Art is the Solution

Allegory of Winter Source: WikiArt Today is the last day of the year. It’s been a wild and stressful ride, and I have to say that I’m glad to turn the page on this year. As we look forward to 2021, however, I want to share one more painting: Allegory of Winter by Remedios Varo. I am often captivated by Varo’s paintings. She was one of the most imaginative artists of her age, employing a complex set of symbols and visual story-telling techniques to convey meaning. As a result, her paintings often conjure images of some half-imagined, legendary past, steeped in magic. Varo’s profound creativity can be seen in paintings like Allegory of Winter. The painting portrays strange, spiky, cactus-like plants growing in a parched, barren landscape. White snowflakes swirl in the background against a flat, grey sky. Ice-like pods grow between these strange trees, crystallizing into multi-faceted shapes. Each of these ice crystals contains a different bird, flower, or insect, perhaps representing r...

Couple on Horseback Source:  wassilykandinsky.net Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky is best known as the father of abstract art. While that is not quite true (many cultures practiced abstraction for thousands of years before Kandinsky began working; and, in Europe, Hilma af Klint was the first painter to explore abstract art), Kandinsky is certainly a pioneer of modern art. Today, he is famous for his bright, colorful abstract compositions full of geometric shapes. In fact, the name Kandinsky is almost synonymous with modern art. However, when he created Couple on Horseback , Kandinsky was only beginning his exploration of abstraction. The painting depicts a young couple riding on horseback amongst the trees. A wide river and a traditional, Russian cityscape dominates the background. The piece is picked out in multi-colored dabs of paint; alone, these drops of paint are abstract and meaningless, yet, together they make a coherent picture. It is reminiscent of the pointillist style ...

Rest on the Flight into Egypt Source: Museum of Fine Arts Boston As the holiday season begins to wrap up, I want to share one more painting that celebrates the Christmas season: Luc-Olivier Merson’s version of Rest on the Flight into Egypt . The piece depicts a scene from the gospel of Matthew in which an angel appears to Joseph in a dream to warn him that Herod is seeking to kill the Christ child. Upon waking, Joseph took Mary and Jesus and fled to Egypt, where the family was safe. Although the rest on this journey is not specifically mentioned in the bible, it became a part of recognized Christian iconography by the fourteenth century, and, over the years, it has provided the framework for some of the most imaginative pieces of art in Western history. Merson’s version of this subject is particularly unique and interesting. Here, we see the Holy Family silhouetted against a star-strewn desert sky. Joseph sleeps on the sand, wrapped in his cloak while the family’s mule rests nearby. Ma...

The Knight Errant Source: The Tate The Pre-Raphaelite movement was truly an extraordinary time in the history of art. The Pre-Raphaelites threw out the rule book of art, rejecting the conventions of their age in favor of returning to an earlier style of art. As the name suggests, the Pre-Raphaelites were inspired by early Italian artists and the art of the Medieval age. Their work focused on realism and vibrancy, rich and energetic. John Everett Millais was one of the most talented artists of his age. Although he began his artistic career as a Pre-Raphaelite, Millais later developed his own unique and mature style. The Knight Errant is an example of this unique style. The painting depicts a traditional Medieval theme, the Knight Errant. Here, we see a knight clad in armor rescuing a woman who has been stripped and tied to a tree. Millais's inscription, which accompanied the painting, read, “The order of Knights errant was instituted to protect widows and orphans, and to succour mai...

Antigone Source:  Pre-Raphaelite Art The artists of the Pre-Raphaelite movement are often known as the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. However, in actuality, female artists and writers were essential to the success of the movement. While many people know about the contributions that female writers such as Christina Rossetti made to the movement, the work of female painters is less well-known, it is equally important. Marie Spartali Stillman was one of the most productive artists of the movement. Born in England, Stillman was the descendent of a Greek family. She began her artistic career as a model for members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood but quickly became an artist in her own right. Like other Pre-Raphaelite artists, Stillman was inspired by Medieval and mythological subjects. Her style was meticulous and detail oriented, with special emphasis on the beauty of the natural world. Antigone is one of her finest paintings. The piece depicts a scene from the Greek tragedy Antigone ....

