"Alexandre Cabanel, la tradition du beau" Musée Fabre, Montpellier

Born in September 28, 1823 in the city of Montpellier, in a modest family and son of a joiner, Alexandre Cabanel attends the free drawing school as it is usual among the artisans families.

Exceptionally talented, he travels to Paris with a scholarship and enters the École des Beaux Arts in 1840, while at the same time attends the studio of François-Édouard Picot, a former student of Jean Louis David.

After two recognized works, "Cincinnatus recevant les ambassadeurs de Rome" (Cincinnatus Receiving Deputies of the Senate), 1843 and "Le Christ au Jardin des Oliviers" (1844), he enters the Salon for the first time in 1844 and wins the Prix de Rome in 1845 with the painting "Jésus dans le Prétoire".

In 1846, Cabanel enters the French Academy in Rome, located in the Villa Medicis, where he meets former laureates, including Barrias, Biennoury, Dammery, Cavelier and Guillaume.

In 1855, he wins the medal of first class at the Universal Exhibition, in Paris.

In the same year, Cabanel is honoured with the Cross of the Legion of Honour and receives a commission by the French State to paint a Louis XIII and a Richelieu for the Senate.

With "La Veuve du Maître de la Chapelle", the Salon of 1959 marks an attempt to reach a wider public and the artist, who's work is influenced by his stay in Italy, essays other themes besides the historic ones , namely landscapes and everyday life scenes.

In 1861, the Napoléon III acquires his painting "Nymphe enlevée par un satyre" (1860) and "La Naissance de Vénus" in 1863 at the Salon, where the painting obtained notable recognition by the public and art critics.

Cabanel is elected a member of the Institute in 1863 and appointed professor at the École des Beaux-Arts in the same year, later winning the Grande Médaille d'Honneur in the Salons of 1865, 1867, and 1878.

During all these years, Alexandre Cabanel is also commissioned to paint the decors of l'Hôtel de Ville de Paris in 1852, and of the private owned hotels of Pereire and Say (owned by J.P. Morgan since 1916)

The artist has also established his own atelier, which from 1864 until the time of his death in January 23, 1889, was attended by near 600 students.

Curated by Michel Hilaire and Sylvain Amic, the exhibition "Alexandre Cabanel, la tradition du beau" at the Musée Fabre (Montpellier, France) can be visited until December 5, 2010.

After which will be taken to the Walraff-Richartz Museum in Cologne, Germany, between February 4, 2011 and May 15, 2011.

Découvrez Rétrospective Alexandre Cabanel au Musée Fabre sur Culturebox !

Victor Willing (1928-1988): A Retrospective - Casa das Histórias Paula Rego

The museum Casa das Histórias Paula Rego will present from September 9, 2010 through January 2, 2011, a retrospective of the artist and art critique Victor Willing (1928 - 1988), who played a prominent role at the Slade School of Fine Art.
Curated by Hellmut Wohl, the exhibition will be comprised of near 80 paintings including those belonging to the museum's collection, lent by his wife Paula Rego, and others loaned by the Arts Council Collection (Southbank Centre), the Pallant House Gallery, Tate Gallery and others.

The Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo - Restoration is Completed

After an eight year restoration period and $10 million dollars, The Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo is set to reopen again to the public in September.
Considered the world's largest museum devoted to islamic art, it gathers an impressive number of works of art and artifacts, including what is believed to be the oldest existant example of Islamic Dinar, a gold coin dating from 697, less than 70 years after the death of Mohammed, rare manuscripts of the Koran and Ottoman-era ceramics.
Around 2500 pieces will be in exhibition from the approximately 100000 of the museum's collection.
The Art Inquirer could not find a working link to The Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo, but will keep its readers informed as soon as more news become available.
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Attract More Customers and Artists to Your Art Supply Store

The business of selling art supplies cannot rely exclusively on selling, a continuous interaction with the customers, namely artists, is important for its success.
Besides offering a good selection of art materials and providing proper information, there are other ways to attract and keep customers.
The Art Inquirer suggests an ongoing event that will return positive results in the short, medium and long terms for both parties: offering artists the opportunity to exhibit their art.
If your art store has enough space, you can randomly select a customer (or more if you wish) with available work for exhibition.
This service should be made known through several media, which can include a board inside the store, leaflets and newsletters, so that those interested may sign up for it.
The selection can be made monthly and the selected artist(s) can exhibit on the next month, as to give time to prepare the exhibition and disclose it to the public.
Artists should not be chosen according to the amount of spending of by any other facts based on their income of financial capabilities.
The Art Inquirer believes that this can result in attracting new customers and keeping the same, while at same time it lends recognition to the business through its support to the arts.

Gian Bernini - The Art and Life of a Sculptor (Part Six)

If you wish, you can watch the previous episode, or go directly to the first one.
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Giorgio Morandi et l'abstraction du réel - Hotêl des Arts (Toulon, France)

Located in Toulon, France, the Hôtel des Arts exhibits a selection of over 40 works by Giorgio Morandi.

