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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35144953890364567822017-04-29T01:07:07.887-06:00beside the easelThoughts and inspirations on art from the Old Masters to my own artJohn Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-60260288479432565272017-04-14T21:36:00.000-06:002017-04-14T21:36:13.936-06:00The Greatness of Erasmus
The Birth of the Virgin, ca.1660

Born on November 19, 1607 in Antwerp, Erasmus Quellinus II was a Flemish painter and engraver who worked under Peter Paul Rubens. Erasmus came from a family of artists that profoundly influenced Flemish Baroque in the 1600's. Unlike Rubens, Erasmus had never been to Italy and so his style evolved from the influence of Rubens and others around him, including his brother, sculptor Artus Quellinus II. Although the influence of Rubens is very strong—sometimes easy to mistake—Erasmus developed into a deeper Baroque sensibility with less emphasis on color and sensuality and more on chiaroscuro and architecture. Today little is mentioned about Erasmus, especially in that he worked with Rubens for less than ten years yet became a major painter in the years after Rubens' death in 1640.

In The Birth of the Virgin above, we can see here that the cluttered confusion of this composition doesn't quite have the flow and grace of his Master, Rubens. The figures suspended above seem to be an out of place element that needed to be in the painting, yet would have been better hidden in shadow or with less dramatic complementary color spotlight. The main figures below, however, are arranged asymmetrically with the three to the right in a triangular fashion with the left figure in profile leaning slightly towards them. Erasmus uses a bright palette here, with some beautiful brushwork on the highlights in the drapery. The two women behind the main figures appear to be looking behind them instead of at the baby Mary, possibly painted by an inexperienced pupil. Despite the confusion, the painting is unmistakably the work of a great painter who lacked time or direction to smooth out the composition.

Bacchus and Ariadne, 1630

A common theme painted by many great artists including Titian, Natoire, Jordans, among others...Erasmus takes a more casual approach here that shows off his bravura of skin tones. Interesting how Bacchus is depicted in a child-like expression of innocence. Look closely, however and it seems like Erasmus had some fun in the way Ariadne is twisting yet slightly bending over directly in front of Bacchus' groin, her hand pulling up her dress while walking through the waters but the innuendo of sex is very tongue-in-cheek. The brushwork in her dress is amazing, however. Erasmus uses yellows and violets, even orange to contrast with the deep reds. Erasmus suggests here that the mythology here is not really that poetic and that the attraction is mostly chemical, as all attraction is.

The Persecution of the Harpies, 1630

Based on an oil sketch from Rubens, Erasmus breathes personality into the figures with incredible skin tones and graceful brushwork. The sense of movement that Rubens conveyed puts us right into the action where these two Argonauts hunt and kill the strange creatures called Harpies, half bird, half woman. Look at the original oil sketch at the Prado here.

The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1678

A stunning masterpiece that shows a much more mature style, Erasmus proves here that he no longer hides in the shadow of Rubens but is in a place of his own. Erasmus takes an often painted theme in the history of Art and turns it into a drama of light and dark that is truly compelling. Note how the two main figures are bathed in a warm light while the rest fall into warm, transparent shadow. Erasmus uses facial expression to narrate here unlike any of his other works and the influence of Italian tenebrism and Caravaggio are clear. The key figures are in a blue/green palette while the rest of the figures are washed in warm earth tones. Erasmus uses a blue grey to indicate the clouds that the angels sit atop. It is unfortunate that I could not find a better and larger image to study this painting in depth, for it is a Baroque wonder. Truly.

Let the Children Come to Me, 1664

Another beautiful masterpiece. Erasmus uses one-point perspective to add depth and richness to the foreground figures. Note the group arrangement he uses here, alternating figure size by age to add visual interest and maintain the the theme of the painting. Erasmus does something unusual in placing the figures along the stairs leading up to Christ, something that if done incorrectly could have looked stilted or forced but here, Erasmus creates visual dynamics by varying the direction each figure is facing and turning, along with a rich palette that leads to a vibrant blue and red worn by Christ. He also varies bare shoulders with fully draped figures. Again, a higher resolution version would do it much more justice.

Achilles Among the Daughters of Lycomedes, 1600's

A gorgeous study in drapery, anatomy and figure arrangement. Note how the influence of Italian painting permeates this painting. Erasmus' gift for drapery and architecture here are subdued by an earthy palette with no greens. Look at that dark sky looming behind them in the far distance. Erasmus learned that perfect bodies and skin tones need not tell a story, that body language and action are the key elements. A stunning accomplishment.

Erasmus may have come from a family of artists and trained by the most successful artist in Flanders, but what he took from it and became in the process is worth discovering, even if inconsistent. Inspiring. An artist to study, over and over again.

 Self-Portrait with his wife Catherina de Hemelaer and son Jan Erasmus Quellinus, 1636

John Valentehttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-79929270817107846192017-04-02T15:17:00.002-06:002017-04-02T15:17:33.169-06:00Tarbell, The Quiet Master
A Girl Crocheting, 1904

Edmund Charles Tarbell was born on April 26, 1862 in northern Massachusetts. Tarbell studied in Boston and trained in Paris under Jules Joseph Lefebvre where he learned the Academic rigors of Classicism in the late 1800's, and while studying in the museums he was also inspired by the French painters of Impressionism. This new approach to color and light would have a profound influence on his work. Tarbell would synthesize this soft brushwork with his Classical training into his own distinctive aesthetic of mood, light and silence while capturing his American era. While most of his contemporaries painted both in plein air and interiors, Tarbell painted mostly quiet interiors with pensive women that is unique in that his brushwork is breathtaking.

In A Girl Crocheting above, Tarbell uses a dimly-lit window as his light source for a woman crocheting. Note the loose copy of Velázquez's Portrait of Innocent X on the wall. Her chair seems to echo similar ornate details of the Pope's chair without the gilded texture. Tarbell's brushstrokes on the wall and window itself are scumbled thick in some areas yet his values and accurate hues are spot on. I love the way the top right corner darkens into warms and greens yet looks perfectly natural. And her reflection on the table contains warm, almost chalky strokes that cool into greens towards the rim of the table. Like DeCamp and his contemporaries, Tarbell sought to find meaning in the simple, quiet moments of modern life in sharp contrast to the grand drama of religious and historical painting. This kind of moody genre painting works because it is real, not affected...and celebrates peacefulness without the din of the outside world.

Three Girls Reading, 1907

Tarbell's use of sunlight, flooding these windows with golden, scumbled strokes would have made Sargent blush. This is a treasure of interior American Impressionism. By arranging the figures with two in the corner and one in the foreground Tarbell creates space and perspective, with the two women brightly lit while the foreground figure is in slight silhouette. The two women are leafing through a book while the foreground woman is reading something of her own. The way that Tarbell suggests fabric and textures with his brush is true mastery of tonality here. Painting whites under light and shadow is no easy task. The woman holding the book by the window glows in a deep yellow blouse and the way her face and hair are rim-lit is so delicate...Tarbell indicates the faintest, cool shadow of her head against the wall. Compare this with the strong tones of the floor. Tarbell's palette extends from muddy greens to oranges and even a muted magenta, with even more unusual greens underneath the table. Yet it all works in concert. Natural. Vibrant. Relaxing. And Beautiful.

Preparing for the Matinee, 1907

Tarbell's work is defined by moments that we usually blink right through and miss. This delicate young debutante adjusting her hat in the mirror is both innocent and sophisticated at the same time. By her young age it makes us wonder if she doesn't attend very much or if it is her first time to the matinee, or whether she is dressing for a young boy, or merely trying to appear more sophisticated like the older women. Her face is painted in a warm, very subtle shadow with a slight glow on her neck...her cheeks rosy from embarrassment, possibly. Contrast this with those creamy brushstrokes of her blouse. I love how Tarbell's palette here is also uniquely refined, with neutral colors and accents of black, that blue ribbon around her collar, and the patterned green chair she sits in. This is a unique angle in that we cannot see her reflection and becomes a study of her self-consciousness and eagerness to become a woman. See below a photograph of Tarbell painting a substitute model to get the folds of her blouse right:

Mrs John Lawrence, 1912

Possibly the wife of US Congressman John Watson Lawrence from New York. This lovely portrait, in a very warm palette, captures the grace and poise of a young woman confident in her sensuality and social standing. I love the way her finger presses against her head, that direct gaze and perfectly coiffed hair...the cool greys of that cushion chair...this is a simple portrait with style and elegance. Regrettably this version is low-res, but in person this portrait would be wonderful to observe.

 In the Orchard, 1891

This piece is generally accepted as having risen Tarbell's status to a recognized painter of his era. One of the few outdoor Impressionist works he painted, it has a charm and bright palette that is refreshing to watch. The woman to the far right gazing at us is Tarbell's wife. I admire how Tarbell's skin tones are always accurate. Tarbell's foliage here is painted in warm greens that must be a treat to observe in person. Look at the motley of colors in the woman's dress at far left, using blues and yellows to reflect the sunshine falling on her. I love the woman seated away from us, with her graceful neck and interesting blend of warm tones in her dress' shadows. Tarbell captures a sunny afternoon in a way that is relaxed yet visually rich with texture and light.

Love the gorgeous purple veil that moves across the canvass in this poetic oil study. I would be curious to know if Tarbell furthered this into a full painting.

My favourite of Tarbell's work, it has a strong Sargent influence but it has a grace and quiet strength in his bravado brushwork here. The floor itself is a lesson in Impressionism. Dry brushstrokes that seem to dance from side to side, and in the bright reflections his use of white in the greens from the window is so subtle...you can even see tints of magenta there. I love how she is slumped on the sofa, looking blankly at us, half-hidden in a slight shadow. Her dress once again has a complex palette of green and yellow ochre tints. Tarbell suggests her left arm with one long stroke. This is an incredible study of light, mood, texture and quiet. Tarbell reminds us that painting need not be always painfully long studies in detail as his early Academic training instilled...that the brush has a language of its own, and by learning to really see and feel the moment, Art can become pure meditation. For the viewer and the artist.

Links:
Pinterest page with works by Tarbell
John Valentehttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-88456208701585674642017-03-25T14:24:00.002-06:002017-03-26T21:19:45.402-06:00Joseph DeCamp, Impressionist Poet
The Cellist, 1908

Joseph DeCamp was an American painter born in Cincinnati, Ohio on November 5, 1858. Having studied in Europe he returned to America where he worked under the Boston School with artists such as William McGregor Paxton, Edmund C. Tarbell and John Joseph Enneking among others. Later on he would form a group of American Impressionists known as the Ten American Painters, including artists such as Childe Hassam, Willard Metcalf, John Henry Twachtman, and once again Edmund C. Tarbell. DeCamp's work is characterized by the Tonalism of predominantly women in deep shadows, vibrant color, elegant body language and pensive mood.

In The Cellist above, DeCamp's palette is monochromatic yet he makes effective use of highlight and texture to convey his mood. Dry brush and warms illuminate the wall behind her, where the shadow side has traces of violet scumbled on top of grey and yellow tones while the bright side is smoky white. This technique continues along the shoulder and arm up to her sleeve, while the dress maintains the violet hues of the shadow wall. The thin highlight on the shoulder of the cello is flawless. It captures the grain of the wood and creates the illusion of what deep sounds might be evoked from that instrument. Her face in shadow suggests the intensity of her attention to her practice, a dramatic sound in an otherwise quiet moment. This type of tonalism beautiful in its stark simplicity.

Portrait of a Lady , ca. 1908

Decamp's minimalist portrait of a woman bathed in daylight is a study of character and quiet strength. The high collar of the dress covering the neck of this woman strongly suggests a morality that is unflinching, perhaps a feminist or school teacher, yet by the relaxed face also indicates a person of intellect and sensitivity. Note how the extremely limited palette here further supports this.

The Guitar Player, 1908

Decamp's fascination with women and music repeats here again, revealing an emotional connection between musician and music rather than technical mastery or performance. Look at the intricate pattern and colors he conveys in her dress, repeating the violet hues with greenish yellow. I love the expression on her face and the glow of her skin. Contrast this with Portrait of a Lady above and you see here its polar opposite. Sensual, lost in thought, and deeply connected to the music. The wall behind her is a complex blending of warm and cool, greens and greys with yellows, oranges, and subtle violet tones. Note the near-complementary colors of the fabrics on either side of her. Decamp's insight into the human psyche teaches us that all portraiture or painting of people involves what the sitter thinks, feels and believes, not merely appearances and superficiality. Suggestion can be stronger than affirmation. Mood can be more powerful than fact.

La Penserosa, ca.1900's

Here Decamp reduces this portrait into pure mood. While lacking the structure and context of the musicians, Decamp's use of light is captivating and her facial expression is intriguing. Judging by her wardrobe and the heavy layers of clothing that cover her torso one gets the feeling of anxiety in this woman's overall presence. Decamp's background wall is channeling Vincent Van Gogh somehow, and the painting's title, La Penserosa or the thinking woman, reiterates the deep reflection of this woman who is inside her own head and can't get out. Even the long brushstrokes of her dress and sweater seem to remind us of Van Gogh...perhaps a touch of madness in her anxiety. Decamp once again suggests, never stating.

The Music Lesson, ca. 1895

Love this painting. Decamp uses body language and light to tell a story that is succinct and brilliant. A young girl eagerly plays her piano lesson while the teacher appears lost in thought, as if bored and wishing she were somewhere else. Maybe she hates teaching music to children, listening to endless scales performed incorrectly— even the notes on the girl's page are invisible against the warm sunlight falling on them. Perhaps she is reflecting on the empty promise of a woman pursuing a career in music in her era. Decamp's distinctive textures punctuate the highlights once again. Note how the girl's back is very bright as she sits straight while the teacher is slumped into her chair covered mostly in shadow. The dark authenticity in this painting is such a contrast to conservative, happy illustrations that would appear in magazine advertising decades later.

Decamp is a poet that looks beneath appearances and suggests meaning without factual indication. This is the heart of all art— telling a story or revealing a moment that is often overlooked or not considered. Our words often betray our true thoughts and feelings, and Decamp reminds us to look deeper.

