Artists Painting Messages, Changing Tradition and Philosophy of the Time

Figurative painting reflects deep understanding of the artists, as it is depiction of anatomy of human body. It is an endeavour to recreate the psyche of the person painted or portrayed. A painter does so using artistic skill. Master artists do so in the gentlest manner possible, as figurative painting would also require recreations of some of the gestures of models. By doing so, a painter forges the reputation as an artist.

Bathsheba at Her Bath (Bathsheba with King David's Letter)

While painting a figure, an artist tries showing the emotions through such paintings. However the figurative painting in general and painting of men and women without clothes in particular have remained a bone of contention since ancient time. Whether they are rulers, politicians, scholars or religious leaders, all have opposed depicting cloth-less human bodies from time to time. But the clan of the artists desiring to recreate the beauty of human form on their canvas have never bowed down to any social pressure. They have used their artistic prowess to adore the beauty of male and female figures on papers, on canvasses and on the altars of temples and churches.

If we look at the paintings done by artists like Rembrandt or Rossetti, we feel that the figures painted seem desiring to create a bridge between the viewers on one hand and the painting on another. It is deep wishes of all the artists to appeal heads and hearts of those who see their artworks. Figurative painters have better options to do it nicely, as they deal with recreating the real human beings on canvases. [Image courtesyRembrandt [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons ]

Sometimes the so-called social police ask the artists about the purpose of their selecting the cloth-less women as subject the depiction of their art. The main motive of the artists to paint women without clothes is to spread the message of love and peace, as the women represent both of the passions.

Look at the above painting by Rembrandt. It seems that, through this painting Bathsheba, the artist had a desire to build a bridge between his imagination and the eyes of viewers. Artists always want to be connected with art lovers. Whey and artist selects a cloth-less woman as a subject of painting like above painting, he or she tries showing the feeling of love and sense of harmony. These two aspects restrain the passion of violence embedded within us; the aggressiveness that leads us to war and destruction.

American Artists Painting Women Cloth-less

Theme: Paintings of Females in Natural Beauty. Painting Cloth-less Women With Free Brush Strokes

Fantasia by Antônio Parreiras (1869-1937)

The Artist: Antonio Parreiras (1860–1937) was a Brazilian painter. To his credit, he has historical artworks and paintings of females painted in their natural beauty. Under influence of European artists, he had done landscape painting, too. He painted beautiful natural scenes applying European style of painting. He had added Brazilian flavour into his artworks. He was fortunate enough to meet and learn from a master painter from Germany, George Grimm; and from him Antonio had learnt valuable lessons in landscape painting.

The Art: In one of his paintings, titled as ‘Fantasia’, shown above, Antonio has depicted his clever control over the use of limited palette and the use of brush strokes. In this painting the model, a woman sitting wearing no clothes, is working in her natural beauty. She is shown doing some art work on an earthen pot. She looks comfortable in sitting and doing the work despite she is sitting without wearing clothes. In his later career Antonio Parreiras keenly observed the nature before painting any canvas. The eye-catching feature of his paintings is the skilful use of free brush strokes. His paintings are decorated with artistic luminosity.

The main feature that would attract our eyes is the factor of lighting. The falling of light is masterly depicted by painting the backside of the lady. The backside is painted in dark yellow. Use of light green on wall and the folds of drapery have done required blending of colours. If some of the paintings of females in their natural beauty are to be called ‘The Artistic Paintings’, this painting has better claim to get the nomination for the same.

Depiction of Femininity: In the paintings done by Antonio Parreiras, we can see the femininity of the women in its full swing. But the insecurity that a woman would wear on her face while sitting so cloth-less is missing. Every model looks feeling comfortable, even if she is sitting so cloth-less. Women are shown engaged in their works. Various objects are lying in the immediate surrounding, but the women painted seem taking no notice of anything.

The females painted by Antônio Parreiras are the representatives of aesthetic beauty, conforming to the taste and preferences of the art lovers. Here in this beautiful painting, Iracema, Oil on Canvas, the main purpose of the artist seems to depict the pure art itself; and not mere a show of the parts of female body, claiming voyeuristic gazes from the viewers.

The paintings done by artists like Botticelli, Rembrandt, William Bouguereau, PaulGauguin, or John Godward are considered important as the major links to the history of art. It is because the artists like them have worked when the whole society stood on a crossroad.

When artists function in a time that would decide the future of coming generations, such artists would play a consolidating role in many aspects. They help changing the age-old traditions and the outdated philosophy of the time. (Image courtesy By Antônio Parreiras (1869-1937) Antônio Parreiras (1860–1937) Alternative names Antônio Diogo da Silva Parreiras Description Brazilian painter Date of birth/death 20 January 1860(1860-01-20) 17 October 1937(1937-10-17) Location of birth/death Niterói, Brazil Niterói, Brazil Work location Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Niterói, Teresópolis, Belo Horizonte; Italy: Venice; Spain: Barcelona (Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo) [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons)