Chaim Soutine (January 13, 1893 – August 9, 1943)

                                                                                                                      

Boy in Blue

1924

Soutine was a wonderful painter, whose works were of a very unique style of Expressionism. But it's a bit difficult to track his influences, as he really was a classicist when it came to his favorite artists, such as Rembrandt (though there is one self-portrait of Rembrandt's–follow the link–that certainly could have prompted Soutine down this stylistic road). Also Soutine was most likely influenced by his dear friend Modigliani, though the extent of the influence in his work is somewhat limited. Soutine prematurely died at 50 from an ulcer, which was aggravated by his evasion of the Nazis during the Second World War. 

Chartres Cathedral

1934

Alley of Trees

1935

Butcher Boy

1919-1920

Two Children on a Tree Trunk

1942-1943

Landscape of Montmartre

1919

Girl with Ducks

1935-1936

Landscape at Céret

1920

Correggio (August 1489 – March 5, 1534)

                                                                                                        

The Martyrdom of Four Saints

c. 1523

Antonio Allegri da Correggio was not extremely well-known or influential in his lifetime, but after his death his works began to percolate through the art world and influence painters. Correggio did not simply draw in one way throughout his life or tend towards one theme, but rather experimented successfully with all sorts of wonderful ideas and forms. I'm especially fond of his Portrait of a Young Man, which bears many of the characteristics that would later be adopted by the Realists.

Portrait of a Young Man

c. 1525

Ganymede

1531-1532

Antiope

1528

Venus with Mercury and Cupid

Allegory of Vice

c. 1532-1523

Allegory of Virtue

c. 1532-1523

Roger de la Fresnaye (July 11, 1885 - November 27, 1925)

                                                                                                

Conjugal Life

1913

Fresnaya was a soft combination of Cubism and Fauvism; I say soft, because the Fauvist aspects were rather lightly applied. But perhaps "soft" can be carried over to the overall character of his works, which, even though they contained harsh lines representing naturally smooth objects, still somehow retained a very gentle overall character. And ultimately Fresnaya himself was a soft character, whose health declined rapidly after his service in WWI, culminating in a very untimely death. 

The Factory Chimney, Meulan Landscape

1912 

Man with a Red Kerchief

1922

The Allée des Acacias in the Bois de Boulogne

1908

The Conquest of the Air

1913

Ilya Repin (August 5, 1844 – September 29, 1930)

                                                                                                            

A Shy Peasant

1877

There is a very special quality in the paintings of Repin. It's difficult for me to define that quality, and I want to say rather simply that it's magically beautiful, but that's not a cogent analysis. Still, Repin has survived with an intact reputation since his first entry into wide-acclaim. Perhaps that part of his work that most speaks out is a very goodly reflection of Russian spirituality (something reflected brilliantly in the words of writers such as Dostoevsky and Chekhov). 

Leo Tolstoy in the Forest

1891

Hunchback

1880

Sadko

1876

Fisher-Girl

1874

Eugène Boudin (July 12, 1824 – August 8, 1898)

                                                                                                

Sky

c. 1860-1865

The sky is a capricious subject, which artists have long strained to capture. And it is a subject that has a great deal of meaning for Man; inevitably all sorts of emotions and ideas have been collected into that great something known, long ago, as Ouranos. And Boudin, out of a tremendous and grand group of artists, is often considered the greatest sky-painter. Even the fantastic Corot had said to Boudin, after gazing at his works, "You are the master of the sky." And it is no small additional note that Monet found pleasure and profit in studying at Boudin's studio. But, what do you think: the master of the sky?

Sky at Sunset

c. 1890

Cherbourg, the Port

1883 

Cows in the Pasture

1888

A Squall from Northwest

1895

Boats at Anchor Along the Shore

c. 1880-1885

The Effect of Moonlight or St. Valery Canal

1891

Jean-Léon Gérôme (May 11, 1824 – January 10, 1904)

                                                                                              

Arabs Crossing the Desert

1870

One of the great Academic artists, Gérôme is best known for his Orientalist-oriented works (Orientalism is really a more thematic rather than stylistic label, which is why I've not included it among the other labels on this blog). And, out of a great many artists, Gérôme always seemed to me to be one of the most capable storytellers, imbuing a canvas with a wide amount of kineticism and detail all circling around one theme. One interesting note is that he taught Redon (Redon was one of many famous students of this famous teacher). Redon, of course, learned nothing from him and left his studio rather abruptly; and one can hardly imagine a more stylistically separated pupil.  

Pollice Verso

1872

Mufti Reading in His Prayer Stool

c. 1900

Phryné Before the Areopagus

1861

The Negro Master of the Hounds

Duel after a Masquerade Ball

1857

Summer Afternoon on a Lake

c. 1895

Robert Motherwell (January 24, 1915 – July 16, 1991)

                                                                                                                  

Beside the Sea No. 22

1962

Motherwell was an important voice, as well as hand, in the Abstract Expressionist movement. He was well-known and well-received, and saw himself as a member of an elite group of artists that included Pollock, Rothko and de Kooning. I'll leave you with an interesting quote of his: "The public history of modern art is the story of conventional people not knowing what they are dealing with."

Iberia No. 2

1958

Mallarme's Swan

1944

Cantata No. 13

1960

The Homely Protestant

1948

Lyric Suite

1965

ln Plato's Cave No. 1

1972