November 10, 2015

"This painting leaps off the page as the most vibrant, sexual, lyrical..."

A description of the Modigliani nude that sold for  $170.4 million at a Christie's auction that was organized on the theme "Artist's Muse" — or, as it looks to me, women painted by men... except that Andy Warhol painted a gun.

I thought the description "leaps off the page as the most vibrant, sexual, lyrical" was a funny way to talk about a lady who's totally lounging, not leaping.

As for Andy's gun, one dealer cracked: "Warhol 'Gun' painting? How was that his muse? But if they can get away with it, good luck to them.”

18 comments:

buwaya said...

Its a Colt .38 Detective Special. Old style, not the remake. The classic gun of all old cop and detective movies.
A very nice gun indeed. My dads gun, which he carried almost daily in his business in Manila, and which I carried in my turn, when I had to stay downtown late. He taught me to shoot with this gun, when I was 8 years old. I left it in Manila, and I really really miss it.
I could get a new/old one I suppose, but any that are as nice as dads go for about $1000.
Yes, men get sentimental about weapons. Thats why swords had names.

Sebastian said...

"or, as it looks to me, women painted by men"

You're right, most "art" is just an exercise in white male privilege.

Who needs it? Good thing the Modigliani is going to China, where they still wallow in their sexism.

Or is it? Maybe some SJW will protest this case of cultural appropriation.

buwaya said...

Well, this one is a bit of a mishmash.
It has later-style grips and modded sights.

traditionalguy said...

He nailed the Italian nude look.

Etienne said...

Is that the gun the "insane woman" used to gun him down?

buwaya said...

Dang, it isn't a Colt. I had a look at higher res pictures, and the many others he did, and its clear at last.
Its a Hi-Standard .22
Not a gun many would love, but what the hey, sentiment is irrational.

Fernandinande said...

That image was 2014x1318 pixels, so that comes out to $63.13/pixel.

Robert Cook said...

Given that Warhol was nearly slain--and his life impaired and possibly shortened--by use of a gun directed at him, I'd say the painting probably had some meaning to him. I like that painting quite a lot. Warhol was a genius graphic artist, (and before he shoe-horned his way into the "fine arts" world, he was an award-winning illustrator in 50s New York. He did a lot of fashion work, and some jazz lp covers.)

As for the "crazy lady" who shot Warhol, Valeris Solanis, I read her biography last year. It was fascinating, and she was actually quite intelligent, but also certainly crazy. In the end I felt sad for her.

Her magnus opus, The S.C.U.M. Manifesto, is quite a piece of writing. I haven't read all of it, but that of it I have is actually very funny.

Laslo Spatula said...

Robert Cook said...

"Her magnus opus, The S.C.U.M. Manifesto, is quite a piece of writing."

Society for Cutting Up Men.

Ties neatly into the earlier Bobbit Post.

I am Laslo.

JAORE said...

" But if they can get away with it, good luck to them."

Good summation of my thought on much of today's art.

James Pawlak said...

He does not deserve even "15 minutes of fame"!

Sam L. said...

An idiot can be found to buy anything.

Unknown said...

I like what the artist did, not sure if its worth that millions but its sure creative! I know people with better skills are not making ___ nothing. Oh well at least he did it and we can be proud of him!

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Carnifex said...

So Kardashians were posing naked even as far back as then?
The Hi-Standard semi-automatic .22's were quite poplular. I had one, dad had one, some buddies of ours had them. You could change the barrel out with the push of a button.

William said...

All that pubic hair dates him.

averagejoe said...

"As for Andy's gun, one dealer cracked: "Warhol 'Gun' painting? How was that his muse? But if they can get away with it, good luck to them.”

What's that mean- Get away with what? Hanging a painting of a gun? Is NYC so progressive that even a picture of a gun is forbidden?

glenn said...

Go read the scene in Jimmy Breslins "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight" where the young Italian cyclist and art fan connects with his Warholesk painter, watches him sell a painting copied from a WPA project and being Italian spots the con and says "Show me how you do this thing"

MD Greene said...

Andy Warhol was a useful pop artist for showing us what commercialism and fame had made of our society. I don't think his observations will last for even a century, but that's my view.

Until I saw a large exhibit of Modigliani's work, I thought he was a good artist. Afterward, I thought he pioneered a bunch of derivative, unintellectual junk that was easily hijacked into decor items. Hard to see his work differently afterward.