Today's scheduled match was supposed to be between the winners of Böcklin/Buren and J. Breugal/Bronzino in Left Bracket Second Round Elimination, but that ain't gonna happen: Böcklin and Buren are locked in a tie. The next match in queue, as it happens, is a "L2e" faceoff that has been waiting on the resolution of an earlier tie. In a tiebreak match that kicked off back in April, George Caleb Bingham has decisively beaten Fernando Botero, taking him out of the tournament (1-2-1; 21 cumulative votes for, 30 against) and now advances to take on Albert Bierstadt.
Voters with exceptional memories might recall that Bingham and Bierstadt faced each other in the First Round, all the way back in February 2012. What this means is that we've got us:
The First Ever IAT Grudge Match!!
Bierstadt won the first time, but we've all been appreciating art for a year and a half in the meantime. Maybe our collective tastes and sensibilities have evolved! We will just have to find out.
This is a truly apt time to introduce the Grudge Match Rule: grudge matches may not result in a tie. If the artists end up with the same number of votes, then the winner of the earlier match will be considered the winner. Example: If Bingham and Bierstadt both get 7 votes in this match, Bierstadt will advance by virtue of his earlier victory.
Albert Bierstadt
1830 - 1902
German-born American
- Defeated fellow 19th Century American George Caleb Bingham in a powerhouse Round 1 match-up.
- Lost to 17th century sculptor Gianlorenzo Bernini in Round 2.
- Thumped Bernardo Bellotto in the Left Bracket Second Round.
George Caleb Bingham
1811 - 1879
American
- Lost to German-American landscape painter Albert Bierstadt in Round 1.
- Crushed Josef Beuys in First Round Elimination.
- Tied with George Bellows in the Left Bracket Second Round.
- Ousted Colombian Fernando Botero in the tie-breaker by a 3:1 ratio.
Vote for the artist of your choice in the comments, or any other way that works for you. Commentary and links to additional work are welcome. Polls open for at least one month past posting, but likely much longer.
16 comments:
Bingham
Bierstadt
Bierstadt. How can you not like an artist whose last name literally means "beer city"? Oh, and I actually like his paintings better too.
Bierstadt. So much more power in the scenes, although any painting is of course better with a small black cat sitting in it and staring out at the viewer. But Bierstadt.
Bierstadt. Although Bingham is good too.
Bierstadt. I think I voted for him last time too. Look at the tiny little animals!
Can't remember who I voted for last time. This time I feel like Bierstadt.
(ah, I just checked and apparently I have changed my vote!)
Bierstadt
Oh, this is still a tough one. Two visions of the American frontier going head to head. Majestic Eden v. workingman's paradise: which will prevail? Bingham has grown on me, but not quite enough to trump Bierstadt's luminous virtuosity, which still has my vote.
By postcard: "The Grudge Match is just as hard as last time, but I'll stick with Bingham. The third entry shows he can do a more down-to-Earth Bierstadt....
Me: Criminy, I don't even know...
BIERSTADT YEAH
Bierstadt.
I guess I'll drop on the side of Bierstadt. Nichim reminds me of the tiny little animals -- in most landscape painters of Bierstadt's epic scope, if you look closely at small animals you will find that they are a few gestural touches of the brush. Even at that scale, though, Bierstadt's animals look like little well-painted animal miniatures. Cool!
Bierstadt takes it fair and square, with a decisive score of 11 to 2.
As the first artist to leave the tournament after five contests, Bingham scored more votes than any previous post-Tournament artists, with 31. However, he also tallied more votes against, with 32.
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