“Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge”, painting by Claude Monet
Whenever I think of Paradise, I always imagine a beautiful, lush, peaceful garden, where all my dear ones are present, the trees are bright green, the flowers are full of color and the sound of running water together with the songs of the birds are the only acoustic distractions.
All around the world, in every culture, every religion, there are descriptions of the concept of Paradise. Ancient Greeks painted it as an age of innocence and harmony that was devastated when Pandora opened the box in which all the evils of the world were enclosed. Both the Bible and the Koran talk about gardens of Paradise, and Buddhist teachings pave the way to Nirvana, a state of being free from suffering.
The idea of Paradise has been sketched by many artists in numerous forms, based on either stories or imagination. Claude Monet is among those who painted based on a personal view of Eden, a view that he first applied to his own backyard.
In 1893, Monet purchased a house in Giverny, a locality north of Paris, and being just as passionate about gardening as he was about painting, he proceeded to create his own earthly heaven. This garden became his favorite painting subject and beginning in 1899 he created eighteen images of it, in different weather conditions, at distinct times of the day and in various seasons, regularly in square format. Sometimes he displayed the Japanese bridge and the greenery around the pond, and other times he showed just the flowers floating on the water.
“Water Lilies and Japanese Bridge”, oil on canvas dating from 1899, has the Japanese bridge wonderfully anchoring the composition even though it seems to be gliding above the pond without any connection to the ground. Its curve divides the image into two sections, the lower part being a blend of soft greens, light blues, pale yellows, with hints of russet-brown and white, while the upper area displays mostly dark hues of green and blue, broken by pale yellows. The sky is barely visible, Monet enclosing the space to create a sense of privacy, secrecy and even exclusivity, so that looking at this canvas I feel lucky to be on this side of the organic wall, admiring this Paradise that stretches before my eyes, luring me into Monet’s magical world.
Until next time,
Bodhi
Floral Energy
Tournesols (Sunflowers), painting by Vincent van Gogh
While walking through a museum gallery, it is easy to find works of art that have become practically equivalent to the name of the artist who created them or at least, to his or her method. This is the case with “Sunflowers”, the blossoms that make the subject of no less than eleven of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings included in two series (Paris and Arles). The eleven canvases are connected by motifs that flow from one to another: bright yellows for blooming flowers, ochre for wilting ones, similar positioning of the plants. And yet, despite the fact that they are very similar, each image stands out as a distinct masterpiece.
I selected one version of “Sunflowers”, an oil on canvas dating from August - September 1888, now on display at the National Gallery in London. The image is part of the Arles series and has been painted with the intention to decorate one of the bedrooms in the Yellow House that van Gogh was renting in the South of France at the time.
Painted during a unique period in Vincent van Gogh’s life, when the dream of establishing a community of artists in Arles with Paul Gauguin as a mentor, was fueling his optimism, the painting epitomizes happiness, devotion and loyalty. Outlined in various stages of decay, the flowers are invested with symbolism, reminding of the cycle of life and death.
“Sunflowers “displays an astonishing variety of techniques, starting from thick brushstrokes (impasto) and ending with pointillist dots. The artist, who was exposed to the bold palettes of the Impressionists while in Paris, violates their rule of placing opposing colors next to each other and taking his transgression to the maximum level, situates the yellow sunflowers in a yellow vase, on a yellow table and against a yellow wall.
Van Gogh openly recognized that his art was not a copy of reality, that he used color not to imitate nature, but to express emotions. Consequently, his images are attempts to show his feelings, to establish a connection with the viewer, thereby overcoming the emotional bareness that modern society creates.
Until next time,
Bodhi.
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Tagged analysis, art, commentary, fine art, flowers, inspiration, interpretation, painting, Sunflower, Vincent van Gogh, yellow