Sunday, April 21, 2019

Easter

Happy Easter! I'm taking a break today from my current series for shots fitting the occasion.

These first shots date back to Good Friday 2018, and I felt they were appropriate to hold back for this Easter, as I hadn't started setting up posts until after last Easter. I paid a visit that day to the Canada Agriculture And Food Museum, housed on the grounds of our Central Experimental Farm. A working farm, it houses animals and information in a series of barns and other buildings. One of those is a building called the Learning Centre, and on its second floor, two large kitchens for demonstrations can be found. In one of them were several displays for the Easter season, with an emphasis on eggs.


Back in early January I visited the National Gallery of Canada, and among my shots taken on that date were some paintings that fit the other side of the Easter weekend. The Arrest Of Christ is an oil painting done circa 1630-32 by the Dutch artist Matthias Stom, who spent time in Italy being inspired by Caravaggio and others (this painting was likely done in Rome). Stom depicts Christ and Judas highlighted at the moment of betrayal, while deliberately choosing to depict those arresting Christ in more contemporary clothing of his own era.


The Crucifixion is an oil painting circa 1515 by the Flemish artist Quenten Massys. Christ is on the cross, and his mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, and John the disciple are below, each caught up in their grief.


The Lamentation is from the workshop of Massys, done at some point around 1511, with Christ's followers tending to his body after it has been taken down from the cross. This painting is based on a large altarpiece Massys was working on, and would have been done by one of his apprentices.


This is from the workshop of Peter Paul Rubens. Christ dates to around 1612, and was done by one of Rubens' apprentices. His own version of this hangs in a Vienna gallery, while this would have been done side by side with the master himself. It was the habit of assistants to copy the work, though this one lacks the vitality of Rubens' own handwork.

44 comments:

  1. Fine artwork! Happy Easter, William.

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  2. Very warm over here this Easter - not the ideal weather to mix small children with lots of chocolate!

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  3. Very nice artwork!
    Happy Easter, William!

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  4. Nice post for the occasion, William.
    Happy Easter!

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  5. ...thank you William,warm wishes for a Happy Easter to you.

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  6. Beautiful post, Happy Easter to you!

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  7. The light in the arrest painting is amazing! Not sure how they do that, a mix of colors I think. It is an incredible effect.

    I wonder why he chose the modern clothing of his era? Maybe to say the story is also of our time?

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  8. I really wonder what is the significance of the eggs in this holiday season. Hehe ;)

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  9. You certainly plan ahead for your posts.
    Happy Easter.

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  10. Que nesta Páscoa haja muitos doces em sua vida... O doce sorriso daqueles que te amam, a doce alegria de ter o pão na sua mesa e a doce esperança de ter um futuro de paz e prosperidade. Que o Mestre renasça nos nossos corações todos os dias Feliz Páscoa!

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  11. i agree, well planned. happy Easter. ( ;

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  12. Amazing paintings William, nice contrast between the two sides of Easter ✨

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  13. @Linda: thank you.

    @John: this morning is cold.

    @Ella: thanks.

    @Jan: thank you.

    @Marianne: thanks.

    @Tom: you're welcome.

    @Laurie: thanks.

    @Sandi: he was following the example of Carravaggio.

    @Vincent: who knows?

    @Anvilcloud: I do.

    @Gracita: thanks.

    @Beth: thank you.

    @Grace it fit nicely.

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  14. Happy Easter William. In Sydney we have the Easter Show the big agricultural show - there you see all of they types of creative things like you have shown at the top.

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  15. Beautiful paintings. Happy Easter to you!

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  16. Interesting comparison of two different Easter celebrations.

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  17. Love those colorful Easter eggs. Happy Easter.

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  18. It’s lovely that you saved these perfect experiences for this week.

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  19. Beautiful paintings! Happy Easter.

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  20. Wonderful Easter photos covering all the interpretations of Easter ~

    Happy Day to you,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  21. This is a great Easter series, William.

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  22. Perfect Easter post William.
    My good wishes to you for a Happy Easter.

    All the best Jan

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  23. Lovely Easter post Let there be eggs maybe with bacon ?
    Happy Easter.

    cheers, parsnip

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  24. I love the egg displays, especially the egg tree!
    Happy Easter to you!

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  25. @Joan: that can be expected this time of year.

    @Italiafinlandia: thanks!

    @Nancy: thank you.

    @Red: very different.

    @Sharon: so do I.

    @Carol: thanks!

    @Sallie: it seemed to fit.

    @Happyone: thank you.

    @Bill: thank you.

    @RedPat: I thought so!

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  26. @Catalyst: indeed.

    @Carol: quite so.

    @Revrunner: thanks!

    @Marie: thank you.

    @Jan: thanks!

    @Parsnip: good combination!

    @Klara: thank you.

    @Tamago: so do I.

    @Kay: thanks.

    @DJan: I did too.

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  27. Rubens is coming to town (AGO) in October!

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  28. All VERY appropriate for Easter and as you might expect, I loved the egg tree! I hope yours was a lovely day.

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