Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Madeleine by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

1917

Edouard Manet 1832-1883 French Christ as a Gardener Oil on canvas Beloved for his invaluable role in the development of the Impressionist movement, Edouard Manet's artworks are foundational to the canon of art history. The revolutionary artist's rare religious works, while lesser-known, are some of the most intimate paintings he ever produced, offering insight into the artist’s fascination with the idea of humanity’s beautiful and transcendent relationship with suffering. Begun in 1856, Christ as a Gardener is one of his earliest renderings of Christ and offers a view into nascent motifs that would later define Manet’s monumental legacy. In the painting, Christ’s profile is turned toward the viewer, though his face is turned to the bottom left of the frame and his downturned eyes avert the viewer's gaze. His brown robes contrast the warm light of his halo and the dramatic sky behind him. As with all of Manet’s work, this image is rich with symbolism. A partial self-portrait, as seen in the similar facial hair and iconic appearance of a paintbrush-like garden tool, the painting renders the biblical scene of Mary Magdalene mistaking the risen Christ for a gardener with personal intimacy. As the biblical tale relays, when Mary Magdalene recognizes Christ, she reaches out to him; he replies, “Touch me not.” The highly charged relationship between the Christ figure and the viewer, standing in as Mary Magdalene, is further emphasized by Christ’s hand that appears to reach out for contact. Through this extension of touch, Christ’s presence is tangible, reminiscent of Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam in the Sistine Chapel. This intimate initiation of human connection directly contrasts Christ’s biblical words, “Touch me not.” Scholars have attributed this rejection, both in gaze and through words, to Manet’s conviction that Christ, as a human, embodied a spirit of renunciation and rejection of his earthly existence. Christ’s distant expression suggests a willingness to be elsewhere — an expression that Manet will later use in his most distinguished works of art. Manet would go on to expand his view of Christ as a timeless embodiment of absolute commitment and suffering with his monumental Salon paintings...

John William Godward 1861-1922 British A Pompeian Lady Signed and dated "J.W. Godward 1904" (lower right, partially covered by frame) Oil on canvas One of the last and greatest Victorian neoclassical painters, John William Godward is celebrated for his flawlessly executed images of graceful women posed in idealized ancient settings. In this work, entitled A Pompeian Lady, a classical beauty is caught idling in a moment of quiet, solitary reflection. Godward's elegant subjects are depicted with a degree of technical mastery that remains unsurpassed, and the work's dramatic palette, luxurious fabrics and classical vision are all characteristics of his unique take on the neoclassical style. Godward was unmatched in terms of his technical skill and attention to detail. A master of contrasting textures, he paints a diaphanous gown draping against the model’s smooth, milky white skin, which sits against the painstakingly rendered individual hairs of a tiger’s pel. Scintillating color permeates the canvas as well, energizing the otherwise static scene. Each element is given careful attention, and the overall effect is one of both immaculate technique and sensual tactility. Along with his contemporary and mentor, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Godward set the tone for the Victorian neoclassicist movement. He built his career upon creating images of idealized feminine beauty infused with a Greco-Roman-inspired style. Though greatly influenced by Alma-Tadema, Godward distinguished himself through his predilection for the solitary female figure. His fame rose dramatically in the first few years of the 20th century, when the present work was completed, due to the burgeoning strength of the British Empire and the Victorian society’s preoccupation with ancient Rome. To many of the newly affluent, Roman society was, as Iain Gale writes, “a flawless mirror of their own immaculate world.” The sensuality and mystery of Godward’s maidens, combined with his impressive antique backdrops...

A painting by Georges Rouault. “Carlotta” is an oil on canvas portrait painting in a palette of blues, yellows, blacks, and pinks by expressionist artist Georges Rouault. The artwork...

Artist: Peter Tovpev Work: Original oil painting, handmade artwork, one of a kind Medium: Oil on Canvas Year: 2022 Style: Cubism Title: Portrait of Henriette Size: 36.5" x 29.5" x ...