Influences – (Matisse on Hofmann)

Hans Hofmann - Pink Table with Still Life and Palette - 1936 - 132 x 96 cm - oil on panel

As in my post of September 1st. on Cezanne influencing Matisse, we see the influence on Hofmann.  We should be aware of and participate in the continuity of art, which opens doors for new considerations for those who follow.

Hofmann has used the tilting up of the table top very interestingly by adding another bold  consideration, the rhythmic shape at the bottom left of the table top, which seems to be both on and in front of the table.  This is a wonderful spatial plane, and he integrated it beautifully with a vertical just below at the right of the shape, and upwards with the curve of the table top.  Another spatial plane on the table top, the pink rectangle at the bottom which seems to come forth, very impressive!  There are some planes in the red just below the table top at the right as well.  Can you feel their connection with the table?  The combination of his free gestural stokes with his structural considerations are very impressive and I love the transparency of the green vase at the right.

Hofmann was a very knowledgeable painter and a superb teacher, who was influential in the development of the Abstract Impressionist movement in New York, which was wonderfully convoluted in the 30’s.

I will be posting more on Hofmann’s development of spatial planes with colour.

Klee – (Motif and Rhythm)

Paul Klee - Saint-Germain, near Tunis - 1914 - 22 x 32 cm - watercolour

This lovely watercolour shows us Klee’s wonderful use of the grid, which was the foundation for many of his compositions.  The grid provides an overall motif of squares or rectangles which unifies the composition, and a disciplined artist will not let the subject disrupt the rhythm.  In other words composition before information.

Klee’s grids are organic which provide the poetic feel of his compositions.  The freehand grid with it’s variety of sizes, can also convey the feeling of space, as Klee does so beautifully in this painting, particularly with the large vertical red rectangle near the bottom. Can you feel it being in front?  Klee also provides a sub motif of triangles, which conveys oblique movement and the structural elements.

The strength and rhythm of the blacks is most impressive as they ensure we will move gracefully through the composition.  Note how the black triangle on the right balances the houses.  Truly masterful!

Having the grid throughout the painting integrating the foreground, the background and the sky is works beautifully and I am very impressed with the vertical running from the bottom  to the top, next to the black triangle.  Do you feel it being another plane?

I am sure Klee listened when he painted this lyrical composition.

 

Willem de Kooning – (Integration with Spatial Planes)

Willem de Kooning - Two Men Standing - 1938 - 155 x 122 cm - 61 x 48 in - oil on canvas

There are some fascinating spatial considerations in this interesting painting by de Kooning.  Not only has he integrated the painting with a motif of rectangles, de Kooning also uses them as spatial planes, providing us with the feeling of space. (which is meant to be felt before seen)

I will begin with the vertical rectangle at the left which has a feeling of being in front of the objects on the floor.  And when you take in the adjacent rectangles they seem to be behind the figure.  I hope you can feel it.

Now to the wonderful warm rectangle connecting the figures. (Or maybe I should say the orange has a feeling of a rectangle)  Do you sense the orange being both in front and behind the figures?  The feeling is emphasized  by the horizontal line which runs behind the left figure’s legs, then turning upwards, connecting to another line at the other figures elbow.  Yes we have another plane.  One more, which I feel is the most exquisite.  The sense of the left figure’s head being within a spatial plane.  Do you feel the rectangle simultaneously in front and behind his head?

This is a very sophisticated painting and I will continue in the next posting.

Influences – (Cezanne on Gorky)

Arshile Gorky - Portrait of Master Bill - 1937 - 132 x 102 cm - 52 x 40 in -oil on canvas

Cezanne had a major influence on Gorky’s development as we see with the consideration of spatial planes in this painting.  Gorky is not emulating Cezanne, he is applying his consideration of planes in space, as we saw in the post of Matisse’s painting The Italian Woman.

Here we can see the consideration at the figure`s left shoulder.  Note how the background feels like it is cutting into the shoulder.  Or a better way to put it is the figure is in the space.  We can see it in the other arm as well .  The lower arm feels to be in front of the figure.  The background coloured shape between the forearm and the shoulder reads as the space.  Do you feel it?

There is a grey rectangle in front of the chair.  What is it?  It is not an identifiable thing, rather it is a plane in front, which is far better than showing the back leg of the chair.  That evidence of perspective would be in conflict.  Very impressive.

 

 

Influences – (Cezanne on Matisse)

Henri Matisse - The Italian Woman - 1916 - 117 x 90 cm - 46 x 35 in - oil on canvas

This is a fascinating study of conveying spatial planes, or another way of putting it, immersing the subject into the surrounding space. How to accomplish this on a two dimensional surface is the challenge. And interestingly, this can only be attempted on a flat plane.

