SENIORS Journal #3: Degas or Vermeer? Who has the more lucid eye? due Oct. 11
The Milkmaid 1658-1660 Johannes Vermeer oil on canvas
The Girl With The Pearl Earring (not dated) Johannes Vermeer
In John Updike's The Lucid Eye in Silver Town, Jay and his Uncle Quin have a minor disagreement over which artist is better--the Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer or the French Impressionist Edgar Degas. The disagreement not only reveals Jay's early development of arrogance (he haughtily pronounces, "In terms of paint, I think Vermeer makes Degas look sick"), but also reveals something about Updike's own artistic vision. Assuming the young Jay might be a young John Updike (both showed early interest in fine art) and knowing Updike's typical characters and heroes, one can assume that Updike's choice of Vermeer as Jay's favorite artist was carefully chosen. Like Vermeer, John Updike often makes the ordinary character his subject. Often bathed in a beautiful light or doing their jobs with concentration and care, Vermeer's ordinary servants and common laborers look extraordinary; likewise, Updike's heroes are common people dealing with common problems in uncommonly, extraordinary short stories and novels. Remember this: the modern writer, the modern artist, often attempts to make the ordinary extraordinary. The classical writer and artist had no use for the common man, peasant, serf, groundling, and certainly few women. His job was to write poems and plays about kings, nobles, religious leaders ... you know, the people who really mattered. That's what Brit Lit was all about, wasn't it, up until your study of Wordsworth and Shelly and Coleridge?
Now let's move on to our writing task. But first some questions.
Which one of the paintings (shown above) do you prefer?
Why?
How does the painting make you feel upon first glance?
What "story" does the painting tell?
Try to think about the painting in terms of its title, historical context, subject/theme, characters, color, light/shading, composition/perspective, symbols, and tone.
Why?
How does the painting make you feel upon first glance?
What "story" does the painting tell?
Try to think about the painting in terms of its title, historical context, subject/theme, characters, color, light/shading, composition/perspective, symbols, and tone.
If neither of these four paintings appeal to you, choose another by Degas or Vermeer (you can easily find them online).
Write a good solid paragraph (10-15 sentences), focusing on any OR many of the questions or points of analysis that I've noted to respond to one of these prompts:
1.Why do you "like" one of the paintings, or "prefer" it to one of the others? Do not be intimidated if you do not understand too much about artistic composition.
2. You are one of the characters in one of the paintings. Write a 250 word minimum interior monologue where we can "hear" your thoughts as you converse with yourself (in the first person) in the setting provided by the painting.
3. Compare and contrast the Degas paintings with the Vermeers. Which artist do you prefer? Why?
You should discuss these ideas with someone in class today. You MAY collaborate in writing and posting one assignment for the both of you. Post before Thursday, October 11.
Beware. If you work with a partner, you're both responsible for posting on time. No excuses.
1.Why do you "like" one of the paintings, or "prefer" it to one of the others? Do not be intimidated if you do not understand too much about artistic composition.
2. You are one of the characters in one of the paintings. Write a 250 word minimum interior monologue where we can "hear" your thoughts as you converse with yourself (in the first person) in the setting provided by the painting.
3. Compare and contrast the Degas paintings with the Vermeers. Which artist do you prefer? Why?
You should discuss these ideas with someone in class today. You MAY collaborate in writing and posting one assignment for the both of you. Post before Thursday, October 11.
Beware. If you work with a partner, you're both responsible for posting on time. No excuses.
posted by JTF @ 3:17 PM
77 comments
77 Comments:
After researching both Degas’s and Vermeer’s paintings, I found myself favoring the ballet paintings by Degas. My favorite Degas painting is entitled, “The Dance Class II.” Just like, “The Dance Class,” this painting depicts a ballet class with all the girls in tutus scattered around the classroom. However, in this painting, one of the ballerinas is doing an arabesque in the middle of the dance floor. An arabesque is a ballet position in which the dancer stands on one leg, with the other leg extended back, all while both arms are stretched out. One arm is stretched forward and the other backward. I like this aspect of the work because it adds motion and provides a basis for a possible story. If you look at the painting closely, you will notice that most of the little girls against the back wall seem to be watching the ballerina in the center with disinterest. It appears that some of the girls aren’t even watching her. One of the girls has her hands on her hips, some are chattering, and some look as if they are waiting impatiently for their turn. The ballerina in the middle might be the “teacher’s favorite,” or maybe even the “star” of the class. The ballerina might get all the solos and main roles in the dance recital, resulting in the possible jealousy from her other classmates. The reason that this story comes to mind when I look at this picture is because when I was younger I also took ballet lessons, and I remember there always being one ballerina that was better than the rest. I still remember how much everyone in my class envied her and always made malicious faces at her while she danced in the center of the room. Not only do I like how the painting conveys a story, I also like the vibrant colors used in the piece. One reason I picked this painting instead of a Vermeer painting, is that I prefer Degas’s brush strokes over Vermeer’s. Degas uses more textured brush strokes, whereas Vermeer blends all of his brush strokes. I prefer Degas’s technique because it depicts more detail and gives the feeling of texture in his works. This is seen in the ballerinas’ tutus. Because of Degas’s technique, the tutus spear to be fluffy and elegant. Even though I enjoyed the Vermeer paintings, I found myself staring longer at those by Degas.
2. "The Dance Class" by Edgar Degas
Why does he ALWAYS put me at the end of the line? I practice every day, yet this old hag still makes me watch all the other girls first. He uses the term "good example" and he wants me to "learn from them". As if they are better than me. HA! Natural born talent is nowhere near as impressive as talent that someone works their butt off for. I wish Old Hag could see that. I wonder what Old Hag would say if he knew I called him Old Hag. I probably wouldn't even be in this room. Ahh! What was that? Coco get OFF of me! Why does Old Hag insist on bringing his ratty little dog along with him to practice? All the little rat-dog does is rub up against my leg while I watch the other girls dance. This is not fair. Why am I putting up with this? I wonder if Sarah feels the same way I do. At least she gets to sit on the piano where her legs are swinging high above the reach of rat-dog's paws. I'm stuck standing here while the other girls actually practice. Looks like Marjorie is asleep across the room. I wish Old Hag would notice. Then he could pick on someone else for a change. Turn around Old Hag! Turn around! It smells like dog in here. Coco.. go AWAY! Woops, that was a little harsh. Maybe I shouldn't have kicked him. Maybe I should pay attention. That is what I'm supposed to be doing, I guess. Learning. I hope time goes by faster this way.
Wow. Julianne is a beautiful dancer. I wonder if I can do that. Probably not. Is that how I'm supposed to be pointing my toes? No it can't be. There is no way I have been doing that wrong for four years. No way. I really wish I was out there with them. They look beautiful, elegant, graceful... do I look like that when I dance? Maybe that is why I am standing here. I probably don't. I guess Old Hag knows what he is doing after all. I shouldn't give him too much credit though. After all, he is an old hag. I think I'll go home after this and try pointing my toes like Julianne. Maybe Old Hag will let me dance with the rest of the girls once I get the hang of it.
I am absolutely starving. Is it 6:30 already? Time flies. I wonder what Mom is making for dinner...
Personally, I really enjoy “La classe de danse” by Edgar Degas. I enjoy this painting because I believe it truly captures the struggles that dancers and their teachers face when learning the art of dance. The teacher appears distraught leaning on his cane almost out of exhaustion. The girl sitting on the piano seems to be throwing her head back in despair and some of the girls in the background appear to have their heads hung low like their tired and frustrated with themselves. Every good artist however, realizes that it takes time to make a masterpiece come alive and it takes a lot of practice and hard work. I really enjoy the pastel-like colors used by Degas in “La classe de danse”. However, the contrast of the dark colors next to the white and tan, show that the painting is very realistic and true to life like a real studio would be. I like “La classe de danse” better than “The Star” because in “The Star” the colors seem so contrasting and they off set each other. The colors are very dramatic and seem less like what the calm of a dance studio offers. I think that Degas’s paintings are both absolutely stunning but because “La classe de danse” is less over powering and easier on the eyes, I enjoy it much better than “The Star”.
The paintings of both Degas and Vermeer are in my own opinion, very impressive. I am not an art expert by any means, but I do know how hard it is to paint and to draw things well, and these two both fit that template perfectly. But, I actually prefer the Degas paintings over the Vermeer ones. The reason for this is that the Degas ones have a more fancy and elegant style about them, whereas the Vermeer ones are much more cold and honest and brooding. It seems as though Vermeer focused on painting the lower class of people, and the paint seems harder then that of Degas. Degas seems to be rather quaint and the way in which he paints is more light and airy as opposed to the harsh style of Vermeer. My favorite of all of the paintings shown would have to be “The Star” by Degas. The reason for this is two fold. For one, before my eyes actually registered what I was looking at they were greeted with a pleasant hue of colors and lines that were soft and easy to look at. The second reason was the actual content of the painting itself. Honestly, I can’t put my finger exactly on what I like about the painting, it’s just pleasing to my eyes. The figure in the middle of the frame just seems so carefree and light, and just happy in general. However, I think the majority of my reason for liking this piece is due to the color scheme of it. I like how she is in all white with a touch of red on her dress. It is not too much to overpower the dress, but enough to compliment it and draw attention it.
Edgar Degas seems to have a less clear painting style then Johannes Vermeer. In Degas paintings it seems that the front or main part of the painting that he wants you to see sticks out, and the background is blurry and unclear. In Vermeer’s art work it seems like the painting as a whole sticks out. There are share lines and the art work as a whole is very clear. Vermeer doesn’t make the background blurry. The two paintings of Degas on schoolsville show girls in dance like dresses. Both seem to show people from an upper class compared to Vermeer. The Milkmaid and the Girl with the Pearl earrings seem to show the everyday people from the time period. They look like working people and have a more serious attitude compared to the two paintings by Degas. I prefer Vermeer’s “milkmaid” painting more than the others. The milkmaid painting seems to have a clearer and stronger meaning then the other paintings. It is a very simple painting. It is a very clear painting, in terms of what is going on throughout the painting. Vermeer went into great detail when making this piece. The milk being poured out of the jug and the women look so life like. You can since how much time and effort he put into this painting.
