This paper is an art critique of three artworks observed at the San Antonio Museum of Art situated in Texas
The artworks are done by a single artist, John Marin. The critique examines various elements in the artworks to determine what they mean or the message that the artist intended to pass to the audience.
Two Sloops on a Squally Sea (1939)
Museum: San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio, Texas
Title of Exhibition: Summers in Maine
Date of Viewing: 24 November 2018
Date of the Drawing: 1939
Collection: Charles Butt
Description of the Painting
The painting is an oil on canvas painting by John Marin. The painting is titled Two Sloops on a Squally Sea (1939) and mainly comprises of dull colors. The painting action of the artist is also visible on the artwork and it is difficult for the audience to miss the movements of the brush. The painting shows the sea with moving water and boats, an indication that it is slightly windy. The dull color used for the water and the sky creates a dull mood even though the beach is mainly associated with happiness. The blue of sea water is inconspicuous as the painting is dominated by the dull grey color. Lines in the painting are mainly rough as a result of the painting action of the artist. The painting is a modern landscape painting because of the minimal use of bright colors. The painter, John Marin, is also a modernist painter.
Interpretation
The painting is generally dull because of the use of grey which is a dull color. The artwork, therefore, creates a dull mood because of the choice of color. The artist may have selected this type of approach to color in the painting as a reflection of his mood. Artworks can often reflect the personal feelings of painters. The action of the brush that is clearly visible in the painting further reinforces this perception. The roughness of the texture may be an indication that the artist was not in a state of mind to be delicate with his brush. However, the painting may also be a reflection of what the artist was observing at sea. John Marin moved to Maine in the summer of 1914 and painted along the West Point coast. The artist may have merely been painting from observation. The dull color may be a reflection of what Marin observed when he was painting the artwork. He tried to capture as many details as possible including the weather, the objects on sea such as boats, and the movement of water. The painting is thus a vivid description of what the artist observed while walking along the coast. The artwork can, therefore, be regarded as an artist’s observation with no hidden meaning. He uses the painting to provide a window into his observations during his time at the coast by trying to capture as many details as possible.
The Brooklyn Bridge - 1944
Museum: San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio, Texas
Title of Exhibition: The Brooklyn Bridge
Date of Viewing: 24 November 2018
Date of the Drawing: 1944
Collection: Arkansas Arts Center Foundation Collection
Description
The Brooklyn Bridge (1944) is a sketch made by John Marin using graphite on tracing paper. The painting is full of clutter and it is difficult to relate some of the objects to real-life phenomena. The audience can, however, identify a bridge which dominates the sketch and seems to be the main subject. The bridge is located in a metropolis because there are skyscrapers and buildings seem to be closer together. The artist has used graphite, a factor that has made the artwork monochromatic. The choice of the painting tool and color has made it difficult to distinguish many objects from each other in the painting. The style of artwork is modern landscape drawing because technology is a dominant feature in the artwork. The artist also manages not only to draw the bridge but also to capture the landscape.
Interpretation
The artwork is difficult to interpret for an audience that does not have knowledge of the artist’s work or life history. The sketch is characterized by clatter and the use of a single color makes it challenging to identify different objects in the artwork. For instance, it is difficult to determine whether the bridge goes over water or dry land. The use of different colors such as blue for water and green for vegetation could have significantly enhanced the clarity of the artwork and made it easier for the audience to identify different objects in the sketch. In its current state, it is difficult to make put these images.
Alternatively, the artwork creates the impression of an artist with technical knowledge regarding the construction of bridges. The sketch also looks like an infrastructure plan for a metropolis. The artist might have drawn the sketch to provide a blueprint for the construction of a bridge.
Overall, the artwork is difficult to interpret due to the clutter that defines it. There are mainly two perceptions drawn from observing the sketch. The first is that the artist was simply capturing an image of a bridge through observation and decided to draw a sketch of it and the surrounding landscape. The second perception created is that the artist is an urban planner and the sketch is his proposed plan for a bridge in an urban area. Unless the audience understands the history of the artist, it is difficult to know exactly what he intended to achieve with the artwork.
Landscape, Ramapo Mountains, New Jersey, 1942
Museum: San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio, Texas
Title of Exhibition: Exploring America
Date of Viewing: 24 November 2018
Date of the Drawing: 1942
Collection: Arkansas Art Center Foundation Collection
Description
The painting titled Ramapo Mountains was done by John Marin in 1942. The artwork is watercolor over graphite on textured watercolor paper. The subject of the artwork is a mountainous landscape because the painting mainly focuses on the mountains in the middle and background. The dominant colors are green, blue, and brown. The green color mainly captures the vegetation while the brown color captures earth. The blue has been used to indicate the sky. The use of these three colors show that the painting is characteristically a contemporary landscape painting. The lines in the painting are smooth and this has given the artwork a generally smooth texture. Looking at the painting, one gets a serene feeling because the landscape seems to be peaceful with no indications of disturbance from elements of modernism such as vehicles and buildings.
Interpretation
The title of the painting shows that it was painted from observation or memory. John Marin explored America and often captured many of the things that he saw. The Ramapo Mountains are situated in New Jersey, the home of Marin. The painter, therefore, captured some of the scenery and immortalized his observations by painting them. The painting is also greatly detailed, an indication that it was likely painted from observation. On close observation one notices how the artist went to great lengths to capture small details such as the position and colors of shrubs. The painter may have intended to showcase his home area and allow audiences to have a glimpse of the natural beauty of the scenery. The painting is most likely a tribute to his home state because he chose to paint a landmark that most people are familiar with in the United States. The painting can also be a reflection of the desires of the painter. The serenity presented by the natural scenery may be something that he longs for in a world largely defined by modernity. Capturing the essence of nature, therefore, reminds him of the things that he longs. Marin is known for traversing the United States and this was not the only landscape painting that he did. His desire for the rural and serene life of the countryside may have, therefore, motivated him to paint and immortalize this image. The painting can also be a reflection of his desire for adventure. With his constant movements, Marin may have been in a constant search for adventure. The painting may, therefore, offer insights into his love for adventure.
