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Now on View

"Aphrodite Among Us: Nudes by Gari Melchers"
Through August 16

Gari Melchers Home and Studio presents the exhibition “Aphrodite Among Us: Nudes by Gari Melchers,” a retrospective of the celebrated artist’s female nudes. The forty-five works in the exhibition, all Melchers' originals, range from charcoal sketches to major easel paintings.  Read the press release (PDF). Go here for downloadable images. Read article in the Free Lance-Star.

The human figure was a central theme in Melchers’ body of work, but it was not until the twilight of his career that he turned to the female nude in earnest. He produced a surprising number of nudes considering that few sold and none, as far as can be determined, were commissioned. 

One explanation for Melchers’ growing interest in the nude is the vogue it enjoyed in the early years of the twentieth century.  The topic was especially popular with the American Impressionists. Melchers drew on many of the same classical traditions and modern trends as did his peers, but he chose only those aspects compatible with his personal vision. 

Melchers’ nudes serve as a catalyst for discussions on gender and sexuality in the early twentieth century.  His female subjects, more often than not, perpetuate the Gilded Age feminine ideal of beauty and domesticity.  The model becomes his Aphrodite, a vehicle for decorative expression.                         

The nude is a facet of Melchers’ work that has not been thoroughly evaluated until now, due, in part, to what was perceived as a lack of clear vision and consistency.   In the final analysis, his nudes prove far stronger than his sales suggest.

As the largest repository of his works, Gari Melchers Home and Studio is in the best position to conduct a survey of the artist’s nudes.  Several of the pieces are on display for the first time.

Upcoming

Picturing Health: Norman Rockwell and the Art of Illustration
Organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum
October 31, 2009- January 31, 2010

Regular museum admission fees ($10 for adults; $5 for students 6-18) will include entrance to “Picturing Health.” However, Free Passes, Senior, AAA, Group and other discounts will not apply during the dates of this exhibition. Admission is free for Friends of Belmont and UMW staff and students.

At left, The Muscleman, 1941, by Norman Rockwell, oil on canvas, display advertisement for The Upjohn Company, Collection of Pfizer Inc

One of the most successful visual communicators of the twentieth century, Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) was a keen observer of human nature.  Created over six decades, his carefully conceived narrative for the masses gave voice to the ideals and aspirations of real people and served as a reassuring guide during an era of sweeping social and technological change.

“Picturing Health:  Norman Rockwell and the Art of Illustration” features 11original paintings by Normal Rockwell from the collection of Pfizer Inc, which are among the finest examples of the artist’s advertising imagery.  Norman Rockwell’s paintings explore the doctor/patient relationship, health and healing across generations, and the importance of physical fitness.

In addition to the outstanding Rockwell canvases are featured 14 of today’s preeminent illustrators from the pages of Healthy Living, Men’s Health, Newsweek, The New York Times and The New Yorker. Their art work presents a contemporary perspective on many of the same health-related subjects explored nearly 50 years earlier by Rockwell.

Several related events and programs will be held in conjunction with "Picturing Health." Included will be a Friends of Belmont preview, a Chamber Chorale of Fredericksburg concert featuring American music of Rockwell's time, a fun-filled Family Day, and a luncheon and tour featuring Stephanie Plunkett, curator of the Norman Rockwell Museum. Ms. Plunkett will also present a talk about Norman Rockwell as part of the UMW "Great Lives" series in January. Dates and details will be announced closer to the show’s opening.

Picturing Health:  Norman Rockwell and the Art of Illustration is organized and curated by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. 

      Picturing Health:  Norman Rockwell and the Art of Illustration

What others have said about this traveling exhibition:

Rockwell's Medical Illustrations by International Art Treasures Web Magazine, January 2007

The picture of health: the art of Norman Rockwell immortalizes the family doctor - Marketing Medicine by USA Today, February 2004

Art Review: A Rosy-Cheeked View of Health Care and One That’s More Jaundiced by Benjamin Genocchio, published: July 22, 2007, The New York Times