Both Claude Monet and Chuck Close were exploring paint, colour and human perception. Research the work of both artists in order to;
1. Outline the intentions of each artist.
2. Describe the techniques of each artist
3. Find 2 quotes about each artists work, and reference them correctly.
4. Note 3 similarities of the work of both artists.
5. What are some differences between the artist's work. (at least 3)
6. Describe your response to the work of both artists.
7. Add any other comments you would like.
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| Water Lillies 1920 Monet |
1. Monet is a well-recognised impressionist of the modernism era, whose works are full of vibrant
colours and the subject matter mainly focused on the everyday life: carrying on with realist concerns of dealing with 'here and now'. He was much interested in capturing the sensation of light in a fleeting moment, just like all the other impressionists were obsessed about; nothing is seen without light as light establishes the object.
2. His 'water lillies' clearly define these key qualities and intentions by bringing in obvious use of light and examines how the light plays on the objects/water; dappled light reflected on water is a key example.
His choice of wide spectrum of vibrant colours that are impasto-ed directly on top of each other
not only gives more texture to the work, but also defines the forms/objects.
Expressive brush strokes are also another visible technique that Monet and a lot of the impressionists use to convey the spontaneous and dynamic atmosphere.
3. Monet stated 'Color is my day-long obessesion, joy and torment'.
“I am following Nature without being able to grasp her...I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.”
"Monet depicted his Japanese-style pond covered with water lilies, at center, shimmering with reflections of clouds overhead. The water's surface fills the expansive composition so that conventional clues to the artist's—and the viewer's—vantage point are eliminated. Monet wished for the paintings to encompass the viewer"
"Monet depicted his Japanese-style pond covered with water lilies, at center, shimmering with reflections of clouds overhead. The water's surface fills the expansive composition so that conventional clues to the artist's—and the viewer's—vantage point are eliminated. Monet wished for the paintings to encompass the viewer"
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| Maggie (1996) Chuck Close |
2. Close used systematic composition by incorporating carefully constructed grids in his painting 'Maggie'. These grids are then filled with blocks of colours in order to shape the overall form; the colours are not direct representation of a real skin, its a mixture of different colour blobs that are juxtaposed to create an optical mixing - this eventually allows the viewer to recognise the picture as a whole.
3. “I was intent on just painting really anonymous people,” Close recalls. “Then they managed to become famous, and it kind of screwed up my game plan.”
"The building blocks for my paintings are not symbolic," he toldSunday Morning anchor Charles Osgood. "They don't stand for anything. It's a little bit like an architect ? picking up a brick. You stack up the bricks one way, you get a cathedral. You stack up the bricks another way, and you get a gas station.
"Every square here," Close said gesturing to a painting, "will become four squares in the painting. There is no drawing on the canvas other than the grid. I never draw a nose. I never draw a lip."
4. The main similarity between the two paintings by Monet and Close are the chosen subject matter; they are every day life scene. Slice of life. These subject matter helps to increase the naturalism within the painting. What Monet has chosen (his garden) and what Close has picked (his daughter) are the things that we can easily see in our daily life.
Another similarity can be the use and handling of the colour: both Monet and Close uses wide range of colour palette (rich, vibrant colours) and these are impasto-ed directly on to the canvas, rather than blended seamlessly together.
Lastly, both works plays with the effects of light.
5. The process involved with making the works are the thing that I thought was different from Monet's work to Close's. While Monet works en peiln air (working straight off from real life, which increases spontaneity and are more easy to capture fleeting moment of life), Close works with
photography and in a more systematic, controlled way. This is also evident in their works, as Close has grid-like format which makes it look more strained in a way, while Monet's work are more free and lively.
6. I found it quite interesting to answer this question, mainly because my response to the work differs from who I am; my attributes and characteristics.
I'm a perfectionist in a way; my obsession with leaving papers unfolded, cutting things SUPER straight, and leaving things in a accurate position as to how they were in a first place etc.
If you gather up all these informations, people might think that I would favor Close's work more than Monet's because Close's works are more close to perfection in a way - systematic composition, grid-like format, working from photographs and most importantly, hyper-real.
But in fact, what my impression towards these two different works were amazingly different.
I loved Monet's work but wasn't fascinated by Close's that much - no offence to Close! ;)
The reason that I like about Monet's works are that they make the viewer relaxed and comforted; as if I'm just taking a break out from a busy city life.
photography and in a more systematic, controlled way. This is also evident in their works, as Close has grid-like format which makes it look more strained in a way, while Monet's work are more free and lively.
6. I found it quite interesting to answer this question, mainly because my response to the work differs from who I am; my attributes and characteristics.
I'm a perfectionist in a way; my obsession with leaving papers unfolded, cutting things SUPER straight, and leaving things in a accurate position as to how they were in a first place etc.
If you gather up all these informations, people might think that I would favor Close's work more than Monet's because Close's works are more close to perfection in a way - systematic composition, grid-like format, working from photographs and most importantly, hyper-real.
But in fact, what my impression towards these two different works were amazingly different.
I loved Monet's work but wasn't fascinated by Close's that much - no offence to Close! ;)
The reason that I like about Monet's works are that they make the viewer relaxed and comforted; as if I'm just taking a break out from a busy city life.
References
- Lukas, A. (2011). Swindle Magazine: Chuck Close. Retrieved May 15, 2011 from http://swindlemagazine.com/issueicons/chuckclose/
- Johnson, C.A. (2007). Chuck Close: Contemporary Art Rock Star. Retrieved May 15, 2011 from
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