[Liz]

....The painting is so real....

Shanks is an amazing talent. When I came across the portrait, I studied it for a minute or two, thinking, at first sight, that I was looking at a photo. The realism Shanks captured on the canvas is reminiscent of the Old Masters, by whom he was inspired.

The Art Appreciation threads are a wonderful respite from the FR news drones that we are, and I am delighted to have yours, and other FReepers' interest.

The very first AA thread posted was during the global solemnity of Pope John's passing---the one that illustrated the magnificent Bernini altar, and the vision of its incomparable splendor that I carry with me always since I first saw it at the Vatican.

[NYer]

The Art Appreciation threads are a wonderful respite from the FR news drones that we are, and I am delighted to have yours, and other FReepers' interest.

If you have not yet done so, you must plan a trip to Florence, Italy. Aside from the great architecture, there is Michelangelo's David . Look at him! You can see the muscles rippling on his chest. Check out his right hand! It is larger than his left because it exemplifies the might and strength needed to slay Goliath. On closer examination, you can practically see the blood coursing through his veins. This was all carved from marble! Along the corridor leading up to the David, are Michelangelo's unfinished works. Amongst them, there is one that looks as if the individual was pushing himself out from the marble. Michelangelo often told his sculpture students while examining a block of Carrera marble that inside was a statue trying to emerge (or words to that effect). The carver's job is to assist that image to emerge.

The Pieta , St. Peter and so many other sculptures are truly marvelous oeuvres that exemplify the level of talent granted to Michelangelo.