Compare this post with an earlier one I wrote about DeCamp in 2014:
https://besidetheeasel.blogspot.ca/2014/01/decamp-musical-painter.html
John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-19497860770014865602017-02-28T00:30:00.001-07:002017-02-28T00:30:27.626-07:00William McGregor Paxton, American Master
In the Studio, 1905

Born on June 22, 1869, William McGregor Paxton was an American painter from Baltimore. Paxton was a founding member of the Boston School from the early 1900's, which drew its inspiration from Impressionism with an emphasis on both the landscape and the upper-class society of Boston. Paxton's prestigious training included working under Jean-Léon Gérôme and Joseph DeCamp, leading him to teach at the Museum of Fine Arts School in Boston, where he met a student and future wife, Elizabeth Okie Paxton. His style was deeply influenced by Vermeer and he often paints interiors with soft, dramatic light. Paxton was a poet in the way he captured the elegance and grace of women in his era.

Looking at In the Studio above, Paxton portrays himself and the model as subjects bathed in warm afternoon sunlight coming from a window. I love the reflection of the glowing fireplace shimmering across the floor. Paxton creates depth by composing the model in the foreground with himself in the background, dressed in black to contrast with her white dress. The model is presumably his wife, Elizabeth seated in an elegant yet dynamic pose next to a massive easel. Paxton stands back from the easel in true artist fashion, observing his work from a distance to judge his tones and values. Note the unusually large palette in his left arm with a very warm range of colors on it. The way her face is away from us but looking directly at him emphasizes the idea of the artist as both a subject and a self-portrait, not posing for us but deeply engaged in the act of painting. This speaks volumes about the personality and sensibility of Paxton as someone who works at his craft and not caught up in the label of "being an artist" as so many modernists succumbed to even in his lifetime. Paxton here is making the statement of observation as the cornerstone of his art, and something all artists need to recognize.

Woman Sewing, 1919

I love the sheer simplicity and power in this painting. Bathed in that warm, beautiful sunlight, this woman sews in the late afternoon. So peaceful. And quiet. Paxton repeats the depth composition again with the corner of the dresser against the far wall. This is pure essence of Vermeer in a modern setting, and it is superb. The gracefulness of that hand pulling the thread and the calmness in her face, is poetic. It doesn't need the dark-tiled floor in perspective of Vermeer to complete the composition...the mood is completely understood. Her dress is a mottled pattern of neutral tone combined with orange and blue to break up the monochromatic walls and floor, yet it doesn't distract. This is a painter who understands that communicating honesty like this, with soft light and heavy shadows, is all the poetry an artist needs.

Portrait of the Artist's Father (James Paxton), 1902

I love the concentration on his father's face here. An honest portrait without any pretension. Paxton uses greens here both as neutral tones and indicate shadows, both on the man's forehead and his jacket, and even along the wall. It's not important what he is reading, but his gentle character and distinguished demeanor that matters.

Tea Leaves, 1909

A gorgeous painting more representative of a Sargent, Paxton is conveying the society of his era. Paxton has a true understanding of body language here...look at the way the woman pours the tea, stiff like the conservatism she represents, while the woman seated across from her gazes wistfully lost in thought while staring at the leaves in her porcelain mug. Note another mottled dress on the chair off to the left, as if to suggest the lower class have no place in this ritual of tea. Paxton uses texture here in a fresh and tactile way, contrasting the frilly fabric of their dresses to the shiny metallic objects like the teapot and the dark tone of the ornate table off to the right. Narrative is such an important element in painting, like the words of a writer each object, each color, each subject can helps to tell a story. And the truly great storytellers like Paxton leave just enough to our imagination that we want to know more about what is happening, and that in some way we already know and understand.

Nude in Interior, ca. 1905

This lovely nude is a more modern interpretation of the female form that, unlike a Degas who only painted dancers, here Paxton takes a rather introverted young woman and imbues her with grace and innocence in spite of her nude body...something that requires incredibly astute powers of observation and understanding the subject so well. Paxton understands the person beneath the skin. And that makes this nude insightful and more beautiful.

The string of pearls, 1908

This cute painting is a satirical comment on the materialism of the women in his era...how this elegant woman turns into a childlike stupor over pearls. What is more amusing is how her dress is already adorned with pearls and yet she is fascinated by the necklace. This lovely young woman could be a character right out of a Jane Austin novel. Note the different colors of pearls in her lap. How Paxton captures her wistful expression so aptly it needs no further explanation.

Paxton was a storyteller with great powers of observation. Much can be learned from his work. A true American master.John Valentehttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-11347813448222564442017-01-22T20:21:00.001-07:002017-01-22T20:21:16.529-07:00The Polish Classicist
Christian Dirce, 1897

Henryk Siemiradzki was a Polish Academic painter born on October 24, 1843. After studying painting in Russia and Munich he moved to Rome in his late twenties, where he would be known for his very large-scale paintings that rival Rubens in terms of sheer size. Siemiradzki (pronounced ShimiRADski) like many of his Russian-educated contemporaries, had a genius for multiple figure arrangement and use of natural light. Siemiradzki's attention to architectural and natural detail appears astounding from a distance, yet the way he paints detail is actually suggestive and emphasizes the appearance of texture over intricate detail.

In Christian Dirce above, Siemiradzki depicts a scene from Greek mythology portrayed in the Roman arena about Dirce, wife of the ancient ruler of Thebes, martyred by being tied to the horns of a bull. In this instance, by the title of the painting, it is a Christian woman being martyred in the same fashion as Dirce. Note the elaborate costumes and imposing body language of the Romans who look down at her, compared to the man and woman left of them who stare incredulously as if realizing the performance is real and not staged. Siemiradzki groups many of the figures in tight triangular arrangements, often with faces hidden behind other figures to heighten the drama and create a sense of group space taking over the composition. I like also how Siemiradzki use of hands to indicate the state of mind in key figures, from the guards watching along the right to the spectators above, and the Romans looking to the left. Note how the centurian has his arms folded behind his back to reveal his strict disciplined mind, while the emperor adjusts his robe to indicate his vanity. There seems to be a sense of pity in the beautiful woman who has been tortured, yet it is all for the sake of entertainment and the bull itself is also sacrificed in a pagan-like manner. Amidst the grandeur and lavish spectacle Siemiradzki comments on the relatively low regard for innocent human life and the perceived necessity to punish what is not tolerated or understood.

Curtain design for the Juliusz Słowacki Theatre in Kraków, 1894

I love the musicality and flow of this painting. Look at the grace of the two women off to the right, hands joined, robes flowing, in a vertical arrangement that is breathtaking. And the ornate Oriental rug that covers the steps leading up to the very baroque architectural capriccio. Henryk contrasts a thunderclad sky to the left with a sunny and warm blue sky to the right, suggesting along with the figures the drama vs literary moral truth that all plays contain. This is a stunning concept considering it is only for the backdrop of a theatre in Poland. Sadly I could not find a larger image to display here for study. One thing is for sure, and that is Siemiradzki's work demands to be seen in person to appreciate its scale and full grandeur.

Dance Amongst Swords, 1881

Siemiradzki immerses us completely into this late afternoon musical idyll in the Mediterranean. I have never seen sun-dappled light portrayed quite this way in any type of mythological or capricious theme before. We seem to be transported in time and it feels very natural. This lovely dancer moves to the breeze of a sunny day and wind instruments with large swords pointed upward along a narrow path of rug. I'm not sure if this was a common ritual of Greek or Roman culture but the innocence and peacefulness of this scene clearly describes an ancient era long gone that we cannot fully relate to or understand, yet we marvel at its serenity and sensuousness. Freed from shame and religion, her feminine grace is not something to be sheltered from in a dark, dingy room with loud music and alcohol, but something open and unencumbered, free for anyone to celebrate and admire. Note how he places the dancer off center with the blue of the ocean and the mountains, surrounded by the canopy of trees, that provides a context and central theme to this wonderful painting. I love the vertical arrangement of the musicians, tightly knit in triangular fashion, leading the eye toward the dancer. A visual poem for the eyes.

Phryne at the Poseidonia in Eleusis, 1889

Phryne was a Greek courtesan from ancient Greece, her name in fact, literally meaning "toad" describing her warm complexion and a common nickname for courtesans and prostitutes from this era. Phryne was rumoured to be the model for Aphrodite of Knidos by famed Greek sculptor Praxiteles--the first nude sculpture of a woman. In this painting Siemiradzki depicts an ancient Greek agrarian ritual celebrating the coming of fertile crops that may have included a natural sort of hallucinogenic pre-LSD type of plant in the air that everyone got high from. At any rate, Phryne was known to have let her hair down and basically go skinny-dipping in the Aegean Sea. Her type of status as a prostitute was not the typical slave street woman but, as shown here, a wealthy, independent-minded and educated woman. Siemiradzki's spectators and their individualistic facial expressions are his unique genius. Again in dappled sunlight, this a natural setting for an unnatural anecdote that Siemiradzki immerses us into. Even the Greek temple atop the hill in the background, with flaming altar and some type of sarcophagus, is so real we don't even question it. The attention to costume here feels like a big budget film with an enormous cast of extras, in a scene of ancient Greece that seems like the everyday, not a grand spectacle. Siemiradzki breathes life into what usually can only be imagined as fantastic or mythological fantasy.

Roman orgy at Caesar's time, 1872

Siemiradzki's light is dark and absolutely beautiful here. Roman architecture against the twilight sky while revellers dance in a Roman pagan party. Here the partiers are too drunk for any kind of carnal activity, yet the dancing is fun and wild against the warm candlelight. What is curious about Siemiradzki is the lack of focal point or central characters...the theme is the activity itself and the context with Siemiradzki. Despite the connotation of this painting's title, what may be occurring in the shadows is what stimulates the imagination. Siemiradzki is conveying the frivolousness of a lost era in contrast to our own false morality which attempts to condemn while hiding secret passions behind closed doors, a question that begs us to ask which is the freer society, ultimately? Siemiradzki paints beautifully and his romantic notions of the ancient world are deep food for thought. The Classical world was not as stiff and boring as we may have imagined it...perhaps we are the boring ones.John Valentehttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-79455139033932991232016-12-27T00:00:00.000-07:002016-12-27T00:00:11.130-07:00Frederic Leighton
The Garden of the Hesperides, 1892

Sir Frederic Leighton was born in Scarborough, England on December 3, 1830. He is one of Britain's most well-known artists from the Victorian Age, typifying a style of Romantic sensual Academic Classicism that foreshadows Art Nouveau. Leighton gives all his figures an elegance and grace—sometimes forced— yet somehow musical to watch, a visual poetry. He has a similar sensibility to the Dutch artist of the same era: Lawrence Alma-Tadema. Leighton also has a strong sense for colour that is more organic than his contemporaries. His use of reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blues are never garish or unnatural. Portraiture was also something he was easily well-versed in, capturing his sitters with a dignity and poise that was distinctive. He often used a lovely female actress of the day as his model whose beauty still inspires today.

In The Garden of the Hesperides above, Leighton's feminine side dominates the composition and tone. In Greek mythology these garden nymphs of the evening and sunset lie underneath a tree of golden apples (or oranges) that made anyone who ate them immortal. This theme has been approached by both sculptors and painters as far back as Ancient Rome and the Etruscans. Here Leighton arranges these figures as relaxed and draped around the tree itself, a very different interpretation of Greek mythology. Leighton's nymphs have an undulating rhythm. In fact, the tree itself has a phallic sort of shape. And the creature entwined around the middle nymph is the same from the labors of Heracles.

Girl with a basket of fruit, 1863

I love the elegance and grace of this woman. Although the fruit basket doesn't quite feel like a weight on top of her head, the real subject is the woman herself. Poetic and beautiful with golden skin. Leighton gives her profile a sculptural aesthetic, yet the red hair offers a sense of independence and personality. She may not be a nymph, nor do her fruits offer immortality, but her grace here suggests balance of intelligence and feminine poise.

Garden of an Inn, Capri 1859

I love the lush greens of this painting. Capri is such a beautiful island and Leighton here was definitely seduced by its charms. The variety of vegetation in this spot was too beautiful to ignore and Leighton dutifully captures every nuance of a green fertile garden. The blue sky in the far distance adds a distinct summer outdoor feel —note how the craggy cliffs on the left contrast with the warm toned architecture of the church to the right. I like also how the white posts add a framing device, along with the skinny branches, to separate the vegetation and lead the eye toward the walls of the inn on the right. This painting has the spontaneity of a photo but is much more. It invites us to experience it.

Cimabue's Celebrated Madonna is carried in Procession through the Streets of Florence, 1855

An incredible panoramic, Leighton here has the ease of Veronese and the sensibility of Gérôme but with his own distinct palette. Look at his use of red in this painting. So crisp and gorgeous. In fact, every figure here has an incredible palette. Even the central figures of Cimabue himself holding his son's hand, with the subtle blue whites in the boy's shirt echoed in the man's breeches...a blue he uses again in the dramatic blue sky beyond. Compositions of this type that comprise a horizontal arrangement of figures are never easy to portray, especially when most of the figures fall along the same height. Leighton uses not only activity but character to illustrate the scene. The figures in the foreground are fully depicted while those behind are occasionally hidden behind other figures—a neat trick that adds depth while reducing the need to show every single person. Yet despite the fact this event is depicting the procession of a Madonna painting, the subject is actually the figures themselves. Leighton is making a clever statement on the vanity of the Florentines in this particular scene. The adults have a distinct air about them while the children casually toss bouquets of flowers along the ground. The figure off to the far left cradling the baby may be a possible self-portrait of Leighton. The painting hangs in the National Gallery in London above the main entrance foyer. Queen Victoria loved the painting so much she bought it for herself. Rightly so. It is a stunning achievement.

Portrait of Professor Giovanni Costa, 1878

An esteemed landscape painter and Risorgimento fighter, Costa fought under Garibaldi in 1848 before working in Rome and Florence, where he became Professor at the Accademia di Belle Arti. During this time he met Leighton, among several artists of the day, and Costa agreed to pose for this portrait. It is a rare and astonishing display of character for Leighton, a portrait that stacks up against some of the greatest. Profile paintings typically have a stiff formality to them that is off-putting and cold, but here Leighton imbues Costa with a deep humbleness and respect, something incredibly difficult to achieve in a portrait. We can sense the pain and life experience of this man without even knowing him. Leighton's very careful brushwork and warm light offer a glimpse of a man we would like to know more about, yet empathize with him completely. The lost gaze in his eyes is magnetic.

