CLAUDE MONET - 5

 In 1893, Claude Monet, a horticulture enthusiast, purchased land with a pond near his property in Giverny, about 50 miles northwest of Paris, in the Normandy area.  He wanted to build something that was pleasing to the eye.  The result was his famous water-lily garden.  In the summer of 1899, he started painting a series of eighteen views of the wooden footbridge over the pond, completing twelve works.  

The Japanese Footbridge and the Water Lily Pool - 1899

The color green occupies a great part of this painting.  Trees, grass and lily pads dominate the scene, conveying the message about the strength of natural life.  The Japanese bridge is downplayed by blending into the environment.  Monet prevents the bridge from appearing abrupt to the viewer.  

The garden tells Monet's story and his life for the natural elements in the Asian cultures.  Monet turned his pond into a water garden that contained Asian-influenced objects.  It was in 1895 that he added a Japanese-styled wooden bridge to his water garden.  There were many highly decorative designs in Japanese architecture that he could have chosen, but he picked the most straightforward kind.  Its simplicity embodies the spiritual aspect of Japanese philosophy that stresses the unity between humans and nature.

Technology keeps updating our lives.  The painting shows the exact opposite.  It teaches us that we still need to interact with the outside world despite the astonishing technological achievements.  Taking a walk in nature can bring us some relief from being confined in a concrete box all day.  Monet promotes our co-existence with the environment in this painting.  Notice how the pink and white lilies introduce warm color into the painting.

Monet's positioning of the bridge opens up another interpretation of the human role in the natural world.  The bridge in the middle, representing a connection made by humans, merges the separated trees and lilies visually in the painting, signifying that a noninvasive human creation can sustain the well-being of the environment and become a balancing force that promotes harmony between them.

The bridge spans the pond.  Notice how the four vertical bars create a rhythm that contrasts with the water lilies' horizontal expansion.  Monet said of this painting, "The water flowers are far from being the whole scene; really, they are just the accompaniment.  The essence of the motif is the mirror of water whose appearance alters at every moment."

 
In my research, I found several really neat things that Monet said.  As part of a study of his works, it's only right that we know what he was thinking......

"Water Lilies are an extension of my life.  Without the water, lilies cannot live, as I am without art."

"One instant, one aspect of nature contains it all."

"Eventually, my eyes were opened, and I really understood nature.  I learned to love at the same time."

"Every day I discover more and more beautiful things.  It's enough to drive one mad.  I have such a desire to do everything, my head is bursting with it."

"Everyone discusses my art and pretends to understand, as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply necessary to love."

"What keeps my heart awake is colorful silence."

"I think we can change everything all the time.  Accidents are the best things in existence.  They force you to leave a route that seemed to be mapped out...It's often when things aren't going well that we are forced into doing them differently and they suddenly become interesting."

CLAUDE MONET - 4

The Bodmer Oak, Fontainebleau Forest 1865

In this painting, Monet used bright yellows, greens and oranges to show the sunlight filtering through the canopy of branches onto a carpet of russet leaves.  This forest, located 37 miles southeast of Paris, was famous for having inspired 19th century artists. 

The Bodmer Oak tree was named after Swiss artist Karl Bodmer, who exhibited a painting of the tree in 1850.  My first thought when I saw this scene...does the dead gray tree standing beside the thriving oak tree symbolize the death that stands beside each of us throughout our life journey?   

Artists often found their inspiration in Nature.  They interacted with Nature through their senses and created their works of art incorporating what they observed.  The environmental conditions are different from place to place, yet Nature has been, and still is, a universal human experience.  We see plants, animals, water and the sky adorning works of art across all cultures.  There's something refreshing about being surrounded by the natural world.  That's why people visit parks and go hiking in the wilderness.  Nature nourishes and nurtures.

Nature provides a sense of harmony and balance.  Its colors, textures and shapes work together and provide a sense of calm that artists can translate into art.  Being outdoors gives the brain space to think higher thoughts.   

Norman Farm Through the Trees - 1886

Here Monet captured the serenity of a Normandy, France farm scene through a frame of trees.  Dominating the picture is a leaning tree with visible bark, a mossy base and branches reaching into an overcast sky.  Monet invites us to contemplate the simplicity and beauty of country life.  Take note of the scattered white wildflowers that lead us closer to the buildings, where a patch of flowers grows.  

Impressionist artists captured a moment in time to pass on to the generations.  This farm scene is exactly what Monet saw.  We also learn to take note of the scenes that Nature provides for us every day.  I now better understand what is meant by the term, "art appreciation."  Paintings do speak to us.  Paintings hold within them unspoken messages.  

Art appreciation is personal.  How we view a work depends on our life experiences, cultural background and knowledge of art.  Different people may respond to a painting in different ways.  Art is like a language, a form of expression.  A painting may send a symbolic message, a historical, religious or political message.  The purpose of art is to draw an emotional response, to "move" us in some way.

CLAUDE MONET - 3

Truth be told, Monet's paintings were not my favorite before this study.  Since learning about the painter and his painting style, it's just like in real life....what we don't know.....we don't understand.  

The Denver Art Museum is home to the most comprehensive United States exhibition of Monet paintings.  The Truth of Nature features over 120 paintings that focus on Monet's enduring relationship with Nature.  We will see how Monet, over time, abandons any human presence in the landscapes he created.  This is a testimony to his commitment to isolate himself in nature.  

