The Art of Autumn

Autumn is a time of contemplation.

A time to reflect on the changing of the seasons from growth to decay.

Each year is a cycle of life that repeats.

Mother Nature bears the fruits of her labor, celebrating life in a festival of colour before the long winter months set in.

It’s as if nature is reminding us that life is to be enjoyed, that there is so much to be grateful for, and that we can look forward to renewal again in the spring.

Artists through the centuries have been inspired by the beauty and melancholy of autumn.

Here are 40 beautiful paintings of the season of red and gold along with quotes from poets and writers.

Autumn Regrets by John Atkinson Grimshaw, 1882
Autumn Regrets by John Atkinson Grimshaw, 1882
Autumn in Cornwall by Walter Elmer Schofield (1869 - 1944)
Autumn in Cornwall by Walter Elmer Schofield (1869 – 1944)
And the dead leaves lie huddled and still,
No longer blown hither and thither;
The last lone aster is gone;
The flowers of the witch-hazel wither;
The heart is still aching to seek,
But the feet question ‘Whither?’
Robert Frost, The Poetry of Robert Frost
Setting Sun, Autumn in Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1900
Setting Sun, Autumn in Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1900
Autumn Festival by Willard Leroy Metcalf, 1915
Autumn Festival by Willard Leroy Metcalf, 1915
Is not this a true autumn day? Just the still melancholy that I love – that makes life and nature harmonise. The birds are consulting about their migrations, the trees are putting on the hectic or the pallid hues of decay, and begin to strew the ground, that one’s very footsteps may not disturb the repose of earth and air, while they give us a scent that is a perfect anodyne to the restless spirit. Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.George Eliot
Autumnal Forest with Houses by Walter Moras (1856 - 1925)
Autumnal Forest with Houses by Walter Moras (1856 – 1925)
The Sussex lanes were very lovely in the autumn . . . spendthrift gold and glory of the year-end . . . earth scents and the sky winds and all the magic of the countryside which is ordained for the healing of the soul.Monica Baldwin
A Country Road in Autumn by Edward Wilkins Waite, 1918
A Country Road in Autumn by Edward Wilkins Waite, 1918
There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!Percy Bysshe Shelley
Autumn Sunlight by John F. Carlson (1875 - 1945)
Autumn Sunlight by John F. Carlson (1875 – 1945)
Autumn by Stanislav Zhukovsky (1873 - 1944)
Autumn by Stanislav Zhukovsky (1873 – 1944)
Autumn Days
Yellow, mellow, ripened days,
Sheltered in a golden coating;
O’er the dreamy, listless haze,
White and dainty cloudlets floating;
Winking at the blushing trees,
And the sombre, furrowed fallow;
Smiling at the airy ease,
Of the southward flying swallow.
Sweet and smiling are thy ways,
Beauteous, golden Autumn days.
Will Carleton
Autumn in Gloucestershire by Alfred East (1844 - 1913)
Autumn in Gloucestershire by Alfred East (1844 – 1913)
Autumn Gold by John Atkinson Grimshaw, 1880
Autumn Gold by John Atkinson Grimshaw, 1880
Autumn wins you best by this its mute appeal to sympathy for its decay.Robert Browning
A Woodland Path in Autumn by Edward Wilkins Waite, 1918
A Woodland Path in Autumn by Edward Wilkins Waite, 1918
Autumn Colouring by Edward Wilkins Waite, 1894
Autumn Colouring by Edward Wilkins Waite, 1894
You expected to be sad in the fall. Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees and their branches were bare against the wind and the cold, wintery light. But you knew there would always be the spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen.Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast
Autumn Alley by Johan Krouthén, 1917
Autumn Alley by Johan Krouthén, 1917
I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house.Nathaniel Hawthorne, The American Notebooks
Autumn in Pavlovsk by Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin, 1888
Autumn in Pavlovsk by Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin, 1888
Late Autumn by Robert Vonnoh (1858 - 1933)
Late Autumn by Robert Vonnoh (1858 – 1933)
Autumn Day, Sokolniki by Isaak Levitan, 1879
Autumn Day, Sokolniki by Isaak Levitan, 1879
Her pleasure in the walk must arise from the exercise and the day, from the view of the last smiles of the year upon the tawny leaves and withered hedges, and from repeating to herself some few of the thousand poetical descriptions extant of autumn–that season of peculiar and inexhaustible influence on the mind of taste and tenderness–that season which has drawn from every poet worthy of being read some attempt at description, or some lines of feeling.Jane Austen, Persuasion
Autumn on the River by Julian Alden Weir, 1906
Autumn on the River by Julian Alden Weir, 1906
The tints of autumn…a mighty flower garden blossoming under the spell of the enchanter, frost.John Greenleaf Whittier
Autumn on the River by Jasper Francis Cropsey, 1877
Autumn on the River by Jasper Francis Cropsey, 1877
Autumn Poplars by Camille Pissarro, 1893
Autumn Poplars by Camille Pissarro, 1893
It was one of those days you sometimes get latish in the autumn when the sun beams, the birds toot, and there is a bracing tang in the air that sends the blood beetling briskly through the veins.P.G. Wodehouse
Cresheim Glen, Wissahickon, Autumn by Thomas Moran, 1864
Cresheim Glen, Wissahickon, Autumn by Thomas Moran, 1864
Along the woods in Autumn by Alfred Sisley, 1885
Along the woods in Autumn by Alfred Sisley, 1885
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run
John Keats, Complete Poems and Selected Letters
Autumn Effect at Argenteuil by Claude Monet, 1873
Autumn Effect at Argenteuil by Claude Monet, 1873
Autumn Leaves by William McTaggart (1835 - 1910)
Autumn Leaves by William McTaggart (1835 – 1910)
Just as a painter needs light in order to put the finishing touches to his picture, so I need an inner light, which I feel I never have enough of in the autumn.Leo Tolstoy
Alley in Autumn by Walter Moras (1856 - 1925)
Alley in Autumn by Walter Moras (1856 – 1925)
The Water's Edge by William M. Hart, 1881
The Water’s Edge by William M. Hart, 1881
Give me juicy autumnal fruit ripe and red from the orchard,Walt Whitman, The Complete Poems
Autumn in Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1900
Autumn in Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1900
All-cheering Plenty, with her flowing horn, Led yellow Autumn, wreath’d with nodding corn.Robert Burns, Complete Poems and Songs of Robert Burns
Autumn on the Farm by Charles Harold Davis (1856 - 1933)
Autumn on the Farm by Charles Harold Davis (1856 – 1933)
Such days of autumnal decline hold a strange mystery which adds to the gravity of all our moods.Charles Nodier, Smarra & Trilby
Edge of a Forest in Autumn by Alfred Sisley, 1883
Edge of a Forest in Autumn by Alfred Sisley, 1883
New England Autumn Landscape by John Joseph Enneking, 1894
New England Autumn Landscape by John Joseph Enneking, 1894
The goldenrod is yellow,
The corn is turning brown…
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.
Helen Hunt Jackson
Autumn Evening by Ferdinand Hodler, 1893
Autumn Evening by Ferdinand Hodler, 1893
The gold and scarlet leaves that littered the countryside in great drifts whispered and chuckled among themselves, or took experimental runs from place to place, rolling like coloured hoops among the trees.Gerald Durrell, My Family and Other Animals
Burnham Beeches by Myles Birket Foster (1825 - 1899)
Burnham Beeches by Myles Birket Foster (1825 – 1899)
The one red leaf, the last of its clan,
That dances as often as dance it can,
Hanging so light, and hanging so high,
On the topmost twig that looks up at the sky.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Christabel
Autumn Roadside, Kentucky by William Forsyth, 1903
Autumn Roadside, Kentucky by William Forsyth, 1903
the fallen leaves in the forest seemed to make even the ground glow and burn with lightMalcolm Lowry, October Ferry To Gabriola
Autumn Leaves by John Singer Sargent, 1913
Autumn Leaves by John Singer Sargent, 1913
Every season hath its pleasures;
Spring may boast her flowery prime,
Yet the vineyard’s ruby treasures
Brighten Autumn’s sob’rer time.
Thomas Moore
Autumn Landscape by Charles Courtney Curran, 1928
Autumn Landscape by Charles Courtney Curran, 1928
Autumn Tints by Maurice Braun (1877 - 1941)
Autumn Tints by Maurice Braun (1877 – 1941)
In Heaven, it is always AutumnJohn Donne
The Arc de Triomphe, Autumn Effect by Jean-François Raffaëlli, 1907
The Arc de Triomphe, Autumn Effect by Jean-François Raffaëlli, 1907
Autumn Landscape by Paul Madeline, 1905
Autumn Landscape by Paul Madeline, 1905
Methinks I see the sunset light flooding the river valley, the western hills stretching to the horizon, overhung with trees gorgeous and glowing with the tints of autumn — a mighty flower garden blossoming under the spell of the enchanter, frost.John Greenleaf Whittier, Tales and Sketches
A Late Autumn Day in Dyrehaven, Sunshine by Theodor Philipsen, 1886
A Late Autumn Day in Dyrehaven, Sunshine by Theodor Philipsen, 1886
The leaves were more gorgeous than ever; the first touch of frost would lay them all low to the ground. Already one or two kept constantly floating down, amber and golden in the low slanting sun-raysElizabeth Gaskell, North and South
.

