Boats in Art History

Breezing Up (A Fair Wind) (1873-76), Homer

September marks the end of Summer, boating season, near end of major league baseball, the start of Fall and the school year. Sailing and sailboats have always fascinated me, though not enough to purchase one. Instead, I'll stick to rowboats and canoes, fishing on lakes rather than the open seas. My first, and probably my favorite, sailing painting is by Winslow Homer, an artist whom I studied in Art History in college. The man and three boys makes me nostalgic for my dad and two brothers.

Impression Sunrise (1872), Monet

Around the same time, French Impressionist Claude Monet painted his iconic Impression Sunrise. Blues dominate this seascape with contrasting orange punctuating an amazing sunrise. The only other colors are dark green and purple suggesting the silhouetted shapes of small watercraft against a background of larger ships.

Boating (1874), Manet

Édouard Manet's Boating captures a young couple sailing in the Summer. The man is Manet's brother-in-law, Rodolphe Leenhoff, and it is only assumed that the woman is Manet's wife, Camille. While the boom is meant to frame the scene, I am bothered by the corner and the dark-shadowed interior behind the woman's back. And her pose seems unsteady, awkwardly leaning into an empty space. Luckily, Leenhoff's white clothing takes contrasting focus away from the darker parts of the boat.

The Boating Party (1893/94), Cassatt

In contrast to the Manet painting (above), Mary Cassatt's portrait (with child) is darker, but includes a thin sliver of horizon not present in Manet's. Cassatt has rendered a Gauguin-like ~post-impressionist work using solid, decorative, almost geometric shapes that flatten the picture. The rigging of the sail cuts off the shadowed portion of the female figures. The sail and the woman's hat shade the woman's face and the top half of the child's face. Cassatt has used a light green (citron) and black to divide the scene from the expanse of blue water, helped by the diagonal lines of the rigging and oar.

Fishing Boats on the Beach (1888), Van Gogh

I love Van Gogh's paintings of fishing boats. The masts, spars, and rigging seem to complicate the composition to me. Especially the reddish orange diagonal line (boom?)! As always, I appreciate Vincent's use of yellow. His trip to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer lasted one week in June 1888, approximately two years before the artist's death in July 1890.

Sunrise (Mane) (1872-73), Monet

Another of Monet's sunrise paintings is on exhibit at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California, where my daughter recently visited. She knows of my passion for art and particularly impressionists. Just as atmospheric as the one above, but softer and less bright, I think I actually prefer this version to the other more famous sunrise painting.

Boats at Anchor (1917), Sargent

My favorite portrait artist, John Singer Sargent, also painted landscapes and seascapes. I love this watercolor of Boats at Anchor (1917). Sometimes I wish artists would edit out the somewhat repetitive reflections in favor of simplifying their compositions. Using watercolor though, Sargent merely suggests, rather than duplicates, the reflected images. His quick brushstrokes and squiggly masts make the water come alive with light and shadow. I'm not sure about the white blob in the bottom left corner (another boat?).

The Boat (1953), Matisse

As far as reflections, Henri Matisse created a rather simple paper-cut composition of a sailboat. In 1961, his work was mistakenly hung upside-down at MOMA in New York for 47 days before a museum patron alerted a guard about it. I love showing this one to my young art students! 

Vernazza Harbor (2024), Patterson

My last example of boats is my own acrylic painting of the harbor at Vernazza, Italy. I painted it for my daughter and her husband last year for Christmas, after promising it as their wedding present almost two years prior. The hardest part was the windows and the mooring pier to the right. I like the smaller reflections of the boats in the middle ground and how the reflection of the water shimmers on the wall of the pier. This would make an excellent jigsaw puzzle! Maybe I'll submit it for another Xmas gift.

Farmhouses in Watercolor and Oil

Corman Farmhouse (1976), Corman

I'm inspired to write about buildings rendered in watercolor after my brother sent this painting of a farm where his wife's stepmother's family lived in the 1970s. The artist is Mereda Smith Corman, who was an art teacher at Kennett High School in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. She married John Wilson Corman in 1926 and died in 1993. What I love about this painting is the detail of the windows of the farmhouse, the warm shades of golden brown in the sky and grass, and the treatment of the snow in the trees. It feels like a scene that might have been depicted in a Currier and Ives hand-painted lithograph.

The Old Farmhouse

Here's The Old Farmhouse by Currier and Ives. Note how the color of the sky reflects in the snow in the foreground at the bottom, much like Corman's golden brown in the painting above. Even the composition is similar.

