I journeyed today to Portobello market to find a ring for my eighteenth. It's now on my finger as I'm typing, an original 19th century golden Italian cameo. Deliberately special so, for I can 'pass it on to my children', something that seemed very much on my mum's mind when she initially suggested buying one.
I decided to find out about the history of cameo - the miniature sculptural reliefs - as I wasn't at all familiar with it. I came across some interesting findings and will try to get back to this later to share them.What sparked the start to this blog - although I've been accummulating material for a while now - happened on this very day and may at first seem an insignificant matter. I came across a stall displaying cheap scarves, and one with Klimt's Kiss caught my eye - the masterpiece was printed on a £3 scarf.
It attracted my eye at first, but I quickly seized to admire it, for it made me think of how much works of art are nowadays being exploited for people's financial benefit. I suppose you could argue that reproduction like this makes art more accessible, but there is no doubt that the value and meaning is getting lost along the way. When will we get to the point where museums and galleries are no longer needed to celebrate the valuable illustrations of history? Or will this on the contrary make a viewing of the original more significant?
It attracted my eye at first, but I quickly seized to admire it, for it made me think of how much works of art are nowadays being exploited for people's financial benefit. I suppose you could argue that reproduction like this makes art more accessible, but there is no doubt that the value and meaning is getting lost along the way. When will we get to the point where museums and galleries are no longer needed to celebrate the valuable illustrations of history? Or will this on the contrary make a viewing of the original more significant?
