Aaron Holland Fine Art

Edward Willis Redfield
American
1869- 1965

Edward Redfield is all but forgotten today. In his lifetime, however, he had won more awards than almost any other living American artist, and was representing America on the International front.
So, what makes him so remarkable?

Edward Redfield painted his first winter landscape, en plein air, near the forests of Fontainebleau. It was there that he met the love of his life Elise Devin Deligant. They eventually married and moved to Pennsylvania (Redfield’s boyhood home) and had several children together. I would not be introducing the man without also introducing his family, as they are as much a part of his story as his paintings are.

Until the invention of the automobile (and his subsequent purchase), the middle part of Redfield’s life was spent within a two mile walk of his home. He bought a neglected home and about 100 acres next to the Delaware river in the small Pennsylvania town of Center Bridge. He and his Father repaired the foundations, refurbished the structure, and beautified the home. During this time of completely renovating his home, and raising a family, he was developing his skills as an artist through plain hard work and perseverance. His singular vision as an artist was: paint a place so that it “explains it at a glance not in a photographic way though because that left nothing to the imagination”. (Singularity of thought and vision would have helped him to maintain a consistent body of work for the 60plus years that he painted. It also helps the viewer to identify with what he is trying to convey.)

working entirely in plein air (outside), the paintings were completed in just one day. One Day. That is remarkable in itself, but by the end of his life he had gradually worked up to a canvas size that was almost 5 feet by 4 feet (or about 20 square feet of canvas)! He would walk to his location in the morning (carrying the large “sail like“ canvas AND all his equipment). He would set up his easel and paint until noon. He would then break for lunch before continuing another 5 hours before packing up and walking back home. This is where we see his mettle.

It is difficult to paint anything well in one go, and especially difficult to use tiny brushes to cover a large canvas in such a short amount of time. It is hard to believe, but there is documentation that Redfield had demonstrated his working methods publicly.

Elise passed away in 1947. With her passing went also the flame of vigor that seemed to define Edward’s career. He painted plein air once more, and then resigned to never paint outside again.

John Fabian Carlson
American
1875-1947

Trees were a preoccupation for John Carlson throughout his career. They became a primary element in almost all of his paintings. John Carlson gave human qualities to trees so as to convey emotions, such as quiet strength, dignity, solemnity, peacefulness, etc… This emotional aspect was rooted in fundamental truths that exist in nature.

“How do you paint a tree?” he asks, and then answers, “By understanding a tree”.

“…understand that trees are conscious, living things, with tribulations and desires not wholly disassociated from your own…A tree seldom or never encroaches upon the liberty of another tree, if it can be avoided…A tree recognizes that its liberties end where the next tree’s liberty begins. A tree never wastes its growth in unnecessary twisting, nor frivolous waste of energy. If a tree is seen to twist or turn (within its type’s specific scope), these turns and twists are intimately connected with, or in rapport with, the turnings and twisting of a neighboring tree. This engenders a certain rhythm of flow of related lines in a wood….”

“To the insensitive or unfeeling, a wood merely represents a heterogeneous multitude of vertical sticks…To the artist, the forest is a [place] of peace, of dancing shadows and sun-flecked green…
A tree is a highly organized entity, which, when functioning in its realm, becomes beautiful.”

When I listen to Carlson’s words and look at his pictures I find myself thinking about a slow, casual conversation with an old friend. I turn my head to the side slightly to grasp his meanings, and when I have them I must turn my head again to see if they apply in “real life”.
I rarely walk away from our “conversations” without the feeling that I am the better for it.

Carlson painted mostly winter landscapes. I assume that it was because he was so busy teaching at the John F. Carlson School of Landscape Painting in Woodstock, NY during the summer months, that this was the only time he could find to paint himself; However that is merely speculation. At any rate, the winter landscape is perfectly well suited to Tonalism (as would be an overcast or foggy sky).

