Even without the title, this work manages to evoke an image of someone waiting at a station, which is fascinating considering how much is left open. There are catenary lines and a rail signal, but the rest of the scene is ambiguous. A large part of the work is covered by a yellow zone, while there are no rails, no platforms, or any other pieces that create a recognisable space.
This does seem to be exactly Ballan's point. Much of his work is about anonymous persons, not representing someone in particular but just a type of interaction. This scene also manages to tap into a common memory by how nondescript it is.
Next to this, I think the colour use is gorgeous. The greys and reds play wonderfully together, while the black ground layer has very unifying effect.
Nautilus cup
1621
Cornelis Jansz. van Weerdenborch
This is a wonderful example from the 17th century where an already valuable object (the exotic shell) is "upgraded" with metalwork. The chosen ornamentations are delightfully weird.
At the top stands a rather sassy Poseidon. He stands on some kind of seamonster. The shell is carried by a mermaid, but instead of one firm tail (as in modern depictions), she has two floppy looking ones extending from her thighs. At the bottom is a shell with a grotesque head sticking out of it, and it also has four legs like some sort of crustacean.
Poseidon's realm truly is a marvelous place.
St Anthony's Chapel in St John's Church
1645
Pieter Saenredam
Paintings of interiors are always a favourite of mine, as they represent a painting the best as a portal into a different space and time. Even so, this one managed to draw me in particularly well.
One part is due how it was presented, as it has a solid black frame, hanging from a black wall. The image is left to glow in isolation, amplifying the sucking effect of the dramatic perspective.
The scene itself is rather simple. Three people are kneeling in prayer, while in the right corner someone is just leaving. But with this simplicity it's possible to grasp the full image.
Damesportret
c. 1900-1910
Isaac Israëls
As I'm crossing off items on my list of local museums that I haven't seen yet, it seems that every art museum in the Netherlands has a work of Israëls. That isn't a complaint, with each work I encounter I'm appreciating his style more.
Israëls has a gift to paint with extremely coarse brushstrokes where each do a lot of work in the painting. The lady's face for example isn't finely rendered at all, yet each stroke is in the right place, and she glows with character. Her clothing is even more coarse with parts of the ground layer showing through, yet the illusion of the image holds beautifully.
Above all, I always feel like Israëls makes it look like his work was easy to make, but in fact it displays a stunning display of skill and vision.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