 Wedded, 1882

Leighton's Romantic and Classical style merge together here. The roughness of the fabric, painted in loose brushstrokes, is very much Romantic...even in the flesh of this strong man, while the woman has a soft, feminine grace that pervades all of his work. Leighton's figures have a sculptural quality here yet his palette in the costumes has an emotional quality that reflects the subjects. Her floral green motif contrasts with his mottled Mars reddish tones. Note how Leighton's use of hands conveys tenderness and love. This is a painting one can look at for hours.

Idyll, 1881

Some paintings invite us to participate, they draw us into them, and this is one of those paintings. It has no clear meaning and yet it is peaceful and sensual. Leighton's palette is reminiscent of Titian yet his two female figures are so graceful in this dreamy, warm light. The branch above them frames the composition and adds a depth and naturalism that completes the scene. I like the way Leighton contrasts masculine and feminine here with an articulate line and anatomy. Leighton's love of drapery defines the scene, as always, and had the figures been completely nude it would have been scandalous. The use of light is nothing short of brilliant here.

Greek Girls Playing at Ball, 1871

An unusual and intriguing work. Leighton depicts a theme of innocence amidst a setting of Ancient Greece, with his profound love of drapery and colour. The scene is so surreal, even the clouds above have an odd color to them. Why young Greek girls would be playing ball atop of a large structure such as this defies description yet is so intriguing. Leighton's flesh is superb here. I wonder what Lawrence Alma Tadema would have thought of this painting, since it seems to mock the traditional feminine roll in conventional Greek society.

 Nausicaa, ca.1879

A beautiful work of Victorian Classicism that demonstrates Leighton's supreme love and respect for the female form. From Homer's Odyssey, she was the daughter of King Alcinous who helps Odysseus after he is shipwrecked on her island. Here, Leighton disassociates her from all mythology and gives her a beauty that anyone can admire. Her face, with teeming blue eyes, is hypnotic. I love the idea of a minor character from a Classic epic poem made into a portrait that is statuesque.

The Arts of Industry as Applied to Peace, 1870-1872

This large mural resides in the Victorian and Albert museum and I had the privilege of seeing it in person a couple of years ago. A full size oil sketch appears in the same room. Despite the wide view in this photo the room is actually quite narrow and dimly lit.

Leighton is an incredibly versatile artist, and a full analysis of his oeuvre is time-consuming and difficult, not including his sculpture which is also dynamic and brilliant. Leighton is an artist whose use of color and anatomy is a beauty to behold, timeless and elegant, and well deserving of his knighthood. Painting is a visual poetry, and Leighton was a true poet of his era.John Valentehttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-60928419381993255772016-10-25T01:33:00.003-06:002016-10-25T01:33:20.965-06:00Claude-Joseph Vernet, French Painter of Views
A Calm at a Mediterranean Port, 1770

Born on August 14, 1714, Claude-Joseph Vernet was a French Romantic painter from Avignon. Vernet's vedute are strongly influenced by painters such as Giovanni Paolo Panini and Claude Lorrain, whom both worked in Rome. Vernet distinguished himself from his contemporaries by seeking more dramatic light effects, particularly moonlight, and early dawn as well as experimenting with weather itself including fog and rain as subjects to reinforce his Romantic themes, something foreign in most landscape painting at that time. Vernet also worked mainly from imagination, using sketches as reference and incorporating some known landmarks from Rome but combining them into his own capricci but with fishermen and marine subject matter as his main themes.

In A Calm at a Mediterranean Port above, Vernet's use of light and clouds is mesmerizing. Look up close and that beautiful golden yellow glaze on the sky against the blue is superb, which he continues with in the reflections on the water leading the eye toward the pier. The horizon has a tint of red, pink basically, that spreads out toward the sides of the buildings and the mountain. On the ship hanging off to the side is a flag of what appears to be the Netherlands or Luxembourg. What separates Vernet from his contemporaries is his verisimilitude in portraying foreground figures. He captures the daily life of fishermen on the docks with women waiting bored off to the side, keenly aware of body language in every single figure he depicts. Note the large, curved anchor that points amusingly to Vernet's signature in black on the stones of the dock. The scene is tranquil and typical of a Lorrain but Vernet's tiny details tell a story beyond the morning glow. Vernet invites us to breathe the morning air.

Summer Evening, Landscape in Italy, 1773

I love the contrast of soft clouds against sharply detailed trees. Here Vernet hides the sun behind the rocks and instead focuses on the pattern of foliage leading the eye toward the distant architecture on the hill. This is pure capriccio and yet we see ourselves standing observing this scene only because of Vernet's keen attention to detail. Many artists suggest leaves but Vernet seems to delineate each one effortlessly, as if the scene would not be complete without the detail. The way he depicts the light falling on the trees, changing color temperature as the trees fall into shadow in the background...Vernet's eye is razor sharp. Note off to the left a man leers behind a tree watching the young ladies frolicking in the water, half naked. Even in such sublime Romanticism Vernet's sense of humour is amusing. Makes you wonder how Vernet would have treated the nude beaches of present day Greece and the gawkers...

The four times of day: Evening, 1757

More like an oil sketch than finished painting, Vernet proves he can paint loosely and painterly with the best of them. Here the trees seem to sway in the breeze of this late afternoon scene that Vernet entitles as evening, and by the color changes he also suggests the anticipation of Fall. I love the interplay of shadows and light here, with the brushwork indicating various textures of rock, foliage and water—there is even a waterfall behind the rocks. But what is the most intriguing about this painting is the gracefulness of the female figures here. Vernet could have easily been comfortable painting mythological scenes with nymphs and satyrs frolicking about, yet he chooses natural looking people in a completely natural setting. Vernet is faithful to representing the detail of nature yet clever enough to idealize it in a way that invites. As trite as it may seem, Vernet's work would enliven any living room or den in any household of the world, yet worthy to be in the finest museum.

The Shipwreck , 1772

Vernet's inherent ability to depict drama has all the makings of a modern-day Hollywood film, but in his own day he was one of the leading marine and landscape painters of the 18th century. Here is how he distinguishes himself from his contemporaries in that he not only reveres nature, but also portrays its terrifying power and rage despite men being "masters of the seas". The dark palette replaces the sunny blue sky here with a grayish blue, and the lightning strike is a long streak of yellow against a murky sunset—note the yellow ochre tones he paints around the lightning. The rolling waves steal the drama from his usual attention to the rocks, but it is the intense figure arrangement here that proves Vernet would have made a great historical painter with full-length figures. He is clearly telling a story that leads the eye across the composition and makes us wonder how they survived this storm and the ingenuity in the sailors fleeing the ship down a makeshift "zip line" across treacherous waters. By teetering the ship at an incredibly steep angle he indicates the severity of the storm, yet it also leads the eye to the tree with the splayed branch and downward to the crash of waves and figures below. Our modern sensibility lends our eyes to understand a narrative sequentially, since we cannot comprehend a world without cinema or television. In Vernet's era, however, this composition, filled with as much visual information as we can handle, gives us all the narrative that we need in one "frame". This is inspiring narrative painting.

Landscape with Waterfall and Figures, 1768

I love the rich vivid colors of this painting. Vernet uses scale to contrast tiny figures and distant ships with large foreground rocks and trees. There is so much going on in Vernet's compositions that one "frame" is all the narrative we really need to feel like a story is taking place before us. His figures are a unique snapshot of 18th century life and society, and in this painting he uses body language to depict three distinct social classes from tourist to plebian to the affluent. Contemporaries from Vernet's era would have picked up on the social cues in this type of composition, especially the role of women as mothers and domestic labor in a pre-industrialized world.

Below is a sample of Vernet's exquisite drawings and his attention to mood and figure arrangement:

Maritime Scene

Joseph Vernet by Alexander Roslin,1767

Vernet lived in an era of beauty and grace. An era that saw the rise of the art museum as a major attraction of the Grand Tour and his work helped popularize this notion of beauty as the cultivation of the modern mannered gentleman. Vernet also respected and loved nature in a way that is truly timeless and fresh. Roslin's portrait above clearly depicts an energetic and keen individual who loved life, and loved being an artist, in an era that loved artists and art. It is a reminder of our responsibility as artists to leave behind that which we love, for future generations to love as well.

John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-43042868042051883502016-10-22T21:57:00.003-06:002016-10-22T21:57:56.081-06:00Leonardo Da Vinci's Drawing Materials

In this fascinating video from the Royal Collection in Windsor, Leonardo's materials are recreated using similar pigments and organic materials to give an idea of how he worked. This curator is someone whose brain I could pick for hours!

Leonardo's Drawing Materials

source Vimeo

John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-38462876309492416012016-09-04T15:30:00.000-06:002016-09-04T15:30:42.281-06:00Copenhagen's Painter
A Fire on Kultorvet, 1900

Born in Copenhagen on July 22, 1860, Paul Gustav Fischer was a Danish Naturalist painter. Fischer has a palette and tone that is more British than many of his fellow countrymen, although his depiction of everyday life in pure Naturalist form is definitely Danish. His work has an atmosphere, a narrative that asks questions more than it illustrates—in short, he conveys presence.

I love A Fire on Kultorvet above. Look at how we are placed right in the middle of the action, without explanation, as if happening right in front of us. This painting works on so many levels: historically, compositionally, atmospherically, and of course visually in terms of palette and texture. Off to the right a firefighter feeds coal into a steam-powered fire engine, a complex and very heavy machine...revolutionary for its time. Note off to the far left a firefighter operates what was back then a modern invention, the fire hydrant. The huge crowd watching is conveyed brilliantly with loose brushwork and monochrome browns to depict an event that was a public spectacle, something that today would be nothing more than a 20 second spot on the evening news. I love how Fischer uses body language of the firefighters to convey the sense of control in handling the situation. The smoke is painted in a greyish umber that creates a haze in the far background. Fischer enhances this smoke especially coming from the top of the steam pump fire engine with those beautiful brass colors and that red wagon wheel. The red ladder provides a visual dynamic that leads our eye to the architectural detail of the foreground building and the elegant lights suspended from its corners. This is a moment of history frozen in time, elegant and yet intriguing in the way Fischer conveys what today would be a mundane subject.

The Fish Market at Gammelstrand, Copenhagen, 1919

Fischer's figures here are painted in a cartoony sort of manner, but what is striking is the use of light that is more in common with the Dutch Grey School than Danish painting. Van Gogh would have been completely fascinated by the tonality of that sky that is reflected in the cobblestone streets below. Pastel blues, greens, muted yellows, and greenish greys...even magenta in some areas...this is the eye of a very keen observer. I love how the far background buildings in the middle are a smoky dark grey magenta. Anyone who has ever been in Europe on a rainy overcast day such as this knows exactly what the tone of this painting is about. Again, Fischer uses body language and costume to tell the stories of these people in their daily lives.

The Passage of Vesterbro with a view of the Frihedsstotten, Copenhagen, 1899

It is unfortunate that Wikipedia's version of this painting is fairly low-res. Fischer portrays Copenhagen in an era of peace and cultural flourishment known as the Danish Golden Age, which I will explore in future posts. Compositionally, it is nothing brilliant in its use of one-point perspective but I like how Fischer uses crossing the street as a theme to depict meeting the opposite sex in a Danish late-Victorian era. Again, Fischer's cobblestones are incredibly painted here, so well in fact that we forget them. The sky is a rough impasto of neutral blues and dark oranges. I like how Fischer uses that pinkish-orange in the far background building to convey atmospheric perspective and depth. Frihedsstotten, or Liberty Column, is a faint object in the distance (read more about it here). The trees serve to embrace the entire composition and add a richness to what would otherwise be an uninteresting view.

 Sunbathing in the Dunes, 1916

This is from a series of paintings Fischer did in depicting beautiful nude women sunbathing, an interesting subject for a post-Victorian Denmark. While most of Fischer's work in this theme reveals a weakness in his technical ability of anatomy this piece has an innocence and true naturalism to it. Fischer's palette is unusual here, too. The sand has warm purple tones and the sky itself looks like mottled cream in a bowl of dull blues, while the vegetation is vibrant yellow-greens.

Fischer is an artist whose sensibilities are both masculine and feminine, controlled yet free, and factual yet mysterious. The freedom to explore any subject matter we choose as artists often lends itself to fixation, but Fischer is a storyteller whose brush and eye captured not only an era, but moments that are fleeting.
John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-83237617686365929142016-08-20T02:05:00.000-06:002016-12-27T00:37:08.990-07:00Van Gogh
Self-Portrait, 1887

Born March 3, 1853 in southern Netherlands, Vincent Van Gogh, the infamous Dutch Post-Impressionist artist, tortured soul and a key figure in Modern Art. Biographies abound in Van Gogh's dramatic and psychological personal life as a troubled man with mental health issues that lead to his own suicide at the young age of 37, but here I'd like to explore what makes Van Gogh unique as a painter. His brushwork and use of bold colors is the most expressive and powerful of arguably any artist in the history of Western Art. Although I cannot say I understand a lot of his work, in particular his portraits, flower arrangements and street scenes, nonetheless it is his use of color and paint that I find fascinating and worth delving further into. For those wishing to read more about his life, click here.

Of his numerous self-portraits he painted, above is a legendary example of his idiosyncratic technique. Look up close and those seemingly neat arrangement of pointillist brushstrokes become a wild panoply of muted complementary colors. Van Gogh was always experimenting, and here he plays with value and hues in a way not quite conceived before. His jacket appears childishly painted from a distance, but up close those complementary blobs of color vibrate as if a gel-like substance. My favorite element has to be the background, where he repeats the jacket motif with even more heightened vividness by using warmer tints of his reds and greens. The highlights on his forehead repeat this vertical-brushstroke with a refined accuracy, considering how surreal this portrait actually is. His use of greens in the shadows and pinks in the mid-tones—even giving himself green "freckles"—our eyes seemlessly blend together all these tones into an incredible Post-Impressionist portrait that exemplifies Van Gogh to me at his sharpest and most focused, artistically.

Shoes, 1886

I love the character and personality Van Gogh imbued this simple subject with. Using a monochromatic palette that was rare for his work, Van Gogh's choice of worn shoes under a warm, faint light with a dim shadow is brilliant. The combination of his impasto with blended values helps not only to illustrate a familiar object, but to tell a story. I feel that this was one of the few times he demonstrated this much personality and narrative, and had he continued in this vein his work may have taken a very different direction. Yellow ochre, white, raw umber perhaps, and not much else. Look up on the top left and his signature appears in a reddish tone that blends into the green shadows. Truly inspiring.

