"A Blur"

This beautiful piece was created by a Joseph Turner. “Steamer in a Snowstorm” caught my attention because of the color. There aren’t a bunch of colors, but the artist used neutrals (to create and enhance other colors) in such a way that makes his art come alive. I didn’t realize that there was a boat towards the middle. At first glance it looked like wind or a tornado or something “natural”. But then I can see the waves, and the flag of the steam boat. I like how my eye immediately comes to the center even when I look away; I am still drawn to the middle. Turner’s landscapes and seascapes are often seen as a precursor to Impressionism in the 19^th century. Impressionists wanted to make art more realistic by using brighter colors and natural settings. This picture captures emotion even though it’s a blur. Impressionist had to paint quickly because they often painted outside. They had to battle against time to finish their paintings. So their works look unpolished or even messy to other artists. Their paintings broke down at the edges or where the movement was. They were more concerned with making color and contrast stand out, because although humans see clearly they understood that the eye can not capture moments in perfect detail. I love this painting!