1) “Blue Horse 1” 1911 by Franz Marc and “Elephants” chosen by Janet HoultMy first painting is by Franz Marc 1880 – 1916, born in Munich.After an influential visit to Paris seeing art he returned to Germany and joined the German Expressionists.  He met the artist August Macke, who became a great friend, and they joined Wassily Kandinsky and the 'Blue Rider' group.  The blue of the horse has nothing to do with the name of the group, but a colour Marc saw as 'spiritual' & used in many of his paintings. Tragically both Marc and Macke were killed in battle in 1916.   Leicester New Walk Museum & Art Gallery holds one of the best collections of German Expressionist art in the UK, but they are not, in my experience, an easy gallery to obtain information from, even when functioning as normal. 

I know nothing about this next painting except that it is in a book published by the British Museum just called 'Elephants', I like it because the elephants seem to be having fun & it's a colourful, happy image.

Lakshmi, Hindu goddess of love, wealth, fortune and beauty, with elephants.Bundi, Rajasthan, India, c 1780   painting on paper  British Museum

Janet Hoult

2) The Giant Deer was chosen by Hilary SutherlandOn 12 September 1940, the entrance to the Lascaux Cave was discovered by 18-year-old Marcel Ravidat when his dog, Robot, fell in a hole.

This Giant Deer (Megaloceros) depicted here is the largest of all deer in the world. The Lascaux Cave is famous for its Palaeolithic cave paintings, found in a complex of caves in the Dordogne region of southwestern France, because of their exceptional quality, size, sophistication and antiquity. Estimated to be up to 20,000 years old, the paintings consist primarily of large animals, once native to the region but yet there are no paintings of reindeer which was the main source of food at that time. These paintings which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site are sadly now under threat. Let us hope a solution can be found to preserve them.

I am intrigued by this painting, partly because of the skill with which it was done with simple materials such as mineral pigments which might have been blown on through a tube but also by how much movement is created in this animal and also the way the antlers resemble seaweed!  I wonder what the dots represent. Any ideas?

Best wishes to everyone Hilary Sutherland

 

3) “The Hare” by Durer was chosen by both Felicity Harrison and Ingrid Mc Ivor Felicity Harrison says,This watercolour/gouache is a masterpiece of almost photographic realism.Wikipedia says:The subject was particularly challenging: the hare's fur lay in different directions and the animal was mottled with lighter and darker patches all over, Dürer had to adapt the standard conventions of shading to indicate the outline of the subject by the fall of light across the figure. Dürer not only managed to create a detailed, almost scientific, study of the animal but also infuses the picture with a warm golden light that hits the hare from the left, highlighting the ears and the run of hair along the body, giving a spark of life to the eye, and casting a strange shadow to the right. There is a meticulous reflection of a window in the creature's eye.

I feel that you could pick him up and stroke his soft silky fur!Best wishesFelicity

Ingrid Mc Ivor says:“My parents had a book with illustrations of some of the famous paintings and engravings ofAlbrecht Dürer that I was allowed to page through. The one that I immediately fell in lovewith was this hare and it was the start of my lifelong love of hares! I always thought of thishare in particular at Easter time, as in German Easter bunny is ‘Osterhase’ – a hare, ratherthan a rabbit, ‘Kaninchen’. I was lucky to live in Suffolk for many years, which hasEngland’s largest number of hares and saw many of them streaking across the fields on mywalks. A wonderful sight!”

Artist Albrecht DürerYear 1502

Medium Watercolour and bodycolour on a cream wash

Young Hare was created by Albrecht Dürer, a German artist. Completed in Dürer’s workshop in 1502, it has been widely acknowledged as an observational art masterpiece. While often given the English title of The Young Hare, the subject itself has actually been identified as mature. The German title Feldhase literally translates to Field Hare, a more apt title.

Durer travelled to Italy and back to Germany several times during his career. Upon his return to Nuremburg in 1495, Dürer opened a workshop where he created The Young Hare and many other famous pieces.

About the Artist

Albrecht Dürer was not just a painter, but an engraver, print-maker, a theorist and a mathematician. Albrecht was in his 20s when his prints first gained recognition across Europe, leading him to become widely known as one of the greatest Northern Renaissance artists. Dürer is well known for adapting the conventions of shading, in this piece especially.

About the Painting

The painting dates back to 1502, when Dürer returned to Nuremburg after his first trip to Italy. The painting itself was created using both body color (also known as gouache) and watercolor; two mediums Dürer frequently used.

The painting depicts a solitary hare, though some speculation about how the image was captured so accurately has arisen. Some suggest that he first sketched wild hares and then filled in the fur details using a dead specimen, others believe that he captured a hare and kept it in his workshop.

Dürer managed to create an extremely detailed and very accurate portrayal of a hare, one mottled with dark and light patches, with fur pointing in many directions. The picture is infused with warmth, a golden light that strikes the hare on the left side, highlighting the ears, illuminating the fur along the left side, giving sparks of life to the eyes.

https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/feldhase/1QHEnzUGYMDG_w?hl=en-GB