Friday, December 08, 2006

You learn something new every day. JUST ADMIT IT.

So, every once in a while, when inspiration is low, I google something random, click the 'images' button, and see what comes up. It's how I came up with the elephant poop picture, which got me in trouble, but nevermind that.*

Today, rather than put up one of my usual Friday posts about booze and post some picture of a pint of Guinness or some other lovely potable, I decided I'd do another art post. But what artist or painting to feature?

Well...it so happens I have an old Skids song in my head, "
Thanatos." So I google it, and of course get the usual smattering of Wikipedia entries, Greek Mythology links, Deathmetal band sites, etc. And of course when I clicked Google Images, well...the less said about silly fantasy "art," the better.

But.... hello, what have we here?


Jacek Malczewski, Thanatos I. 1898. Olej na płótnie. 124 x 74 cm. Muzeum Narodowe, Poznań.

Fantastic, isn't she? I love how she's all dark blue at the feet, and muscular, and holding a scythe with her big man-hands. And are those some crazy art-nouveau wings she's sporting? And is she resting some part of her clothing on them? Are those two black dogs in the background over her right shoulder, and are they also symbols of impending death? Who's that guy over her left shoulder, and why is he taking his overcoat off? Or is he putting it on? And what's that thing hanging from her belt, just over her groin? What's going ON here? I must consider this painting in depth.

And the artist? Sorry to say I'm unfamiliar with him. But I've poked around a little on various sites trying to find a good, clear link to this particular painting, and I'm intrigued. So I think I shall spend a good portion of my day investigating his life and work.

Question of the day:

What would you rather do?

A. Eat 2,000 calories a day
B. Drink 2,000 calories a day

*Fuck it.

11 Comments:

Blogger fatmammycat said...

Slow day at the office Ducky? Strange painting, is it an angel? Looks like she was up to mischief, digging in blue garden or some such. What is with the helmet?
WRT the calorie question, normally I would go with drink, but I fear I may have drank myself out of the loop yesterday. I now cannot imagine EVER drinking again, so I'm gonna run with eating. And I am going to go with eating something very yummy, like chilli and garlic spicy pasta with grated cheese all over the top, ya know, comfort food.
Have a good weekend ma'am.

08 December, 2006 11:25  
Blogger Andraste said...

Yes, as a matter of fact. Damn my efficiency, I've worked so hard this week, all my damn work is done, and the place is a MORGUE. Appropriate, since Thanatos here is the personification of death.

Sounds like the way you feel today, you could play her in a movie, FMC.

08 December, 2006 11:44  
Blogger Kim Ayres said...

I understand this is probably sacrilege to say it on this site, but I don't actually enjoy being drunk. I don't mind the occasional drink, but I tend to draw the line at one, mainly because I don't like the loss of control and the bloody awful hangovers that occur if I have more than 2. So eating it is then.

08 December, 2006 12:15  
Blogger Andraste said...

Believe it or not, Kim, I'm not a huge fan of being drunk either. I enjoy the drink, and drunkenness seems to follow when the drink is flowing and the times are fun enough that there doesn't seem much reason to stop the flow. It's always more of an "oh, shit, shouldn't have had that last one (or three), now I'm in for it."

But the damn stuff tastes so good, and loosens up the conversation so well...

08 December, 2006 12:19  
Blogger Dr Maroon said...

D'ya remember the Skids? They were BRILLIANT!
Poor Stuart Adamson.
Remember the Rezillos? Even better.
You can still get 'Can't stand the Rezillos' in America.
Check it out man.

08 December, 2006 13:48  
Blogger Andraste said...

Course I remember the Skids, Docky! I loved them! And yes, poor old Stuart Adamson, offing himself over a silly drunk driving incident. Or was there more to it? Probably. Still. I miss him.

Don't make fun, but I still LOVE Big Country. Their first two albums were tremendous. Later work was pretty bad, but STILL!

Tsk.

08 December, 2006 13:53  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That guy freaks me out. It's the best part of the painting for me.

As for your question, ask me on any given day, and you'll get a different answer.

09 December, 2006 10:03  
Blogger MikeP said...

So is this artwork something for the new house? Might be interesting to walk in and see the angel of death hanging there.

09 December, 2006 13:32  
Blogger Old Knudsen said...

That gurl has fine child bearing hips. I usually only eat because I have to and I drink to blot out my painful existence, Mr life and soul of the party they call me, or is it stay away from that creepy drunk guy ?

09 December, 2006 16:52  
Blogger FirstNations said...

tell ya what, miss thanatos aint been on no 2000 calorie a day diet. hooWHEE them are some damn thighs! shake that ass, thanatos!
*marked for death by greek deities*

i think i like it here.
* helps self to a pint*
* at 9am*

10 December, 2006 12:52  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like getting drunk, but I hate when I realise that I should've stopped three drinks ago to maintain my "drunk enough to sound clever and hilarious, but not so drunk that I'm blubbering and incoherent" status. So to resolve that problem, I tend to keep drinking. I'm awful selfish.

Cool painting - looked 3D to me.

I do the Google thing too, especially if I find some new info of interest on blags.

11 December, 2006 09:09  

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