Appreciating ART
Topic started by Udhaya (@ 63.89.188.180) on Mon Sep 17 14:02:48 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.
I’m not a student of art. I’m not a painter. I’m just a novice art lover who appreciates paintings for how they affect me. I have often found myself unable to explain why something affects me about a certain painting. I go to art museums at least couple of times a year and frequently wade through the internet art galleries. I have my favorites and I have come across those that puzzle or intrigue me.
Recently I visited the San Jose Museum of Art and noticed a marvelous addition to the gallery: comments by visitors on what they felt about each piece. The museum had reproduced some comments and left the rest right by the paintings for perusal. I can honestly say I learned more from reading visitors’ comments on the paintings than if the artist or a curator had tried to explain it to me.
I have condensed the questionnaire that the museum had to initiate a beginner or a rusty art fan. But you certainly don’t have to limit yourself to these questions or adhere to each one. This is just a place to start.
-What’s the first thing you noticed? Why?
-What colors, shapes, and lines are used?
-How do they lead you through the work?
-What are your head and heart telling you?
-Does it move you? How?
-What do you see that makes you think and feel this way?
-Does it absorb, generate or reflect light?
-Where is it still? Where do you see movement?
-What else was happening in the world when it was made?
-What do you see that reflects or rejects its time?
-How does it differ from your experience? Are you reflected in this work?
-What do you see?
My humble hope is that you all would open yourselves up to the paintings and open my understanding of the painting as well. Let’s all discover the mystery and majesty of art. Let’s begin using the following gallery and we can add other ones as people point them out.
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/
The above is the best webmuseum that I have found. This thread is not limited to Western art alone. Art from anywhere in the world can be discussed, the only criteria is that the art piece should be available on the web and preferably scales to at least half the screen in a monitor
Responses:
- Old responses
- From: Udhaya (@ pool237.zambeel.com)
on: Thu Nov 1 11:35:03
Ravi Varma’s, “There Comes Papa”
The woman’s attire has this brilliant sheen that obscures the darker colors of the background. Her eyes and her posture have a casual, confident, satiated arrogance to them that only comes with affluence. That the painting captures her personality is to Ravi Varma’s credit. I also enjoy the mother’s focus on her son probably asking him about the father he’s looking at, while the son is looking away from the portrait as is the dog. And the Papa from the title isn’t even in the portrait but affecting it plenty by drawing everyone’s focus. Interesting dynamics are here to make this more involving than most family portraits.
stg,
If you want to digress about other things regarding art that's fine as long as we come back to discussing a specific painting for that's the whole aim of this thread. I don't particularly have much to say about the issues you raised, but upon reading some of posts I might join in. So if you want to discuss it, please do.
- From: kini (@ lan-202-144-125-161.maa.sify.net)
on: Fri Nov 2 11:12:47
Udhaya,
The sheen in her attire really stands out.Probably it is a moon lit night.The posture of the lady - slanted with one foot elevated possibly suggests they are standing outside the house - a verandah.She has a bored look in her face( a satiated arrogance : hm ; i would say a well fed look rather);given that women used to see their husbands once in a blue moon those days (may take it as full moon here) - it s quite surprising why our lady is bereft of cheer.There s an overall lull about her.Is the title appropriate as conceieved by Ravivarma?Are they actually talking abt the lady s husband here? Or the subject here is something more mundane like the moon or the stars or something of that sort?
- From: Udhaya (@ pool157.zambeel.com)
on: Tue Nov 6 12:58:29
kini,
I enjoyed your take.
- From: nakkeerar (@ 12.148.251.114)
on: Tue Nov 27 16:56:16
Here is a link on Leonardo Da Vinci from the library link in the thread header..
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/vinci/
two paintings..
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/vinci/magi.jpg
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/vinci/ermine.jpg
This is a suggestion for our next painting. If noone picks up another painting, we can continue discussion with Leonardo Da Vinci.
- From: Anu (@ ac81217e.ipt.aol.com)
on: Sat Dec 8 01:16:38
Udhaya,
I chanced upon this link just today and it's a wonderful subject. I enjoyed all the past paintings and the discussions on it. Although I wish I could go back to a few and add a few comments of my own. But I don't want to disturb the continuity of the thread...except this once.
I know everyone seems to have moved to the latest painting on Leonardo Da Vinci. But, I wish to make a small note on the earlier painting of Ravi Varma's..There comes Papa.
The difference in the texture of hair of an adult and that of a child was very well brought out. I could almost 'feel' the softness of the child's hair.
Hope to contribute to the forthcoming works of art !!
Thanks
- From: Udhaya (@ pool162.zambeel.com)
on: Thu Dec 13 12:45:45
Leonardo Da Vinci’s, “Magi”
A golden hue permeates the entire painting as if the renaissance spirit was sprinkled all over this painting. There’s so much activity in this painting; all the galloping horses mingling with humans in their various poses of exultation is the picture of benediction. After reading the characteristics of renaissance art, I can see how this painting’s vigor is markedly different from the somber pre-renaissance art.
Anu,
Welcome to the thread. As we seem to have hit a lull, please go ahead and give your reactions to other paintings before this. We can proceed afterwards. There's no reason to leave something unsaid.
