Art Appreciation – February 2025
The February meeting was an opportunity for members to choose a work of art on the theme of ‘Interiors’. As I was making my own selection, I wondered whether this subject might prove to be a rather difficult one but, as is invariably the case, members came up with some really interesting and unexpected choices.
One of the most famous painters of interiors is Vermeer, and we enjoyed discussing two of his pictures, ‘Young Woman Standing at a Virginal’ and ‘The Kitchen Maid’. The two paintings highlighted the different social standing of the subjects. Vermeer’s skill in representing the details of the rooms, the light from windows as well as objects and dress, is remarkable.
Bazille’s painting of his own studio showed not only the room he worked in but portraits of some of the great impressionist artists including Monet, Manet and Renoir.
Very few of us knew of the Swiss artist Felix Vallotton (1865-1925) but we will now remember his name and the intriguing interiors he chose to paint on many occasions. It is always exciting to come across artists who receive little attention for the most part but whose work is certainly worth looking out for.
Perhaps the greatest surprise was the wonderfully titled ‘Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing?’, a 1956 collage by the British artist Richard Hamilton, which was possibly the first example of Pop Art. It was made up of cuttings from magazines illustrating American consumerism of the period. His work was very influential, and he knew Paul Macartney and taught, amongst others, Brian Ferry.
A surprise of a totally different sort was provided by the interior of the church of St Ignatius Loyola in Rome. It is a remarkable example of trompe l’oeil, giving the viewer an illusion of a magnificent domed ceiling where in reality there is no dome at all. Money ran out during the construction of the church, so the artist managed to paint a ceiling on a substantially flat surface which convinces the viewer that there is a magnificent baroque dome above their heads.
One of the most famous and best loved impressionist paintings is Manet’s ‘A Bar at the Folies-Bergère’. The way in which this painting has been composed has been the subject of intense research because the reflections of the interior of this famous venue do not appear to ‘make sense’. Quite what Manet was attempting to do has intrigued the public for years. It now seems that the view point of the artist may, after all, be authentic and may not be so mysterious after all.
‘Christ in the House of his Parents’ by Millais is a portrayal of Jesus in the carpenter’s workshop of his father Joseph. Jesus’s hand is bleeding, seemingly from hurting it on a nail. He is surrounded by his family. While it presents a highly realistic picture of a workshop, it is also laden with religious symbolism.
Pierre Bonnard’s ‘Model in Backlight’ is a beautifully colourful interior, strongly influenced by Japanese designs which were very fashionable in the late 19th century.
There will not be a meeting in March, so the next meeting will be on Tuesday 8th April when members are invited to choose a work of art on the theme of Nature or Landscape.
Lynne Vick, Convenor