A Few of Your Favorite Things

Just a quick post to say thank you to my darling friend Kim and my wonderful mother-in-law for indulging in my request for the painting or other art work that first touched you. 

And just so I don't forget which paintings they are, I'm naturally posting them here. Of the three I think my favorite is the View of Toledo by El Greco. There is something mesmerizing and enthralling to me about the flow of the painting. And once I learned a bit more about the painting's history I find it fascinating that he chose this view to paint. 

I very much enjoyed reading about each of the artists though, (and this will come as no surprise) I  didn't know anything about El Greco or John Constable. My knowledge of Botticelli is superficial at best. And that is really the point of renewing this blog. I can't begin to learn everything about every artist that touches me but how wonderful to learn just a bit more. I have found the world of art, literature and religion is more interconnected that I ever could have imagined. 

View of Toledo, El Greco, thought to be painted around 1597
Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC

I learned the most about El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos), probably because I knew nothing about him in the first place. He had a fascinating life filled with travel, inspiration, artistic growth, education and it appears be quite a few unpopular opinions. I know all artists grow and change as they continue to paint but considering that he was trained as an icon painter he seems to have traveled quite a distance both literally and artistically from where he began.

I mentioned earlier that the most striking aspect of View of Toledo to me is the curve of the landscape and the buildings. They weave my eye over and through the painting, lingering at each curve. The second thing I notice is the pop of the foreground. The plants feel as if I could touch them and hear them shifting in the breeze. To have such realism in the foreground and seamlessly blend into the more imagined background is simply, inspiring. 

The Birth of Venus, Sandro Botticelli, 1482-1485
Uffizi, Florence, Italy

Where do I start on such an iconic and world famous painting as The Birth of Venus. I'm surely not going to share anything that isn't already widely known so I'll just stick with what I am most drawn to in the painting. With out a doubt it is the color and shading. The blue hues of the angels robes as well as the pink robe held on the right side seem to pop out of the picture. Every color in the painting conveys femininity, innocence and ethereal beauty. Honestly I was drawn to the beauty of Venus' hair before I noticed her nudity. To me that is secondary, though it goes with out saying, she is exquisite. 

From an historical perspective I find it fascinating how much of art is inspired by literature and vice versa. This painting is a perfect example of that as well as who it was painted for. In this case, for a member of the Medici family as a herald of the "reign of love" finally coming to Florence. 

I wonder what books or poems inspire me in a visual way? Obviously much of the bible is ingrained in my mind through art. But so are some pieces of literature. Dante's Inferno comes to mind. And fast forwarding about 600 years, perhaps Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird? Or Ralph Waldo Emerson's, Nature. 

The Hay Wain, John Constable, 1821
The National Gallery, London, UK

There is much I like about this painting but what stands out most to me is not necessarily the beauty of the landscape, its the familiarity the artist had with the scene. Artist, John Constable was born and lived in the area of Suffolk which was the basis for this painting. In fact, according to the National Gallery's web site the cottage and river path featured in this painting look the same today as it did in 1821 when Constable sketched the scene.  

I like to think about what I would paint from my home. Perhaps the beauty of Mount Bonnell where my mother and I used to picnic. Or perhaps the hills west of Austin where she and I would join others in road rallies where we flew down the open highway in my father's red convertible, top down of course.  Because of Constable's connection to the land and the people living there I wonder if it meant more to him? I know it would to me. 

If you could paint a place from your childhood, what would it be?

Cheers, 
Ouiser