Manet’s painting "Plum Brandy" is one of my earliest favorites. With apologies to Manet, my copy could not capture to a greater extent the sweetness of the woman’s tired expression and alcohol-induced world weariness. This painting reveals Manet’s consummate skill of orchestrating a complex mix of color, design, paint handling, and emotion, all within the frame of contemporary life. The power … [Read more...]
Composition
When I was an art student in the 1970s, an instructor praised the composition of my painting in a crit, and then said, “You know you’re in trouble when the composition is the best thing about a painting.” It was a confusing insult and a mean way to teach. But it was typical of a common attitude of the time: contempt for analysis of visual arrangement and an unwillingness to teach composition. … [Read more...]