23_Your_Comments_2012_1st_half

The antique auction of Horta, Bruxelles, December, 2011 showed a Europe table clock from the beginning of the 19th c. It is different from the 18th c. examples, which are definitely more rich and elaborated. (see my study p.149). This bronze is quite straightforward without extra added figures but with a beautiful string of flowers to be put around the bull's neck. It is signed by D'Artois, Cardan fils, Paris. As a whole it gives quite a Victorian impression . About 40-40 cm.

                                                               23_01                                                      23_02

The painting, 100-80 cm, is not signed, typically in Rococo style and was mentioned as École Française, 18th century.
My excuses for the annoying reflections of the room lights. The painting itself needed urgent restauration.

Brussels, 2 January, 2012

End November 2011 the annual PAN Amsterdam took place (Pictura, Antiquairs Nationaal).This event includes nowadays, Art, Antique and Design. The Antiquair  'Heeren van Bronckhorst' te Bronckhorst, Netherlands showed a beautiful bronze Europe group                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 23_03

 
The bronze has not been signed. Amsterdam Museum expert suggest a date of around 1700. Measurements are 35-28 cm. The design, although not outstanding, appears original. No paintings or porcelains with a similar design are known.

Rotterdam, Sandra v d Lubbe,   1 February, 2012

The Dutch sculptor, Gerrit Bolthuis, 1907-1975, studied at the Rijksacademie of Amsterdam. Many of his statues can be found on public places. In 1934 he obtained  the Prix de Rome. He made a project in 1946 for a large Europe group. His project was  exhibited at the Museum "Beelden aan Zee" at the seaside resort Scheveningen (The Hague) The statuette is 23-23-9 cm

23_04                23_05

On February 8, 1969 Prof. François Visine introduced with journalist friends and others 'Le medaille Mérite Européen', followed by the creation of the 'Foundation du Mérite Européen'. The honourable president is the head of the government of Luxembourg. The medaille is annually presented in gold, silver and bronze. The medaille reflects the geographic outlines of the continent superimposed by Europe on bull/Zeus. The design has been executed by André Barbier, 1905-1988. The medaille has a diameter of 62mm, and has a weight of 122 grams.

Scheveningen, 01 March 2012,  a resident of the Hague

The symbol of Europe shows up in an unusable way on a poster of the American Anti Capitalist Movement during its heydays of the sit-down and sleep-in encampments in New York and other places. 

23_06

In the USA large groups consider the economy of Europe as a socialist community. There are public pension schemes, public health systems, public unemployment insurances, public employment agencies, public children allowances, etc... Appparently, the US-anti capitalist movement expresses with the poster her aspiration for a European type of economy. At the same time, fighting the financial world and introducing a more sturdy public governance requires, undoubtedly, the balancing act of Europe.
Is the answer to the question :" WHAT IS OUR ONE DEMAND" ; a European style of public governance?
Surely, the designer of the Poster should be able to tell us!!!

New York, 02 April, 2012         With thanks to David Samarin

Since about a hundred years artists use lino-cutting for imprints. They are often executed in several colours. Successive imprints have to be made for each colour being used. A Dutch artist, Ruud Becker, born  1954 uses both lino- cutting and paintings in acrylpaint. He is professor of the Art Academy of the Hague. In his lino-cutting of Europe and the bull he used 31 colours with 26 imprints. In total 29 copies were printed in 2006.

23_07

The lino-cutting is 50 - 65 cm. A modern Europe watches, in a setting resembling the present-day ruins of Tyres (Libanon),
an attentive white bull standing in this rather desolate area.

Mai 4, The Hague, exto.nl/kunstwerk

--------------------------------------------------

The Belgian, Flemish sculptor and drawer, Koen Tinel is born in Gent in 1934. His work is figurative but with an expressionistic flavour. He was professor for sculpting at the LucasHighschool in Brussels.He made a large Europe group of sheet-iron. About 8 meters high and 9 meters long. 

23_08                  23_09

The first copy in his ateliet shows the bull with his head and horns lowered, while his hind-legs are bended. The second copy has been placed on the hill 'Congoberg' in the community of Vollezele in Belgium. Here the bull's head and hind-legs are stretched in line with his body.

The imposing Europe statue of Erik Poot has been purchased by the University town of Leuven, Belgium. The statue has been removed from its temporary place in the park of Vilvoorde (see Comments 2ndhalf-04)(picture08_04)

23_10

Kapellen, 2 June, 2012      Thanks again to Hilde Somers

Songs, opera's and other musical vehicles relating to the Europe myth have been recorded in my study, mentioned above. Recently, I read about the libretto of the opera Le liti di Pindo from the poet Scipione Errico. It is a comedia tragicomedia in comedia; a comedy with within it another comedy. In its Proloque Hera reproaches Jupiter his adventures with Semele, Diana and Europa.

Antwerp, 3 June, 2012