Blossoming Almond Branch in a Glass (1888)

Blossoming Almond Branch in a Glass (1888)
One of my favorite still life subjects of Van Gogh, the cut branch in a glass, I ran across this one with the book behind creating a complicated compositional element. Note also the use of complementary colors, red and green, creating a vibration in the painting.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Alvar Aalto

Happy Birthday Alvar Aalto!! Born in Finland in 1898, Aalto made important contributions to modern architecture and design. He studied in Finland at the Helsinki University of Technology. Aalto was fascinated with the Cubist work of Braque and Picasso and his love of painting influenced his architectural work. He was married to architect Aino Marsio and they worked in partnership until her death in 1949. The pair designed not only the structure, but also the furnishing and details of the buildings. His work has a wide span, from city planning to furniture, glassware and painting. His lines were clean and his designs include large voids of soothing empty space. The Baker House at MIT (Massachusetts) is included here.

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