The Artist's House at Argenteuil - 1873
(The Art Institute of Chicago)

Claude Monet and his family lived at Argenteuil, outside Paris, from 1871 to 1878.  He painted 259 pictures there, including over 150 for which Argenteuil and its surroundings were the subject matter.  This painting shows Monet's wife, Camille, standing in the doorway of their vine-covered house, while their son (still wearing a uni-sex dress) plays with a hoop in the garden.  The left side of the canvas depicts the garden, with trees, flowers and a tall dark tree in the background.  The right side shows a row of Oriental vases and the house, which casts a shadow over most of the painting.  Japanese art was a major influence on Claude Monet's art.  In this work, note his use of the color blue.

This is the backyard of the large house that Claude Monet was renting in the suburban town of Argeneuil, a 15-minute train ride down the river from Paris.  We can envision Monet setting up his easel behind the house, deliberately excluding the industrial smoke and steam.  Instead, we see a secluded garden, a mid-summer calm.  

Since we've started this art adventure, I've grown more eager to visit art museums.  Thank heaven for the internet, where virtual museum tours are available at no cost.  

CLAUDE MONET - 2

Today we'll look at two of Monet's Impressionist paintings.  Let's take time individually to study his use of colors to cast shadows, reflections and sunshine....notice the tree on the far left and the brushstrokes of gold.  And, the yellow hat with blue ribbon that matches the sky.  The presence of the hat makes this painting relatable to the viewer, plus it adds a touch of casual comfort.  By now, we are better able, as beginning art students, to study paintings. In this first painting, we see Monet has placed people in the painting who are out enjoying the sunny day.

On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt - 1868
Now in the Art Institute of Chicago

Here we are looking at Claude Monet's future wife, Camille Doncieux, (holding their baby son, Jeon) looking toward the small village of Gloton, from where she and Monet have presumably rowed their boat.  (Camille and Monet married on June 28, 1870).  The figure of Camille was used to lead the viewer's eye across the water.  By including her in the painting, he adds a personal layer to his artwork.  She also adds a sense of contemplation and connection to the landscape. Camille modeled for him in more than 30 paintings.   Pay close attention to the way he plays with light on the water...with color.  When he paints shapes, they often appear blurry.

Next painting......

Woman with a Parasol - 1875
(Madame Monet and Her Son)
Now in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Woman with a Parasol shows his wife Camille and son Jeon out for a summer stroll on a windy summer's day.  Note how Monet painted this picture from a lower point of view.  This has the effect of increasing Camille's importance as she fills the upper parts of the canvas.  Her skirt appears to whip around with the wind, adding the element of movement.  The painting features flowing ribbons and a small figure of his son to balance the composition.  

As for symbolism, the parasol represents shelter, protection and the gentle nurturing presence of a mother.  He used bright colors to represent the beams of sunlight hitting the parasol and their clothes.  The woman's dress and parasol symbolize her status in society.  The grassy slope symbolizes the countryside that Monet preferred to the city and industry.  Monet manages to create for us a casual, carefree family day out.  

The sky and clouds are painted in mostly white and blue, but he also applied grays to depict the interplay of light and shadow.  His use of wider and thicker brush strokes gives the impression of more light.

The parasol was used to protect oneself from sunlight, whereas, the umbrella was used to protect oneself from rain.  The difference being the material used. 

We have to realize at that time the academy art community had set conventional rules to be followed by artists.  Radicals, like Monet, violated those rules.  Their pictures consisted of more freely brushed colors, which was more of a priority than maintaining lines and contours.  Before this movement, landscapes were painted indoors in a studio.  But, the impressionists understood that they could better capture the changing and momentary colors and effects of the sun if they painted outdoors actually experiencing the view.  They were more focused on portraying an overall  visual effect instead of catering to details.

Note:  Have you taken the time to watch a brilliant sunrise?  If you have, then you know that the brilliance in color changes quickly.  I don't know how an artist could accurately paint a sunrise without actually seeing it.  Personal perception is the key.   

CLAUDE MONET - 1

Of the many photographs of Claude Monet available on the internet, I chose this one to introduce us to our study of The King of Impressionism.  

To begin our study, Monet is pronounced   Mo-nay.  His first name was Oscar; Claude his middle name.  When he was age 15, he drew charcoal caricatures and signed them as "O. Monet."  (see one of his caricatures below)

Caricature of a Man With
A Snuff Box, 1858

Claude Monet was born in 1840 in Paris.  When he was five, the family moved to Normandy in northern France.  His father wanted him to continue the family grocery and ship handling business, but Claude (supported by his mother) entered the local art school.  He attended classes in Le Havre (luh + haav) for about four years.   Le Havre translates to "The Harbor."   

It was in Normandy that Monet met Eugene Boudin, a French artist who painted seascapes.  He became a mentor and friend.  It was he who introduced Monet to the concept of painting outdoors, en plein air.

It's important to know that when a groundbreaking group of artists started the Impressionist movement, art critics turned up their noses at it.  It was unheard of for an artist not to draw first and then paint the drawing.  Critics considered that a lack of skill on the artist's part.  However, today we see the movement was an intelligent choice that eventually crowned color as the king of painting.

Claude Monet's painting Impression, Sunrise is considered the first Impressionist painting.  It was exhibited at the first Impressionist exhibition in Paris in 1874.  