Tumbling Blocks Quilt Source: MET Museum Today, I want to take a look at a type of art that I haven’t discussed on this blog before: quilts. Crafts like textiles and quilts are seldom seen as works of art because they tend to be common, household items and are usually produced by unknown artists who are—in essence—ordinary people. Quilts are also usually produced by women, who are traditionally overlooked and undervalued in the study and history of art. However, scholars are now beginning to understand the significance of quilts as artistic and cultural objects. Quilts in particular were traditionally a way for women—who were often confined to their homes and rarely allowed to be involved with formal artistic pursuits like painting or sculpting—to express themselves. This particular quilt, which uses a tumbling blocks pattern was created by seventeen-year-old Adeline Harris, of Rhode Island, in 1856. The intricate pattern uses hundreds of different pieces of fabric in dozens of differe...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all who celebrate! In honor of the holiday, I’ve decided to put together a collection of Christmas paintings to celebrate. Christmas Eve, 1887 by John Everett Millais - I think that most of us can imagine a Christmas scene. For obvious reasons, the holiday tends to be associated with Christmas trees, bells, and holly sprigs. Pre-Raphaelite artist John Everett Millais, however, took a different approach to the subject. The painting depicts a rural landscape, featuring crows and barren trees. Tiny footprints track through the snow and a brick manor house stands in the background. While it is a seemingly mundane scene, it is powerful and meaningful in its simplicity.  Christmas Eve, 1887 Source: Wikimedia Commons Christmas in the Brothel by Edvard Munch - Edvard Munch is well known as an eccentric, original painter. Munch is best known as the painter of The Scream , one of the most recognizable paintings in the world. His style is extremely dis...

The Adoration of the Shepherds Source: Museo del Prado In this history of Western art, the painter El Greco stands out as one of the most unique artists of all time. I’ve written about El Greco many times on this blog. He was a visionary, a man who was ahead of his time in many ways. Although he worked in Spain during the sixteenth century, his work appears exceptionally modern to twenty-first century viewers. His work is characterized by distorted, elongated figures and a strange, grey-toned color scheme. His style has a painterly quality that gives it an energetic aura. Although some aspects of El Greco’s style (a name that literally means the Greek, a reference to the artist’s birth place) are in keeping with the Mannerist movement, his paintings exhibit a singular style totally unique to the artist. El Greco’s The Adoration of the Shepherds is particularly unusual. Although the adoration of the shepherds is a common motif in Christian art, El Greco’s interpretation of the subject s...

Baby (Nativity Of Tahitian Christ) Source: WikiArt Paul Gauguin can best be described as a controversial—yet brilliant—artist. While Gauguin was a deeply unpleasant human being (for many reasons), he was also one of the most original and inventive artists of his age. Today, his paintings and sculptures are recognized for their original and expressive character and for Gauguin’s unique approach to color. Gauguin’s work is also remarkable for the mix of cultural themes and ideas that permeate his work. Gauguin is most famous for the art he executed while living in Tahiti, and, while his understanding of Tahitian culture was limited, his time in French Polynesia made a huge impact on his work. Bé bé ( Baby or Nativity Of Tahitian Christ ) is a fine example of the way Gauguin used cultural synchronism to create interesting and impactful art. As the title suggests, the painting is a variation on the traditional Christian nativity scene. Instead of a manger in Bethlehem with shepherds look...

Star of Bethlehem Source: Wikimedia Commons Among the painters of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, Edward Burne-Jones stands out as one of the most productive and talented artists of his age. Burne-Jones—like many Pre-Raphaelites—was inspired by the legends and myths of older cultures; however, he also created many pieces of religious artwork. As Christmas approaches, I’d like to share an example of this art. Burne-Jones’ Star of Bethlehem depicts the birth of Christ with the three Wise Men in attendance. This is a traditional and well-worn motif in Christian art that celebrates the Epiphany, the day on which the three Wise Men reached the Christ child after their journey. Though there are many versions of the Epiphany scene in Western art, Burne-Jones’ Star of Bethlehem is particularly beautiful. Burne-Jones first approached the subject of the Epiphany when he was commissioned to create a tapestry for the University of Oxford. He completed a version of the Star of Bethlehem — known as ...

Winter Source: MET Museum Today is the first official day of winter (although, in my opinion, it’s felt like winter for a while already). So, in honor of the winter solstice, I want to share a piece of art that personifies winter itself. There is a long tradition in Western art of anthropomorphizing the seasons and other abstract concepts. The seasons carry special symbolism and they are often associated with the cycle of life. Winter, as the coldest and darkest season of the year, is typically associated with death and old age. As such, winter is usually depicted as an old man or old woman, a person approaching the end of life. French sculptor Jean Antoine Houdon, however, took a different approach to this subject. Rather than an elderly man, Houdon depicts winter as a young girl. Houdon’s Winter stands nude, hunched and shivering. Her head and shoulders are covered by a large, yet ineffective, shawl. Although it is obvious that the shawl does very little to warm the girl, it provid...

