Munthe studied in Düsseldorf, Germany. The school there emphasized landscape painting and theatrical lighting more than most art schools did at the time.
Munthe was particularly attracted to twilight winter scenes. He loved a sky with a golden glow near the horizon. Figures scurry around outside, finishing their work before the day is done.
Munthe "wanted to interpret nature through simple, quiet landscape motifs, preferably an open low landscape, cultivated land or a coastal strip."
"Munthe had the axiom that there should be as few and simple lines as possible in a picture, and that there should never be a color in the picture that is not in itself sympathetic."
"In Düsseldorf, the simplicity of M's motifs was caricatured as a bare canvas with a tree, and on the tree one branch with one leaf."
Source of quote: Norwegian Artist Lexicon
One of my favorite motifs, along with the lens flare effect you do. Such lighting motifs are a true inspiration. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat he lacks in drawing is made up for in use of color and tonality. That is an unusual combination. It shows me how creating a sense of light and mood can be even more important to a picture.
ReplyDeleteThat focus on the tonal, dramatic silhouette, along with that broad light effect, has real power. It's so different from the broken, smeared brushstroke works, that have their own energy. It leaves the student kind of confused, but with open eyes!
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