Tonalism can be defined as an artistic style that emerged at the same time as Impressionism, but with an emphasis on mood, colored atmosphere, and subtle colors and values. John F. Carlson was known as a “Tonalist”. This can be observed in his delicate silvery colors, and moody atmosphere that is the most recognizable characteristic in his work.
In Carlson’s own words, “the light’s color cast diffuses itself over and into the colors of an object and thereby establishes a kind of unity or “tone” over the whole. Thus, there is a vast difference between a group of colors seen under yellowish light, and the same group under bluish light or between the same group seen by moonlight- the latter not only being for the most part greenish in cast but also very reduced in degree of light.”

Aside from light, trees may be the most important consideration when looking at a landscape painting. How they are painted can tell a lot about what the artist is trying to say, just as how the viewer reacts to them may tell a lot about him or her.

I was once told (and I believe it): “The more individual branches an artist paints the more introspective they tend to be, and likewise the more loose and painterly the more likely they have an extroverted personality”. Ask yourself this question: Do you find loosely painted, spontaneous “Impressionistic” trees more enjoyable to look at, or do you prefer the tight, highly-polished and detailed “Realistically” painted trees? Would you likewise define yourself as more fun-loving and whimsical, or more deliberate and careful in your planning? If you do not think this is an important question, then your answer is also very telling, and in all likelihood will never have stumbled across this blog.

Peter Paul Rubens
Flemish
1577– 1640

Religion was much more than a preference or an opinion; Religion was a way of life in the Baroque Netherlands. One cannot consider the art of the day, without first considering the religion of the day.

Catholicism and Protestantism have unfortunately been at odds for many centuries. This stems from differing worldviews. Martin Luther outwardly opposed some Catholic practices, thereby starting a rift that quickly divided Europe in half: Protestants in the North and Catholics in the South. John Calvin added some order and clarity to Luther’s ideals, and Calvinism sprang up across the land.

Catholicism was the majority religion in Antwerp from about 1560-1648. Peter Paul Ruben’s father was a lawyer in Antwerp, and a passionate Calvinist. Oppression forced him to seek work in Germany until his death. His mother returned to Antwerp shortly after his death and raised Peter as a Catholic. It was this Catholic upbringing that played a large part in Ruben’s success as an artist.

As far as the Fine Arts are concerned (which is where I will concern myself), Catholics tended to favor highly decorative worship spaces, while the Protestants preferred a cleaner, almost sterile space to worship.
A little background will help to understand how this came about.

Throughout Medieval times the only art to be seen was religious art, preferring symbolism to realism (the halo over a saint’s head originated then). The Renaissance, which followed, sought to depict the “Ideal Man” in a realistic and humanistic way. Shortly after the Renaissance period, emerged Protestantism, and with Protestantism came vastly different views about art and its connection to religion.

John Calvin stated emphatically that art had no place in the church, and that any depiction of biblical subjects was inappropriate. While the Catholic stance was entirely opposite, dictating that all art must be religious art. As a result of the Reformation, Northern Europe and Southern Europe developed two entirely different styles and temperaments towards Art. Northern artists specialized in portraits, and scenes of the everyday. The Southern artists painted graphic illustrations of martyred saints and depictions of major biblical figures and events.

Rubens success was largely due to his Catholic upbringing. The reason for this was primarily because of the burgeoning developments in the Catholic church that led to many commissions and patrons for the young artist. He was, in fact, to become the foremost painter of the Counter-Reformation. His painting “Raising of the Cross” and “The Descent From The Cross” are generally acknowledged as prime examples of this era. Protestant artists could choose to paint religious scenes, but this would have to be for their own pleasure, as churches did not commission them nor were there patrons. For Rubens, however, he was paid handsomely and commissioned often for his large paintings in the grand style.

Yet, It must have occasionally bothered Peter to think of his father, the passionate Calvinist, who surely would have disapproved of his life as an artist- even the most successful artist in all of Europe.