The Census at Bethlehem Source: Wikimedia Commons As Christmas approaches, I decided to share some festive art to get everyone in the holiday spirit! Today, we’re going to take a look at The Census at Bethlehem by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, one of the greatest and most interesting painters in Western history. Bruegel is the quintessential Northern Renaissance artist. His style is unique and eclectic, reminiscent of the work of Hieronymus Bosch in its oddity. Today, Bruegel is known for his distinctive landscapes, scenes of everyday life, allegorical paintings, and his Northern Renaissance panache in general. The Northern Renaissance—a term I’m using pretty loosely here—refers to an artistic movement in northern Europe that occurred at roughly the same time as the Italian Renaissance. Art of the Northern Renaissance is characterized by increased attention to the accurate portrayal of three dimensional space and greater realism in the depiction of the human form. However, art of the Nort...

The Dining Room Source: Google Arts and Culture The nineteenth century was a time of remarkable expansion and growth in the world of art. It saw the development of many new artistic styles and innovations in regards to color, form, and line. Pointillism—the practice of creating an image through small dots of color—was one such new technique. The highly recognizable technique was developed by French artists Georges Seurat and Paul Signac in the late nineteenth century and has since gained a great deal of popularity. Together, the two artists researched color theory and the science of contrast to determine how to make pictures out of dots of color. While Signac’s work has subsequently been overshadowed by that of his contemporary Georges Seurat, he created extraordinary paintings using pointillism. The Dining Room is one of his most interesting masterpieces. It depicts the artist’s mother and grandfather eating breakfast in their dining room with a maid standing at attention. Signac use...

The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer Source: National Gallery of Art Most people think of Edgar Degas as the painter of ballerinas. Degas rose to prominence as an artist in the mid-nineteenth century. While he originally studied to be a history painter, Degas became one of the leading painters of the Impressionist movement, and he quickly began to paint scenes of contemporary life. The ballerinas were some of his earliest and most common subjects. He even painted rehearsals and backstage scenes at the ballet. While he is most famous for these paintings, Degas also created several sculptures over the course of his career. However, The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer is one of his only surviving sculptures. As the title suggests, the sculpture depicts a young girl in the costume of a ballerina. Many ballerinas came from poor, working class backgrounds. As such, these young girls lived difficult lives and were subject to many threats. The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer reflects this sad r...

Atomic Vacation Source:  RVA Mag For some reason or another, humans seem to be obsessed with the idea of the apocalypse. Western culture, for example, is full of writings and images that explore the concept of the end times. They are particularly prevalent in Christian art, and Western art is full of such imagery, which is usually inspired by the biblical book of revelations. The four horsemen of the apocalypse are a particularly common motif. Ever since the German artist Albrecht Dürer created the first modern image of the horsemen, it has been a popular subject for Western subjects. Atomic Vacation is a modern day take on this apocalyptic art. The artist, Todd Schorr, stated in an interview that the painting was inspired by the “Duck and Cover” nuclear threat drills that he endured as a child in the 1950s and 1960s. In Atomic Vacation , he combines this childhood sense of foreboding with some stereotypical imagery of the time period. Here, we see the four horsemen of the apocal...

Snow Falling in the Lane Source: WikiArt We had quite a big snow storm in my neck of the woods today. I particularly dislike snow, as it forces me to shovel and makes the roads treacherous. However, in honor of the first big snow of the year, I want to show you a painting entitled Snow Falling in the Lane by the great Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. Munch is best known as the painter of The Scream , one of the most recognizable paintings in the world. His style is extremely distinctive, characterized by bright colors and bold lines. Munch used painting to explore his psychological and emotional reality, which inspired this distinctive style. Thus, every Munch painting is a reflection of his own personal worldview. Snow Falling in the Lane depicts a winter scene. As the title suggests, the painting depicts a man and a woman walking down a snowy lane. The two figures are only half-visible, caught in the moment of walking out of the frame. Behind them, the viewer can see the lane receding...

Late Afternoon, New York, Winter Source: Brooklyn Museum The Impressionist style is typically associated with France and French artists; however, the movement reached far and wide beyond that nation’s borders. In the United States, Childe Hassam was one of the leading figures of the Impressionist movement. Along with his contemporaries, Hassam was responsible for popularizing Impressionism in America. Today, Hassam is known for his paintings of urban and coastal scenes, and his painting Late Afternoon, New York, Winter is the perfect piece of art for these cold, snowy days. As the title suggests, Late Afternoon, New York, Winter depicts a city street in New York, probably in Manhattan. Through a haze of snow, we see a line of carriages struggling up the snowy streets. In the backgrounds, buildings loom out of the snowy sky, half concealed in shadow. A few figures can also be seen, walking down the street. While the scene itself is very simple, Hassam’s Impressionistic style gives it a...

