The Art of Painting

The Art of Painting, also known as The Allegory of Painting, and or Painter in his Studio, is a famous 17th century oil on canvas painting by Dutch painter, Johannes Vermeer. Many art historians believe that it is an allegory of painting, hence the alternative title of the painting. It is the largest and most complex of all of Vermeer's works.[1]

The painting is one of Vermeer's most famous. It offers a realistic presentation of an artist's workplace, and is notable for its depiction of light as it illuminates the interior.Elements

The painting has only two figures, the painter and his subject. The painter is thought to be a self-portrait of the artist, though the face is not visible.

A number of the items shown in the artist's studio are thought to be somewhat out of place. The marble tiled floor and the golden chandelier are two examples of items which would normally then be reserved for the houses of the well-to-do.

The map in the background is of the Seven United Provinces of the Netherlands, flanked by views of the main centres of power. It was published by Claes Janszoon Visscher in 1636.Symbolism and allegory

Experts attribute symbolism to various aspects of the painting. The subject is the Muse of History, Clio. This is evidenced by her wearing a laurel wreath, holding a trumpet (depicting fame), possibly carrying a book by Thucydides, which matches the description in Cesare Ripa's 16th century book on emblems and personifications titled Iconologia.

The double headed eagle, symbol of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty, former rulers of Holland, which adorns the central golden chandelier, may have represented the Catholic faith. Vermeer was unusual in being a Catholic in a predominantly Protestant Netherlands. The absence of candles in the chandelier might represent the suppression of the Catholic faith.

The map on the back wall has a rip that divides the Netherlands between the north and south. (West is at the top of the map, as was the custom.) The rip symbolizes the division between the Dutch Republic to the north and the Habsburg controlled Flemish provinces to the south. The map by Claes Jansz Visscher (Nicolaum Piscatorem) shows the earlier political division between the Union of Utrecht to the north, and the colonies to the south.[2]

Salvador Dalí refers to "The Art of Painting" in his own surrealistic painting The Ghost of Vermeer of Delft Which Can Be Used As a Table (1934). On Dali's painting we can see the image of Vermeer viewed from his back re-created as a strange kind of table.

The Heart of Africa

The Heart of Africa is a stirring landscape of one of the world's most beautiful and wild places. The viewers of this piece will suddenly feel that they have been transported to very nearly another world as they gaze across the savanna at distant mountains and a blazing sunset. Central to The Heart of Africa is the figures of elephants wandering across the horizon, casting hulking shadows on the dusty ground, rising above these majestic figures are several trees that lean into the pink colors of the sky and against the dark, lingering presence of the mountains that curve gracefully in the background. This painting depicts the most pleasing of landscapes- one that is soft around the edges, brimming with life, yet extremely soothing to look at. The scene is one that settles the soul, as much as it can ever be settled. The painting has an overwhelming sense of atmosphere and peace, and thus, The Heart of Africa will make a charming and consoling addition to any room regardless of its purpose- from a dining area to a living space, this painting will not fail to create make its presence meaningful.

While the subject of The Heart of Africa is a very straightforward (while still compelling) landscape, the layout of the piece is extremely interesting and will throughly engage fans of modernist art. This painting is spread out across five separate canvas panels, The panels vary in size, starting quite small at the fringes of the piece, and building to great length near the center, before diminishing again on the opposite side. This composition allows the eye to smoothly move across the terrain presented in The Heart of Africa, as well as allows the viewer to re-envision the scenery through a more modern lens. Not only does the design of this painting lend it a modern flair, but it increases the possibilities to explore this original canvas painting. Due to the separate pieces of The Heart of Africa, it can be hung (and thus experienced) in many different ways, creating an ever changing, ever interesting visual experience. If you would like to find more paintings that depict traditional scenes from the cradle of life, you may want to explore our African Canvas gallery, a painting you may also enjoy if you like The Heart of Africa is Fading Light, a painting that shares many of the same hues and sentiments as this painting. The Heart of Africa is a stirring landscape of one of the world's most beautiful and wild places. The viewers of this piece will suddenly feel that they have been transported to very nearly another world as they gaze across the savanna at distant mountains and a blazing sunset. Central to The Heart of Africa is the figures of elephants wandering across the horizon, casting hulking shadows on the dusty ground, rising above these majestic figures are several trees that lean into the pink colors of the sky and against the dark, lingering presence of the mountains that curve gracefully in the background. This painting depicts the most pleasing of landscapes- one that is soft around the edges, brimming with life, yet extremely soothing to look at. The scene is one that settles the soul, as much as it can ever be settled. The painting has an overwhelming sense of atmosphere and peace, and thus, The Heart of Africa will make a charming and consoling addition to any room regardless of its purpose- from a dining area to a living space, this painting will not fail to create make its presence meaningful.

