Comments on: Gender bender

By: Emile de Bruijn

Emile de Bruijn — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:03:50 +0000

Your description is accurate too, except of course the subject should really be called a ‘bird-bloke’…

By: Annie (Lady M) x

Annie (Lady M) x — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:10:20 +0000

Wow your elegant description of the Borghese Hermaphrodite is far more eloquent than my ‘bird on a lilo’.

By: Emile de Bruijn

Emile de Bruijn — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 10:39:10 +0000

Yes it is a wonderful example of combining ancient and modern art, ins’t it?

The cast seems to be from the eighteenth century. It was accepted together with the sarcophagus and the busts discussed in earlier West Wycombe posts (see ‘West Wycombe’ category link on the right), partly for their intrinsic value but also for their significance as examples of ‘Grand Tour’ taste.

By: le style et la matière

le style et la matière — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:03:42 +0000

It is a fascinating piece of sculpture. I didn’t know it was Bernini who was good enough to make him (well, the figure) more comfortable in the 17th century. The cast must be very ancient to have been accepted in lieu of inheritance tax.

By: Emile de Bruijn

Emile de Bruijn — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 13:08:52 +0000

Yes the history of ‘taste’ – whatever form that may take – is a fascinating subject

By: Barbara

Barbara — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:52:36 +0000

I am willing to expand my last observation here & now. Taste, politics, & how society views sex are 3 things that one can rely upon to change.