ArtExpertOnLine

  As life turns to Spring, today I present this attractive and sweet image.  The title is: Flowers on the Windowsill.    It is a watercolor on paper created in 1894 by Swedish artist, Carl Larsson (1853-1919).    Several different art labels have been attached to Larsson's work, one of which is genre, which in this case refers to images of the everyday. This work is typical of  Larsson's most popular paintings featuring an idyllic family life in his own home.   Here we are able to watch his daughter watering the plants on the windowsill.  The room is bright but there is no hint of a light source,  no shadows.   Maybe it is a window facing north, or the sun has moved away.  It must be warm, as one window is open.     The composition is interesting.  The color harmony is complementary: blue and orange/red. Directly in the center foreground is a table with two chairs, but it doesn't stop our eye, rather it directs it to the girl at the window.   Notice the pops of black: 

    Here is a beautiful challenge for today.  It is an oil and collage on canvas, painted by David C. Driskell in 1972.     From this reproduction it is difficult to determine what has been applied by collage as what has been painted, but it makes no difference.  The woman is centered across the middle of a distinct cross shape.  Her quiet, almost sleeping composure has been split in two, with the left half riding above the right.  A large arrangement of multicolored flowers camouflage her figure, adding a hope of life.   But it is easy to wonder if this is an image of a young woman's death.     David C. Driskell (1931-2020) succumbed to coronavirus April 1.  He was an artist and scholar in the field of African American art and emeritus professor at the University of Maryland.   In 2000 he was honored by President Clinton with the National Humanities Medal.     I think we can read many interpretations from this work.   It is very colorful with strong areas of black, whites pop

  One of America's favorite artists must be realist, Edward Hopper (1882-1967).  Hopper took us through two world wars, the American depression, and now let him lift the spirits of all of us at home.    In  Summertime we have a lovely young woman standing outside a tenement in the sunshine.  Although she is alone, she stands with her arms behind her back, portraying some confidence, in her provocative, see-through dress.      A light breeze is moving the curtain at the open window, the second sign that times are changing, good things are ahead.   I hope this wonderful painting provides you with the hope of a new day, better times coming.     Sunnertime is an oil on canvas and is part of the collection of the Delaware Art Museum.  It was painted in 1943 and measures 29"x44".    Make Art a part of your day, it's a beautiful thing to do.     

      I dived back to the 17th century for this fun oil painting on canvas, by French artist, George de La Tour (1593-1652).   It is titled, The Cheat with the Ace of Clubs and was painted circa 1630-34.   It is a large work, framed being 4 feet high and 6 across.  It can be seen at the Kimball Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas     La Tour is an interesting artist.  He lived in the Duchy of Lorraine and traveled to Italy, Spain and The Netherlands to receive his education, picking up essential knowledge from leading artists of the day in those areas..  He seems to have had a successful career painting for the local bourgeoisie.  And, as in current times, La Tour's life was cut short when he died, with all of his family by an epidemic.  He fell into obscurity after his death, and was finally rediscovered in 1915.   A majority of his works were religious in nature, and even the genre painting here, could be said to have a moral theme.  Most of La Tour's work uses the techniqu