Stendhal Its the Other Arts Which Taught Me to Write
Dearest Artist, Final nighttime, Aili Kurtis of Perth, Ontario, wrote, "I desire to draw your attention to 'The Stendhal Syndrome' — the condition of being dangerously overwhelmed by beauty in either art or nature. Accept you or whatsoever of our readers experienced it?" Cheers, Aili. The status was showtime described in 1979 past the Italian psychiatrist, Gaziella Magherini, after studying more than than 100 cases among visitors to the Uffizi in Florence. A concentration of specially beautiful fine art can crusade rapid heartbeat, dizziness, defoliation and even hallucinations. It's named after the 19th century French author, Stendhal, who described the experience in his 1817 book, Rome, Naples, and Florence: A Journey from Milan to Reggio. In my case, it happened when I kickoff laid eyes on Monet's panoramic water lilies in the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris. At the time, I thought my breathless defoliation and pounding eye was akin to the opera buff who jumps and then far out of his seat that you can run across the entire orchestra pit beneath his bottom. In other words, I figured it might be a grade of cocky-applause for my own sensitivity. Apart from the excitement of finally seeing in the mankind what one has then oft seen in books, I concluded there was more to the condition than I originally idea. Life is a passage through a museum of beauty. While the presence of fine art may be disarming, for artists and others the experience of the wonders of Nature may fifty-fifty rival other loftier exaltations. Let's face it, though, folks range widely in what turns them on — think of those who go their kicks from hockey, golf, span, poker, bowling, skiing, antique music-boxes or numismatics. Knowing Stendhal, you might guess why he was shut to beingness face downward in Florence. Stendhal was an aesthete, an enthusiast, a humanist, and an all-round imbiber in the joys of life — a lot like many who might be reading this alphabetic character. Best regards, Robert PS: "As I emerged from the porch of Santa Croce, I was seized with a violent palpitation of the heart; the wellspring of life was stale up within me, and I walked in constant fear of falling to the ground." (Stendhal, nom de plume of Marie-Henrie Beyle, 1817) Esoterica: While artists may succumb to the Stendhal Syndrome, information technology's often the observant aficionado who really gets sick. Just, like Aili wrote in her note, I'm thinking artists are rather frequently attacked. Readers may consider sending their Stendhalian experiences to rgenn@saraphina.com. Regarding my own visit to the Basilica di Santa Croce, I, too, stepped onto the sizzling piazza in a land of delirium. Possibly knowing of Stendhal's prior visit had done me in, but more likely it was because I'd been standing over the remains of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, and Rossini. One tends to run a temperature in that sort of company — a condition that, in my instance, was only cooled downwards by a Florentine gelato. Aili Kurtis
"Mountain Reflections"
oil painting
36 x 48 inches
"Silence"
oil painting
36 x 48 inches
"Soft Ripples I"
oil painting
sixteen ten 20 inches
"The Watchers"
oil painting
36 x 48 inches
Art schoolhouse experiment by Ed Varney, Courtenay, BC, Canada
"Self-portraits"
mixed media
by Ed Varney
In the early '90s, Terry Loychuk, Gilles Foisy and I did a project at the Emily Carr College of Fine art which was inspired past Magherini's research. We created an fine art viewing berth and used a pulse meter to measure people's physical reactions to various artworks and then asked them questions about what they had experienced. The results of our experiment have never been published. Our original theory was that people were non really conscious of what they liked which turned out to be somewhat true, but a more than interesting ascertainment was that, independent of what they said, people responded more to black and white images and paintings than they did to colour. Our conclusion was that black and white images spoke to a deeper level of the subconscious than colour. Peradventure anytime, we (or somebody else) should repeat the experiment with a larger number of people (we tested virtually 100) and see if they would reach the same conclusions. There are three comments for Art schoolhouse experiment past Ed Varney
Every face tells a story by Apryl Anderson, Aix-en-Provence, France
"Angels"
pic photograph
past Apryl Anderson
A walk in the woods or a museum visit oftentimes have the effect of helping me remember that the world really IS a meliorate identify, but my 1 and only true 'Stendhal Syndrome' moment was in the Zwinger (the Former Masters' Gallery) in Dresden two years ago. At that place is a room of 18th century pastel portraits that absolutely swept me abroad! Every confront tells a story, and information technology truly took my breath abroad.
