LadyKflo

Birth of Venus serves up instant recognition. We’re all familiar with Sandro Botticelli’s masterpiece. Still, have we really looked at it? It’s a birth. That’s messy, baby-centric, business. But this portrait shows neither mess nor baby – only beauty. There’s simply the wonder of new life present here. In fact, the work arouses more questions than it answers. How is a full grown woman arising out of this clean and still seashell? That’s not how Venus was born. She emerged from the wrecked genitals of her murdered father, Uranus. But there’s nothing about that here.

Learn more about this and other masterpieces with a click through to LadyKflo's website:

https://www.ladykflo.com/birth-of-venus-sandro-botticelli/

Castle Clinton and Seaglass Carousel are tourist magnets in Battery Park. Downtown Manhattan packs streets with historic landmarks and lessons. But these two iconic spots are most popular. For good reason. They have the best stories. Battery Park meets Broadway at its bottom. This area, near the Staten Island Ferry, holds enough history to fill a library of books.

Learn more about these and other NYC historic sites with a click to LadyKflo's site: 

https://www.ladykflo.com/castle-clinton-seaglass-carousel/

George Caleb Bingham uses Fur Traders Descending the Missouri to remind us that romanticism comes in many forms. This painting dwells in one of my lifelong pet peeves. The romanticisation of hard work, especially physical labor bugs me. This irritating practice shows up in all aspects of life - even art.

This painting revels in an in-between place. The hard work of its situation lies in the before and after. Hunting and skinning animals is back breaking and... dirty. But there's no sign of that here. Not to mention the tremendous weight of hauling cargo on to and off a tiny canoe while balancing all the while. So, these boat bundles float down the Missouri to represent hidden hard work.

Hear more about this and other masterpieces with a click to LadyKflo's site:

https://www.ladykflo.com/george-caleb-bingham-fur-traders-descending-the-missouri/

Cubism learned a lesson or two when Fernand Leger’s The Wedding hit. In fact, many art historians joke that this painting introduced Tubism… because reality curves into glorious tubes in this remarkable work. As abstracted as it is, we know what it’s like at this wedding. The bride’s pale body luxuriates across the canvas in luscious hints to the night ahead. This sensual aspect contrasts the strident excitement of wedding activity. These elements intersect, combat, and parallel throughout the work. It feels like a carnival. Fernand was a big fan of the circus and it shows. He creates order too, though. Leger differentiates the space with consistent groupings of shapes, color and texture.

Learn about this and more masterpieces at LadyKflo's website:

https://www.ladykflo.com/fernand-leger-the-wedding/

Kid-friendly and communal, The Old Stone House breaks the Historic House mold. Its location, Park Slope, Brooklyn, has been kidfabulous for decades. It’s a challenge to find an NYC neighborhood with more double strollers on the sidewalks. But the location perfection goes even deeper for OSH. That’s because it sits in the middle of a public park with a playground as well. So, Old Stone House functions as safe harbor with a side order of local history when sudden rains hit.

This historic structure keeps it real. There’s no pretension and nothing’s precious. Part of that lies in its lack of artifacts. Most historic houses raise barriers between visitors and exhibits. That means often taking pictures through metal gates or craning your neck to get a good look. There’s none of that at The Old Stone House. Other historic houses display relevant period pieces and portray domestic scenarios. We visit these to experience what it was like to live in that time and place. But OSH plays it a bit different.

To learn more about this as well as lots more history and art, visit LadyKflo's site: 

https://www.ladykflo.com/the-old-stone-house-brooklyn/

Marcel Duchamp’s painting The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even has two frames. The top encapsulates a delicate silvery bride. She’s isolated and fragile. In fact, it feels a bit forlorn up there, as if our lady’s gazing out the window. The lower frame shows an opposite world. Thick and deep golden, the bride’s bachelors strut – bold and mechanical. There’s a machinery to them. She’s vulnerable while her male counterparts don’t even appear to have heads. It’s their bodies that lead them to her, Duchamp’s brushstrokes march them forth.

Learn more about this and your favorite master works with a click through to LadyKflo's website:

https://www.ladykflo.com/marcel-duchamp-the-bride-stripped/

The Little Red Lighthouse saved lives along the Hudson River for many years. Before it… in the 1800s, the river teemed with boats and canoes doing New York City business. But many crashed into a dangerous, jutting land mass, Jeffrey’s Hook… That is, until your Little Red came along. They call her the Little Red Lighthouse because she’s only forty feet tall and the color of fresh pomegranate. In fact, this lighthouse packed powerful impact into her small parts.

Learn more about this NYC historic wonder at LadyKflo's website:

https://www.ladykflo.com/your-little-red-lighthouse/

Venus Lamenting the Death of Adonis by Benjamin West tells an ancient story. The beloved goddess Venus fell hard for heartthrob hottie Adonis. But it was not meant to be. In fact, she knew his destiny for an early death on the hunt. No matter how much Venus warned him and pleaded, Adonis dismissed her. This classic painting portrays the tragedy of his stubborn refusal to hear her.

To learn more about this and more masterpieces visit LadyKflo;'s website:

https://www.ladykflo.com/benjamin-west-venus-lamenting/

Allegories bring big ideas down to earth. Simon Vouet's painting Wealth gives a grand example of this at work. Baroque painters, such as Vouet, reveled in allegory. They swam in it, like Scrooge McDuck with his pool of gold coins. Vouet flourishes with a sweep of golden fabric across the work's center - a rich beacon.

Wealth is a woman surrounded with children beside her here. That's to remind us that it's not the bejeweled necklaces and chic vases that matter most. True riches lie in bonds of the heart and soul. For instance, with the unconditional love between parent and child depicted here. The woman Wealth drowns in riches. She's got it on all levels, tangible, emotional, and familial.

Learn more about this and other masterpieces with a click through to LadyKflo's website:

https://www.ladykflo.com/simon-vouet-wealth/

Iconoclast Judy Chicago changed the course of women’s history. Her extraordinary 1975 masterwork The Dinner Party still speaks volumes today. It moves us with the power and accomplishments of women in history. Long formal tables unite a trio of thirteen elaborate place settings. They form a perfect triangle of achievement.

I first discovered this powerful work in the Brooklyn Museum. It's a life-changer. That’s because this work reaches deep into archetypes to move the viewer with meticulous detail. Viewers delve deep into women's history. It draws you in and envelops you. That's because this piece spotlights the impact of 39 game changers. It's as meaningful as it is momentous.

Learn more about this and other great works of art at LadyKflo.com:

https://www.ladykflo.com/judy-chicago-dinner-party/