Matisse engaged with this by actually painting an almost opaque plane in front or the figure, which integrates with her hair. What I like is how boldly he conveyed the consideration. It could be said he may have pushed it to the point of substance rather than space. Art should always be open for discussion, as there is no right or wrong in art!

Another impressive consideration is how he painted her hands and arms. They are not static! She is not a frozen in time and Matisse was engaging in the wonderful challenges presented by Cezanne.

 

Joan Miro – (Integration and Spatial Planes)

Joan Miro - Still Life with Coffee Mill - 1918 - 63 x 75 cm - 23 x 29 in - oil on canvas

Many considerations are evident in this wonderful still life.  Miro has shown us his awareness of the picture plane, which was quite recent at the time, as well as spatial planes (cubism).

Miro is absorbing and refining these considerations with his own approach and sense of lyrical structure.  This is the difference between mimicking and permitting yourself to be influenced.

He has a superb feeling for space as we see in the rhythmic triangles, particularly in the area above the tablecloth. Can you feel them in front of the background?  We first sense the items, then the triangles and then background.  In fact do you feel the triangles throughout the painting.

Let me take you to the bottom left of the table where Miro has provided a shape which appears to project forward.  This is directly from Cezanne!

I’m very impressed with how he provided rhythmic lines below the pipe and fruit, providing them with energy.  A very sophisticated way of integrating.

Now to the advertisement card.  He has raised it to the picture plane as Braque and Picasso were experimenting with through using collage.  Another influence Miro has permitted to show in his work.

Chagall – (Parallel Rhythm, Integration and Motifs)

Marc Chagall - The Poet - 1911 - 197 x 146 cm - 78 x 57 in - oil on canvas

To continue let’s go to the bottle and how it is supported by a rhythm of parallels.  From left to right we have the poet’s right leg, his forearms, a line on his chest, the edge of a red triangle, a small gray rectangle, a small red triangle, and the curtain.  There are a couple other subtle ones as well.

Another series of parallels which is very closely related, are his left leg and the small spatial angle beside it.  The rhythm continues with a very subtle plane in the grayish area, then the edge of the red table, which integrates with blue on his forearm.  Please note the horizontal integrating his arm to the table.  Chagall’s compositional assessments are very sophisticated and most impressive.

Note how his inverted the head is integrated with the background.  There is an edge which connects to the chin and then runs to the right into the curtain.  Can you feel how it supports the head?

We could say the composition has a triangle motif supported by ovals, circles and rectangles.  Take the hand holding the glass.  It is a partial oval, and harmonizes with the head and other ovals above.

My last observation.  Note how the cat is in space.  I say this because of the spatial plane, or the background overlapping the cat. Do you feel it?

I could go on.  Chagall is wonderful!

Chagall (Integration with Spatial Planes)

Marc Chagall - The Poet - 1911 - 196 x 145 cm - 77 x 57 in - oil on canvas

What an impressive painting!

Only Chagall could convey the delightfully frustrating tussle of the creative process and take spatial considerations to a higher level.

There is much to enjoy this painting.  I think I should limit myself to a vertical integration and some wonderfully placed spatial planes.

The vertical integration begins at the top with a short blue line.  Your eye then connects to another line above the shoulder.  You then continue through the figure.  You also can connect the verticals above the shoulder to a vertical at the bottom.  Chagall offers you choices.

Now to the planes, and I will focus on the area near the hand with the glass.  Do you see a small rectangle just to the left of the glass.  Can you feel it being in front?

The other plane is just below his hand, actually it overlaps the hand.  I hope you can sense different levels.  Note also how the cup integrates or connects with the plane.

There is a lot going on in a Chagall painting, and I will continue in the next posting.

Chagall (Integration and Spatial Planes)

Marc Chagall - The Fiddler - 1911 - 95 x 69 cm - 37 x 27 in - oil on canvas

Chagall not only understood spatial planes, he masterfully shows us the playful side of this wonderful consideration.

Let’s begin with the line that creates the triangle at the top right.  Do you feel the light blue and the red in front of the triangle?  This is wonderful and sophisticated play.

There are also a couple of right angles creating other minor planes.  One is at the chimney and the other is below, pointing at the fiddler’s head.  I hope you can feel the planes they provide.

Now to the edge of the roof at the front of the house and how it is integrated with the above background shape at the top and to the fiddler’s coat.  I love his coat.  Chagall made the coat a rhythmic shape, rather than disrupting the composition with depiction.  Very impressive!

Ask yourself why is the boy’s right leg white?  His left leg is parallel and supporting the angle of the roof and fiddler’s coat.

I’ll finish with that little tree at the left and how it is harmony.  There are more notes and I hope you enjoy discovering them.

Remember this is knowledge and poetry, not formula, and Chagall was a true master of twentieth century painting.