. Met him in 1914 at a crémerie. I sat opposite him. Hashish and brandy. Not at all impressed. Didn’t know who he was. He looked ugly, ferocious and greedy. Met him again at the Café Rotonde. He was shaved and charming. Raised his cap with a pretty gesture, blushed and asked me to come and see his work. And I went. He always had a book in his pocket. Lautrémont’s Maldoror. The first oil painting was of Kisling. He had no respect for anyone except Picasso and Max Jacob. Detested Cocteau. Never completed anything good under the influence of hashish.” Béatrice became Modigliani’s mistress and preferred model for the next two years. Though her portraits can’t be called flattering, more vice versa – she’s shown round-faced, small-featured, with pursed lips and small empty eyes. Beatris Hastings. Madam Pompadour (Portrait of Beatrice Hastings).

In August of 1914, the First World War broke out. Modigliani wanted to enlist but was exempted from military service for health reasons. Paul Alexandre was enlisted, ending the contract between him and the artist. The art dealer Paul Guillaume offered Modigliani his support. In 1916, Modigliani befriended the Polish poet and art dealer Léopold Zborovski (1889-1932) and his wife Anna (Hanka), who would become his supportive friends. Modigliani painted them several times.
In April of 1917, Modigliani met the 19-year-old Jeanne Hébuterne (1898-1920), student of the Académie Colarossi; they started to live together. “She was gentle, shy, quiet and delicate. A little bit depressive”, the writer Charles-Albert Cingria characterized Jeanne. She became his major model until his death, he painted her no less than 25 times.

On December 3, 1917 Modigliani’s first one-man exhibition was opened at the Berthe Weill Gallery. Unfortunately the gallery was situated opposite a police station, the chief of which was scandalized by Modigliani’s nudes and forced him to close the exhibition within a few hours after its opening.

In spring of 1918, Modigliani and Jeanne left Paris, which was under the threat of occupation by Germans, and went for the southern coast. In Nice and its environments Modigliani produced most of the paintings that would later become his most popular and highest-priced works. On November 29, 1918 in Nice, Jeanne Hébuterne gave birth to a girl, who was recognized by Modigliani as his daughter. She was given the same Christian name as her mother.

At the end of May of 1919, Modigliani returned to Paris. After several successful exhibitions in England, English collectors started to buy his paintings. But by the end of the year Modigliani became seriously ill with tuberculosis. On January 24 1920 he died. On the following day the pregnant Jeanne Hébuterne committed suicide. They were buried together in the Père Lachaise cemetery. Their orphan daughter Jeanne (1918-1984) was adopted by Modigliani’s sister in Florence; later she would write an important biography of her father Modigliani: Man and Myth


HIS PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES

Antoni Plàcid Guillem Gaudí i Cornet (Riudoms or Reus, 25 June 1852 – Barcelona, 10 June 1926) – sometimes referred to by the Spanish translation of his name, Antonio Gaudí – was a Spanish Catalan architect, who belonged to the Modernisme (Art Nouveau) movement and was famous for his unique style and highly individualistic designs.




This is a playlist with pics of his works and their details

BIOGRAPHY AND LIST OF WORKS:




Birthplace:


Gaudí was born in the province of Tarragona in southern Catalonia, Spain in 1852. While there is some dispute as to his birthplace – official documents state that he was born in the town of Reus, whereas others claim he was born in Riudoms, a small village 3 miles (5 km) from Reus, – it is certain that he was baptized in Reus a day after his birth. The artist's parents, Francesc Gaudí Serra and Antònia Cornet Bertran, both came from families of metalsmiths.

The youngest of five, Gaudí found he was too lame to play with friends his own age because of rheumatism. (Some believe he only had arthritis in his hands and could, in fact, take walks.) Because he was in considerable pain, he was rarely able to walk on foot and was forced to ride a donkey when he wanted to venture from his home. The fact that he remained close to home allowed him substantial free time to inspect nature and its design. It has been hypothesized that it was this exposure to nature at an early age that began to hone two of his greatest qualities: observation and the analysis of nature.


Higher education:


Gaudí, as an architecture student at the Escola Tècnica Superior d'Arquitectura in Barcelona from 1873 to 1877, achieved only mediocre grades but did well in his "Trial drawings and projects". After five years of work, he was awarded the title of architect in 1878. As he signed Gaudí's title, Elies Rogent declared, "Qui sap si hem donat el diploma a un boig o a un geni: el temps ens ho dirà" ("Who knows if we have given this diploma to a nut or to a genius. Time will tell.")

The newly named architect immediately began to plan and design and would remain affiliated with the school his entire life .






