Sunday, April 17, 2011

Alfred William Hunt

Wind of the Eastern Sea, by Alfred William Hunt (1830-96). Watercolour. England, 19th century.
Hunt balances the dark purplish shadows of the cliffs with the golden light of the sun on the horizon.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Dream













A dream-like depiction of the Australian landscape by Gordon Robinson. Though demonstrating a deep understanding of 'real' landscapes, this kind of painting draws from memory, imagination and dreams.
The stream leads us into the inner world.
Blue and mauve shadows are contrasted to yellow rocks and the stamens of native grass trees.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Prince Eugen























The Cloud, 1896
Prince Eugen was the son of the Swedish king and queen. He took up painting as a career, and was no mere royal dilettante. His parents, perhaps surprisingly for someone in his position, supported his decision.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Jungle Scene

Admiral Sir Edward Inglefield, The Blue Mountains of Jamaica, detail.

Monday, February 28, 2011

Gardens













The garden is another rich traditional sub-genre of landscape painting.
I love the intense greens in this work by the Spanish painter Juan Manuel Fernandez Pinedo.

Gardens were a favourite subject of Vuillard and Klimt, flowerbeds and gravel paths fulfilling their love of pointillist pattern and colour:




Australian painter, Ric Amor, combines plant forms, statuary and built elements in this work reminiscent of moderns such as Picasso and Le Corbusier.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Dennis Doheny









The use of luminous mist behind trees is a clever device. Particularly when working in fine detail, you need mysterious nebulous areas to breathe life into the painting.