A Closer Look
I was introduced to a new painting by Vincent van Gogh the other day, Interior of a Restaurant. I’m surprised that I’m still seeing van Gogh paintings for the first time, especially considering I’ve been writing about art for over seven years now. He may have lived a relatively short and turbulent life, but it … Read more
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Let’s take a closer look at The Fishing Boat by Gustave Courbet. I first saw this painting at the European Masterpieces exhibition back in October 2021. I remember it catching my eye despite it being a somewhat quiet painting in a room full of vibrant color and contrast. I’ll cover: (Click here to see a … Read more
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Let’s take a closer look at Woman at Her Toilette by Berthe Morisot. This is Impressionism at its best with fleeting brushwork and soft colors woven together in harmony. I’ll cover: Focal Point and Secondary Points of Interest The focal point is, of course, the woman at her toilette. She’s positioned in a prominent spot … Read more
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Let’s take a closer look at Marie Joséphine Charlotte du Val d’Ognes by Marie Denise Villers. I first saw this painting at the European Masters exhibition. It was a popular painting in a room full of great art. I’ll cover: (Click here to see a high-resolution photo of the painting.) Who Painted It? There has … Read more
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In my last post, I took you on a virtual journey of the European Masterpieces exhibition that took place here in Brisbane, Australia. Someone commented that each painting is so beautiful it warrants individual study. I agree. So over the next few weeks, I’m going to be taking a closer look at a handful of … Read more
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Let’s take a closer look at Vincent van Gogh’s Grass and Butterflies. I’m always impressed at how well van Gogh was able to inject life into even the most simple subjects. There’s a sense of movement and activity about it. I’ll cover: Vibrating Colors The painting features a vibration of broken color. Van Gogh wove … Read more
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Let’s take a look at a stunning portrait by Gordon Coutts, Waiting. I first saw this painting at the New South Wales Art Gallery. It stopped me in my tracks, despite it being a subtle painting in a dramatic room. Until that point, I had no idea who Coutts was. But it prompted me to learn … Read more
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Let’s take a look at Vincent van Gogh’s iconic Café Terrace at Night. I’ll cover: Van Gogh describes it well: “On the terrace, there are little figures of people drinking. A huge yellow lantern lights the terrace, the façade, the pavement, and even projects light over the cobblestones of the street, which takes on a violet-pink … Read more
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Let’s take a closer look at Woman With a Parasol by Claude Monet. This painting embodies Impressionism and Monet’s work. A fleeting moment captured with light colors and fresh strokes. I’ll cover: (You can download a high-resolution version of the painting here. You get to see Monet’s strokes with remarkable clarity.) Key Facts and Ideas … Read more
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“A painting requires a little mystery, some vagueness, and some fantasy.” Edgar Degas Let’s take a closer look at Edgar Degas’ ballet dancers. It’s a large body of work, containing around 1,500 paintings, sketches, pastels, and sculptures. Degas sums them up nicely in the above quote. I cover: A Study of Movement and Life Degas … Read more
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