S6 Ep2: The Clue of the Crumbling Cake Paintings

Whispering Gallery Podcast

WGP: Clue of the Crumbling Cake Paintings
A still life is a category of artwork that dates back to the 1600’s. A collection of things brought together (inanimate) gathered often on a table for the artist to work from and reference. The artist can work with this grouping of items, coming back over one or more sessions to complete the drawing or painting. Nothing in the grouping changes from session to session. The place for the artist’s chair can even be marked with masking tape to make sure they end up in the correct spot to work from.

“Still life’s” for 16th and 17th century Dutch may be made up of food like fruit; grapes, flowers (like on the secret of the missing tulip episode), cheese, bread, yas—cake, wine goblets, reflective surfaces of serving dishes. One example, artist, Clara Peters, took things to a level that might surprise you Daily Art Magazine shares, quote:

“…probably she is most famous for enriching her still lifes with her hidden self-portrait reflected in the objects on the table. In the image above, Still Life with Flowers, a Silver-gilt Goblet, Dried Fruit, Sweetmeats, Breadsticks, Wine and a Pewter Pitcher, the artist painted her portrait three times in the goblet and four times on the pewter jug… Aside from having a role as a signature, painting reflections were a challenge to artists to show off their mastery…

She also had a particular way of signing her work, often hidden. Six out of her 39 known paintings include the same ornate silver knife that is inscribed with her name, Clara Peeters.” Unquote dailyartmagazine.com/dutch-still-life-6-famous-painters/

Looking for strange and unexpected “Easter eggs” like these may seem a little too tedious, -or- maybe they make you a bit curious—you’d be right on both accounts. (Pause) I mean why -do- people end up standing there in museums, studying paintings, drawings, and sculpture? This could be one reason.

Is a goblet half full or half empty… what were they going for? Life used up or life to be enjoyed? Or something else? Like maybe the artist got thirsty and just drank some of it.

Besides looking at all of the details, from the mastery of a painting— of beautiful, intricate lace on the cuff of a sleeve, the ombré fading and veins in flower petals, or impressionist brushstrokes up close.

There may be mystery built into the composition—maybe not as difficult to unravel as an Agatha Christie novel, but, then again? Maybe there are “icons” representing meaning, visual bookmarks that are part of the story. Like a skull or a blown out candle— representing death. To the art world this last bit acts as the reminders “memento mori” directly translated from Latin: remember death.

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Clip of audio from wwltv.com story "Abita Springs Bakery Haunted Owner Says" used under Fair Use. Audio Source: https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/local/abita-springs-bakery-haunted-owner-says/289-487389181

Episode Image Art Source: Cake Slice Wayne Thiebaud, 1979 Style: Pop Art Genre: still life, WikiArt.org

Audio: FreeSound.org, Angel Chimes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=telxWQxtvcs

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