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, October 13, 2011

Alesso Balcovinetti

October 14, 2011

We are camping for the next few days...so I am posting Friday's blog early, enjoy!

Happy Birthday Alesso Baldovinetti!! Florentine artist from 1426, this man was a painter as well as a mosaic and stained glass artist. Though he did paint frescoes, even finishing some begun by Fra Angelica, his expertise lay in his mosaic and stained glass work. The work I am including today is a mosaic in the pediment of San Miniato del Monte in Florence, Italy, depicting Christ with the Virgin Mary and St. Minias. Although I have not seen this one, I have seen others just this past summer in Florence very similar in technique and age and you just cannot imagine the intricate detail and values achieved with the very tiny precisely cut tiles. The background is luminescent gold, alluding to the Holy subject.


 
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