The Bridge at Argenteuil in Autumn by Pierre Auguste Renoir, 1882
The Bridge at Argenteuil in Autumn by Pierre Auguste Renoir, 1882
And every year there is a brief, startling moment
When we pause in the middle of a long walk home and
Suddenly feel something invisible and weightless
Touching our shoulders, sweeping down from the air:
It is the autumn wind pressing against our bodies;
It is the changing light of fall falling on us.
Edward Hirsch, Wild Gratitude
A Wooded Path In Autumn by Hans Andersen Brendekilde (1857 - 1942)
A Wooded Path In Autumn by Hans Andersen Brendekilde (1857 – 1942)

Francois Flameng: Interpreter of Beauty

Beautiful places, beautiful people, beautiful clothes—Francois Flameng loved to paint them all.

Born in an art studio in Paris in 1856, Flameng may have known from an early age that he was destined to be an artist.

Indeed, in many ways, he had everything going for him.

Paris was the center of the art world and his father was a celebrated engraver who had once wished to be a painter.

All of his father’s regrets were channeled into making his son a success.

Specializing in history painting and portraiture, Francois Flameng became a professor at the Académie des Beaux-Arts—the premier institution of fine art in France.

If you’d like to add a little atmosphere as we view a gallery of Flameng’s work, press play.

Napoleon I and the King of Rome at Saint-Cloud in 1811 by Francois Flameng
Napoleon I and the King of Rome at Saint-Cloud in 1811 by Francois Flameng
Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna by Francois Flameng, 1898
Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna by Francois Flameng, 1898

Many of his studies in Italy are rich in architectural detail in the most vivid light and color.

The Carnival in Venice by Francois Flameng
The Carnival in Venice by Francois Flameng
Ile Pointeaux by Francois Flameng
Ile Pointeaux by Francois Flameng
Equestrienne Au Cirque Fernando by Francois Flameng - c. 1890
Equestrienne Au Cirque Fernando by Francois Flameng – c. 1890
Intelligence by Francois Flameng
Intelligence by Francois Flameng
Reception at Malmaison in 1802 by Francois Flameng, c.1894
Reception at Malmaison in 1802 by Francois Flameng, c.1894
A Concert in Versailles by Francois Flameng
A Concert in Versailles by Francois Flameng
Napoleon I and the King of Rome at Saint-Cloud by Francois Flameng, 1896
Napoleon I and the King of Rome at Saint-Cloud by Francois Flameng, 1896
Portrait of a Lady by Francois Flameng
Portrait of a Lady by Francois Flameng

Flameng would often use a camera lucida to create an optical superimposition of his subject.

