Wonderful commentary, as always—and I always learn something new. I hadn’t realized, for one, that impressionists avoided using black or gray. I will now always be on the lookout for that. I appreciated your comments on and choice of Sisley painting. I have seen only a few Sisley’s, but even from that, I don’t really understand why he is and was so downgraded. His paintings, or at least the few I’ve seen, aren’t flamboyant in any way, but as in this one, they beautifully capture peaceable moments. Also of interest, in that vein, is the downgrading of certain subject matters, landscape, genre even lower, and still life. Even though I’ve read explanations, I don’t see why there must be a ranking or competition in type of subject matter, as it seems to me that any subject matter can yield great and lasting art.
Wonderful commentary, as always—and I always learn something new. I hadn’t realized, for one, that impressionists avoided using black or gray. I will now always be on the lookout for that. I appreciated your comments on and choice of Sisley painting. I have seen only a few Sisley’s, but even from that, I don’t really understand why he is and was so downgraded. His paintings, or at least the few I’ve seen, aren’t flamboyant in any way, but as in this one, they beautifully capture peaceable moments. Also of interest, in that vein, is the downgrading of certain subject matters, landscape, genre even lower, and still life. Even though I’ve read explanations, I don’t see why there must be a ranking or competition in type of subject matter, as it seems to me that any subject matter can yield great and lasting art.