Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Hans Gude, Oban Bay (1889)

Landscapes aren't for everyone, but for those who enjoy them this one is an outstanding example.

In this 1889 work the artist depicts an area not far from the island of Staffa, holding Fingal's Cave, the inspiration for Mendelssohn's The Hebrides, Op 26.

The artist has an extraordinary skill with all the necessary elements. His colors are a lovely contrast between attention getting bright (the orange and yellows of the boats to the left) and the more subdued greens and blues of the grass and sky. There's another delightful contrast between the sharpness of the boats and stone wall in the foreground and the mist on the mountains in the upper right. Not least of its delights is the superb composition.

But all that is talk. Just look, and enter this painter's peaceful world for a moment.

1 comment:

VH said...

Beautiful scene!