Tuesday, July 08, 2003

Famous Lost Work Rediscovered by Sotheby's 08 Jul 03    Annibale Carracci The Montalto Madonna The Holy Family with the infant Saint John the Baptist.   LONDON, ENGLAND. An important work, previously considered lost, by the great baroque painter Annibale Carracci (1560-1609) is to be offered in Sotheby's sale of Old Master Paintings on Thursday, July 10, 2003. One of the most famous paintings of its time, Carracci's Montalto Madonna was copied repeatedly by generations of artists in Rome both in painted and in engraved form. The painting was last entioned by the biographer Gian Pietro Bellori in 1672, after which the small copper disappeared without trace and has been considered lost ever since. Now, over 300 years later, the picture has resurfaced and, following months of research by Sotheby's experts, its entire history from the time it was painted to the present day has been reconstructed. The Montalto Madonna gets its name from Cardinal Alessandro Peretti Montalto, who commissioned the work some time around 1598. Greatly admired by contemporaries, the painting was already famous in the 17th century. [ArtDaily.com] 7:42:04 AM  Google It!

Pills, Thrills and and Couture 08 Jul 03 Textile artist Susie Freeman and practising GP Dr Liz Lee, are an unlikely twosome for an artistic collaboration. More unusual is the work they create - clothes that seem fluffy and frivolous but actually draw attention to medical matters. Susie Freeman and Liz Lee are old school friends and Susie explains how their collaboration developed: 'We chat like all women do. Liz was very interested in family planning, and wanted to raise awareness of contraceptive methods available.' Around the same time, a U.S. gallery which sold Susie's work, commissioned one of her textile garments decorated with pills. Susie hadn't made such a piece but the mistaken request sparked an idea - combine Susie's dramatic fabrics with Liz's medical objectives.  Their idea, which they called Inside Out, won them a Sci-Art Award in 1998 - a grants scheme sponsored by the Wellcome Trust encouraging collaborations between scientists and artists. This set them on the path of 'drawing attention to medical decisions that people make', enabling Susie and Liz 'to express the thought processes and emotions involved when patients make decisions about medical treatment.' ... Susie Freeman's and Dr Liz Lee's work can be viewed at: Contemporary Applied Arts, 2 Percy Street, London W1P 9FA (enquiries call 020 7436 2344) and from 19 July - 27 August at Fact, Fantasy and Pharmacopoeia, MAC, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH (enquiries: 0121 440 3838). [fashionUK] 5:54:07 AM  Google It!