Cypresses and Two Women, 1890

Another fantastic example of his brushwork. Impressionism took color and texture to blend tone and value together to appear harmonious from a distance, but Van Gogh took brushwork and color to make us look even closer instead of stand farther back. Dream-like wisps of thick, glossy tones that exemplify Van Gogh's idea of color resonating the inner emotion he was trying to express. What is interesting to me is how he decided to transform the shapes and forms of the clouds and trees into his own surreal world. The brushstrokes themselves seem to have transformed his ideas entirely of how to depict the world. I can only imagine what kind of reaction he got from his contemporaries and citizens who first seen this work. It strikes me that this incredible period was wildly experimental—the mid to late 1800's—laying the seeds of everything from photography to Impressionism to Realism and Symbolism.

White House at Night, 1890

(Warning: extremely large image size. May slow your computer once opened.)

Van Gogh uses a lot of dry brush and wet in this painting, curiously. The bushes in front of the house once again vibrate with color, and the clouds have a soothing cool palette, although the moon and its affected glow is oddly disturbing and interesting. The fascination with red and green is a primary motif in Van Gogh's work, and we see it repeatedly. Here it makes the building itself vibrate while still capturing its conventional presence. Van Gogh's dry brush with red over darks on the spanish tile roof adds texture and personality to this painting. Even the ground is scumbled with muted ochre tones and white that give this an odd quality. There is a déjà vu and surreal quality to this house that is difficult to put into words, and is one of the reasons why I am drawn to this particular piece over some of his other works.

Cafe Terrace at Night, 1888

This is probably my all-time favorite Van Gogh, and for several reasons. It is his rare use of perspective here that draws me in, along with a strong contrast of yellow and green against blue with the distance fading into darkness. The shapes here are less stylized, compared to his other works, but he invents a dynamic approach to the sidewalk with warm and black squiggles. And the figures are painted in vibrant colors also, something he usually does not do. However, the sky has a particular quality that is more Impressionist than his other works, whereby squinting here we see a sky that glows gently with oversized stars. Van Gogh must have enjoyed being in this place very much, and definitely wanted to capture as much energy and presence as he possibly could here. The emotion he was trying to convey resonates with his primary sense, color, of course.

Field with Poppies, 1889

A clever view looking down a verdant field of contrasting textures and colors. I admire how Van Gogh can simplify a scene such as this with definitive brushwork, although I can sense that he probably didn't like painting trees much, or at least an impatience in depicting them. What is also curious here is how he uses black throughout the composition to add defined edges, of course, but it also ties in the entire color scheme. Those greens would have much less impact without the use of black here. And the red accents of the flowers is so distinctive that once again, without it our eye would not know where to glance and would gloss over the entire composition. We can all learn something here in that our tendencies as Realists to tone down our darks and accents, never using straight color from the tube...Van Gogh breaks all the rules and yet it is alluring and rich, and we can still feel the presence of this field.

Houses at Auvers, 1890

While it may appear fun and cute, I can feel alot of frustration in this painting. Look at the way he painted the sky and ground and we can easily discern a complete disregard for perspective or even any type of Impressionism. Even the thatched roof in the foreground seems to be melting under its own weight. Still, Van Gogh uses his greens very effectively here and that strip of red across the roof of the middleground house is captivating, along with that cool blue shadow it is bathed in. Van Gogh does have a perceptive eye for composition. Auvers is located northwest of Paris and was a popular spot for 19th century painters who were inspired by its rustic French charm, but of all the paintings it inspired this one is the most unique and idiosyncratic. Van Gogh is buried in Auvers.

Landscape at Dusk, 1885

More of an oil sketch than a painting, it is nonetheless brilliant. I saw this painting in Madrid two years ago and I wish now I spent more time observing it. Van Gogh suggests those distant trees with just a diluted flat brush and it works perfectly. Note how much green he scumbles onto the shadow areas, while that sunset glows like an smoldering fire. Van Gogh demonstrates how important a role emotion plays in art, how our perception is really influenced by emotion and the poetry of life is about emotion. If it doesn't move us in some way, it isn't really worth painting. It won't linger in our minds. Van Gogh may have had serious mental issues, but he understood how art impacts us.

Starry Night, 1888

A fairly large painting I had the pleasure of seeing at the D'Orsay in Paris, I remember how pleasurable it was to look it. Van Gogh tackles a concept the Impressionists never dared to attempt: painting a night scene under the stars. Like his Cafe Terrace at Night, Van Gogh loved the night as many of us artists do, and he paints this scene with a more accurate palette than normal. Again, Van Gogh uses black predominantly and while many artists would have hesitated since mixing it with yellow produces green, Van Gogh simply decides that black is too important to ignore and uses it anyway. The strong blues counteract the tinges of green and despite a lack of subject matter or distinct shapes here, the feeling of being under this sky surrounded by the stars is truly something to experience in person.

Van Gogh's tragic and depressing life, along with his unstable personality, affected his ability to sell his work but in the hindsight of our modern society it only made him a better artist. Being concerned with appealing to potential clients would have diluted his raw energy and emotion to something that would have been copied and imitated by fake imposters. While he could have been treated and diagnosed more properly, we were robbed of what could have developed in his later years and how he would have perceived his world. Unfortunately, his uncontrollable fire burnt himself out too soon for us to see what possible future that would have been. Today his art is worth millions and he never could have imagined such a dramatic turn in appreciation. Sadly, most only know of the guy who cut his own ear off and had no lasting friends except for his brother. Van Gogh is a stark reminder for us all that what we see is really a mirror of our own soul...that posterity is far more important than celebrity..and that a destructive mind is the worst prison. Art will always be freedom.

Van Gogh Museum
Vincent Van Gogh on Artsy
John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-90387737913521910232016-08-02T01:21:00.000-06:002016-08-02T01:21:12.078-06:00Anton Mauve, The Power of Simplicity
The Vegetable Garden, ca.1885-1888

Anthonij (Anton) Rudolf Mauve was a Dutch painter born on September 18, 1838 in Zaandam, northern Holland. He was a leading member of the Hague School of painters in the late 1800's, and outside Holland not well-known except for his connection to Vincent Van Gogh, whom he influenced greatly. Mauve's work focused on rural motifs that captured the everyday farm-life under the often characteristic overcast skies that define Dutch landscape art and the Hague School, hence earning them the curious nickname the Gray School. Mauve's early art instruction were from more formulaic Dutch painters that Mauve sought to break free from into a more naturalist approach using color and mood to heightened effect. Action and composition were not the primary forces that motivated Mauve, but rather the way people moved, how they worked, and the scenic atmosphere under which they lived. Mauve would eventually evolve into another school or rather art colony, called The Laren School which grew its inspiration from the very inhabitants of Laren in northern Holland.

In The Vegetable Garden above, Mauve clearly reveals his painting on location approach. Despite the prominent green tones it is the background farm houses—against that grey sky— that frame the composition and give it a warmth and presence that is inviting and real. Look closely at the foliage and see Mauve's brushwork uses an intricate assortment of yellows, greys, ochres, even blues in certain areas. We can easily appreciate how much care and effort Mauve took into suggesting the individual leaves of those birch trees to contrast with the darker-toned leaves of the trees leaning across the farm house. Pay attention to that silvery grey sky behind it all: the left hand side is a very cool grey yet towards the right hand side behind the trees, Mauve suggests a slight warmth of a sun buried deeply behind cloud. Anyone who has ever travelled to Holland or northern parts of France and Belgium can understand this unique natural light. Mauve paints the straw roof of the farm house with such tactile brushstrokes, suggesting green patches to break up the brown tones. The lone figure is merely to illustrate the scale of this garden. Mauve takes a very simplistic theme and by his keen eye draws us in so that we are inhaling that cool rainy air and standing in his shoes to witness a moment in time that invites us to linger for a while longer.

Landscape with Cattle, ca.1888

This is the kind of painting I like not only because of its execution, but the way its subject matter defies convention. Painting cows in the field next to a river is not the first thing that springs to mind for a landscape artist, especially in today's brand-driven society. Mauve makes this work with color temperature and low-key values. The drama of this late-afternoon sky threatening rain with a small group of cattle in the foreground, bathed in a warm pool of sunlight, with rich greens and earthtones on the field is beautiful. He creates wonderful contrast with the soft clouds above to the textures of the grass and animals below. Note how Mauve arranges the cattle. The mother stands horizontally off-center, while the calf next to her faces us, while the other two lie beside them in alternate directions. The effect both withdraws and retracts our attention simultaneously. Mauves use of perspective here illustrates the vastness of the river valley while keeping our eye on the natural presence of the cattle in the foreground. Looking above we see Mauve's variety of tone and hue in the clouds with colors ranging from yellow all the way to violet, green, blue, white and of course, grey. The clouds ultimately frame the entire composition and underline the vastness of this view from this angle. The way Mauve articulates the atmospheric distance of these clouds and their drama despite the simple pastoral scene below clearly reveals how landscape art requires such astute observation and respect for nature. Here the subject is not merely cows lazing around; it is nature itself, in all its beauty and diversity.

 Forest Edge on the Water, ca.1888

Mauve's brilliance with media here is exemplified by a watercolor drawing in monochromatic tones. Mauve appears to combine the charcoal or graphite with the watercolor in the dark areas to heighten the drama, while resisting the temptation to flood the image with detail. Mood supersedes information here. Yet Mauve pays particular attention to the line quality in areas such as the boat, figure and overall shape of the trees. Using that pale yellow wash to indicate a fading sun behind the trees is genius. And he echoes that light with thin strokes of orange in the reflection below. Color accents are deliberate and indicate the figure, trees and reflection of the foliage. Note the way Mauve scumbles color so subtly into the trees. I am sure had Sargeant seen this watercolor he would have been impressed by its power and understatement. Poetry is not what you say, but all about how you say it, how it feels.

The Swamp, ca.1888

Mauve's somber grey tones permeate this barren isolated swamp. Mauve contrasts again the sky with earth by cool to warm, soft to grassy textures. (Note how the painting remains in good shape, with minimal cracking only in the whites of the sky). The distant background that meets the horizon, with those indistinct fuzzy shapes, adds such depth and presence here. Rain looms behind it and threatens to come down, even with the faint burst of sunlight behind those clouds. It is the random arrangement of birds that completes this painting and makes us feel like we are outside watching this humid, cool scene with our muddy shoes. Joseph Zbukvic, the brilliant Australian watercolorist commented in a recent interview that in a landscape painting "the sky is the eyes of the painting" and here, these words are truer than ever. The point of landscape art is not merely to illustrate a view, but to realize that we will never understand the vast mystery of nature.

A Dutch Road, ca.1880

Mauve has an eye like a photographer, I just noticed looking at this painting. It is spontaneous. Simple, yes but natural. Horses walking through a slick muddy road against an overcast sky. It's so simple yet meditative. Look at how those trees form a fuzzy line of perspective on the left side. Mauve's warm greens line the path up to the distant field. Yet once again, Mauve's sky is hypnotic, trance-like in its simplicity. That bright opening of white on the right hand side breathes life into what would normally be another overcast scene. Mauve searches only for the truth of his surroundings, the unpretentiousness of his people in their natural environment, and in the process breathes life into his brushwork. One can imagine how Van Gogh was inspired by looking at his work. He clearly took his own direction in exaggerating that simple truth for his own reasons and created a following that not even Mauve could have ever imagined, but here, looking at his work, Mauve did not fail. His vision of an honest, rural Dutch world may go unnoticed today, but how he portrayed that world is pure inspiration.

John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-72128517214105741692016-06-11T21:27:00.001-06:002016-06-11T21:27:12.886-06:00Jacob Maris, Dutch Poet of the Sky
Bluff-bowed Fishing Boat on the Beach at Scheveningen, 1899

Jacob Hendricus Maris was a Dutch painter born on August 7, 1837 in The Hague, Netherlands. A key member of the Hague School, a group of Dutch landscape artists in the late 1800's known for their subdued, low-key palette, which gave them the nickname the Gray School. Not every single painting was gray, of course, but it was rather the way in which they used gray as inspiration for mood in depicting pastoral scenes. Clouds became the focal point instead of just a background element. Using gray to its fullest range, experimenting with temperature and values created beautiful and pensive landscapes that furthered the incredible work a couple of generations before in France with the Barbizon School and in particular the brilliant work of Corot.

In Bluff-bowed Fishing Boat on the Beach at Scheveningen above, we quickly understand how Maris used gray to full effect. We can almost hear those seagulls hooting in the distance with those thin waves lapping against the shoreline, and we can feel the humidity in the air. Maris engages all of our senses. His palette, using the clouds as the focal point, is more complex than it appears. The edges of the painting appear to have been scumbled with a dark, warm tone, while the vast array of sky is mostly blue-greys that become darker directly behind the fishermen's boat. Off center to the left of the mast he indicates a warm, yellow-gray tone of cloud to hint at a sun submerged behind those clouds. To achieve this level of accuracy and feel in a sky with this palette is challenging to say the least, requiring an enormous level of observation to hone those values next to each other, and Maris does this effortlessly. Maris's dry brushwork creates a tactile texture, especially in the wood of the boat and in the highlights of the waves. I love that there is no central concept or mind-wringing composition here: the entire simplicity and mood of this wonderful painting is all in the technique which serves to immerse us in this scene, and it is hypnotic. And genuine.

The Windmill, ca.1886

Here Maris uses another seemingly mundane subject matter and yet under his brush, transforms it into a cool, breezy afternoon somewhere remote and airy. The palette is completely different than the one above, yet still achieves a strikingly somber tone. Maris uses the greens of the landscape as undertones in the sky above this time along with yellows to fashion a very complex warm grey mosaic of sky. The forms are painted much more loosely also, possibly indicating colder weather that may have been uncomfortable to paint in. Look closely and observe how he uses thick strokes for the darker areas, while using warm, earthy grays in the woods and base of the windmill. The main figure appears to be chopping wood, but looking closely he is barely a form on the canvas and yet Maris depicts him with the same mood and realism as the sky above. Note the shadow reflections in the water and how those strokes are so flat we would consider them "mud" on the palette, yet here, deep in that water, Maris's eye is very accurate. Pay attention to the edges of the windmill and surrounding trees against the sky, and how he softens them to indicate distance. The brushwork in the sky is once again, hypnotic and sensual, and we can see how Van Gogh would have been inspired by this to incite his own style. Here, Maris takes the ordinary and plunges us into the experience.

