Landscapes

"The Wanderer" by Caspar David Friedrich

I posted 2 because I am not sure if this first one counts as a landscape but its one of my favorite paintings. I am not sure why I love this piece so much just the atmosphere makes me feel relaxed and the little bit of yellow hue is beautiful.

"Flodlandskab" by Peder Mork Monsted

I just discovered this artist while looking for a landscape to put on this blog and I think I am quickly falling in love. The detail and realism in each painting makes them so amazing. In this piece specifically I cant stop being amazed by the water. Lighting is always a big deal breaker for me and this painting has beautiful lighting but that has more to do with the time of day which I notice most of his paintings look like they where painted during the same time of day.

Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire

Cezanne also painted landscapes. His landscapes are just as successful as his still lives. He doesn't use fine detail in his paintings, but he uses enough colors to create the forms of the trees, and the town in the valley, and the mountains in the background. The earthy tones he uses in this landscape make it very peaceful. The painting has balance between what is is seen in the foreground  to background. One can feel like they would really be standing on the side of the mountain looking out into this valley.

Georgia O'Keefe; Black Mesa Landscape

Georgia O'Keefe is famous not for her landscapes, but for her up close paintings of flowers. Several years ago in Nashville I went to a Monet to Dali exhibit and was surprised to see some Georgia O'Keefe landscape paintings included in the show. I was impressed with the naive and whimsical style that the landscapes are pained in, in contrast to her more famous flower paintings, which are must more detailed and realistic. The colors in this and all her landscapes are bold, yet she works with a limited color palate to create a more cohesive piece. I don't know that she is exactly painting what she sees, but these landscapes are impressive nonetheless.

The Japanese Bridge, Claude Monet

Monet has always been one of my favorite painters, and this painting The Japanese Bridge, is definitely my favorite of his works. One of the main reasons for my love for it is the composition. While the majority of the canvas is used in depicting water, the use of reflection and the plant life keeps it from being dull. Additionally, the bridge in the background, while keeping with the same color theme as the rest of the work, manages to use a tone that helps it to stand out and divide the image cleanly. The other reason for my fondness for The Japanese Bridge may be a little more subjective- it always hung in the entrance to my house, and I can still recall where it hung and how it looked!

John Frederick Kensett "Shrewsbury River" / Shannen Milletary

John Frederick Kensett's landscape paintings are by far my favorites. I like how there is little evidence of the artist's hand, it pulls the viewer in to focus more on the subject. I also admire the simplicity of the scene. It is not too detailed but provides enough information that it feels familiar and recognizable. There is definitely a sense of tranquility about Kensett's landscapes. I know that he did work out of the group Luminism, which focused on scenes of nature that were less dramatic and grand than some of the earlier American landscape paintings.

"Landschaft mit Bauernhaus und Wildbach" by Andreas Achenbauch

After our critique today, I became curious to see how experienced painters portrayed water in their landscapes. I was drawn to this particular piece because of how the river was painted. You really get a sense of the water rushing forward and splashing around even though this is a still image. I think this is emphasized by the intensity of the color white and the gesture of the foam as it travels down the stream and towards the viewer. If the stream wasn't present, I don't think this painting would have been as effective. The river brings life to what could have been a dull, analogous painting.

westerfield, allison; warm afternoon(shepherdess), Winslow Homer

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This painting helps me understand landscapes a little better, because the entire time I've been working I have been thinking that all I am painting is blobs of green, but even without intense detail which I think is what I have been looking for the landscape comes together. One does not need the every sand grain on the ground or on a leaf to create a good landscape, and once all the layers are finished it creates the perspective one is looking for. In this piece just the shading of the green on the ground creates a nice perspective, not every blade of grass was painted individually, but it still comes together nicely.