Allowing him to duplicate key points of the scene on the drawing surface, it would aid in the accurate rendering of perspective.

How a camera lucida device is used to help with drawing composition
How a camera lucida device is used to help with drawing composition

Once he had the sketch to ensure proportion and perspective were correct, he would paint rapidly yet with such fine detail that within an hour he had what took most artists four hours to complete.

Princess Zinaida Yusupova with her sons Felix and Nikolai at Arkhangelskoye by Francois Flameng - 1894
Princess Zinaida Yusupova with her sons Felix and Nikolai at Arkhangelskoye by Francois Flameng – 1894
Mrs Adeline M. Noble by Francois Flameng
Mrs Adeline M. Noble by Francois Flameng
Napoleon I hunting in the Forest of Fontainebleau, 1807 by Francois Flameng
Napoleon I hunting in the Forest of Fontainebleau, 1807 by Francois Flameng
An Elite Soldier of the Imperial Guard by Francois Flameng
An Elite Soldier of the Imperial Guard by Francois Flameng
I have always thought that portraits ought to be arranged as pictures.Francois Flameng

Flameng said that fashions and hairstyles changed so often that the exact likeness captured in a portrait was gone within a few short years.

Therefore, he said, portraits should aim to be pleasant works of art that one would purchase to adorn the wall of a drawing room, even if it were not a portrait of one’s own image.

Zinaida Yusupova with the famous Yusupov family La Pelegrina pearl by Francois Flameng - 1894
Zinaida Yusupova with the famous Yusupov family La Pelegrina pearl by Francois Flameng – 1894
Maria Fedorovna by Francois Flameng, 1894
Maria Fedorovna by Francois Flameng, 1894

Flameng found that he learned as much about the social aspects of his work as he did the actual practicing of his art.

Making sittings more agreeable for models he had to learn their tastes and habits, likes and dislikes.

That way, he could encourage them to pose in ways that reflected their personality and remain in one position for a long time without noticing it as much.

Portrait of the Duchess Dora Leichtenberg by Francois Flameng - 1896
Portrait of the Duchess Dora Leichtenberg by Francois Flameng – 1896

Of equal importance to remaining true to his artistic integrity was producing a work that was pleasing to the subject and also to her friends and acquaintances.

Portrait of Mme D by Francois Flameng - 1911
Portrait of Mme D by Francois Flameng – 1911

When subjects disagreed with his choice of arrangement or style of composition, he would use all his skill to gradually encourage her to see his point of view without contradicting or offending, always admitting she was right, but gently helping her drop her own preconceived mental image.

Family Portrait of a Boy and his two Sisters admiring a Sketch Book by Francois Flameng, 1900
Family Portrait of a Boy and his two Sisters admiring a Sketch Book by Francois Flameng, 1900
The Chess Game by Francois Flameng
The Chess Game by Francois Flameng
The People of Paris Come to Versailles by Francois Flameng
The People of Paris Come to Versailles by Francois Flameng
Offizier des Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments of the Napoleonic Imperial Guard by Francois Flameng
Offizier des Chasseurs à Cheval Regiments of the Napoleonic Imperial Guard by Francois Flameng
Portrait of Madame Max Decougis by Francois Flameng
Portrait of Madame Max Decougis by Francois Flameng
Even the ordinary woman is a thousand times more worthwhile to paint than the ordinary man. But women are never ordinary.Francois Flameng
Portrait of a Lady by Francois Flameng
Portrait of a Lady by Francois Flameng

Flameng painted the colors and pageantry of war.

But he was no stranger to its violence.

At age 14, he was playing with fellow students at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand, when a bombshell exploded in the courtyard.

It was a gift from the Prussians to mark the onset of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, and it prompted him to enlist.

Accepted in the ambulance corps, when Paris fell to the Prussians, he saw seven children killed under the window of his father’s house in Montparnasse.

Napoleon and his staff reviewing the mounted chasseurs of the Imperial Guard by Francois Flameng
In the Woods by Francois Flameng
In the Woods by Francois Flameng
A portrait painter should not only be endowed with talent, but also possess the qualities of a philosopher, of an observer, of a psychologist, and be provided with inexhaustible patience.Francois Flameng
Lady Duveen, née Salamon by Francois Flameng, 1910
Lady Duveen, née Salamon by Francois Flameng, 1910
Portrait Of Mademoiselle Herpin by Francois Flameng - 1908
Portrait Of Mademoiselle Herpin by Francois Flameng – 1908
Picnic by Francois Flameng
Picnic by Francois Flameng
Evening by Francois Flameng
Evening by Francois Flameng
Napoleon After The Battle Of Waterloo by Francois Flameng
Napoleon After The Battle Of Waterloo by Francois Flameng
Portrait of a mother with her children in the garden by Francois Flameng
Portrait of a mother with her children in the garden by Francois Flameng
An Evening's Entertainment for Josephine by Francois Flameng
An Evening’s Entertainment for Josephine by Francois Flameng

Francois Flameng didn’t only paint beauty.

Renowned for his paintings that showed some of the horrors of the First World War, he was an accredited documenter for the War Ministry and named honorary president of the Society of Military Painters.

Flameng’s war paintings were derided by many critics for being too realistic and not including heroic drama.

World War I by François Flameng
World War I by François Flameng
The offensive of the Yser, First French line near Het-Sas, by François Flameng
The offensive of the Yser, First French line near Het-Sas, by François Flameng
World War I Attack by François Flameng
World War I Attack by François Flameng

The Light that Inspired the Skagen Painters

Skagen is a village in the northernmost part of Denmark.

From the late 1870s until the turn of the century, a group of Scandinavian artists descended on Skagen every summer.

It was the light that drew them.

A translucent light that merged the sea and the sky—especially during the evening “blue hour”.

Influenced by the “en plein air” techniques of French Impressionist painters like Claude Monet, they broke away from traditions taught at the academies and developed their own unique styles.

