Martin Beck

December 26, 2003 3:36 AM

Martin Beck's Last Ten Years: How interesting to be able to look at a painter's work year by year: patterns and even stories seem to develop, disappear and change before (and after) our eyes. Are there any other good chronologically-arranged artist's websites out there? Or do painters habitually avoid them to prevent the detection of similarities and obsessions?
posted by MiguelCardoso (5 comments total)

I forget the name of the artist, but there's a famous chronological arrangement of works by that painter that painted cats. They go progressively more psychedelic
posted by slater at 4:24 AM on December 26, 2003

A few years ago I saw exhibit of late Monet paintings from Giverny covering the period when he had cataracts. As his eyesight deteriorates, the Japanese bridge fades (without disappearing entirely), and the conceptual bridge to the abstract expressionists comes to dominate the viewer's experience. And red comes to dominate the colors. Then he had an operation to fix his eyes, and the paintings go back to cooler blue-green impressionism. Very powerful exhibit.
posted by anewc2 at 4:42 AM on December 26, 2003

The artist that slater mentions is Louis Wain. There have been one or two front page posts about him here previously - it's fascinating and disturbing to witness his decent into madness.
posted by iconomy at 8:33 AM on December 26, 2003

Miguel, I can't respond to your painters with chronologically-arranged websites question, but I stopped by to say thanks for the links.

Mr. Beck says he once heard a visitor to one of his shows characterize the work as "Norman Rockwell gone bad."

One other cool site feature is the way the press links are handled. The delivered page includes the article or review along with any thumbnails discussed...that's very thoughtful design.
posted by madamjujujive at 8:39 AM on December 26, 2003

Great question, M. C. I don't think there are many sites as well organized chronologically as the the one you've thankfully found here, and the reason may be that ideas which find their way into the sketchbook or the preliminary canvas (or painting) are not necessarily candidates for public display, according to the personality of the individual.

This must be a sentiment that writers share too in the act of creation. It's kind of like not wanting to sharing a secret recipe too soon; before it's been distilled down to its most delicious elements..

Beautiful site, Mr. Cordoso and a great find. Thank you.
posted by hama7 at 8:01 PM on December 26, 2003