Like Breath on Glass
Whistler, Inness and the Art of Painting softly.

In my pictures there is no cleverness, no brush marks, nothing to astonish or bewilder, but simply a gradual, more perfect growth of beauty–it is this beauty my canvases reveal, not the way it is obtained.
~James McNeill Whistler

“When considering modernist painting in the decades around 1900, we generally think of expressive, virtuosic brushwork that clearly reveals the presence of the artist. Yet its quieter and formally more subtle style of painting ran throughout the period, and this is the focus of Like Breath on Glass: Whistler, Inness, and the Art of Painting Softly. “Paint should not be applied thick,” James McNeill Whistler said. “It should be like breath on the surface of a pane of glass.” George Inness, too, sought to move beyond paint’s materiality. “If only I could paint it without paint,” he lamented. For some, he seemed to do so. Colleagues described his paintings as “breathed upon the canvas.” These words conjure up pictures that question the very concept of making” breath and thought rather than brushstroke become, at least, metaphorically, the means of creativity.”

Whistler

William Merritt Chase

Inness

Inness

Steichen

Thomas Wilmer Dewing

Favorites from the main collection…

Girl with picnic basket Raimondo de Madrago y Garreta

A Girl and Roses August Toulmouche

The new addition to the Clark is the Stone Hill Center

Houses these lovelies…

Mlle Jourdain John Singer Sargent

Fumée d’Amber Gris John Singer Sargent

Many of the instruments played were replicas of those used at the time of composition, lending the true intended sound.

This concludes the trip blogs.

reply starfishred wrote on Jul 26, ’08 wow wonderful how wonderful to see this-your blog is wonderful sue wish we could have art sunday like we used to oh well this is wonderful

reply asolotraveler wrote on Jul 26, ’08 GREAT, USING YOUR MUSIC AS MY BACKGROUND AS I GO FROM TASK TO TASK… THANKS FOR THE NICE POST – AS ALWAYS!

reply hurricanekate wrote on Jul 26, ’08 beautiful. just that. beautiful.

reply gilesy01 wrote on Jul 26, ’08 Superb collection of paintings you’ve put together.

reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 26, ’08 was just passing through and saw what a fantastic collection of paintings you have assembled here, they are wonderful. And music too……………obviously time for me to stop hopping from page to page and stay a while………………………………….

reply agnes128 wrote on Jul 26, ’08 The little girl is really cute! The 1 st Inness painting is so delicate, that’s the way I imagine fairies. And the music is so accurate, you’re quite a magician too ;-D

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Jul 26, ’08 forgetmenot525 said was just passing through and saw what a fantastic collection of paintings you have assembled here, they are wonderful. And music too……………obviously time for me to stop hopping from page to page and stay a while…………………………………. Hiya! I think you visit my sister–Laurita? Anyway this was the last of a group of trip blogs to the Berkshire Mtn, region of Massachussets and it’s full of culture and fun. If you enjoyed this, you might enjoy the full group. http://sanssouciblogs.multiply.com/journal/item/416/Message_71908Travel_blog_contents Thanks for the visit, I’ll come by, too! Sue in nyc

reply annedigitalis wrote on Jul 27, ’08 I’ve throughly enjoyed all the tales of your trip, feel like I’ve been there 😀

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Jul 27, ’08 annedigitalis said I’ve throughly enjoyed all the tales of your trip, feel like I’ve been there 😀 I am so grateful for this comment! Thanks, Anne!

reply wickedlyinnocent wrote on Aug 4, ’08 I love the paintings, they’re so lovely. I wish I could visit them too.. Thanks for the art and for Bach too, what   a great way to wake up., have a wonderful week. Hugs.