… Illustration, by Danish artist Kay Neilsen
Kay Nielsen, Detail of “A Tale from a Garden, No. 1, He and She and That,” 1913. (Courtesy Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) Image from Wonderland
The Art of …
Affinity
Art, Fun, & Nonsense.
… Illustration, by Danish artist Kay Neilsen
Kay Nielsen, Detail of “A Tale from a Garden, No. 1, He and She and That,” 1913. (Courtesy Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) Image from Wonderland
…illustration, by Hildegard of Bingen
The Universe, circa 1165, Hildegard of Bingen. Image from Wikiart.
… illustration, by Beatrix Potter
The Mice at Work: Threading the Needle, circa 1902, Helen Beatrix Potter (1866-1943). Image from Wikiart
… vintage illustration, by Maurice Pépin
Le Sourire, 14 Juin 1923, Jacques Pépin. Image from Pinterest.
… illustration, by Kay Nielson
This illustration is from The Book of Death, a series of drawings exhibited in London but never published in book form. Nielson went on to work for Disney Studios and was the art director for Fantasia, one of my favourite pieces of animation.
From The Book of Death, 1911, Kay Nielson
Japanese Woodblock prints, by Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Kuniyoshi is considered a master of ukiyo-e (woodblock prints), and his favourite subject was cats. He was obsessed with cats, and his studio was often overrun by them. He often portrayed them as well-loved characters from stories or as part of kabuki theatre. His art is inventive and often playful, and it quickly became popular and well respected, lifting him out of the poverty of his early life.
Amusements of the First Snowfall, 1852, Utagawa Kuniyoshi
… art nouveau advertising, by Alfonse Maria Mucha
I love Mucha’s style, but that toga looks a bit too formal for feeding the baby.
Nestle’s Food for Infants, 1897, Alfonse Maria Mucha. Image from Wikiart.
… Art Nouveau, by Georges Barbier
Falbalas And Fanfreluches, 1925, by Georges Barbier. Image from Moot Point Blogspot
… posters, by Ridwan Adhami, Shephard Fairey, Jessica Sabogal, Ernesto Yerena, Delphine Diallo, Ayse Gursoz, and Arlene Mejorado.
They were commissioned by The Amplifier Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises the voices of grassroots movements through art and community engagement.
Today seems like a good day to wave hi to the U.S.A. and show off some of her best modern artists.
Poster series We the People by various artists. Image from NBC, courtesy of The Amplifier Foundation
“American identity starts with Native resistance. In this artwork, Ernesto Yerena honors Helen Red Feather of the Lakota tribe during her bravery and resilience at the Standing Rock reservation in 2016. She was originally photographed by Ayşe Gürsöz while protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline.” Words and image from The Amplifier Foundation.
“Ridwan Adhami decided to photograph a Muslim woman wearing an American flag as a hijab for the five-year anniversary of 9/11. They stood at the site of the World Trade Center, capturing the iconic image, without knowing just how far it would eventually go…More than a decade later, Adhami and Shepard Fairey reincarnated the image for Amplifier’s We the People campaign. As the Trump administration’s Muslim Ban continues to wage a war on Islamic faith, the artwork’s message will keep ringing loud and clear. There is no room for fear, only freedom.” Words and Image from The Amplifier Foundation.
“This piece from artist Jessica Sabogal focuses on the love, affection, and inspiration that will continue to persevere through the darkness.”Words and image from The Amplifier Foundation.
“At a time of so much discrimination and injustice, this photograph taken by French and Senegalese artist Delphine Diallo and converted into an illustration by Shepard Fairey reminds us of the power of youth and the world we’re building around them.” Words and image from The Amplifier Foundation
“…this photograph taken by Arlene Mejorado and illustrated by Shepard Fairey is a crucial part of the We the People campaign. Mejorado, a photographer and documentary-maker from California, describes herself as “the daughter of migrants, brown, queer, multi-ethnic, and aspirant of beauty and truth.” The image depicts Xicana activist Maribel Valdez Gonzalez, described by the artist as “an incredible queer, first gen, muxerista, educator who constantly pushes my politics.” The final artwork was carried by thousands at the Women’s March for the 2017 inauguration.” Words and image from The Amplifier Foundation
… illustration, by Al-Jazari
This is one of many whimsical illustrations from the ancient Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Inventions by Turkish artist Al-Jazari. I’ll be featuring more pages from this book from time to time. It’s a treasure trove of wonder.
The Elephant Clock, from The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Inventions, 1206, by Al Jazari. Image from Wikiart
… illustration, by Theophile Steinlen
Des Chats by Steinlen, published by Flammarion, Paris • Artist: Théophile Steinlen 1857-1926. Image from Wikiart
… fairy tale illustration, by Frank C. Papé
Marina lay upon the couch and fondled a fiery dragon with her right hand, 1916, by Frank C. Papé
… Art Deco, by Cardwell Higgins
A delightful page in the record of my existence, 1920’s, by Cardwell Higgins. Image from Heritage Auctions