The long beaches stretched for miles and miles …

Listen to Claude Debussy’s haunting Clair de Lune as we travel back in time to late 19th-century Skagen through the eyes of the Skagen Painters.

Summer Evening at Skagen Beach by P.S. Krøyer, 1899
Summer Evening at Skagen Beach by P.S. Krøyer, 1899
Summer Evening on Skagen's Southern Beach by P.S. Krøyer, 1893
Summer Evening on Skagen’s Southern Beach by P.S. Krøyer, 1893
Nor moon nor stars were out.
They did not dare to tread so soon about,
Though trembling, in the footsteps of the sun.
The light was neither night’s nor day’s, but one
Which, life-like, had a beauty in its doubt;
And Silence’s impassioned breathings round
Seemed wandering into sound.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, A Sea-Side Walk
Summer evening at the South Beach, Skagen by Peder Severin Krøyer, 1893
Summer evening at the South Beach, Skagen by Peder Severin Krøyer, 1893
Skagen by Michael Peter Ancher, c.1900
Skagen by Michael Peter Ancher, c.1900
Summer evening on the south Beach of Skagen by Peder Severin Krøyer, 1897
Summer evening on the south Beach of Skagen by Peder Severin Krøyer, 1897
The Skagen Beach by Oscar Gustaf Bjorck, 1882
The Skagen Beach by Oscar Gustaf Bjorck, 1882
Summer Day at Skagen South Beach by Peder Severin Krøyer, 1884
Summer Day at Skagen South Beach by Peder Severin Krøyer, 1884
Boat at Skagen's South Beach by Oscar Gustaf Bjorck, 1884
Boat at Skagen’s South Beach by Oscar Gustaf Bjorck, 1884
I have loved hours at sea, gray cities,
The fragile secret of a flower,
Music, the making of a poem
That gave me heaven for an hour
Sara Teasdale, I Have Loved Hours At Sea
A Stroll on the Beach by Michael Ancher, 1896
A Stroll on the Beach by Michael Ancher, 1896

Rendering light with paint in such a way that it makes you feel you are there and you need to squint at the sun’s reflections on the water.

Artists on the Beach by Peder Severin Kroyer, 1882
Artists on the Beach by Peder Severin Kroyer, 1882
The North Sea in Stormy Weather. After Sunset by Laurits Tuxen, 1909
The North Sea in Stormy Weather. After Sunset by Laurits Tuxen, 1909

One of the shared interests of the Skagen painters was to paint scenes of their own social gatherings—eating together, celebrating, or playing cards.

At Lunch by Peder Severin Krøyer, 1883
At Lunch by Peder Severin Krøyer, 1883

As if you could reach out and touch them, Krøyer’s characters are full of movement, full of life.

A breakfast. The artist, his wife and the writer Otto Benzon by Peder Severin Krøyer, 1893
A breakfast. The artist, his wife and the writer Otto Benzon by Peder Severin Krøyer, 1893

The group gathered together regularly at the Brøndums Inn in Skagen, which still operates as a hotel today.

Filled with the paintings the artists donated to cover the cost of board and lodging, the Brøndums’ dining-room became the center of their social life.

The dining room from Branden's hotel, Skagen Museum. Credit Bengt Oberger
The dining room from Branden’s hotel, Skagen Museum. Credit Bengt Oberger

Can you feel the excitement in the air and hear the clinking of glasses?

Hip, Hip, Hurrah! by P.S. Krøyer, 1888
Hip, Hip, Hurrah! by P.S. Krøyer, 1888
The Actor's Lunch, Skagen by Michael Peter Ancher, 1902
The Actor’s Lunch, Skagen by Michael Peter Ancher, 1902
An Artists' Gathering by Viggo Johansen, 1903
An Artists’ Gathering by Viggo Johansen, 1903

Deep in concentration, an after-dinner game of cards continues into the small hours.

A game of l'hombre in Brøndums Hotel by Anna Palm de Rosa, 1885
A game of l’hombre in Brøndums Hotel by Anna Palm de Rosa, 1885

Many of the Skagen painters are depicted here enjoying Midsummer Eve celebrations on Skagen beach around a bonfire, traditionally lit to ward off evil spirits believed to roam freely when the sun turned southward again.

The painting includes Peder Severin Krøyer’s daughter Vibeke, mayor Otto Schwartz and his wife Alba Schwartz, Michael Ancher, Degn Brøndum, Anna Ancher, Holger Drachmann and his 3rd wife Soffi, the Swedish composer Hugo Alfvén and Marie Krøyer.

Midsummer Eve bonfire on Skagen's beach by P.S. Krøyer, 1906
Midsummer Eve bonfire on Skagen’s beach by P.S. Krøyer, 1906

Anna Ancher was the only one of the Skagen Painters to be born and grow up in Skagen.

Her father owned the Brøndums Hotel where the artists stayed during the summer months and she married Michael Ancher, one of the first members of the Skagen colony of artists.

Expressing a more truthful depiction of reality and everyday life, she was a pioneer in observing the interplay of color and natural light.

Harvesters by Anna Ancher, 1905
Harvesters by Anna Ancher, 1905
Harvest Time by Anna Ancher, 1901
Harvest Time by Anna Ancher, 1901
Sewing Fisherman's Wife by Anna Ancher, 1890
Sewing Fisherman’s Wife by Anna Ancher, 1890
They love the sea,
Men who ride on it
And know they will die
Under the salt of it
Carl Sandburg, Young Sea

Combining realism and classical composition, Michael Ancher painted heroic fishermen and their experiences at sea.

Becoming known as monumental figurative art, his strict training at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts was tempered by his wife Anna’s more naturalistic approach.

Painted in 1885, Michael Ancher’s ‘Will He Round the Point?” (below) earned him and the Skagen colony particular attention since it was sold to King Christian IX of Denmark.

