by Jon Lackman | 10 February 2010 | Baroque/Neoclassical
After disappearing mysteriously in late 2008, the excellent blogger-art-historian David Packwood appears to have resurfaced a few months ago. In one recent post, he discusses the recent debate over two apparent Anthony Van Dycks:
That – and other connoisseurship issues – may be resolved by the large Van Dyck exhibition being planned for the Prado in 2012, but the relationship between Rubens and Van Dyck still fascinates with its narrative of intergenerational tensions, multiple studio operations and competitive rivalry … Van Dyck’s genius was born of painful necessity, which takes the shine off the myth of the aristocratic artist fashioning courtly pictures for jaded and decadent elites. Van Dyck’s financial embarrassment and its consequences may well have instilled in him that competitive and determined nature that gave him the confidence to go up against one of the greatest of baroque masters.
Thanks for the alert that David Packwood is blogging anew! Here’s the link to him:
http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/art-history-today.