Isaac Levitan
Russian
1860-1900

"Birches"
( a poem by Robert Frost )

When I see birches bend to left and right
Across the lines of straighter darker trees,
I like to think some boy's been swinging them.
But swinging doesn't bend them down to stay.
Ice-storms do that. Often you must have seen them
Loaded with ice a sunny winter morning
After a rain. They click upon themselves
As the breeze rises, and turn many-coloured
As the stir cracks and crazes their enamel.
Soon the sun's warmth makes them shed crystal shells
Shattering and avalanching on the snow-crust
Such heaps of broken glass to sweep away
You'd think the inner dome of heaven had fallen.
They are dragged to the withered bracken by the load,
And they seem not to break; though once they are bowed
So low for long, they never right themselves:
You may see their trunks arching in the woods
Years afterwards, trailing their leaves on the ground,
Like girls on hands and knees that throw their hair
Before them over their heads to dry in the sun.
But I was going to say when Truth broke in
With all her matter-of-fact about the ice-storm,
I should prefer to have some boy bend them
As he went out and in to fetch the cows--
Some boy too far from town to learn baseball,
Whose only play was what he found himself,
Summer or winter, and could play alone.
One by one he subdued his father's trees
By riding them down over and over again
Until he took the stiffness out of them,
And not one but hung limp, not one was left
For him to conquer. He learned all there was
To learn about not launching out too soon
And so not carrying the tree away
Clear to the ground. He always kept his poise
To the top branches, climbing carefully
With the same pains you use to fill a cup
Up to the brim, and even above the brim.
Then he flung outward, feet first, with a swish,
Kicking his way down through the air to the ground.
So was I once myself a swinger of birches.
And so I dream of going back to be.
It's when I'm weary of considerations,
And life is too much like a pathless wood
Where your face burns and tickles with the cobwebs
Broken across it, and one eye is weeping
From a twig's having lashed across it open.
I'd like to get away from earth awhile
And then come back to it and begin over.
May no fate willfully misunderstand me
And half grant what I wish and snatch me away
Not to return. Earth's the right place for love:
I don't know where it's likely to go better.
I'd like to go by climbing a birch tree
And climb black branches up a snow-white trunk
Toward heaven, till the tree could bear no more,
But dipped its top and set me down again.
That would be good both going and coming back.
One could do worse than be a swinger of birches.

Albert Bierstadt
German-American
1830-1902

Albert Bierstadt not only captured the beauty and feeling of the new American Frontier, but he captured the spirit of American imagination, at a time when people were hungry for it.

The years between 1850-1900 proved to be a time of great change in American history. During this 50 year period, fifteen states were added to the union; The telegraph, the incandescent light bulb, the telephone, and the first mass-marketed camera, were all newly patented; Gold was discovered in California; the Union Pacific Railroad met the Central Pacific Rail. And during the middle of all this, the Civil War.

People were flocking west in droves…

The westward expansion and settlement of the new America was being talked about in all the major newspapers. They described the majesty of the west: the mountains, the valleys, and the rivers. Unable to see it firsthand, most Americans must have found these sights difficult to visualize, especially those who lived in the crowded cities.
It is important to remember that, although the camera was now available to a large audience, the photos were made using glass plates. The long, bumpy treks to the west coast and back would have made saving these pictures extremely difficult, not to mention that they could only be printed in black and white. A well-painted canvas in full color would certainly have seemed especially stunning! (perhaps even worth paying admission to see).

Albert Bierstadt was born in Germany, but migrated with his parents to New Bedford, Mass. when he was only three years old. When Albert was in his early twenties he went to Germany to study painting from the notable “romantic landscape” artists. He returned to America a mature artist in his late twenties. He had by then a much more developed talent than many of his contemporaries, who were also attempting to paint the new territory.

