In this post, I take a closer look at the remarkably sophisticated Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez. There is a lot of information surrounding this painting, but I will try and keep it simple. I’ll cover: Key Facts and Ideas Las Meninas has been the focus of scrupulous research and commentary. It has taken me hours to … Read more
“Painting is but another word for feeling.” John Constable In this post, I take a closer look at a moody English landscape painting named The Hay Wain by John Constable. I cover: Key Facts and Ideas Here are some of the key facts and ideas about the painting: It was originally titled Landscape: Noon, but … Read more
“I must have flowers, always, and always.” Claude Monet In this post, I take a closer look at a pleasant landscape painting named The Poppy Field by Claude Monet. It depicts four people (probably including Monet’s wife and son) strolling through a poppy field at Argenteuil, Paris. Unlike many of the other paintings I write … Read more
In this post, I take a closer look at The Fighting Temeraire by Joseph Mallord William Turner. It is one of those interesting paintings where the more I look, the more I seem to uncover. I cover: Key Facts and Ideas Here are some of the key facts and ideas about the painting: The actual name … Read more
In this post, I take a closer look at Bedroom in Arles by Vincent van Gogh-a colorful depiction of his bedroom, with an awkward perspective and the typical van Gogh style. I cover: Key Facts Here are some of the key facts about the painting: It depicts van Gogh’s bedroom at 2 Place Lamartine in Arles, … Read more
Pablo Picasso’s The Bull is a series of eleven lithographs created in 1945. It depicts the bull at various stages of abstraction, starting with a fairly realistic depiction and ending with nothing but a few lines. The first lithograph in the series appears light and spontaneous, as if it were quickly sketched with a brush and … Read more
In this post, I take a closer look at the remarkably intricate Ophelia by British artist and founding member of the Pre-Raphaelites, Sir John Everett Millais. I cover: Key Facts, Ideas, and Subject The figure in the painting is Ophelia, a character from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Act IV, Scene VII. She is depicted lying in the stream … Read more
Portrait of Madame X, or Madame X, is an elegant portrait by John Singer Sargent featuring a young socialite named Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau. Sargent ranked this as one of his best works, but it was also one of his most controversial. In this post, I cover: Key Facts Here are some of the key … Read more
The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer is a stunning demonstration of realism, color, and composition. In this post, I take a closer look at the painting to see what you can learn and apply to your own art. I cover: Key Facts, Ideas, and Subject The Milkmaid is thought to have been painted around 1657-1658, but … Read more
John Singer Sargent rose to fame for his finely rendered oil portraits. At his peak, he was one of the most sought-after artists for portrait commissions. But, he was also a remarkable watercolorist. I cover the following in the post: Watercolors brought out a different side to Sargent’s work. His meticulous oil portraits feature muted … Read more