Museum Paper (Final)

Claude MonetBanks of the Seine, Vétheuil, 1880

Chester Dale Collection

1963.10.177

Willard Leroy Metcalf

Midsummer Twilight, c. 1890

Gift of Admiral Neill Phillips in memory of Grace Hendrick Phillips1976.50.2

The two paintings that I have selected for this paper are “Banks of the Seine, Vétheuil” and“Midsummer Twilight”. Both these paintings were done by well known artist in the art world. Both of these paintings are currently located at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Claude Monet was the painter of “Banks of the Seine, Vétheuil” he was known to others as Oscar Claude-Monet. Claude Monet was born 1840 and died in 1926. He was a founder of the French Impressionist, painting, and the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement's philosophy of expressing one's perceptions before nature, especially as applied to “plein-air landscape” painting. The term Impressionism is derived from the title of his painting” Impression, Sunrise”. Willard Leroy Metcalf was the painter of “Midsummer Twilight” he was an American artist born in 1858 and died in 1925. He was one of the Ten American Painters who in 1897 seceded from the Society of American Artists. Generally associated with American Impressionism, he is also remembered for his New England landscapes and involvement with the artists' colony at Old Lyme, Connecticut. Both of the painting would be considered representational art. They both represent a place of land and a sense of calmness. I would consider both of these paintings to have similar style. They both are paintings that involve the outdoors which has style. Many people who buy paintings like things involving the outdoors. Claude Monet has done a lot of paintings involving the outdoor, so it would seem as if his style never changes, but Willard Leroy Metcalf does a variety so his paintings were always something new to look forward to.

When taking an art class you should really learn what your paintings are all about and how other artist really look at paintings. What does a person think when they first look at the painting. You have to really learn the art world if your going to take a class. One thing that you should think about when looking at a painting is the theme and what artist was thinking when they were working on their piece of art. When I look at both of my paintings of my paintings “Banks of the Seine, Vétheuil” and “Midsummer Twilight” I see them both as Art and Nature. They both are beautiful paintings that you want to look at and there peaceful because of the nature aspect of the painting. Even though both of the paintings are Art and Nature they both differ in some ways. The painting “Banks of the Seine, Vétheuil” by Claude Monet looks more peaceful and very relaxing. It looks likes a place you would travel to if you were stressed out and wanted to get away and reflect. To some people it just might look like some trees, bushes and land to other people its art and calming. You have to really look at it for what it is (The Bigger Picture). The painting “Midsummer Twilight” Willard Leroy Metcalf looks like it’s not as peaceful as the painting by Claude Monet. It’s still a very beautiful painting. It looks like a country village where people make their living. It looks like there can be a farm in the painting. You can see the houses which people probably live in. Even though it’s not peaceful like the other painting its still consider art and nature. There is someone out there who looks at these paintings and thinks it’s absolutely gorgeous.

The painting “Banks of the Seine, Vétheuil” you can see some horizontal lines throughout the painting. You can see some horizontal lines near the horizon and the lake. There are vertical lines represented through the trees on the land near the horizon. The contour lines in the painting are where the trees meet the sky, lake meets the trees and where the bushes around the lake come together. There are primary colors throughout the painting (yellow on the flowers and blue in the trees, sky and lake. There is some secondary coloring in the painting (green on the grass, around the flowers and on the trees). There is contrast throughput some the painting for example, the quick horizontal skips in the river’s gently rippled surface with the rounder, swirling forms of the sky. In the painting “Midsummer Twilight” painted by Willard Leroy Metcalf has some similar concepts with painting done by Claude Monet. This painting has some horizontal lines. There are horizontal lines on the land in the painting by the houses and near the horizon. The vertical lines are represented by the trees, houses and roof top. All the diagonal lines are on the land and some are also on the rooftop. The contour lines are separating the land, horizon and houses. “Midsummer Twilight” has some directional lines going from the houses out through the land. Some of the implied shapes that are represented in the painting are triangles, rectangles and squares. The painting has primary colors (yellow in the sunset and red on the rooftops). There are secondary and tertiary colors in the painting. The secondary paintings are represented in the (violet showing the late afternoon) and the tertiary is represented in (bluish-greens on the bushes and some of the roof tops that are considered reddish-orange). Both of the paintings are consider having a smooth texture to them.

“Banks of the Seine, Vétheuil” has so much unity throughout the painting. The painting comes together as a whole. The painting doesn’t have parts that make you wonder how it comes together; it makes sense. There is variety in the painting dealing with the trees. Without the variety of trees the painting would be considered a tad bit plain. The emphasis in this painting is with the flowers in the front. When you first look at the painting that’s all you see that’s where your attention goes. When you look at the trees you can tell their far away on purpose so your attention can go to the flowers and slowly glance at the trees; this is the subordination of the painting. To me you can see all the green and yellows really bring the painting together. Another principle that brings this painting together is balance. Monet uses asymmetry. The painting would be considered asymmetrical. Asymmetry is when there is more visual weight on one side of the work than on the other. When you first look at the painting all you can see is the grass and the flowers; it looks as if everything else in the painting follows after. When you look at the painting the bushes are almost the size they would be if you were there looking right at it. The trees look as if their smaller than they should actually be, but if you were on the lake that’s the size the trees would be if you were standing far from them. The rhythm happens throughout the trees. When you see the trees there is a repeated shape which makes a rhythm with them. “Midsummer Twilight” has almost the same principles throughout the painting. There is unity with the houses and trees. They come together and make the painting looks complete. There is variety when you look at the houses; they all have the same color, but yet their still different. This is an asymmetrical painting the houses, trees and the land help you really see that. You can really see the emphasis in the houses that’s the first thing you really see when you look at the painting. When you look far out you see the land and trees, but you first see the houses and then wonder what else is there and everything falls into place. Everything is proportioned if you where there on the land that is exactly how everything would look from that point of view. The rhythm is in the trees and houses. You see a continuous rhythm with the houses.
When I look at the both of these paintings they really have a similar mood. “Banks of the Seine, Vétheuil” looks like a place you would go to be alone and not be around other people. It has a very calming mood look to it. Like there is nothing that can bother you if you were there. It seems very quiet a place to get you happy and going. “Midsummer Twilight” looks very homely. Its a place where you can feel really safe. A place that makes you feel safe and happy; like there is nothing better then being there. It also has a calming and relaxing mood to it. It seems if a person would ever visit a place like it both of theses paintings you can put all of your troubles behind you.

