Comparison Of Wtewael'S And Van Huysum'S Artworks

I have paid a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts and found two interesting paintings and a historical photograph. All three items had their own different meanings, were all created by different artist, and were created at a different time period. Each one of them hold a special meaning in which help our everyday life.

The first artist is Joachim Anthonisz Wtewael, he created a painting called “Woman Selling Vegetables”. This artwork was made in 1618 this painting is about 397 years old. To create this painting Joachim Anthonisz Wtewael used the traditional oil painting technique in which charcoal or thinned paint is being mixed with linseed oil which makes the paint thinner. This painting is a representational because it depicts physical appearance of reality, like the people, fruits, and objects. On this painting, he uses colors like maroon, purple, black, grey, and a dark green on the fruits and vegetables to show that where they are standing at is dark. The only light colors that are being shown are on the old lady’s skirt, shirt, skin, and some of the vegetation around her. Wtewael used lighter colors on her to create an illusion of a light streak shining in her direction. Most of the lines that Wtewael used on this painting were light, thin, and analytical lines. The lines were shown on clothing, face, hands, on the table, chair, baskets, fruits and vegetables. Also Wtewael had everything on scale, everything from afar where smaller than that objects closer just like it should be. The painting look to have a smooth surface thanks to the thin paint used.

I think the artist made this painting to show how one bad apple can spoil the rest of the other apples. This painting is a type of a warning for the people, it’s basically showing how bad influences can spoil a person. Wtewael had several other painting related to religion, therefor I believe that this painting has a religious meaning to it. Like for example in (Proverbs 13:20) it says, “He that is walking with wise persons will become wise, but he that is having dealings with the stupid ones will fare badly.” This painting is a social message to everyone, to old or young people around the world.

Through the research I have done I think the artwork is very valuable. I think that Joachim Anthonisz Wtewael successfully communicated his great message through his artwork, because this is a wise message for all people for all ages. If I had an opportunity of changing this artwork I would change the appearance of the old woman, I would make the woman much more younger and prettier , because it would include another wise quote “Trust not too much to appearances, don’t always trust what you see , even salt looks like sugar.” I chose this artwork to write about because this painting represents something that has been drilled into my head ever since I was a child, bad company damages good character. When I first say the painting I thought it was showing what people did on their everyday life on the year of 1618.

This visit to the Museum of Fine Arts has shown me valuable life quotes that benefited not only me but the people how has understanded it.

Then there is Jan van Huysum, a Dutch artist, who created an amazing painting called “Still Life with Flowers and Fruit”. This painting was made in 1715, this artwork is 300 years old. To create this painting Jan van Huysum used oil on panel made of wood. “Still Life with Flowers and Fruit” is a representational artwork because it reveals something that is easily identified by any person around the world. The subject matter of this artwork are the flowers that are on the center of the panel. On this painting, Jan van Huysum uses light shades of pink, green, yellow, and red to highlight the roses, sunflowers, leaves, and grapes. He also uses dark colors on the painting but only places them on the flower near the top of the panel to create an illusion of a shadow. He, Huysum, uses bright colors to create an illusion that they are closer to any viewer while the dark colors makes the flowers look farther away from the viewer. Huysum uses lines in which are light and thin and expressive all in which created the delicate leaves, fruits, and flowers. Since Jan van Huysum painted on the wooden panel with a thin oil paint, he was able to make the artwork’s texture look smooth.

I think the artist made this artwork to show how we should focus on every single detail in life. I think what he was trying to communicate was that everything thing in life is temporary so we should look around and value everything we see around us. I believe this because the artwork portraits flowers, all flowers are beautiful but with time they begin to wilt and eventually it dies. All of this sounds reasonable however with some research being done; the artwork does not display any social idea or personal issue.

This artwork is extremely beautiful due to all of its well painted details and colors. However if I ever had the chance of changing the artwork I would add a child admiring the flowers and fruits, the child would somehow represent Huysum and how he admires flowers. I think the reason why I choose this artwork to write about was because it reminded me of how my parents tell me every single time how we don’t know what we have until its gone so we have to value it while it’s in our hands . The first thing I thought when I walked up and saw the painting I thought it was a photograph instead of a painting.