Will He Round the Point by Michael Ancher, 1885
Will He Round the Point by Michael Ancher, 1885
Perhaps I should not have been a fisherman, he thought. But that was the thing that I was born for.Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea
The Boat is Set in the Sea by Oscar Björck, 1885
The Boat is Set in the Sea by Oscar Björck, 1885
The lifeboat is driven through the dunes by Michael Ancher, 1883
The lifeboat is driven through the dunes by Michael Ancher, 1883
Fishermen on the Beach on a Quiet Summer Evening by Michael Ancher, 1888
Fishermen on the Beach on a Quiet Summer Evening by Michael Ancher, 1888

Life was hard.

A fisherman’s life was not an easy one.

Better to die surrounded by people who would give their life for you.

That’s what close-knit communities were made of.

The Drowned Fisherman by Michael Peter Ancher, 1896
The Drowned Fisherman by Michael Peter Ancher, 1896
Fishermen at Skagen by Peder Severin Kroyer, 1894
Fishermen at Skagen by Peder Severin Kroyer, 1894
Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with that there is Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea
Fishermen on the Beach at Skagen byPeder Severin Kroyer, 1891
Fishermen on the Beach at Skagen byPeder Severin Kroyer, 1891

The Skagen artists also painted each other and their children going about everyday aspects of life—collecting flowers, walking the dog, reading in the shade of the garden or inside the house, meal times with the children, and saying prayers before bed.

Anna Ancher returning from the field by Michael Ancher, 1901
Anna Ancher returning from the field by Michael Ancher, 1901
Portrait of my wife. The painter Anna Ancher by Michael Ancher, 1883
Portrait of my wife. The painter Anna Ancher by Michael Ancher, 1883
Summer Evening at Skagen. The Artist's Wife and Dog by the Shore by P.S. Krøyer, 1892
Summer Evening at Skagen. The Artist’s Wife and Dog by the Shore by P.S. Krøyer, 1892
Roses by P.S. Krøyer, 1893
Roses by P.S. Krøyer, 1893
Interior with poppies and a woman reading by Anna Ancher, 1905
Interior with poppies and a woman reading by Anna Ancher, 1905
Living room with light blue curtains and blue Clematis, 1913
Living room with light blue curtains and blue Clematis, 1913
Midday Meal in the Garden by Anna Ancher, 1915
Midday Meal in the Garden by Anna Ancher, 1915
The Benzon daughters by Peder Severin Krøyer, 1897
The Benzon daughters by Peder Severin Krøyer, 1897
Evening Prayer by Anna Ancher, 1888
Evening Prayer by Anna Ancher, 1888

An Impression of Winter by Claude Monet

What impression do you have of winter?

Perhaps you’re a snowbird who escapes the cold for warmer climes.

Perhaps you’re a winter sports fan who loves nothing more than gliding down the slopes with the wind in your hair and the scenic beauty whizzing past.

Perhaps you love to snuggle up next to a roaring fire, hot drink in hand, watching the snow fall.

We all have a slightly different impression of winter depending on our perspective.

In 19th-century France, a group of artists led by Claude Monet made quite an impression on the art world.

They realized that how we see the world is not in all its detail, but as an “impression”, with our minds filling in the gaps.

Capturing this “impressionistic image” in paint was their specialty.

It gave them the opportunity to use color and light to convey those “fleeting moments” that stay with us as memories.

Monet loved the changing light of the seasons.

In his paintings of winter, we can feel the cold yet bask in the warmth of their beauty.

A feast for the senses. Food for the soul.

