The Origin of Nymphs

La Grande Odalisque and The Turkish Bath by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres

The last major Neoclassicist Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres (1780 –1867) has acknowledged once that he was not an innovator, yet his portrait paintings and drawings are regarded as some of the finest in French history. Influential in the evolution of such revered artists like Degas, Matisse and Picasso, Ingres is on the list of my favorites. Luckily for me few of the artist’s great masterpieces are at the Met and at the Frick museums in NYC, always accessible for a refresher course.

Like the nature-stirring nymphs, Ingres sensuous, luminous odalisques and his smoldering bathing beauties quite often energized my creative expression. And through this connecting thread I was drawn to The Origin of Nymphs – the art exhibit, showcasing the local contemporary artist Jeff Muhs at the Lyons Wier Gallery on view till February 9.

The selections at the gallery represent the continuous series Another History, which has been ignited by the contemplative moments Jeff Muhs has spent in front of the La Grande Odalisque by Ingres at the Louvre. Classically trained and a serious student of art history, Muhs was profoundly inspired by the mastery of the “iconic images” by the various artists from the Renaissance to Romanticism and their transcending cultural relevance. He has distilled the essence of these images and has created his own unique artistic narrative within the context and with the spirit of our age.

I found finely rendered, satin resin-finished canvases dreamy and richly translucent. Their smooth surfaces are all lit up by the bold manipulations of color and I could spend the infinity, meditating in front of them.

Also on view are corset clad concrete sculptures, a celebration of female curves and homage to the archetypal photo image by Horst- the Mainbocher Corset.