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Let’s Review 23: Winterset


Claude Monet worked on his painting La Pie (The Magpie) during the winter of 1898/9. Monet tackled the great challenge of a snow-covered landscape. The setting for this work is near the commune of Étretat in Normandy. Monet lived in a house near here with his girlfriend, Camille Doncieux and their one-year-old son, Jean. This painting of a place in the countryside near Etretat, was painted en plein air by Monet and uses very unusual pale, luminous colours. In the work we see a solitary black magpie perched atop a gate. The light of the sun shines upon freshly fallen snow creating blue shadows. The work is hailed as one of the best winterscapes by Monet and is part of the Musée d’€™Oresay permanent collection.  It is said to be one of its most popular. Winter landscapes  

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  • jwm December 28, 2017, 10:19 AM

    Miss Pearl stepped right out of a Robert Crumb cartoon.

    JWM

  • Richard December 28, 2017, 11:49 AM

    285 million is an anemic start at best. That whole useless racket ought to be dis-invited with extreme prejudice and encouraged to find some place else to roost. Maybe one of the failed workers’ paradises such as Venezuela. Or, perhaps, a kumbaya-friendly region such as the Middle East. Oh, and lest I be remiss: thank you Woodrow Wilson for your visionary League of Nations which morphed into the current monstrosity. Same comprised of a bunch of self-important, flatulent, moral cowards.

  • Casey Klahn December 28, 2017, 11:59 AM

    jwm: “Keeeep on truckin, mama, and truck my blues away…!”

  • GoneWithTheWind December 28, 2017, 3:37 PM

    The shadow of the magpie is reversed.

  • Ga Gator December 28, 2017, 4:00 PM

    @GWTW
    Merciful Texas! How did you even notice that?
    Let’s see… how about 2 chimneys & no windows? *mumble*

  • Casey Klahn December 28, 2017, 4:04 PM

    The Monet Code…

  • Snakepit Kansas December 28, 2017, 5:20 PM

    League of Nation was worthless as tits on a boar. If there is no threat of force when someone disagrees, loses a vote or does not get their way, then the obvious will happen. All their debate and acquiescence failed to stop the start of WWII. I think it reminds me of socialism. Sounds good in theory, but crappy in reality.

  • ghostsniper December 29, 2017, 4:06 AM

    3 legged horse in the background.

  • Vanderleun December 29, 2017, 9:13 AM

    Oh behave.

  • Vanderleun December 29, 2017, 9:24 AM

    “Has the magpie just landed? Is it sitting still or moving head side to side? Is it about to fly away? Looking at what appears be the shadow of the bird on the ground, we see it isn’t an accurate shadow of the bird that sits there. This adds to the idea that the bird is in continuous motion and Monet captured two different moments.” A Close Look at Claude Monet’s snowscape,"The Magpie"

  • ghostsniper December 29, 2017, 10:39 AM

    Maybe it’s not the magpie’s shadow at all.
    Notice that the shadow of the top rung of the gate is almost completely faded yet the magpies shadow is bold.

    Notice also there are other “things” in the snow where the supposed shadow is, footprints maybe? Maybe what everyone thinks is the bird shadow is another foot print.

    Take a bigger look here:
    https://solitarynotes.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/wpid-wp-1419569778530.jpeg

  • Casey Klahn December 29, 2017, 11:35 AM

    You’re lost in the details, and Old Claude is anything but. He wants to tell you that light is color (pigment) and it is impressed upon you by the formal qualities of color: hue, vale and intensity. Also consider the lines: organic and geometric all in contrast to one another.

    The snow scene don’t enter into it.

    Back to the lady wrestler…

  • Mike G. December 29, 2017, 12:58 PM

    As to the two chimneys and no windows; that is the wall away from the rising sun and the building is obviously a barn. YMMV

  • Ed December 29, 2017, 11:07 PM

    “You’re lost in the details…”

    Casey wins.

    But, where’s the smoke from them chimleys? Them buildins with no winders? Facin north, they’d waste heat. Could be barns, I s’pose. Kids littered the path after school. Bird’s lookin’ fer crums.

    The pitcher conjurs up memories. Does that count fer somethin?

    Last art I done in school was in 8th grade. Enjoyed it. Still remember that. Always liked to draw.

    Good night, all.