Creativity experienced as a dialogue by Ken Paul, Eugene, OR, Usa
"Atomic number 26 John"
collage
by Ken Paul
I've been an creative person who has mumbled to "himself" for many years while wrestling with a new opus. I was quite cocky-conscious near this initially, but it turned into a regular feature of my process. Information technology was just in later years that I more than fully appreciated what this was really all virtually. Well-nigh citizenry of Western culture probably think of art-making as a monologue — a one-way flow of creative energy from the creative person in an inspired moment. One time begun, the work is imagined to accept form past fashion of the maker's talent, insight, imagination, skill, inspiration — even "genius" in special cases. Such a view probably stems mostly from looking at finished works without the benefit of having much outset-hand experience of its particular process. When I was didactics in a college studio arts program, one of our graduate students remarked that she experienced creativity as a dialogue rather than a monologue. This nailed it for me: the bureau which I was actually talking to rather than simply "me" was the "muse," the "other," the embodiment of that aspect of the piece of work which seems to have a life of its own. I fully agree that there'southward an chemical element of surrender involved here. Many readers volition recall the ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his "dummy" Charlie McCarthy. Daughter Candice Bergen tells of entering his room unannounced, to find him talking to Charlie. She listened quietly for a couple of minutes before Edgar noticed her presence. He said "Oh, you lot caught us! I actually talk with Charlie in private all the time; he is i of the wisest people I always met!" At that place are ii comments for Creativity experienced as a dialogue by Ken Paul
Wider presence of Stendahl syndrome by Alana Dill, Alameda, CA, USA
"Boys & Girls Come Out To Play"
pumpkin carving
by Alana Dill
Whoa, it'due south not just me! Just idea I was kind of basics. I had a very similar experience at NYMOMA, looking at a big painting of Monet'southward water lilies. I take amblyopia, which means one eye is so different in prescription from the other that my ascendant eye (which is nearsighted) takes over. My "lazy" eye doesn't consciously register unless forced to. Looking at the lily painting, which was then large, and its contrast of coral-to-pink flowers, green leaves, and deep blue h2o… well, my eyes danced around and there were so many after-images that information technology literally looked like the h2o was sparkling and moving. That's the physical description. The emotional description is that I burst into tears and had to sit down and cry. I was meaning, too, and so that's role of it. But it was the painting that triggered this reaction, not the pregnancy. Information technology'south pretty rare to be so captivated by still art. I've had strong emotional reactions to music or to item scenarios in nature (i.east. Yosemite Valley and the Grand Tetons). And then there are movies. I think Stendahl syndrome, or variations on information technology, might be pretty common, we just don't notice them and so much. There is 1 comment for Wider presence of Stendahl syndrome past Alana Dill
Painting gets a sound rails by John DeCuir, La Crescenta, CA, The states
"Starry night"
oil painting
by Vincent van Gogh
My Stendhalian experience came when I was in New York, working on a film location. It was a Sunday, our one day off, so I donned my earphones (plugged into my pocket radio, no iPods in those days) and headed out to walk the boondocks and peradventure practise a trivial sketching. Visiting the Museum of Modern Art was non on my agenda that day simply it started to rain, and so the rain came downward in sheets. Equally I found myself walking past the museum, I took cover. Once within and coming around the corner, I spotted Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night, an old favorite of mine. At that very moment, a moment of total serendipity, Don McLean's "Starry Starry Night" came booming in over my earphones. Fortunately there was an empty demote nearby upon which I collapsed and my Stendhalian experience began. It ranged from palpitations to rut flashes. A lovely print of Starry Night hangs in my studio, and always will, as a reminder of that well-nigh wonderfully visual and melodic moment. In that location are 2 comments for Painting gets a sound runway by John DeCuir
Overcome by Rothko by Diane Furlong, Oranda, Virginia, Us
"Evening Grove"
pastel painting
by Diane Furlong
This is not quite the same thing, simply I am still "dangerously overwhelmed." At that place is a small gallery inside the larger Phillips Collection gallery in Washington, DC that is devoted to the work of Marker Rothko. I always arroyo the Rothko Room with a growing feeling of nervousness for I know what is to come. It never fails that when I stand in the eye of the room surrounded by the four Rothkos on the walls, I am overcome with emotion. It washes down over me in a powerful moving ridge and I tin hear the beginnings of celestial music. Then the tears start filling my eyes and the moment slowly fades equally I realize the other viewers must think there is something incorrect with me. Thank goodness there is one bench in the room because I must sink down upon some sturdy support to collect myself again. There is 1 annotate for Overcome past Rothko by Diane Furlong
Connecting with a Rembrandt by Bob Drake, Damariscotta, ME, USA
"Yellow light"
pastel painting
by Bob Drake
Interesting that in that location is a clinical clarification for this, as it suggests that it is more prevalent than we might expect. I personally had the experience standing in forepart of a late Rembrandt cocky-portrait in the Musee D'orsay. As I looked at the image I realized that he had stood pretty much where I was continuing, and looked into his own eyes and knew that he was an former human and was soon to die. Gone was the bravura and youthful force of before cocky-portraits. The feeling was overwhelming. I had to have a seat for a while, as tears welled up in my eyes. What a communication over the centuries. There is 1 comment for Connecting with a Rembrandt past Bob Drake
Monitoring the emotional barometer by Robin Leddy Giustina, Sacramento, California, U.s.a.
