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| Fancis Loring by Florence Wyle |
Yesterday was National Gallery Day for me. The new exhibit, “It is What it Is”, drew me there. But the gallery brochure also promised two Gallery Talk, ten-minutes each, one at 11:15 and one at 12:15.
The first lecture was in front of two busts of female sculpturors whose names I did not know: Wyle and Loring.
Elspeth Cameron has written a book about them entitled And Beauty Answers: The Life of Frances Loring and Florence Wyle (2007). There is a book for children about them: The Clay Ladys.
They used each other for models, so the sculpture of Frances Loring is done by Florence Wyle, and then Forence’s by Francis.
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| Florence Wyle by Fracis Loring |
The docent said that he wanted to cut the lecture short, for he wanted to take us to the place in the gallery where other works by these women stand – specifically that place down by the pool.
They both sculpted during the time of the Group of Seven – but who could compete with that group, plus Picasso and Miro, so many great artists, all at the same time, such a variety in mediums.
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| Pan and Syrinx Photo Credit: National Gallery Website |
At the end of the talk I knew the picture, the artist, the provenance of the picture, and how it related to the picture beside which it was hung. Roccoco.
Whenever I hear the term I have to be told the definition again, and the time period. No matter. The musical allusions to Pan’s 7-reed pipe didn’t get past me and the docent situated the painting right to the time period and even to the place where it might have hung in a patron’s chamber.
I haven’t seen enough of the National Gallery nor heard enough of the docent's stories yet.
Arta
Hi there. Yay, I am the first to comment on your post today.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I take the kids to the Gallery, we go throw pennies in the reflecting pool. Now, while they are throwing pennies, I can look more cloesely at the sculptures in the room knowing some of them are done by these women. :-)
Of course I won't be able to look too closely. I still have to keep my eyes (and hands) close to the kids. They like to kneel down at the edge of the pool, and lean out to drop pennies in the little the whirlpools. That always makes me a little nervous.
Mary
I have a friend who introduced me to a game he would play with friends in Ottawa. The "If You Could Have Any Building as a Home in Downtown Ottawa, Which One Would You Pick?" I would pick the National Art Gallery. Not only would it be my home but I would purchase large wide Renaissance dresses and prance around saying witty and intelligent things. I would obviously hold large parties and run down the ramp at the entrance, with my skirting flying in the wind laughing. Perhaps I should work on being a curator instead and then wear such costumes to work? Mmmmm...
ReplyDeleteIf I were to do the game "Pick a Home in Downtown Ottawa" I might have to go the Chateau Laurier, given that you are inhabiting the National Gallery.
ReplyDeleteI choose to stay in the room where Malik stayed when he made that his home.
As well, there will always be tea and cucumber sandwiches ready for me, though I notice that afternoon tea is also served in the National Gallery of Canada.
Arta