What a clever idea: a two minute video of every painting on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. (Hold your finger over the pause button to stop the action at a pivotal painting.)
I took the tour and noticed a number of iconic paintings. One is Andrew Wyeth's (1917-2009) 'Christina's World.' (Can you imagine painting all those blades of grass?) Wyeth was inspired to create the painting when through a window from within the house he saw her crawling across a field. Wyeth had a summer home in the Maine area and was on friendly terms with Olson, and used her as a subject of his paintings, from 1940 to 1968.
About 'Christina's World,' Morgan Bell writes, "Wyeth used muted colours to convey the serenity of being limited to a country setting. The light between the house and the barn is the brightest point of the painting and Christina directs her head upwards towards it. Christina appears mesmerised by her rural setting, a hint of breeze caressing her loose strands of hair as she gazes towards her home, completely captivated. The brightest part of the sky seems to beckon Christina like a heavenly white light.
A lone figure in vast farmlands, Christina is quite vulnerable to the rugged environment, but braves it anyway to enjoy the beauty of the scene and her freedom. The landscape is largely dry and barren but has a softness to it which is strangely inviting. An otherwise daunting scene radiates a sense of safety to the viewer. The inclusion of a "crippled" young girl transforms the setting to something accommodating and approachable.
Christina's World is about familiarity trumping fear. Wyeth has captured the feeling of home and the wonder of youth. The figure of Christina is physically limited but also in the enviable position of appreciating the things she does have."
What art has inspired you? Do you have a favourite painter, art gallery, artistic movement ? My wife and I returned recently from a trip to Florence, Italy (Uffizi) and the year before Paris. (The Louvre.) However, local places offer riches also.