Girl knitting on a balcony, Montmartre, 1869

Painted no doubt during Maris' six year stay in Paris, he changes style completely and uses his grays to extremely warm depth with Classical realism in the form of this pretty young girl. The brushwork, however, still utilizes his unique Impressionism and texture. The girl appears to be holding a pose for an uncomfortably long time yet the dreamy expression on her face indicates her thoughts lie far beyond knitting. The lower half of the painting has a palette that would have deeply inspired Van Gogh and others. This would be a treasure to see in person, if it is still at the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag in The Hague. I always respect an artist who can hold his own with both figures and landscapes equally, because historically artists seem to favour one or the other.

View of Montigny-sur-Loing, 1870

What I love about this view is the feeling of the air having cleared slightly after a recent rainfall. The composition is nothing spectacular, but the light and mood of this wide river in the Île-de-France region of Paris draws us in. Despite a seemingly drab, monochromatic palette in the houses along the bank, the way they are almost but not quite silhouetted against that cool sky is brilliant. Look very closely and you can see hints of purple scumbled into the shadow areas of those clouds. Maris' highlights seem to be bright white but upon closer inspection, they are really a dirty greyish-yellow white. The one interesting element of the composition is how the houses become smaller as we look from right to left, gradually merging into the distance. The condition of those houses and these women is a commentary on the standard of living in this region at that era. What really gives depth and realism to this painting, however, is the beautiful reflection along the river. It completes the painting.

The Truncated Mill, 1872

A more daring composition in this work. Maris goes against the grain and crops the windmill to instead focus on the foreground landscape and in particular, the figure with the cane near the fence. It looks like a scene from a film. There is a story here but Maris creates a deep mystery shrouded in those brushstrokes and instead we are left to stand in the cold and observe. The sky here is one of Maris' most dynamic yet, where he appears to almost smear those gray-yellow tones with his dirty fingers, which he repeats in the reflection of the water below. And the effect is nothing short of amazing. The rest of the painting is relatively simple in palette with some reds and greens and browns, but he juxtaposes them to create a visual harmony that is indeed compelling.

Landscape near The Hague, 1891

Note the looser brushwork in this painting. More like a sketch than a finished work, Maris manages to create a beautiful moment using a sparse palette but uses green to deep impact while using a more traditional gray tone in the sky. The brushwork is smoother, with only a hint of texture in those yellowish-grey highlights. Maris may have been experimenting with a new medium of some sort, and as a result we can see distinct cracking in this amazing sky. What is unique in this mood he depicts here is the glimmer of sunshine barely emerging from behind a cloud, and how that lights up the greens in this composition, adding that sharp glimmer on the water. We can learn so much from artists like Maris on how to really open our eyes and see. Art is all about observing the everyday.

The Five Windmills, 1878

Maris' white sky here is a lesson in palette bravura. The level of difficulty in depicting these greys and whites without washing out the landscape requires serious value skills. In fact, it is so dizzying one can hardly discern when he is scumbling white on dark or dark on white. And, in contrast to the other paintings mentioned here, Maris uses a rather sophisticated perspective in this composition to indicate the various windmills and other structures. The level of detail and texture is also much more intricate, suggesting the use of smaller brushes for the various subject matter. While the overall mood may not be quite as intriguing or as personal as the previous works, he manages to stretch himself here in a way that, once again, invites a personal viewing of the original at the museum to further comprehend his brushwork.

Maris may not be a recognized household name, but he was a prominent landscape artist in his day, and for good reason. His work should be recognized in the highest order for what he was able to achieve using a limited palette and the relatively uninteresting subject matter of windmills. Mood. Values. And greys. Maris was master of all of these.
John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-56984028830628846292016-05-14T13:33:00.001-06:002016-05-14T13:33:57.504-06:00René-Antoine Houasse, French Classical Master
Dispute between Minerva and Neptune over the Naming of the City of Athens, 1689

Born in 1645 in Paris, René-Antoine Houasse was a French painter who worked in the Château de Versailles under his teacher, Charles Le Brun. Despite the initial impression of Classical formality, Houasse actually was quite musical and rhythmic in his compositions and had a very French palette. His figures are quite sculptural while retaining an elegance and grace regardless of gender.

In the above Dispute between Minerva and Neptune over the Naming of the City of Athens, Houasse divides the painting with light to add a stark drama to an otherwise Classically formal composition. Taken from Ovid's Metamorphoses, the first king of Athens, King Cecrops was looking for a patron god or goddess for his beautiful city, and both Mineva and Neptune fought to win the favor of the gods. Neptune creates the sea by striking his mighty trident into the ground, and while impressive, the gods didn't much care for salty water, so Minerva (or Athena) creates an olive tree, which was more fruitful and sustainable, impressing the gods and winning the city its new name, Athens. Neptune apparently becomes pissed at this decision and decides to flood the city and create a water shortage that legend claims continues to this very day. Note how the gods sit atop the clouds in groups that fade into the distance, while the foreground figures of Neptune and his followers are swarthy and low to the earth. I'm not sure of the significance of the drowning horse, but it most likely has a military reference. I like how the ocean nor the olive tree are given particular attention here, but the figures themselves are the subject. Compare with this version by Noel Halle below, who uses a much lighter palette with more emphasis on skin tones:

Minerva and the Triumph of Jupiter, 1706

I love how this composition and the action of the figures creates a dynamic sense of movement. Houasse uses a pyramidal composition, and the way he integrates the figures so that each one is helping to tell the story as well as using their body language and spears to point, leading the eye around the painting gracefully so that no element goes unnoticed. Notice how simplistic and dull the clouds behind the figures are, and Houasse punches up the figures by making them sharply detailed with great attention to their drapery and colours. Houasse uses the "bookend" principle I call it, where the figures juxtaposed and on opposite ends face opposite directions for visual contrast and harmony. It is an age-old trick which works brilliantly. Here, what makes this painting so interesting to observe is how he contrasts color, in this case blue and red, by juxtaposing a strong shade next to a tint of those two colors. Note how even in Zeus, or Jupiter, his robe changes from a pinkish-orange to a tint of orange. Houasse uses body language as contrast itself by combining relaxed and dynamic figures. Such a musical and beautiful flow to this painting.

Minerva teaches the art of sculpture to the people of Rhodes, 1688

A very Classical subject, Houasse takes his innate love of sculpture and turns it into a theme with Minerva, Roman goddess of war, wisdom and the Arts teaching the art to budding sculptors in the ancient island of Rhodes. These very sculptors would become among the legendary greats of Greece, producing works such as Laocoön and his Sons by Agesander, Athenodorus, and Polydorus and the Colossus of Rhodes. The male figures in this painting tend to have cartoony faces, but if you look carefully they are quite sculptural in themselves, and in fact Houasse most likely is depicting Agesander, Athenodorus, and Polydorus among the six. I love the strong sense of atmospheric perspective, the way the distant architecture is lit in a soft hazy light. The two children seated on the ground may possibly be a reference to the Roman and Baroque eras that would follow with their own unique genius. Note how the sword of Minerva sits at an angle on the ground to indicate fallen soldiers died in battle. Once again, Houasse uses a delicate palette of tinted purples, reds, blues and yellows, the latter using the Renaissance technique of cangiante. I'm sure Houasse would have an influence on the Neo-Classicist painters such as David a century later, with attention to not only palette but the perfection of the figures and their body language in telling the story.

The Birth of Minerva, ca.1680

Houasse uses a pyramidal composition here in this earlier work, spacing the figures far apart, in comparison to Minerva and the Triumph of Jupiter where they are clustered together like a tempest. By doing this our eyes focus more intently on each individual figure. According to the legend Jupiter develops a headache from swallowing whole Metis, Titan personification of wisdom so Hephestos attempts to cure Jupiter by splitting open his head with an axe, unwittingly springing forth the birth of Minerva, fully grown and with helmet and spear, ready to kick ass. This rather unique birth gives her a special case of wisdom and innate connection to being a champion for men. Note the awe and respect from the surrounding figures who perceive this strange event. Note the light purples, blues and oranges in his palette here, in particular the cangiante in the robe of Jupiter. Houasse takes a highly unusual mythology and creates an elegant and graceful painting from it, almost effortlessly.

Below are examples of some of Houasse's draftsmenship...

Etude d'homme debout, a demi tourne

Narcissus at the fountain, 1686

It is sad in one way to acknowledge that the mythology of Classical Greece is outdated in our modern digital world, yet one can't help but wonder how much we have placed irrelevance on important virtues such as wisdom in the process. Houasse may seem passé and formally stiff, but the ingenuity and grace of this subject matter is much deeper than it initially appears on the surface. Minerva may be an ancient outdated concept but her wisdom and patronage of the arts is sadly lacking in today's world, and we need her more than ever. Houasse may lack the penetrating depth of David but what he represents, and the colorful interpretation he offers is important. We need mythology. And we need graceful art. John Valentehttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-35426457759806111202016-03-21T22:10:00.001-06:002016-03-21T22:10:04.109-06:00Gaspar de Crayer, the Other Flemish Master
Portrait of the painter Caspar de Crayer by Anthony Van Dyck, 1630

A contemporary of Rubens, Gaspar de Crayer was born in Antwerp on November 18, 1582. Crayer is interesting in that his style gradually evolved from his early career as a high-Renaissance Flemish artist to Baroque after being in contact with Rubens and his workshop. It is not clear the kind of working relationship they had, but one can easily see the grand scale and intricate compositions of Rubens that held an enormous influence on Crayer. Yet curiously Crayer paints his women with a distinctly Italian sensibility that is reminiscent of Titian, Veronese, and even Spanish artist Murillo. At any rate, judging by the brilliant portrait of him by Van Dyck above his company was well-received by and not seen as a competitor of Rubens nor Van Dyck.

Alexander and Diogenes, early 1600's

Crayer bathes the figures in an uncharacteristically Titianesque warm light. I like how Crayer uses body language to great effect here. Every figure in this painting uses their hands to portray an action or thought. Alexander stands tall, looking down at the indigent Greek philosopher who tells him to get out of his light. Alexander is left unsure of what to make of this man. Crayer portrays Diogenes in a faithful depiction of the ascetic Cynic that had no use for society. He sits on the ground yet he is strong and fully aware of his senses. Various artists painted this anecdote as a theme of moral honesty in the face of aristocracy and formality. Crayer's interpretation itself is honest and without grand manner or monumentality.

The martyrdom of the four crowned heads, 1642

I saw this wonderful painting at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille, France in September of 2014. Crayer's figure composition is brilliant here. Each figure is layered one behind the other, in perspective, to create a strong sense of space and depth, and they are all looking in different directions to underline this depth. Again note the use of hands to communicate the emotions of the figures. Christ is painted in a pure vibrant blue and white symbolizing faith, wisdom and heavenly truth. In this version, four Roman sculptors were martyred for refusing to sculpt a pagan statue and were buried alive in lead coffins and sent to sea. Christ here resurrects one of them and we can see his mallet, chisel and other sculptor tools lying on the ground beside him. Crayer's use of a warm drapery palette in the figures behind Christ contrasts well even with the intensity of the colors because of the body language Crayer uses so effectively here.

The prophet Elijah fed by a raven, ca.1630

Crayer's warm skin tones and ruddy robe contrast against the dark verdant hues of the distant trees behind Elijah. It is not clear if Crayer had a workshop in the same scale or manner as Rubens, but if not it is amazing the amount of sheer detail in that foliage, while Elijah the prophet is painted with the Antwerp attention to anatomy that was inspired by Rubens. Crayer's use of models here has such personality and character to his faces. Crayer's definite forte is painting legs, and besides Rubens I cannot think of another artist who portrays muscular legs in the same way as Crayer did. He shows character and moral strength by this muscularity, a very humanistic mode that dominated the Baroque for years to come.

Saint Benedict receiving Totila, King of the Ostrogoths, 1633

Crayer again uses depth of space in his figure arrangement, and a warm light spilling across the scene. The contrast of costume is something that needs to be mentioned here, in how subtle yet prominent he juxtaposes glimmering armour with red and black drapery. I like how the composition of the figures gradually leads the eye to Saint Benedict and Totila, that focusing more on the surrounding figures is more visually interesting than just the main story or theme. Note how to the right a dog plays with a horse. Crayer seems to be saying that society itself was tiring of religious themes by this time, perhaps. A great painter whose eye for figures and color deserve merit and, numerous studies on my easel.

John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-78432421376371949942016-02-28T13:23:00.001-07:002016-02-28T13:23:59.137-07:00Peder Mønsted, Danish Delight
A Stream and a Deer, 1905

Born December 10, 1859, Peder Mørk Mønsted was a Danish landscape painter from western Denmark. Popular throughout Europe and Africa throughout his career, Mønsted clearly established himself as Denmark's greatest landscape artist for his supreme technical abilities, strong compositions and meditative peacefulness. His brushwork varied from very loose and Impressionist to a neatly detailed attention that served to heighten the sensation of presence, in contrast to much Photorealism that would come decades later to merely mimic the camera with no personality whatsoever. Mønsted's love for the countryside and nature is so seductive it lures us into his world in a direct way that I haven't quite seen before in landscape art. There is an immediacy and simplicity to his work, a sense of standing in the grass and snow that is inviting. Most landscape work from the vedute painters of Italy right up to the English of the 19th century held a deep formality to their work that was often meant to overwhelm and impress the viewer or comment on the vanishing countryside with the vast popularization of cities. Mønsted shows us that nature is right in front of us, waiting to be discovered and when it has, to be savoured quietly. Moments are the medium of his art.

Just look at A Stream and a Deer above. Mønsted uses one-point perspective along with a luminous reflection of the trees to lead our eye across the stream to those warm pockets of sunshine and fauna in the distance. Note how in this composition Mønsted uses the natural slope of the stream bed and the trees to lead our eye from left to right, with light dappling in between the trees themselves. Up close the brushwork is actually quite loose, but it is Mønsted's use of light and value that is the real genius here. Note the warm greys Mønsted uses below the trees, and the very cool greys along the right edge of the stream. This is an absolutely beautiful painting, and probably one of his best.

A view of Borresö from Himmelbjerget, Denmark, 1912

Mønsted's use of broad daylight is extremely courageous here, as most landscape artists and photographers usually go to great lengths to avoid this kind of light for its flatness. However, the dramatic clouds scudding across the sky is captivating in the suggestion of a weather change and in Mønsted's palette of yellows and blue-greys, even greens in some areas. This reproduction here is inferior unfortunately but the sense of detail and grandeur cannot be mistaken.

