painters Tubes magazines #16 | Page 3

TUBES MAGAZINE
“Landscape painting is probably the most ubiquitous form of art in
today’s contemporary art world. It is certainly the most popular (as
stated in the annual report of “Bought Art Data” clearly shows).
And it has been for year upon year. Most painters have turned their
hand to painting landscape at one time or another.
And for good reasons, it is an extremely accessible subject
and open to a Kaleidoscope of interpretation by viusal artists.
Historically landscape painting enjoys a rich inheritance. Probaly the
most renown painter of nature in today’s world is Monet.
He is the first artists name that probably sits on the lips of the
public when talking about painting. Perhaps even the very word
‘painting’ is more synonymous with the word Monet than
Turner or Constable...except in England of course.”
Landscape painting 2020 Part One
“ When in 1821 Turner was completing his painting “Venice
from Susina” Constable was applying the finishing touches
to the Haywain. It is remarkable to think today that the
Haywain painting was hailed as a revolution in painting by the
French Art Academy. Constable had been invited to the Salon
through Théodore Géricault who had seen the work of Constable
in London. The Haywain became the most highly regarded
work-of-art in Paris. When the painting was exhibited at the Paris
Salon on public view, Eugène Delacroix was so in awe of it he began
repainting several canvasses, the influence was that strong.
Whilst in England, Constable was always struggling to gain the
recognition he so desperately wanted and needed for the ‘society’
position that would give the ‘fame and fortune’ he craved.
Constable was elected to the Royal Academy at the age of 52.
He never recovered from the loss of his wife and struggled with the
responsibility of bringing up their seven children. Financial success eluded
him. Turner on the other hand did very well. In his will he left the today’s
equivalent of eight million pounds to friends and charities. And his life’s work,
known as the Turner bequest, was given to the National Gallery providing
one of his works was hung next to Poussin (Turner’s hero).
In 2019 two drawings by Constable were unearthed in an old cardboard box
(private property) filled with drawings; the drawings sold for £60,000 and
£32,000 at auction.
The Haywain, which is now something of an English icon, is used
today as the image for sale in gift shops as tea trays and jigsaw puzzles
and so on. And yet despite the seemingly tweeness of nineteenth
century paintings, landscape paintings is still the subject that out performs
all other art genré in commercial galleries.
The list of modernists who use landscapes as a base for their own
‘brand’ of painting is also endless.”
Denis Taylor. painters Tubes magazine Founder. Artist and Writer.
Photography: ©Marianne Arnberg Taylor Studio 5 Sweden. 2019.