#3. I do not know much about art and have no understanding of how to appreciate and analyze it. A painting is just a painting to me, some I guess are more detailed and colorful than others. While looking at both Degas and Vermeer’s works of art I can’t help but gravitate more towards Degas paintings. To me they seem much more complex and nicer to look at. I feel that you can keep looking at his painting The Star and find new details every time you look at it. To me Vermeer’s paintings are very one dimensional and boring. Although I know I could never paint anything close to what he has I don’t think his paintings are interesting. While looking at many of Degas other paintings I can tell he enjoyed using bright colors and painting dancers rehearsing. His paintings of the dancers tell me that he probably appreciated the dancers and thought them to be graceful and interesting. Another one of Degas painting that I enjoy is a piece called Dancers in Pink. The painting catches your eye because of the vibrant colors he used to paint the girls outfits. While looking at more of Degas paintings I decided to see if I could find any more pieces by Vermeer. The images I saw made my choice in siding with Degas an easier one. Vermeer, to me, is a very dark painter who doesn’t use a lot light colors in his work. I cannot see myself purchasing and looking at one of his paintings everyday.
I prefer The Star by Edgar Degas the best out of the four painting. I like how he depicts the dancer as beautiful and graceful. She does look the star of the show because the background is a little blurry and unclear. It makes her stand out even more. Although this is my favorite painting, I think I like Vermeer’s painting style better. The people look more realistic in his paintings, with striking features. His are also more colorful and clear. The painters’ styles are both beautiful but different. Vermeer seems to go for a clearer, simple, crisp look, whereas Degas shows a more whimsical, care free style. I don’t know anything about painting, but I think they are both great painters, just for different reasons.
The painting that I like the best is The Girl With The Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer. I like this painting because it is plain and simple, but at the same time there are a lot of small details in it. When I first glance at the painting I feel like the girl is talking to me because of the way her mouth is opened. It really catches my eye and it makes me want to analyze the painting even more and know more about it. I think the “story” that the painting tells is about the pearl earring the girl is wearing because it seems like a pearl isn’t something you would see all the time back then. I think the girl is proud of the pearl earring and she wants to show it off because it makes her feel special. I prefer this painting over the others because it is simple and I like the color scheme. The dark colors make it easier to notice the pearl earring, which is the whole point of the painting. Also, with the dark colors it makes her face stand out because it is so light. The face is like the center point of the painting. I like this painting better than the others because it isn’t too busy with other colors and people. In the other paintings I find it hard to focus and to look at all of the detail. I also just don’t like how some of the other paintings look. The Girl with the Pearl Earring has a smooth look to it compared to others, which have more dimension. As you can tell I like simple paintings. Too little is always better than too much. This painting draws your eyes to it when you first see it. I feel like I have to look at it because it is so beautifully done.
3) While in similar methods, Degas and Vermeer differ immensley on style. Degas draws of dancers and balls, of beauty and merriment, concerned only with the what is beautiful and exciting. Vermeer on the other hand paints true to life, about the average middle class person, such as the milkmaid. Degas' paintings are also created in a very dream like patter, smudgy and blurry, to give even a further effect of it being not quite as close to reality. Meanwhile Vermeer has bright, sharp colors, but his characters are more realistic. His walls are cracked and dirtied, his people worn an beaten. Overall I have to say Vermeer is the better painter, as he sticks more true to life.
Vermeer's painting The Girl With The Pearl Earring was the painting that caught my eye at first glance. As I examined it more closely I am growing more fond of it. The painting is so simple, yet strikingly beautiful with the black background and the intensity of the colors. I like how Vermeer took such a simple scene and captured the moment. He took something ordinary and made it extraordinary. I am not saying Degas' work is any less beautiful, however I like the way Vermeer captured the expression on the young girl's face. She looks angelic even though she is probably an average peasant girl. Another reason I enjoy this painting is the obvious name, yet if Vermeer had not mentioned the pearl earrings, most people would not have even noticed them. He chose a minor detail to name the entire piece of art. Vermeer saw something others may have found unimportant and made it special.
Degas and Vermeer- both artists are well known for their pieces of art, and in Updike’s The Lucid Eye in Silver Town, both are part of a disagreement between Jay and Quin. Regardless of the fact of which artist is better, their selected paintings have clear similarities and differences. Upon evaluation, one can clearly see that each of these paintings is centered on a main female character or characters. This is a similarity between the artists, however I see the artists as more different than similar. This is seen in that the Vermeer pieces seem to be sharp and bright in the overall color of the painting, whereas Degas’ works appear dull and bland to an extent in terms of color. In addition, the Degas paintings show multiple individuals, unlike Vermeer’s paintings that each have a sole woman pictured. This seems to make the Degas paintings more “lively” or “active” than the Vermeers. Also, the Degas pieces both depict a dancing scene in contrast to Vermeer’s depictions of a woman in the home. Finally, the Vermeer paintings appear more detailed than the almost hazy works of Degas. Due to these comparisons, I personally prefer the Vermeer paintings over the Degas. I would rather look at a colorful and interesting painting, rather than one that appears lackluster. Although a painting with multiple persons is interesting, I would prefer to view one that caught my eye with its color. For these reasons, I believe Vermeer is “better” than Degas.
3.) The first thing I can say about all the paintings you posted are that they all portray people doing something. The two from Vermeer focus on the only person that is in the painting, while the two from Degas show a couple subjects. The Degas paintings both portray dancers, maybe during practice or a recital. The Vermeer paintings show one woman possibly making food or pouring milk. The last Vermeer painting is a self-portrait depicting a girl with a pearl earring. The colors in the Vermeer paintings are dark and contrasting. Also, the portraits are very clear and vivid. The colors in the Degas paintings are of light tones and are neutral. The way that Degas painted, though, is kind of blurry and hard to depict. I, personally, like the Vermeer paintings better. I like how vivid the paintings are and how it looks almost like a picture. However, I like the colors used in the Degas paintings because they’re warm and neutral.
When I was seven years old, my dad had me watch a documentary on the artist Vermeer. While at the time I could care less, since that time, something has always drew me to Vermeer and his drawings, especially the painting “The Girl with the Pearl Earring”. I progressed to read the book and it has become one of my favorite novels of all time. Therefore, I am biased to say that that painting is my favorite of both Degas and Vermeer’s works of art. On first glance of the picture, I see a girl who seems as if she is around my age or just a few years older. Of course the first thing that one notices after looking at the picture is the earring. Why would a common maid be wearing an expensive beautiful earring? After reading the book, I have come to the conclusion that it obviously is not hers and perhaps the wife’s or another female living in the household. This small detail appeals to me because this shows me that although Vermeer only painted pictures of common people, he was willing to take risks. There is no doubt that whomever the earring belonged to would not be pleased to know she was wearing it. The next thing I notice is the beautiful scarf she wears on her head. Most likely, at the time the girl in the picture would not be permitted to show just her hair and so to compromise, she was most likely told to make the scarf to wear. What I take from that is that she is willing to be adventurous and take risks and still stay true to her own beliefs and values. Whether Vermeer did this intentionally or not, I can see the look of not only fear, but excitement in the young girl’s eyes. She was most likely a maid or caretaker so this would have been all new to her. She probably had never met a painter quite like Vermeer and would have been almost star-struck by him. This honor of being asked to be painted most likely scared her but was exhilarating. The story that I get from looking at the painting is that the girl is just like every other teenage girl in the twenty first century. She is scared but excited… in awe, but respectful. Even though this painting is probably the most famous one that is not why I like it or am drawn to it. I am drawn to it because I feel that I can relate to it. Although Degas’s paintings are also magnificent, there are something about Vermeer’s paintings that make you think about the story behind them as well as relate them to your own life.
CJV Purple
I like the painting The Girl with the Pearl Earing by Johannes Vermeer. I like it because the painting is focusing in on the girl and the emotions she displays and leaves out the background. Sometimes I get too caught up looking for a hidden message in the background and don’t focus and the main feature on the painting. The girls face shows sorrow and almost a cry for help to us. I like the use of shadows, giving the picture depth even though there is no background. I can easily feel the raw emotions from the picture that I am unable to feel from the other pictures. Degas picture, La classe de danse, appears to have too much going on at once for me and it is hard to focus on just one aspect of the picture. The Star appears to be too simple and not have any substance in it. Also, the colors used are more grayish and doesn’t go with the yellow hills. Lastly, the Milkmade is doing an ordinary job but he does not make it appear to be extraordinary. In The Girl with the Pearl Earing, she is just simply turning her head but you can almost feel her pain and suffering through her eyes.
The painting that I like the most would have to be La classe de danse (The Dancing Class) 1873-1875 Edgar Degas oil on canvas. I enjoy how much is going on in the painting. I like how it appears that the old man in the center is lecturing all of the ballerinas. The way that he made everything look desaturated is also a nice touch. Things are still in color, but very faint. I can really see the depth in the painting and it is easy to see that they are in a very large and extraordinary room.
After comparing and contrasting the Degas paintings with the Vermeers, the artist that I prefer is Johannes Vermeer. There are several reasons that I prefer Vermeer’s paintings. I think that Vermeer’s paintings are much more realistic looking than Degas’. In Degas’ paintings, the people and settings are more blurry and they do not seem as detailed. Vermeer’s paintings have clear lines and bright colors. I think that the clothing in the Vermeer paintings actually looks like real fabric. The colors that Vermeer used for the clothing are bright, but they actually look good in the setting. Whereas Degas used shades of white and black, primarily, for the clothing in his paintings, which made me think that the pictures were somewhat dull. Also, the people themselves, in Vermeer’s paintings, seemed to look more realistic than those in Degas’, and they seemed to “pop out” of the picture. The different values of shadow and light in Vermeer’s paintings gave it a good sense of form and contrast. I think that Vermeer’s paintings look more like photographs rather than paintings. One of the primary reasons that I prefer the paintings from Johannes Vermeer is that they seem to depict everyday life, which can have many topics. In contrast, Edgar Degas’ paintings only seem to focus on one topic, and that can become boring to look at.