Farmhouse in Provence (1888), Van Gogh

While Van Gogh's colors are much more vibrant and brighter than the above farmhouse paintings, he has included a winding rock wall, which for me ties back to the wall in Corman's work. The person walking on the grassy hillside reminds me of Christina's World by Andrew Wyeth. I'm particularly attracted to the turbulent cyan sky! The angles of the twisting wall, the road, and the grassy border drawing my eye towards the welcoming gate.

Wyeth Tribute (2005), Thompson

I've blogged about the above Van Gogh and Andrew Wyeth's Christina's World in another post. I was impressed by this photograph by Alex Thompson of the (Christina) Olson house in South Cushing, Maine. The photo is more vibrant and the buildings much closer than in the Wyeth painting. Not nearly as dramatic as the painting!

Spring Blossom, Hogerwaard

Dutch impressionist, Frans Hogerwaard painted this beautiful farmhouse. His style is reminiscent of Van Gogh, Monet, and sometimes Edward Hopper when melancholy figures are included. The black outlines in Fin tragique remind me of the art of German Expressionist, Max Beckmann. Instead of black, the impressionists often used purple so as not to clash with the more muted or pastel colors.

A Farm in the Snow, Apol

I'm a sucker for wintry landscapes that include snow, like Louis Apol's A Farm in the Snow. This oil on panel paintings has almost a watercolor feel, and again the background color of the sky is mimicked in the water in the foreground. The white of the snow looks straight out of the tube against the rest of the muted colors.

Farmyard in the Snow, van Soest

Another Dutch Impressionist, Louis van Soest, also painted winter scenes. The trees are reminiscent of those painted by Andrew Wyeth. It's difficult to tell what the golden brown area is atop the snowbank below the trees. My impression is that it is a line of cows. Perhaps they're haybales? What do you think?

Farm Near Duivendrecht (1916), Mondrian

I found this somewhat rare landscape by Piet Mondrian with a farmhouse and its reflection. The scene takes place at twilight, so it is rather dark, with much of the lighter color in the sunsetting sky. The interwoven branches of the overlapping trees apply an unusually high focus, almost obscuring the house. The grey mound in the water is also weird!

This beautiful watercolor rendering of a farmhouse is by Canadian artist, Ben Babelowsky. The red brick building is complemented by the green painted trim. Again, I love the snow gently blanketing the scene.

Home in Manchester, Moses

Anna Mary Robertson "Grandma" Moses began painting later in life and was labeled a 'primitive' artist. Her paintings are characterized by shapes filled in with solid colors and her buildings lack proper perspective. Her designs could have been executed in needlepoint or quilting. Another primitive artist, Warren Kimble, painted Nellie's Barn, which I blogged about in June 2021 in my post entitled, Farms and Barns by Famous Artists.

Long Island Farmhouses (1862), Mount

American genre painter, William Sidney Mount painted from what he saw in Long Island New York observing his relatives' farm, and capturing this pastoral scene in Springtime. It seems like an early morning scene, though the turbulent sky may reflect the turmoil of the Civil War during which it was painted. Once again, the dark sky and shadowy foreground frame the picture.

The Farm (1920-22), Miró

I'm finishing with The Farm by Spanish Surrealist, Joan Miró, who painted this memory of his childhood home in Mont-Roig, Catalonia. With lots of symbolism and the precision of Cubism, Miró has created a dreamlike collage full of nearly every farm-related object he could cram into the painting. It's like Grandma Moses on Steroids! I would love to see this work in person and study each and every element.

Tigers and Other Wildcats in Art

 

by Mary-Ann Carlson

My longtime friend, Mary-Ann Carlson is an accomplished watercolorist. Recently, I caught up with her and she gifted me several prints of her masterpieces. This tiger painting got me wondering about artists famous for including tigers (and other wildcats) in their artwork.

Tiger in a Tropical Storm (Surprised!)
(1891), Rousseau

Another of my favorite artists is Henri Rousseau. In his Tiger in a Tropical Storm (Surprised!), we see a lavish tropical scene including bolts of white lightning and a somewhat hidden tiger about to pounce on its prey. The focus is on the gleaming head of the tiger, though I can't help looking toward the lower right at the solid dark green shape of the plant. he has balance the tree limb in the upper corner with the plant, as well as the hind end of the tiger with the red foliage. Because of the storm, the tone of the painting is quite dark, except for the highlight on the front half of the tiger in the foreground.

Sleeping Gypsy (1897), Rousseau

Probably his most famous work is the later Sleeping Gypsy in which a lion is prominently portrayed centrally in the composition. It feels somewhat surreal. His works were often judged as 'childish' by critics who thought the artist lacked training. The reclining figure appears stiff and unaware of the lion. Later though, he was acclaimed for his Post-Impressionist works.

