Johannes Vermeer
A Young Woman Seated at a Virginal
Creation date: c. 1670–72
Learning Resource Slideshow
Johannes Vermeer
Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
Avignon from the West
Creation date: 1836
Look
Look at Corot’s Avignon from the West and see the clouds and their shadows create the sense of gentle wind. The painting is a direct depiction of nature and human habitation in harmony. The viewer can almost feel the sun and smell the vegetation.
Think
Think about how the softened foreground and atmospheric background, with the pale faraway hills, create a ‘sandwich’ effect. The centre of the painting glows, capturing our attention with the sandy highlights and building details.
Edgar Degas
Ballet Dancers
Creation date: c. 1890–1900
Look
Look at this image by Degas of a ballet rehearsal. Degas did many paintings and sketches of this subject matter. Why do you think Degas was interested in the training rather than the final performance?
Think
Think about how Degas has used paint to create a sense of movement in this oil sketch of ballet dancers. See how the canvas support has not been covered by the paint and shows through in many places. Artists developed a new style of painting to capture the increasing speed of modern life.
Claude Monet
The Water-Lily Pond
Creation date: 1899
Look
Look at Monet’s painting of a Japanese bridge in the garden he built in France. Can you decide what Monet is primarily interested in? Is it the scene in front of him or light and colour?
Think
Think about what sort of brushstrokes Monet used to create the image. What words would you use to describe those brushstrokes?
Titian
Noli me Tangere
Creation date: c. 1514
Look
Look at the position of the two figures in relation to each other and their body language. This painting is about Mary Magdalene being the first person to see Jesus after the Resurrection.
Think
Titian did quite a bit of re-painting to finalise the composition – originally Mary and Jesus were closer. Think about why he moved them further apart and the effect this creates.