Degas’ and Vermeer’s paintings are very different yet alike. One of the similarities is the portrayal of old-fashioned women by both artists. Degas seems to use more imagery in his paintings, with subtle or detailed backgrounds. Degas’ paintings portray artsy images of upper class ballerinas. His paintings have muted colors, but are very appealing to me because of all that is going on in the background. There is not just one focal point in Degas’ paintings. In the one picture there are at least a dozen ballerinas, in addition to the man with a cane. On the contrary, Vermeer uses more vibrant colors such as deep blue, and energetic yellow in his paintings. His pictures are of everyday life images like cooking and self-portraits. However, these pictures are very eccentric because of all the vibrant colors used. Even though Vermeer’s paintings are everyday life events, they appeal to me and grab my attention because of the colors. I find it more interesting to look at pictures that have one detailed, colorful subject than ones that have less color and more background. I really enjoy Vermeer’s paintings because of the antique cooking utensils and unique headbands. Although these artists have very different styles, of paintings, Vermeer’s capture my attention more than Degas’. I like the way Vermeer uses the vibrant colors and shadowing to make the images come to life.
Of the paintings that I have seen here, I prefer The Girl With The Pearl Earring because it seems almost real to me. I enjoy the lighting coming in from the left side behind her, showcasing her face and casting a shadow that drawls your attention to brighter colors of her face. The black background lures you further into her face, and the brown coat she is wearing and the dirty yellow fabric on her head seem to just melt into existence from the background, while that blazing white collar points to the pearl earring. Her eyes lead your focus onto the shadowed side of her face, and the yellow rag stops your eyes and causes you to look down in the picture, leading you to the pearl earring once again. Looking at the painting, I can’t help but imagine her on a street corner in the Fall, just watching people walk by as she is waiting for a open space to cross the road.
As for comparing and contrasting the Degas paintings and the Vermeer paintings, they both draw people, however, the style is different. La Classe de Danse is oil on canvas, just like The Milkmaid. However, The Dancing Class is lighter and separated from what reality would look like while the Milkmaid is more down to earth and darker. Another difference would be the faces; they have little detail in the Dancing Class and seem to fade into the person, but the milkmaid has definite features and a darker coloring. I prefer Vermeer because his characters are verisimilar and I like that. Vermeer’s characters are working people while Degas uses people that are engaged in recreational activities and seem to be well off.
I am the man in La Classe de danse by Edgar Degas. My ordinary day consists of hearing people’s comments, feeling kid’s slimy fingers, and seeing indifferent expressions. Everyone’s comments about me are mostly incorrect. I am a renown ballet instructor, not a creepy old man with a bunch of girls. I taught all of these girls the right form, facials, and diet. Running a tight shift, I never let a ballet class start late. All the girls, who arrived late were immediately kicked out. The girl’s bows were tied perfectly and the tutus were held at the exact angle. Do not even start me about their feet. My girls point shoes were the most worn shoes in the whole world, all due to their hard work and magnificent achievement. None of the museum goers understand these things about me. Besides the creepy man comments, I receive insults about my height, cane and outfit. My father and mother were both small people, no one can change their heredity. I apologize to all you critical viewers, but my cane and outfit were from exquisite designers that all of you ignorant people are not aware of. My least favorite event during the museum’s opening hours is the field trips of school kids. Those kids must not be able to read because the signs above and below me strictly say “ DO NOT TOUCH THE PAINTING.” They get all their slobber and food scraps on my oily canvas. One day they will regret doing this, when I am completely faded and no longer able to be visited. People walk by me everyday with my students, but they have yet to realize how much more these painting of one rehearsal has behind it.
1) I like Le classe de danse by Edgar Degas more then all the rest. I like it more because there is more to look at. It is less boring then the others. There are more actions, and they are organized. When I first glanced at it I thought the old guy in the middle was dancing as well, but then I realized that it was a rehearsal and they were practicing. I am not good at interpreting art, but i think that the painting is telling a story about the old man. The old man is ether teaching these young ladies, or it is a metaphor for the old man being simple, slow, and conservative while the rest of the world dances around him in a fancy yet frantic organized way. This particular painting stands out from the others also because it uses the softest colors which makes it the easiest to look at. There is just something about the painting that makes it more realistic than the rest. The colors and more realist and not exaggerated. There is a lot of detail in every person but not to much that it is overwhelming. In my opinion it is a lot better then the others.
I personally prefer Vermeer’s paintings over Degas’s. This is because Degas takes settings and situations, which already have stunning scenery and paints originally beautiful elegant dancers in them. Vermeer on the other hand takes something ordinary, and transforms it into extraordinary. I admire him for taking something that most people wouldn’t even look twice at and turning it into a work of art. Vermeer takes everyday situations and generic figures such as the milk made painting given in the blog. The milk maid is so lifelike and well-designed; it's hard not to like it. This is the perfect example where Vermeer takes something so simple such as pouring milk into an art by adding in and exaggerating the beautiful lighting in the picture. However, what catches my eye the most about Vermeer’s paintings is the detail of the objects that are not the focus of the painting. For instance, the box on the floor, the markings on the wall, and the debris on the ground are just some of the detail and precision that have me in awe of the painting. Another unique thing that Vermeer tends to include in his paintings is allegory; he tells stories throughout the picture using objects as symbolism, nothing is insignificant. Therefore, Vermeer’s paintings require you to pay a particular amount of attention to details. Both paintings have their own appeal, but I would have to say that I much prefer the paintings by Vermeer.
I prefer both paintings by Degas. I prefer “The Dancing Class” painting for many reasons. I like this painting because it doesn’t look as posed as the Vemeer paintings. I like it because I used to dance and it brings back good memories. The painting is telling a story of a hard dance class. The teacher seems to be talking to the class and instructing the class on what to do next. That’s close to home for me because having my mother as my dance teacher I often experienced that this exact feeling that is being portrayed in the picture. I like how the girls are all scattered in the class because it gives more to look at in the picture. Also, the way they are all standing tells a story in itself. It looks as if the practice is hard and the teacher almost looks a little disappointed. The girl to the very left, in the yellow bow, adds a comical aspect to the picture because she looks simply exhausted. Each girl in the picture tells a different story. Some look worn out and exhausted, other look like they couldn’t care less about what is happening in the class, and the rest look like they are sucking up to the teacher and are practicing each move with intense concentration. The teacher is my favorite part, the way he is leaning on his cane shows that he, too, is exhausted and worn out from this class.
When having to choose between Vermeer and Degas, I would choose Vermeer hands down. He truly obtains the talent for turning ordinary things into the extraordinary. What is more ordinary than every day women and peasants? In those days, there was nothing more common than that. Vermeer captures the moment in its true colors. You feel as if you could reach in and grab the subject. Vermeer's paintings pose questions about the main focus of the painting- the subjects. What's their life like? Why would they let him paint them? Are they happy? Sad? Vermeer does something that Degas does not- connect to the viewer in a personal way. This is my opinion, but Degas seems to take scenes that not everyone can relate to. Vermeer's vantage points are commoners, like most of the people in this world. In my opinion, Vermeer is the better artist.
1. I want to start by saying I like all four of the paintings. I prefer the Vermeer paintings over the Degas paintings. Vermeer caught my eye more then Degas did. In the two Degas paintings he pictured beautiful images of dancers and the elegance by the faded colors. But the reason I leaned more to Vermeer is because his colors are so bold and pop out. I like crazy and outrageous things and even though the people pictured are so ordinary, the colors explain everything. I also like that Vermeer took common people and turned their “simple” lives into masterpieces. An explain of this style is in his painting “The Milkmaid.” The women depicted in the portrait isn’t dancing or wearing fancy expensive clothes, she’s just doing her daily routine and not pretending that her life is something it’s not. The simplicity of her action makes the picture that much more interesting. It’s so incredibly beautiful that you can’t help but to stare at it. Vermeer uses shades of blue in both of these pictures that you have up. I’m not sure what it symbolizes but I love it. I’m not a big art fan but I would hang one of Vermeer’s paintings in my house.
- Degas’ paintings show ballerinas during a show or during class. Vermeer’s paintings depict people in their everyday lives doing their jobs. Degas’ paintings show the hard work that ballerinas go through to train with groups of people to become the star. Vermeer’s art shows ordinary working class people. Both artists show the challenges that people such as ballerinas and workers face daily. I, personally, prefer Vermeer to Degas. In Vermeer’s paintings, I like how the people are shown doing their job. My favorite Vermeer painting has to be The Milkmaid. The Milkmaid shows a house worker getting food and milk together for maybe a family breakfast or dinner. The shadows, and the texture of the clothes really make this painting pop out to me.
The Girl With The Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer is striking and immediately caught my eye. This painting is absolutely beautiful and makes me prefer it more as compared to the other paintings. The girl in the painting is not beautiful because of the clothes she's wearing, the makeup she has on or the jewelry she is dressed in. She looks natural and humble. I believe this is true and outstanding beauty. Vermeer does an amazing job at portraying and making this beauty stand out in the painting. He didn't paint anything in the background to distract us from the girl. The way he painted the light shining on her face really drew my attention to her face. Lastly, the simple pearl earring, as simple as she is, shows a little in the background, only adding to her beauty. Vermeer did a fantastic job at showing the beauty in a simple women when the popular thing was to paint the obvious beauty. He took the challenge of making what others would not assume beautiful, and he turned into something remarkable.
My favorite of the paintings is The Girl With The Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer. Out of the four, this one is the one that initially caught my eye. The contrasting coloring with her red lips and bright blue head piece is what I first spotted. The black background makes her pop out and really makes her seem three dimensional. I like how the woman is very simple and doesn’t appear to be wearing any extraordinary make up but she still looks very beautiful. Vermeer is turning the ordinary into extraordinary. Her skin color is light and her bright red lips stand out. She isn’t overly drop dead gorgeous but I still wanted to take a second look at her because her natural beauty is so striking. Her eyes are barren and don’t have any heavy make up on them, but still they are beautiful and look like they tell a story. Like the painting above it, The Milkmaid, both paintings are very realistic and three dimensional. They resemble photographs more so than paintings. I like the realistic paintings of Vermeer more than the blotchy paintings of dancers that Degas does on canvas. Both of Vermeer’s paintings are pretty but I prefer The Girl With The Pearl Earring because of her natural beauty and eyes that look like they’re looking at you and keeping a secret.
