Pierre-August Renoir - source
Pierre-August Renoir - source
Vincent Van Gogh - source
Vincent Van Gogh - source
Vincent Van Gogh - source
Claude Monet - source
Claude Monet - source
Claude Monet
Paul Gaughin - source
Paul Gaughin - source
Berthe Morisot - source
Berthe Morisot - source
Henri de Toulouse Lautrec - source
Henri de Toulouse Lautrec
Edouard Manet
Edouard Manet - source
Edouard Manet - source
I don't have to introduce you to the French Impressionists and their ilk, so this post is just a visual reminder for when we get to talking about The Book, you'll be in the mood. Pay attention to the blue.
Swift synopsis: In the past ultramarine blue was a very difficult color to produce - the artists ground their own from lapis lazuli or bought the color from someone who was generally known as 'the color man'. They either bought the ingredients or the color itself, ready made. Many artists preferred grinding their own colors. Ultramarine was an expensive commodity and highly prized.
You can occasionally come across a painting (in and out of a museum) seen missing areas which were originally meant to be in blue. The spaces are blank waiting (in vain) for the artist to be able to get his hands on the blue. (I learned this from reading 'The Book'.)
Stay tuned.
Now I am intrigued - I wrote a little about Renoir's La Parisienne a couple of years ago, if you are interested you might like to read it here:-
ReplyDeletehttp://wherefivevalleysmeet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/gregynog-hall-mid-wales.html
I'm headed over there right now, Rosemary. Glad you're intrigued. :)
DeleteI can't wait for the review! The blues in the paintings were what caught my eye, even before your clue at the end. The medium dark blue that I call cobalt blue is my favorite color, deep, pure, and calming.
ReplyDeleteI love all these blues, Joan. But cobalt draws me too.
DeleteHi, Yvette,
ReplyDeleteYou've certainly piqued my curiosity! I look forward to your upcoming review. You might remember that I collect cobalt blue bottles. They're all grouped in a window and make me smile at the beginning of each day!
I have several bottles myself in a small collection, Mark. One of them is rather spectacular - I must take a pix one of these days. :) I keep them on a kitchen window. Great minds think alike. Ha.
DeleteI love these paintings. I grew up in a home where my mother loved the French impressionists, and we had several printed framed around the house.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I didn't know of Bertha Morisot, so glad to see a woman among the artists.
Thanks for posting these.
Berthe Morisot was limited by being a woman in those times, Kathy, but not by much. She was accepted by the other Impressionists I believe and was considered by many to be the equal them. Heavily influenced by Manet. I think you can tell that.
DeleteI couldn't tell that Morisot was influenced by Manet, but I'm glad you told me.
ReplyDeleteLooking at these blues, turquoise, cobalt, indigo, they are magnificent colors. I can see why artists went mad trying to find them or produce them. Maybe there could be a murder mystery or two about the quest for the real blue, involving mayhem of all sorts.
My art education always expands here.
Thanks, Kathy. Maybe some mystery writer will pick up your hint. :) There's murder in this book by Moore, but not really mystery. I loved it anyway. Very screwball.
ReplyDelete