Watteau's Painted Conversations: Art, Literature, and Talk in Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century France

Antoine Watteau painted his "fetes galantes" during a period in which the art of polite conversation flourished in France. In this study, Mary Vidal shows that conversation was central to Watteau's images of sociability, providing the framework for figural and formal relationships even in his military, mythological, theatrical and religious works. Vidal argues that Watteau's painted conversations were not mere literal descriptions of social behaviour but repesented conversation as part of an aesthetic, linguistic and ethical system, as an art of living. Vidal shows that Watteau's focus on cnverstion was related to developments in the 17th- and 18th-century France: the rise and elaboration of an art of conversation, the connection between polite discourse and the redefinition of the nobility, the flourishng of women's salons in Paris and the development of the literary genre of the written conversation. Watteau recognised speech as the central sign system in French society and he identified the characteristics of fine conversation in his new manner of painting. Through this analogy, he presented the artistic process itself as the main concern of the elite artist, in contrast to the scholarly, text-dependent image of the Academy. In choosing conversation as his subject, Watteau associated his art with polite society. In his conversational artmaking, Watteau set up dialogic relationships between spoken words and images, art and society, viewer and painting. Often regarded as merely erotic and decorative, this books shows his painted conversations to be also works of substance, ideas and morals.

This is a Sonex plane that Eye Kandi was commissioned to do some custom painting & airbrushing on by its owner / builder. The owner of this Sonex airplane had purchased it as a kit, together with a few of his close friends, they had built it. The client had seen some airbrushed realistic fire we had done on a custom painted 31 Ford at a car show. Impressed at what he saw, he knew he had to have it on his plane. The first call of duty for Eye Kandi was the owner wanted the front fiberglass nose cone & some fiberglass wing end caps painted in a highly reflective chrome style paint, so they would somewhat match the rest of the polished stainless steel on the airplane. Next, the idea was to add a sooty black smoke to the background area because, airbrushed true fire doesn't pop as good off of lighter colored surfaces. The owner wanted to make sure the blazing inferno was apparent. This custom paint job was alot of fun since it was out of the norm of the usual pin-up & logo painting on a plane. There is just something to be said about an airplane coming in for a landing with airbrushed realistic flames on it. Or for that matter even just seeing it in the air engulfed in flames. Custom Painted & Airbrushed Real Fire also known as Realistic Fire, True Fire, Realistic Flames, Real Flames & True Flames can be done in a dozen different colors & can be done to be subtle or be very vivid. Custom Plane Painting Eye Kandi - Custom Paint, Airbrushing, Art & Design ek13

This is a custom painted & airbrushed Fender Precision Bass Guitar. Eye Kandi was commissioned by a client to do some custom painting & airbrushing on this guitar. The owner of this precision bass guitar wanted a wolf & desert night scene airbrushed on it. He provided some reference material of what he wanted the scene to look like. Sketching up the layout on this guitar to ensure the art work would fit nicely with the guitars body shape & the guitars electronic components was key. His name for his custom guitar paint job was "The Loner" . Guitar Custom Painting Eye Kandi - Custom Paint, Airbrushing, Art & Design

Renowned throughout the world as purveyors of beauty, mystery, and allure, geisha have come to represent the epitome of Japanese elegance and chic. The rich 250-year history of these performance artists is vividly presented in this volume, taking the reader behind the mask-like makeup and into the studios where they train and rehearse and into the teahouses where they entertain. Geisha have altered definitions of feminine beauty and identity and are the prevailing icons of Japanese womanhood. Their influence on Japan's decorative arts is documented by their beautiful kimono and hair ornaments and by the musical instruments and fans they use in their performances. The contributors to this book, all prominent specialists on Japanese culture, each consider a particular aspect of geisha tradition and aesthetics, from their music and dance to misperceptions of the profession by foreigners, from the portrayal of geisha as recurring characters in the theatre and film to profiles of talented women who choose this life and work today. Illustrated with woodblock prints and paintings as well as historical and contemporary photographs, this groundbreaking study also explores the dynamic tension between image and reality in the art of these exquisite entertainers. Geisha: Beyond the Painted Smile is a comprehensive presentation of geisha culture from its origins nearly three centuries ago to contemporary Japan. Disciplined performance artists of supreme grace and beauty, geisha are unique ambassadors of Japan's traditional culture.