Early career:


1878–1879: Lampposts for the Plaça Reial at Barcelona;
1878: Showcase for glove manufacturer Comella. Via this work, used at the World's Fair in Paris, Eusebi Güell came to know the architect.[5]
1878–1882: Several designs for the Obrera Mataronense at Mataró. Only a very small part of these plans was built, but it shows Gaudí's first use of parabolic arches, here in a wooden structure.
1883–1885: Casa Vicens;
1883–1885: Villa "El Capricho" at Comillas (Santander);
1884: Finca Güell: Entrance pavillion and stables for the palace at Pedralbes (first completed building for Eusebi Güell);
1884–1891: Completion of the crypt of the Sagrada Família (the crypt had been started by the architect Francisco del Villar in 1882, who had to abandon the project in 1883);
1885–1889: Palau Güell;
1887–1893: Episcopal palace at Astorga;
1889–1894: Colegio Teresiano;
1891–1893: Outer walls of the absis of the Sagrada Família;
1892–1894: Casa de los Botines at León.




Later years

Gaudi was an ardent Catholic, to the point that in his later years, he abandoned secular work and devoted his life to Catholicism and his Sagrada Família. He designed it to have 18 towers, 12 for the 12 apostles, 4 for the 4 evangelists, one for Mary and one for Jesus. Soon after, his closest family and friends began to die. His works slowed to a halt, and his attitude changed. Perhaps one of his closest family members – his niece Rosa Egea – died in 1912, only to be followed by a "faithful collaborator, Francesc Berenguer Mestres" two years later. After these tragedies, Barcelona fell on hard times, economically. The construction of La Sagrada Família slowed; the construction of La Colonia Güell ceased altogether. Four years later, Eusebi Güell, his patron, died.

Perhaps it was because of this unfortunate sequence of events that Gaudí changed. He became reluctant to talk with reporters or have his picture taken and solely concentrated on his masterpiece, La Sagrada Família.

On June 7, 1926, Gaudí was run over by a tram. Because of his ragged attire and empty pockets, many cab drivers refused to pick him up for fear that he would be unable to pay the fare. He was eventually taken to a pauper's hospital in Barcelona. Nobody recognized the injured artist until his friends found him the next day. When they tried to move him into a nicer hospital, Gaudí refused, reportedly saying "I belong here among the poor." He died three days later on June 10, 1926, half of Barcelona mourning his death. He was buried in the midst of La Sagrada Família. Although Gaudi was constantly changing his mind and recreating his blue prints. The only existing copy of his last recorded blue prints were destroyed by the anarchists in 1938 at the height of Franco's invasion of Barcelona. This has made it very difficult for his workers to complete the cathedral in the same fashion as Gaudí most likely would have wished. It is for this that Gaudí is known to many as "God's Architect". La Sagrada Família is now being completed but differences between his work and the new additions can be seen.

As of 2007, completion of the Sagrada Familía is planned for 2026. However, this may prove wildly optimistic if the worst fears of many eminent engineers and architects are realized[citation needed]. These have pointed out the structural dangers posed by a tunnel for a TGV-style high-speed rail, which would run within feet of the church’s foundations; one might note the precedent of one metro tunnel in Barcelona’s Carmel district that collapsed and destroyed an entire city block on the 27th of February 2005. Others of Gaudí works threatened by the city-center route chosen by Barcelona's mayor Jordi Hereu for the new rail line include Casa Batlló and Casa Milà.





Artistic style:


Gaudí's first works were designed in the style of gothic and traditional Spanish architectural modes, but he soon developed his own distinct sculptural style. French architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, who promoted an evolved form of gothic architecture, proved a major influence on Gaudí. But the student surpassed the master architect and contrived highly original designs – irregular and fantastically intricate. Some of his greatest works, most notably La Sagrada Família, have an almost hallucinatory power.


He integrated the catenary arch and hyperboloid structures, nature's organic shapes, and the fluidity of water into his architecture. While designing buildings, he observed the forces of gravity and related catenary principles. (Gaudí designed many of his structures upside down by hanging various weights on interconnected strings or chains, using gravity to calculate catenaries for a natural curved arch or vault.

Using the trencadís technique, Gaudí often decorated surfaces with broken tiles.

The architect's work was categorized as Art Nouveau architecture, a precursor to modern architecture. But his adoption of biomorphic shapes rather than orthogonal lines put him in a category unto himself (in Latin, sui generis).





Interests:


Gaudí, throughout his life, was fascinated by nature. He studied nature's angles and curves and incorporated them into his designs. Instead of relying on geometric shapes, he mimicked the way trees and humans grow and stand upright. The hyperboloids and paraboloids he borrowed from nature were easily reinforced by steel rods and allowed his designs to resemble elements from the environment.

