Bath Ideal City Abstraction #12
One of a series of geometric abstractions which celebrate the twin legacies of Roman classical and Georgian neo-classical architecture in the city of Bath. These works mimic the linear formal classicism of the city's architecture and streets and the colours and forms of the stone and decorations (internal and external) of the buildings. These works are influenced by the later works of Chuck Close and also the geometric abstracts of Paul Klee.
The concept of the ideal city is taken from the Italian Renaissance, as applied by John Wood in Bath to recreate the greatness of Roman Bath and its presumed Christian ideals. This dream of living in Roman splendour amist beautiful landscapes was also expressed in the contmporary Latin expression "Et in Arcadia Eco" - I too in Arcadia Lived! Wood wrote of creating a city 'that sets paradise itself before one's Eyes...the very Elysium Fields of the Ancients [which if viewed] from the summit of Beeching Cliff [would] ...appear much the same as Virgil declares Catthage to have appeared to Aeneas'. (John Wood, 'An Essay Towards a Description of Bath', second edition, 1765, p. 238 and 441 - quoted in 'Obsession: John Wood and the Creation of Georgian Bath', by the Buildings of Bath Museum, 2004, pp15-16).
The entire series can be seen here: www.flickr.com/photos/david_lewis_baker_arts/sets/7215760...
Bath Ideal City Abstraction #12
One of a series of geometric abstractions which celebrate the twin legacies of Roman classical and Georgian neo-classical architecture in the city of Bath. These works mimic the linear formal classicism of the city's architecture and streets and the colours and forms of the stone and decorations (internal and external) of the buildings. These works are influenced by the later works of Chuck Close and also the geometric abstracts of Paul Klee.
The concept of the ideal city is taken from the Italian Renaissance, as applied by John Wood in Bath to recreate the greatness of Roman Bath and its presumed Christian ideals. This dream of living in Roman splendour amist beautiful landscapes was also expressed in the contmporary Latin expression "Et in Arcadia Eco" - I too in Arcadia Lived! Wood wrote of creating a city 'that sets paradise itself before one's Eyes...the very Elysium Fields of the Ancients [which if viewed] from the summit of Beeching Cliff [would] ...appear much the same as Virgil declares Catthage to have appeared to Aeneas'. (John Wood, 'An Essay Towards a Description of Bath', second edition, 1765, p. 238 and 441 - quoted in 'Obsession: John Wood and the Creation of Georgian Bath', by the Buildings of Bath Museum, 2004, pp15-16).
The entire series can be seen here: www.flickr.com/photos/david_lewis_baker_arts/sets/7215760...