"This is the book that started it all" —Patrick O'Brien, MICA
James Gurney
This weblog by Dinotopia creator James Gurney is for illustrators, plein-air painters, sketchers, comic artists, animators, art students, and writers. You'll find practical studio tips, insights into the making of the Dinotopia books, and first-hand reports from art schools and museums.
You can write me at: James Gurney PO Box 693 Rhinebeck, NY 12572
or by email: gurneyjourney (at) gmail.com Sorry, I can't give personal art advice or portfolio reviews. If you can, it's best to ask art questions in the blog comments.
Permissions
All images and text are copyright 2020 James Gurney and/or their respective owners. Dinotopia is a registered trademark of James Gurney. For use of text or images in traditional print media or for any commercial licensing rights, please email me for permission.
However, you can quote images or text without asking permission on your educational or non-commercial blog, website, or Facebook page as long as you give me credit and provide a link back. Students and teachers can also quote images or text for their non-commercial school activity. It's also OK to do an artistic copy of my paintings as a study exercise without asking permission.
Here's a painting called, "King Valdemar the Great and Bishop Absalon topples the god Svantevit at Arkona, the Wendish capital during the conquest and Christianization of Pomerania in 1168."
It's by Laurits Tuxen (1853–1927), a Danish painter who studied in the Royal Danish Academy and under Bonnat in Paris.
It is interesting to compare the two. He omitted the smoke from burning buildings from the bigger one, perhaps to avoid the implication that conversion to Christianity might not have been completely non-violent. Also the contrast of the shining cross against the dark sky was a bit over the top.
All in all, a picture like this, though painted very well, leaves me at a loss. It depicts Christianity as a triumphant political and even military force, with no reference to its actual gist. Kramskoi's Christ in the Wilderness is a good example of the opposite approach.
This is a quite famous incident in Danish history. I remember having heard the story and read about it numerous times as a kid, before I discovered this painting. That was really a "wow" moment.
For bishop Absalon (who, by the way, is also considered the founder of Copenhagen), Christianity was definitely a triumphant political and military force. The painting is quite faithful to the tone of the old account of the incident.
8 comments:
Beautiful work, Thank you for showing
It is interesting to compare the two. He omitted the smoke from burning buildings from the bigger one, perhaps to avoid the implication that conversion to Christianity might not have been completely non-violent. Also the contrast of the shining cross against the dark sky was a bit over the top.
All in all, a picture like this, though painted very well, leaves me at a loss. It depicts Christianity as a triumphant political and even military force, with no reference to its actual gist. Kramskoi's Christ in the Wilderness is a good example of the opposite approach.
Anyway, thanks for sharing!
Wow I didn't know this blog http://inspirationalartworks.blogspot.com
Thanks James!
This is a quite famous incident in Danish history. I remember having heard the story and read about it numerous times as a kid, before I discovered this painting. That was really a "wow" moment.
For bishop Absalon (who, by the way, is also considered the founder of Copenhagen), Christianity was definitely a triumphant political and military force. The painting is quite faithful to the tone of the old account of the incident.
interresting comparison.
+follow
I can't tell on the final version whether that's a cross on the left, creating a tangent with a hill behind...
Or whether it's a house...
I just saw this piece yesterday, and was so mad at the museum shop, that didn't have ONE book with decent copys of the paintings.
And i must say it's a bit terrible to look at such a small and GREEN replica, after seeing the real thing (which is around four meters wide!)
So the lowest is definitely a sketch, but the colors are closer to the real deal.
www.rasmusaagaard.com
www.tegneskolekbh.dk
to NICK:
The 'X' on the left is most definitely a house.
www.rasmusaagaard.com
www.tegneskolekbh.dk
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