This (infrequent) blog is a completely self-indulgent experiment for me, Chris, to write a bit about my favorite paintings. I think it will be fun to write about the kind of old and dusty paintings that some folks feel required to like just because they’re old. Pinned to the walls of museums and churches, they have looked down upon bored children and tourists for generations. But why do I want to write about them? I just love them. A 400 year old Dutch still life with dead pheasants and slightly rotting fruit? I’ll take two. And because I wouldn’t want to write about anything too recent, I think it’s only fair to impose a minimum age requirement of 150 years.
In the interest of connecting this all to puzzles, I will also address whether I think the work would make a good puzzle. Shay will then offer her opinion on the matter. I don’t expect much alignment. That’s why we named this blog Ad Gustum, a Latin phrase meaning “to one’s liking.” This stuff is all very subjective and there’s no right or wrong. I may love it, you may hate it. Such is life. There’s a latin saying for that too, de gustibus non disputandum est. I hope this will be fun and that folks don’t take my random musings too seriously. I don’t take them seriously at all, and they're my musings.
The first one I muse about is Botticelli's Cestello Annunciation.
Lastly, if you’re interested in having any of the paintings I drone on about crafted into a wonderful hand-cut puzzle, use the discount code GUSTUM for 10% off. The discount stacks with Elms Club members’ CLUBMEMBER discount for an additional 15%. That’s 25% off a custom puzzle of famous art! Much more accessible than trying to buy the real thing…