Guardian Artists of the Telfair Museum

“Five statues of famous artists adorn the exterior of the [Telfair] museum. Four of them––Rubens (1884), Raphael (1885), Phidias (1885), and... more

by Aberjhani

Title

Guardian Artists of the Telfair Museum

Artist

Aberjhani

Medium

Painting - Fine Art Digital Paintings And Photography

Description

“Five statues of famous artists adorn the exterior of the [Telfair] museum. Four of them––Rubens (1884), Raphael (1885), Phidias (1885), and Rembrandt––are attributed to the Viennese sculptor Victor Oskar Tilgner. One, that of Michelangelo (1884), is attributed to Anton Paul Wagner.”(from Dreams of the Immortal City Savannah by Aberjhani)

As stated above, 5 of the world’s most celebrated figures of European art stand like guardians outside the entrance of the Telfair Museum (or Telfair Academy) located in downtown Savannah, GA (USA). The artists visible in this canvas when viewed from in front of the museum are from left to right: Peter Paul Rubens (in background next to column), Raphael, Phidias, and Michelangelo. Not seen at the far northern end of the museum is Rembrandt.

The Telfair Museum is considered the oldest public art museum in the Southern United States. Along with its more modern auxiliary facility, the Jepson Center for the Arts, it has been host to numerous types of exhibitions ranging from classic impressionism and expressionism to that of drawings by Khalil Gibran and photography by Jack Leigh. The museum is a favorite destination for tourists visiting the city during Georgia Day, Savannah Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and other occasions.

It seemed appropriate to create artwork depicting the Telfair in an expressionistic style that pays tribute to art itself. It also acknowledges with vibrant colors the emotional experiences of different visitors. For that reason, the tangerine orange of the museum and pale gold of its columns with antique bronze crowning their tops is meant to enhance aspects of its elegant architecture frame by the thick foliage of the trees and blossoming flowers.

I cannot say I’ve had the honor of seeing my own visual work exhibited at the Telfair, but my poetry has been included in artbooks for exhibits featuring the works of Luther E. Vann and Suzanne Jackson. The book for Vann’s exhibit is ELEMENTAL, THE POWER OF ILLUMINATED LOVE; and for Jackson it is her FIVE DECADES retrospective.

Savannah Series by Aberjhani
20th Anniversary of Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance

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January 27th, 2023

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