The exhibit consists mainly of portraits collected by Russian businessmen Sergey Shchukin and Ivan Morozov, two influential men of the Moscow arts scene, known for their collecting of 'strange work' that went against the Academic grain, the prevailing taste of the time. Color and spirit were the primary aesthetic of the day in Europe, and both Shchukin and Morozov were intrigued by this wild style. Their tastes helped to inspire the Russian gentry of the period.

Ivan Morozov, as painted by Constantin Korovin, 1903

Sergei Shchukin was incredibly important, arguably more so than Morozov. He was a largely self taught art collector, with a fine eye for Impressionistic, and Post-Impressionistic art. Shchukin bought a fine collection of Van Gogh, Gauguin and Cezanne, among others, favoring the Paris art scene to that of turn of the century Russia.

Sergei Shchukin, as painted by Cornelius Krohn 1915

Shchukin's relationship to Matisse, in particular, was enabling, and is a major focus of the Hermitage exhibit. Henri Mattisse's The Dance, arguably considered one of the most important of Matisse's career, was painted exclusively for Schukin's mansion, showing the importance of their relationship. (Unfortunately, the painting was left at the Hermitage in Russia, and is not part of the exhibit).

In all, Shchukin owned 37 paintings by Matisse, and was a large part of keeping Matisse well fed and happy in his art.

One important painting that made the trip from Russia to Amsterdam for the exhibit is Mattisse's masterpiece The Dessert: Harmony in Red, often called The Red Room. This Matisse is a fine example of the artist at his prime, a man confident in his style, draftsmanship and use of color. Interestingly, Matisse was ordered to paint the portrait for Shchukin as a piece for a recently renovated room in the collectors house. The room was to be complimented by a blue painting by Matisse, as it went best with the color scheme. The painting was originally named Harmony in Blue, for obvious reasons. Matisse, in the end, was not satisfied with the painting, and changed it into the work dominated by red that we are familiar with. Blue can be seen underneath the red, if observed closely, wisping around the edges like dust.

The Dessert: Harmony in Red, Matisse, 1908

The exhibition at the Hermitage deals heavily with Fauvism, a loose group of painters including Matisse, Derain, Kees van Dongen and Raoul Dufy among others. Inspired by Post-Impressionism (Van Gogh, Cezanne, Gauguin) the Fauves were interested in bold colors, shunning representational or realistic painting techniques. The group gained their name from art critic Louis Vauxcelles who described their work as 'Donatello au milieu des fauves!' This group was important to the development of modern art, and the exhibition leads us from the Fauves into other important milestones.

Three grand Pablo Picasso paintings dominate the main hall of the exhibit, including the daunting Dryad, Femme Assise of the cubism period and the eye watering Femme à l’Éventail. All three paintings carry a common theme, that of the sexual nature, as well as the morals, of women. Picasso, a shameless womanizer, can be dissected psychologically through his paintings of women -the women are revered for a certain majestic beauty, but at the same time, are loose and sagging in their stature, failing to live up to the hype, drifting away into dreams. Both Femme à l’Éventail and Femme Assise display women, who at one point where posing, proudly, their beauty in full display, who have fallen asleep, not just literally, but perhaps morally as well. In Femme à l’Éventail, the seated woman has begun falling out of her chair, a fan spread across her lap, an allusion perhaps, to her open sexuality, while a breast peeks out from her blouse, both mother and temptress. Dryad, on the other hand, shows a bestial woman, large and dominating, her legs open, ready to consume all with her ferocious sexuality.

Femme à l’Éventail, Pablo Picasso , 1908

Not to be forgotten is Picasso's Absinthe Drinker, also included in the exhibition. The portrait is of a young woman, dreadfully thin, on her head the traditional hair pattern of the prostitute sent to a Parisian institution, her head propped up by her hand, an inner tension present throughout. The painting surely represents the inner struggle of morals in a woman who is not quite taken with the idea of a right path. She posseses, however, a longing to not succumb to temptation, but is, at the same time, all too aware of the pleasure involved. This early painting of Picasso (he was 22 at the time) displays a depth many artists never achieve in a life time. 

The Absinthe Drinker, Pablo Picasso, 1901

There are many impressive paintings in the exhibition, all seemingly moving towards the Russian artists Malevich and Kandinsky with great speed. 

Malevich's Black Square is on the second floor of the exhibit, alone, daunting in its placement. In its simplicity is unlimited depth, the ability to interpret it as one pleases. It is the expression of an artist, attempting in simplicity to promote philosophy. Even in the black of the square, there is light. Perhaps its bleak statement is a protest of war, life, all of it? Perhaps it denies interpretations.

