Gallery and Emporium
“Asaroton 2000” Inspiration derived from the Ancient Roman Mosaic called Asaroton meaning unswept floor, Second Century A.D. 75 x 55 inches (1.7 x 1.4 meters)
Vanessa Somers Vreeland’s Mosaic: Asaroton 2,000
By Prof. Giandomenico Spinola
Expert on the Vatican Asaroton, Vatican Museums, Rome
The story of the “Asaroton Oikos,” the Unswept Floor, is very ancient. First mentioned by Pliny (Nat. Hist. XXXVI 184) who noted that this work was made for a mosaic pavement by Sosos, a well-known mosaic artist [in
the 2nd Century B.C.]
The fame of the Asaroton was astounding, due to the effect of its three-dimensionality (with shadows faithfully depicted), and as a work of beauty. The Romans copied it various times, including the Asaroton signed by Heraclitus, in our own Vatican Museum, and another version of it in the Museum of Aquileia. As in the original from Pergamon, these ancient Roman copies are works of technical virtuosity, made with tesserae (mosaic pieces) that are particularly small and carefully cut. In the Vatican Asaroton this comes down to nearly a million tesserae per square metre. Everything that was brought to the table in the Greco-Roman world can be found translated into rubbish on the unswept floor: fish bones, antennae of crustaceans, clam shells, chicken bones and feet, fruit skins and kernels, and so on. In the Vatican mosaic only the mouse is alive in this dead “tableau vivant,” while the theatrical masks, placed on one side of the floor, represent the entertainment. The value of such an art work is also in its allegories.
Pitagora said it was never necessary to clean up the fallen bits of food during a banquet, as they were destined for departed ancestors. It was a tradition to leave this detritus on the floor—at least until the guests had left—so as not to anger the dead.
There were always theatrics at a banquet: a traditional ceremony of poems, dances, plays. These receptions demonstrated the luxury and power of the host: with food brought in from foreign parts; expensive and highly exotic. The banquet represented in the Asaroton is exaggerated and ironic: imaginary rubbish, trash that doesn’t pollute or smell.
The precious and brilliant mosaic work of Vanessa Somers Vreeland represents a version just as artistic and ironic as the other Asaroton, naturally represented in a contemporary key. Instead of luxury she substituted modern technology. Instead of the contents there is often – though not only – its container. We should have entered into the era when garbage is sorted by categories, but our garbage is only theoretically recyclable; and here is our floor, our Earth, covered with empty cans, bottles and utensils from the kitchen and table. Our poor mouse doesn’t have much for his banquet. Vanessa Somers Vreeland’s mosaics are artistic masterpieces. They are also, perhaps, in her heart a satirical denunciation of what and how much we consume as well as what and how much detritus we leave for posterity.
View Vanessa Somers Vreeland’s Artist Page
View Ewdina Sandy’s Artist Page
“Prancing Tulips” Limited Edition on canvas, Artist’s Proof Edition of 45, 30 x 40 inches, Signed & Dated 2003
“Dancing Tulips” Limited Edition on canvas, Edition: 2/45, 40 x 30 inches, Signed & Dated 2003
View Astrid Harrisson’s Artist Page
“Poetry in Motion”
Astrid’s series of Photogravure Etchings has been realised through the kind support of Her Highness Shaikha Hissa bint Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who graciously lends her Patronage to the collection.
Shaikha Hissa is a breeder of Arabian horses and introduced the Arabian Sport Horse Championship in Abu Dhabi to increase opportunities for Arabian horses in the UAE. She shares with Astrid an abiding love for the horse and has been a keen supporter of Astrid’s since they first met in 2010.
“Astrid’s skill lies in her ability to capture the exterior physical beauty as well as the ethereal inner beauty of the horse through the artistry of her images” Shaikha Hissa observed. Shaikha Hissa recognizes Astrid’s rare and remarkable talent to capture the spirit and beauty of horses and is proud to put this collection at the forefront of her artistic Patronage.
The combination of digital photography and modern technology with the traditional precision of photogravure creates an apt medium with which to capture the images that Astrid has compassionately composed, and emphasizes the limitless horizons of the natural world.
The collection has taken almost five years to realize, and is set to launch in 2016.
Shaikha Hissa holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies and Literature from Zayed University, was awarded the Zayed Award for her academic achievements within her college, and represented the United Arab Emirates at the Global Young Leaders Conference in Washington DC and New York City.
