Works of Art I Know

Flowers
Jan Van Huysum
1722
Dutch

5 O'Clock Shadow: Green Heron
Pamela Askew
2008
American

How are these paintings similar? Different?
These paintings are both oil on canvas. They are similar in a way because they include nature as the main focus. They are different because in the first painting by Jan Van Huysum the emphasis on the flowers is created by placement: the flowers are in the center of the canvas and take up most of the space. In "5 O'Clock Shadow: Green heron" the emphasis comes from the trail of white lily pads that lead to the yellow object.

How are the artists visions the same?
I think that both artists are trying to capture the beauty of nature through these paintings. I also think that the color was very important to these painters. In "Flowers", the colors of the flowers needed to have a big range so that the viewers can focus on all the flowers instead of their eyes lingering on certain few. In Pamela Askew's painting, the contrast between the lillies and the water was key so that the lily's could stand out and lead the viewers to the object.