February 10, 2011

Strong/Weak: Bouveret vs Vedder

On my recent trip to the Carnegie I noticed these two paintings in the same room. Content aside I could not help but observe that both used back-lit figures although the first painting is lit very well and the second is lit very poorly. I find it helpful to make these simple comparisons so if I need to use a similar lighting situation I can refer to this clear dichotomy of quality.

Strong: Pascal-Adolphe-Jean Dagnan Bouveret's Christ and the Disciples at Emmaus



Weak: Elihu Vedder's The Keeper of the Threshold

8 comments:

  1. Have you ever researched Vetter before?

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    1. I politely disagree with the premises upon which this question is based. My understanding of art and artistic quality stems from an understanding of the philosophical and psychological requirements of the human mind (I am an Objectivist.) I do not believe those requirements can change or be dispensed with based on whatever it is I am looking at (I am not an aesthetic subjectivist.) This is a lengthy topic that I would be happy to explain further if need be.

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  2. you do know that this is one of the two of his dominating styles of painting. This being something that looks like it comes from influence in the Beaux-Arts, and his other works are much stronger as in the "sense of light" that you are looking for.

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    1. I agree that some of his other works are better. I admit I don't understand what you mean by "this is one of the two of his dominating styles of painting."

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  3. the comparison you are giving with these two is like apples and oranges. and yes i have seen them in person i live in Pittsburgh. Every thing in that gallery if i recall is all American Symbolism an American Renaissance, there is a later Sargent and also an Abby in there if i am not mistaken

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    1. I'm not judging these two works by how well or poorly they describe the span of artist's interests at the time.

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  4. Too the slide you chose for s The Keeper of the Threshold is dual and the saturation of the color is lost.

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    1. If I am interpreting this correctly you are saying my image is "dull," but I don't believe it is. The image from the Carnegie's website is very similiar.

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