Frida Kahlo and the Tiger,
Miller

I found this painting by David Miller, depicting artist, Frida Kahlo with a tiger across her lap. Although the artist herself never included tigers in her self-portraits, she did paint herself with monkeys. Her portraits were not only surreal but tended to go beyond the macabre.

Poised, Eric Wilson

Contemporary artist, Eric Wilson paints impressive animal portraits in watercolor, oil, and pastel. This one happens to be watercolor. I'd imagine that it is even more impressive in-person!

Royal Tiger (1829), Delacroix

Perhaps not as visually impressive is this lithograph by Eugène Delacroix. Many artists never actually saw wild animals in their native habitats, so they relied upon visits to zoos and maybe photographs. Still, like historic battles among human beings, artists spent their time researching, studying, and sketching before completing a painting. I also appreciate works in multiple media. His Tiger Lying in the Desert (1846) is less impressive as an etching!

African Amber - Lioness Pair (1980), Bateman

Canadian painter Robert Bateman is famous for painting wildlife, including birds, bears and wildcats. He was a teacher of art and Geography. Here he has captured two lionesses using largely amber tones. I did a two-day pastels class to teach the technique, and on the second day challenged my students to use a limited palette of black, white, light and dark brown, and gray. Nature is often its own camouflage.

Love is in the Air (2010), Brenders

Another wildlife artist is Belgian Naturalist and Painter, Carl Brenders. I liken his work to that of Byron Birdsall, whose work I featured in my March 2024 post entitled, Watercolor Artist/Teachers. Both artists also remind me of the TV show, Paint This with Jerry Yarnell. I particularly love his rendering of Milk Pelicans. Curiously, Jerry passed away in May 2024. Another great loss was TV personality, Bob Ross in 1995. Nicholas Hankins is now Ross' TV successor.

The Lion at Home (1881), Bonheur

French artist, Rosa Bonheur so loved her animals that she kept a family of lions at her home, often feeding them by hand. She passed away eight years after completing this painting. She would have enjoyed visiting the Olympic Game Farm Park in Sequim, WA.

Jungle Gentleman (1990), Shepherd

British artist David Shepherd, like many of the artists (above) posted here, was a bigtime conservationist. Besides wildlife, he also painted steam locomotives, aircraft, portraits, and landscapes. Apparently, tigers love the water and swim for several hours a day. I'm not sure why there is so much darkness on the right half of his painting. I imagine the moonlight is meant to illuminate the subject.

My Favorite Mountain Landscapes

Lower Yellowstone Falls (1881),
Albert Bierstadt

I seem to gravitate toward landscapes, both paintings and photographs. In March 2020, I posted Colorful Landscapes & Outdoor Photographs - Naturalism & Atmosphere. Then in April 2020, I followed with Spectacularly Scenic Grand Canyon, Arizona - Natural Wonder, documenting our road trip that included the fabulous Grand Canyon. I've already shared My Favorite Landscapes with Trees, from April 2023. Now it's time to focus on the subject of mountains in paintings. Prussian-born (1830-1902), German-American painter, Albert Bierstadt was part of the Western Expansion of the United States. Starting with his paintings of the Yosemite Valley in 1868, he was commissioned by the Railroad to paint the Grand Canyon and surrounding region. Having visited Yellowstone National Park in July 2024, I appreciate this dreamlike rendition of the falls.

Mountain Waterfall, Bob Ross

Atmospheric landscapes are difficult to get right, unless you're TV's Bob Ross, who makes it look easy. In The Joy of Painting, Ross was a master of capturing reflections and including happy little bushes that lived in his foregrounds. In May 2023, I posted about Reflections in Art.

Castle on Height near Geneva (1836), Turner

I love landscapes that have dramatic lighting and layering, hazy skies, and atmospheric effects to enhance depth. Such is the case with the painting of English Romantic painter and watercolorist  J. M. W. Turner (1775-1851). You can see his watercolor, Castle on Height near Geneva at the Art Institute of Chicago. He's buried in St. Paul's Cathedral next to Sir Joshua Reynolds, English painter to the King, who is famous for his portraits. Turner's last words were, "The sun is God".

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (1872), Moran

American painter, Thomas Moran (1837-1926), like Bierstadt, was part of the Hudson River School and studied the works of J.M.W. Turner. Moran's paintings imbue dramatic lighting and magnificent depth, as in The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It's like he's leading you into a lost city of gold, out of an Indiana Jones movie!