Curated by Laura Mattioli, the exhibition includes drawings, engravings, oils and watercolours, with a special focus on flowers arrangements, where is noticeable the importance of geometry in his compositions. Morandi used to say "la geómetrie explique presque tout".

The exhibition invites the visitor to apprehend how the artist captured reality through the abstraction of its elements.

Born in Bologne, 1890, Giorgio Morandi is influenced by Cézanne and has great admiration for Chardin, Giotto, Piero della Francesca, Paolo Uccello and Masaccio.

His paintings, which can be considered as reality with strokes of abstraction, often show a limited palette of natural colours based on beiges and ochres, presenting earthy tones.

Between 1907 and 1913 he studies at the Academie of Fine Arts (Bologna) and in 1910 he sets an atelier in his apartment in la via Fondazza, 36, where he lives with his mother and three sisters, Anna, Dina and Maria Teresa.

During the Summer they would stay in Grizzana, in the Apennins.

Morandi had lost his brother Giuseppe in 1902 and his father in 1909, but his mother made all the efforts to make sure that he'd have a propper education and Morandi proved to be up to expectations.

Later in 1926, one of his paintings is acquired by Mussolini at the Primo Novecento Exhibition (Milan) and in the same year, around ten prints are bought by the state when of the Venice Biennial.

In 1930 Morandi is appointed professor of the Fine Arts Academie of Bologna, a post that he exercises until 1956.

One year later, in 1931, he's part of the comite of the Quadriennale of National Art in Rome and in 1939 (third quadriennale) he sees fifty of this works exhibited and wins the second prize.

Giorgio Morandi wins the first prize in the Venice Biennale of 1948 and in 1951 he exhibits in the first Biennial of S. Paulo (Brazil), winning the first prize in the IV one.

He passed away on the 18th of June, 1964, in the city of Bologna.

The Giorgio Morandi et l'abstraction do réel exhibition (watch a video) can be visited until September 26, 2010, from Tuesday through Sunday (except holidays) between 10h00 and 18h00.

Admitance is free.

Pablo Picasso's Guernica in 3D

Created by Lena Gieseke, this 3D animation of the famous painting Guernica, Created by Pablo Picasso, invites the viewer to immerse through the several elements of the painting and interpret the artist's intentions when he created this work.

"Uma Aventura no Alentejo" - A Cartoon Exhibition Presented by FECO Portugal

Organized by FECO Portugal and the City Hall of Moura in Alentejo, the exhibition "Uma Aventura no Alentejo" (An Adventure in Alentejo) will be composed of 19 works especially created for its theme, which is related to the region of Alentejo, located in the South of Portugal and often an object of jokes.

The opening will take place on August 14 (18h00) in the Conservatório Regional do Baixo Alentejo - Secção de Moura, Rua da República, 31 (República St. n.31, in Moura, Alentejo)
At 20h00 there will be a dinner reserved to the authors and their companies and between 21h00 and 23h00, a live drawing session with caricatures and autographs will be presented by the artists in the patio of the "Ao Sabor da Leitura" bookstore.

The Cartoon exhibition "Uma Aventura no Alentejo" will run until August 29, 2010, and will show the cartoons created by the following artists: Álvaro, Luís Afonso, Belisário, Derradé, Pedro Alves, Nuno Duarte, César Évora, Hermínio Felizardo, Pedro Ribeiro Ferreira, João Vasco Leal, Petra Marcos, André Oliveira, Zé Oliveira, Andreia Rechena, Carlos Rico, RoD!, Mário Teixeira, Varella e Eduardo Welsh.

2010 Pastel 100 Competition

The entries for the 12th annual edition of the Pastel 100 competition are open until September 1, 2010.
Considered one of the most important art competitions worldwide for those working with soft pastels, The Pastel 100 is divided in five categories: Abstract/Non-Objective, Animal/Wildlife, Landscape/Interior, Portrait/Figure, and Still Life/Floral.
Opened to all artists worldwide with 16 years of age or older, the competition features a total amount of prizes in the aproximate value of $13,000 in cash, art materials for the winners and honourable mentions.
Artists can enter as many works and categories as they wish, as long as they pay the respective fees. Submissions can be made online or by mail, not forgeting that entries must be postmarked no later than September 1, 2010.
Read the submission guidelines carefully, especially those related to the work specifications and its presentation, since failing one of those can void your participation.
All top prize winners and place winners of the 12th Pastel 100 Annual Competition will receive features in April 2011 issue of The Pastel Journal, including an image and information about their paintings.

Alcarte 2010 - Alcochete em Festa

Included in the celebrations of the municipality of Alcochete (Festas do Barrete Verde e das Salinas), the City Hall of Alcochete will inaugurate the colective exhibition Alcarte 2010 - Alcochete em Festa.

The opening will take place on August 6 in the City Hall's Gallery at 19h30 and will show the works from 22 artists.

The exhibition will continue until August 31, 2010.