The Woodland Glade, 1898

This vertical composition still carries a strong sense of space, depth and beautiful complementary colors. Mønsted also creates visual interest by varying the length, width, color and texture of the trees, using atmospheric perspective to its fullest example here. Look at how the main tree leans back slightly and how Mønsted uses soft cool shadows with the moss next to the white texture of the birch, leading our eye downward to the warm blanket of leaves on the ground. All great landscape art is an invitation, and this beautiful serenity is a place that anyone would feel at peace in. You can almost inhale that fresh autumn air.

Wooded River Landscape, 1913

Another gorgeous sanctuary. Dream-like. Mønsted gives us the point of view that we are on a boat, moving quietly toward this sun-dappled pocket of nature. The reflections are what make this composition more appealing, and Mønsted even enhances the yellows in the greens reflected in the water. Note how the palette of the reflections in the river becomes warmer as the sunlight spills onto that central area. Mønsted uses very earthy reds yet glazes them with warm greens. Behind that, in the background the water turns very dark, a dark green that is framed by sunlit trees. Even more interesting area is the sky itself, which Mønsted mixes a very complex greenish white-grey that is also reflected in the foreground area of the river. Mønsted uses a looser brush in this painting yet the values reveal a very conscious effort to remain as accurate as possible. Again, the atmospheric perspective adds depth with the background trees fading behind into the distance, so subtle yet so important to the feeling of depth. This would definitely be a painting to see in person.

Snowy forest road in sunlight,1908

A rather uninteresting composition, but Mønsted creates presence here. This is a fairly large painting (120 × 200 cm (47.2 × 78.7 in)) which definitely creates presence. Mønsted's motif of making nature itself the subject, with people in the background as tiny and insignificant, used for scale, is not a new device but the way Mønsted uses it seems so. Two children play in the background, one pulling the other on a sled and yet this is not the story. The scene itself is the story. Mønsted's palette here is one of his most complex, as white is not the easiest color to mix, especially snow in late afternoon. The blueish-greys of the long shadows falling across the snow is fairly straightforward, but note how Mønsted varies the edges of those shadows. And how he places very faint warm violet shadows next to them. And the illusion of a shovelled sidewalk is also superb. If you look carefully, you can even see how Mønsted scumbles pure white in certain areas to create the illusion of snow twinkling in the sunlight. Why Mønsted uses bright green in the foreground trees is a peculiar choice, yet it works visually and also hints symbolically at the promise of Spring. Again, Mønsted varies the angles of the foreground trees, and one is an actual stump with jagged edges. Those soft shadows falling across the trees and his indication of texture is breathtaking, as usual. The atmospheric perspective of the warm bare branches also hints at the arrival of Spring.

Mønsted is more than just a mere landscape painter. His work is a visual meditation. He reminds us of how important nature is in our lives and how we are a part of it, a message that is very relevant in our digital age of burying our faces in our cellphones. This is what we need to be burying our faces in.John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-81945298723445261672016-01-16T15:24:00.002-07:002016-01-16T15:24:29.348-07:00Dutch Painter of Light
Meridional Landscape with Horsemen and a Cart drawn by Oxen; in the Background the Ponte Lucano over the Aniene and the Plautii Tomb, ca.1652

Jan Dirksz Both was a Dutch landscape painter born in Utrecht around 1609. Known as an Italianate painter, i.e a painter of lush italian-style landscapes inspired by Claude Lorrain and almost always from imagination, or capriccio. Both was a pioneer of using the drama of Baroque chiaroscuro in his vivid landscapes. Also interesting is how Both often painted artists painting or drawing, as subjects in the paintings, which was a theme sometimes seen in the works of artists such as Piranesi, Pannini, and Bellotto among others. Whereas most vedute painters incorporated strong elements of architecture in their scenes, Both focused more on the geography and verdant foliage and how light changes the landscape.

In the above painting you can see how Both uses a very warm palette, even in his blues. Look at how the clouds are painted with thick yellow brushstrokes that merge into yellow-green, with blue-green greys in the shadows as the clouds grow higher in altitude. Note how he paints small traces of that yellow-green across the top of the sky, so subtle yet it makes the deep cobalt blue sky pop out. Those yellow-greens and blue-green greys continue below along the range of hills and the valley beyond. Even Both's green foliage has deep ruddish undertones, which become increasingly darker as they come closer to the foreground. Both paints the leaves of those magnificent trees with loving attention to hue and value, whereas many painters today would use a thick brush to dapple on the canvas to indicate all that foliage, Both lets us know it is the best part of the painting. You cannot fake leaves. The main figures here seem like background elements, almost silly, all three on horses and accented with warm red clothing, yet serve to give scale and perspective to the overall landscape. Both uses light in a highly sensual and glorious tone, even if only to reveal nature itself as miraculous to behold.

Landscape with a draftsman, ca. 1645

Both's use of perspective, space and scale here with a zig-zag composition leads the eye from the cool distant mountains to the warmth of the foreground rocks and foliage. Note how Both uses scale to juxtapose space...the foreground tree looms tall compared to the one off in the distance, its leaves hit by the sunlight. Even the tiny figures crossing the bridge provide an important sense of scale. What is interesting here is how Both paints the cool morning mist behind the bridge by blending those colors together...so simple yet it creates so much atmosphere to an already beautiful scene. Those distant trees are side-lit with very cool tones that contrast against the warmer trees of the middle and foreground. Both uses cool beside warm all over this painting, along with soft beside hard edges. Texture is the main ingredient in landscape, not just light and sky. It is a masterpiece not merely because it is scenic, but because it invites us to walk inside the painting, inside this peaceful world of drama and sensuality without shock-value. The more we explore it the more beautiful it becomes.

Italian landscape by evening, ca.1645

Absolutely dream-like, this surreal painting is more an experience than a landscape. I have never seen anything like this in the thousands of landscape paintings I have seen, and over a hundred years before Turner. In this world of agriculture and working peasants, Both challenges what real wealth truly means by asking us what we hold more important, earthly possessions which fade...or Nature, which is true beauty and eternal? I truly enjoy the idea of painting as philosophical. This very warm palette, with no blues and hardly any greens at all, yet a wondrous landscape...Both proves sunlight itself can be pure sensuality.

Italian landscape with draughtsman, ca.1650

Gorgeous. Pure poetry. Both explores a fuller palette of warms and cools to enhance his textures to dramatic effect. Look at those clouds...the range of drama, expression, and hues are paintings in themselves. Breathtaking. And the way Both uses green here, not as a hue of leaves but as an accent color throughout the trees, from grayish green in the distance to an almost fluorescent green in the foreground. Both even uses a warm range of tones that is nearly orange in some areas. The waterfall off to the right is not a focal point yet is beautiful nonetheless. Both's landscapes are dreams, states of mind, fantasy that pulls us in...and lingers in our memories. This is not just another landscape painter. This may be one of the greatest of all time.

Landscape with the Judgement of Paris, ca.1650

Click here to zoom in at National Gallery in London

This copy from Wikipedia has lost the original colors for some reason, but looking purely at the composition we can glimpse into the genius of Both's vision. The figures were painted by Cornelis van Poelenburgh, a contemporary Dutch figure painter with vibrant skintones. What makes this work so intriguing is how Both really makes the mythology irrelevant to the background of Nature itself, the true story here. And yet we want to be with those figures in this lush verdant dream. Paris hands the apple to Venus as a gesture of preference for true nature of love and beauty over the complex materialism of human creations, and Both personifies the idea itself in the overall composition itself. Both challenges the notion of landscape as mere decoration on the walls of the wealthy and instead, offers us paradise as Nature itself, mindfulness, away from the problems of our own creation to the perfection of beauty itself. John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-8332098434389626132015-11-28T16:59:00.003-07:002015-11-28T16:59:52.817-07:00Danish Genius
Fishermen hauling nets, North Beach, Skagen, 1883

Peder Severin Krøyer was a Danish Painter born in Norway on July 23, 1851. He was a key member of the so-called Skagen Painters, a group of en plein air artists from Northern Denmark who took a more Realist style that emphasized figures and fishermen, rather than the predominant Impressionism that swept France during the same period. Although Krøyer studied in Europe and especially Paris during this time, his style has an immediacy and presence that is warm and inviting, closer in style to Sorolla but with an emphasis on adults and families. He uses a very earthy palette leaning towards greens and yellows, but it is his use of light that is captivating.

In Fishermen hauling nets above, we see a strong sense of movement and physicality that is not often portrayed in artwork of fishermen. We can actually feel the struggle of them tugging hard on that net, all seven of them, with their feet pressing deeply into the wet sand as the sun sets off to the left of the frame, casting a warm glow on their wet clothing. Note how Krøyer composed this scene. He groups the men into groups of two, spacing each group differently, and with different color contrasts so as not to tire the eye.

Observe how Krøyer's palette shifts from left to right from cool to warm. He uses a clever "w" shape composition of the figures:

I love the slick texture of that brownish-red sand with the greenish hues underneath. This was much more than just a painter of fishermen.

At the victualler's when there is no fishing, 1882

This is probably one of the most beautiful paintings ever created on the theme of fishing. Krøyer addresses the plight of fishermen as other great artists have, such as Sorolla with stark, moody interior light in a small community represented in this room of disillusioned faces. Krøyer's subtle social commentary on this fishing community revolves around inactivity and waiting, where the identity of these men revolves around their work and how it feeds the community, right down to the children in the foreground. Here Krøyer has a keen understanding of personality and character that reflects in the body language and action of each figure in his paintings, which he gives a certain palette and style of dress to identify who they might be. Krøyer knows that observation of people is everything in painting figures, and how they are arranged and interact with their immediate environment can make or break the painting.

Hip, hip, hurra!, 1888

I love the notion of toasts in painting, and this one is no exception. The use of one point perspective pulls us in. Reminiscent of another great painting by Adrien Moreau, Toast to the Heir Presumptive, here Krøyer focuses on the faces amidst the dappled sunlight streaming through the foliage. It is not immediately clear why these people are drinking champagne in the middle of the day outside but obviously something warranted a cheerful celebration. It has the immediacy of making us want to be there at the table, celebrating with them. Note how Krøyer places the women's heads on the same horizontal eye-level, while the men are also roughly on the same level, the only difference being the women are seated while the men are standing. This may indicate the traditional social standing of gender and propriety at that time, but here the overall setting is happy and warm.

Osteria in Ravello, 1890

A beautiful warm light bathes this interior of a very rustic osteria in southern Italy. Here Krøyer appears to be channeling Sargeant, who was a contemporary of his although it is not known whether the two actually met. Krøyer has a distinct eye for texture which can be seen in the tarnished beams and arched wall above the entrance and in the brushwork of the bar and the floor, where he combines both cool and warm tones. I like how even in this simple composition Krøyer both tells a story and uses sharp visual contrast: by grouping the figures at the table on the left and having the two men behind the bar on the right facing opposite directions, one lighting his pipe while the other gazes at the figures at the table. The men appear to be either playing cards, each figure concentrating on his own world. Even the figure outside is curious as to what is happening. Krøyer has a motif of community and social gatherings in his work that makes us mindful of the everyday activity in our own lives. Had Krøyer lived long enough to see our present world of faces buried in cell phones one can only imagine the type of work he would have painted.

A luncheon. The artist, his wife and the writer Otto Benzon, 1893

I love this painting. It appears more like a scene from a film than a painting. Krøyer himself is on the far left having a casual discussion over breakfast or lunch with Danish author and playwright Otto Benzon, while Krøyer's wife listens intently in the middle. Krøyer uses a distinct palette for all three of them, from deep blue to warm yellow to a cool gray, which he echoes visually in the walls behind them. Note the very subtle hues of the tablecloth that he paints. Again, everyday life is what fascinates Krøyer, and here he makes it intriguing to watch as we see Benzon in the middle of a sentence and we wonder what they might be talking about. The way Krøyer uses this warm and cool balanced palette with his clever use of interior space makes us feel like we are in the room having lunch with them. Nothing dramatic is occurring here. Yet it pulls us in.

Below are some examples of Krøyer's Impressionist portraits with dazzling brushwork and astute grasp of personality and character:

Italian village hatters, 1880

This dramatic and uncharacteristic chiaroscuro work of Krøyer reminds me of Velázquez, for some reason. Krøyer has a deep respect for the working man and how it affects the community and children, and in this poignant scene he exemplifies this perfectly. I love that ray of sunlight breaking through the darkness of this sweaty worker and his small children who probably don't earn very much but take pride in their work and their lives. There is no sense of indignity in their faces, in fact, they seem rather content. There is something healing in this concept that hard work benefits the soul in a way that transcends money, despite the spartan environment. Krøyer is an astute observer of human nature and of community, that people are more important than things, and that we are all part of the fabric of daily life beyond materialism. We are what we do on a daily basis. This is the simple yet powerful genius of Krøyer.
John Valentehttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-40558598224716171462015-11-08T19:24:00.003-07:002015-11-08T19:24:54.842-07:00The French Modern Tenebrist
Femme à la fenêtre attendant l'arrivée d'une personne

Born in Northeastern France on March 19, 1862, Marcel Rieder was a French painter whose use of light is captivating and warm. Rieder was a sort of modern tenebrist reminiscent of Matthias Stom, Gerard van Honthorst, Joseph Wright of Derby and Georges de La Tour. His style seems to be somewhat Hopperesque. What makes Rieder unique is that all of his figures are women, predominantly, and his type of genre painting has a mysterious quality in that the figures are pensive, lost in their own world. This type of psychology is an interesting element that draws us toward his subjects and makes us reflect on our own thoughts.

In the above painting a woman stands by the window with a soft light coming through the window, waiting for someone. The composition is not terribly inventive (although the use of perspective draws us in), and the surrounding elements seem rather dull, but it is the way Rieder painted this woman that is captivating. One hand opens the drapes while the other rests on the chair to suggest the arrival of her significant other. The expression on her face is real. And the way the curtains mimic the fabric of her dress is brilliant. Reider uses a verdant view through the window that is soothing to the eye and counterbalances the warmth of the interior. I like how Reider combines the palette of both interior and exterior for the mottled fabric of the chair itself. The crooked frame on the wall behind her has an obscure reference to something but does not unsettle us.