Impression, Sunrise - 1872

An astronomer and physics professor at the University of Texas did a topographical, iconographical, meteorological and astrological study that precisely dated the time Monet painted this picture.  It was at 7:35 a.m. on November 13, 1872, thirty minutes before dawn, and he painted it in one setting.  How cool is that!

The above painting shows a quiet morning at the port, with two small rowboats in the foreground, more fishing boats in the middle ground, and clipper ships in the background.  The rising sun is orange and contrasts with the dark vessels.  Monet painted this picture while looking out the window and drawing what he saw.  Notice the short brushstrokes.  Impression, Sunrise is considered a poem to the power and beauty of revitalized France following the Franco-Prussian War.

This painting has an interesting history to tell us.  In 1985, three gunmen entered the Marmottan Museum in Paris and stole it.  The painting disappeared for five years; and then was discovered in 1990 in an apartment on the island of Corsica, part of France. The search had been launched in Japan using contacts in the Yakuza (organized crime network).  It's been said that the thert made this painting a legend, and now the whole world wants to see this pivotal painting.  Impression, Sunrise is considered the Mona Lisa of Impressionism.

So, we have left the shore and are now on our way to learning about Claude Monet's life and his artistic accomplishments.  I hope my followers can enjoy learning about these incredible humans that lived and loved before us.  One can't help but be astounded by their brilliance and passion to create.  If only they could know how their passion is passed down for the generations.  It would be our loss if we didn't take time to introduce ourselves to their world and the way they expressed their feelings and beliefs.  Each one of us has a gift to share, and it's our human duty to make sure we don't squander or simply not use that gift.  Part of the fun in life is discovering what that gift is.  There are times I learn things about myself through the works of others.  

We'll keep going farther out to sea tomorrow, so ta-ta till then.

IMPRESSIONISM and REALISM

Example of Impressionism

The Impressionist art movement began in France in the late 1800s.  It focuses on capturing the impression of a scene as it appears to the artist.  It was the artist's intent to paint their "impression" rather than what they saw in real life.

The style is called en plein air, French for in the open air.  The impressionist's favorite subject:  the landscape.  The Impressionist painters were especially fond of the play of light on water.  You will notice how water holds a number of symbolic meanings in art, ranging from tranquility to forbidding and impossible to control.  

What are the characteristics of Impressionism?   

• Painting outdoors to capture the changing light and atmosphere as it flickered and faded while the artist worked.
• Short, quick and often messy brushstrokes.  Impressionists believed it was acceptable to see visible brush strokes in a final piece, like the artist's hand itself.
• Bright, vibrant colors to capture light and shadow.
• Impressionist paintings often had an unfinished look.

We have already studied Vincent Van Gogh, and his paintings are referred to as Post-Impressionism.   

Claude Monet (1840-1926) was a French painter and leader of the Impressionist movement, known as the King of Impressionism.

IMPRESSIONISM in a nutshell:  "Taken as a whole, Impressionism argues that we don't really see the natural or real world objectively because everything that we perceive is filtered through our minds, and our minds are filled with unique and personal memories and emotions.....SO, each of our minds perceives the world differently."  All we really have is our IMPRESSION of what we see.

There are different genres of art, and there's no way we're going to study all of them.  Together, we'll learn to identify those from the 19th century to today.  

The Stone Breakers - Gustave Courbet - 1849
Example of Realism

Before Impressionism was the style of Realism.  It was an artistic movement that depicted the world as accurately and authentically as possible.  It's characterized by observing closely outward appearances....with no imaginative idealization.  Simply said, Realism depicted real life.  Realism started in Europe in the mid-1800s and is considered the beginning of modern art.  Realism art represents our world as if we're looking through a window at its harsh realities. 

The Stone Breakers (pictured above) depicts the hard-working class of people at the time.  It's been called "a masterpiece in its genre."  Controversy in art started when painters began addressing social issues in their work, by painting the rural peasants and the working conditions of the poor.  The painting clearly depicts men who are toiling in exhaustion.  It emphasizes the backbreaking monotony of this sector of society and allows us to see for ourselves what life was like for them.  It was reality...Realism.

GEORGES SEURAT - 13

 To wrap up our study of Georges Seurat's contributions to the world of art, it must be said that Seurat was known to be reserved and reclusive.  He never married, but he did have what my research finds to have been a common-law wife, Madeleine Knoblock....the lady he painted powdering her face.

Seurat faced personal challenges throughout his life, just like we all do.  He gave of himself to create the meticulous and time-consuming painting technique we know was Pointillism...painting a picture with small dots or strokes of color.  

What is Pointillism?  "When the viewer approaches the painting, they find that the subjects become an array of dots.  It is an unexpected and delightful surprise that reveals the role of human intelligence in perception.  The science behind pointillism lies in how various colors interact with each other and how our eyes perceive them."  This was Seurat's own "scientific" style.  It's another example of one person following his own, novel path, and in doing so, giving the rest of us new insight into art.  Research tells us that Seurat became frustrated by the strict ways of school and left early, continuing as a self-taught artist.   

Georges Seurat died in Paris at his parents' home on March 29, 1891, at the age of 31.  The cause of his death is uncertain, and has been attributed to a form of meningitis, pneumonia, infectious angina, and diphtheria.  Seurat was buried in the family vault at Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris.  At the time of Seurat's death, Madeleine was pregnant with their second child, who died during or shortly after birth. 