The Boulevard de Pontoise at Argenteuil, Snow Effect by Claude Monet - 1875
The Boulevard de Pontoise at Argenteuil, Snow Effect by Claude Monet – 1875
Snow Scene at Argenteuil by Claude Oscar Monet - 1875
Snow Scene at Argenteuil by Claude Oscar Monet – 1875
Skaters at Giverny by Claude Oscar Monet - 1899
Skaters at Giverny by Claude Oscar Monet – 1899
The Banks of the Fjord at Christiania by Claude Oscar Monet - 1895
The Banks of the Fjord at Christiania by Claude Oscar Monet – 1895
Snow at Argenteuil by Claude Oscar Monet - 1874-1875
Snow at Argenteuil by Claude Oscar Monet – 1874-1875
Sandviken Village in the Snow by Claude Oscar Monet - 1895
Sandviken Village in the Snow by Claude Oscar Monet – 1895
Route, effet de neige, soleil couchant (Snow Effect along a Road with Setting Sun) by Claude Oscar Monet
Route, effet de neige, soleil couchant (Snow Effect along a Road with Setting Sun) by Claude Oscar Monet
Road to Giverny in Winter by Claude Oscar Monet - 1885
Road to Giverny in Winter by Claude Oscar Monet – 1885
Road at Louveciennes, Snow Effect by Claude Oscar Monet - 1869-1870
Road at Louveciennes, Snow Effect by Claude Oscar Monet – 1869-1870
Red Houses at Bjornegaard in the Snow, Norway by Claude Oscar Monet - 1895
Red Houses at Bjornegaard in the Snow, Norway by Claude Oscar Monet – 1895
Mount Kolsaas, Rose Reflection by Claude Oscar Monet - 1895
Mount Kolsaas, Rose Reflection by Claude Oscar Monet – 1895
Mount Kolsaas by Claude Oscar Monet - 1895
Mount Kolsaas by Claude Oscar Monet – 1895
Lavacourt, Sun and Snow by Claude Oscar Monet - 1878-1881
Lavacourt, Sun and Snow by Claude Oscar Monet – 1878-1881
Lavacourt in Winter by Claude Oscar Monet - 1879
Lavacourt in Winter by Claude Oscar Monet – 1879
Ice Floes, Misty Morning by Claude Oscar Monet - 1894
Ice Floes, Misty Morning by Claude Oscar Monet – 1894
Ice Floes on the Seine at Bougival by Claude Oscar Monet - 1867-1868
Ice Floes on the Seine at Bougival by Claude Oscar Monet – 1867-1868
Houses in the Snow, Norway by Claude Oscar Monet - 1895
Houses in the Snow, Norway by Claude Oscar Monet – 1895
Grainstacks in the Morning, Snow Effect by Claude Oscar Monet - 1891
Grainstacks in the Morning, Snow Effect by Claude Oscar Monet – 1891
Grainstacks at Sunset, Snow Effect by Claude Oscar Monet - 1890-1891
Grainstacks at Sunset, Snow Effect by Claude Oscar Monet – 1890-1891
Frost by Claude Oscar Monet - 1885
Frost by Claude Oscar Monet – 1885
Frost by Claude Oscar Monet - 1875
Frost by Claude Oscar Monet – 1875
Floating Ice near Bennecourt by Claude Oscar Monet - 1893
Floating Ice near Bennecourt by Claude Oscar Monet – 1893
Floating Ice by Claude Oscar Monet - 1880
Floating Ice by Claude Oscar Monet – 1880
Entering the Village of Vetheuil in Winter by Claude Oscar Monet - 1879
Entering the Village of Vetheuil in Winter by Claude Oscar Monet – 1879
Coming into Giverny in Winter, Sunset by Claude Oscar Monet - 1885
Coming into Giverny in Winter, Sunset by Claude Oscar Monet – 1885
Church at Jeufosse, Snowy Weather by Claude Oscar Monet - 1893
Church at Jeufosse, Snowy Weather by Claude Oscar Monet – 1893
Boulevard St-Denis, Argenteuil, Snow Effect by Claude Oscar Monet - 1875
Boulevard St-Denis, Argenteuil, Snow Effect by Claude Oscar Monet – 1875
Amsterdam in the Snow by Claude Oscar Monet - 1874
Amsterdam in the Snow by Claude Oscar Monet – 1874
A Cart on the Snow Covered Road with Saint-Simeon Farm by Claude Oscar Monet - c. 1865
A Cart on the Snow Covered Road with Saint-Simeon Farm by Claude Oscar Monet – c. 1865
White Frost by Claude Oscar Monet - 1875
White Frost by Claude Oscar Monet – 1875
View of Argenteuil in the Snow by Claude Oscar Monet - 1875
View of Argenteuil in the Snow by Claude Oscar Monet – 1875
Train in the Snow, the Locomotive by Claude Oscar Monet - 1875
Train in the Snow, the Locomotive by Claude Oscar Monet – 1875
The Seine at Port Villez, Snow Effect by Claude Oscar Monet - 1885
The Seine at Port Villez, Snow Effect by Claude Oscar Monet – 1885
The Seine at Bougival by Claude Oscar Monet - 1869
The Seine at Bougival by Claude Oscar Monet – 1869
The Road to Vetheuil, Snow Effect by Claude Oscar Monet - 1879
The Road to Vetheuil, Snow Effect by Claude Oscar Monet – 1879
The Road in Vetheuil in Winter by Claude Oscar Monet - 1879
The Road in Vetheuil in Winter by Claude Oscar Monet – 1879
The Road by Saint-Simeon Farm in Winter by Claude Oscar Monet - 1867
The Road by Saint-Simeon Farm in Winter by Claude Oscar Monet – 1867
The Magpie by Claude Oscar Monet - 1869
The Magpie by Claude Oscar Monet – 1869
The Effect of Snow at Limetz by Claude Oscar Monet - 1886
The Effect of Snow at Limetz by Claude Oscar Monet – 1886
The Church at Vetheuil, Snow by Claude Oscar Monet - 1878-1879
The Church at Vetheuil, Snow by Claude Oscar Monet – 1878-1879

8 Heavenly Austrian Ceiling Frescoes influenced by the Sistine Chapel

How could we begin without first mentioning the granddaddy of all ceiling frescoes that influenced so many others that followed—the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

Painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel exemplifies High Renaissance art—a period of exceptional creativity during the late 15th and early 16th centuries.

Nine scenes from the Book of Genesis take center stage, of which The Creation of Adam is the best known, deservedly enjoying an iconic status equaled only by Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.

The left half of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo in 1508 and restored in 1994
The left half of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo in 1508 and restored in 1994

Anyone who’s tried to paint a ceiling at home will know it’s back-breaking work. All that looking up. But imagine painting that way for 4 years solid!

Contrary to popular belief, Michelangelo didn’t lie on his back but painted in a standing position.

The work was carried out in extremely uncomfortable conditions, from his having to work with his head tilted upwards.Giorgio Vasari (1511 - 1574)

The ceiling rises to 44 ft (13.4 m) above the main floor, so, what does a 16th-century sculptor, painter, architect, poet, and engineer do to reach such lofty heights?

You guessed it—he designed his own scaffold. But instead of building from the floor up, he saved on wood by making a flat platform on brackets built out from holes in the wall near the top of the windows.

Besides his own heavenly creations, Michelangelo would inspire later artists like Austrian Paul Troger (1698 – 1762), whose illusionistic ceiling frescoes are notable for their dramatic vitality of movement and light color palette.

Here are 8 examples of heavenly baroque frescoes from 18th-century Austria.

1. Melk Abbey, Austria

Melk Abbey is a Benedictine abbey originally founded in 1089 overlooking the town of Melk in Lower Austria.

Today’s Baroque abbey was built between 1702 and 1736.

Ceiling fresco in the Marble Hall of Melk Abbey by Paul Troger, 1730. Credit Uoaei1
Ceiling fresco in the Marble Hall of Melk Abbey by Paul Troger, 1730. Credit Uoaei1
Ceiling fresco in the central arch of the nave at Melk Abbey Church by Johann Michael Rottmayr (1722) Via triumphalis of St. Benedict. Credit Uoaei1
Ceiling fresco in the central arch of the nave at Melk Abbey Church by Johann Michael Rottmayr (1722) Via triumphalis of St. Benedict. Credit Uoaei1
Frescos of dome and ceiling in Melk Abbey Church (Austria) by Johann Michael Rottmayr (1716-22). Credit Uoaei1
Frescoes of dome and ceiling in Melk Abbey Church (Austria) by Johann Michael Rottmayr (1716-22). Credit Uoaei1
Symbolic illustration of the history of Melk Abbey, 1745. Credit Uoaei1
Symbolic illustration of the history of Melk Abbey, 1745. Credit Uoaei1

2. Herzogenburg Monastery, Austria

The Augustinian Herzogenburg Monastery in Lower Austria was founded in 1112 by Augustinian Canons, and refurbished in the Baroque style in 1714.

