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| re: Deadringer cover. | |
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Willis 11:35 pm UTC 09/19/08 |
| In reply to: | re: Deadringer cover. - ricgough 01:08 am UTC 09/19/08 |
| Yeah, I dunno. Maybe Jim just likes half naked heroes "saving" women on his covers. And that's it. Never noticed the whole triangle thing, though. > The bike really doesn't represent much in relation to the > painting - you're loosing sight of the fact it's primary > purpose is to sell an album to people - most of whom will > probably not be familair with the painting. > > The composition of the cover is ostensibly the same in > composition as the painting - 5 interlocking triangles in > the painting, 3 in the cover. The use of light and shade > is an obvious reference to the painting. > > You see that the images on the cover are greatly > exaggerated as opposed to those in the painting - that it > is an altogether simpler scene is nescessary as in order > to make any kind of detail visibly significant on such a > small (12inch) space you can't have as much going on. The > original painting is the size of an entire wall and took 2 > whole years to create. > > You have the 'michael-angelic' figure on the motorcycle > from the original 'bat' cover. As it was such a strong > image and instantly associated with the first Meat Loaf > album then that was the probable starting point for the > artist rather than the historical, romantic painting. > > Even so, those that had seen it would have probably got > the intellectual joke. > > 1981 the whole 'little richard Wagner' thing was being > used to describe and promote Jim's music. It was after all > a Steinman penned album and then more so than now Jim was > synonymous with Meat. > > In those good old days there was more of an effort to > represent the contents of the sleeve on the cover, rather > than today's clamour for ulttra modern design influenced > by what would be attractive to the target demographic. > > Jim's work had already been described as Wagner but > massively exaggerated with contemporary influences so it's > not a massive step to grossly exaggerate with contemporary > influencesa painting from the same same of era Wagner and > Gericault were about 15-20 years apart I think. > > The 'medusa' essay (linky thing) offers insight into the > 'trademark' muscular figure of the renaissance and > baroque. As Jim 'tips his hat' to Wagner in his work > Corben 'tips his hat' to the great renaissance painters in > his depiction of 'guy on a motorcycle' > > I'd be surprised if the ceiling of the cistine chapel > didn't come into Jim's thinking when he visualised Baal > also - but that's besides the point. > > If you're looking to be able to appraise the album cover > in the same way as the painting then it can't be done, but > there is obviously a reference to the painting in the > album art. It's a way of implying that the contents of the > record share similar artistic roots to that of Wagner, > Gericault and Michaelangelo. > > Works the same way in archetecture. Municipal buildings > and museums etc are often built in a neo-classcal or > romanesque style which infers the authority of rome or > ancient greece to the artefacts displayed or business > conducted inside. > > It's pretty much the same thing with the cover. That's my > take on it anyhow. Also my take on the Muscular figure on > many of the covers in reply to Smeg's question on the > matter down the board. (is there more to it?) > > I'm no authority on art or art history (but I know what I > like :-)) so any input from those in the know or involved > in decision making for the cover art would be greatly > appreciated. > > I may be well of the mark, but I've more than an incling > that I might just be right. > > One thing for sure is that whether it's the painting or > cover that you're viewing the following is equally > applicable: > “We are all lost at sea, washed between hope > and despair, hailing something that may never come to > rescue us.” (Julian Barnes). > .... apart from the Hero on the motorcycle that is. > That could also be the narrative for the cover. The 'Raft' > is quite deliberate in not portarying a hero. 'Deadringer' > sort of adds one to the scene. Superceeds the original in > that respect, It could well be implying that the music > contained within does the same. > > Just a thought. > > > > So the bike represents the Medusa? This did get my cells > > ticking, but much of it I don't see the correlation. Some > > I do. > > > > I dunno... > > > > > Sorry, here's the link (again) > > > > > > > It's a parody. > > > > > > > > Educate yourselves on it's origins, and those of the > > > > 'muscualr form' in art here.... > > > > > > > > Should get the brain-cells ticking. > > > > > > > > (sorry to post the link twice but unsure how many bother > > > > to scroll down the board.) > > > > > > > > | |
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