FRUSTRATED ARTIST

Henri Julien Rousseau  was born in Laval in the Loire Valley, France o n May 21st, 1844 in Laval, France and he d ied,  September 2, 1910 in Paris, France.  Rousseau was almost entirely self-taught, although he admitted to having received some “advice” from Félix Auguste Clément and Jean-Léon Gérôme, a pair of painters from the Academic style. For the most part, though, his artwork came all from his own self-training. He painted nature scenes, as well as developing a particular take on  the portrait landscape , in which he would paint a particular scene, then place a person in the foreground.  His style lacked some of the polished technique of other artists of the time, leading to him being labeled as a “naïve” painter and often disdained by critics.    

Grant Wood was born on his parents’ farm outside of Anamosa, Iowa, on February 13th, 1891. This property would leave a lasting impression on Wood and  influence his later thinking and work. His mother moved Wood and his younger sister Nan after their father died. Grant Wood was an American painter who is known for his work depicting the Midwest.  Wood developed his interest in art while still in grammar school and showed promise. He continued to nurture his talents in high school where he designed sets for plays and illustrated student publications.  After graduation in 1910, Wood attended the Minneapolis School of Design and Handicraft. Over the next few years, Wood further expanded his creative repertoire by learning to work with metal and jewelry as well as build furniture. When he moved to Chicago in 1913, and he used these skills to make a living.  In Chicago, Wood spent his days at his jewelry and metalworking shop and his evenings developing his talents thro...

Today's Famous artist is Johannes Vermeer, Born in Delft, Netherlands on the 30th October 1632, Died 15th  December 1675 His father was an art dealer and silk weaver who also kept a tavern, and Vermeer probably took over the business after his father's death in 1655. It is thought that his father  was an early influence on the young child.  Vermeer's only mythological subject, is also suggestive of Italy. It is his only painting of figures in a landscape setting.       Diana and Her Companions. He painted the  Girl Asleep at a Table,  in which he used the warm range of color  T he Soldier and Laughing Girl  marked the shift between Vermeer's early and mature works in that pointillé (gleaming highlights of thick layers of paint, which brightens the surface) appeared for the first time.  " The Concert"   about 1662   the  Woman with a Water Jug    Allegory of the Catholic Fai...