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together."
"Some say they see poetry in my paintings; I see only science."
~Georges Seurat~

ELEMENTS OF ART COMPOSITION

Gotta tell you how these self-taught art lessons can change the way we see our world.  Yesterday we trolleyed to get my stitches removed.  The weather was unseasonably warm....mid-afternoon 82 degrees for the end of October.  Some of the leaves are still clinging to the branches, and I found myself noticing the color contrasts in nature.  How the yellowish leaves stand out against a brown background.  These are the baby steps to understanding art, but it goes to show that all things we learn about do make a difference to life.  With that said, here are eight elements to look for in art, with a tiny explanation of each.......

Unity:  Do all the parts of the composition feel as if they belong together, or does something feel awkwardly out of place?

Balance:  Balance is the sense that the painting 'feels right' and is not heavier on one side than the other.  Having a balanced arrangement adds a sense of calm, whereas an off-balance arrangement creates a sense of unease.

Movement:  There are ways to give a sense of movement to a painting.  Artists use leading lines to direct the viewer's eye into and around the painting.  Leading lines can be actual lines of a fence or railroad, or implied lines, such as a row of trees or a curve of stones or circles.

Rhythm:  Much like music does, a piece of art can have a rhythm or underlying beat.  Look for the large underlying shapes (squares, triangles, etc.) and repeated color.

Focus (or Emphasis):  The viewer's eyes want to rest on the most important thing, or focal point in the painting.  Otherwise, the eye feels lost, wandering around the page.

Contrast:  Paintings with high contrast--strong differences between light and dark--have a different feel than paintings with minimal contrast in light and dark.  In addition to light and dark, contrast can be differences in shape, color, size, texture, type of line, etc.

Pattern:  A regular repetition of lines, shapes, colors or values in a composition.

Proportion:  How things fit together and relate to each other in terms of size and scale; whether big or small, nearby or distant.

FINDING THE FOCAL POINT IN ARTWORK

Yesterday's post was the final one for Georges Seurat.  This early morning we're headed to have the stitches removed from my forehead, so I'll wait until tomorrow for a final wrap-up on Seurat.  

As you can see, I'm teaching myself how to appreciate art so I can look at a piece and analyze it through my own eyes.  I've been reading a lot about looking for the focal point in a painting, and it would be more fun if I share my findings with my blog followers.  Some of us aren't privy to art museums or galleries, but I have my own idea on where I can go to find old paintings.  How 'bout thrift stores and antique shops?  The ideal places to go to mosey around and linger in the background and study the pictures that are for sale.  

Question:  What is the focal point in art?  It is the most visually interesting area of the composition.  There can be multiple focal points, within a composition.  The human eye is always drawn to the area of the greatest contrast.  The center of interest in a painting acts as an 'attention getter.'  It commands the viewer's curiosity or mental concentration, and it is the part of the picture that we find naturally fascinating and want to know more about.  Examples might be a brightly colored flower in a field of green, a person's eyes in a portrait, the central light source in a dark room, a single large object against a smaller background, or a point where lines converge in a composition.

Another example, say you are painting a seascape and your focal point in the painting is a small fishing boat with an old man and his son fishing on it.  If the area surrounding the fishing boat is nothing but a calm open sea, then your focal point will be powerful, as it is not competing for attention.

Most artists agree that there are four options to place focal points in a painting:  the top right, top left, bottom right and bottom left.  Which is the best?  The rule of thumb (with exceptions, of course) is that the top right area gets a 5-star rating because we read from left to right and our eye will linger longest there.

Question:  What are the five ways artists create a focal point?

Contrast

1.  Contrast.  Contrast refers to difference.  Any type of difference in the work will result in that element becoming a focal point.  Difference or contrast can come in many different forms, i.e., the color--its value, how light or dark the color is---the texture or physical feel that can range from smooth, rough, fuzzy to slimy---and the shape.

Isolation

2.  Isolation.  Whenever one object or element is separated from a group, it becomes isolated and in turn, becomes a focal point.

Placement

3.  Placement.  Objects that are placed in the center of the picture or near the center, will naturally become a focal point.  Most of the time, the focal point that is not exactly centered is preferred.  By placing an object or element just off center, you can create a focal point through placement. 

Convergence

4.  Convergence.  Another way to create a focal point is to use implied lines to direct a viewer's eye to an object or element.  This technique is known as convergence. 

5.  The Unusual.  This technique introduces an object or element to the scene that is unusual.  This object will stand out and demand attention, thus creating a focal point.

The Unusual

Another term for the focal point is center of attention.  

What is the Golden Rule of the Focal Point in art?:  The golden ratio is based on the rule of thirds.  If you were to separate your painting into thirds, both vertically and horizontally, the intersections of those lines are the best places for an area of emphasis.

The Focal Point Principle

Another point to remember about the focal point principle is that whatever stands out visually in a painting will capture and hold the viewer's attention first. 

 

GEORGES SEURAT - 12

The Circus (1891)

This painting treats the spectator to a view of circus life.  Our eyes are drawn to the central figure of a female acrobat poised in mid-air above a white horse, which is captured mid-gallop.  The acrobat's form and the radiant hue of her costume evoke a sense of motion and fun, both characteristic of a circus performance.  Around this focal point is a variety of figures, each one playing a distinct role in the scene.