"Dog orgy"
mixed media
by Robin Leddy Giustina
I walked into the room in the Uffizi filled with all of the Botticelli's and my emotional barometer went from a 5 to 25, in 1 fast second. I flare-up into tears! Now, I am not like that. I consider myself an even keeled sort of person. My husband walked into the gallery at that moment and saw me shaking and quivering and the gallery guard looked at the two of us with disapproval because he thought we may accept been squabbling. Information technology was just that the Botticelli paintings were so powerfully beautiful and they literally took my breath abroad. Their collected impact was huge, similar an explosion going off and I responded emotionally. I volition never forget that moment. I did not know that at that place was a name for that feeling "Stendhalian." I learned that I am not alone. There are 2 comments for Monitoring the emotional barometer by Robin Leddy Giustina
Awe increases perceived time by Cristy West, NW Washington, DC, USA
"Arcadian Melody"
mixed media, 30 ten 30 inches
by Cristy Westward
Recent studies at the Stanford University Graduate Schoolhouse of Concern and the Academy of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management suggests that the same experiences that make us notice the vastness of the universe also make us feel there's more time in the 24-hour interval. Experiences of awe ("the feeling we get when we come across something so strikingly vast in number, scope, or complication that it alters the style we understand the earth") may help get rid of feelings of existence fourth dimension-starved and impatient; we actually begin to feel there is more time in the day. And it might make the states feel more generous. There are 2 comments for Awe increases perceived fourth dimension by Cristy West
A souvenir of life by Natal Natal, Montevideo, Uruguay
"Window calorie-free"
oil painting
by Natal Natal
When I was at an art university more than than x years ago, I attended a conference about reactions to works of art, especially crying. I idea it was actually interesting, just I never had experienced that until some years later in front of paintings of Spanish painter Carmen Laffon, and that happened to me again in terminal September when I saw for the first fourth dimension, paintings of the Impressionists in Brazil, a neighbor country of mine, because where I live is very difficult to have expositions of this magnitude. So I think the emotions are deployed in such way due to how we bring together in our interior world of perception: the myth, the centre & heed, the profession, the dazzler and the tangible reality of the images created. Is an overwhelming experience, perhaps considering we are aware of a painting'south being merely is not so easy to accomplish them and contemplate them, and when information technology happens information technology feels like a big achievement and a gift of life (and a gift of the artist to life, too).
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 Miss Lucie oil painting, 30 x 24 inches by Bill Barnes, Monroe, GA, U.s.a. |
You may exist interested to know that artists from every country in the USA, every province in Canada, and at least 115 countries worldwide accept visited these pages since January 1, 2013. That includes Stella Reinwald of Santa Fe, NM, United states, who wrote, "I wonder if there is a name for the feeling of disorientation, incredulity, and nausea that comes over me when I encounter the likes of a Jeff Coons sculpture or a Damien Hirst installation. It's the feeling of beingness the butt of a really bad joke. Or maybe worse, information technology's every bit if some people are sharing a good laugh when something horrible has happened and you but can't bring yourself to join in and convince yourself that anything about it is funny. The suspicion that perchance I take been transported to an alternating, changed universe, where amateur is pro, banal is sophisticated and trite/stupid is bright." And as well Jim Oberst of Hot Springs Villa, AR, USA, who wrote, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if someone had the Stendhal Syndrome upon viewing 1 of my works!"
Source: https://painterskeys.com/stendhal/
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