Constantin Brancusi, The Kiss, 1916, limestone, 58.4 x 33.7 x 25.4 cm (Philadelphia Museum of Art) Speakers: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker . Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker.
An art history professor of mine introduced our class to these videos. Ever since, I've been hooked. Please continue to produce these informative, yet not boring, videos! They've really helped me study for art history classes and to pass the time when I'm bored. Lovely content!
I would love a follow on video, focusing on early 20th century sculpture. With say Boccioni's unique forms of continuity in space, being the focal piece. The point raised about the lack of a pedestal, directly flows in to Boccioni's splitting up of the pedestal in UFOCIS. Great video thanks.
This is so cute! lol. 🥰 I love the simple, block-based design and how the figures seem to merge into one. Bonus for all the other amazing pieces referenced in the video - I miss Bernini. Why wasn't his wish for it to be placed on the ground honored?! I'm guessing so its easier to view, but what a shame that the involuntary amputation has been performed...
It looks more like a gate if you look at it closely with two adjoining doors and locked at the middle. An archaic fortress entrance into an unknown realm
Compare modern artist Rachel Whiteread's sculpture of a row house at full scale, albeit made in concrete (it appears); after a few moments i thought of this Brancusi sculptor very clearly. The new work is somewhat protean and at times also reminded me of a menage á trois hug, appropriate to a household. (I only know how to put accent marks in one direction!)
The Museum should be bombarded with vitriol for placing it so badly on the block as seen here. For most sculptors, this is not his best version of The Kiss - the rougher and more simplified earlier versions, and that of the Gate of The Kiss, are more successful. Here, the arms have a somewhat 'flipper' - ish quality, and the whole seems a little too designed.... other versions really allow the quality of the stone to speak. But a salutary piece, nonetheless.