We see a ringmaster on the right.  To the lower left, a clown or jester, is identified by his costume and exaggerated reaction.  Another pair of clowns are tumbling to the right behind the ringmaster.  This is how Seurat adds a touch of humor to the composition.  Notice that the circus performers are in a space characterized by curves and spirals.  

The background is layered with audiences seated in rows, observing intently, their faces suggesting a range of reactions to the performance.  The seating is positioned on an upward slope away from the stage, to give those in the audience at the back a better view than if the seats were all on the same level.  The seating gives the viewer a sense of being part of the audience.  Seurat's pointillism creates a rich tapestry of dotted color, allowing the tones to blend and shimmer from a distance.  It was Seurat's theory that straight lines create a sense of calm and these lines appear only in the rows of seats toward the back of the painting.  Here the audience calmly watches the grand spectacle in front of them.

Seurat's composition is the most important aspect of the work and is separated into two very distinct portions.  The front section is devoted to activity, while the back section is assigned to the motionless spectators looking on.  Both are given almost equal measures of the canvas, but for entirely different purposes.  Interestingly, he created harmony by presenting opposites or contrasts.

Notice how The Circus is full of upward strokes toward the front of the painting, where most of the action is taking place.  Everything in this section is accentuated to a peak--the hair of both the clown/jester at the front and the performer on the horse.  

The audience shows the distinctions between social classes sitting in rows.  The well-dressed higher classes near the front to the lower classes in the gallery at the back.

The seating architecture is the only part of this painting that has straight vertical lines.  Some audience members sit at an angled position, and some of the hats in the scene are placed at an angle.  Seurat's piece is intended to evoke happiness and action throughout.  

The success of circuses in France meant that by 1870 there were five permanent circuses situated in Paris that performed every night.  A male performer riding a wild horse bare-back was fairly common, but for the first time the circus incorporated a female model for the daring act.  This is one of the prominent statements Seurat makes in this painting.

The Circus was Seurat's last painting and remained unfinished at his death in 1891.  The painting is exhibited at one of France's most prestigious galleries, the Musee d'Orsay, Paris.   

GEORGES SEURAT - 11

Young Woman Powdering Herself - 1889-1890

In this painting, the variation of light and shadow on the wall is achieved with the use of small dots of pure color next to each other in varying concentrations and intensities.  The young model depicted by Seurat was his mistress, Madeleine Knobloch, who bore him two sons (both died very young), and this painting, therefore, takes on a very personal meaning.  Seurat kept his relationship secret.

Seurat placed colors from opposite sides of the color wheel--orange and blue, pink and green--next to each other for greater contrast.  One might say that the woman in the painting is from an upper class based on the fact that she is wearing jewelry and has a salon table to put her makeup on.  Notice the cramped table top which holds a delicate stand with a mirror and two perfume bottles.  The painting shows that it is important for women from all eras to have time to themselves away from stress, expectations and people. 

Recent x-rays have revealed that the seemingly sweet flowers painting in the top left corner was originally a self-portrait of Seurat. The story goes that a friend ridiculed it, so Seurat replaced his likeness with the flowers.  Recent technology provided historians with a clear image of Seurat's self-portrait underneath the vase of flowers (right).  With an elongated face, pointed beard and paintbrush in hand, Seurat represented himself painting.  Sadly, that was the only self-portrait Seurat ever painted.  

This painting is located in the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.

GEORGES SEURAT - 10

The Channel of Gravelines, Petit Fort Philippe - 1890

This painting depicts a coastal harbor scene in pointillist style--a mix of primary and complementary colors applied in small, irregular dabs of paint.  Seurat used their shape and density to achieve his vision.  The short, sturdy vertical post has the greatest density of dots, while the right side of the sky is so loosely covered that the white ground layer is visible.  Notice how the post anchors the picture securely.....it looks almost reachable by the viewer.  The sea, sky and ground occupy roughly equal proportions.  Be sure to take note of the vertical line of the lighthouse and the way he uses shading around it...and its vertical shadow in the water.  Based upon the bright light and stark shadows, Seurat painted this in mid-afternoon.

Seurat positioned the boats along the sand dunes and in the canal so their horizontal and vertical elements resulted in maximum visual stability.  The elegantly curved wharf reflects serenity, as it stretches into infinity.  At the same time, the sweeping diagonal cutting the composition in two provides contrasting movement.   

In 1890, Seurat traveled to this tiny port of Gravelines, near the Belgian border, and painted what would be his last four landscapes.  Gravelines was considered an uninteresting town.  Maybe that was the draw for Seurat, as he was getting more and more protective of his painting methods.  Also, the canal's straight lines lent well to his strictly-organized compositions.  Seurat preferred painting images of ports and shores, rather than dramatic sunsets and stormy seas.  The complete lack of humans, either vacationers or hardworking fishermen, was typical of Seurat's seascapes.  His paintings had a luminous stillness about them.

This pointillist painting is located in the Indiana Museum of Art in Indianapolis, Indiana.

GEORGES SEURAT - 9

Embroidery,  The Artist's Mother
1882-83

Though Seurat created numerous portraits of his mother, none have the sense of calm and simplicity as seen in this drawing.  Note how her downcast eyes create an aura of modesty and suggest that she is involved in a quiet domesticity, such as embroidery.  She is plain, with her hair pulled back in a bun and has slightly thick features--a motherly look--unaware that she is being observed. 

Her presence is made more vague by the drawing technique Seurat called "irradiation," which avoided distinct lines and represented the subtleties of light and shadow through tones of a black crayon.

