19_Your_Comments2010_1st_half
Plse continue to send your sightings of new and old images
of Europa and Bull/Zeus.
Ex Libris
It is astonishing to note that ExLibris artists and organisations have been using
extensively the image of Europe and Bull/Zeus, but they have not been acknoledged by arthistorians,
classicists and authors specializing on the subject of Europe. Probably, there
are hundreds of designs, etches for Ex Libres of
Europe and the bull by well known artists. But they were never included in the
context of exhibitions or books on the general subject of the Europe Myth. Just
a few are given here as exemples.
19_01 
19_02
Piotr Narzarkovski,
Poland,
1988
Arkady Pugachevsky,
Ukraine, 1997
cupperengraving, 7,5-5,5
cm woodcutting, 12,5-17,5 cm
collection Waterschoot,
Gemert,
NL owned by artist
From the Catalogue of the
exposition "Europa besteigt
den Stier" (Europe mounts the Bull) of summer,
1998. Organized by the Artassociation of Bad Salzdetfurth, Germany.
After the fall of communist dictatorship in Eastern
Europe in 1989 the artmusea of Nürnberg
(G)in cooperation with artmuseum Frederikshavn
(DK) and the artmuseum of Passau (G), under the
auspices of the international federation of exlibris
art societies, FISAE, realized an international exposition and exlibris competition with the title Europe and the bull.
Of the 170 entries about 120 came from former Eastern Europa
and Russia.
19_03 19_04 19_05
Valerii Mishin USRR
1990 Vladimir Suchanek Czechosl.
1990
Wim Zwiers, Netherlands,
1990
colourlithography,
11,7-11,9cm lithography
in
green,12-10,4cm engraving in red, 7,1-6cm
owned by: Luc van den Briele Dr. Arnold Hausweiler
Anneke Kuyper
all the entries to the
exhibition can be found in the Exlibris Katalog, 1991, Europa, Frederikshavn Kunstmuseum, Stadtgeschichliche Museen Nürnberg, Oberhausmuseum Passau.
The 'Europe emblem used for Exlibris' is certainly a subject for further study.
January 2,
2010
with thanks to Hein Bierens for his initiative.
__________________________________
In 1990 the German town Passau, known for its annual cultural European weeks, ordered an Europa bronze plastic for its Europa Square. The German artist, Renate König-Schalinski got the commission. Europe has been executed in a strongly stylized manner close to naïf art.
19_06
The statue is 2,24 by 1,71 m.
The bull has been stylized to a simple bow. The accompanying little bow should
be interpreted as a dolphin, who often is included in the Europe image,
indicating the ride over sea.
Februari 1,
2010 A
visitor
___________________________________________
Finally, the Lisbon Treaty, after years of haggling, was ratified in 2009 by all members. The European Council appointed from their midst its first full time president for 2 ×2½ years, the sitting Prime Minister of Belgium Herman van Rompuy. The idea being that he not only would lead the European Council meetings, but would also represent the EU in the political field not covered by the European Commission. Lady Catherine Ashton as vice president of the European Commission would cover all foreign affairs of the EU, including decisions not proposed by the European Commission.
19_07
If the Council President leads the individual Eu countries, represented by the bull; his little thin guiding string does not look very convincing. Lady Ashton armament is at best symbolic. The print appeared in the Dutch Nieuwe Rotterdamse Courant of 23 January 2010, and earlier on 20-11-09 in the Kleine Zeitung of Austria. This political ambiguous solution of divide and rule between the Council, the Commission and the EU Members is here masterly interpretated by Pidmestravic, as the very human, eternal, love triangle. Most of the time they do not last long. But with her three thousand years of experience Europe will survive.
Rotterdam, Maart 1
2010
Sandra van der Lubbe
___________________________
The Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe rewards local & regional authorities for their active
promotion of the European ideal. Since 1989 a Plaque of Honour has been awarded
to 145 municipalities & regional
authorities.
The Plaque of Honour existed of a marble slab of 30-40 cm. On it is fixed a bronze medallion of 22 cm diameter with a bas-relief representing goddess Europe standing next to bull/Zeus. Below the medallion the name of the award winning town is mentioned with the year of issue. Below left the Plaquette awarded to the German town Melsungen in 1996. The plaque was engraved by Prof. Zilli, Austria. It was spotted in the townhall of Melsungen by Jacoba Koster.
19_08
19_09
In 2001 a new model of the Plaquette was issued, shown above on the right. On top a riding Europe on bull/Zeus accompanied by a floating fairy-like person carrying laurels of victory and dolphins indicating the sea. The eagle indicates the presence of god Zeus, here in the shape of a bull. Down below the placename of the French, Plaquette winning, municipality. The plaquette has been designed by Prof. Demange of the University Marc Bloch, Strasbourg.
For more information or
instructions how to apply for a award, you can ask the Responsible for the
Europe Prize section of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe,
Strasbourg: Marie-Anne Menger
April 1, 2010 With
thanks to Jacoba Koster for
her keenness of observation and drawing our attention to this Europe
Geographic Maps
The 1624 edition of the welknown atlas of the German geographer and historian Philippe Cluwer (Cluver or Cluverius), 1580-1622, Introductio in universam geographiam..,was annotated by by J.Bruno, J.Reiske & J.-F. Heckel, and was published by Joannem Wolters, Amstelaedami, 1697. His worldmap features vignets of the four continents, one in each corner. Europe is represented by Lady Europe sitting on the lying bull. On the map of Europe, another vignet shows Europe with a laurelwrath around her head, again sitting on the lying bull and is surrounded by Hermes and Cupido.
7 April 2010 Auction
Henri Godts, Brussels, 9 :3 :2010
_____________________________
n lacquer boxes is a folkart with miniature paintingsstarting in the 19th century. The boxes are made
of papier-mache and several times varnished. In
between the layers the image is made with tempera paint. There are four centers, the villages Fedoskino, Palekh, Kholui and Mstera. The genuine lacquer box carries the name of the
village and of the painter. One such a box appeared on ebay
with Europe painted after Veronese. 
Art of Russia 
19_10 19_11
Although the prints are rather bad, they do give a reasonable impression of the lacquer box with painting. the artist is Turbreniova from the village of Fedoskino, about 40 km north of Moscow. The boxmeasures 20-15-5,5 cm
Antwerp, 1 May 2010 an ebay-client
____________________________________________
The Czechian artist Frantisek Kupka, 1871-1957, lived and worked many years in France, where he died. A large part of his early work was bought by his patriot, the entrepreneur Jindrich Waldes, 1876-1941. He founded his Waldes museum in Prague. The communist regime confiscated his collection, which went to the National Museum. The collection was restored to his greatson George Waldus in 1996, including this drawing of Europe
19_12
This design was probably a project for the cover of the French satyrical magazine, l'Assiette au beurre, of 15 June, 1907. On top is vaguely written 'Le Dire International' It looks like Europe is put to flight by a threatening society led by military, industrial and religious, mutual interest. Representatives of these groups wave Europe goodbye. The term 'Collaborateurs' is not part of the design, but the Heading of the Colophon of the Magazine. The drawing was not published. It is a watercolour/goulash, 31,5-23,7 cm.
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Again from Czechia, Victor Polásek,1911-1989, painter and illustrator. He studied at the Arts Academy of Prague a.o. under T.F. Simon (see Comments 2nd half 2005-1st half 2006)
19_13
The painting is dated 1961 and
named 'Europe on the crossroads. This was a couple of years after the uprising in Hungary and the start of the European Communtity. This oil on canvas is 115 -88,5 cm
Amsterdam, June 6,
2010 Mrs. J. Koster