Asparagus by Adrian Coorte (active 1683-1707).
Sometimes still life painters concentrated on a particular item in order to give it their complete attention and immerse themselves in rendering it as close to the real thing as possible.
Art Therapy
Flower Beds in Holland, 1889 by Vincent Van Gogh.
One of the 150 paintings the Van Gogh produced while living in the psychiatric hospital in Saint-Rémy. He had converted a cell next to his into a studio so he could continue to work.
Best Wishes
The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck, National Gallery London.
Painted in the 15th century, this work is full of symbolism all meant to bring good luck to the marriage of this couple. van Eyck and his brother Hubert are often credited with inventing oil painting.
Blocks of Color
Composition by Piet Mondrian, Solomon R. Guggenheim, New York.
Working to build his paintings from the simplest elements of lines and basic colors, Mondrian believed that he could control the line and color and control the art. He was the leader of the De Stijl movement in art.
Fantastic Paradise
Garden of Earthly Delights, c.1504 by Hieronymus Bosch.
This painting has fascinated art and art history students for years. There is so much going on here and in his depiction of Hell, that one can study it for years and never totally understand it. He is so popular there is even a line of figurines.
Winter Memories
Winter Landscape with Skaters, c. 1608 by Hendrick Avercamp, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
A winter scene in a town with people playing on the ice and working. He liked to paint lively scenes with people all different types of things.
Breaking it Down
Composition 8, 1914 by Piet Mondrian, The Guggenheim Museum, NYC.
This is Mondrian's interpretation of a tree after seeing the cubist work of Braque and Picasso. He eventually took it to an even more abstract level.
Piet Mondrian Composition C (No.III) with Red, Yellow and Blue © 2007 Mondrian/Holtzman Trust c/o HCR International, Warrenton, VA