Winter Trees Source: WikiArt As the weather continues to get colder, I want to share another winter landscape with you. This piece is entitled Winter Trees , and, as the title suggests, it depicts barren trees standing in a desolate field with a cloudy sky in the background. While it is a simple scene on its face, it is the use of color and style within the painting that makes it interesting. Winter Trees was produced by one of the most innovative painters of his time: Egon Schiele. While I have never been a huge fan of Schiele’s art, it is impossible to deny that his style is completely unique and instantly recognizable. His brushstrokes are loose and painterly, and he uses bold lines to create twisting and distorted shapes. His subjects tend to be bold and unapologetically raw, and contemporary commentators often criticized him for the explicit eroticism of his art. While Winter Trees is a simpler and more subdued piece than many of Schiele’s paintings, it is still possible to see hi...

Young Knight in a Landscape  Source: Wikimedia Commons Today, I want to take a look at a painting that makes history. Young Knight in a Landscape is the first full-length portrait in Western history. The piece was created by Venetian artist Vittore Carpaccio, who worked in the style of the Italian Renaissance. Venetian art tended to be original and unusual among Italian art, forming a unique style. This being said, Carpaccio’s style was especially unusual. Aside from the unique nature of Young Knight in a Landscape , it is also rather old-fashioned, showing influence from Medieval and early Renaissance art. It also bears evidence of Northern Renaissance influence. Art of the Northern Renaissance tends to be elaborate and hugely detailed, full of miniature scenes within paintings. This can certainly be seen in Young Knight in a Landscape . Carpaccio uses symbolism and clever placement of details to convey a message about the knight’s virtue. A parchment in the corner of the paintin...

Seated Girl (Fränzi Fehrmann) Source: Minneapolis Institute of Art There are few styles of art more unique and colorful than Expressionism. Like Romanticism, Expressionism seeks to depict a psychological landscape; it aims to portray the emotional reality of either the subject or the artist. It is a vibrant, exciting, and—of course—expressive style. However, the most important aspect of Expressionism is the emotion the paintings represent and evoke; it is through these emotions that the artists work to convey a sense of authenticity. Ernst Ludwig Kirchner was one of the leading artists of the German Expressionist movement, and was even a member of “The Bridge,” a leading group of Expressionist artists. Seated Girl is one of his many masterpieces. As the title suggests, it depicts a young girl wearing a red dress and sitting on a bed. She looks over her shoulder at the viewer, a serious and thoughtful expression on her face. The girl in the painting is Lina Franziska Fehrmann, known as...

The Nativity Source: Wikimedia Commons Among the painters of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, Edward Burne-Jones stands out as one of the most productive and talented artists of his age. Burne-Jones—like many Pre-Raphaelites— was inspired by the legends and myths of older cultures; however, he also created many pieces of religious artwork. As Christmas approaches, I’d like to share an example of this art. Burne-Jones’ Nativity depicts the birth of Christ, a traditional and well-worn motif in Christian art. Though virtually every major Western artist has painted the Nativity scene at some point or another, each painter has a unique interpretation, and Burne-Jones’ Nativity is particularly beautiful. It portrays the Virgin Mary resting with the newborn Christ Child while Joseph kneels by her bedside. Three angels stand to the left, looking on. The style and composition of the piece borrows heavily from Medieval art. While the scene is not dynamic, and, in fact, is rather stiff, the figures...

At the Moulin Rouge, the Dance Source: Wikimedia Commons During these cold, dreary days, there’s nothing better than a bright and colorful piece of art. So, today, I’d like to share a rather theatrical piece titled At the Moulin Rouge, the Dance . The piece was created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, a French artist who is known today for his many lively paintings of brothels and dance halls. Although he was born into an aristocratic family, Toulouse-Lautrec suffered from various genetic disorders that left him physically disabled. He found it difficult to connect with members of his own social class because of this disability, leading him to seek friends with prostitutes and other members of the “underclasses.” Toulouse-Lautrec felt that these people were more authentic and down to earth, and, thus, they became the subjects of his paintings. At the Moulin Rouge, the Dance is a good representative of Toulouse-Lautrec’s typical style. The painting uses loose, painterly brushstrokes to cr...

