We celebrate the first weekend of even-numbered months with Fourth Round contests here in the Infinite Art Tournament. It's an all-American December, with Tom Eakins facing off against the (to him) young whippersnapper Lionel Feininger! Who will prevail? Let's vote!
Thomas Eakins
1844 - 1916
American
- Crushed German pioneer Adam Elsheimer in Round 1.
- Soundly defeated Belgian James Ensor in Round 2.
- Racked up a strong victory on late votes against Jan Van Eyck in Round 3.
Lyonel Feininger
1871 - 1956
American; worked internationally
- Crushed Jean Fautrier in Round 1.
- Held off Carel Fabritius in Round 2 by a two-vote swing. YOUR VOTE COUNTS!!!
- Made it by Tsugouharu Foujita in Round 3
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. Fourth-round matches are open for at least three months after posting.
Feininger. While I appreciate the look Eakins gives us at 19th-century America, and truly do admire his work (except for the boxing match, not too fond of that one), I am enjoying the fact that Feininger pulls my way of looking at things into new configurations.
ReplyDeleteThis was a difficult matchup, but I'm going to decide on Feininger. I really enjoy the realism of Eakins, and he is truly a master painter. However, all of his paintings are pretty subdued, featuring subjects with bored facial expressions, while Feininger's paintings seem alive and in motiion, even though they are mostly of buildings!
ReplyDeleteThis was a really minor preference, though, so I wouldn't at all be disappointed if Eakins won. Since this is round 4, we'll know in like 2037 or something.
Feininger doesn't do what I like about the earlier cubists, the whole multiple perspectives at once. They look to me more like city shots overlayed with a prism. They're neat, but don't feel exceptional. And that's what it's going to take to beat Eakins on this ballot.
ReplyDeleteEakins for me.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure whether thinking about still being involved in the IAT at age 73 fills me with joy or despair.
ReplyDeleteThis one isn't even close. The first guy is AWESOME. Usually I crack jokes when I vote because I'm a goof, but I love the realism of the first guy's stuff. I'll be looking into more of his stuff. I want that one of the guy boxing in a diaper.
ReplyDeleteEakins
ReplyDeleteYeah, I have a real fondness for Feininger, but set against Eakins' taut dramas his paintings seem like lovely trifles. Gotta go with Eakins.
ReplyDeleteI like shapes, but I like narrative even more. Eakins kind of rocks it. On to 2037!
ReplyDeleteA correspondent, however, is "sticking with Feininger.
ReplyDelete"
ReplyDeleteI'm sticking with Feininger as well. I can put myself into his paintings more.
ReplyDeleteEakins.
ReplyDeleteIt's nowhere near 2037, Elizabeth is nowhere near 73, and Morgan is not at all disappointed that Eakins won. Which he did, seven votes to four.
ReplyDelete