Ten Apples and a Flat Sponge reports that the Thorvaldsen Museum in Copenhagen is selling reproductions of Venus with Apple and the Birth of Venus, with some artistic interpretation:
Hat tip to Shapely Prose.
Ten Apples and a Flat Sponge reports that the Thorvaldsen Museum in Copenhagen is selling reproductions of Venus with Apple and the Birth of Venus, with some artistic interpretation:
Hat tip to Shapely Prose.
Comments 26
fffffff — January 31, 2009
the Thorvaldsen Museum in Copenhagen can fucking eat a dick
Tlönista — January 31, 2009
Hmmm, vaguely reminiscent of Cranach the Elder's Venuses. Somehow, though, I doubt that's what they were going for. What previous commenter said!
Gis — January 31, 2009
@fffffff
My sentiments exactly.
atb — January 31, 2009
The first thing that came to my mind when seeing these was that they must have been made absurdly thin as an artistic statement about the absurdity of the ultra-thin portrayals of beauty being pushed in popular culture... especially considering the subject is Venus and all. But after looking more closely at the source, I don't think that was the intended statement unfortunately.
qrhe — January 31, 2009
Wow, they've managed to remove any semblance of beauty, grace, or fricking humanity from the art. Especially the Birth of Venus.
Elena — January 31, 2009
It seems that some artists have never looked a nude model in the flesh :(
livetta — January 31, 2009
The comment that qrhe made is interesting, and true. By thinning down the images of Venus, they do look less human Americans have had a very similar model to these new Venuses-- the Barbie doll. The Venus with Apple that the museum offers more closely fits this model in proportions, I think, just glancing at it. But that it was thought that the originals weren't somehow pretty enough or "real" enough with their represented flesh... that is the thing that sticks to awkwardly. I we supposed to revise what we think good art is? Appropriate proportions for a model? Are we supposed to internalize further these images and flagellate ourselves for not matching? Or is it just that bodies are icky so they must be plasticized and reduced to fit the "clean, polished, tiny" look that all decorative objects "aspire" to in the West?
Liss’s QotD « Won’t you be my cubemate? — January 31, 2009
[...] Perspective had also left the art museum. Just look what the the Thorvaldsen Museum in Copenhagen is doing to classic, beautiful works of art! These are the “reproductions” they sell in their gift shops of Venus with Apple and [...]
Maddy — January 31, 2009
Poor Venus looks like a dashboard bobble-head.
Fresh Peaches — January 31, 2009
Oh that is seriously fucked up.
Dubi — January 31, 2009
Am I the only one who finds the "Birth" Venus terribly frightening?
Reminds me of this - http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Weeping_Angel
Two-Headed Blog » My New Favorite Blogs — February 2, 2009
[...] This post, in particular, got my blood boiling. Apparently, some folks at the Thorvaldsen Museum in Copenhagen got together and decided that classics like The Birth of Venus or Venus with the Apple just weren’t good enough the way they were - nope, that Venus bitch needed to lose some of the weight. [...]
sunnyhello — February 2, 2009
I know she's a goddess and all, but how does Venus breathe and stand upright without any ribs?
tina — February 2, 2009
she's got a lollipop head now. it's too big for her body.
as is usual with anorexics! go figure!
Ryan — February 2, 2009
HA! It's cause all the fine art students now a days are watching to much Anime! God those are awful!
Joeline — February 3, 2009
I agree very much with everything you guys have said. The Human body is a work of art in itself no matter the size or age. Venus is a representation of the female form in her natural HEALTHY state and more so is a work of highly recognised and appreciated art. To create replica's which not only alter this state, but INSULT IT by ignoring the ideals which it was representing is horrifying, especially since it was a well known Museum which did so (and they should have known better!!)
Will — February 3, 2009
This is just plain awful.
hypatia — February 4, 2009
I fail to see how shaving 45 pounds off these women in an "artistic interpretation" it's just a skinny interpretation.
It is bad that I'm thinking "At least they didn't give them pornstar breasts"?
Links « Stuff — February 4, 2009
[...] Related to that: The Thorwaldsen Museum in Copenhagen sells “amended” sculptures. [...]
Linkage « Marjorie Rodrigues — February 5, 2009
[...] o padrão de beleza, ele fica mais severo — porque o lance é justamente ser inatingível). E sobre o quanto esta magreza é desproporcional. - Sobre salto alto, sobre cosméticos e sobre como todo mundo está no balaio do patriarcado (em [...]
Zece — February 5, 2009
I am so offended by this. Really, how DARE these people violate these beautiful and classic works of art! These pieces of art are thousands of years old, and have survived war, famine, and time; they are perfect the way they are. To change these statues into not only the "picturesque" woman in today's American society (which is total and utter bullshit, excuse my French), but to think that this museum has the RIGHT to do so is insulting and demeaning. How DARE you, Thorwaldsen Museum in Copenhagen. You all should be ashamed of yourselves.
LoveDog — February 9, 2009
whoa, super creepy! Proportion goes where now?
Honey — February 9, 2009
Great, now venus looks like a porn star.
ccc — February 9, 2009
I think they look great! Much better than the fatties next to them. Seriously, which one would you rather poke? Ya buncha pseudo-enlightened d-bags!
e. — February 16, 2009
mh. i think just because its "classical" and they had their ideals, that does not mean theyre the best. i mean, what would you say in maybe a hundred years if you came across some picture of a model from our time?
its really icky, yes, but why exactly is it their fault?
i mean, it IS a modern interpretation, and it probably suits a lot of people. as much as i dislike it i find it difficult to entirely discard it as "distasteful, stamp on it, archive and gone with it."
(though from the pure feeling i wholeheartedly agree with the first post ;))