John Constable believed that “painting should be another word for feeling”, and this is clearly evident in his 1831 artwork Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows. The last of Constable’s “six-footer series”, the painting portrays Constable’s emotional turmoil following the death of his wife, and serves as a reflection of the political and religious themes of the period, specifically the impact…
Artworks under the lens
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The Cornfield is a fine example of John Constable’s landscape paintings. In exquisite detail, it portrays a boy and his dog herding sheep down a rustic country road, as the boy stops to drink from a stream. Singulart will be exploring John Constable’s signature art style, and discussing how it is portrayed in The Cornfield. John Constable’s Landscape Paintings Constable…
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John Constable’s 1821 piece The Hay Wain is considered to be his masterpiece. Constable revolutionized landscape paintings in the 19th century, with his works depicting picturesque scenes of the English countryside. The Hay Wain is particularly celebrated for its portrayal of a quintessentially English country scene, although the serenity and optimism illustrated in the work belies that conflict and turmoil…
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Gerhard Richter’s Abstract Painting, 780-1 is one of his many abstract compositions which use his experimental blurring technique to create a work that investigates the boundaries between figuration and abstraction and which uses elements of photography in painting. In this article, Singulart explores Richter’s approach to painting and analyses the masterpiece Abstract Painting, 780-1, in order to gain a better…
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A Bigger Splash is one of David Hockney’s most iconic works, combining his fascination with California in the 1960’s with his investigation of the relationship between painting and performance. In this article, Singulart investigates Hockney’s famous painting in the context of the artist’s career and the artistic landscape of the late twentieth century. Who is David Hockney? Born in Bradford,…
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The Hunter (Catalan Landscape) is one of Joan Miró’s first works in his mature, Surrealist style. It exemplifies his use of automatism, or the use of his subconscious, to create paintings that conjure up a realm between dream and reality, on the edge of abstraction and figuration, in order to open new potentials in painting. In this article, Singulart decodes…
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The iconic landscape painting Hadleigh Castle shows a departure from the idyllic country scenes usually favored by John Constable. Following a period of great changes in Constable’s life – the death of his wife Maria and his election to the Royal Academy – Hadleigh Castle shows us a dilapidated, ruined structure, set off by the thundering clouds in the sky.…
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Black on Maroon is an uncharacteristically dark piece by acclaimed modern artist Mark Rothko. Famous for his ‘multiforms’, where colorful rectangles are layered on a canvas, almost blending into the luminous background, Black on Maroon reflects a more somber period of Rothko’s art. The painting has a convoluted history; originally created as part of a series to hang in the…
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Max Ernst’s The Elephant Celebes is a renowned work of early Surrealism and exemplifies Ernst’s combination of Surrealist atmosphere with the influence of Dada and collage techniques. In this article, Singulart takes a look at Max Ernst’s life and career and analyses the meaning and the techniques behind The Elephant Celebes. Who was Max Ernst? Max Ernst (1891-1976) was a…
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No. 61 (Rust and Blue) is an example of Mark Rothko’s famous multiform artworks, yet also heralded an important step in the Color Field movement. Rothko’s works were infamous for creating an almost religious experience for viewers, but how exactly did these rectangular blocks achieve this goal? In this article Singulart will be exploring the question of why Rothko’s art…
