Art Critique

Aysun Senyaz

[Name of Instructor]

[Subject]

22 April 2019

Art Critique

Introduction

Claude Monet is known as one of tye most famous painters of the time. He was known as one of the most famous painters representing impressionism through his work. Monet is recognized as the painter of landscapes. He uses soft impressions of colors and blurred line laying paths or multiple interpretations. The impressionism displayed in Monets works holds the ideology and the talent display light, the essence of nature and the contrasting use of color for the audience. Most work of Monet has depths in modernism and is a deliberate initiative to challenge the aesthetics of the audiences. He brought innovations to his style by using different and uniques techniques especially differential use of brush strokes, expanding scales, use of colors and crystallizing the ambition of the painter. Monets most idealized pieces of work include the depiction of the garden it is known as ‘The Japanese Footbridge’.The Japanese Footbridge is an oil painting, painted By Claude Monet. The painting was painted in 1899 CITATION Hea89 \l 1033 (O'Connor). The painting lies in the National Gallery of Art Washington DC, it was a gift to the gallery by Victoria Nebeker Coberly, in the memory of her sons. The dimensions of the painting measure to be 81.3 x 101.6 cm.

Thesis Statement

The essay tends to analyze the painting, "The Japanese Footbridge” by Claude Monet. The essay will analyze the art form, its techniques, its meaning and interpretations through a vivid comprehension of its features.

Discussion

Description

The Japanese Footbridge is a colorful representation of a pond and a water garden. The painting was created in three different stages. In the first stage Monet added the water garden and then encircled its trees, bushes, and flowers. Later he filled the pond with water lilies and then lastly he painted Japanese wooden bridge in 1895. It was finally completed in 1899. The painting develops a continual impressionist attentiveness to the Japanese Culture. Hence the final painting instills a water garden with lilies flowing, a wooden Bridge above it and trees, flowers and grass encircling the water garden CITATION Har13 \l 1033 (Abrams).

Subject Matter

The subject matter in the Japanese Footbridge refers to the actual bridge. Monet introduced a new concept in art by painting nature not as it is but as one comprehends it to be. The Japanese bridge shows how one can suit and incorporate one's imagination along with the factual aspects of nature aesthetically. the presentation of the painting clearly bases itself upon its subject matter. He presents a front view tilted upwards. The painting has no background or foreground, it is a continuous image from all sides.

Technique

Monet makes use of experimental techniques in creating his works. His use of brush strokes is known to be his best feature. Monet makes use of heavy brushstrokes, by creating bold and layered compositions through them. Painting broken colors with rushing brushstrokes earned Monet name as the pioneer in Impressionism. He gives a comprehensive touch of colors through his use of oil painting techniques used in the Japanese Footbridge represent that efficient use of color, light and the radiance through the contrast of dark and light colors together.

Colors

The colors used in the Japanese Footbridge reflect light strokes of pinks, whites, brown and shades of greens and blues however add serenity to the image. The use of ivory tones in the lilies makes an astounding contrast against the colors in the background. the use of the color scheme is said to have gone against the basic principles of artistic representation, he was highly influenced by The Japanese block prints and hues of light colors. Although much use of colors was inspired by Japan the central theme of the work never left the portrayal of western style.

Inspiration

Since a very young age, Monet developed a keen interest in gardening. He bought land in Giverny, a suburb near Paris, where he planned to grow a water garden. Fortunately enough there a pond near the land. Monets interest in gardening led him to take a keen interest in the Japanese techniques of water gardening. Therefore he turned it into a Japanese garden and started adding lillies to his interest. Later he added a wooden bridge above the pond. This increased his obsession with the Japanese gardening character and hence one can see a vivid display of his obsession with the nature in his painting ‘The Japanese Footbridge" CITATION Dav93 \l 1033 (Skaff).

Themes

A mere sight at The Japanese Footbridge gives the audience an absurd meaning, and builts a curiosity in them to keenly look at the piece of art. The rapid strokes of the brush in the painting give a lively meaning to the autumn which is mostly represented as a sad and melancholic. The painting is an ensemble of recognition of beauty even in the worst of situations. As autumn is known for its blues in nature. Therefore the use of colors in the painting represents the ultimate optimism one shall resort to even in the worst of situations. The painting of the water garden and the lilies within them defines a relationship between the proximity of the audience to nature. Hence Monet tries to imply the recognition and acknowledgment of colors, nature, and happiness around individuals CITATION Wil99 \l 1033 (Wildenstein).

Influence on Art

Monet's style of painting is deeply rooted in nature. He opted for direct impressions taken through landscapes rather than from memory. Monet has clearly changed the perspective in which the art is taken today. His works are pertinent to the execution of the themes of lights and radiance and the building a relationship between nature and man. The works of Claude Monet posit a reflection of optimism and relativity, representing different angels of one plausible scenario. The perfection of work is sought to be years of skill and talent put consequently in his artwork CITATION Cha78 \l 1033 (Moffet).

Conclusion

Claude Monet has been successful in capturing the audiences attention to the distorted and rapid stroked painting of The Japans Footbridge.the image is a unique piece of art displaying the motions through the lens of nature. Monet had a keen interest in gardening and hence many of the areas of his paintings depiction of his psychological inclination towards nature around. He himself had a water pond which was inspired by Japenese form of water gardening having lilies in them and a wooden bridge above. The real-life inspirations from nature is a gesture of gratitude and appreciation. Monets use of the brush strokes emphasizes the emergence of the landscape through painting combining nature and art together. The painting is an epitome of impressionism representing the importance of nature in art. It can hence be concluded that Claude Monet's painting The Japanese Footbridge is a depiction of awareness and emotional response to nature.

Works Cited

BIBLIOGRAPHY Abrams, Harry N. Claude Monet's Gardens at Giverny. 2013.

Moffet, Charles S. Monet's Years at Giverny: Beyond Impressionism. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1978, 1978.

O'Connor, Heather. Monet's Passion: Ideas, Inspiration, and Insights from the Painter's Gardens. Pomegranate, 1989.

Skaff, David B. Elliott Amanda. "Vision of the famous: the artist's eye." Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics (1993).

Wildenstein, D. "Monet, Or, The Triumph of Impressionism." Taschen (1999).