3. I like the Paintings of Degas better then I like the paintings of Vermeer. The paintings of Degas seem to be more detailed and intricate. Degas also paints more interesting stuff then Vermeer does. His paintings were dancers with crowded rooms. He painted dancers with people in the background. Degas always had something going on in the background. Vermeer does not have anything going on in the background. He either has a women pouring milk with a blank wall behind her or he painted the whole back black. By adding a background, Degas added more dimension to his paintings. This makes them more interesting and pleasing to the eye to me. I also think that dancers are more interesting than women standing and looking at the viewer. Personally I found Degas a more interesting painter.
Being a French student for many years, I have studied and learned about Degas and his paintings, I have always enjoyed looking at his paintings; but when in comparison to the paintings by Vermeer I must say that I prefer Vermeer to Degas. To me the two artist’s work is very different. Degas is more all over the place, where as Vermeer’s is very to the point and emotional. When looking into the eyes of one of Vermeer’s subjects you can see their emotion, you can in a way imagine what the person is thinking or feeling at that moment. I enjoy that Vermeer captured people doing average things, like a milkmaid simply pouring milk, or a women just sitting and thinking. These average things allow the viewer to place their own story behind the painting. I also like Vermeer’s works because they seem to be the closest type of paintings to candid pictures that we have today. The subjects of the paintings all seem to be caught off guard, as if they were in a deep thought, but interrupted and surprised by Vermeer’s presence. The people in the paintings seem like people that we might know, or their facial expressions are very relatable. I also love Vermeer’s works because of the vibrant colors used, they are very bright colors, but at the same time they are warm and welcoming to the eye of the viewer. I do still like Degas art work but I must say that I agree with Jay when he says "In terms of paint, I think Vermeer makes Degas look sick".
The one painting that really fascinates me is The Girl With the Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer. Vermeer truly did a great job with the woman's complexion and face proportions, making her almost seem to jump out at me from the painting. In truth, however, the painting appeals to me also since I know I could never be able to paint a woman with such perfection like Vermeer did with this painting. When I first looked at this painting, it made me feel as though she, like many other people have done throughout history, had asked someone to paint a portrait of herself so she could gaze at her own beauty. After looking and thinking about the painting for long enough, though, it kind of makes me think about a love story. Maybe this woman, like Rose Dawson from Titanic, told her one love to paint a portrait of her as a way of symbolizing their inseparable bond. Even if this isn't a love story at all, the painting still provokes interesting thoughts and ideas that the other paintings upon glance didn't. Overall, the painting is quite a beauty to look at and should be a painting others should consider taking a look at. By looking at this painting, you can ultimately gain a larger appreciation for artists and their masterpieces.
There are some differences and similarities between Degas’s paintings and Vermeer’s. Let me start off with the similarities in the ones shown in this blog assignment. They both involve paintings of life, in particular, people or one single person. In these four paintings the main focuses in the paintings are women or girls. The Degas pictures some men in them but they are not the main focus of the paintings. In the Vermeer paintings, there are only women painted and no other figures in the paintings, just the one woman. In comparing the two artist’s paintings, I noticed that both show women doing “girly” things or looking girly. Ballet dancing in my mind is more girly. In the milkmaid painting she is pouring milk which seems like a woman’s task. In the other Vermeer painting she is wearing pearl earrings which to me seem very feminine. Both artists seem to be focusing on women. There are differences in the painting styles. The Degas paintings are not as crisply painted. They do not have as distinct lines as the Vermeer paintings. There is a softer edge to the ballerinas; which works because you want a hard image. You can see the texture of a tulle ballerina tutu being light and transparent. In the Vermeer paintings the women’s clothing is painted more distinct bold lines and colors. The colors are darker and the details in the paintings seem to look more focused because of the more distinct lines painted. I personally prefer the softer feeling of the Degas paintings. I think the ballerinas are beautifully painted with good use of colors and lighting. The Degas paintings are just more pleasing to the eye for me. The painting The Star is my favorite out of these four paintings. I like the focus on the one individual ballerina. She is standing there so gracefully and the background does not distract from the main focus. I think it is a very beautiful painting.
I prefer the paintings of Edgar Degas because the color of the paintings is more bright than the paintings of Johannes Vermeer. Therefore, Vermeer's paintings look dark and heavy mood for me, but the mood of Degas' paintings is light and cheerful. Especially, I think that the second painting(The Star) of Degas' is really beautiful and it makes me like I am in the theater and watching the stage of ballet. Accordingly, the paintings of Vermeer seem like they have serious story in them. However, it doesn't mean that I don't like them. They are more realistic than Degas' paintings. I think the story of the dancing class painting is about the special relationship between old ballet teacher and his students. Usually, he is really restrict to his students but behind he really thinks carefully for his students.
I personally prefer the Le classe de danse by Degas. To me the painting is more exciting and has a lot more potential for a story. The man in the center would be the instructor and all his students gathered around anxiously awaiting for instruction. I love how you can see the different tones in the wooden floor, I love the high ceilings and I love the big bows on their backs. This painting to me tells a story of a single ballerina trying to stand out amongst the rest, trying to captivate the eye of the instructor. While the other paintings do not seem as if they would have a happy ending, they seem darker and seem to have a deeper story hidden in the paint. The star does not seem to be as realistic as Le classe de danse, to me the star looks like she is dancing off a cliff. The milkmaid just seems so dirty, and destroyed to have a happy story. In the background you can see rubble and broken things and to me that seems like a depressing story. In the girl with the pearl earing her expression is so sad, and there is no background. All of these paintings are beautiful and all could tell an amazing story, but I would want to tell a happy exciting and rewarding story about someone who strived for greatness and danced their way to the top.
Out of all the painting, La classe de danse by Edgar Degas caught my eye the most. When I first glanced at this piece I knew immediately I liked it, but honestly I had no clue why. However, once I started looking more closely I realized that there were many different things that caught my attention and why I liked this piece so much. First of all, I had realized this but I loved the colors he used. In some of the other paintings, there were harsh colors that drew your attention immediately. However, in this painting the colors are all very subtle. The colors seem light and easy, some what like the tone and mood- whimsical and easy going. In addition, I love how the room in the painting is symmetrical; however the people in the picture are not. The old man, or teacher, is in the center with all the dancers, or students, surrounding him and watching or listening to him. Lastly, I admire how most, if not all, the ballet dancers are in different positions or poses. For example, one dancer is on the piano, while another is standing properly listening, and some are sitting down giggling. Not everyone in a group is constantly listening to whomever is talking and this painting demonstrates this concept very well. Lastly, I admire this painting very much. I love the colors and the way the room is laid out, in addition to the characters inside the painting. It gives off a happy, youthful, whimsical feeling and it takes me back to my early childhood.
When I look at both Degas and Vermeer’s paintings I think I can admire them as much as I could possibly like a painting. I am not very artistic or I guess appreciative of art but I do like these paintings. Even though these four pictures cannot really show all of the work or talent both artists have if I had to pick my favorite artist based on these, I think that I enjoy Degas better. The reason I like Degas paintings better is because of the more, not details in the pictures, but more of what the pictures are actually about. I think that Vermeer’s might be too plain for me. There’s not enough to necessarily catch my eye. The first two have more to talk about. There is more going on in them; more ways to interpret and explain them, while the last two are just simple pictures, not that they aren’t very detailed or beautiful. I especially like the first painting. I see ballet dancing and a man standing maybe instructing them or watching. It definitely arises more questions then a woman standing pouring milk or sitting. There’s more of a story that could be told that stands out to me. Everything is pretty easy to explain too. It’s not like the pictures are too confusing. When I looked at the first two paintings by Degas it honestly didn’t make me have a lot of feelings but I think I felt more than when I looked at the other two by Vermeer. They made me feel attentive and made me more interested. Based on how I see things and think about things that’s why I think I like Degas paintings better. I think it’s just based on the person and their personality on what artist they prefer.
I prefer to painting The Girl With The Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer. Luckily, I am actually pretty talented at painting and drawing and have taken art three years at Saint Mark’s so I understand a little bit about paintings. I enjoy this piece of art for its simplicity and perfection to detail. He really paid attention to the lighting on the girl’s face and clothing. I also like the way he painted the folds in the clothing. He really has a good concept on the way things bend and fold. I am not really sure what this painting tells, but I think that’s why I like it. I think every person that looks at it will come up with a different story or interpretation of their own. It’s almost like a mystery as to what Vermeer was trying to tell. I preferred this painting to the other ones because of its contrast between its dark background and its bright colors for the face, shirt, and hair piece. It caught my eye as I was scrolling down the page. I also like it better than the other paintings for the reason I have said before, it’s a mystery. It doesn’t have a clear direction or vision. It’s up to the observer to make a story up for the painter.
The painting I like the most is La classe de danse by Edgar Degas. Being a dancer, I can relate most to this painting as the setting is a dance class. In the painting the teacher is lecturing or giving corrections to the dancers. My dance teacher reminds me of the teacher painted in the picture with the cain and the way he is posed. I think Edgar Degas did a good job portraying a dance class. Even small details such as the pointe shoes are painted very good and look exactly like the real things. It also seems to me that these dancers are practicing for a show considering they have costumes on and not just regular leotard and tights. Comparing the two Degas paintings with the Vermeer paintings, it is quickly obvious that from a literary sense Degas more of a classical painter and Vermeer a modern painter. Degas paintings focus on the aristocrats and nobel class whereas Vermeer focuses on the commoner. The women in Degas’ paintings appear to be happier and having fun, whereas Vermeer’s characters are homely looking and working hard.
