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mr.circles
mr.circles aka Chris Stribley is a 40.56 year old boy, has been a member since February 16, 2005, has scored 288 submissions, giving an average score of 4.11, helping 8 designs get printed.
I don't really get to review many deigns here, so I'm glad this one caught my eye in the news letter. This is an admirable take on one of my favourite Klimt paintings.

Judith + Holofernes - Threadless, Best T-shirts Ever

It's so sad that some of Klimt's most glorious work is overlooked because every numbskull out there is pouncing on The Kiss and doing something or other with it. So my hat's off to the designer of this piece for taking a fantastic theme and adapting it to current and relevant style. Thank god it's not just another silly design being slapped u\p here in hopes of a quick buck or two. Good for you! It's hard to have artistic integrity these days and see it pay off, so I hope this does well for you and I'm sure it will.

ISABOA
   ISABOA on Sep 22 '08 at 5:13pm
*gets busy on another silly design hoping for quick buck*
mr.circles
mr.circles on Sep 22 '08 at 6:15pm
Good lad!
cloud_is_to_character
cloud_is_to_character on Sep 22 '08 at 6:17pm
More closely based on Artemisia Gentileschi's version it seems. Based on the icon.
mr.circles
mr.circles on Sep 22 '08 at 6:33pm
Well, she's certainly referred to it with that icon, but compositionally, it favors Klimt's rendition.



http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a121/PlasticSmil3/Miscellaneous/Klimt-JudithI1901.jpg



http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a121/PlasticSmil3/Miscellaneous/Klimt_JudithII_2.jpg
mr.circles
mr.circles on Sep 22 '08 at 6:35pm
Well, she's certainly referred to it with that icon, but compositionally, it favors Klimt's rendition.



"http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a121/PlasticSmil3/Miscellaneous/Klimt-JudithI1901.jpg"



"http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a121/PlasticSmil3/Miscellaneous/Klimt_JudithII_2.jpg"
ISABOA
   ISABOA on Sep 22 '08 at 6:35pm
see - I was thinking it was barry windsor smith's version that he most identified with



mr.circles
mr.circles on Sep 22 '08 at 6:37pm
Ok, you got me there. Would you mind linking it? I'd like to see it.



Thanks!



fatheed
   fatheed on Sep 22 '08 at 6:37pm
There is so many Judith & Holofernes paintings. Just about every artist has done one at some point, not just Klimt. Even Rolf Harris.
fatheed
   fatheed on Sep 22 '08 at 6:40pm
Sorry. Didn't mean to sound like a butt-hole.
mr.circles
mr.circles on Sep 22 '08 at 6:41pm
That's certainly true, but they don't all refer to Klimt's style and composition.



;)

fatheed
   fatheed on Sep 22 '08 at 6:44pm
Well, it's Mucha's style.
Steve The Great
Steve The Great on Sep 22 '08 at 6:46pm
kinda reminds me of this one of Salome and john the baptist's head



Steve The Great
Steve The Great on Sep 22 '08 at 6:46pm
that's by Aubrey Beardsley
mr.circles
mr.circles on Sep 22 '08 at 6:50pm
Sure, it's a good modern take on Art Nouveau, which I really love. I'm a huge fan of Mucha and Beardsley as well. Very good point , Steve, with the Beardsley comparison, as there is certainly a strong resemblance in the portrayal of the figures. Can't believe that one didn't occur to me, though I was strictly thinking of Judith & Holofernes.
dryuglyscab
dryuglyscab on Sep 22 '08 at 7:01pm
it's not just by klimt or any of those artists people mentioned above... it's simply a classical theme artists liked that goes back to the renaissance!



what's even cooler is that we get to see it "modernized" on threadless. :D
Steve The Great
Steve The Great on Sep 22 '08 at 7:05pm
somebody just got through art nouveau in their art history class





*points at self*





















also I don't think anyone can deny the amazingness of our very own FRANX's take on a classic theme. It's certainly the first version that I can wear on my chest.
mr.circles
mr.circles on Sep 22 '08 at 7:26pm
Yes, dryuglscab, that was my point - that was my point, that someone did a stellar job of interpreting a classic theme for a modern application, such as this.



Good work, Steve, you obviously learned something from your Art History, as opposed to just getting through it. Keep it up!



Steve The Great
Steve The Great on Sep 22 '08 at 7:31pm
yeah it was really just a week ago.
mr.circles
mr.circles on Sep 22 '08 at 7:36pm
But you obviously learned from it, which is awesome. I used to get so pissed at my classmates who were obviously taking Art classes because they thought they were like bonus recess periods or something.
Steve The Great
Steve The Great on Sep 22 '08 at 7:37pm
well i am in art school so I guess it's all recess for me.
mr.circles
mr.circles on Sep 22 '08 at 7:40pm
Hah!
mr.circles
mr.circles on Sep 22 '08 at 7:43pm
No, your History of Civ. class would be nap time though.
Steve The Great
Steve The Great on Sep 22 '08 at 7:47pm
ha!
littlebee
littlebee on Sep 22 '08 at 9:03pm
Actually, the adoring expression worn by this Judith reminds me of this painting:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_and_the_Pot_of_Basil



I realize that Judith spent nights with Holofernes, but I never imagined her developing true affection for the general who was crushing her people in siege.



All the same, I love this shirt.
ISABOA
   ISABOA on Sep 22 '08 at 9:50pm
ISABOA on Sep 22 '08 at 6:35pm

see - I was thinking it was barry windsor smith's version that he most identified with



mr.circles on Sep 22 '08 at 6:37pm

Ok, you got me there. Would you mind linking it? I'd like to see it.



Thanks!











i could not find it referenced online so I took a picture

mr.circles
mr.circles on Sep 22 '08 at 10:44pm
Oh, for sure! I certainly see that.



Thank You! Couldn't find it and I'm sitting here trying to multi-task, so I had to force myself not to obsess over it.
mr.circles
mr.circles on Sep 22 '08 at 10:54pm
Thank You, Littlebee. I love the Holman Hunt. He and Waterhouse are favourites of mine and they produced some remarkable interpretations of classical and mythological themes. You're right, I don't think Judith actually harbored any affection towards Holofernes and I think the lascivious expression on her face in Klimt's first painting reflects that in a most interesting way. Then in Judith II her expression is almost conflicted and she appears to be furtively concealing Holofernes' head. That could entirely be just my reading of her expressions and body language too...



ISABOA
   ISABOA on Sep 23 '08 at 1:43am
ya betcha - google has big gaping holes of information



I tried to find something ANYTHING by don simpson the other day and it was like the man never existed... according to google
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