Edgar Maxence, Serenity, 1912

I love quiet paintings. Calm, meditative, rich. Her face deep in thought, in a wholly internal state--she is so beautiful and intriguing. Maxence really captured the quiet spirituality of the Northern Renaissance.

A large part of what draws me to painting, or any art, is that the act of viewing is by nature introverted. It is necessary to communicate with the work on an internal level. I think art has the ability to bring out the introvert in even the most extroverted person, which I imagine would be an incredibly valuable experience. As an introvert, looking at art gives me an energy which I can't find anywhere else. It is the most quiet occupation I know, and the most intellectually satisfying. It sustains me. It is also a place where introverts, or at least acts of introversion, are frequently represented, which is not the case in popular culture.

Titian, The Three Ages of Man, c. 1513

Titian is one of my favourite painters. I adore the way his paintings feel-- the atmosphere, the tangibility, the quality of his figures and brushstrokes. A really beautiful, idealized human form isn't something I usually associate with Titian, but I am in love with the male nude in this painting. His torso and shoulders, his neck falling back, and the perfectly sensual expression on his face. I also love the connection between the figures, because it seems so...genuine. There's certainly an erotic play here, but there is also something really beautiful and tender in their faces, and the way they're positioned around each other.

National War Memorial, Ottawa

The National War Memorial was designed by Vernon March and unveiled in 1939 in Ottawa. The first image shows the bronze figures of the soldiers (under construction), the second shows the monument after it was unveiled, with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in attendance, and the third shows the allegorical figures of Peace and Freedom which look over them all. It is a truly amazing, moving sculpture.

First two images from [link] courtesy of the NFB/ Library and Archives Canada

Last image from [link]

Giotto, Lamentation, Arena Chapel, c.1305

I just can't express how I feel about Giotto, the eternal beauty of his paintings.

And I came across this article from BBC: Giotto's Ognissanti Crucifix brought back to life

Image from: [link]

Salomon van Ruysdael, After the Rain, 1631

I don't know anything about 17th century Dutch landscape painting, except for the general aesthetic of imposing skies and great, dark trees. At first you think they all look the same, but each has its own subtle atmosphere, which is sometimes charming, sometimes threatening, but always wonderfully tangible. It's been raining here the past few days. (Ah, November!) And this painting...the sky, the clouds, the patches of light which seem to be rolling along the ground...seem to capture the feeling of a late fall storm perfectly, the rich gold of the land and the great grey sky. There is something so melancholy, so appealing, about the people in the wagon, the abandoned cart in the field, and the little house through the trees. It is a romantic portrait of rural workers, but I can't help but feel an attraction to this lifestyle which is so foreign and which seems so much simpler than today.

Image from: [link]