Divisionism and Fauvism

Painting Challenge/ Painting Techniques and Ideas

It has been great seeing the results of your labours on our Facebook and WhatsApp pages. We conclude our divisionism theme this week by looking at the work of Jean Metzinger. He is better known for his cubist work, but I really like the work he produced influenced by the ides of post Impressionism.

The second painting is a beautiful landscape - painted a year later in 1907 - it is much more fluid in its construction and very decorative in terms of outcome. It benefits greatly from close scrutiny - it looks so contemporary.

The Wikipedia link about his work and influences is quite good as it provides an overview and further references about the artist. Link

Still Life Drawing and Painting : Fauvism

Maurice Vlaminck was a member of the Fauvists. I have attached an early still life painting from 1906. It is a lovely composition especially the way red lines across lower part of the picture frame the whole composition. We can view the picture both representationally and an abstract sense. The hard dark drawing lines around the objects emphasise shapes and patterns.

The second picture is rather more straightforward. The use of orange / blue colours and dramatic tonal contrast make this both a simple but at the same time powerfully observed still life.

Figure Drawing and Painting

Did you see the antiques Roadshow on Sunday evening? I have included a screenshot from the program. We have used the work of Bernard Dunstan many times in our sessions to stimulate our thinking and it was great to see one of his paintings being discussed and valued. It was found in a gallery in Anglesey. Dunstan tended to work on a small scale, so I was surprise to see that this was one of his larger pictures . I like how the the light has been painted, and the square composition. The person who brought the picture to the show did not disclose its purchase price, however, it was valued to be worth between £4000 and £6000.