In taking Art History Sophmore year with Mrs. Connair, I have seen and discussed all of these paintings in great detail with her and other fellow classmates such as Tyler Dennis. The one I most prefer would have to be The Milkmaid because everything about it is just beautiful. Personally, I prefer oil on canvas painting because I feel it adds more perception to the painting and with the right brush strokes, it seems as if you can tell the emotions of the characters in the painting. The Milkmaids face almost tells a story of her just trying to get through in life by working hard. Her presence in such a calm scenario warms your heart and makes you smile. Another thing I admire about this painting is the extreme detail to every part of this piece. If you look closely at the tiles in the background, they appear to have little figures on them. Also, how Vermeer includes every hole and twine of the whicker basket hanging in the back left shows great artistry. The perspective of the picture is great also. If you follow the edges of the table and base of the window, they all lead to the main focal point of the hardworking milkmaid. The shadowing of all the fabric is incredible. It gives the picture depth and life. Vermeer does a great job of using his bright complementary colors on the main figure and the complementing it by using dull or dark secondary colors. The use of the bright complementary colors on the dull secondary colors brings your eyes to focus on the focal point, again. Some could make the argument that the light coming through the window to the dark room could have a deeper meaning of “there is a better life beyond this.” I like this painting because it appears very simplistic but in reality, there is a lot more to it that creates the simplistic feel.
I like the painting called "The Star". I like this painting because it really caught my eye. I took a good look at the rest of the paintings, but I just kept coming back to this one. Of course the first thing that I saw was the dancer, which was, what I'm guessing, supposed to catch my eye. When I looked closer I could see what looks to be three human figures. The two white figures in the back look like women who might be mesmerized by her. They also look like they are dressed like her, meaning they might be trying to imitate her or be like her. The figure closest to her looks to be a man. This man may also be admiring her or maybe in love with her..? Now to the dancer that is the main focus of the painting, I'm not sure if she has a pleasant smile on her face because she loves dancing, she knows people admire her and are mesmerized by her, or just because she loves to dance. Maybe that is what Degas wanted us to think about? I don't know. I also wonder why Degas doesn't show anyone's face in the painting? All in all I really do find the painting interesting, and I like the fact that Degas leaves you with some questions that could have multiple answers. I also like the fact that when you first look at the painting, it just looks like a simple painting about a pretty dancer, but when you look into it more you find that it has a lot of depth to it and it leaves some questions answered and others un-answered.
I personally prefer the Dancing Class by Edgar Degas. I have always had a love for dance which is why I feel that this painting stands out to me. There are many dynamics within the painting. It looks as if there is a main dancer standing in front of the mirror. She would obviously be the best which would explain why the man, who could possibly the instructor, is looking mainly at her. The man in the center looks stern and intelligent, perfect for a man in charge of a dance studio. Also, looking around the edges of the picture, there seems to be two types of dancers. The first are the younger dancers who appear to be admiring the older more experienced dancers. They do not mind watching though because they are enjoying just being around the older girls. And the second type, are the dancers who are just as qualified as the dancers performing, yet were not chosen. That is my take on what is occurring in the picture. I feel this is very similar and clear to what a dance studio is really like, especially a long time ago. I also found it funny when looking very close at the picture to see a dog under the closest dancer’s foot. I really enjoy this picture and I feel that my admiration for dance is the reason as to why it stands out to me!
Out of all of the paintings shown, the one that struck my attention the most was The Girl With The Pearl Earring by Vermeer. Although the painting is just of a common girl at the time, Vermeer amplifies her appearance to that of an extraordinary level by use of contrasting colors. The dark colors he chose makes for an eerie, almost haunting background story when looking closely at it. It seems as though this girl has experienced some tragic occurrence in her life that has caused her to feel aghast, and almost hopeless. I liked, also, how Vermeer highlighted her cheekbones to emphasize her beauty, which could have been overlooked by many without having seen the portrait. I also believe this might tie in with the significance of the title, which places emphasis on her pearl earrings. Contradictory to the title surrounding her earrings, her remarkably brilliant features shown in the portrait, significantly overpower the beauty of her earrings. A possible reason for this might be to show people that her true beauty lies within the expressions in her face, rather than her expensive jewelry. It may have been possible that this girl was overlooked throughout her life as being a plain, homely girl who was never given recognition. But with the completion of this portrait, maybe people finally realized how much internal suffering she had undergone. I believe that the people conceivably only saw black covering her whole face, symbolizing the false recognition of her emotions. Then finally, light shown brilliance to her face, revealing the underlying true person that was there all along. I think this is a great example of how many people should take the time to see the deeper meaning behind a more simplistic painting such as this one.
The painting that I preferred was The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer. I liked this particular painting because I think it portrays a strong woman working hard on a meal that is perhaps for her family. Upon first glance, I felt a sense of sadness. I felt sad because the woman in the picture doesn’t look happy or excited. She is not smiling nor showing an emotion in the painting. Viewing her clothing and surroundings she doesn’t look wealthy but she is still working hard preparing a meal with the materials that she has. The lighting and tone of this picture is bright and positive. The woman is viewed in bright color clothing and there is sunlight streaming through the window. Although I do not have a solid reason behind why I chose specifically this picture as opposed to the others, the picture just stuck out to me. I was attracted to the coloring and brightness of this particular picture. Overall, all the paintings were interesting but The Milkmaid particularly caught my attention and interested me.
3. Edgar Degas and Johannes Vermeer were considered two tremendous painters of their time. Degas was a French artist who was quite diverse in the type of art that he did. He is known for is exquisite painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculptures. Vermeer was a Dutch painter that focused mainly on portraying scenes that had to do with the society at that time. Both of their famous paintings are fascinating to look at, but are different in many ways. In Degas’s oil canvas, La classe de danse, Degas is trying to draw people’s eyes toward the background. When you first look at the canvas, your eyes look at the two girls in the front. As your eyes move you can see that there is a lot going on in the canvas. There are girls dancing to ballet, a man surrounded by ballet dancers, and a mirror that could be considered a focal point of the canvas. This is also seen in Degas’s painting called The Star. The largest image is the ballet dancer that is towards the front of painting. The background creates a joyful mood which really makes the canvas interesting. The background express bright color that I believe makes the whole painting fun. Both of these Degas paintings have to do with dancing. Vermeer’s paintings are similar to Degas’s paintings, but they are also very different. In Vermeer’s oil canvas The Milkmaid, Vermeer is trying to show what a normal job was at that time for women. He uses bright colors like Degas but he gets people to gaze toward the center of the canvas. It almost seems like the center of the canvas almost takes away everything else that is painted around the women. The Girl With The Pearl Earring by Vermeer is another example of the center being the significant part of the painting. In this painting, Vermeer makes the background dark which helps the center pop out and be bold. The image itself though is very powerful. When you take your first glimpse of the painting, you don’t realize that it is not real. The expression of the girl in the painting gives you a sense of fear in a way. Vermeer's paintings have to do more with things that happened during that time period. I believe that both of these famous artists try to depict real life. They are both realists in a way. The way in which they go about each painting is different. Degas uses the whole painting to express his art, while Vermeer uses the center point and bold colors to make you think about what the painting is trying to convey. To me, Vermeer's paintings were more interesting. I can look at his paintings and think about what he is trying to get across. When you look at Vermeer's paintings, you almost wish there was a story that went with it.
Between the paintings of Edgar Degas and Johannes Vermeer, I prefer the paintings done by the infamous, Edgar Degas. I could not pick a favorite of the two because they are both in a way the same, but both also so different. Both of the paintings have similarities and differences that make them fantastic pieces of art. At first glance I am drawn to these lightly colored paintings of beautiful and graceful dancers because dancing was a large part of my past. However, as I examine the works of art themselves, there is more beauty that reveals itself other than just the fluid lines of the dancers bodies. In, The Dancing Class, I truly appreciated the viewpoint from which the person viewing the painting was placed. In this painting, one viewing the work is positioned as an outsider looking in on one of the rehearsals of a ballet company. Another hypothesis of what Degas intent of the viewpoint may be another dancer, gathered around with the other dancers in the company, listening to the critiques that the instructor is giving. The small details in the painting also make it unique and stand out in my eyes mind. I enjoy how Degas gave each ballerina a different color bow around their tutus and has them standing in a different relaxed position. These relaxed position give a contrast to the rather strict art of the dance ballet. In the painting The Star, I enjoyed how Degas placed the viewer as a person that would be seated in the audience watching the ballet being performed in front of them. The use of light in this painting is exquisite as well. The ballerina is highlighted in light colors, just as a spotlight would highlight her in a true performance. I also enjoyed in this painting, the almost hidden people that are placed in the background, which gives the painting depth and makes it more interesting.
The painting I preferred is The Star 1878 Edgar Degas. First of all, the title really stood out to me. The way that I looked at the painting was that the “star” was the woman. She was the “star” because she is the main focus of the painting. The painting tells me a story of a beautiful woman dancing in the middle of a crowd of people. The people around her are in amazement and watch as she moves across the floor. In another perspective, it looks as if the woman is in a field with stalks around her. I think that Degas made the background look dull to really bring the focus on the woman, or dancer. The accent of red on the dancer brings out the boldness of her character. I think that Degas wanted this painting to represent the beauty and grace of the women of 1878. I think that he wanted to show how the 18th century was about performances of music and art. The painting also focused on the beauty of nature.
After studying Degas and Vermeer's paintings, I think Vermeer has the more lucid eye. All of the paintings have fairly simple titles that are self explanatory. Both artists created beautiful paintings. But after looking at both paintings, I think I like Vermeer's painting because of the focus on one thing. There is too much going on in Degas's painting called "La classe de danse." I like how in "The Girl With the Pearl Earring," Vermeer uses a black background and the shadow on the girl's back. The light colors on the girls skin helps the painting stick out. It looks like she is posing for a picture. Also at first glance of the painting, "The Milkmaid," I was amazed at how lifelike it is. It looks like a photo taken from a camera. The painting is very simple and easy to understand. Both the way the woman is dressed and by the title you can tell this is an old painting. The woman isn't really showing any emotion, just going through her everyday chores. Finally, I like the way Vermeer uses the window to shine so much light into the room. Overall both artists created great works of art but I like Vermeer's paintings more.
