James Gardner

1 month ago | themagazineantiques.com | James Gardner

A new show opening in February at the Metropolitan Museum of Art celebrates (if a year late) the 250th anniversary of the birth of Caspar David Friedrich in 1774. The show originated (punctually) at the Hamburger Kunsthalle and it offers American art lovers some seventy-five works by the German master, as well as an assortment of works by predecessors, contemporaries, and followers, down to the present age. Friedrich occupies an ambiguous place in the history of art. Like J. M. W.

Jan 2, 2025 | themagazineantiques.com | James Gardner

In the grand arc of the history of Western painting, Siena is indisputably important, but one is not quite sure in what way. In the last quarter of the thirteenth century, Siena rivaled Florence as one of those watersheds that forever altered the course of our visual culture. If Florence could boast of Cimabue, Siena could claim Duccio. A little later, the Sienese master Simone Martini could stand his ground against Giotto himself.

Dec 2, 2024 | themagazineantiques.com | James Gardner

The Alps are an altered state. Perhaps one could say as much for all mountains. Taking us far from the plains where most of humanity has lived since the dawn of time, they seem to bring us closer to the sun, where the air is purer and the din of cities feels like a distant rumor.

Oct 2, 2024 | winchestersun.com | James Gardner

Published 11:15 am Wednesday, October 2, 2024 By James GardnerClark County Public LibraryThis Tuesday, October 1 is not only the official start of Spooky Season for some people (my spooky season tends to start in August), but it’s a great day for fans of tacos and Taco Tuesday! National Taco Day is not only falling on a Tuesday this year, but it will from now on fall on every first Tuesday in October.

Aug 20, 2024 | winchestersun.com | James Gardner

Published 11:00 am Tuesday, August 20, 2024 By James GardnerClark County Public LibraryAs Kenny Rogers’s birthday is Aug. 22, I remember a recent and somewhat sad memory of the singer-songwriter that doesn’t actually involve the singer-songwriter. The memory in question involves a skit on the TV show “Mad TV,” a show that was like “Saturday Night Live” but it was on Fox and had skits based on the popular Mad Magazine.