Ghosts and Goblins

For the September Art Poll by Bob, I did a little time travelling and posed the thought experiment of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood finding themselves in our present day on the search of a model who suited their Pre-Raphaelite tastes. In response to my question, “Which of the following modern actresses do you consider the most Pre-Raphaelite worthy?”, you responded with the biggest vote total yet, an astounding 158 votes. The beautiful Helena Bonham Carter (above) won with 43 supporters, barely edging out early favorite Kate Winslet, who garnered 41 votes. Julianne Moore followed with 19 votes. Nicole Kidman and Keira Knightley tied with 18 votes. Natalie Portman with 11 votes and Angelina Jolie with 7 votes rounded out the field. Thanks to the one person who voted for Charlotte Rampling and rescued her from the indignity of a shutout. Thanks to everyone who joined in my little experiment and voted.

In celebration of Halloween at the end of the month, the October Art Poll By Bob asks, “Which of the following paintings seems the spookiest?”:

William Blake, The Ghost of a Flea (1819-1820)

Arnold Böcklin, The Isle of the Dead (1880)

Salvador Dalí, Soft Construction with Boiled Beans (Premonition of Civil War) (1936)

Henry Fuseli, The Nightmare (1781)

Edvard Munch, Vampire (1893-1894)

Albert Pinkham Ryder, The Race Track (Death on a Pale Horse) (1895-1910)

David Wojnarowicz, Fire (1987)

Andrew Wyeth, Jack Be Nimble (1976)

Wyeth’s Halloween pumpkins are probably the tamest visuals in the bunch, but the most overtly Halloween-ish. Wyeth loves Halloween so much that I couldn’t leave him off this list. He’ll have a tough time contending for the title against such masters of the nightmarish as Blake, Dali, and Fuseli. I threw Bocklin and Wojnarowicz into the mix because their works are especially memorable to me. I’ve seen The Isle of the Dead in person at the Met and can tell you it’s even spookier when you’re standing right there in front of it.

So, be true to your ghoul and vote for the frightfulest one of all.