Winter Source: Wikimedia Commons If you’re interested in weird and wonderful art, you should look no further than the art of sixteenth century painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo. Though Arcimboldo was from Italy, he did his most well-known work in the Habsburg courts of Northern Europe. It was here that he began to create his signature composite portraits, pieces of art that were totally unique at the time and remain unparalleled to this day. Winter is one such painting. According to my research , Winter is part of a series of paintings that Arcimboldo created to celebrate the reign of Emperor Maximilian II while he was living in his court. This series contained four pieces that celebrated the four seasons: Winter , Spring , Summer , and Autumn . Each piece was one of Arcimboldo’s famous composite paintings, a human face composed of items associated with each season. This series was an instant success among the courtiers, leading Arcimboldo to replicate this triumph by creating copies of th...

Winter Landscape Source: WikiArt Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky is best known as the father of abstract art. While that is not quite true (many cultures practiced abstraction for thousands of years before Kandinsky began working; and, in Europe, Hilma af Klint was the first painter to explore abstract art), Kandinsky is certainly a pioneer of modern art. Today, he is famous for his bright, colorful abstract compositions full of geometric shapes. In fact, the name Kandinsky is almost synonymous with modern art. However, Kandinsky’s began his artistic career with more figural subjects. While these early paintings are not as well known, I personally find them to be more appealing. Winter Landscape is one such painting. Painted while Kandinsky was living in Germany, Winter Landscape depicts a field of snow dotted with a yellow house and a line of bare-limbed trees. Dark hills loom in the background. However, it is Kandinsky’s use of color that really stands out in this painting. The s...

The Hunters in the Snow Source: Wikimedia Commons Pieter Bruegel the Elder is the quintessential Northern Renaissance artist. His style is unique and eclectic, reminiscent of the work of Hieronymus Bosch in its oddity. Today, Bruegel is known for his distinctive landscapes, scenes of everyday life, allegorical paintings, and his Northern Renaissance panache in general. The Hunters in the Snow is one of his most famous paintings. It depicts a small village awash in white, fluffy snow. In the foreground, a group of hunters return from their work accompanied by a pack of curly-tailed dogs. They walk downhill toward the village, where some of the townspeople are at work while others skate on the ice. In the background, craggy mountains loom over the scene. The painting is rich in detail, executed with loving and painstaking precision. On the surface, The Hunters in the Snow seems to be a straightforward, secular painting. However, taken in the context of Bruegel’s life, it is a wistful, ...

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post entitled The Craziest Self-Portraits of all Time , in which I described some of the more unusual self-portraits I have encountered during my studies of art. I had a lot of fun with that post, so, today, I want to share a few more crazy self-portraits. Let’s dive in! Pumpkinhead Self Portrait by Jamie Wyeth - Jamie Wyeth is a member of the famous Wyeth family, and is the son and grandson respectively of celebrated painters Andrew Wyeth and N.C. Wyeth. Although he’s probably not as well known as his relatives, he’s certainly a famous and talented painter in his own right. One of his most famous and strangest paintings is his Pumpkinhead Self Portrait . In this painting, Wyeth removes himself from his own self portrait, a somewhat self deprecating gesture that invites the viewer to examine the work as a painting, not as an image of its creator. Alternatively, it might just be that the Wyeth family like Halloween. According to my research, “the Wyeths ...

Angels Appearing before the Shepherds Source: Wikimedia Commons Christmas is approaching. In order to celebrate the season, I want to start sharing paintings related to the holiday. Today’s piece is Angels Appearing before the Shepherds by Henry Ossawa Tanner. To my mind, Tanner’s style can be best described as realism with a painterly, almost Romantic style. Tanner primarily focused on scenes of everyday life and religious paintings; his work was known and renowned around the world. Significantly, he was also one of the first African-American painters to be celebrated internationally. The subject of the painting is taken from a passage from the Gospel of Luke, which describes how angels appeared to a group of shepherds to announce the birth of the Christ child: And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel sai...

Frost Source: Wikimedia Commons It’s around this time of the year that we start seeing frost on the ground, so, in honor of this change in weather, I’d like to share a painting called Frost . The piece was created by Hugo Simberg, one of Finland’s most famous painters. He was a member of the symbolist movement, an artistic movement that sought to expressive higher truths through art. Simberg revels in strange and supernatural subjects, and his work typically has an otherworldly and melancholic aura. Frost is no exception. The painting depicts a pale, goblin-like creature who blows gusts of cold air out of a cavernous mouth. The creature perches on a hay stack with a mountainous landscape in the background. A huge orange sun sinks down behind the hills. The piece obviously symbolizes oncoming winter. The haystacks in the field references the end of autumn, while the frost itself represents winter. It follows in a long tradition of Western artwork that personifies the seasons. Winter is...