While the subject of The Heart of Africa is a very straightforward (while still compelling) landscape, the layout of the piece is extremely interesting and will throughly engage fans of modernist art. This painting is spread out across five separate canvas panels, The panels vary in size, starting quite small at the fringes of the piece, and building to great length near the center, before diminishing again on the opposite side. This composition allows the eye to smoothly move across the terrain presented in The Heart of Africa, as well as allows the viewer to re-envision the scenery through a more modern lens. Not only does the design of this painting lend it a modern flair, but it increases the possibilities to explore this original canvas painting. Due to the separate pieces of The Heart of Africa, it can be hung (and thus experienced) in many different ways, creating an ever changing, ever interesting visual experience. If you would like to find more paintings that depict traditional scenes from the cradle of life, you may want to explore our African Canvas gallery, a painting you may also enjoy if you like The Heart of Africa is Fading Light, a painting that shares many of the same hues and sentiments as this painting.

Rose Blossom

This whimsical painting incorporates a variety of tones and styles to create a very charismatic scene of a rose in bloom. This original canvas painting marries many different styles- from it's slight pop art appeal to it's very traditional theme. It is these distinctive and contrasting elements that make Rose Blossom such a joy to behold. This paint is a true celebration of every facet of painting- it's joyful colors, it's distinctive, changing lines, it glorious subject matter and unique touches give it a jubilant air that will engage and charm any otherwise passive art viewer. This canvas painting's primary color is rich, dusky red that give it a pleasant and luminous glow. It also skillfully incorporates lighter colors such as white to highlight certain elements of the piece that draw the eye of the viewer. The arching lines of the organic figures framing the main subject lend the painting a smooth, natural feel and are very attractive. The main attraction of the piece- the beautiful blooming rose- is depicted in a robust and dramatic way that is truly compelling and interesting for discussion. This painting is so diverse from inch to inch that it will never get old to look at.

This original canvas painting comes on one large canvas that suits the vast and amazing scene at hand. It's style and easy beauty translates well on a single canvas and allows the eye to explore uninhibited the maze of the flower that we are presented with here. The painting's fully imagined world and unique style make it well suited for spaces needing a bit more character or for a wall that you would like to add emphasis to. The painting's smooth and contrasting lines will compliment and add dimension to many different wall spaces and colors and it's whimsical scene will brighten even a windowless room! If you are interested in seeing more paintings like this one you may want to take a look at the Wine Canvas gallery where you will find similarly bright and buoyant original canvases. A piece that shares many parallels with Rose Blossom is Serene Lilac Scene, an airy painting that brings together a variety of styles and subjects. This whimsical painting incorporates a variety of tones and styles to create a very charismatic scene of a rose in bloom. This original canvas painting marries many different styles- from it's slight pop art appeal to it's very traditional theme. It is these distinctive and contrasting elements that make Rose Blossom such a joy to behold. This paint is a true celebration of every facet of painting- it's joyful colors, it's distinctive, changing lines, it glorious subject matter and unique touches give it a jubilant air that will engage and charm any otherwise passive art viewer. This canvas painting's primary color is rich, dusky red that give it a pleasant and luminous glow. It also skillfully incorporates lighter colors such as white to highlight certain elements of the piece that draw the eye of the viewer. The arching lines of the organic figures framing the main subject lend the painting a smooth, natural feel and are very attractive. The main attraction of the piece- the beautiful blooming rose- is depicted in a robust and dramatic way that is truly compelling and interesting for discussion. This painting is so diverse from inch to inch that it will never get old to look at.

