Looking forward 

Posted bySarahPosted inArt, drawingTags:, , , , , , , , , ,


It’s 2017! Let’s look forward to new horizons, possibilities, friends and more art! 🙂

My drawing is inspired by a print of an etching by James Whistler, “Count Burckhardt” (publ. 1862). 

His impressive use of the chiaroscuro is very likely based on his studies of a collection consisting of Rembrandt prints, who, like Caravaggio, was a master of the chiaroscuro. 

I chose to draw this motive not only because I wanted to practice the technique of hatching in order to create shadows but also because it perfectly reflects my feeling of looking forward to this new year.

Published by Sarah

Artist & Illustrator

45 thoughts on “Looking forward ”

  4. love your hatching, Miss G – and the verticals in the window/door and the veil and dress lift the drawing up and out from the two sections of hatching. I will check out the etching next – looking forward to seeing it….
    🙂

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  6. Happy New Year, Sarah! It is nice to see you creating lovely pieces of work. I like this drawing and all the possibilities that might be behind the door. I also enjoyed the background information, I’ve never studied art or artists but find it all incredibly interesting.

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    1. Thank you very much, L.T.! 😄 I’m so glad you like it and the idea behind it!
      That’s the wonderful thing about art: you don’t actually need to study it in order to be able to appreciate it, isn’t it? Have a lovely weekend! xxxxxx

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  7. I like this drawing a lot too….To me, it’s as the woman is looking outside a window, long for to go out there, maybe waiting for spring…Hm, I think I am projecting my own thoughts now, hahaha
    Have lovely weekend dear Sarah! Probably inside, because it’s cold, brrrrrrrrrr
    XxX

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  11. This has such intelligence and wisdom displayed in your blog post, Sarah. I learned some new things!
    It is lovely how we are starting the new year, stretching and learning.
    Wishing you special moments, good health (vision improving), and Joy!! xoxo You are a blessing to all who “meet” you, dear. ❤

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  13. Lovely drawing. I learn so much from you; I know the term “chiaroscuro” in cinematography from studying film noir, but (DOH!) never realised the term came from painting. Thank you! Now I’m off to enjoy Caravaggio on Google.

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    1. Thank you very much, Su! 😄 Always happy to provide willing fellow humans with snippets of art knowledge 😉
      Let me know what you think of Caravaggio when you’ve finished googling him – he and Rembrandt belong to my favourite painters! xxxxxxxx

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      1. I love Caravaggio; his works are so dramatic! Rembrandt not so much, although most of his work that I’ve seen was in the Rijksmuseum on a very (very) cold day and I mainly concerned with keeping warm. I really like Hals though, so I’m not quite sure how my brain works on this. My introduction to Hals and Caravaggio came through John Berger (who died recently) and his TV programme ‘Ways of Seeing.’ I suspect that probably colours my views. Sorry for the rant; love talking about art history. Hope you’re having a good week. xxxx

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      2. I know how hard it is to enjoy art or a new city when you’re cold. I had the same thing when I was in Vienna. We have one of the world’s largest and best Rembrandt collection in Berlin – and our gallery is heated 😉 I’m sure you’d enjoy it more! I haven’t seen the paintings in Amsterdam but in London, so can’t really tell if your impression has probably being misleading by the cold 😉
        I have to admit not being much of a fan of Hals though too, so we’re even 😉
        Another Dutch painter I’m hopelessly in love is Vermeer but you probably knew that one before 😉
        And thank you for recommending John Berger. I haven’t seen his show yet but will do so soon. If you don’t know it, I can recommend the art related shows by David Shama (hope I wrote it correctly! ) – he did also one about Caravaggio I think and I watched it a couple of days before my exams 😉
        And please, never be sorry for ranting about art! I so looove doing it! So, if you need to let out some “art steam ” you know where to find me 😉 Have a great weekend! xxxxxxxxx

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      3. 😃 Yes, I expect art galleries and museums get lots of casual visitors when it’s cold. We were seeking warmth and that’s probably what drew so many other people that the galleries were too crowded to enjoy the work. I love Vermeer too and so does (did?) my son. When he was about 8 he read a children’s novel called ‘Chasing Vermeer’ and got totally obsessed. We were lucky enough to spend some time in England, Scotland and Paris that year and he insisted on seeing all the Vermeers he could. In The Louvre, the gallery that housed the Vermeers was temporarily closed, and despite my pleading, and some vociferous intervention by a group of Americans who happened to be there, the security guard wouldn’t let us in to see them. Huge disappointment!!!

        I know the programmes you mentioned by Shama. I watched them a few years ago and think he is brilliant. He has a very distinctive voice, and I can “hear” it in my head when I read his books. I think he’s written books about Rembrandt– maybe his PhD thesis? Anyway, he is an expert on Dutch painting and is really interesting to read/listen to.

        I’ve been to some graduate shows at a few of the art schools here recently and am totally underwhelmed by the painting! I think I must be unaware of some new theoretical direction, or something, but I am totally at a loss to understand the work. I’m normally open to exploration in art, but what I’ve seen has left me feeling like one of those people who say things like “my toddler could do better than that”! What a terrible admission to make 😁

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      4. Wow! That must have been such a wonderful experience for your son, to fall in love with Vermeer and then being able to see the originals! And I’m so sorry for how you’ve been treated at The Louvre, but have to say that it’s pretty common in Berlin too. People come from far away and want to see the Pergamon museum for example and then but parts of it are closed because of renovations and they still have to pay the full admission! We also used to have free entry every Thursday 4 hours before closing but they stopped that too! The socio-cultural landscape around here has changed for the worse in recent years. 😦
        Oh no, that is indeed a terrible admission to make when confronted with new art 😅 But don’t worry, more often than not I think the same😉 You just need to have in mind that not every new direction can be successful. Have a wonderful summer week – here snow has finally fallen 😉 xxxxxxx

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