I first saw this painting in London's National Gallery and was immediately struck by it. The way the mist-covered church mirrors the trees in the foreground, the way the man has abandoned his crutches to lay down and pray - it's just so hopeful. It looks very different in its golden frame to how it does out of a frame. I recently discovered it actually has a companion piece in the Staatliches Museum, Schwerin. The companion is supposedly far more sinister, featuring many tree stumps and darker skies.
Little Girl Looking Downstairs at Christmas Party - Norman Rockwell (1964)
I first came across this painting whilst scrolling on Substack. There is something so nostalgic about it. The piece was actually painted for the December edition of McCall’s magazine. To create it, Rockwell posed a young model at the top of the stairs in his own home and assembled a group of friends and neighbours downstairs. He then photographed the scene and used it as a reference, adding in details like the doll from his imagination.
Winter Landscape with a Bird Trap - Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1565)
You might be able to tell that I have a thing for winter landscapes. This painting comes from a period when Bruegel painted five snowy landscapes, establishing the genre of winter landscape in Western art.
Peasant Girls Bathing in the Sea at Dusk - Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas (1875–76)
This painting wonderfully captures the feeling of a hazy summer evening. The National Gallery website describes the figures as "holding hands like paper dolls", which I think is a great description.
An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump - Joseph Wright 'of Derby' (1768)
Me and my friends all suddenly paused at the exact same time when we walked past this image in the National Gallery. The use of light is truly captivating to see in person. The moon through the window is a beautiful atmospheric detail.