Ceiling frescos in Herzogenburg Abbey Church (Lower Austria) by Daniel Gran (left fresco) and Bartolomeo Altomonte. Credit Uoaei1
Ceiling frescoes in Herzogenburg Abbey Church (Lower Austria) by Daniel Gran (left fresco) and Bartolomeo Altomonte. Credit Uoaei1
Ceiling fresco in the Herzogenburg Abbey Church (Lower Austria) by Daniel Gran The Miracle of Pentecost. Credit Uoaei1
Ceiling fresco in the Herzogenburg Abbey Church (Lower Austria) by Daniel Gran The Miracle of Pentecost. Credit Uoaei1

3. Sonntagberg Basilica, Austria

Sonntagberg Basilica is a baroque church in Lower Austria, Built between 1706 and 1732, Pope Paul VI gave it the title Minor basilica in 1964.

Ceiling frescos in Sonntagberg Basilica (Lower Austria) by Daniel Gran (1738–43). Credit Uoaei1
Ceiling frescoes in Sonntagberg Basilica (Lower Austria) by Daniel Gran (1738–43). Credit Uoaei1
Ceiling frescos in the nave and the dome of Sonntagberg Basilica (Lower Austria) by Daniel Gran (1738–43). Credit Uoaei1
Ceiling frescoes in the nave and the dome of Sonntagberg Basilica (Lower Austria) by Daniel Gran (1738–43). Credit Uoaei1

4. Altenburg Abbey, Austria

Altenburg Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Lower Austria. It suffered numerous invasions and attacks, and was destroyed by the Swedes in 1645.

The present Baroque abbey replaced the earlier Romanesque structure, and is said to be one of the finest in Austria.

Fresco of the north dome at the library of Altenburg Abbey (Lower Austria) by Paul Troger (1742) Theology and Jurisprudence. Credit Uoaei1
Fresco of the north dome at the library of Altenburg Abbey (Lower Austria) by Paul Troger (1742) Theology and Jurisprudence. Credit Uoaei1
Fresco in the dome of Altenburg Abbey Church (Lower Austria) by Paul Troger (1733) The apocalyptic vision of St. John. Credit Uoaei1
Fresco in the dome of Altenburg Abbey Church (Lower Austria) by Paul Troger (1733) The apocalyptic vision of St. John. Credit Uoaei1

5. Seitenstetten Abbey, Austria

Originally founded in 1112, Seitenstetten Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Lower Austria that was lavishly refurbished in the 18th century in the Baroque style.

Ceiling fresco of the Marble Hall at Seitenstetten Abbey (Lower Austria) by Paul Troger (1735) The Harmony between Religion and Science. Credit Uoaei1
Ceiling fresco of the Marble Hall at Seitenstetten Abbey (Lower Austria) by Paul Troger (1735) The Harmony between Religion and Science. Credit Uoaei1
Ceiling fresco of the Abbey's Staircase at Seitenstetten Abbey (Lower Austria) by Bartolomeo Altomonte (1744) Triumph of St. Benedict. Credit Uoaei1
Ceiling fresco of the Abbey’s Staircase at Seitenstetten Abbey (Lower Austria) by Bartolomeo Altomonte (1744) Triumph of St. Benedict. Credit Uoaei1

6. Jesuit Church, Austria

Also known as the University Church, the Jesuit Church is a two-storey, twin-tower church in Vienna, Austria. It was remodeled using Baroque principles in the early 18th century.

Jesuit Church, Dr.-Ignaz-Seipel-Platz, Vienna, Frescoes by Andrea Pozzo during his time in Vienna (1702-1709). Credit Uoaei1
Jesuit Church, Vienna, Austria. Frescoes by Andrea Pozzo during his time in Vienna (1702-1709). Credit Uoaei1

The first church in the Austrian market town of Maria Taferl was built around a shrine to the Holy Mother, which is the origin of the town’s name.

7. Maria Taferl Basilica, Austria

Built between 1660 and 1710, the baroque Maria Taferl Basilica features ornate gold leaf decoration and the frescoed ceiling shown below.

Ceiling fresco in the nave of Maria Taferl Basilica (Lower Austria) by Antonio Beduzzi (1714-1718) Glorification of St. Joseph, Credit Uoaei1
Ceiling frescoes in the nave of Maria Taferl Basilica (Lower Austria) by Antonio Beduzzi (1714-1718) Glorification of St. Joseph, Credit Uoaei1

8. Göttweig Abbey, Austria

Göttweig Abbey is a Benedictine monastery near Krems in Lower Austria.

Founded in the 11th century, the abbey burned down in 1718 and was rebuilt on a grander, more lavish scale.

The fresco decorating the imperial staircase (shown below) is considered a masterpiece of Austrian Baroque architecture.

Apotheosis of Emperor Charles VI by Paul Troger, 1739 in Göttweig Abbey, Austria. Credit Uoaei1
Apotheosis of Emperor Charles VI by Paul Troger, 1739 in Göttweig Abbey, Austria. Credit Uoaei1

The Dancers of Degas

Ballerinas are to Degas as lilies are to Monet.

Art is not what you see, but what you make others seeEdgar Degas.
Dancers on Set by Edgar Degas, c.1880_inset 1

And “make us see” is what he does with exquisite aplomb. He renders the beauty of fleeting movement, of ballerinas in mid-performance, with a luminous quality. But he also captures the human side of ballerinas, in their simplest, most intimate moments—warming up, stretching at the bar, practicing positions, or talking in the dressing room.

At the ballet, Degas found himself. It satisfied his penchant for classical elegance and put to use his rigorous academic training from the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris—one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious fine art schools.