Although Bierstadt was reportedly happily married, he took many long trips out west to see the new country for himself, and to paint small, quick sketches to be used as references for finished paintings. His reputation as the premier painter of the American West was firmly established after his first exhibition of paintings of the Rocky Mountains. His large, illustriously detailed canvases fetched upwards of $25,000; a price that was then unheard of. It is said that Bierstadt’s talent for self-promotion also helped to cement his reputation with the public; a reputation which he enjoyed for over thirty years.

Immensely wealthy and successful for most of his career, tragedy struck later in his life. After the death of his wife, circumstances forced Bierstadt to file for Bankruptcy. A marriage a short time later lasted until his death, only five years later. A small gravestone in a rural New Bedford cemetery marks his passing.

Bierstadt paintings are now highly prized by museums across the United States, and remain an immense attraction for visitors. If a Bierstadt painting does come up for auction, which is rare, they continue to fetch increasingly higher prices. The fact that Bierstadt’s paintings are still highly regarded, is not only a recognition of his great gifts as an artist, but is a testament to nature’s timeless beauty…

Tiziano Vecellio
better known as Titian – ( Tish’n)
Italian
1473-1490

There were times throughout history when some artists were shown respect and celebrity much like professional athletes are shown now. There were also times in history that saw great and bold proclamations of firmly held convictions; Commissions were given precedent by leaders of nations to inspire and reflect the values of the day… and to educate. The Renaissance was such a time.

“Renaissance” literally translates as: Re-birth or Re-vitalization.

The 1500’s saw a re-birth of ideals, learning, and religious fervor. The true leaders of the country were not necessarily the kings, but rather the leaders of churches. The most powerful tool for communicating their message was through artwork, which explained without words the message of the Bible. This was important because a majority of the people were illiterate. This means of illustrating the Bible was easy to understand and to remember. Beautiful artwork also added richness and elegance to a sanctuary, in a way that proclaimed the wealth of a nation to visitors and countrymen alike. The artwork was, of course, not intended for worship themselves, but to help prepare hearts for worship.

Titian was one of the forerunners of the Italian Renaissance, stepping out from medieval thought into the bright world of the Renaissance; His colorful pictures bear testimony to this transition. If I may make a rather poor analogy… Titian’s paintings were somewhat like the Wizard of Oz movie at the point where it goes from black and white to Technicolor. This is a crude but deliberate attempt to help you see his contributions to the art world.

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Titian was known as a “colorist”. The Renaissance was a time where art and science overlapped, and both were still considered at that time to be a “study of life”. Titian was not an architect like Michelangelo or an inventor like DaVinci he was simply a painter. When I recall to mind paintings from the Renaissance I usually think of the “Brown School” of painting- a term which adequately describes the color of many of the pictures. Titian however, stands out in stark contrast to his surroundings, much like his colorful paintings stand out in contrast to their surroundings. Visual phenomena such as perspective, foreshortening, and symmetry were being discovered for the first time by a large audience. “Light” was a fascinating subject for many Renaissance artists, and the notion that “light” and “color” were inseparable started to be applied in the form of pigment on canvas. This was one of Titian’s primary concerns, and the one for which he is most remembered.

It was Titian’s ability to create “luminosity of color” that remains so impressive. To make a picture seem like it glows with its own light source was a new convention. This effect, and his skillful manner of execution, combined with an understanding of color theory, has stood for 500 years almost unrivaled by artists of the following generations. Reproductions of Titian’s paintings will hardly do them justice.

This technical mastery and forceful storytelling style earned Titian superstar status in his day. He was famous, and wealthy and had all the trappings of worldly success. When Titian was almost 90 years old he was struck down by the plague, which was sweeping across much of Europe. Against the current decree concerning the victims, Titian was given a magnificent funeral and buried in the Frari- the same church that houses many of his finest religious paintings.

“Pentecost” oil on canvas, by Titian

• detail of the ‘Assumption of the Virgin’ courtesy of
  The Art Renewal Center