This original canvas painting comes on one large canvas that suits the vast and amazing scene at hand. It's style and easy beauty translates well on a single canvas and allows the eye to explore uninhibited the maze of the flower that we are presented with here. The painting's fully imagined world and unique style make it well suited for spaces needing a bit more character or for a wall that you would like to add emphasis to. The painting's smooth and contrasting lines will compliment and add dimension to many different wall spaces and colors and it's whimsical scene will brighten even a windowless room! If you are interested in seeing more paintings like this one you may want to take a look at the Wine Canvas gallery where you will find similarly bright and buoyant original canvases. A piece that shares many parallels with Rose Blossom is Serene Lilac Scene, an airy painting that brings together a variety of styles and subjects.

Lonely Summer

Lonely Summer is a bright, vibrant piece that incorporates a diverse set of painting styles and an ever evolving series of lines and patterns that excite the eye and engage the viewer. The traditional painter's subject of a single wildflower is reinvented in this piece that uses bold Pollock-like lines of red and yellow, washed out blocks of colors in the background and whimsical, lilting figures in the foreground. The viewer will be continually surprised by all of the elements and styles at work in the piece and also pleased by the way they work together to achieve a fluid and visually appealing original painting. The colors carefully applied to this canvas vary from dark, earth browns to bleached blues and bold reds and yellows. The darker colors almost seem to frame main subject of the painting and certainly serve to focus and direct the eye to the most exciting elements of the piece. This painting is very much focused on the details, from the brush strokes that highlight each petal on the flower to the carefully directed lines of color that grace the bottom portion of the canvas.

The painting is projected continuously across four long, rectangular canvases that add a unique and original quality to this floral canvas. Each canvas is integral to the other three, and they work together beautifully to create a profound and varied experience of a very simple subject. The four canvas design of this piece only enhances it's already modern appeal and sets it apart from the many other, more traditional pieces that depict similar subjects of wildflowers and blue skies. The colorful highlights of this piece, the splashes of yellow and the blurred thick white brush strokes are made more distinctive as they are divided into separate canvases and the viewer is allowed more time to process the many elements at work in this original canvas artwork. If you find yourself becoming very engaged with the marriage of styles and subjects in this piece you will surely find something of interest to you in our Landscape Canvas section that will present you will diverse styles and dynamic lines and shapes. One piece in particular that you may want to take a look at is Spring Bouquet which shares many similarities with Lonely Summer.

Lonely Summer is a bright, vibrant piece that incorporates a diverse set of painting styles and an ever evolving series of lines and patterns that excite the eye and engage the viewer. The traditional painter's subject of a single wildflower is reinvented in this piece that uses bold Pollock-like lines of red and yellow, washed out blocks of colors in the background and whimsical, lilting figures in the foreground. The viewer will be continually surprised by all of the elements and styles at work in the piece and also pleased by the way they work together to achieve a fluid and visually appealing original painting. The colors carefully applied to this canvas vary from dark, earth browns to bleached blues and bold reds and yellows. The darker colors almost seem to frame main subject of the painting and certainly serve to focus and direct the eye to the most exciting elements of the piece. This painting is very much focused on the details, from the brush strokes that highlight each petal on the flower to the carefully directed lines of color that grace the bottom portion of the canvas.

The painting is projected continuously across four long, rectangular canvases that add a unique and original quality to this floral canvas. Each canvas is integral to the other three, and they work together beautifully to create a profound and varied experience of a very simple subject. The four canvas design of this piece only enhances it's already modern appeal and sets it apart from the many other, more traditional pieces that depict similar subjects of wildflowers and blue skies. The colorful highlights of this piece, the splashes of yellow and the blurred thick white brush strokes are made more distinctive as they are divided into separate canvases and the viewer is allowed more time to process the many elements at work in this original canvas artwork. If you find yourself becoming very engaged with the marriage of styles and subjects in this piece you will surely find something of interest to you in our Landscape Canvas section that will present you will diverse styles and dynamic lines and shapes. One piece in particular that you may want to take a look at is Spring Bouquet which shares many similarities with Lonely Summer.

