My Kid Could Paint That

Structure and Paintings
Analyzing Architecture and Perspective within Paintings
Curated by Max Cantu-Lima

Johannes Vermeer, The Little Street, 1657

Our next stop on the use of architecture within paintings covers the idea of material and sustainability. A large detail that decides the structure of a building is its material. Choosing this, the architect must take into consideration the location and weather so that the building will not be at risk of collapsing due to infrastructure complications. The use of brick has been the longest and strongest building material used around the world, its first appearance in Europe found in Greece during the twelve century. During the Baroque period, beginning around the year 1600, exposed brick went out of popularity. Brick work was instead covered with plaster. Brick was often the material of choice for economic and time reasons.

Vermeer is truly a master with the brush. His paintings contain such a level of detail that from a distance his work could be confused with photographs. The style which he paints this home, varies between thick application on the shutters, to the dabbing on the brick where the canvas peeks through in certain spots. The Little Street is a little painting that depicts a common place building in Delft. While the painting is quite famous, little is actually known about it. Whether this building ever existed is still disputed to this day as art historians attempt to trace back through history. Regardless of its actual location, the building appears worn down by time and weather. Uncharacteristic for Vermeer, who mostly painted portraiture,  produced a painting within the city he had recently painted before hand, A View of Delft.

Besides the incredible portrayal of detail, Vermeer captures the beauty of the common wealth home. The way he layers the homes behind this sturdy structure in the foreground. The main building provides a sense of security and durability. As an art history student, I know that dogs normally mean loyalty. This building has been relied on and will continue to be trusted because this is not a wealthy part of town. Without the money to erect glamorous Baroque buildings people relied on these brick homes. The growing plant on the left is a reminder that architecture, especially now, has to coexist with nature and be aware of its presence.  But in terms of the time period this was painted in, the plant stands for this working class part of town, full of life.

Peter Bruegel, Hunters in the Snow, 1565

My two years in Barstow's Art Hitstory class has exposed me to artists and paintings that have redefined how I look at art. From Modern Art History, we looked at Rothko and the Suprematism movement, which are unlike anything I have ever seen. Truly a "My kid could paint that" moment. Those random lines and shapes placed on the canvas in a disordered fashion, this couldn't really be art?  But it is. Those lines and shapes were not random. The paintings played with space and feelings, attempting to produce emotions from you. The freedom of Modern Art allowed artist to express ideas in ways that pushed the medium to new levels. It taught me how to extract meaning from the ordinary and the extraordinary.

Kasimir Malevich, Supremus No. 58, 1916

Modern Art History took place in my Junior year at Barstow. Heading into my Senior year, Renaissance Art History did not seem all that appealing with the more religious influences and more rigid system of painting. Wrong. Renaissance art is the foundation for all modern art. This is where the classical masters lived. Every chapter was another step, evolving with experience. We could visually see the progress from each period as artist developed concepts of depth, composition, and perspective. The beauty in the classical paintings was analyzing the formal aspects of a painting. It built an understanding for what the artist was up to as he or she applied the paint to the canvas. By practicing this I view all art work differently, formally.

This painting by Peter Bruegel is quite famous, depicting hunters, their dogs, and their town as they make their way over the hills. Hunters in the Snow was the turning point for me in Renaissance Art History. While I already respect art, this painting did something more. The detail found in the depths of this painting are transfixing. Someone can actually get lost in this painting, as in not knowing where you are because of how far you're zoomed in. Not only does he accomplish a landscape that stretches back further than expected, but Bruegel also captures the sensations of this moment. The tones and colors allow you to feel the chilling temperature, the overwhelming amount of white weighing down on you. You feel the struggle to make it over the hill in the way the hunters trudge through. This painting found a special place in my heart. Through my eyes it has no faults. You could take a detailed image on any part of the painting, and it would arguably be strong enough to stand as its own work.

Place all of them together and you get Hunters in the Snow, a masterpiece. Compositionally, Bruegel mastered space, perspective, color, and the canvas itself. He created an image that leaves you wishing it wasn't confined to its two dimensional prison.