The different techniques used in these paintings help you feel and understand them. When you look at the paintings you start wonder how did they do this or what they used to make it look like that. In Claude Monet’s painting he uses brushstrokes that vary in response to the different textures they portray. The thick grasses and flowers are painted with crowded, exuberant strokes, which draw our attention. These heavy layers of paint were probably not completed on the spot. The strokes assume an importance in their own right, becoming decorative as well as descriptive. Monet, however, never strays far from the natural forms that were his inspiration. With Willard Leroy Metcalf’s painting I honestly has a lot in common with Claude Monet’s. Metcalf used large brushstrokes to make the painting feel real. The painting uses a different texture al throughout the painting. If you were up close to the painting you could really see on the land and tress. Both of these paintings were done by oil on canvas. Both of these paintings use a recurring thing in them; this would be the style in the painting. When you look at the painting by Monet you see the recurring role of the trees and clouds where as in Metcalf’s painting you see the recurring role of the trees, bushes and houses. I think the style of the brushstroke was the same in both paintings very thick to give the paintings a real feeling to them. Since Monet always likes to paint things involving nature a lot that’s his style of painting and he enjoys it. Metcalf does all kinds of different paintings, so his style isn’t just set on one solid thong.

In conclusion, I chose both of theses paintings because I really like mature. They both make me feel calm and I really enjoy looking at them everyday. Sometimes I imagine I’m there on a vacation just relaxing. I love the colors and just they way both Claude Monet and Willard Leroy Metcalf put these paintings together. I can honestly say that I would consider them to be my all time favorite artists.

Works Cited:

• Wikipedia. "Claude Monet and Willard Leroy Metcalf". 6 May 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ClaudeMonet and http://en.wikipedia.org.wiki/WillardLeroyMetcalf
• Getlein, Mark. Living With Art. McGraw-Hill, eighth edition, p. 34, 122-130.
• National Gallery of Art. "Claude Monet and Willard Leroy Metcalf". 6 May 2007. http://www.nga.gov

Contemporary Remix

I decided to do my contemporary remix on Andy Warhol again and do a magazine. The name of my magazine is called "Andy Warhol Now and Then". I made it seem like Andy Warhol was still living and he decided put out a magazine with art he did back in the 70's and 80's that was very popular and the magazine also has artwork up that would be considered popular to today's culture. I had Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and Any Warhol was the art popular in 70's and 80's. The art I have from today's culture are people that young people look up to like Beyonce, Ciara, T.I and Lil Wayne.

Ekphrasis

My painting takes place outside, which looks like it could be in a garden. There is a little girl standing all alone with a watering can in her hand. There are a lot of complementary colors in this painting. When you look at the painting it looks as if the little girl is looking at some far that has catched her attention and it makes you wonder what shes looking at. The painting could possibly be directional. You can see in the background some flowers and the grass right behind the little girl. The flowers are yellow, red and you can see some blue. In the grass you can see there are mixture of colors like green, yellow and blue. The little girl is standing on a ground it looks like it a pale white or tan color.
The little girl is a tan color with red lips, blue eyes, blonde brown hair with a red ribbon on the top of her hair. She has a blue dress with white around the collar, sleeves and coming down on the side and around the bottom of the dress. She is holding a watering can in her right hand and flowers in her left like she has just finishing helping picking flowers for someone. To the right of her the is a flower bush and they are blue and there is a little bit of pink on flowers. The little girl also has on blue high top shoes with white buttons.

Mid-Term Question

I think that marketing has helped people understand art more today. I think when artist put their art out in different ways like shoes, wallets and purses people get really interested in the artist art work. If I was to go out and see a pair of shoes with different art on it by an artist it would make me want to learn more about the artist. Today people respond more to fashion so I think they would really respond to artwork done on anything that is considered fashionable.

Screen Printing

I think that the screen printing activity was a very fun assignment for the class to do. I think it was a very fun experience for the whole class, it's alot harder then it looks. It takes a lot of time and effort. You have to be very patient if you really want the project to come out very good. This is a project that I really want to continue doing.

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Artist Statement

When the remix idea was first presented to me in class I had to really think of what could I do to make this unique and different. I thought about all the different things that Andy Warhol did during his time as an artist. One of the first things that came to my head was doing a purse and a hat putting different works that Andy Warhol did on them. I bought a pkan hat and bag, different paints and glues. i printed out many paintings done by Andy Warhol and I beginned my vision for my remix. Andy Warhol was a native of pittsburgh born 1928 and died 1987. He did many different things with his talent while he was living. He did screen prints, paintings and believe or not he also did movies. In conclusion, I think my remix is a very different way of looking at art.