Sea of Ice (1824), Friedrich

Not a mountain of rock, but a tower of ice, German Romantic Landscape painter, Caspar David Friedrich, captured this layered seascape of icebergs. It's both dramatic and unconventional!

Wanderer above the Sea of Fog
(1818), Friedrich

Friedrich's Wanderer above the Sea of Fog (1818) is another painting with layers of mountains, showing a rear-facing figure (Rückenfigur) of a man standing in silhouette atop a craggy rock and looking out over the mist. His composition is a rearranged view of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, a range bordering the state of Saxony in southeastern Germany and the North Bohemian region of the Czech Republic. 

The Hunters in the Snow (1565),
Pieter Bruegel the Elder

My favorite mountain landscape is this snow scene by Flemish Renaissance painter, Pieter Bruegel the Elder. The scene was contrived from Bruegel's memories, although there is no such mountain village in the Netherlands with such an Alpine view. A large framed print of this masterpiece hung for years in my Dad's accounting office at Price Waterhouse in New York City on 6th Avenue and the Avenue of the Americas. For a while I possessed it, but alas I don't remember what happened to it ;-(

Pattern and Repetition in Art

I'm inspired by the paisley and floral pattern in my wife's checkbook cover by designer Vera Bradley. Repetition of line, shape or color can be decorative, add harmony, or create movement or rhythm in a composition. Artists use repetition and pattern to create interest in their paintings. Patterns can be natural or organic, geometric, regular vs. irregular, or man-made.  It's also fun to doodle using Zentangles to create your own unique patterns. And, yes, there is organized doodling!

Sunflower Center

Natural or organic patterns may be found in nature, including symmetries, spirals, and fractals, often explained by mathematical principles. Some examples are the spiral of the exterior or interior of a seashell, flowers or the center of a sunflower, and the fur of animals such as leopards' spots. A pineapple is a natural example of a tessellation.

Broadway Boogie-Woogie (1942-43), Mondrian

Irregular patterns are used in the abstract art of Dutch painter Piet Mondrian. I used this example in teaching an art lesson to kindergarteners in which we used colored paper strips to create randomly patterned compositions.

Mondrian-inspired LINE Compositions

Students were limited to the number of strips (5) they could use, but they were allowed to cut them into any number of smaller lengths. They were allowed to overlap to create depth and negative space on the black background. Our discussion was however limited to talking about the art element of LINE. See Kindergarten Art Projects for more ideas.

Diamonds by Victor Vasarely

I tend to use Victor Vasarely and Mark Rothko artwork when teaching about geometric patterns. See my Op & Pop Artists post for more geometric patterns. Such diamond shapes may also help students understand the perspective angles of cubic volumes.

My 5th-graders created their own Op Art using carefully woven strips of contrasting colored paper and wavy lines. These were my own examples.

Metamorphosis II (1939-40), Escher

Although more organic, Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher famously created patterns, tessellations and optical illusions. His tessellations are really impressive, such as Metamorphosis II. One direction has birds, while the other has fish.

I love Escher's staircases, which remind me of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I wonder if his work inspired J.K. Rowling. 

Another category of patterns is man-made, which may be found in brick walls (~tessellations), buildings, and other architectural elements. I also enjoy seeing wallpaper patterns, though it is a bygone style of interior design that is often considered old-school.

Shantavia Beale II (2012), Wiley

I am in awe of the portraits painted by African American artist Kehinde Wiley. He uses natural and floral patterns as backgrounds for his beautiful portraits. This portrait is from his New Republic Exhibition, which I visited at the Seattle Art Museum in 2016. He has also painted portraits of the Obamas.

Floral Study in Gold (1907), Klimt

Austrian Symbolist Gustav Klimt used pattern to decorate his canvases, often surrounding figures of women and couples like Wiley does today. The spiral symbols evoke the Zentangles of today. His golden phase lasted from 1901-09. His favorite model was Adele Bloch-Bauer, much like Helga Testorf was for Andrew Wyeth. 

Andy Warhol, American Pop and Visual Artist, began his portfolio series on the subject of Marilyn Monroe in 1967, in which he repeatedly used the same publicity photo image of the iconic actress. While visiting the Palm Springs Museum of Art (PSAM) in 2018, Warhol's work was being exhibited there. Only the color scheme was varied.

Dessert: Harmony in Red (1908), Matisse

My favorite artist who successfully used pattern is French Fauvist, Henri Matisse. See my 2020 post entitled, Top 15 Paintings that Use Primary Colors -- Red, Yellow, and Blue. Notice how the tablecloth blends into the wallpaper in the background. Now that's taking a decorative element too far! I like it, but imagine living with that red on the walls of your home. You'd always be hungry!