Seurat was very close with his mother, and this painting would have meant a lot to him.  In 1880, he dined with his mother almost every night.  Their close relationship and frequent contact meant that he did not need to look far for a subject with whom he was closely acquainted.  Seurat gave this drawing to his mother.

GEORGES SEURAT - 8

The Black Bow  - 1882 

In this piece, Seurat used a Conte crayon to create the textured surface.  The Conte crayon was a hard crayon made of charcoal and clay and didn't smudge as much as other crayons.

Conte Crayons

Seurat plays with light and shadow to provide a sense of depth and form.  It's a simple composition, yet it captures the elegant essence of the lady's fragile form.  The stark contrast between the darkness of the paper and the lighter strokes gives the piece a dramatic presence.  The jagged outline and deep black color of the bow is unlike the rest of her costume.  Note the halo of light that outlines the black bow, the focal point of the entire composition.

Through his graphic art skills, Seurat captures both the physical appearance and the emotional state of the lady.  Her expression reflects loneliness and perhaps hints at personal struggles she may be facing.  We are invited to contemplate what her story is and be sympathetic.  His ability to convey complex emotions through simple, yet powerful, imagery sets him apart as an artist.  

The Black Bow remains an important part of France's art heritage.  Its current presence within Musee d'Orsay in Paris allows visitors from around the world to appreciate its beauty, while contemplating its possible tragic symbolism.

GEORGES SEURAT - 7

My dear loyal followers.....my surgery is behind me, and my private nurse, a/k/a the boyfriend, is tending to my restrictions.  My surgeon ordered a strong steroid be added to my IV prior to the procedure.  It's working, as the swelling is not what it otherwise might be.  There's quite a bit of pain, but I have prescriptions for that, plus antibiotics.  Next week I go back for a post-op and removal of stitches.

My warmest appreciation for the texts, emails and phone calls wishing me well.    Once again, at the hospital, I met the angels in our world.  My prayers go out to all who serve us in the field of medicine and care for us.    

I did the research for a couple of Seurat blogs ahead of time, so I'm able to keep going with our study while I self-pamper......  

Bridge at Courbevoie - 1886

The scene is of three solitary men on the bank of the River Seine.  These men do not relate to each other or the audience, giving the feeling of isolation, reflection and calmness.  There is a boat on the water with two figures that are not well-defined.  If it wasn't for the title of the painting, I wouldn't have noticed the bridge in the distance.

The smoke stack behind the bridge is the only sign of the modern industrial age.  The billowing smoke suggests that industrialization is adversely affecting the environment that was formerly unpolluted.  If you remember, Seurat included this idea in The Bathers at Asnieres.  One could conclude that the artist's dissatisfaction with these new industrial developments is reflected in the somber and indifferent mood of the three solitary figures.  The same could be said for the black tree with no leaves in the foreground to the right of the painting.  Given that the other tree in the top left-hand corner is fully leafed out and the grass is very green, Seurat might be depicting not only the change in seasons, but also the passing of an era.

There is no movement depicted except for the wind that appears to be from the right (the smoke from the chimney) and from the left in the middle (the sail).

The dominant features across this painting are the numerous vertical lines--the poles in the water, the three figures, the sail, the chimney, the fence and the reflections.

There are also some bold horizontal lines--the far distant opposite river bank, the bridge, and the jetty, all give further depth to the image. 

There are a couple of diagonal lines--the grass bank in the foreground which is repeated  in the fence.  

The only curves are on the underside of the bridge, the sail and its reflection, as well as the solitary dark tree.  

Seurat's The Bridge at Courbevoie is on display at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.
  

GEORGES SEURAT - 6

 

The Forest at Pontaubert - 1881

Seurat spent two months in 1881 in Pontaubert (Pont-au-bare), a village southeast of Paris.  This village was known as a place for landscape artists to visit.  He painted this concert of greens, which shows his keen interest in the play of light and shadows.  It is a fine example of pointillism, as he captures, with thousands of dots, its essence and stillness with varying shades of green, yellow, brown and white.  He uses darker colors to show the texture of the bark on the trees and to show shadows. 

The two younger trees in the forefront appear to me to be birch.  Would you agree?  The way he painted the trees closer toward the front of the painting adds depth to the background of the forest.  Notice, too,  how Seurat subtly tells us the season is autumn when he paints a tiny splotch of colorful leaves in the top left corner.

The first thing one notices is how the painting is anchored by the vertical tree trunks, which draw the eye upward and convey a sense of the stately grandeur of the forest glade.  One feels like they're walking beside Seurat as he walks in the woods.  One can't help but feel a deep appreciation for this peek at the serenity and natural beauty of the French countryside.  

The painting shows only trees, leaves and grass, but it holds a suggestion of something more if only the artist and the viewer are brave enough to go deeper into the forest. It's like an invitation.  It appears at first to be a simplistic scene, but provides a route into a darker, more secretive world.  This work is a celebration of nature and manages to introduce a hint of excitement and mystery, thus creating an emotional reaction.

The painting is on display at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

GEORGES SEURAT - 5

Circus Sideshow (Parade de cirque)

1887-1888 

There is so much to this painting, that I have used highlighting to identify the figures we see standing in front of us.  At first glance, I had nary a clue what the painting represented.  Like everything in life, the more we become aware....the better we see, understand and appreciate.  Artists are gifts to the rest of us.  They show us the world that they saw, and they speak to us through their work.  Many of them never knew the impact they'd have on the human population.

