Inside the MFAH Posts by James Clifton

Buns of Steel: Joachim Wtewael and the Human Body December 31, 2015

I noticed that there’s a neat relationship between the front- and back-cover images of the catalogue for the exhibition Pleasure and Piety: The Art of Joachim Wtewael (1566–1638). On the front is a full-length female nude (Andromeda) and on the back, a full-length male nude (Saint Sebastian). What is particularly intriguing is that each figure has one arm raised above the head, exposing an …

Keeping Watch over Their Flocks: Joachim Wtewael’s Shepherds December 9, 2015

You’ll see shepherds throughout the exhibition Pleasure and Piety: The Art of Joachim Wtewael (1566–1638)because pastoral imagery—that is, depictions of shepherds and serene countrysides—was common in early-17th-century painting and literature. Joachim Wtewael’s shepherds, clean and idealized, carry the accoutrements of the pastoral life: a water-filled gourd, bagpipes, floppy hats, and a staff …

A Holiday Look at “The Annunciation to the Shepherds” December 18, 2014

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the …