Practice Post #4 - Evaluating Art

Please find a painting online and post the image on your blog.  Then write up an art critique and be sure to have the following:

• formal evaluation
• contextual evaluation
• expressive evaluation

You may need to research the artist's history or background in order to do the contextual and expressive evaluations.

Artist: Claude Monet

Formal evaluation: Monet used broad brushstrokes and "spots" of color to create images, not clear lines.  Monet was one of the major artists to use these splotches of color to create a larger picture, so he was very innovative.

Contextual evaluation: Monet painted around Paris when many other painters were also doing Impressionism and he influenced others and was influenced by others.  This painting of flowers does not have any great political or economic or historical connection, however.

Expressive evaluation: Monet uses bright colors to highlight the flowers and his use of reflection and contrast for shadows makes the picture bright.  Monet clearly had a love for flowers, trees, and water, as these are in many of his painted scenes.

You should title your blog post: "Practice Post #4"