Kazimer Malevich, Black Square, 1915

Kandinsky's Kompositions, along with Malevich, represent the final years of the exhibits time span. While Black Square is void of true interpretation, Kandinsky's pieces give one an experience, while avoiding interpretation. Komposition VI, which hangs at the end of the main hall, beckons you to sit and take a breath. Three main areas of the composition draw focus. The great waves of color seem to crash upon a vessel in the middle, all of it under the canopy of dark clouds. It is suggested that Kandinsky's original intention was to paint the story of Noah's Ark, and one can see the influence. The heaviness of fable and legend exist in the painting, making the viewer small in comparison. At the same time, life is somehow affirmed.

Wassily Kandinsky, Komposition VI, 1913

The Hermiatge exhibit is dominated by a great amount of self congratulating by the Russian Hermitage, and high praise of the great collecting minds of Morozov and Shchukin. Perhaps, much of it is justified; the public, of course, is often informed of great art by the collectors and galleries that put great works together -but doesn't the art speak for itself? What makes the Post-Impressionist and Modern Period so incredible is its ability to both speak to the visceral as well as the intellectual. No collector, no matter how gifted, can imbue paintings with that sort of substance. If there is any reason to go to the Hermitage for this exhibit, it is to look at the paintings is to see the shaping of the contemporary mind, and appreciate some damn fine art.

Amazon has caved to McMillian's demands for a $15 ebook price. And in the aftermath, where should we stand? With Amazon, or McMillian? What were the issues at stake?

It is easy to believe that Amazon is the bully here; we will not sell McMillian product because McMillian is making demands for a price increase of the ebook. Higher price for the ebook, more money for the artists and for McMillian. Amazon is the evil corporate entity keeping the little book publisher and the artist down. Fair argument.

The thing is, McMillian already charges Amazon what they want for the book. When Amazon buys from McMillian, the publisher is free to set whatever costs they wish. Amazon will then sell it at the price they've set as standard, anywhere from free to $9. Amazon is selling at a loss.

Why would Amazon do such a thing?

Well, anyone not living in a hole knows that Amazon sells a little product called the Kindle. To push the sale of the Kindle reader, keeping the prices of the ebooks low keeps makes sense. This keeps the primary user of the Kindle, a subsection of heavy readers, happy with the service. They want lots of books for cheap, or free. Amazon is willing to take a 1 to $2 hit to their book sales if it means selling a couple hundred dollar piece of kit. As a marketing model, it has worked.

But along with this, Amazon was not only buying the ebooks at a loss, they were also becoming a sort of publishing entity. When Amazon bought the rights for an ebook, they were making contractual aggreements with the book publisher that they could sublicense the book for the Kindle. This allowed Amazon to claim profit in three areas, publishing, wholesale, and retail.

But for Amazon, the rise in the ebook price changes their standing in the market. Before, Amazon was considered a wholeseller by publishers, and bookstore by the public they sell to. With the new McMillian price model, Amazon is now being treated like a book store.

The bully is now being bullied. Maybe its a good thing?

Regardless, the battle between McMillian and Amazon was bound to happen. Amazon has been a marketplace juggernaut, completely bashing the competition. They have a great share of the marketplace, and as such, tend to make up the rules. McMillian got sick of it, and pushed back.

However, the main issue at stake here has been lost in the media hype. It shouldn't be about the publishers only, or the artists; what about the public?

Should we, as a public, be paying so much for a product with a low overhead. I, as a writer, find this hard to say, but it is an argument none the less. This price increase still goes to the distributors and publishers. How much of the price increases will benefit the artists in the end? (Unless they are self published, or you factor in the Amazon Royalty scheme for those authors who publish through the service;but even this is a double edged sword).

How much does it cost to send a file?

All of this is rather confusing to me. As you can see by the ramble on here, I'm as lost as the next guy.

But I do wonder, sometimes late at night when I can't sleep, what the market place will be like when my own novel is finished and ready to sell on. Will ebooks be the best format, or is the traditional papermodel going to be the standard for years on in? Is selfpublishing with the ebook format the best way to get a widespread readership, cut out the middleman and make a liveable wage from a book, or will publishers still rule the day for distribution?

As I can not make heads or tails of the McMillian/Amazon battle, neither can I find the answer in how to publish in a new world. Goodnight Gutenburg Press, hello new whatever it is ...

Also, there is an interesting bit of commentary over on the Mark Athitakis blog.

"In response to the Bush administration’s increasingly hostile policy toward North Korea, we . . .have manufactured nuclear weapons for self-defense,"

Indignation as an excuse to behave badly, a typical tactic from the North Korean leadership. It is not likely they have changed their mind so suddenly, even though they claim as recently as last week that they are ready to resume discussions. Over the month of October, 2009, Korea has flip-flopped under enormous political pressure both allowing inspections and expelling the inspectors. It is not indignation only that motivates the country, but also an outright belief that Korea deserves to be -indeed may need to be- a part of the world's most crushing powers.