He frequented the Palais Garnier—the home of the Paris Ballet and Opera, lurking in the wings and foyer hoping to befriend the influential patrons who might gain him access to the private world of ballerinas.

Mimed poetry, dream made visible.

Degas’s paintings of ballet performances capture the essence of what makes ballet special—the balance, poise, and precision of movement. A contemporary critic called ballet “mimed poetry, dream made visible.”

747px-Opera_Garnier_Stairway_2008

Degas became a familiar sight for the young ballerinas—some poor, dreaming of becoming the princesses of the stage. One said he “used to stand at the top or bottom of the many staircases . . . drawing the dancers as they rushed up and down.” He noticed everything—from the most difficult of choreographed sequences to the smallest errors—making notes as he went.

In later life, Degas became a recluse, believing that “the artist must live alone, and his private life must remain unknown“. His eyesight was failing him and he spent his last years, almost blind, wandering the streets of his beloved Paris.

He wrote to a friend,

with the exception of the heart, it seems to me that everything within me is growing old in proportion, and even this heart of mine has something artificial. The dancers have sewn it into a bag of pink satin, pink satin slightly faded, like their dancing shoes.

Like the dancing shoes, Degas himself faded away in September 1917, but his work lives on in brilliant color.

Listen to Steven Gutheinz as we marvel at the dancers of Degas.

The Dancing Class by Edgar Degas, 1871
The Dancing Class by Edgar Degas, 1871
Rehearsal of the Scene by Edgar Degas, 1872
Rehearsal of the Scene by Edgar Degas, 1872
Ballet School by Edgar Degas, 1873
Ballet School by Edgar Degas, 1873
The Ballet Class by Edgar Degas, 1874
The Ballet Class by Edgar Degas, 1874
The Rehearsal by Edgar Degas, c.1874
The Rehearsal by Edgar Degas, c.1874
The Rehearsal of the Ballet on Stage by Edgar Degas, 1874
The Rehearsal of the Ballet on Stage by Edgar Degas, 1874
Rehearsal on Stage by Edgar Degas, 1874
Rehearsal on Stage by Edgar Degas, 1874
Two Dancers in the Studio (also known as Dance School) by Edgar Degas, c.1875
Two Dancers in the Studio (also known as Dance School) by Edgar Degas, c.1875
Dancer Onstage with a Bouquet by Edgar Degas, c.1876
Dancer Onstage with a Bouquet by Edgar Degas, c.1876
Dancer on Point by Edgar Degas, c.1877
Dancer on Point by Edgar Degas, c.1877
Two Dancers on the Stage by Edgar Degas, 1877
Two Dancers on the Stage by Edgar Degas, 1877
Dancers Practicing at the Bar by Edgar Degas, 1877
Dancers Practicing at the Bar by Edgar Degas, 1877
Dancer Posing by Edgar Degas, c.1878
Dancer Posing by Edgar Degas, c.1878
Dancers by Edgar Degas, c.1878
Dancers by Edgar Degas, c.1878
The Dance Studio by Edgar Degas, c.1878
The Dance Studio by Edgar Degas, c.1878
Two Dancers Entering the Stage by Edgar Degas, c.1878
Two Dancers Entering the Stage by Edgar Degas, c.1878
Ballet Scene by Edgar Degas, 1879
Ballet Scene by Edgar Degas, 1879
The Dance Lesson by Edgar Degas, c.1879
The Dance Lesson by Edgar Degas, c.1879
Two Ballet Dancers by Edgar Degas - circa 1879
Two Ballet Dancers by Edgar Degas – circa 1879
Dancers on Set by Edgar Degas, c.1880
Dancers on Set by Edgar Degas, c.1880
Th Ballet Class by Edgar Degas, 1881
Th Ballet Class by Edgar Degas, 1881
Dancers in a Studio by Edgar Degas, c.1884
Dancers in a Studio by Edgar Degas, c.1884
The Pink Dancers, Before the Ballet by Edgar Degas, 1884
The Pink Dancers, Before the Ballet by Edgar Degas, 1884
The Ballet Dancers (also known as The Dressing Room) by Willard Leroy Metcalf - 1885
The Ballet Dancers (also known as The Dressing Room) by Willard Leroy Metcalf – 1885
Ballet Scene by Edgar Degas, 1893
Ballet Scene by Edgar Degas, 1893
Ballet Dancers by Edgar Degas, c.1895
Ballet Dancers by Edgar Degas, c.1895
Ballet Dancers in the Wings by Edgar Degas, 1900
Ballet Dancers in the Wings by Edgar Degas, 1900

Sources and Further Reading

Degas and his Dancers—The Smithsonian.
Edgard Degas—Wikipedia.org

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Tissot’s Victorian Ladies

James Tissot (1836 – 1902), was a French painter and illustrator.

He painted scenes of Paris and London society—and especially fashionably dressed women.

Click here to continue learning about James Tissot
Self-portrait in 1865
Self-portrait in 1865.

Born in Nantes, France, his father was a drapery merchant and his mother designed hats. Their involvement in the fashion industry influenced his artistic flair for painting the finer details of women’s clothing.

Tissot enrolled in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts to study in the studios of Hippolyte Flandrin and Louis Lamothe—both known for their decorative art skills. It was here that Tissot became acquainted with Edgar Degas, Edouard Manet and James Whistler.

In 1863, Tissot found the niche that would bring him critical acclaim and wealth: portraits depicting modern life.

He moved to London in 1871, where he quickly developed his reputation for painting elegantly dressed, fashionable women.

The Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists quotes Edmond de Goncourt in 1874 as writing that Tissot had ‘a studio with a waiting room where, at all times, there is iced champagne at the disposal of visitors”.

Tissot’s popularity among wealthy British industrialists gave him an income usually reserved for the top strata of society.

a studio with a waiting room where, at all times, there is iced champagne at the disposal of visitorsPhilip J. Waller.

Tissot painted elegant ladies from high society in enchanting everyday scenes. Vote for your favorites from this list of 20 beautiful Tissot paintings.