Mephisto2

Today's Quotation of the Day has inspired me to start a new, and hopefully ongoing, thread on art. Similiar in vein to my Quotation of the Day threads, I will post a single artwork for you to view. I shall restrict my own comments unless the post creates a thread. Some of the pieces I choose to post will be controversial (in a non-threatening art-world controversy kind of way) and some may not be considered real art at all by some.

However, as a longtime art lover, I think this repeating thread is a good idea and I know I shall enjoy searching for appropriate works to present. I only hope you enjoy viewing them too.

So, without further adieu, please find below the inaugural Artwork of the Day for Friday 19th of November, 2004. One of my favourite sculptures.



Feel free to comment or simply sit back and enjoy...


Mr Mephisto

RolandGilead

can`t see the Original pic. You linked it from a page which doesn`t like that

Mephisto2

OK... Have changed the original post.

How's that?


Mr Mephisto

Nazggul

Very nice idea! I hope it continues. Thank you.

Here is some information I dug up on this one.

The Dying Gaul

The Dying Gaul depicts a wounded Celtic warrior who lies upon the earth awaiting death. It was found in the gardens which had belonged to Sallust, a Roman historian. The statue is a Roman copy of one of the bronze statues dedicated at Pergamon by Attolos I in commemoration of his victories over the Gauls who had invaded Asia Minor in 239 B.C. Fourth and fifth century Greek sculpting had never depicted such a subject. It must have been a startling innovation at the time of its creation.

The moustache, matted hair and twisted collar identify the warrior as a barbarian. He supports himself on one arm as his strength ebbs away. With the realism characteristic of Hellenistic art, his skin appears hard and dry, the muscles heavy in contrast to the ideal Greek type. Blood oozes from the open wound. However, the sculptor introduces these realistic touches with artistic restraint. It is a concept that goes beyond physical pain to speak of the anguish of defeat which destroys the spirit rather than the flesh.

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"If something has to give then it always will."

-- Editors

superiorrain

The ploy to educate us all is never dying.

Not to sure if i like the piece or not, the describtion helped my understanding and made me enjoy it more. Would not choose to buy it and would have to say it would be a piece i would walk past in a museum. I think it maybe the moustache that fears me. Without that maybe i'd like it more.

look forward to seeing the next one.

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"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible." - Arthur C. Clarke

Drider_it

from the wizards first rule series.. flesh into stone..

the ability of the artist to capture an event and give it such detail that it is almost real.


To me it is to reach out and touch it the moment before your finger tips contact you will hold your breath thinking it will shy away from your flawed presence. Broken in the flesh yet the spirit strives on, to hold back the void. Thus with this peice. good work finding it. awesome belays the words that come to me seeing it.

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It means only one thing, and everything: Cut. Once committed to fight, Cut. Everything else is secondary. Cut. That is your duty, your purpose, your hunger. There is no rule more important, no commitment that overrides that one. Cut. The lines are a portrayal of the dance. Cut from the void, not from bewilderment. Cut the enemy as quickly and directly as possible. Cut with certainty. Cut decisively, resoultely. Cut into his strength. Flow through the gaps in his guard. Cut him. Cut him down utterly. Don't allow him a breath. Crush him. Cut him without mercy to the depth of his spirit. It is the balance to life: death. It is the dance with death. It is the law a war wizard lives by, or he dies.

Mephisto2

The Romans were both fearful and fascinated with the Gauls. To them they were the epitome of the barbarian ideal; the "noble savage" to coin an anachronistic term.

Roman sculpture often copied Greek originals, yet added more lifelike attributes to the piece. I've seen this piece several times in person and it really is pretty amazing.

Mr Mephisto