My discovery of fine art of the XIX-XX centuries

Before, I could only see beauty in realistic paintings. I liked the art of the Middle Ages and of course the Renaissance. But having visited the Art Galleries of the countries of Europe and America of the 19th – 20th centuries, I radically changed my attitude to modernism.

The most vivid impressions I did not even have were from the halls of the first floor, where there were canvases by artists, representatives of realism, Goya, Courbet, la Peña, but from the subsequent halls - impressionists, Fauvists and even representatives of abstract art.

I really liked the paintings of Degas, where he portrayed aerial dancers. When you pass by his paintings, it seems that you grabbed a piece of rehearsal.

Monet’s charming paintings, it’s not for nothing that Impressionism is translated from French as “impression”. The only thing - I did not immediately get used to the fact that the impressionist paintings should be viewed at a distance.

Vincent Van Gogh made a great impression with his colors and catchy images. I read a lot about his art, for example here http://waking-up.org/ . Unusual seemed the style of Paul Gauguin with his natives depicted in a far from academic, peculiar manner.

The amazing work of Eugene Carrier “Kiss of the Mother” does not leave me. As if from a dream two figures emerge - foggy, ghostly. Like phantoms of someone’s memory. It seemed that if you get closer to the picture, then the memories will disappear, turn up like a haze and be carried away with gusts of wind. I could not pass by George Waldmüller’s canvas “Exiting School”. Created in a stunningly realistic manner, the picture seemed to breathe. I’m probably not ready for Picasso’s paintings. But I liked the color scheme of his blue and pink periods.

The most controversial last floor brought a sea of impressions that changed my understanding of art. Firstly, among the Fauvists, I found wonderful paintings that I really liked. These are all the works of Matisse - the founder of this movement in French art. Matisse’s works are bright, simple and at the same time diverse. Clear rich lines create a memorable image and, what is very important, expressive, emotional, powerful. Impressionism, with all its subtle transmission of feelings, moods, phenomena, does not always catch, as the powerful canvases of Van Gogh, Cezanne, as well as Matisse do.

It was interesting to see the work of Chagall (I note the picture "Nocturne"), which stands out from the rest of the avant-garde art. Kandinsky was not surprised: neither by geometrical figures, nor by a riddle picture where two horses had to be found. As soon as I got into the hall, I immediately caught my eye and did not let go of Grunding’s painting “The Sign of the Future”. Made in bright red colors, it, with a rich range of colors, combined power and clear rendering. This work left me with a rich impression and a red canvas still pops up in my head.

Having become acquainted with art that I did not understand, I suddenly became imbued with it. Having rejected stereotypes, you need to go and watch - this is my advice to yourself and others.

Svetlana Voychek