This painting represents the sideshow of the Circus Corvi held in a working area of eastern Paris in the spring of 1887.  Traveling circuses and seasonal fairs were a popular entertainment, appealing to aristocrats and commoners alike.  Sideshows were staged outside the circus tent, for free, to entice passersby to purchase tickets.  Note how Seurat placed the tree on the left to tell us this scene is taking place outdoors.

The trombonist is a man who stands on a platform in the center of the painting, wearing a conical hat.  Four faceless musicians with their instruments are set back from the trombonist.

Standing next to the trombonist is the buffoon or jester with a ruffled collar and is facing off with the ringmaster or barker.  (A barker stood in front of a show or carnival and encouraged people to buy tickets.)  The ringmaster is wearing a brownish tailcoat and is holding a cane under his left arm.  I enlarged my screen to clearly see the cane. 

Now, we have to look real close to see the diagonal line behind the trombone player that suggests a ramp leading to the circus stage where the circus performers (painted orange) are doing their thing.  Just for fun, count the number of horizontal and diagonal lines in this one painting.  Seurat plays with shapes in this work by placing sculpture-like figures next to other shapes in a grid-like rectangular background.  

The crowd of spectators is made up of a mix of men and women, who are represented by 13 shadowed heads at the bottom of the painting.  The left side shows working class people wearing bowler hats, while the right side shows bourgeois patrons wearing top hats and elaborate lady's hats.  Note how Seurat makes a societal statement by separating them.  Art exposes us to different eras and tells us what life was like back then.  Clearly, problems are part of being human.

Might this painting reflect the political climate in Paris at the time?  French art of the late 1800s used circus shows to spoof politicians who, just like the street performers, were selling something that lay obscured behind the curtain.  

The Circus Sideshow is displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

GEORGES SEURAT - 4

Le Chahut (shay-yu)
(The Can-can)
1889-1890

The Chahut painting depicts a popular French  entertainment.  When I first looked at this painting, I saw men dancing the Can-can dance.  Huh?  Well, I did some research and learned that, yes, men danced the can-can, a disorderly dance called the Chahut which was originally performed by men at public dance halls.   Women soon began dancing the can-can in a similar manner to the men, and the dance became even more popular.    

We see the interior of a dance hall where a chorus line of women and men are enthusiastically dancing the can-can, a risque dance for that time, along with an orchestra.  Seurat painted this work at a time when the city of Paris had become flooded with a variety of nightly entertainment that impacted artists and poets of the period.  He captured the flamboyant dance in a strict system of countless minutely applied dots of paint, lines and color combinations.

Seurat felt a person's mood was related to both line and color.  He believed that light tones, warm colors and upward lines created happiness, while sadness was created by dark tones, cold colors and downward lines.  According to Seurat, a painting should show joy, peace or sorrow.

With that theory in mind, notice how he used warm colors, giving the painting an orange glow in places.  Similarly, he created rising lines with the upward direction of the men's moustaches, the women's lips and eyes, the neck of the double bass instrument, the legs of the dancers, the conductor's hand and the flowers in the background.   Apart from the double bass player with his back toward the viewer, all the figures appear to be wearing the same color.  Note on the left side of the painting how Seurat uses shades of green and flecks of blue, orange and maroon to create shadows.  Notice again the halos or auras around the figures.  

Note the man in the lower right corner of the painting...a male spectator staring at the dancers.  Critics comment on this male sitting below the performers the way he appears to be staring upwards at the open skirt of the female performer.

Notice how the deeper blue border around the edge of the canvas culminates in a shallow arch on the upper edge.

This painting carries within it a deeper meaning.  Seurat's depiction of the working-class dancers reflects his interest in social issues.  He subtly critiques the exploitation and degradation of women in the entertainment industry.  The painting offers us a glimpse into the cultural landscape of Paris in the late 1800s.  It celebrates the city's nightlife, its artistic spirit, and its social complexities.

Georges Seurat's Le Chahut is located at the Kroller-Muller Museum in Otterlo, Netherlands.

This project introduces us to Pointillism.  Instead of mixing colors on a palette, the pointillist applies their brush directly to the canvas with raw tones.  He places small round or square touches or dots.....the mixing and blending of pigments occur directly on the canvas and not beforehand.  This technique completely breaks away from traditional painting methods.

I've learned, too, that engaging in dot painting activities is great for children.  The skills and concepts children develop through the use of dot markers extend beyond art.  Fine motor skills, focus, creativity and cognitive abilities are all enhanced through dot painting, which contributes to overall development.  Who knew.

GEORGES SEURAT - 3

The Eiffel Tower - 1889

In 1889, Georges Seurat set out to paint the most controversial and scandalous engineering structure being erected in the heart of Paris.  Almost all famous writers and artists opposed the construction.  They tried to convince the municipality that an act of vandalism was taking place in the center of the city, and the huge, ugly, completely useless factory chimney would distort the architecture of Paris and destroy the view from any window.  It had been written that French author Guy de Maupassant ate every day in a cafe on the first level of the tower.  When asked why, he answered, "This is the only place in Paris from which you cannot see it."

Seurat couldn't have chosen anything better to paint.  He was the founder of the movement that wanted to convey the unchanging essence of things, their basic qualities that will not change from the time of year or sunlight.  He looked for the truth of things that will be understood and obvious this minute and a hundred years later. 

