ArtExpertOnLine

  No physical distancing in our painting for this week.  Artist Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) gives us his oil painting titled, The Kiss.  It was created from 1917-1918, measures 70.8 x 70.8 inches, so is very large and a perfect square.  It is in the collection of the Osterreichische Galerie Belvedere museum housed in the Belevedere palace, Vienna, Austria.    This is an exceptional painting by an interesting artist.  Gustav Klimt was an Austrian Symbolist which means he rejected realism and impressionism for creating mood through color, line and form. He was also influenced by Art Nouveau and Japanese prints.  When working on a painting, he would often create the costume his models would wear when they posed, which we see here.   So what have we?  A square format with the subjects directly in the middle.  Of all of the paintings in the world, that I would love to see in person, this one is at the top of the list.  Our attention is drawn to the heads of the couple engrossed in his ki

   Natalia Goncharova  (1881-1962) was a multi-talented, avant-garde woman who defied art rules and restrictions of Russia to become a successful artist.  Like other painters of her time she also designed clothing, costumes and theater sets, and was a writer and illustrator.   Goncharova was educated in Moscow's major art school but by 1910, she and friends were expelled for imitating contemporary European art.    Cyclist was created in 1913 when she lived in Moscow.  It made her famous.  The painting reflects a bridge between traditions of the East and West.  Here we have a combination of Futurism, Cubism and some realistic images. (Futurism was a short-lived movement which showed objects, people in motion)  Goncharova was considered provocative and suffered harassment for her avant-garde ideas and work.  In 1914 she moved to Paris where she remained for the remainder of her life.     Cyclist has an unusual design.  Here the center of interest is massive, occupying almost th

  Maybe it's because I live in the middle of our country, but I have always been drawn to images of the sea.   And, no one is better at it than American painter, Winslow Homer (1836-1910).  Homer, during his mature, later period, was a master at providing great meaning and depth to his images.  Driftwood was his last work, completed in 1909, and illustrates his favorite, late theme, man against the elements of nature.   The painting is an oil, measures 24" x 28" and is part of the collection of the Museum of Fine Art, Boston.     In the lower right foreground is a man attempting to retrieve a large tree trunk from the sea.  The effort seems almost futile as nature seems out of control.  The man is small in relation to the wood and the vastness of the sea and foam.  Can you hear the wind and the crashing waves?  And, look to the upper right corner,  a white bird flying. Is he going away or coming in?    Driftwood is very powerful and Homer has allowed us to feel the

  Today let us look at an acrylic painting on canvas by American artist Helen Frankenthraller (1928-2011).    Nature Abhors a Vacuum is a huge work of art measuring 103" high, 112" wide.  This is over 8 feet high and 9 feet long!  You can stand next to it at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.; and to do so would completely immerse yourself in this huge spread of color.   Nature Abhors a Vacuum was painted in 1973 and is a perfect example of a school of painting Frankenthraller helped develop called color field painting.  Here she stretched raw unprimed canvas on the floor and poured thinned acrylic paint on it.  In doing so she created floating fields of translucent color.  Being that the canvas was raw, the paint stuck to the fabric more like it was dyed, than brushed on. It was an exciting and new process!    Our title, Nature Abhors a Vacuum  immediately indicates a landscape, however I think it a disservice to confine our reaction to so simple an understan

    I have never made a list of my favorite Van Gogh paintings, but this is certainly one of them.    The Yellow House  is an oil painting by Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890).  It measures 28" x 91" and is located at Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.  It was painted in September, 1888.   The composition is pretty straightforward.  The painting is divided almost in half, sky to land with the house sitting in the exact middle, on a corner of the street. The colors are typical Van Gogh, yellow/orange and blue, a complementary color harmony.     The scene is alive with people at the outdoor cafe and walking the streets.  In 2018 I was able to be one of those people on this street in Arles, France.  Sadly, the house no longer exists as it was destroyed in a bombing raid during WWII, but a plaque is there designating the spot for history.  To the left of the image, behind the street lamp, is a small park and there is still a restaurant to the left of the house, under that canopy.    V