Paul Desmond Brown’s Feature article in Hurlingham Polo Magazine
View Paul Brown’s Artist Page
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View Paul Brown’s Artist Page
Please contact Jeanne Chisholm for more info and pricing:
Mobile: 845.505.1147
info@chisholmgallery.com
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Cynthia Olson, American Contemporary
Tigre di Luna
Oil on canvas
40 x 50 inches
Signed
Polo – On The Ball
Limited Edition: 3/75
20 x 24 inches
28 x 32 inches
Signed & Numbered
Stadium #14
Oil on canvas
44 x 40 inches
46 x 42 inches
Signed
Sailboats
Oil on canvas
36 x 46 inches
Signed
Bark Yard
Collage & Mixed media on canvas
34 x 29 inches
Signed
Solange Rossi
Letters From My Mill
Oil on panel
9 x 7 inches
12.25 x 10.25 inches
Signed
Edwina Jane, British Contemporary
At The Races: Throughbred Racing
Gouache & Mixed media
15.5 x 23 inches
21 x 28.5 inches
Signed & Dated, Jane ’81
Paul Desmond Brown, American (1893-1958)
American Polo Scene: The Save
Hand-coloured aquatint on imported handmade paper
17 x 24 inches
Published by The Derrydale Press, 1930
Paul Desmond Brown, American (1893-1958)
American Polo Scene: On the Boards
Hand-coloured aquatint on imported handmade paper
17 x 24 inches
Published by The Derrydale Press, 1930
Paul Desmond Brown, American (1893-1958)
Player #4
Limited Edition: 32/250
Signed & Numbered in pencil
Chisholm Gallery’s paintings and decorations in the Ralph Lauren Polo Bar at 5th Avenue and 55th Street.
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TIME
Monday, Jan. 30, 1928
Devereux Milburn, having played polo seven times for U. S. against Great Britain, will play no more. Last week Mr. Milburn, potent back, potent captain, refused to report retirement but indicated that the U. S. four will ride against the English team without him in 1930. Observers recalled remarks of J. Watson Webb, teammate who aided Milburn to beat Britain, that he was done with international polo. Observers noted that Malcolm Stevenson, No. 3 for U. S., is only a few years younger than veteran Milburn (47) and doubted that he can equal the attacks of younger players in 1930. Thomas Hitchcock Jr., 27, is left alone among available U. S. International veterans.
Milburn’s successor is generally accepted as Robert Strawbridge Jr. who got into the 1924 series as a substitute; who was a substitute last autumn. Another of the 1927 substitutes was Winston Guest (21), recent Yale graduate, U. S. citizen, son of a British polo player and a Long Island Phipps. He is the likeliest new internationalist. The fourth member of the team cannot now be forecast by even shrewdest prophets.
Malcolm Stevenson learned last week that his handicap had been raised by the Polo Association from 8 goals to 10; offered no comment on retirement. He attains parity with Milburn and Hitchcock as the highest rated players in the world.
Horses to Remember
GAY BOY
Considered the greatest polo mount of his day, Gay Boy was an incredible athlete with remarkable speed who played in the 1924 International series and was most remembered for his sensational play in 5 chukkers of the 1927 International matches – 2 in the first match and 3 in the second by polo Hall of Famer Malcolm Stevenson who regarded him as “supreme among ponies”. His play, described as “an unequaled performance” by Newell Bent in his book American Polo, was crucial in that last match and his courage and dependability were a deciding factor in the US victory.
He was later also played by Hall of Fame greats Robert Strawbridge, Jr. and Tommy Hitchcock, Jr. Gay Boy may have been an inappropriate name for this gallant Texas-bred cow-pony who had the reputation of being one of the quickest horses on the get-away, a pony that could turn on a dime and scoot away like a quarter-horse. In later years he was sold by Fred Post to Averell Harriman and as part of Harriman’s formidable Orange County team string, Gay Boy was described as an outstanding pony in a string of outstanding ponies.
Gay Boy’s curious and tragic death, crushed by a falling airplane as he stood in his stall at Meadow Brook in 1928, removed a great figure from the game.
Stocking Stuffers? Sullam’s Little Red Fox @ $150, Courtesy of Chisholm Gallery, LLC
JoAnne Helfert-Sullam, American Contemporary
Little Red Fox
2.25 x 2 x 3.5 inches
Limited Edition
Artist Proof of 25
Copper and silver leaf concrete
Signed on the bottom of work
$150 exclusive of shipping
View JoAnne’s Bronze Page
Elite Equestrian has arrived and the new issue looks great featuring Panther Ridge Cat Conservation, Courtesy of Chisholm Gallery, LLC
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Panther Ridge is a non-profit conservation center in Wellington, Florida that provides a home, haven and hope for some of the world’s most majestic and endangered big cats.
pantherridge.org
View Baron Rais d’Eisenberg’s Artist Page
Baron Rais d’Eisenberg, French (c.1700-1770)
Antique Dressage, 1727
Hand Coloured Copper Engravings
Publication: Description du Manege Moderne (London, 1727)
11 x 7 inches
20 x 16 inches
Matted & Framed
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Please contact Jeanne Chisholm for any further inquiries:
561.557.3747
cell: 845.505.1147
info@chisholmgallery.com
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