While I put together and edit my reports of museums, check out my photographs of Savannah’s sculpture and architecture.

A documentary courtesy of the Beeb.  One cannot help but wonder what went through the artist’s mind when they rendered Jane’s likeness in that portrait.  Of course, if you look at the history of portraits, they often do not tell the truth.  I remember in Greek and Roman art history class, the teacher said that Emperor Augustus’s military statue represented an aspect of him and not the real him.  According to her, he did not have that muscular build.

]]> http://arthistoryramblings.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/what-did-jane-austen-really-look-like/feed/ 0 Catherine http://arthistoryramblings.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/international-affairs-the-cleanest-race-how-north-koreans-see-themselves-and-why-it-matters-book-tv/ http://arthistoryramblings.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/international-affairs-the-cleanest-race-how-north-koreans-see-themselves-and-why-it-matters-book-tv/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:06:24 +0000 Catherine http://arthistoryramblings.wordpress.com/?p=5375 ]]> While I am working on my upcoming blog posts, I would like to direct you to a really awesome lecture on North Korea and how their system of government has lasted as long as it has.

International Affairs – The Cleanest Race: How North Koreans See Themselves – And Why It Matters – Book TV.

B.R. Myers uses examples of visual art to drive a lot of great points home.

For the past of couple of years, I have found myself fascinated with North Korea itself.  Similar to watching a bad movie, one can’t look away.  This fascination led me to reading the Guy Delisle graphic memoir Pyongyand:A Journey in North Korea (amazing book, but I noticed a typo) and the National Geographic documentary hosted by Lisa Ling.

I also find myself obsessed with North Korean art and architecture.  I think Delisle called one of their failed hotels a “German Expressionist nightmare.”  I’m paraphrasing, but the building does resemble something F.W. Murnau’s Faust (from what I’ve seen so far).

Check out the walled up windows and faded signs.

So, I went to the Historic Latta Plantation in North Carolina.  Came the Latta Family, they now preserve the grounds for various activities such as reenactments.  On this day, they had reenactments of Civil War era soldiers doing construction  and how people mourned.  I enjoyed looking at the Civil War era architecture and the interior design the workers did their best to recreate.  As you can see in the video, the houses do not differ much from the houses of today beyond the little quirks here and there.  However, the white paint gives the houses a pristine look.  The house that had the mourning ritual had this parlor room that had this lovely warm green color and the floors had wonderful decorations.

I’m back!  Here’s some photos I’ve shot.