Devil Red

Devil Red is a futuristic, angular piece that utilizes color to create a beautiful painting. It focuses intensely on the color red that gives a romantic and bold essence that captures any viewer. This original artwork is an exploration of the evocative power and drama of a very simple and straightforward subject that is spread across a canvas and has a unique presence about itself that attracts even the most casual of viewers. This painting is truly remarkable in it's ability to provide depth using bold colors and with so many details hidden just beneath the surface. The cracked lines meander through the canvas in Devil Red and are occasionally dramatically divided by the other lines at work in the piece. The white used for these lines give it a highlight appeal that make it stand out in the painting and shoot from the background. This painting is a compelling example of all that abstract art can achieve when given freedom to explore it's simple subject and free reign over the material that it is portrayed with.

Devil Red comes spread out across one longated rectangle that is integral to the experience of the piece. The single canvas enhances the contemporary, cutting-edge elements at work within it. This piece can be hung in any number of rooms. The many possibilities for displaying this exemplary piece will allow you to interact with and experience the piece in many ways that will alter the way you see and appreciate the painting every time. The exploration of lines is strengthened and extended to reach accros the single canvas. The way the artist has designed this beautiful piece of abstract art is truly daring and original and will allow the viewer to continually re-imagine the messages that are spelled out across the surface of this canvas. For more paintings that are as unique and forward thinking as this one, try exploring the Modern Canvas section and if you are interested in viewing another original painting that explores the relationship of lines and shapes across multiple canvases, check out Copper Clouds.
Devil Red is a futuristic, angular piece that utilizes color to create a beautiful painting. It focuses intensely on the color red that gives a romantic and bold essence that captures any viewer. This original artwork is an exploration of the evocative power and drama of a very simple and straightforward subject that is spread across a canvas and has a unique presence about itself that attracts even the most casual of viewers. This painting is truly remarkable in it's ability to provide depth using bold colors and with so many details hidden just beneath the surface. The cracked lines meander through the canvas in Devil Red and are occasionally dramatically divided by the other lines at work in the piece. The white used for these lines give it a highlight appeal that make it stand out in the painting and shoot from the background. This painting is a compelling example of all that abstract art can achieve when given freedom to explore it's simple subject and free reign over the material that it is portrayed with.

Devil Red comes spread out across one longated rectangle that is integral to the experience of the piece. The single canvas enhances the contemporary, cutting-edge elements at work within it. This piece can be hung in any number of rooms. The many possibilities for displaying this exemplary piece will allow you to interact with and experience the piece in many ways that will alter the way you see and appreciate the painting every time. The exploration of lines is strengthened and extended to reach accros the single canvas. The way the artist has designed this beautiful piece of abstract art is truly daring and original and will allow the viewer to continually re-imagine the messages that are spelled out across the surface of this canvas. For more paintings that are as unique and forward thinking as this one, try exploring the Modern Canvas section and if you are interested in viewing another original painting that explores the relationship of lines and shapes across multiple canvases, check out Copper Clouds.

Ash and Crimson

Ash and Crimson is a beautiful, moving abstract landscape that gracefully synergizes modern aesthetics and the emotional impact of the most traditional scenes from art history. This large abstract piece of artwork utilizes vivid colors and careful, detailed brush strokes to suggest movement and images rather than depicting a straightforward subject. It is the suggestion presented in Ash and Crimson that makes it most interesting, as it combines deep, haunting shades of red with hints of black and neutral beiges. These colors, when paired are both eye catching and aesthetically pleasing, suitable for the color schemes of many rooms. Yet, it is the carefully introduced bands of color, and the emphasis on color and detail that make this canvas painting so moving. Although we appear to be looking at a very straigthforward, abstract painting, there is the hint of something more concrete in the colors of Ash and Crimson. Each viewer that comes to this piece will find something different, whether it is a desolate landscape, a clouded sky, or the interior of a painted room. This versatility is what makes Ash and Crimson so unique and endlessly fascinating.

