Appreciation of world famous paintings（B）

The theme of the portrait painting "Hay Wain" came from an old Netherland proverb: “world is a haystack, everyone can do what he wants to ”Today, we can see in the picture: angels and demons kissing, the prodigal sitting on the nun's lap and flirting with her, monster playing the instrument,the virgin praying...the vehicle followed by pope, king and common people. they're all cheerful, some run to the front, some jump between the wheels, and some have been crushed to death. at here, human and animal intermixed together, they fighting, playing, very absurd and odd. However, in the blue sky, appeared a skinny Christ, he standing in the yellow clouds and looking down everything. Obviously, the painter is just using the Christ's eyes to see this bizarre world, it is full of Good and Evil, Truth and False, Beauty and Ugliness. To the world, West lampoons it mostly with his artistic language. So, we can see the illusion, which appeared in West's painting, is actually from his deep observation to the reality ,he just add it a romantic performace, and then make it a unique artwork.

The artist, Victoria Mayer's works

Victoria Mayer,is the third important representative in seventeenth-century Dutch painting, who was buried up for two centuries since his death. Victoria Mayer is a great unique artist after Hals and Rembrandt in the mid-seventeenth century. with the gradual loss of democratic traditions, the Dutch city of Delft turn into an advanced arts center, and John Mayer Nice • Victoria (1632 ** 1675) was born in the city and spend all his life here. Although this great painter was known by people in his lifetime but he was impoverished, heavily in debt, when was the prime of life, but suddenly passed away, lived only 43 years old. After the death, he had been forgotten, just until the mid-nineteenth century, was rediscovered by the art critics. and then became famous ,was given the rightful place. He was known as the "sleeping for two centuries Division Finks "and" the painter like a mystery. " His life was gradually discovered by people.

Victoria Mayer was born in a middle class family. His father run a inn and sell paintings at the same time. According to research, he ever learned painting from Rembrandt's most talented disciple. In 1653,he officially became the hometown's artist, joined a guild. In 1663 and1669,was twice elected as the association president. But he was strapped economy. 1672, in order to pay the heavy debt, he sellt his father's inn. After the death, he still left a large debt. The hard life may related to his many children. It is said, he has total eleven children. According to the experts, there're 34 authentic existences among all the portrait painting he left, and the rest 30 or more pieces were fakes.

Among the 34 works, except for a few portraits, landscapes and religious paintings, the majority were custom paintings, which describing the citizens' daily life, especially is the middle-class family dominated women's lives. Showing them read the letter, playing the piano, knitting and all sorts of chores. "pour milk maid" is one of them, but also representatives of Mayer-dimensional works. This portrait painting was created in 1658,simple composition, clean cut, plain environment. The maid look healthy and strong, she takes the apron corner up, preparing the breakfast, pouring the milk. The kitchen is very simple, the left wall has a window, hanging rattan basket and lantern. some food intricately arrayed on the table, the whole picture seems simple, quiet and ordinary. there's no intriguing plot, but all show a sincere life. Painter notable is the scene through the day to discover the poetry of life, the simple lyrical style to move his audience.

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