Because of his rheumatism, the artist observed a strict vegetarian diet, used homeopathic drug therapy, underwent water therapy, and hiked regularly. Long walks, besides suppressing his rheumatism, further allowed him to experience nature.

Gaudi loved for his work to be created by nature as he used concreate leaves and vine windows to create his ideas for him, so his work is not just because of him but because of nature as well.





Popularity:

Gaudí's originality was at first ridiculed by his peers. Indeed, he was first only supported by the rich industrialist Eusebi Güell. His fellow citizens referred to the Casa Milà as La Pedrera ("the quarry"), and George Orwell, who stayed in Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War, admittedly loathed his work. As time passed, though, his work became more famous, up to the point that he is now considered one of history's most original architects





Social and political influences:


The opportunities afforded by Catalonia's socioeconomic and political influences were endless. Catalans such as Antoni Gaudí often showcased the region's diverse art techniques in their works. By mimicking nature, such artists symbolically pushed back the province's ever-increasing industrial society.

Gaudí, among others, promoted the Catalan movement for regaining sovereignty from Spain by incorporating elements of Catalan culture in his designs. Gaudí was involved in politics since he supported the Catalanist political party Regionalist League. For example, in 1924 Spanish authorities (ruled by the dictator Primo de Rivera) closed Barcelona's churches in order to prevent a nationalist celebration (September 11th, National Day of Catalonia), Gaudí attended to Saints Justus and Pastor's church and was arrested by the Spanish police for answering in Catalan



ANTONI GAUDI WORKS LIST






Main Works:


The "Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia" (Barcelona)
La Pedrera Building (Casa Milà, Barcelona)
The "Casa Vicens" (Barcelona)
The "Casa Batlló" (Barcelona)
The "Finca Güell" (Barcelona)
The "Palacio Güell" (Barcelona)
"La obrera Mataronense" (Mataró, Barcelona)
"Finca El Capricho" (Santander, north Spain)
The "Palacio Episcopal de Astorga" (León, NW Spain)
Schools of the "Sagrada Família"
The "Casa Calvet" (Barcelona)
The "Colegio Teresiano" (Barcelona)
The "Casa Botines de León" (León)
"Las Bodegas Güell (Gaudí-Berenguer)" (Garraf, Barcelona)
The crypt of the "Colonia Güell" (Sta. Coloma de Cervelló, Barcelona)
The Park Güell (Barcelona)
Bellesguard Building (Barcelona)
Restoration of the Cathedral of Mallorca (Mallorca)
Lampposts for the City of Barcelona


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Minor Works:


Own desk
Business card for himself
Showcase for the gloves shop of Esteban Comella
Furniture for the "Palacio del Marqués de Comillas"
The Gibert Pharmacy (Barcelona)
Relation between Gaudí and the religious of "Jesús-María"
Altar for Bocabella Oratory
Desk for his own eating-room in Sant Feliu de Codines
Priest house and office of Gaudí in "la Sagrada Família"
Pavilion for the Transatlantic Company
Tomb for the Güell family in Montserrat
House Clapés
Restoration of the doctor Santaló house
Standard of the choral society Feliuà
Standard of "reusenses" (people from Reus) residents in Barcelona, dedicated to the Virgin of Misericordy of Reus
"Panteón Nonell" in Lloret
Sant Gervasi de Cassoles Theatre
Santa Pacia's Church flooring (Sant Andreu)
Reminding of Miscantano for Mr. Norbert Font and Sagué
Decoration of the "Marquesa de Castelldosrius" house
Door of Finca Miralles (Barcelona)
Mountain refuge of Catllarás in Castellar de N'Hug
Artigas Garden, in la Pobla de Lillet
The" Casa Graner"
The "Talleres Badia"
The "Sala Mercè"
Project of bridge over the "Torrente de Pomeret"
Pulpit for the church of Blanes
Project of chasuble for Girona
Tower of Damián Mateu, in "Llinars del Vallès"
Standard for the locksmiths guild
Street Lamps of Vic
Restoration of the Cathedral of Manresa
Bust portrait and project of monument to Doctor "Torras y Bages"
Dedicatory to "Orfeó Català" (Catalan Choral Society)
Showcase glass Plandiura
Pulpit for Valencia
I Mistery of "Gloria de Montserrat"
Café Torino
Drawings of the tribute to "Rector de Vallfogona"


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Non executed works:



