tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912052734076308569.post7169733191352386223..comments2024-02-27T03:45:51.563-08:00Comments on James Russell: James Fox & 'British Masters': the Finale?James Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03199461104138671799noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912052734076308569.post-59387986693638991662011-08-03T05:44:39.853-07:002011-08-03T05:44:39.853-07:00I can appreciate why those from a similar academic...I can appreciate why those from a similar academic background to James Fox would feel moved to pick apart his script and his theses, but as someone from a non-academic background with no axe to grind, I am grateful to have art history presented in an accessible and personality-led way, which is an important role for TV. <br /><br />My own experience of art history (a very small part of a non-academic art degree) was full of holes, and haphazard, but it inspired me to read further and to visit galleries, an urge that is reinvigorated by good, populist art shows like British Masters on the BBC.<br /><br />This is not to say that Dr Fox is beyond criticism - clearly, many of you know more, or as much, about his subject - but if this sort of show piques non-academic interest, that's fundamentally a Good Thing.<br /><br />Actually, reading blogs and accompanying comments like this one, and Richard Warren's, adds to the dialogue, and to the inspiration, so keep it up.Andrew Collinshttp://wherediditallgorightblog.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912052734076308569.post-68886901850813584982011-08-01T02:18:25.877-07:002011-08-01T02:18:25.877-07:00Daniel, why must accuracy be condemned as "ac...Daniel, why must accuracy be condemned as "academic"?Richard Warrenhttp://richardawarren.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912052734076308569.post-44472289924508161392011-07-30T02:52:21.775-07:002011-07-30T02:52:21.775-07:00I thought it was a fine conclusion to an excellent...I thought it was a fine conclusion to an excellent series. I've come to learn that you can never expect academic accuracy from television; all you can hope for is to be entertained, enthused and moved. British Masters did all of those things with verve and brilliance.Danielnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912052734076308569.post-18336616526406974002011-07-29T07:11:41.230-07:002011-07-29T07:11:41.230-07:00The least offensive of the three programmes, but.....The least offensive of the three programmes, but...<br />The reedbeds of the Var valley are not in the ‘wild landscape of Wales’.<br />How easy and understandable it would have been to show the derivation of Sutherland and Bacon’s Crucifixions from Matthaus Grünewald, but God forbid we should have any form of context that would ‘confuse’ the viewers.<br />Bacon turned to the subject of the Crucifixion before Sutherland, not after him, and the whole point of Adolf Eichmann in his ‘box’ is that Bacon prefigured this event, not that he used it for inspiration.<br />Hockney was “Born in Bradford in 1937” and won a scholarship “in 1959 at the age of 20”. Cambridge mathematician needed?<br />Fox got Vaughan completely wrong. He used quotes from 1964 to illustrate Vaughan’s outlook in 1977, and plagiarised the life class scene from John Bulmer’s 1984 film. Vaughan did not have a tragic life, his painting was highly successful and he didn’t commit suicide because of lack of artistic success. As far back as 1961 Vaughan discussed his very positive views on euthanasia –Vaughan had terminal cancer, not “failing health”, and acted according to his beliefs.<br />As Evelyn Waugh might have said: “To see Dr. Fox fumbling with our rich and delicate art is to experience all the horror of seeing a Sèvres vase in the hands of a chimpanzee”.Jan D. Coxhttp://www.leeds.ac.uk/fine_art/03_Postgraduate_Research/Shared_Pages/jc.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912052734076308569.post-62552705830257261632011-07-26T12:09:04.368-07:002011-07-26T12:09:04.368-07:00Absolutely! The least bad of the three instalments...Absolutely! The least bad of the three instalments, but still a bit problematic. The worries about Keith Vaughan came from this comment by Fox in the BBC pre-series publicity at http://www.bbc.co.uk/ariel/14027900: 'He was an obsessive masturbator for 40 years and when he wasn't doing that he was writing a diary.' At least we were spared that! My review of Part 3 at http://richardawarren.wordpress.com.Richard Warrenhttp://richardawarren.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com