Influences – (Cezanne on Matisse)

by don-admin

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.

Cezanne – (Integration)

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Paul Cezanne - Madame Cezanne - 1884 - 62 x 51 cm - 24 x 20 in - oil on canvas

This portrait of Madame Cezanne is a superb example of Cezanne’s attention to composition.

By providing a vertical from the top, connecting to her hair, and then to a dark stripe on her dress, he has masterfully structured the painting. This is one of the best examples of integration that I know of. And I often think of it when I’m painting.

Joan Miro – (Integration and Spatial Planes)

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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.

Edouard Vuillard – (Parallels, Pulls, and Integration)

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Edouard Vuillard - The Newspaper - 1910 - 34 x 55 cm - 13.5 x 22 in - oil on cardboard

This is a superb example of how masters assess their compositions. Vuillard,as Bonnard, was interested in domestic scenes, and he shows us how any subject is an opportunity to create a sophisticated painting.

He was noted for his wonderful shapes and patterns which are a great way to gain control of the subject matter. In other words not permitting the complexities of detail dictate to the artist.

In this post, however, I will focus on his thorough assessment of the composition.

I will begin with the curtain at the right and how it blends with the tree. Note how the curtain does not disrupt the rectangle of the window, which permits a rhythm of rectangles, spanning the top of the painting.

He provided a wonderful movement with parallels. The curtain tie at the right and it’s parallel projecting from the mullion. Do you feel the movement towards the figure?

There is a marvelous pull which excited me. That marvelous juicy red triangle! I love how sensitively and yet boldly he pulls me from the figure, very impressive.

Vuillard has integrated beautifully. Lets begin with the dark vertical at the right edge and how it connects to the red stripe on the chair. A more subtle one is the merging of the curtain and curved back of the chair. Also the connection of the window mullion with another chair and the very impressive integration of the shutter and the newspaper. It is very subtle. Do you feel Vulliad’s consideration of bending the bottom right of the shutter to permit the connection?

I must mention the lovely yellow pause at the left and it briefly holds you.

There is more to discover. Enjoy!

Klee – (Shape Motifs)

by don-admin

Paul Klee - Hammamet with Mosque - 1914 - 21 x 28 cm - watercolour

This early watercolour by Paul Klee is a great example of how to provide space and depth with flat shapes and pattern within the shapes.

We automatically read space when we recognize the subject and adding details for the sake of information would only disrupt the freshness of this delightful painting. Klee’s use of oblique lines, (which form triangles), rhythmically take us through the foreground. The sophistication comes from limiting detail to within a few shapes, and having it read almost as pattern.

The mosque is vertically integrated with the foreground and the sky beautifully. And having the shapes in the sky continue the motif of the foreground and structures is superb.

Heron – (Colour before detail)

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Patrick Heron - The White Table - 1955 - 71 x 91 cm - 28 x 36 in - oil on canvas

This gorgeous still life by British artist Patrick Heron is a superb example of reducing information to enable colour to come forth. In other words “colour before detail”.

He has provided us with a beautiful harmony which sings. The dance of the yellow shapes and the rhythm of pink verticals are fantastic. Reducing the plate to red lines and using the red to take you through the composition is very sophisticated. Heron used the grid, or rectangles, as the primary motif and the blacks are in wonderful harmony with the bright colours. Also enjoy the subtle rhythm of the white ovals, just above the plate. And his sensitive consideration of a row of small black shapes to the right which complement or support the blacks on the plate beautifully.

Patrick Heron was greatly influenced by Braque, Bonnard and Matisse and he credited Matisse’s painting “The Red Studio” for setting him on his mature path which was creating paintings of colour, which naturally led him to abstraction.

I think having colour as your subject is a very challenging open consideration in art, and Heron was a exceptional colourist.

Van Gogh – (Pulls, Harmony and Integration)

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Vincent van Gogh - The Street Menders - 1889 - 71 x 93 cm - 28 x 37 in - oil on canvas

Van Gogh’s considerations for the viewer are absolutely superb. He orchestrates your eye movement across the composition beautifully.

Lets begin with a question. Why is the lower portion of the tree at the right a darker value the the rest of the tree? The answer is Van Gogh has provided a pull for the focus. In other words when you look at the primary figure you eye wants move to the dark trunk because it is in harmony with the figure.

The two dark figures are also pulls and provide a second pause in the harmony of the three dak values.

Another harmony is three red notes. The window, the red beside the dark tree trunk and the worker’s hat.

I love how Van Gogh used doorways and the red window to integrate the figures. Can you feel the vertical connections?

There is an integration which excited me which I hope you will appreciate. There is a angled black line in the tree to the right of the two workers at the centre of the painting (see detail below)

The Street Menders - detail

The line is in harmony with the right side of the figure at the left. This excites me because I can feel Van Gogh assessing the composition. And I think this is a exceptional integration.

The title is interesting because the street workers are barely noticeable. Why? Because Van Gogh did not want information to disrupt his chosen harmony.

Chagall – (Parallel Rhythm, Integration and Motifs)

by don-admin

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)

by don-admin

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)

by don-admin

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.