In addition to the artist's modern, yet nuanced sensibilities at work in this painting, the layout of the piece, across five separate panels that vary in size and shape, increases the excitement and emotion already evident in this magnificent and original canvas artwork. The multiple panels grow in size as we draw toward the center of the piece, and then decreases as the eye moves outwards. This quality makes the piece as a whole very attractive when mounted on a large wall. At approximately five feet in length, this painting is most appropriate for a large space, but its multi-paneled layout makes it versatile, and accomodating for larger and smaller spaces. The lush, warm colors at work in Ash and crimson will made a beautiful addition to a number of living and working spaces, and will without a doubt add a bit of drama to any wall. If you would like to discover more diverse and unique paintings like this one, try exploring our Cityscape Canvas gallery, in which you will find layered and expressive scenes that are deeply effecting in the manner of Crimson and Ash. Abstract Madness is one piece in particular that may be of interest to you if you enjoy Ash and Crimson. Ash and Crimson is a beautiful, moving abstract landscape that gracefully synergizes modern aesthetics and the emotional impact of the most traditional scenes from art history. This large abstract piece of artwork utilizes vivid colors and careful, detailed brush strokes to suggest movement and images rather than depicting a straightforward subject. It is the suggestion presented in Ash and Crimson that makes it most interesting, as it combines deep, haunting shades of red with hints of black and neutral beiges. These colors, when paired are both eye catching and aesthetically pleasing, suitable for the color schemes of many rooms. Yet, it is the carefully introduced bands of color, and the emphasis on color and detail that make this canvas painting so moving. Although we appear to be looking at a very straigthforward, abstract painting, there is the hint of something more concrete in the colors of Ash and Crimson. Each viewer that comes to this piece will find something different, whether it is a desolate landscape, a clouded sky, or the interior of a painted room. This versatility is what makes Ash and Crimson so unique and endlessly fascinating.

In addition to the artist's modern, yet nuanced sensibilities at work in this painting, the layout of the piece, across five separate panels that vary in size and shape, increases the excitement and emotion already evident in this magnificent and original canvas artwork. The multiple panels grow in size as we draw toward the center of the piece, and then decreases as the eye moves outwards. This quality makes the piece as a whole very attractive when mounted on a large wall. At approximately five feet in length, this painting is most appropriate for a large space, but its multi-paneled layout makes it versatile, and accomodating for larger and smaller spaces. The lush, warm colors at work in Ash and crimson will made a beautiful addition to a number of living and working spaces, and will without a doubt add a bit of drama to any wall. If you would like to discover more diverse and unique paintings like this one, try exploring our Cityscape Canvas gallery, in which you will find layered and expressive scenes that are deeply effecting in the manner of Crimson and Ash. Abstract Madness is one piece in particular that may be of interest to you if you enjoy Ash and Crimson.

Best quality Christian paintings on sale

Art lovers from the world love to have those paintings from different ages of the history in their collection. Some of these paintings may even be of the ages ago, when the painting as an art form hasn't developed a lot. These art collections from the years ago have got a valuation of millions and if someone has one of them in their personal collectibles. Then the whole aura of his or her home goes to the utmost height. There are paintings available from every part of the world. The world and humanity has got a knack of or rather an artistic creativity from the beginning days. The beginning days of the civilization, there were the stone and wall paintings in those walls of the cave. The cave does have had the preliminary days of painting. But after that it gradually uplifted itself and now it is on the topmost level of the artistic creation. The painters of high honor like those Michelangelo, Picasso, Da Vinci etc, who have taken the whole painting thing to its height. Those Christian paintings that they have made have got an immense value in the socio economic as well as cultural development 0of the world.

After that they got replaced by those various abstract art paintings by the artist of the modern era, who were initially blamed by the classicists about the irrationality as well as the meaninglessness of the paintings of these people. There are those people who have also blamed them to be anti-artistic. The artists from around the world though embraced the art form and perfected it. The perfection they created in the art form has stunned the whole world as well as those who have blamed them. Plus the increase in the amount of the collectors of those paintings have also shown the interest of the critics as well as the art lovers about these paintings have also increased by quite an amount. The people who have doe these paintings have now dead by many years. But still there names are still intact as are the works of them. These paintings have got the respect as well as the price from the collectors. A few days back the exhibition of the Christian paintings fetched quite an unbelievable amount. Not only those paintings have been among the top sellers but also those abstract arts painting have also got immense response from those collectors.