Seurat's use of pointillism in The Eiffel Tower is most evident in the flickering effect of the painting's surfaces.  The bright sky is filled with flecks of white, gold and blue, and the tower appears to dissolve into the sky.  He painted the tower before its completion in 1889, when the top was still missing its crowning platform.

Note at the base of painting, Seurat illustrates a simplified landscape, with tiny strokes of colors representing people, buildings and the horizon.  The division of color and light captures a moment of tranquility within the bustling city of Paris. 

Seurat's artwork serves as evidence of his artistic genius, demonstrating his capacity to capture not only the external features of a scene but also its atmosphere and spirit.  By taking viewers back to the 19th century and immersing them in the allure and wonder of the Eiffel Tower's construction, his painting acts as a visual time capsule.  

The Eiffel Tower was initially built to serve as the entrance gateway to the International Exposition of 1889, as well as a testament to French industrial ingenuity.  The Tower's nickname is La Dame de fer, or The Iron Lady.  She stands 1,083 feet tall, about the same height as an 81-story building...one of the most recognizable structures in the world.  

For our better understanding of life back then, here is a photo of the tower serving as the gateway to the 1889 Paris Expo....

*Seurat's original painting of The Eiffel Tower is currently on display at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco in California.

GEORGES SEURAT -2

May I introduce the French artist Georges Seurat (pronounced ZHORZH  SIR-AA).  Born into a wealthy family in Paris, his father was a legal official.  Seurat studied  art with Justin Lequiene, a sculptor, gave one year of service to a military academy, returning to Paris in 1880 where he shared a small studio with two student friends before moving to a studio of his own.  Seurat was fascinated by the science of color and the process by which the human eye and brain resolve the impression of color as seen in Nature.  The technique he developed was to apply paint to the canvas not as continuous brushstrokes, but as tiny points of color.  The individual dots are invisible, but the proportions of dots of different colors in any one area create the impression of a certain shade.  The dots of paint are the same as the pixels we hear about today.

He spent 1883 on his first major painting--a huge canvas (6.5 feet x 10 feet) titled Bathers at Asnieres (pronounced AHN-YAIR) which we will learn about today.  Asnieres was an industrial suburb northwest of Paris on the River Seine.  
 

Bathers at Asnieres (1884)

In this picture Seurat shows us factory workers relaxing in the sunshine along the Seine River.  Five men on the river bank and two boys bathing in the water.  One of the men is lying on the grassy riverbank beside the one dressed in white on the left side. The curious thing about this painting is its stillness...they all appear absorbed in their own thoughts or watching what is happening in the water.  Only their profiles show, not one figure in the painting faces the viewer.  Seurat identifies the working class by their clothing, as we can see by the hats, boots and sleeveless vest.  The factories in the background are most likely where the men work.  

Seurat clearly portrays France's late 19th century contrast in the social classes.  He snuck in a critical depiction of the upper class.  If we look closely, there is a lady with a parasol and a man wearing a top hat being ferried across the river in a boat bearing a tricolor French flag.  (Might the absurdly large flag for such a small boat, suggest ironically that its passengers are representatives of France and are more valuable than the idling workers whom they are leaving behind?) Their oarsman is the only person in the picture who is shown to be working.  Just below the bridge on the left of the river are a couple of sailing boats, and on the right toward us is a third sailboat near the shore.

In the 1880s, the only subjects deemed appropriate for such a large painting were religious, historical or classical subjects.  Certainly not members of the lower orders lounging about on the banks of the Seine.  But, in capturing the moment on such a large scale and in portraying working men, Seurat was challenging the right of the establishment to dictate what was or was not a suitable subject for art.  It's quite possible that there was an underlying political statement in the painting.

Note how the surface of the water is darker or brighter along the outlines of the characters, making them appear more three-dimensional.  Also, how Seurat painted halos or auras around the figures in the water.  This painting shows a transitional moment captured in oil paint, as Georges Seurat worked on the evolving pointillism technique.  Crosshatch brushwork blends with patches of dots to create this peaceful scene.  Cross-hatching is a method of line drawing that describes light and shadow.  The representation of light utilizes the white or openness of the page, while shadow is created by a density of crossed lines. 

The background smokestacks and factories remind the figures in the painting that their toil is never far off.

Looking at the clothing and manner of the figures, they are clearly among the lower class in the suburb, who relax at the end of a hard-working day.  The Academy of Moral and Political Science declared in 1874 that the key in developing a moral code among the working class was a day of rest.  Thus, Sunday had been declared a day off, when people would spend time with their family.  However, the working men preferred to have Monday as their day off and spend it with friends.  That is why the figures in the painting are all men, except for a woman on the ferry.  The female was included in the picture in order to outline the difference between the classes, the lower one and the rich.

I'm intrigued by the way Seurat painted the clothes that are lying on the ground next to the guy sitting on the edge of the bank.....a straw hat with band to match his trunks, dark boots, and trousers with a big white towel thrown over them, which helps draw the eye to him.  

The painting Bathers of Asnieres resides today as a highlight on the wall of The London National Gallery Museum.  It is a beautiful painting.  Nothing in it is glamorized, Nature is not idealized.  The figures are ordinary men, not particularly handsome, just men.  It is life, unidealized and unromanticized.  A masterpiece.