Gallery of 19th and 20th century European and American Art is part of the Pushkin Museum in Moscow (located in the adjacent building by address Volkhonka street, 14).
It houses one of the best collections of impressionism and post-impressionism in the world. Only the d’Orsay Museum in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York can argue with it.
Here are just 7 paintings, which can not be passed by.
Part of the text is highlighted in a different color: this means that you can only observe these features of the paintings alive.
1. Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Portrait of actress Jeanne Samari. 1877.
This portrait is a sketch for another, ceremonial portrait of Jeanne Samari. It is now kept in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.
However, most art critics consider this study to be one of Renoir’s main masterpieces.
This painting is the quintessence of female sensuality and charm.
It has a little secret. If you look at the actress’ dress directly, it is green. If you look at it from the side, the dress turns blue.
When Renoir showed the portrait at the exhibition in 1873, many contemporaries did not understand it: “Her hands are like fish scales!”
But there were supporters: “This portrait can be eaten with a spoon!”
Renoir embellished the appearance of the young woman. In life, Jeanne was not so pretty. But she was laughable and had a charming smile.
Once a young man from a wealthy family fell in love with her. Aristocrats did not want to take a representative of a frivolous profession into the family. None of them came to the wedding.
Jeanne died at 32 from typhoid fever. Leaving her husband two daughters. And also this portrait. It hung in his apartment until his death.
2. Vincent Van Gogh. Red vineyards in Arles. 1888.
Van Gogh created this painting in the provincial town of Arles. He came here from Paris in search of bright colors.
His searches were crowned with success. He created the most vivid and famous paintings here: his famous “Sunflowers” and “Night Cafe”. Including the “Red Vineyards”.
In fact, the vineyards are not red. Greens only temporarily acquired a red tint under the rays of the setting sun.
Van Gogh could not get past such an optical effect.
Van Gogh wrote “Red Vineyards” using the impasto technique. The paint is applied densely with the help of large strokes.
The painting is also known for the fact that it was purchased for decent money — 350 francs. Prior to this, Van Gogh managed to sell no more than 20 of his works for much more modest money.
It is believed that this was the beginning of his recognition. Van Gogh would very soon become fabulously rich, if not for that fatal shot in 1889.
3. Paul Cezanne. Pierrot and Harlequin. 1888.
Paul Cezanne was the complete antipode of the impressionist. He sought to create a monumental that exists outside of time. In contrast to the Impressionists, who sought to convey the impression of the moment.
Claude Monet created his paintings in hours and even minutes.
Cezanne worked on Pierrot and Harlequin for 2 years! His son and friend of the son posed for him. No one else would agree to hundreds of grueling sessions.
Notice how Pierrot’s costume is carefully drawn. It only seems white from some distance. Nearby, you will see that the folds of clothes are created using green and blue colors.
The composition of the painting is also unusual. Pierrot pokes at Harlequin’s back with his fist. He heard another taunt from the arrogant Harlequin. And the sensitive but cowardly Pierrot did not dare to show his fist in response to the offender’s face.
The artist changed the pose of Harlequin more than once. As a result, his leg was at the very edge of the canvas. Cezanne even bent it so that the foot fit.
4. Paul Gauguin. Are you jealous? 1892.
Gauguin did not particularly like Puritan Europe. Half Peruvian on the maternal side, he lived up to seven years among the exotic nature of South America.
Therefore, it is not surprising that he once escaped from Paris to Tahiti.
Painting “Ah, are you jealous?” — one of his best Tahitian works.
She is bright, exotic. It is from such works that Gauguin is recognizable.
The painting depicts the moment of life of Tahitian girls spied by the artist. They lead a leisurely conversation, taking relaxed poses.
One is surprised why the other is jealous. We understand the topic of conversation by the phrase written by Gauguin below “Ah, are you jealous?”
For us, this scene will not be understandable if you do not know the customs of the Tahitians.
Tahitians were supporters of free love. Even a married girl could spend the night with another man. Jealousy was considered inappropriate.
Therefore, one girl is surprised why her friend is jealous. Yes, she spent the night with her lover. Why not? Such morals.
Unlike Van Gogh, Gauguin did not like impasto technique. Imposed a thin layer of paint. Therefore, through the paint it is easy to see the weaving of the canvas.
5. Edgar Degas “Blue Dancers”. 1897.
It is believed that Edgar Degas was a painter of dancers. But as he himself claimed, he did not like dancers, but movement and beautiful dresses. That is what he was looking for in the ballerinas.
You may think that four dancers are dancing in the painting. In fact, they do not dance. And there are not four of them at all!
Most likely, Degas portrayed one girl from different angles. After his death, photographs were discovered in his archives. The same girl was captured on it at different moments of movement.
We see how she bent to correct pointe. In the next instant, she straightens the straps of her dress. And then she holds onto the scenery to inspect her dress.
Degas achieved a blue shining color in an unusual way. The picture is painted in pastel. This is a kind of wax crayons.
Degas worked on the pastel with steam. Under the influence of steam, it softened, and the artist distributed it over the canvas with a brush. This made it more radiant.
6. Claude Monet. White water lilies. 1899.
Closer to 50 years, Claude Monet finally received a well-deserved recognition. His paintings began to buy for decent money.
Without hesitation, he bought a house in the picturesque province of Giverny. Here he set up a magnificent garden with a pond.
Initially, there was no pond on the purchased plot of land. Manet created it artificially, changing the bed of a nearby river.
Monet lived in Giverny for 43 years. He created hundreds of paintings in his garden.
12 works are with a Japanese bridge. One of them is stored in the Pushkin Museum.
By the way, water lilies in the pond appeared shortly before this painting was created. Prior to this, the bridge extended over the clear expanse of water, as in the painting “The Bridge in Monet’s Garden”.
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The paintings considered in this article once belonged to collectors Sergei Schukin and Ivan Morozov.
After the revolution in 1917, both collections were nationalized.
Schukin’s house turned into a museum. The former owner was allowed to live in the gatekeeper’s house. Before leaving Russia in 1919, he guided tours of his former mansion.
Ivan Morozov, meanwhile, was appointed assistant curator of his own collection. He also left Russia in 1919 and soon died in France…
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Photos: Wikimedia Commons
Hi
Very nice articals. Beautiful art.
Thank you
Most welcome to you.