All four paintings by the two artists, Degas and Vermeer, are very creative and expressive. They all portray people with different feelings and expressions. Vermeer's paintings are much more detailed, however Degas' paintings allow the viewer to create a sense of detail through their own perspective. Degas creates the people in his paintings to be more elegant while Vermeer makes his simpler. It is easy to see how the artists tried to portray a certain idea or image in their paintings and their style hints to what they are trying to express. Vermeer gives a concrete image of the person while Degas is more abstract. Both artists paintings intrigue me but i would have to say that I like Vermeer's paintings more than Degas'.
In the story, A Lucid Eye in Silver Town written by John Updike, Jay and his Uncle Quin have a disagreement over their view of preferred artists. Jay believes that Vermeer, the Dutch, painter has a lucid eye. A lucid eye means that something is seen clearly. Uncle Quin disagrees and believes that the more lucid painter is Degas, a French impressionist. I have to agree with Uncle Quin and say that Degas has a more lucid eye. I think that Degas depicts a clearer understanding of the painting. Degas' paintings usually depict ballerinas. Ballerinas to me are graceful and elegant. In past years I was a dancer so I seem to have a connection more to Degas' ballerinas making pictures of them seem clearer. I do not believe that Vermeer has the more lucid eye because I think his paintings cannot be easily understood. Vermeer's paintings could have several different interpretations when looking at one. In Vermeer's painting "The Girl with the Pearl," nothing stands out to me when taking just a glance at the photo. When hearing the title i have a little more of an in sight because the girl in the painting has a pearl, but I still could make up several different stories about the painting. Degas' paintings have a direct understanding of what they are portraying just by a glance. I personally have a preference towards Degas', "The Star," painting. I prefer "The Star" painting because I have a certain connection to it. My connection to Degas' painting is memories from when I was a dancer myself. When I first glance at "The Star" I see a single dancer, looking towards the crowd with a sort of smile or smirk. To me, this relates to how any dancer feels when they enter a stage, full of life, energy and eagerness. The dancer in the picture is acting just like my favorite quote, "Dance like nobody's watching." The ballerina in the painting is "dancing like no one's watching" because she has the grace and presence of a beautiful dancer but also a sort of arrogance. The arrogance portrays this quote because she looks as if she is the best and is dancing as if no one is watching. In seeing this painting, it reminded me of myself on a stage "dancing like no one is watching."
Out of all the paintings by Vermeer and Degas, I prefer La classe de danse (The Dancing Class) 1873-1875 Edgar Degas oil on canvas. This painting shows dancers in their too-toos and ballet shoes. The painting shows an older man observing them and there is also a tiny puppy in the midst of all the dancers. I like this painting because it looks fun and exciting. All of the dancers look like they’re dancing to some sort of classical music. They are probably preparing for a bigger performance and looking to the older man for constructive criticism. All of the other paintings didn’t seem as lively as this one and there are a lot more people involved. I like the colors and the way each dancer looks like they are moving around in different positions. The fans in their hands and the colorful flowers in their hair also add to the painting. The other paintings didn’t catch my eye as much as this one did. I think dancing, or more specifically ballet, is a beautiful way of showing art. Dancing to music is one of the many ways we can show our true colors and feelings. Dancing allows us to use our energy on something that’s both beautiful and exciting. I really liked how Degas also showed some of the dancers on point with their toes and the way their arms are positioned to show the dramatic way of dancing.
3. Upon first glance, just as many of my classmates I’m sure, I found that I like the Vemeer paintings much more. They look very clean cut and just plain well done. The people have great lighting, every color seems to be perfectly chosen, and all of the details are exact. After looking at both sets of paints for a second time and then I third if find myself still leaning toward Vermeer as my preference but find that Degas has a very interesting approach. His brush strokes are playful and light. To me he has the general idea of what the painting should look like in the end but he still isn’t entirely sure. Vermeer is exact and on point with every drop of paint while Degas let the paint speak for itself. Degas view also seems to be more of a snap shot of real life, maybe with some minor tweaks to make the painting a tad more interesting but mostly real. Vermeer’s paintings on the other hand seem to be set up and properly executed; as if he told his subjects to do what people expect them to do and he will paint it. Vermeer and Degas are both wonderful artists in my opinion but while I like Vermeer’s paintings better, I like Degas’s approach to painting better. I like that Degas seems to just do what he wants and changes when he wants to. He is a free spirit. Vermeer seems to be a classically trained artist, someone who will paint what is there and if what is there isn’t perfect, he will modify it so that it is perfect and then his painting begins.
One of my favorite paintings would be Vermeer’s The Girl with the Pearl Earrings. This is my favorite one because of its simplicity. If you analyze it, the only color that stands out is the blue. The rest of the painting is mostly shades of brown, black or white, which are all neutral colors. Unlike Vermeer’s other painting (The Milkmaid) which uses bright colors such as yellows and whites, this painting uses more darker and neutral colors which gives it’s a more serious feeling or tone. Also, the painting easily depicts light. This is seen through the shadows shown mostly on her backside. The lighting is able to create more of a contrast with the colors. It always gives the character a more three-dimensional feel. The shadows and highlights in this oil canvas painting determine where the light hits when painting this girl. It can also determine the position she was sitting in when this was occurring. The focus of this painting, as stated in the title, would be on the girl’s earrings. This is shown by how hard the light hits one area of the earring then fades to silver or black drawing your eye towards it.
Personally, I like the first picture, La classe de danse (The Dancing Class) by Degas. In this canvas painting, there is an old Asian man standing in the middle of a dance studio with a dance class of about twenty young girls surrounding him. This painting is different than the other ones because it has more people in it. I think this painting stands out to me because it’s easier to make out what is what, the lighting, shadowing, and color are all good. When I look at the other paintings by both Degas and Vermeer, I can’t help but notice that they are not only very dark in color, but they look “lifeless.” The woman pouring milk looks miserable and the girl with the pearl earing looks glassy and emotionless. The other ballerina painting is not as “lifeless” as the milkmaid and the girl with the pearl earing, but it just strikes me as strange that she is dancing on the beach alone like that. The painting of the girls in the ballet class is not only rich in color and the lighting, but it has so much life within it compared to the others. Just by looking at the painting, you can tell that there is a lot of movement within it and the mood is more upbeat. You can’t really see the facial expressions of the dance class but they are dancing. Dancing is an activity that you do when you’re happy or really any emotion, but it always shows your emotion and passion. I like this painting the best because it is the happiest among the other three.
Personally, I like the first picture, La classe de danse (The Dancing Class) by Degas. In this canvas painting, there is an old Asian man standing in the middle of a dance studio with a dance class of about twenty young girls surrounding him. This painting is different than the other ones because it has more people in it. I think this painting stands out to me because it’s easier to make out what is what, the lighting, shadowing, and color are all good. When I look at the other paintings by both Degas and Vermeer, I can’t help but notice that they are not only very dark in color, but they look “lifeless.” The woman pouring milk looks miserable and the girl with the pearl earing looks glassy and emotionless. The other ballerina painting is not as “lifeless” as the milkmaid and the girl with the pearl earing, but it just strikes me as strange that she is dancing on the beach alone like that. The painting of the girls in the ballet class is not only rich in color and the lighting, but it has so much life within it compared to the others. Just by looking at the painting, you can tell that there is a lot of movement within it and the mood is more upbeat. You can’t really see the facial expressions of the dance class but they are dancing. Dancing is an activity that you do when you’re happy or really any emotion, but it always shows your emotion and passion. I like this painting the best because it is the happiest among the other three.
Mackenzie G. Purple
Of the four paintings my preference was "The Milkmaid" by Vermeer. I chose this painting to be my favorite because it is quite a mystery to me. You see the lady going about her duties but you also wonder what she is thinking. Upon first glance the painting makes me feel sorry for the girl. Maybe she does not want to be serving others but out doing somrthing for herself. The painting does not tell much of a story because as I said earlier it is a mystery, it makes you curious of what is going through her head.
To be honest I do not have much appreciation for art nor do I understand what artists are trying to get across in their paintings. Since I had to choose one I chose "The Milkmaid". This painting stood out to me most because unlike the others it had a great center piece and also an interesting background. To me, the other paintings seemed to blend in with eachother. "The Milkmaid" represented a young lady trying to get by her everyday life as a maid. I felt as if this painting does not have a true meaning but Vermeer wanted the audience to pick what they believed it stood for. I believe that it is a mystery and Vermeer wanted us to question what she was thinking. She could have been thinking about anything and that is what was left upon us to choose.I also like that Verneer still gave great detail to the background of the painting and not just the young lady. Vermeer wanted us to appreciate the whole painting not just any specific object.
All four paintings are excellent works of art in their own right. But when choosing between Degas or Vermeer, I prefer Degas' work over Vermeers. To me, Degas' art work has more life to them than that of Vermeer's. In Degas' "The Star" and "La classe de danse," the people portrayed in them are full of energy. It gives the painting a sense of movement. The dancers in both paintings are drawn in eloquently good form, position, and color. "The Star" is correctly titled because at first glance people will definitely recognize the star in the painting. She is at the center of attention and is the biggest part to the piece. Not to say that Vermeer isn't good at what he does, but I just prefer Degas' paintings because they give off a positive energy, in which Vermeer's paintings lack. Judging by the faces in all four paints, Degas has his dancers drawn with a magical smile, which Vermeer gave his "Milkmaid" and "The girl with the pearl erring" emotionless faces. It seems as if, they don't look too happy in their respective paintings. The Milkmaid looks bothered, and that's probably due to her job. I would be sad myself if I were to be a milkmaid. I based my decision solely on how the paintings made me feel and Degas definitely had a better vibe coming from his dancers. We can all agree that both men are very gifted with the paint brush, because we are still awed by their works of genius today.
The painting I like the most is The Girl With The Pearl Earring by Vermeer. The reason I enjoy this painting the most Is because of how real to life the girl looks. When I first looked this painting I couldn’t believe the lifelike quality it has. The girls in this painting looks so real that you can just picture the actual girl posing for Vermeer. I also like how the painting doesn’t try to pull you in with a whole bunch of colors, instead it focuses on the natural beauty of the girl. Another reason I like this painting best is because you can see the emotion in the girls face. In the other pictures all you get are some stock looking people, but in The Girl With The Pearl Earring you see a real person with real emotion. Compared to the other Painting this one caught my eye as being the most beautiful, and well painted. I can’t see the pure beauty and simplicity that I do in this painting with the others. That is why The Girl With The Pearl Earring is my favorite out of all the paintings.