Jeune femme songeuse, assise devant la cheminée, 1932

I absolutely love this painting. Incredible use of light, contrasting both artificial and natural "primal" light. Look at those deep shadows on the wall behind the frames. The mirror above the fireplace dimly suggests a background of more frames. What makes this painting interesting also is Reider's use of texture and color, with the long green sofa and a small bouquet of flowers on the table. Again, her dress also plays a role here, with the front reflecting the warmth of the fire, and the back reflecting the sharp light of the lamp. Once again, Rieder combines this palette into the area rug on the floor this time. The smooth yet hazy neutral tones on the wall beside the crumpled curtains...Rieder makes us feel like we are in the room with her. She is lost in thought and a trace of a smile is on her lips. How Reider was able to take ordinary objects like candle holders on the mantel and imbue them with such character against that dramatic light is a testament to his talent. This is a meditative painting, and its simplicity is pure genius.

The new toy, 1910

Here Reider verges on the sentimental, yet his ingenius complementary color palette and drama is inspiring. The chandelier seems to point like an arrow toward the main three figures, arranged in a triangular level space. Rieder uses three distinct age groups to represent innocence, affection and wistfulness, with the eldest woman, presumably the mother, looking at the child with an expression of yearning for the simplicity of childhood. Those deep shadows on the wall, with those rays of lamplight piercing into that orange wall is absolutely incredible. Rieder learned and grew beyond the tenebrist Caravaggio painters of the past into a modern interior style that is beautiful and intoxicating, without the need for violent drama or stark figures against a black space. Grace and beauty remain and yet it is still dramatic. Rieder clearly was more observant than most, and his palette can be studied endlessly.

Beauté crépusculaire au bord du lac d'Annecy

In one of his letters he wrote: "A picture of a waterfall is well done when you hear the water running." Here Rieder proves he can paint more than just interiors, and the mood he creates here is breathtaking and peaceful all at once. Look at the background palette of greens and purples, and how this contrasts with the deep warmth of the candles on the table and the way those trees frame the top of the composition. Although it is not clear what the two figures here are doing or waiting for, as the table is only set for two people, the mood itself is so serene and beautiful it doesn't really matter.

I can't think of a more astute observer of light in any modern painter than Reider, and although his subjects seem to lack clear intention it is this mystery that compels us to observe his work even more. This is a profoundly inspiring painter who is clearly not mentioned enough in perhaps what appears as sentimental to others, Rieder knew that mindfulness is the key to great painting.
John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-7558324192231825382015-09-20T17:06:00.000-06:002015-09-20T17:06:03.712-06:00Noël Hallé
Eglée barbouillant Silène de mûres pour le forcer à chanter l'histoire du monde, 1771

Born September 2, 1711 in Paris, Noël Hallé was a French painter and printmaker. Hallé is a lesser-known artist among his contemporaries yet his work exudes a poetry and drama that is distinctly French—he was the nephew of Jean Jouvenet. However his brushwork is sometimes loose and this loose style is reminiscent of Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini and Giuseppe Maria Crespi. Hallé's graceful use of figures and body language along with vivid color are what make him interesting to study.

In the above painting, Hallé's Silenus is quite different than the usual portrayal by painters such as Rubens, who often depicted him as obese and disgusting. Here, Silenus is obviously drunk but in a very relaxed manner, yet exudes a certain Classical grace. I don't understand the entire context of this narrative but Eglee is a naiad who smears blackberry on his face in an attempt to extract his profound wisdom on the history of the world while the satyr on his right holds him back. In the background a satyr flees with a beautiful naiad and her companions. Hallé creates a verdant, idyllic setting with vivid attention to detail that we can immerse ourselves in completely, while also conveying the sense of pure myth and fantasy. Hallé's anatomy and skin tones are flawless, and the body language of each figure clearly illustrates their purpose in the composition.

Hercules and Omphale, 1759

Hallé painted more than one version of this theme, and even this version differs from the one I saw at the Palais des beaux-arts de Lille last year. Note how the drapery and cherubs above lead the eye in a circular motion clockwise toward the mural that Omphale, Queen of Lydia, reveals to Hercules. Hallé's ease of figure arrangement is very clever—note how he arranges most of the figures here in groups of three, except for Hercules and Omphale whom he divides in a sharp V-shape. Note the two groups of women above them and how they are arranged, with one looking at Hercules in the light, while the other in shadow looking at the mural. It is clear that Hallé was no fool when it came to composition and figures. Beautiful drapery and skin tones, as always. Compare with the version I saw in Lille:

Histoire d'Hercule et Omphale, 1759

Cornélie, mère des Gracques, 1779

Cornelia, mother of the Gracchi is an important Roman mythological figure as a exemplar mother and woman. Here she gestures towards her two sons, both carrying scrolls as a symbol of knowledge. I really like Hallé's color harmonies here and how they play up the figures without distracting from the overall theme. Note the child with face perched on mom's lap to the right.

The Race between Hippomenes and Atalanta, 1765

Great composition. Hallé uses a strong horizontal narrative to illustrate this story of Atalanta running against Hippomenes. According to the legend, she raced against her suitors in an attempt to find the fittest, as she was a very athletic woman. Hippomenes tricks Atalanta by dropping apples along the way, given to him by Venus, which Atalanta picks up from the ground, in effect losing the race and finding her new husband. Hallé's figure arrangement here is absolutely superb. Knowing that too much focus on background figures could distract the viewer from the main figures, Hallé arranges the figures to lead our eye from left to right and returning repeatedly to Atalanta and Hippomenes. Note also how the left side of the composition is sparse with mostly sky, while the right side has more flora and the majority of figures to emphasize the "finish line". Compare with this famous version by the great Guido Reni.

Hallé's freshness toward mythology is inspirational in that no subject matter needs to be staid or boring. It is all in how we approach the figures and the setting they inhabit. The figures that Hallé illustrates are works of art in themselves, sculptural and graceful in nature while using an innate sense of color and drapery. Reading works of mythology can often seem fantastic or ridiculous to conceive but under the ingenious brush of Hallé, it seems possible and even natural.John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-51769025939008764392015-07-02T22:32:00.001-06:002015-07-02T22:32:16.712-06:00William Orpen, Irish Portrait Master
John Andrew Hamilton, Viscount Sumner, 1931?

Irish portrait and WWI painter William Orpen was born on November 27, 1878 in Dublin. Orpen is an interesting figure in the period he was born in, and by reading his bio one gets the impression that his life may have made an interesting film. Successful during his career, Orpen painted a large amount of military and formal portraits with a freshness and candor not often seen in British painters, especially in his portraits that are "unfinished". Orpen is essentially unknown today but his work deserves merit for his immediacy and presence, no matter who he painted, and his portraiture also serves as a snapshot of an era in British history that photographs could not capture quite the same way.

In the above study of John Andrew Hamilton, Orpen achieves a strong presence with a great economy of brushstrokes. Note the stern gaze and tightness of lips that convey a figure with authority. Even with a quirky grayish-blue swash of background color and unfinished coat, this man's presence is unquestionable. Interestingly, Orpen creates a fuzzy white background by scumbling a warm white to cover up a previously darker choice. Orpen models the face with a minimum of blending that, from a distance, is spot on. Paintings such as this are inspiring because they remind us of how the depth of a portrait has everything to do with intense focus of presence and less to do with color harmony.

Portrait of Herbert Barnard John Everett, ca. 1909

I love the mysteriousness and elegance of this portrait. Note how this man had taken off his glove and holds it confidently with the other hand. Orpen is a master of body language, and this very subtle gesture and pose reveals much about this sitter and at the same time raises questions. Who was this gentleman? Herbert Barnard John Everett was an English marine and landscape painter, and here Orpen has captured his confidence and tallness with a quiet eloquence not often seen in portraiture. That shadow against the wall is the icing on the cake that makes this painting.

Sir Arthur Schuster, 1912

Fresh. This painting has such an immediacy and presence it feels like we are sitting in the room with him. That relaxed, smiling face and casual pose has the spontaneity of a photograph...the twinkle in those eyes is genuine, along with the cigarette in his hand. The brushwork of the suit is rich and simple. This time, Orpen chose a darker background to contrast with this sitter, and it works wonderfully. You can read more about Sir Arthur Schuster here.

The Eastern Gown, 1909

Beautiful and so sensual. This painting once again typifies Orpen's genius for body language. The drapery is nothing elaborate, but it is the mood he creates here and the world of this young woman gazing at herself in this small mirror that draws us in. The brushwork of her translucent gown shimmers suggestively, and her pose has a slightly Classical feel to it even though relaxed and spontaneous. Orpen chooses a neutral palette for the drapery to concentrate our eye on the lovely young woman. This is such an inspired piece for me, quiet and yet eloquent.

Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart, 1919

An example of Orpen's military portraiture, this is a stark portrait of a Lieutenant-General veteran who fought bravely and survived multiple gunshot wounds and a plane crash. Orpen's portrait is sincere, real and unpatriotic, portraying a man who saw more than most soldiers of his era. Orpen manages to capture both vulnerability and strength here...you can see it in his eye. Note the plain white scumbled background again. I like the blue-gray midtone of the jawline.

 Grace reading at Howth Bay, early 1900's

I love this portrait of Orpen's wife. Loose, rich brushwork and a deceivingly complex palette of whites containing both warm and cool hues. That shadow on the rocks behind her is a warm, violet-colored tone that brings the whole painting together.

The Mirror, 1900

I viewed this painting at the Tate Britain in London last year and was mesmerized by its stark simplicity. Note the intricate reflection in the curved mirror, as if Orpen is channeling Jan van Eyck. Orpen creates mood effortlessly and with little to say, except everything the subject is. Under his astute brush, the portrait is not merely to dignify or define a person...but to be with them. Feel their presence. Amen.
John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-33335168619340449062015-05-17T00:35:00.001-06:002015-05-17T00:35:38.871-06:00Gaertner: A Visual Beethoven
Rear view of the Houses at Schloßfreiheit, 1855

Eduard Gaertner was a German architectural painter born on June 2, 1801 in Berlin. Known for his stunning attention to detail and his natural use of light, Gaertner was a Romantic who captured the everyday life of Germany with a fondness for the world he lived in. By this time it seems the era of the veduta had waned since Canaletto, yet Gaertner's views are more personal and real. He lived during the early years of photography and this had a marked effect later in his career. Looking at his beautiful scenes, we can sense a yearning for experiencing the moment and not just capturing it, as a camera can. The love of nature and architecture together summarize the sharp eye of Gaertner and in these examples we'll explore why.

In Rear view of the Houses at Schloßfreiheit above, Gaertner uses perspective in a Classic veduta style with prominent architecture, but it is the way that late afternoon sun bathes the buildings while leaving the foreground in cool shadow. The tonal color palette of the architecture itself draws our eye in. It's as if the buildings themselves have personality. The figures strewn across the foreground suggest a lazy Sunday without much activity and the whole painting has a strong presence and mindfulness of the moment.

Die Neue Wache in Berlin, 1833

Gaertner's motif of forlorned public areas is not lonely or alienating, but calm and peaceful. Observe how the light in this painting glows so faintly in the foreground, yet becomes brighter towards the setting sun. Yet at the same time, that statue appears stark and immortal against that sky, as does the tree off to the right. Notice how that statue is carefully "caged" inside that ornate wrought-iron gate while the tree is unencumbered and free. Gaertner seems fascinated by the interaction of man-made monuments and architecture vs nature, and how they coexist.

Die Parochialstraße, 1831

Here Gaertner creates an immediacy of a photograph, without the cold detail that a photo would provide. Instead, Gaertner uses color here to heighten the illusion of a painting, almost cartoon-like, but real. For Gaertner, architecture is not a static, inanimate element but a character in the story, just as much as the figures in the paintings. In this typical European street Gaertner invites us for a walk...and we want to, just because.

View of the Palace of Crown Prince in Berlin, 1849

In this painting Gaertner gives us a reverse angle of Die Neue Wache in Berlin with an entirely different context and mood. Here people interact with the statue and the streets show activity, the sun is shining brightly. Curiously, the tree is now off to the left and marginalized so to speak, yet still an important framing element. Gaertner reminds us that the same familiar place must be seen with new eyes frequently to truly understand it, as its personality changes with light and the context. Note how the head of the statue is almost exactly in the center of the composition.

Below are a couple of examples of Gaertner's sketches:

Studien zum Brustbild eines liegenden Jungen

Three classicist villas in Bendler Street, ca 1852

The Chinese Room in the Royal Palace, Berlin, 1850

Gaertner clearly had a genius for interiors that must be acknowledged here, and in this incredibly detailed painting we see the exactness that the camera would soon replace art with. His doting attention to every intricate pattern defies the imagination. Yet again, the surreal use of color clearly indicates this is a painting despite the attention to detail. Despite the lack of figures here the stately elegance and stature of the royalty who lived here conveys a presence nonetheless, quiet and beautiful, and inviting. Gaertner always invites us, never intimidates.

Schlossbrücke, 1861

I love the drama and color scheme here. Gaertner combines warm against cool and uses perspective in such a way that we feel like we are in the painting, seeing what is happening before us physically. Gaertner is literally using values as lines that lead our eye around the painting. Schlossbrücke, or Castle Bridge, still stands today in Berlin but here Schlossbrücke captures a moment of sunshine and beauty...Gaertner understood the true nature of art. Life is short, and art reminds us of the fleeting nature of moments and how we need to appreciate the beauty, experience it, feel it...before it runs through our fingertips. Views are not just pretty postcards. They tell stories. They involve us in the world around us and remind us of how all views have the same common need to be experienced. John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-82537616796854320772015-04-26T13:39:00.000-06:002015-04-26T13:39:24.885-06:00Paolo Veronese: Grand Poet of Story and Color

Martyrdom of St Justina, 1556

Paolo Caliari, known as Paolo Veronese was born in Verona, the city of his namesake in 1528. Last year at the National Gallery in London there was an exhibit of his work which garnered rave reviews on Twitter and the internet. Known for his incredible use of color and composition, Veronese is a Venetian giant whose work cannot be fully appreciated here online---it was intended to be seen in person. The sheer scale of his work, often life-size figures, fill a wall or room in a way that separates him from many of his contemporaries and indeed many Old Masters. And although some modernists criticize his work for a lack of emotional connection it is the sheer grandeur and drama he portrayed that was all his own. He was a theatrical painter, a master of grand narrative, and not in the dark way that the tenebrists of Caravaggio would convey nearly a century later. His subtle use of color places him in a category that few painters hold, unique even among other Venetian greats such as Tiepolo.

