Jacques Alfred van Muyden (1818–1898) — Swiss artist-genre, whose paintings were considered “the standard of elegiac genre painting of the mid-to-late XIX century” They - the embodiment of a special positive attitude to life, a kind of “safe harbor”, giving rest to viewers, already satiated with human passions and bloody subjects, which favored the majority of artists in world painting.
Shepherd boy
Instead of epic drama - everyday life, but so peaceful and life-affirming that you want to be in the place of the heroes of these paintings, quietly wheeling along dusty Italian summer roads in a wagon, unkindly read instructions to naughty kids or even do agricultural work.
Agricultural work
His paintings are so heavily influenced by the strong Italian tradition that they seem to have been painted by a native Italian who grew up admiring Renaissance art. Yet van Muyden's paintings are distinguished by their vivid individuality, and unique work with shadows and color.
Capuchin monk and young mother riding a donkey
Muyden lived in a very difficult time, when European society was on the threshold of change, determining the breakdown of the previous morals and previous ideas about life. Looking for new ways in art impressionists, and the old academism already seemed hopelessly outdated. But Muyden painted as if he lived in the XVII century, 200 years ago, but this anachronism in the choice of pastoral, often too optimistic subjects, and in the general manner of the image with soft lines and graceful color transitions seems absolutely justified.
Guidance
Let passions rage somewhere out there, it is the age of gunpowder and steam, and artists see painting as a field for experimentation and the search for something new. Muyden takes the viewer back to the Renaissance, although it costs a lot of effort and a firm belief in the choice of one's creative path.
Mother at the cradle with a child
Perhaps, now his paintings seem to be too much too cute-optimistic, all these good-natured monks, cute babies and girls with angelic faces of Madonnas probably existed only in the artist's imagination, but does creativity must necessarily reflect the urgent urgency and scourge the vices of society, as in the paintings of the Peredvizhniki? Sometimes you just want to focus on the beautiful, on painting in its classical sense, and here van Muyden's paintings fit perfectly.
Girl hanging out laundry
Van Muyden came from the Swiss city of Lausanne. His parents were quite wealthy and very much wanted their son to become a lawyer and not to do “nonsense”. Muyden more than anything in the world loved to draw and took his passion very seriously. Much in painting comprehended independently, but at some point the lack of proper academic education became a serious obstacle to further development as an artist.
Mother with child at the window
But his early drawings were so remarkable that the young man was admitted to the Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied under the famous painter Wilhelm von Kaulbach.
Children on a swing
After finishing his studies, at the age of 24 he returned to Lausanne for a short time and went to Rome to study the work of the old Italian masters. What he saw impressed him so much that Muyden firmly decided to follow in his work seen masterpieces of painting, no matter how outdated they may seem nowadays. But why spoil the ideal and invent something new, which a priori will be worse.
Returning home
Four years later, Muyden first exhibited his paintings at the Paris Salon, however, they were not a great success. Fleeing the revolutionary upheaval, Muyden from Paris returned to the quiet Lausanne, where he married the sister of the artist Etienne Duval. Then there was again a trip to Italy, fruitful work and, finally, recognition. Tired of social unrest, the French willingly bought quiet and pastoral paintings of the artist, the very embodiment of peace and tranquility. Even Napoleon III could not deny himself the pleasure of buying a few paintings for his gallery.
Hidden letter
Muyden lived a quiet and measured life, as if clearly making it clear that “as you name the boat, so she will sail”, leaving behind a lot of wonderful paintings, which have become a real joy for the soul of the viewers who saw them.
Buy handmade goods or modern art you can on artAlebrio - is an international marketplace for people who want to create, sell, buy and collect unique items and art - buy the best with us artAlebrio.com.
By confirming your order you unconditionally accept these General Conditions of Sale
