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.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Vincenzo Coronelli


Happy Birthday Vincenzo Coronelli!! This artist was a cartographer, born in Italy in 1650. He was a Franciscan monk, studying both theology and astronomy. Royal Cartographer to King Louis XIV and in this capacity created several hundred maps and globe gores. He was undoubtedly the most important geographical world historian of the late 1600's. The globes included here, today, are the pair created for King Louis XIV, leading to Coronelli's appointment to Royal Cartographer. Constructed of wood with a layer of plaster and fabric, then painted; they measure approximately 12 feet in diameter and weigh 2 tons! The globes are located in Paris at the Grand Palais.

Globe gores-Flattened sections of the globe which can be cut out and fashioned back into spherical shape.


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