What Lies
Beyond the Glass
What Lies Beyond the Glass is a
collection of paintings that have a common focal point: the window. A window is
a source of light that draws the viewer, and intrigue that creates the viewer
to wonder what is going on beyond the frame. When first looking at most of
these paintings, the eye immediately is drawn to the window because it is
producing natural light that is brighter than anything else in the painting. Some
of the paintings have something outside the window that catches the eye. Each
of these artists pull the viewer in, through the interior, to see outside the
window. Looking further into the painting creates the viewer to wonder why the
artist chose to emphasize outside when the composition is inside. What really is beyond that window frame
that is taking the eye completely past the interior? Is there something
important that the artist wants you to see?
Each
of these artists use the natural light from the window to brighten the entire
painting, which creates such a cheerful exhibition when they are paired
together. They all make a wonderful compilation and complement each other while
still standing out as individual paintings. Enjoy looking Beyond the Glass and discovering each of the artists’ intentions
with their different purposes of windows.
Thursday by John Moore, 1980
Oil on canvas 1983.170
This
painting uses the light from the windows to create natural light in the room,
which makes the windows the focal point because they are the brightest part in
the composition. The windows also
serve as an opening to see what is going on in the big city and why the
buildings are so detailed. It is obvious that they are both focal points, but
it makes the viewer want to discover the different parts of the city and find
out what is going on outside. These windows serve as windows to the outside
world, which makes the painting become more about the exterior composition in
the painting than the interior.
View of New York by Charles Sheeler, 1931
Oil on Canvas, Museum
of Fine Arts Boston 35.69
This
painting really emphasizes the light that the window brings into the
composition as a whole. The way
Sheeler opens the window suggests that there is something out there that would
make the viewer want to jump into the painting to see. Sheeler uses this
painting as a direct focal point to the window, which is clear that he wants
the viewer to wonder: Why can’t I see New
York? and What would I see if I were in
the painting?
Pastel
This
painting is all about the natural light that is brought in by the large window
in this room. The foggy window makes it harder to see, which makes it more
intriguing to see what is out there. The function of the window in this
painting is very similar to View of New
York because of the light and the need for the viewer to see more. The length of the window really
emphasizes the brightness of the natural light and the way it lights up a room
to bring life to it.
Old Boshuizen Shop in Amersfoort by Anton Pieck, 1985
Oil on Canvas
Pieck
used this painting in a similar but different way than the others. The detail
of the buildings through the window really emphasize outside. It is interesting
because the buildings outside are just as detailed as the objects inside even
though they are farther away. It makes you wonder why the composition is inside
but the view outside the window is the focal point. The window is used to
create depth in the painting, so the viewer can see distance outside.
Oil on canvas,
Unlike
the other compositions, this canvas has the window as the closest frame, and uses
the outside as the main painting. The window serves almost as a straight-shot
view to outside. Another window in this painting that draws attention is the
yellow window in the neighbor’s house. This whole composition is tricky because the viewer is
looking from inside a house to the outside, but then it draws you in through
another window to look back inside. The windows in this painting serve as frames into other
visual focal points.
The Shop Window of Toys by Timoléon Marie Lobrichon, 1831-1914
Oil on Panel
The
window in this painting serves as a barrier between the viewer and the children
outside looking into the toy store. The window is still a visual focal point,
but it serves more as a barrier from what you are looking at than a light
source. This painting is different than all the others because it sort of
tricks your eye; you look out the window to see everyone looking in so your eye
goes back to the objects inside the room.
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