3. I personally enjoy the paintings of Edgar Degas over the paintings of Johannes Vermeer. At a first glance I feel as though Edgar’s photos have much more life to them. There is much more going on and much more to look at. And when I first glanced at Vermeer’s paintings I felt slightly bored. This may be because there is not as much going on the picture. Some people like the simplicity of Vermeer’s photos. A photo of someone doing an everyday task can be very appealing to some people, but for me they were not. I enjoy a photo with many things going on within it. This helps to create a better story in my head because I have more details. Both artists are amazing painters but there is no question in my mind that I prefer Degas over Vermeer.
My favorite painting is “The Girl With the Pearl Earring”. I prefer this painting to the others because it is more simplistic and concentrates more on the beauty of a particular subject. At first glance the painting is rather haunting but once you look at it and recognize the beauty, the painting becomes more elegant and intriguing. It is hard to clearly tell the story of this painting simply by looking at it, however the girl in the painting appears to be a young girl in her teens who judging by what she is wearing is either a servant girl or does not have much money. After searching the painting I found out that the girl in the painting is about 16 years old and is actually a servant in the home of Johannes Vermeer, the painter of this particular picture. The story behind this picture is, Vermeer established a close bond with this young maid and introduced her to the world of art. Both Vermeer and the maid were raised in completely different backgrounds, they both have a very similar on things. The significance of the title of this painting is the pearl is a symbol of purity and innocence and beauty. While the young girl plays a symbolic role as well, we are not entirely sure who the girl is, whether she is Vermeer’s daughter or most commonly believed to be one of his maids. The young girl in the painting is carefully painted and exhibits such beauty and interest that some believe Vermeer specifically put more effort into this painting than some of his others. The dark background is used in this painting to emphasize and draw attention primarily to the young girl. Dark backgrounds were commonly used to isolate the figure from distracting elements.
My personal favorite painting of the four is The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer. Now, I am no art connoisseur, but I do appreciate art. Art portrays ideas and emotions depict the beauty of life. Unlike science, which strives to understand the world around us, art strives to show us how amazing life is. With this in mind, The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer is art. Vermeer is famous for his paintings of middle class life. It is appropriate that he would paint a picture of a milkmaid, a middle class domestic person. The beauty of the painting is how normal it looks. This may seem contradictory, but it is quite a feat to depict normal life. The lady in the painting has the perfect not too skinny but not obese look that many middle class ladies have. The lighting in the painting implies that the day is nice. It shines through out the room but does not bring a happy tone to the painting. The lady’s face sets the tone for this painting. Her face is dark and full of shadows. This may be an indication that she is unhappy, which then brings a gloomy tone to the painting. I would venture to guess that the lady is unhappy because of her position in society. She looks to be living in an era before woman’s right and equality. So, she probably does not have much power. She can be used as a representative of all the ladies of her time, and this painting then depicts the mood of middle class women in during the 1600s (the time period when the painting was made). That is what makes The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer extraordinary. Vermeer was able to take a simple task, like pouring milk, and turn it into a way to represent the women of the 1600s.
I like the last one "the girl with the pearl earring." I like it most because it is simple yet elegant. The woman in the painting seems quietly beautiful. The painting seems very real, something I thought the others lacked. Other than that I cannot explain why I like this painting. It struck me as different from the beginning, however. It is hard to articulate the exact feelings I receive from this painting. I feel that is has something to do with the gaze of the woman. It seems to grab you and hold you. The woman seems, to me, to have a look of ambivalence on her face. As if she were unsure how to feel about your presence. Also I noticed that her earring doesnt look like it is a pearl.
#2 The Star by Edgar Degas
I’m invisible. Hidden behind curtains where no one can see my pain. Tears threaten the pour but I wont let them. I’m stronger than that. I reach my ankle making sure I can still dance. I need to dance. I need to prove I am better than her. My eyes reluctantly go to her. The star. It makes me want to vomit. Her, the star? What a joke. It should be me on center stage doing the grand jete, not her. She doesn’t deserve the spotlight. Everyone knows I’m the best; it’s inevitable. My moves are smooth, my body glides, and I’m lighter than air. When I step stage everyone’s attention is on me. No one cares to remember what they were just talking about; all they care about is the story I tell with my body. I look to the audience and see boredom. Her moves are classic but not stunning. She has not emotion, no heart. I give it my all when I dance, not matter how small my role is. She’s off. A small applause but to her it’s huge. It’s my turn. My minuscule turn. Two girls come to my sides. They give me a look, annoyed. They want to be perfect and a girl who just got over her sprained ankle is anything less than perfect. I roll my eyes. I understand how they feel but they need to know how I feel. I am the victim. I fell to being one of them. A nobody. Or at least compared to what I was a nobody. Our arms link together, me in the center. Show time.
While observing the works of both Degas and Vermeer, I could not help but to greatly admire the painting of The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer. At first glance I was able to immediately see that Vermeer’s painting of the “common” person held some sort of symbolic meaning. After researching the work of art I was astonished by the depth of meaning that was behind each and every aspect of the painting and that is why I preferred Vermeer’s painting of The Milkmaid instead of the other painting displayed above. The Milkmaid captures a moment in the life of a kitchen servant as she prepares food, most likely bread or porridge. The Milkmaid is heroic working class figure who represents the strength of the people. The Milkmaid contains endless symbolic elements although they are not easy to identify at first glance. In particular one symbolic element stood out to me. On the floor behind the maid is a foot warmer, which was an object often used in Dutch pictures to suggest arousal because of its ability to direct heat up someone’s leg. And on both sides of the foot warmer, at the base of the wall, are two decorated tiles, one perceived as Cupid, and the other is a wandering man with a stick and knapsack. This symbolic element may lead you to the possibility of the thoughts that are going through her mind as tediously prepares the food. The woman may be turning her back on Cupid to focus on her work, or she may be beginning to daydream while preparing her batch of porridge. In my opinion, I believe that in The Milkmaid Vermeer not only shows respect but he also admires the industry of the woman, and the most wonderful thing is that she is also treated as a real person. The Milkmaid went against the social class of Vermeer’s time. Therefore, the main reason I found this painting appealing, after the research I had done, was due to the fact that Vermeer was a stand out artist of his time.
Out of all the paintings in this blog I like Vermeer's "The Girl With the Pearl Earring." I like this painting because it has good contrast between light and dark areas and the colors are very distinct from each other throughout the body, face, and the pearl earring. Vermeer’s painting makes you feel wonder at first, because you see an extraordinary painting done of a girl that seems to be wearing rags but looks content and almost smirking.
Compared to the other painting by Vermeer and the two by Degas I like the pearl earring because it is simple. It is a portrait of a girl that doesn’t seem to be dressed well or in clothes of the ‘upper class,’ but she still wears a bright white pearl earring. With the shadowing just behind the ear and the shimmer of the pearl Vermeer creates an illusion that the pearl may be brighter than it actually is. None of the other paintings besides the flowing milk in “The Milk Maid” give this kind of feeling. The girls face gives me, the viewer, a sense of personality. The way the eyes stare at you it seems as though Vermeer wanted the girl to be staring into you, not just at you. Vermeer also puts the girl in a position so that her body is looking away but her head it turned, looking back at you as if she wanted to tell y9ou something or heard you calling her name. None of the Degas or even the other Vermeer paintings given have that type of personal touch that you can feel like you are with the person in the picture. Even though the other Vermeer is simple as well, the portrait has one girl, no background, and the only real major artistic functions is the shadowing, which is done masterfully. As a person that likes photography and the art of it, I have respect for Vermeer painting a picture that seems life like. Most people cannot take a girl sitting in front of them and paint them on a canvas to have feeling like Vermeer does, and his art shows more emotion than a still photo could, even if they were both done in the same setting. Vermeer has a great sense of how to use his artistic abilities and makes the viewer feel like they could reach out and touch “The Girl With the Pearl Earring.”
1. I prefer the paintings by Degas, preferably the painting of the dancing ballerina. This is because the painting seems to tell more of a story, and seems more intense to me. Compared to the other paintings, to me the first thing that I think about would be freedom. The ballerina looks very free in the picture; dancing as if she doesn’t have a care in the world. There is also something very calming about the ocean, which is what I assume she is dancing next to. The beach has always calmed me when I’m in times of stress and when I look at the ballerina I can almost feel how peaceful she feels, especially by the tranquil expression on her face. When I first glance at the painting it makes me feel peaceful; almost as if I was there with her. The painting is called ‘The Star’, and that alone shows me that the ballerina is obviously meant to be some type of famous person, and I can also see that by the man in the background taking her picture. To me he is supposed to be paparazzi taking her picture as she is dancing on a beach. The color of the painting is nice light shades that provide a laid back tone to the painting. Another interesting factor is the other ballerinas in the background that seem to be ‘ghosts’. It makes me wonder if Degas meant for it to look like more ballerinas, or if he meant for it to look like those were some of her previous positions she was dancing in before the position she is in now.
I like "La classe de dase" by Degas. I love the colorful energy in this painting. I like how there is a lot going on in the painting and you really have to study it to fully see all of the activity going on within the painting. I love all of the dresses on the ballerinas in this painting. They all are similar but are different in one way or another. It is interesting the way the dance instructor is put in the middle of the painting. My eye seems to go to the ballerina that seems to be closest to me, but then it goes right to the man standing in the middle. All of the intricate activity and color going on in the painting is the last thing I notice. However, I studied this for a very long time because there is so much going on. I prefer this painting over "The Milkmaid" by Vermeer because of the energy in this painting. The Milkmaid does have a lot of detail, but this painting makes me feel lonely. The woman seems sad and lonely as opposed to all of the dancers in the first painting. The mood of the first poem is light and fun. The Milkmaid seems more gloomy and sorrowful.
