Monica D. Murgia

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realism

George Bellows & The Ashcan School

January 21, 2013 / 2 Comments

The George Bellows show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art really blew me away this weekend.  I worked at an art gallery for some time, and learned about the Ashcan School of painters.   Founded by Robert Henri  (1865″“1929) around 1900, this group of painters focused on depicting scenes as they were (Realism) instead of in the dreamy, staccato way of the American Impressionists.

Henri believed that painters needed to depict everyday subjects in an interesting and honest way: “What we need is more sense of the wonder of life, and less of this business of picture making.”  

George Wesley Bellows - Summer Night_ Riverside Drive
Summer Night, Riverside Drive by George Bellows, 1908.  Image courtesy of allpaintings.org

 

Members of the Ashcan School became instantly recognizable for their lavish use of black paint.  Black paint had pretty much been eliminated by the American Impressionist palette, although it was used heavily by the Old Masters like Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Goya.  Contemporaries of the Ashcan school affectionally called them the “Revolutionary Black Gang” or the ” Ash Can Group” (hence the name).

 

Stag at Sharkeys George Bellows

 

Stag at Sharkey’s by George Bellows, 1909.  Image courtesy of cleveland.about.com

George Bellows (1882-1925) was originally from Ohio.  He moved to New York to continue his study of painting.  Bellows met Henri shortly after arriving and started to study with him.    Henri encouraged Bellows to depict scenes of contemporary life, even if  the compositions and subjects challenge prevailing standards of taste. Bellows focused on impoverished immigrants in New York, especially children in “squalid and dangerous slums”.

 

Bellows_CliffDwellers

 

Cliff Dwellers by George Bellows, 1913.  Image courtesy of The Tenement Museum.

 

Bellows is really my favorite painter from the Ashcan School.  He has an amazing sense of value and color.  All of the paintings have so many harmonious colors, and really express a sense of light and dark.  The canvases are so luminous, they seem to have a radiant light source within.  One of my favorite paintings in the show was called Noon.  

Of course I’m partial to it because of all the blue paint, but you can  definitely see how there are areas of light and dark.  The bridge and how it casts shadows over parts of the canvas, the dark areas with figures in the shade, and even the billowing smoke – just take a look at how masterfully they are all done:

 

 

1908 Noon oil on canvas 55.9 x 71.1 cm

 

 Noon by George Bellows, 1908.  

There were so many great depictions of New York City.  In addition to his sensitivity to color, Bellows was an amazing draftsman.  He carefully outlines shapes within the composition.  Almost all of the paintings have a balanced foreground, middle, and background.  And the subjects just seem to come alive, with all the care and detail with which they are painted.

 

Bellows_George_New_York_1911

 

New York by George Bellows, 1911.

But really, the best part of seeing all of these paintings was the opportunity to look at Bellows’s brushstrokes.  It’s really difficult to see in photographs and images.  That’s why going to museums and galleries are so important.  There is a really, tangible experience of the painting that you just don’t get by looking at on the internet or in a book.  As someone that paints, it’s a special learning tool to see how other people push paint around the canvas.

 

601_10

 

The Palisades by George Bellows, 1909.  Image courtesy of the Tate.

As I looked at certain paintings, I noticed that Bellows directed the paint to follow the specific object he was painting.  So for example, the water is painted horizontally and the tree is painted vertically.  Take a look at smoke in the upper right hand corner.  It’s really easy to see that Bellows swirls the paint around to mimic the way smoke billows in the wind.  So pretty!

 

bellows-1024x729

 

 

Snow Capped River by George Bellows, 1911.  Image courtesy of the Telfair Museum.

Snow Capped River was another favorite.  You MUST see it in person.  The image above doesn’t even hint at what a beautiful work of art it really is.  Bellows also changed the thickness of paint within his compositions.  Certain areas are very flat, with thin layers of paint, and others are thick and impasto.

The George Bellows exhibit is at the Metroplitan Museum of Art until February 18th, 2013.  Don’t miss it – the show is included with general admission!

