Also up now at the National Gallery of Art is a relatively small show with a powerful impact. "Luis Meléndez: Master of the Spanish Still Life" features 31 works, 30 still lifes and his iconic self-portrait. Not-with-standing the fact that my friend and neighbor Cathy has spent the better part of the past two years conserving works and co-authoring the catelogue, it's a take your breath away exhibition. Meléndez' technical expertise creates canvas after canvas so beautiful, so realistic that you can almost smell the freshly baked bread and taste the lushly rendered fruit and vegetables. The tragedy for the 18th century artist was that he was never appointed to the courtly positions he spent his life pursuing in vain. The glory is how he therefore took common objects and the lowest form of genre painting in the esteem of those around him, and elevated them to a regal stature. The show's at the National Gallery of Art on the Mall in the east building through August 23rd, it's a must see for the summer.
Also up now at the National Gallery of Art is a relatively small show with a powerful impact. "Luis Meléndez: Master of the Spanish Still Life" features 31 works, 30 still lifes and his iconic self-portrait. Not-with-standing the fact that my friend and neighbor Cathy has spent the better part of the past two years conserving works and co-authoring the catelogue, it's a take your breath away exhibition. Meléndez' technical expertise creates canvas after canvas so beautiful, so realistic that you can almost smell the freshly baked bread and taste the lushly rendered fruit and vegetables. The tragedy for the 18th century artist was that he was never appointed to the courtly positions he spent his life pursuing in vain. The glory is how he therefore took common objects and the lowest form of genre painting in the esteem of those around him, and elevated them to a regal stature. The show's at the National Gallery of Art on the Mall in the east building through August 23rd, it's a must see for the summer.
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