Note the dramatic composition above in Martyrdom of St Justina. Most of the figures are placed in shadow to the left and clustered, while the right is brighter and more open. The dynamic figures of Mannerism are key here, an influence that he would later alter for more naturalism and attention to body language. The influence of Titian is also strong here, with a muted earth color palette that he would also discard in favor of his own colorful yet dynamic hues. What I like about this painting is how he conveys movement by balancing stationary with moving figures, and the use of red to accent certain figures. Veronese is always about grace and here we see how this theme will pervade the rest of his work.

Perseus Rescuing Andromeda, ca.1578

A dynamic vertical composition with graceful movement. Look at the transparent shadow she is thinly bathed in...painting like this is pure genius. Veronese also uses complimentary colors to balance the harmony of the palette but uses light here in a way that is again, brilliant in that it is subtle and not overly dramatic yet still conveys the jeopardy of the story.

Allegory of Love, III: Respect, ca. 1575

I have good memories of seeing this painting at the National Gallery in London. Veronese makes his figures effortlessly graceful no matter if they are male or female, and young or old. His figures seem to want to burst off the canvas, yet they are also contained and self-aware. The use of yellow and red here would be an odd palette choice for any artist yet Veronese is the supreme poet of making any color work to his advantage in any way he chooses. Here, lust and power are portrayed with innuendo and body language that is dignified and understandable.

Venus Disarming Cupid, ca.1560

Pure feminine grace and sensuality, and fun to observe. The Mannerist influence once again is strong here in the large muscularity of Venus yet it is still quite sensual. Veronese proves he can paint skin tones as well as costume and drapery. Note the use of body language to tell the narrative, and again the complimentary colors.

The abduction of Europa, ca.1578

Gorgeous glowing warm light and his ingenious use of complimentary colors once again. Veronese uses movement alot in his work yet it never detracts nor looks artificial. Look at the drapery in these figures...utterly stunning. Note how Veronese uses hands as a distinctive narrative device to explain the action. I love how the right hand side of the composition fades into the far distance with figures and angels in the sea. Veronese was a passionate poet with the brush.

The Sacrifice of Isaac, ca. 1586

A nearly flawless compostion that flows downward so gracefully for such a somber theme of the Old Testament. Some may criticize this for being too bright and casual, even but for me the body language of the figures conveys the story perfectly and although it is more colorful than necessary it works. And this is because the theme is about love and sacrifice, not cruelty or blind injustice as it is sometimes portrayed as.

Esther Crowned by Ahasuerus, 1556

Mysterious light bathes this painting and I am transfixed by it, along with the low angle perspective as it was most likely meant to be viewed from below. The use of the figures as movement and diagonal compositional elements to lead our eye to Esther is indeed clever here. Note the contrast of shining armour with beautiful drapery. And the way all the faces are in such a mysterious shadow...I've never quite seen this theatrical effect before in this way. Every figure here is a sculpture in its own right.

The Wedding at Cana. 1563

The infamous painting that nearly got him burned at the stake. I fondly remember looking at this painting in the Louvre last year and being transfixed at the face of Christ, who is clearly perplexed by what is going on all around him. Veronese was not just a painter of pretty pictures...there is keen cynicism in the religion of his day and how the Church carried itself. All of the figures here are grandiose and yet musical at the same time, a brilliant synthesis of complimentary colors and elegant body language. Veronese creates a masterpiece here that needs to be seen in person to be fully understood.

The Martyrdom and Last Communion of Saint Lucy, ca. 1582

Veronese here is a master of mood and deeply subtle light. Those skin tones glow, as do the drapery that is a testament of his incredible glazing skills. Note how the drama is stronger here and there is less vibrancy in the palette, with emphasis on the story and the figures. Veronese still however, uses the motif of blue sky in the distance and Venetian architecture with vanishing figures in the distance. I love how the hands once again narrate here.

Portrait of a Man, ca. 1578

An example of Veronese's incredible versatility. The understated elegance of this portrait. No bright colors, only a muted palette. Just dignity and confidence yet in a highly natural pose.

Portrait of Alessandro Vittoria, ca.1575

One of the great underrated Italian sculptors, Alessandro Vittoria here is depicted with immense respect and appreciation, and for good reason. Veronese could have easily made a career of portraiture just by his sensitivity to his subjects. We feel like we know him somehow, looking at this portrait here, which is the goal of all portraiture.

Martyrdom of Saint George, ca. 1564

A spectacular array of confusion and composition. This kind of narrative is extremely complex to depict, for obvious reasons, and yet Veronese makes it look totally effortless. Movement and eye direction are key here. The flow of the composition is musical in how our eye moves, once you really look at it but Veronese also uses color as the main component to lead our eye around. There are still complimentary colors at work, but the range of tonality he uses in these hues is incredible. The figures are also among the most expressive he has ever painted, and the most naturalistic. It makes me want to grab a brush or pencil and study these faces and body language.

Moses saved from the waters, circa. 1580
 I love how the use of light here is a sort of Venetian chiaroscuro, with transparent shadows and colorful costumes. The figures appear to be lit as if from a spot light above them. Look at how they blend in with the dark trees and sky behind them. They are overdressed in Venetian style yet we are drawn to it, entranced by it.

The Last Supper, ca. 1585

A composition that clearly is influenced by Tintoretto, yet once again the motif of placing all the action at the left in cluttered fashion with only two figures off to the right. This is arguably the most physical depiction of the Last Supper ever painted, maybe overly dramatic, but Veronese still maintains body language and details in facial expression that are naturalistic and not mimicking Da Vinci. Movement again is highly concentrated to the left yet diminishes in body language as our eye moves toward the right. This warm Titian-style palette is so beautiful to watch yet his figures are what keep our attention and what they are doing.

Veronese is a grand Master and one who breathed Humanism into figures that would be dramatically downgraded by tenebrism much later. Much can be learned from the numerous works of Veronese and how he approached his palette and his figures. He was much more than a colorist. He was a musician with the brush.
John Valentehttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-38974028165781948572015-04-03T13:41:00.000-06:002015-04-03T13:41:06.266-06:00The Quirky French Genius of Louis-Léopold Boilly
"Laughing Man" Study for a self portrait. Chalk, early 1800's

Born July 5, 1761 Louis-Léopold Boilly was a prolific French portrait painter and draftsman. If there was ever an artist who whose biography would inspire a truly entertaining movie, Boilly would be the one. His career was active throughout the French Revolution and Napoleon, and yet his keen portrayal of the French middle class has a unique charm that makes him very likeable. As a draftsman, Boilly was one of a kind, probably better than his paintings, and his numerous oil sketches are excellent studies in themselves. Looking at his self-portrait above, you can instantly sense the vivacity and humor of this man without even reading a biography.

Entrance to a free show at the Ambigu-Comique Theatre, 1819

Here we can immediately grasp Boilly's brilliant sense of group composition, action and space. Boilly takes a horizontal arrangement of figures and groups them by foreground, middle and background. The foreground figures to the left are clearly of an upper-class, while the middleground figures just off-center to the right are fighting to enter the building. Note Boilly's use of body language: each character is defined by what they are doing. At the far right of the composition the figures are loosely grouped together yet he uses their arms as a compositional device to direct our eyes to the figure falling on the ground and the others who are up higher grabbing the support of the awning. Although it is not exactly clear what is happening we can safely deduce that the people fighting to get in are definitely not rich. Boilly uses movement and vivid colors to keep our eyes on the story unfolding in this simple scene with complex body language and implied lines. Boilly may have been a silly man but as an artist, he was clearly no fool.

Game of Billiards, 1807

A subject that is rarely portrayed in art, billards became very popular during this era of France. Boilly uses perspective and a dramatic skylight to illuminate this scene, which interestingly is populated with several women...something we often don't see even in our times. Another recurring theme is the use of dogs, revealing Boilly's love of them. Although Boilly can be accused of having cartoony faces in many of his figures, with plenty of sentimentality in the portrayal of women and children, it is never cloying. Boilly is an astute observer of people and human nature. I think of him more as a visual writer than a painter. This painting is so simple yet the complexity of the facial expressions and personalities shows the amount of thought he put into this painting. The women are illuminated in glowing white tones, while the men are dark and mysterious. His use of green is a strong motif throughout this painting, leading our eye gracefully across the painting from left to right. Again, his grouping of figures is so intuitive we take it for granted. Look at how each group of figures is arranged not only by odd and even numbers, but also by subtle changes in direction contrast so as to not appear dull visually. Each group also has a clear intention to the story unfolding, and Boilly uses facial expression and hands to provide information to what each character is doing.

Departure of the Conscripts in 1807, 1808

Boilly's use of scale and color with light to tell his narrative are clearly inspiring here, and demonstrate his range as an artist who could move from intimate interiors like the billards scene to dynamic political historical subjects such as this drama unfolding. This arrangement of figures underneath the Porte St Denis in Paris clearly shows scale and epic narrative. Again, boilly's naturalism in his group compositions are so rich and informative. Although these particular characters have a more affected and theatrical appearance than his other works, Boilly makes up for it with dramatic use of chiaroscuro and color to lead our eye across the painting while simultaneously embracing the scale of the overall scene. Note how that narrow pool of light across the center of the composition adds such visual dimension to the painting. Boilly always cleverly uses emotion as a component in his groups, whether figures are embracing each other, talking amongst themselves, or greeting others, he is a consummate storyteller without words. Note how his palette has such variety of cools and warms across the painting, yet he always manages a strong color harmony that never distracts from the overall story.

Portrait of a Gentleman, 1800's

I love the immediacy of this formal portrait. Boilly is clearly no Rembrandt or Van Dyck...there is no penetrating psychological genius or brilliant brushstrokes here. However, he does capture the pure essence of this man without fussing, without extensive attention to his costume--the jacket clearly shows the underpainting underneath. Boilly gives us freshness and honesty. And that is more than many artists even today have trouble with.

I had the pleasure of seeing Boilly's oil studies at the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille and I was immediately inspired at how astute and natural he was at observing people. Although I didn't see alot of his original drawings I did see this study of a young man below, among others, and the incredible Trompe-l'œil of the coins on the table below, which is truly amazing to witness in person.

'Portrait of the Painter Jean-François van Dael, 1800's

Portraits of faces, 1800's

Three Young Artists in a Studio, ca.1820

Une loge, un jour de spectacle gratuit, 1830

rompe l'œil aux pièces de monnaie sur le plateau d'un guéridon, 1814

So what can we learn from Boilly? His genius was in making the ordinary interesting, even amusing. No subject matter was too intense nor too silly for him. He seems to make effortless use of whatever he chooses. Boilly reminds us that life itself is art, that narrative can be found in the everyday, the middle or upper-class...and how we tell our story is the story. We are visual writers, not just "picture makers". Poetry is found in the moments we take for granted, and Boilly knew this intimately. Life is a range of emotion and characters...pay attention and life reveals itself. John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-84453939215028511462015-03-04T20:59:00.001-07:002015-03-04T20:59:29.862-07:00Belgian Dreamer

 Le Bain, 1880c

Born in Belgium on the 11th of May, 1823 Alfred Stevens was a painter of modern women from the mid-1800's. While successful in his own day in terms of sales, nowadays he is largely unknown and somewhat dated, yet his work carries a certain poetic quality at times that is worth investigating. There is a freshness and spontaneity in his brush that is not commonly seen in other artists, particularly in his era. Although he comes from a strong Classical tradition, Stevens makes effective use of fashion and character in his portraiture with a timelessness, an ability to capture a moment in time like a photograph, but not photographic at all.

In Le Bain above, a woman is lost in though while laying fully clothed in a bathtub of water. She casually holds white flowers in her hand while an open book sits on a pillow beside her. Note the texture of the bathtub in its dark, warm hues that Stevens renders here. Despite this unusual theme the young woman appears carefree and relaxed. When I saw this at the musee d'Orsay last year I marvelled at the seamless grey skintones on her arm and face. This kind of narrative is sadly lacking in today's stoic realism.

The New Blue Ribbon, 1850c

I admire Stevens' blatant simplicity. There really is not much of a narrative here, yet the immediacy and presence is so strong that at first glance it seems vacant, but stare at it longer and you are mesmerized. This is not especially an interesting composition either. However, the soft light and the woman looking at us with those imploring eyes...there is a sense that we already know her and why she is standing there. Stevens uses a flower motif again, more for visual interest than anything, yet it is this young woman who needs no reason to be here and yet we want her to. This is the work of a painter with an intelligence and subtlety that defies description.

Autumn Flowers, 1867

I love this low-key, morose type of painting. Zoom in on the drapery of the blacks and greys and you can see the brushwork is confident, yet not overly detailed. Note how Stevens uses unusual accents of yellows and greens, even blue in certain spots, to suggest ornate details in this dramatic outfit. Zoom out and the details seem to be magic. Again, the flower motif is quite prominent here, and I am not sure of the meaning in this particular choice of bouquet but change and maturity are strongly suggested here. The woman's face here has the Classical presence of a Veronese, and I like the way he has scumbled warm tones on top of the cool underpainting in her skin.

La Fillette aux canards , 1881

Stevens is a master of charm and perception. Here, some may deem this as sentimental but there is an honesty to his work that is not insincere or showy. This is a real moment, and the way Stevens uses his palette of reds and greens, while contrasting a light foreground with a darker background is visually astute. Placing the young girl in the near center of the composition is bold and risky, yet Stevens counterbalances this with a young mother off to the right who watches her daughter adoringly. The brushwork here is incredibly simplistic. Stevens uses strong body language and mood to convey a simple narrative that anyone can understand and appreciate.

 L'Étude du Rôle, 1888

Placing his subject near dead center of the composition once again, Stevens creates mood and presence in a simple study of a young woman posing in front of the mirror. There is something so real and tangible in this moment, with the sun shining outside and the striped yellow and white window cover that we feel we are in the late 1800's in this room, standing not far away from this pretty young art model.

Stevens did not believe necessarily in stature or social standing, but presence, in all of his portraiture. Being is more important than who you are. Mindfulness as the essence of art. This Belgian painter may not be remembered today, but he should. What he was able to utilize can teach all of us.John Valentehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514495389036456782.post-82872924976206969062015-02-05T19:31:00.000-07:002015-02-05T19:31:14.571-07:00The Aura of Art and being in Its Presence

A recent article explains how viewing art in a museum has a more powerful effect on the viewer. John Valentehttps://email@example.com