We (my English class) are supposed to choose a painting to talk about, during these holidays. I, as the biggest ignorant on Earth on what comes to art, was obviously scared and decided to see all the "important" paintings available on the Internet. I had thought about going to an art gallery or something, but the best paintings are in very distant museums, which is kind of a trouble. So I spent this last Sunday immersed in
Google Art Project and some other web sites. I've discovered I don't like Picasso as much I thought I liked (but I still like it a little bit) and that Monet is amazing. I also had no idea that the Milkmaid add for Nestlé was based on this Jan Vermeer painting:
Even more fascinating than Vermeer's Milkmaid is an English romantic painter I've found,
Joseph Mallord William Turner. It seems to me (and I may be wrong...) that his paintings are like little photographs of feelings, which is basically what I try to do with my writing. He captures the moment and adds emotion to it, playing with gold or black, light or darkness. Here are some of his paintings:
"Caernarvon Castle"
"Melrose Abbey"
"The Fighting Temeraire"
I think I'm going to use a Turner's painting (none of those I've shown you) for that English composition. I've thought about Van Gogh or Dali, but Turner's are my favorites.
P.S - I don't feel such an ignorant after last Sunday. I know nothing about painting techniques, but looking at several paintings helps a lot on what comes to understand and "decode" them.
yours,
the illuminated millou
