Page 179 - A Selection Of European Art
P. 179
Although Daumier did not draw directly
from nature, he showed an exceptional
visual memory, with which he captured
the phenomena surrounding his senses
and memorized the basic features. The
French artist Jean-François Millet (-1814
1875) also attracted the interest of the
owners of collections in Egypt; this is
evidenced by the large number of his
paintings among the art acquisitions,
most of which depict the rural life in
France and work in the fields with a sense
of reverence. Millet brilliantly depicted
the movements of figures in different
postures, and combined the figures
with their surrounding landscapes,
in a simplified, generalized manner
dominated by balance and tranquility.
Jean Francois Millet «French», 1814 / 1875, Nymph
toilet, Oil on wood, 28x20 cm.
As for his coloring style, he adopted the light gradual transitions of low-intensity
browns, the blue-grayish colors, and the golden tones, a peacefully harmonious color
scheme, except for the light distribution connecting the figures with the “landscape”
in one unit. Before Millet’s paintings, the viewer can enjoy the beauty of the charming
tranquility of the French countryside, and the perfect simplicity of life there. Despite
the spread of Abstractionism, Cubism, and Surrealism since the early twentieth
century in the West, the appreciation for Realism remained obvious. The French
artist Gustave Courbet (1877-1819) received the great attention of art lovers. His
paintings depicted life as it was; however, they enjoyed the grandeur of the historical
paintings. Often Courbet himself was a model for his paintings; among the exhibition’s
paintings is one of the most attractive “self-portraits”, “Pipe Mustache” (The Man with
a Pipe) (1846), that proved the development of his skills in using the light shades.
It showed Courbet as a young man with half-closed eyes, a surprisingly pale face,
high cheekbones, a thin nose, and a slightly open shirt collar in a style combining
Realism and Romanticism. He painted a “self-portrait” of clear features reflecting self-
esteem, imbued with nobility, tenderness, and ingenuity of style. Courbet is known
for not depicting complicated events, as what meant most to him was the emphasis
on the importance of the ordinary man. This style of simply showing the fundamental
qualities was the way to achieve true reality and natural vividness.
171979
from nature, he showed an exceptional
visual memory, with which he captured
the phenomena surrounding his senses
and memorized the basic features. The
French artist Jean-François Millet (-1814
1875) also attracted the interest of the
owners of collections in Egypt; this is
evidenced by the large number of his
paintings among the art acquisitions,
most of which depict the rural life in
France and work in the fields with a sense
of reverence. Millet brilliantly depicted
the movements of figures in different
postures, and combined the figures
with their surrounding landscapes,
in a simplified, generalized manner
dominated by balance and tranquility.
Jean Francois Millet «French», 1814 / 1875, Nymph
toilet, Oil on wood, 28x20 cm.
As for his coloring style, he adopted the light gradual transitions of low-intensity
browns, the blue-grayish colors, and the golden tones, a peacefully harmonious color
scheme, except for the light distribution connecting the figures with the “landscape”
in one unit. Before Millet’s paintings, the viewer can enjoy the beauty of the charming
tranquility of the French countryside, and the perfect simplicity of life there. Despite
the spread of Abstractionism, Cubism, and Surrealism since the early twentieth
century in the West, the appreciation for Realism remained obvious. The French
artist Gustave Courbet (1877-1819) received the great attention of art lovers. His
paintings depicted life as it was; however, they enjoyed the grandeur of the historical
paintings. Often Courbet himself was a model for his paintings; among the exhibition’s
paintings is one of the most attractive “self-portraits”, “Pipe Mustache” (The Man with
a Pipe) (1846), that proved the development of his skills in using the light shades.
It showed Courbet as a young man with half-closed eyes, a surprisingly pale face,
high cheekbones, a thin nose, and a slightly open shirt collar in a style combining
Realism and Romanticism. He painted a “self-portrait” of clear features reflecting self-
esteem, imbued with nobility, tenderness, and ingenuity of style. Courbet is known
for not depicting complicated events, as what meant most to him was the emphasis
on the importance of the ordinary man. This style of simply showing the fundamental
qualities was the way to achieve true reality and natural vividness.
171979