Restoration of Monastery of Poblet
Contest of projects for a funerary monument to Clavé
Contest of drawings for aplication to industry, convoked for the "Ateneo Barcelonés"
The Girossi kiosk
Electric Illumination of the "Muralla de Mar" (deffense walls in Barcelona)
Project for the "Casino of San Sebastián"
The hunting pavilion in Garraf (Barcelona)
The altarpiece of Alella (Barcelona)
Preliminary project of restoration of hall of "Ciento" and stair of honour, and realization of the chair for the regent Queen in the city Council
Catholic Missions in Tánger
Preliminary project of restoration of the main façade of Sanctuary of Virgin of the Misericordy in Reus
Project of monument to "Jaime I"
Project of Hotel in New York
Project for chapel in "Colegio Teresiano"
Preliminary project of monument to "Prat de la Riba" in Castellterç


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I need very few words to describe this new playlist I want to show you: with these photos I intend to say my imeem friends and imeem mates: "I wish you a merry Christmas and a very happy new year"!

I wish you peace, health, happiness, wealth and any other thing you want or need!

Thank you for being my friends or my possible friends, or only my mates, here in imeem!

Take care and be happy!


Celeste, from Argentina

Belly dance is a Western name for an Arabic style of dance developed in the Middle East. Some American devotees refer to it simply as "Middle Eastern Dance".In the Arabic language it is known as raqs sharqi ("eastern dance") or sometimes raqs baladi. The term "raqs sharqi" may have originated in Egypt.The term belly-dance is a creation of Orientalism, and is first attested in English in 1899, translating French danse du ventre.

The performance dance form known in the West as the belly dance is based on one of the oldest social dances in world history, native to North Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Much of the support for this theory stems from the similarities between poses in ancient Egyptian artwork and the modern dance.

In Palestine and Iraq, this social dance is called raks baladi, and is performed by people of all ages and both sexes during festive occasions, such as weddings, and other social gatherings for fun and celebration. It is the theatricalized version, performed by both male and female professional dancers and called raks sharqi in Arabic, that is most popular in America today.

In its native lands, boys and girls learn the dance from an early age. As with many social dances, it is learned informally through observation and imitation of their elders during family and community celebrations, as well as during informal gatherings with friends.Today, these ancient dances are taught in classes offered throughout the world, and skilled dancers are able to share their knowledge that has been passed down from the indigenous peoples who created them.

THE MBALAX THE MUSIC OF SENEGAL AND GAMBIA

Mbalax is the national popular dance music of Senegal. It is a fusion of popular dance musics from the West such as jazz, soul, Latin, and rock blended with sabar, the traditional drumming and dance music of Senegal. The genre's name derived from the heavy use of accompanying rhythms used in sabar called mbalax.

Mbalax developed in Senegal in the late 1960s and early 1970s. During that time popular dance bands played a lot of Western pop and other African popular national dance musics. Discontent with the sounds from other countries Senegalese wanted a popular music that reflected their new national identity. Musicians began singing in Wolof (Senegal's linqua franca) instead of French and English, and incorporated the drums and rhythms of the indigenous sabar. Dancers began using moves associated with the sabar, wearing more traditional clothes, and tipping the singers as if they were traditional griots.

Among the bands that played this new style, Etoile de Dakar with Youssou N'Dour and El Hadji Faye, were the most popular and innovative and are credited with the modern sound. But other groups such as the Sahel Band and Xalam also played the new style. Other popular Mbalax artists are Assane NDaiye, Omar Pene & Super Diamono, Ismael Lo, Alioune Mbaye Nder, Papa Diouf, Thione Seck, Mbeye Dieye Faye (Youssou NDour's sabar player), Jimi M'baye (Youssou NDour's lead guitarist), Mada Ba, Abdu Raas, and Titi. The roots of Mbalax can be seen in the great masters of Sabar, like Dudou Njie Rose and Omar Thiam and Jam Bugum.

Here is a beautiful playlist of pics from famous "ballet stars" and other dancers. I recommend you to see full list because the best photos are not those appearing in the first places. You may also see full size of the pic... you will see it in a better way. If you like this playlist and want to leave me a comment I will appreciate it very much . Thank you very much and have a nice time in imeem!

After fifteen years its members decided to recreate the famous orchestra. Today the world has the fortune to listen to the music of excellent orchestra baobab. Senegal: I always remeber your streets and your people... Wait for me magic country, some day I will come back.

Argentina is well known in the whole world on account of "Tango", but tango is the music of the "portenos", that means people from Buenos Aires. But Argentina is a very great country with a lot of provinces. The provinces of Argentina have another music that is named (called) "argentine folklore". This music is as beautiful as tango.
Here I invite you to know it.

Listen to it, I'm sure you will like it!