I like the first painting of all the ballerinas in a dance class. I prefer this painting instead of the others because I myself am a ballet dancer and I enjoy looking at these masterpieces and knowing what is going on because i go through it everyday. Most likely in the painting, the old man is a company instructor or a dance teacher explaining to the dancers what they will do next. The ballet dancers listen attentively and then begin their training. This painting in particular is hanging on one of the walls in my own dance studio, so I see it a lot. I always wondered when I was a little kid if i would ever see this picture again or be in a ballet company. In all, I love this picture because I can relate to it and the beauty and stories it holds.
I really like the dancing paintings by Degas because they takes me back to my childhood. When I was a kid, I took ballet, and Degas' paintings truly speak to me. His art is typically brighter than Vermeer's, and that brightness gives off a happier ora. Vermeer's art is usually about servant and normal working-people. Considering I've never had a job or been lower-class, his art doesn't relate to me. The Star by Degas is my favorite of the four because it allows me to make up my own story about what is happening. I believe that a famous ballerina is practicing for a recital on the beach, and then the paparazzi finds her and starts taking pictures. I realize that this might not be close to what Degas was going for, but I like the idea that I can interpret it however I want. It would be way more difficult for me to find a story to go along with a Vermeer painting because they're just of peasants posing or doing work. Saying this, I find Degas' work more entertaining than the work of Vermeer.
#1 The painting I like the most is The Girl with the Pearl Earring, by Johannes Vermeer. I’ve always appreciated this work of art, as the look of the woman depicted in the painting manages to convey a mystical quality. The question that I frequently find myself asking when looking at the woman depicted is quite similar to when I look at da Vinci’s Mona Lisa – what is the expression on her face? Unlike The Milkmaid, the other Vermeer in question for this assignment, the girl is depicted with her mouth somewhat opened. Her teeth are exposed, and her dark eyes manage to stare down the viewer in a meaningful, attention-grabbing way. Perhaps the girl portrayed in the portrait is modeling. But I’ve always had the sense there is something very deep in this painting, a “hidden message” that Vermeer wants us, the viewers, to walk away with. As I look at the paintings of Edgar Degas, it becomes painfully obvious to me that Vermeer was the painter with “the lucid eye.” Whereas Vermeer’s paintings manage to tell a story or truly portray an emotion on canvas, the works of Degas seem to lack this. They are depictions of a scene (on a dancefloor, dancing in a field, etc.), but they fail to tell a story in the manner of a Vermeer painting.
If I had to choose which paintings I liked the most then I would pick Degas. In the paintings by Degas the characters and people look like they are enjoying and life are happy about what they’re doing, and in this case it’s dancing. In the La classe de danse and The Star painting by Degas, the color is bright and the settings look like places that are enjoyable. The colors and shades of paint in my mind can help you tell the mood of the painting and painter. Also in The Star painting by Degas I like how the women dancing on the is the only clear thing you can see because when dancers are dancing on the stage by themselves, they’re the center of attention and everyone is focusing on them. On the other hand Johannes Vermeer’s paintings look sad and depressing. Both ladies in The Milkmaid painting and The Girl With The Pearl Earring look like they don’t enjoy their life and are forced do things they don’t want to do. The settings can’t really help change my mind either because their both in dull and dark atmospheres that seem like a lot of life doesn’t come through. Also the women in Vermeer’s paintings don’t look as wealthy and happy as the women in Degas’s paintings. Maybe my mind would change if I saw different paintings by each painter that expressed different meanings.
I like the painting La Classe De Dance by Edgar Degas. I like this painting a lot because it is very realistic. It reminds me of many things, like being at family gatherings, dance recitals, or just being with friends. This painting with the guy in the middle really ephasizes his cane and the way he is the center of attention. I liked this painting more than the others simply because of the many people and the celebration they are celebrating. I do not like how it is not as colorful but it is still my favorite out of all of them. I like how the girls are all wearing dressing showing how they like to dress up. I also like it because it reminds me of the old days . I can see the celebration being celebrated in my mind as if the painting is moving. I really liked this painting a lot and would like to see more of his paintings.
1. In my opinion, I prefer the Degas painting "The Milkmaid" over the Vermeer painting "La classe de danse". My favorite difference is the color contrast that Degas uses more than in Vermeers painting. In "The Milkmaid" Degas uses a great blue and yellow color contrast that really draws the eye to the woman who is the main subject of the piece. However in the Vermeer painting, there is some color contrast but none of the colors are as lively and appealing to the eye. Degas seems to use thicker, and brighter colors whereas Vermeer, uses lighter and softer colors. I also prefer the clean, smoother look that Degas puts in his paintings. The paintings have such crisp look to them that they look very realistic. Vermeer's painting technique is a more watercolor effect. This look gives the painting an almost blurry vision to it. Though both are great artist, in my opinion I would much rather look at Degas paintings.
I prefer “The Milkmaid” and “The Girl With The Pearl Earring” by Johannes Vermeer to the Degas paintings. The reason for this is that Vermeer captures moments that you wouldn’t naturally find beauty in. While Degas seems to be bland and repetitive in comparison. Who would think that a women pouring milk could be transformed into a beautiful work of art? It takes great creativity and artistic genius. Whereas Degas takes something already considered a kind of art and just remakes it into a memory. Vermeer also incorporates a good mixture of colors into his paintings that stand out and capture the eye. While Degas uses too much white so that you end up focusing on that and cannot not enjoy the other colors. Vermeer’s paintings are clearer in the way that the actual figures in the painting are easy to see. Degas seems to blend his background into a blur to create a sort of “close up” of the characters in the painting. Vermeer captures the moments and characteristics of everyday life and turns them into a work of art. I can look at his paintings and really imagine the setting and moment in time where his paintings would have taken place. In Degas I can’t imagine the setting or moment in time because I have never been a dancer nor do I know much about it. So I see Degas’ paintings as boring and dull; they are just another picture too me.
Vermeer especially shows a good contrast of colors in “The Milkmaid” where the yellow and blue really complement each other and work together to form a painting that is nice on the eyes. This is my favorite because of the randomness of the actual idea of what is happening in the painting.
Out of all of the paintings, from both Vermeer and Degas, I personally like the work titled The Girl With The Pearl Earrings by Johannes Vermeer. I think that I like this painting the best because of how realistic it is. I prefer the realism that is portrayed in this painting to the more muddled edges found in the paintings of ballerinas by Degas. When I first look at this painting I almost thought that it was a photograph. Upon further investigation I could see some signs of the characteristics of a painting such as brushstrokes and shadowing, but Vermeer reproduced this real life scene flawlessly. The scene that this painting creates in my mind is one in which the girl presented in the painting is getting ready for a dinner party and she has just put on one of her pearl earrings before greeting her guests. I feel that this painting looks even more realistic due to the contrast in color between the girl and her backdrop. She wears a bright blue headband and a yellow dress which pop out of the empty black background. For these reasons I prefer this painting for its ability to satisfy my realist mentality.
VSanchez green said...
I really like Vermeer’s painting of The Girl With The Pearl Earring. The picture is exactly as the title suggests, just a girl with a pearl earring on a black background. You can barely see her ear, but you can see her pearl earring shining through the blackness. It captures a bright light, the same light seen in her eyes. The way she’s looking over her shoulder is very “in the moment”. She’s not posed like the Mona Lisa, it’s as if vermeer held a camera in his hands, called her name and as she turns her head, he takes the perfect picture, a natural picture. Her lips are very pigmented and softly parted but no teeth are showing. It’s as if maybe she wanted to say something. Maybe instead of being called, she turned her head to say something. She also has tired eyes. It must be late at night because she has shadows under her eyes. This just makes the painting look that much more natural, more “in the moment”.
Last year in French class, we learned out the French impressionist artists. I have heard of both Vermeer and Degas. I prefer Degas’ painting to Vermeer because I like his subjects better. To me, they are more intriguing for the kind of art the both paint. Vermeer’s subjects are more solitary and not as lively as those of Degas. My favorite painting is The Dancing Class by Degas. There are many aspects to the painting including the brightened color and many visible brush strokes. To me, Degas has a more lucid eye for detail, because off the many things integrated into the painting. There are many girl dancers, the background of the room, and the teacher. The painting seems like a real life scene that he sat in, and painted from real life. Both painters show that they have a lucid eye, however. Vermeer sees one subject at a time but highlights them in such a way that makes the viewer look directly at them. He uses shadows and dark colors to show off what he wants people to see.
The painting I like the most is The Milkmaid. I like it for all the detail that was put into it. Vermeer did more than just focus on the woman in the painting, he went into specific detail with the window, the bread, and even the extra materials on the wall that he added because he wanted to. That do not make the painting seen differently as they are kind of just there, but along with the rest of the painting you can tell the detail he puts into everything, insignificant to the painting or not. I prefer Vermeer over Degas for this reason. Degas’ paintings are good but he does not go into as much detail with everything in the whole painting as Vermeer. Vermeer looks at everything in the painting as significant in some way and puts the same amount of effort in across the whole thing. Degas’ painting is more centered on one part or person instead. This is shown in Degas’ painting of The Star. In this painting Degas focuses on the one dancer, and leaves the rest with not much detail or as much effort. I prefer Vermeer to Degas in both paintings and give Vermeer more credit as he sees the whole painting as significant, and Degas only focuses on what the painting is surrounded around.
Edgar Degas is a French painter and is known as a founder of impressionism. Degas, as an artist, seems to do a lot of paintings based around ballerina and the art of dancing. He takes the grace of dancers and it turns it into beautiful works of art. His use of a certain color that pops out of the painting is beautiful; for example, the blue in Rehearsal of the Scene. He is also known for the nude paintings of women. Johannes Vermeer is a Dutch painter who is known for his paintings of regular life. He paints people who are lower class and deemed unimportant. He used bright colors to bring to life the domestic lifestyle. He is well known as one of the greatest painters of the Dutch Golden Age. Though I admire Vermeer because he strays away from the norm and paints images most people of that time period considered unworthy to paint, I prefer Degas’ paintings. I like his style and colors much more over Vermeer’s. Vermeer’s colors are sharp and bold whereas Degas seems to blend his colors so they seem softer and prettier.
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