17th Century Dutch Landscapes example essay topic

Ruisdael and Monet When one arrives in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, he or she may be surprised, as I was, by its grand entrance. Upon entering this large pillared building, one is almost overwhelmed by the immense collection. Although very extensive, the museum undoubtedly concentrates on the grouping and placement of paintings and sculptures within the building. Through chronological and thematic paths, the museum takes the viewer through the major contributors to the advancement of art, from around the world. Separated by only a marble floor, the room containing Salomon Van Ruisdael's Landscape with Cattle and an Inn, differs greatly from that of Claude Monet's, Railroad Bridge at Argenteuil. These two paintings, when surrounded by the art of their contemporaries, create an environment for the viewer that parallels their original context.

The halls of the Museum are set up in a long and slim rectangle with open doorways between all of them. The opening hallway to the Dutch gallery is modest in its wooden paneling until one turns and enters the first room on the right. Beautifully creased wood panels, line the walls, while intricately carved panels hold the grand window directly across from the door. Rich in color, the walls make one feel very comfortable in this intimate surrounding. The feel of the wood almost brings the viewer back to 17th century Holland.

Reflecting off the V-shaped wood paneled floor, light flows through the window, illuminating the Dutch landscapes. A simple wooden throne sits against one wall, and a short dresser rests along the opposite wall. Instead of being labeled directly under or beside the painting, there are simply numbers which lead one to a book of descriptions. This groups the paintings together as one description of Dutch life, removing the initial need to find the name of the artist.

Because the viewer is able to view Ruisdael's Landscape with Cattle and an Inn through the doorway, even before they enter the gallery, he or she is able to recognize its importance. This painting appeals on many levels; it is a history painting documenting Dutch farmers of the 17th century, it is a representation of northern European style, and it is a detailed depiction of life. The room itself, is a perfect match for the bold but simple colors and detailed brush strokes of the Dutch landscapes. The dark wood walls shape the gallery into that of a living room in an old Dutch cottage. Carved panels strips that separate the larger sections are intricately detailed but strong and sturdy. The use of natural light from the window sheds a soft glow over the room.

The setting of the Dutch countryside within the exhibit facilitates the paintings to reach out beyond their formal boundaries, to evoke the dynamic culture from which they were created. If one rests on the bench under the window sill, and lets the ambiance set in, he or she will feel at home, surrounded by paintings of their ancestors' lives. The Surrounding paintings help one to realize the importance of the placement of artwork within a gallery. Each painting in the room helps to emphasize the humility of the Dutch working class in the 1600's. Rural farmers inhabit the broad Dutch countryside, and balance its natural beauty. Each piece of artwork gives the viewer a different perspective on this life of peasants.

While to the left of the window rests Salomon Van Ruisdael's Landscape with Cattle and an Inn, to the right lays Landscape with a Wooden Road by Meindert Hubbema. A Dutch landscape painted in 1662, the picture shows a similar scene to that of the Inn. Large sweeping green trees stand over a dirt path, leading from one cottage to another. Townspeople walk down the path with their children. The scene is centered around an area where the break in the clouds focus' the afternoon sun. In this bright light a mother walks with her child.

This Hubbema piece, depicts the solemnity of the Dutch countryside. It supports Ruisdael's Landscape with Cattle and an Inn, with a scene of simple peasants living in rural Holland. Directly to the right of Ruisdael's Landscape, rests Figures with horses by a Stable by Paulus Potter, an oil on wood work painted in 1647. This Dutch landscape depicts a scene that could be from behind the Inn. A modest stable sits at the edge of a deep field where cows graze. One thin and dark green tree lies against the small barn, as they almost hold each other up.

At first glance though, the glistening white reflection from the horse's back is most stunning. From the sight of this beautiful animal's color while the worker washes it down, the rest of the scene seems to blend together with the exception of the quiet mother. Her soft red blouse balanced by a medium blue cloak, draws the viewer's eye towards the small child resting peacefully in her arms. Although she is in the shade, her blouse draws the on-looker in.

The subjects fit the description of a peasant, but look serious and content. The details in the painting are depicted very realistically, down to the elements of still life. The family looks away from the viewer, almost as if they silently waiting for a response to their unawareness. There is even a slight component of sadness in this piece, which is reinforced by mild colors and muted tones. Although similar in many ways, the 19th century French gallery differs greatly from the Dutch gallery. The opening hallway to the French gallery is tall and plain with simple white walls until one turns and enters the third room on the right.

Elegant in its simplicity and modern style, the room has very high ceilings and is about twice the size of the Dutch gallery. From the doorway, A Bridge at Argenteuil, an oil on canvas painting from 1874, is visible, but remains unnoticed in the large collection of French landscapes and sculptures. Light sifts through the single window, reflecting off the wood paneled floor, lighting up the French landscapes and the island of sculptures in the center. White in color, the walls assist in setting the tone of the upper middle class viewers of the past. Abstractions of nature and man, the paintings themselves tell the story of 19th century France.

The upper middle class bourgeois of the 1800's, sees the slightly altered view of reality as their own perspective, separated from that of the peasant. The setting of an elegant dining room in a French villa, aids the collection of art in putting forth the status of the up and coming bourgeoisie, and their cultural background. As there are no benches in this room, one must stand and observe the room to feel the elegance of the 19th century French villa. In the far corner of the adjacent wall to Monet's A Railroad Bridge at Argenteuil, lies The Sheltered Path, another of Monet's works. Painted on canvas in 1873, this painting depicts a man of unknown class following a protected path. A natural alignment of trees and bushes painted with soft brush strokes of blue, green, and a hint of red, lines the endless dirt path.

As the viewer's eye follows the path, small patches of bright grass attract sunlight among the shaded bushes on the right. A man, simple and dark in figure, walks toward the soft, faded sky. The entire composition is rather calm, with the figure looking away from the viewer. It is richly painted, and everything is cast in a soft bluish green light, which texturally is characteristic of Monet's style. As the viewer follows the wall to the left of the Railroad Bridge, they find, Bend in the E pte River near Giverny, an oil on canvas painted by Monet in 1888.

This representation of the bend in a river is a flow of bright greens that wind along the reflecting water into the blue sky and dark brush. In the river, the viewer sees more reflection than water, hinting at the beauty of the shore. Using bright colors of nature, Monet presents his augmented idea that represents a greater whole. With color, he gives the viewer an abstract sense of depth and perspective. He brilliantly mixes bright colors to form an overall sense of nature. The composition, peaceful in nature, reiterates the French view of beauty.

Monet's simplification of a striking view down the river's bend, parallels the leisure's and suburban lives of the rising upper middle class in 19th century France. Behind the grand entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and within its immense collection of art, lies two rooms from different cultures and time periods. The curator's focus on the grouping and placement of paintings is apparent, as the viewer compares 17th century Dutch landscapes, to those of 19th century France. Salomon Van Ruisdael's Landscape with Cattle and an Inn, and Claude Monet's Railroad Bridge at Argenteuil, though only separated by a marble floor, are set in their respective backgrounds. The galleries themselves, along with the surrounding works, craft an atmosphere that for the viewer, illustrates the culture of their original context.