Art Appreciation

Getting back into the spirit of school and learning stuff....
Art is one of the coolest ways to identify someones perspective on a situation. History is made up on art, and I think as human beings it is our duty to at least be able to identify some popular pieces out there that make history a little more interesting, or abstract (pun intended.) Plus if you know a little something about art, people might think you're kind of brilliant too. Here's my little lesson on some of my favorite paintings:

1.The Persistence of Memory- Salvador Dali
He has many paintings that I like, but one of his most identifiable pieces is the Persistence of Memory. The melting clocks are a great symbol of of time and relativity.



2. A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte- Georges Seurat
Culturally, this painting can be viewed at Le Louvre in Paris, France. I know because that where I saw it. The artist uses a technique called "pointillism." This technique was tedious but created so much texture for the portrait. Simply put, pointillism is a technique where a still life or a complete portrait is created by the usage of dots. I can smell the fresh cut grass now!



3. Water Lilies- Claude Monet
Monet is fantastic at abstract art and has over 250 water paintings! I've grow up with Monet and respect all of his work. When I was in art class back in 5th grade i remember we were told to pick a painting and duplicate it. This was it. His entire collection can be found around the world in museums.




 4. Cafe Terrace at Night-Vincent Van Gogh
You can't escape Van Gogh! Look at the detail and the colors used in this painting. He created this in 1888. This was one of his pieces he never signed but you don't need a signature to know this is his work. The contrasting colors make the scene so much more vibrant than it actually is.



5.No. 5, 1948-  Jackson Pollock
I'm not a fan of abstract art that is this intense, but I think it is good for you to be aware that this stuff actually exists. Pollock specifically named this No.5. It doesn't mean its painting number five, lets hang it up. This title is so bare to contrast the turmoil boiling up inside the portrait. 



6. The Thinker- Augueste Rodin
Yes, this is an actual statue, and its an actual pose. This statue is made of bronze and about 6 feet tall! 


7. The Four Seasons- Guiseppe Arcimboldo
Arcimboldo is a Renaissance painter  and my favorite artist! This is my favorite painting of all time. I love how he captures every aspect of the season and places it on someones head to create a face! That is so creative especially for Renaissance time. A time of festivals and art. Art was almost like a competitive sport and he certainly had an artistic edge in my eyes.