As part of my research for my trip to Rome, I’ve been reading up on the art in the Vatican.  Not to be a philistine, and remember I am uneducated in artworks, but it seems to me that the people depicted are quite well-fed (looking a little flabby with extra pounds around the waists here and there.)

Of course, this wouldn’t be all that obvious if they wore clothes.  What is up with that?  Over half the pictures I’ve seen depict completely naked people–sort of implying that in that day and age, clothes were not popular.  When the people in the images are wearing clothes they seem to be half draped in clothing (body parts…leak out here and there–a boob here, a missing fig leaf there.)

I’m not complaining about the quality of the art, mind you, I’m just noticing. Makes me wonder if they are trying to depict what was considered normal/beautiful for the time or if because the scenes often depict a holy image of some sort if the nakedness is meant to portray us in all our…glory?  Hmm.

At any rate, I’m sure the pictures (like most things) are better seen in person.  Most of the ones in the books I’m reading are black and white and that tends to make them a confusing picture of crowds of people.  It’s hard to tell what any of them are supposed to be doing, even when you’re familiar with things like the story of Moses and the Flood and the Last Judgment and so on.

I am learning quite a bit and I’m looking forward to seeing the real things.

Dark Wolf is still doing his feature columns with artists. This week he talks to Nicole Cardiff–and what fabulous art she does! The interview is one of the more interesting as well (maybe because blue is her favorite color????) I loved the part where she mentions that talent is only five percent of the formula…

Go check out the interview, which has several very nice samples of her work. For even more, check out Nicole’s Website.

I really like the one with the wolf. And I love the colors she uses.

Over on BSC, Dark Wolf does a post now and then about art and artists. He includes a review and samples. This week he highlighted Marc Simonetti I thought the artwork was very nice, but I specifically went out to Simonetti’s site to see an enlarged sample of the last picture that Dark Wolf posted. Instead, I got sidetracked looking at the 3D link. Wow. It’s well worth the trip. Click on the Marc Simonetti and then the 3D off on the sidebar and page through–it’s quite a tour of an old abandoned castle. I quite enjoyed it on a rainy, gloomy morning with my cup of tea!!! If I spoke French, I’d get permission to post a sample or two of Simonetti’s art here, but since I don’t, we’ll have to stick with touring his work on his page!!!