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The Day I Saw Van Gogh’s Genius in a New Light

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Re: The Day I Saw Van Gogh’s Genius in a New Light

#52
post #24
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, I think it would be quite interesting to have a museum exhibition where a high quality print of a original Van Gogh is displayed next a high quality print of the filtered version. I would defiantly pay to see that I wonder if any other famous artists saw their work differently than the rest of us?

> I wonder if any other famous artists saw their work differently than the rest of us? Ludwig van Beethoven's hearing started to deteriorate early on and eventually he became completely deaf though he continued to compose. Of course there has to be a substantial difference between losing a sense or never to have had it but we don't know whether Van Gogh's altered vision was there from birth or the alteration happened…

There are some who argue that Beethoven's metronome was broken, and his deafness was part of the reason he didn't realize it. Here's an article about it: http://www.nytimes.com/1987/02/19/arts/critic-s-notebook-pon...

Along those lines, John Eliot Gardiner conducted Beethoven's 9 Symphonies with Beethoven's metronome markings and with instruments that would have been used at that time period. It's a very different sound that I'm a huge fan of, though I think it wasn't particularly embraced by traditionalists.

Re: The Day I Saw Van Gogh’s Genius in a New Light

#55
post #33

I'm struck by how bland some of the altered images are! Sure, still impressive but there is a certain quality of the spontaneity of the abrupt introduction of new or contrasting color that is lost is some of the transformations. As my personal preference I had to admit I much prefer the original although that's not to say they aren't magnificent works of art regardless.

A (professional) photographer friend of mine showed me one of his autumn landscapes. When I was not really impressed (I only saw some bland, kindof greenish kindof yellowish trees), he remembered: "Oh, I forgot you have that sad color filter on"

Re: The Day I Saw Van Gogh’s Genius in a New Light

#56

I'm color-blind and I see absolutely no differences between the original and the modified images. So I assume this is working.

I was going to comment that the article was quite far fetched, since I saw almost no difference... and then I read your comment.

Edit : Oh shit. Hi Greg. Fucking genetics. It's Dad fault.

Re: The Day I Saw Van Gogh’s Genius in a New Light

#57
When you see a Gauguin, you think, This man is living in a dream world. When you see a van Gogh, you think, This dream world is living in a man.

—Adam Gopnik

http://m.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/01/04/100104fa_fact_go...

A beautiful, inspiring critique if you have the time for it.

Re: The Day I Saw Van Gogh’s Genius in a New Light

#58
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I'm still staring at tiny digital reproductions of paintings on a fairly cheap LCD monitor. If you've seen the originals, there is a 3D quality that is also lost. He had a way of sculpting the paint on the canvas, which I've never seen in any reproduction.

Yes! I noticed that too when looking at a Van Gogh in person. He had built it up using a lot of paint - almost like what you see when a small child uses way too much finger-paint. The physical texture of it was striking.

Not to mention the paints have translucent and reflective qualities, all of which are lost on a 2d print or monitor.

Re: The Day I Saw Van Gogh’s Genius in a New Light

#59

I'm color-blind and I see absolutely no differences between the original and the modified images. So I assume this is working.

I can honestly say that this is the most accurate simulation of my color blindness I have ever seen. Usually I can tell a difference between the two if I look back and forth, and almost always when I flip between the images quickly. But in this case I popped them open in two tabs and switched back and forth repeatedly, and could only notice minute changes if I looked very carefully at specific parts of the painting.

Re: The Day I Saw Van Gogh’s Genius in a New Light

#60

I'm color-blind and I see absolutely no differences between the original and the modified images. So I assume this is working.

I can honestly say that this is the most accurate simulation of my color blindness I have ever seen. Usually I can tell a difference between the two if I look back and forth, and almost always when I flip between the images quickly. But in this case I popped them open in two tabs and switched back and forth repeatedly, and could only notice minute changes if I looked very carefully at specific parts of the painting.
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