- From: Sriram Lakshman (@ h-64-105-35-72.snvacaid.covad.net)
on: Fri Dec 14 00:23:31
There comes papa
The affluence is quite palpable, the dress, the jewellery, the pet et all. The dog's pose is perfect, very apt, it has just begun reacting to its master's arrival....well concieved. The woman has called forth the 'almost dead-pan' expression on her face consciously either due to cocky feel emotional self-sufficiency generally gives or due to conformance to the regal protocols, where a childlike smile or display of eagerness is considered to be an indication of susceptibility, vulnerability :). However, the accent seems to be on portraying affluence.
- From: Sriram Lakshman (@ h-64-105-35-72.snvacaid.covad.net)
on: Fri Dec 14 01:18:09
The reaction of the baby is excellent. It is so typical of babies to cast a glance in the general direction pointed to (by the mother in this case), sometimes missing the subject/object in question. The dress (actually the lack of it) rings a bell in the viewer's mind, brings in a feel of 'I have seen that so many times' before.
- From: Udhaya (@ pool218.zambeel.com)
on: Fri Dec 14 12:32:38
Sriram,
Welcome to the thread. I enjoyed your participation.
- From: bb (@ ouroboros.siebel.com)
on: Mon Jan 7 20:58:59
i hope people are back from the vacation. among contemporary artists, who are the most widely appreciated (to the level of picasso)?
- From: Ramji (@ 205.177.170.133)
on: Wed Jan 9 12:47:08
Sriram:
Can you send me an email? Thanks.
Others, sorry for the interruption. Will get back on Magi later.
- From: Ramji (@ 205.177.170.133)
on: Wed Jan 9 12:54:34
Beyond being in awe of the overall elegance, I am unable to contribute anything by way of serious appreciation.
I have to say "pass" to bb's question also.
- From: Udhaya (@ pool215.zambeel.com)
on: Fri Jan 11 11:56:06
bb,
It's hard to answer that question because art is also very specialized these days, there's abstract expressionism, there's mixed media art, there's even performance art. I can tell you who my favorite contemporary artists arew and they are: Chester Arnold and Andrew Wyeth.
I'm sure if you do some research on contemporary artists you can come up with some names of prize winners or people whose exhibits are frequently in the key centers of art like New York, Boston, Chicago, D.C.etc.
- From: Udhaya (@ pool121.zambeel.com)
on: Tue Feb 26 18:36:46
It’s time to revive this thread again. I’ve chosen the painting “The Bridge at Nantes” by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot.
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/corot/nantes.jpg
There’s an aged photograph feel to it. The artist Corot apparently took to capturing his subjects as he saw them and it shows here. The mystery of the bridge is accentuated by Corot’s perspective which sees it through trees and stumps. The green bank presents a rich contrast to the bridge’s brown while the sky and the river have a bleached out blue and silver hue in their likeness. The trunks and branches provide exotic angles to the bridge’s symmetry. The bridge’s highest tower is seen perfectly in the clearing between the middle and the right tree as if they were made to clear the way for the tower. The red cap atop the person in the boat is a subtle, yet appealing touch. The painting extends an overwhelming feeling of nostalgic warmth.
- From: Shakthi (@ 202.56.251.99)
on: Wed Feb 27 00:58:56
hello,
I tumbled upon this site, and had a wonderful feast for my eyes. I am a novice in art, and just love watching or imagining the situation or feeling behind the work , and the meanings conveyed, and not conveyed by the artist!
The artistic piece can easily be misunderstood as a long forgotten photograph!
The tinge of yellow portraying the flowers of the treee add to its beauty. And its reflection upon water, is unbelievably realistic.
The symmetry of the bridge, is perfect.
When u look at the right extreme of the work, the blend of trees, mountain and its leaves etc leaves a auburnish yellow hue there, which if looked in different angle, seems as though something is burning.
The picture has a very subtle sadness. could it be said forlorn look?
thx,
Shakthi
- From: Ramji (@ 205.177.170.144)
on: Wed Feb 27 11:41:46
O it is like art is being revived. But for the prededing perceptive takes by Udhaya and Shakthi, I could have said more. If I were to paint it, I would be tempted to draw the trees to their full height. But this artist doesnt. His way of showing the distance or the nearness.
- From: SR (@ mail.waldorf.edu)
on: Sat Mar 2 22:56:33
As pointed out by someone else, the focus is indeed on viewing the bridge through the trees. Perhaps though, what we are really observing - through the trees - is the view of the bridge as the boatman moves from left to right. We have a view from the two trees on the right, the closely spaced middle two trees, and the trees on the left - which in combination, allow us to easily observe the course of te boat.
The bridge is highlighted by the light colors in the back of the painting, in particular, the sky. This is, of course, relative to the darker colors in the forefront of the painting.
The color of the boatman's hat ensures that he is not overlooked by an observer glancing at the painting. This is also accomplished by the green grass, the color of which is in stark contrast to all other colors in the painting.
The mood of the painting is rather forlorn. In general, its archaic nature is heightened by the contrasting colors.
- From: nakkeerar (@ nok-framingham)
on: Wed May 8 18:37:51
Found this beautiful page in a Pakistani ghazal website.
http://www.ce.utexas.edu/stu/ahsoni/lovers.jpg
Tell your friend about this topic
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