 

 

 

 

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Posted in: art, artists, artists i love, Great Museums, made in america, paintings, Travel, Uncategorized Tagged: american impressionism, Ashcan School, exhibition review, George Bellows, metropolitan museum of art, modernism, modernist paintings, New York, New York City, painting, paintings, realism, realist painting, Robert Henri, the met

William Merritt Chase

July 26, 2012 / 5 Comments
When people ask me what I went to school for, they are surprised by how much I know about art history.  Studying fashion requires consulting many primary sources, like paintings, books, and magazines since garments often do not survive the test of time.  Clothing and accessories are fragile. Clothing was not so readily available until after the Industrial Revolution, so many garments were worn and altered by the owners until they fell apart or were outmoded.
Written descriptions, paintings, and photographs are very important to studying fashion history. In fact, many paintings can be accurately dated by the clothing silhouette, accessories, and hairstyles that the subjects wear.  But it’s a real treat when a garment survives that can be linked to paintings from the time period.
One of my favorite portrait artists in William Merritt Chase (1849-1916).  He created magical paintings of women from the 1880s-1910s that captured what was worn.  Many of Chase’s portraits also give important hints to how the clothing affected posture and movement.  His subjects all appear exceedingly fashionable, too!  I couldn’t help but notice that the women seem to have been dressed in the best couture, like Charles Frederick Worth.
chase3
In the Studio Corner by William Merritt Chase, c. 1881.  Oil on canvas.  Image courtesy of wikipaintings.org
1981.49
Tea gown by Charles Frederick Worth, c. 1880.  Image courtesy of http://metmuseum.org
Chase was born in Indiana, and later moved to New York to paint.  He was always willing to grow as an artist, and used different elements from painting styles, like Tonalism (dark or neutral hues used to paint the atmosphere or mist), Impressionism (visible brush strokes, depiction of light and its changing qualities), and Realism (depicting the subject exactly as it is).  His willingness to learn and adapt made him a revered teacher.
What I think made him an interesting painter, aside from sheer skill, was his ability to render the details of clothing.  Garments from this time period are in many museum collections.  The similarities between Chase’s portraits and the surviving garments are very strong.  Take a look:
Chase-William-Merritt-Portrait-Of-A-Lady-In-Pink
 
Portrait of a Lady in Pink by William Merritt Chase, c. 1888.
57.83
Evening gown by J.P. Worth, c. 1900.  Image courtesy of http://metmuseum.org
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Kate Freemen Clack by William Merritt Chase, c. 1902.  Image courtesy of bjws.blogspot.com
shirtwaists
Advertisement for shirtwaists, c. 1901.
1888c The Blue Kimono (Girl in Blue Kimono) oil on canvas 145 x 112 cm
The Blue Kimono by William Merritt Chase, c. 1888.  Oil on canvas.  Image courtesy of
http://poulwebb.blogspot.com
M2002_153_1a-b
Woman’s Kimono Dressing Gown with Sash, late 19th- early 20th century.  Image courtesy of http://collectionsonline.lacma.org
 
1889c Spring Flowers (Peonies) pastel on paper 122 x 122 cm
Spring Flowers by William Merritt Chase, c. 1889.  Pastel on paper.  Image courtesy of http://poulwebb.blogspot.com
CI41.110.72_B
Kimono, c.1800-1940.  Image courtesy of http://metmuseum.org
1890 Girl in a Japanese Costume oil 63 x 41 cm
Girl in a Japanese Costume by William Merritt Chase, c. 1890.  Oil on canvas.  Image courtesy of http://poulwebb.blogspot.com
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Kimono dressing gown by Iida Takashimaya, 1906.  Image courtesy of http://www.kci.or.jp
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I Think I am Ready Now by William Merritt Chase, c. 1883.  Oil on canvas.  Image courtesy of askart.com
83.16
 Dress by Mme. Hardy, c. 1877.  Image courtesy of http://fashionmuseum.fitnyc.edu

 

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Posted in: art, artists, artists i love, Fashion as art, fashion history, paintings, Vintage Tagged: Charles Frederick Worth, couture, day dress, impressionism, kimono, New York, painter, portraits, realism, shirtwaist, tonalism, william merritt chase

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