01/11/2010

Behind the smile Mona Lisa may have been suffering from high cholesterol

“An Italian medical expert says he has found evidence of a range of afflictions in some of the world’s greatest works of art. Vito Franco, Professor of Pathological Anatomy at the University of Palermo, claims that there are clear signs of diseases, from bone malformations to kidney stones, that cast certain icons of perfection in a very different light.” – UK Times Online

Art Clokey, Animator Who Created Gumby, Dies at 88

“Art Clokey, the animator who half a century ago created Gumby, that most pliant of pop-cultural figures, died on Friday at his home in Los Osos, Calif. He was 88.” – NY Times

Here's the first episode of Gumby, in memorium:

William Blake etchings secured by Tate

“Eight etchings by William Blake have been acquired for the nation after the Tate gallery raised £441,000. The ‘powerful’ etchings, depicting the artist and writer's bleak visions, were discovered in the 1970s inside a train timetable at a secondhand book sale…” - BBC

Check out a slideshow of the etchings HERE

Computer method 'spots art fakes'

“A simple method to distinguish artistic fakes and imitations has been demonstrated by researchers. The approach, known as "sparse coding", builds a virtual library of an artist's works and breaks them down into the simplest possible visual elements.” – BBC

Director of J. Paul Getty Museum Abruptly resigns

“Michael Brand, who has served four years as the director of the J. Paul Getty Museum, will step down from his role at the end of the month. The news was announced today by James N. Wood, president and chief executive of the J. Paul Getty Trust.” - LA Times