Ron Blundell - In the footsteps of giants.

This page is an attempt to use the paintings of masters to inspire me in composition and palette choices by editing some of my own portfolio images.

This project attempts to link my interests in photography and art in general.

1A "Mulberry Tree" 1889

This painting is called The Mulberry Tree and it was created by Vincent van Gogh in October 1889. It is an example of his later style of painting, characterized by bold colors and expressive brushstrokes. He painted it while he was staying at an asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, after he had cut off part of his ear following a fight with another artist . He was inspired by the autumn colours of the tree and the contrast between the yellow leaves and the blue sky. He used thick layers of paint to create a textured and dynamic effect, making the tree look almost three-dimensional. He considered this painting one of his most successful works and expressed his passionate feelings about nature through it. -

1B "Poplar tree" 2023 - Ron Blundell

2A "Guernica" 1937 - Pablo Picasso

This painting is called Guernica and it was created by Pablo Picasso in 1937. It is one of his most famous and influential works, regarded by many as a powerful anti-war statement. It depicts the horror and suffering caused by the bombing of Guernica, a Basque town in northern Spain, by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy during the Spanish Civil War.

Some of the features of this painting are:

Monochromatic color scheme: The painting uses only shades of black, white, and gray, creating a stark contrast and a somber mood. The lack of color also suggests the loss of life and vitality caused by the war.

Distorted and fragmented figures: The painting shows a mix of human and animal-like figures that are distorted, dismembered, and intertwined in a chaotic scene. The figures express pain, fear, anger, and despair, reflecting the emotions of the victims and the perpetrators of the violence.

Eye motif: The painting features a prominent eye at the top center, which could represent different things, such as God, Picasso, or the viewer, witnessing the tragedy. The eye is also surrounded by light bulbs, which could symbolize the modern technology that enabled the bombing, or the media that exposed it to the world.

Geometric shapes and sharp angles: The painting is composed of geometric shapes and sharp angles that create a sense of disarray and tension. The shapes also suggest the influence of Cubism, a style of art that Picasso pioneered, which broke down objects into abstract forms.

2B "Pollarded trees" Portugal 2014 - Ron Blundell

3A "An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump"

Joseph Wright of Derby, one of a number of candlelit scenes that Wright painted during the 1760s.

The painting An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump is a masterpiece of British art by Joseph Wright of Derby, completed in 1768. It shows a scene of a natural philosopher, a precursor of the modern scientist, demonstrating the effect of a vacuum on a live bird to a group of curious spectators. The painting reflects the spirit of the Enlightenment, a period of intellectual and scientific advancement in the 18th century. The painting also uses dramatic lighting and contrast to create a sense of drama and emotion. Some of the features of the painting are:

The natural philosopher: He is the central figure of the painting, standing behind the air pump and holding a valve that controls the air flow. He looks directly at the viewer, as if inviting them to witness the experiment and judge its outcome. He wears a red coat, which draws attention to his role and authority.

The air pump: This is a device that can create a vacuum by removing air from a glass container. It was invented by Otto von Guericke in 1650 and improved by Robert Boyle in 1659. The air pump was a symbol of scientific innovation and discovery in the 18th century. The natural philosopher uses it to demonstrate the effect of air pressure on a living creature, in this case a white cockatoo.

The bird: The bird is the subject of the experiment and the source of tension and emotion in the painting. It is trapped inside a glass dome that is connected to the air pump. As the air is removed from the dome, the bird struggles to breathe and eventually collapses. The bird represents the fragility of life and the ethical dilemma of scientific experimentation.

The spectators: The painting shows a diverse group of spectators, representing different ages, genders, and social classes. They exhibit various reactions to the experiment, ranging from curiosity, fascination, and admiration, to fear, pity, and horror. Some of the notable spectators are:

The young lovers: They are the only ones who are not looking at the experiment, but at each other. They symbolize the indifference or ignorance of some people towards scientific progress. They also contrast with the theme of death and suffering in the painting.

The young boy: He is the closest to the bird and the most affected by its plight. He holds his hand to his chest and looks at the bird with a mix of sympathy and dread. He represents the innocence and compassion of childhood.

The old man: He is the oldest and the most learned of the spectators. He holds a pocket watch and points at the bird, as if measuring the time of its death. He represents the rational and analytical approach of science.

The young girl: She is the only female spectator who is looking at the experiment. She covers her mouth with her hand and looks at the bird with a shocked and horrified expression. She represents the emotional and moral response of the viewer.

3B "The marvel of a Tilley lamp" 1981 Ron Blundell

4A "The Boulevard Montmartre at night" -1897 - Camille Pissarro

It depicts a busy and lively street in Paris at night, after a rain shower. The painting shows the effects of the new electric street lamps and the gas lights in the windows, creating a contrast between the dark sky and the bright cityscape. The painting is an example of Pissarro’s interest in urban scenes and modern life, as well as his use of expressive brushstrokes and vibrant colors. The painting is part of a series of views of the Boulevard Montmartre that Pissarro painted from his hotel room window, capturing different times of the day and weather conditions

4B "The Avenue Minehead Christmas 2023" - Ron Blundell

5A "Storm in the Rocky Mountains" 1860s ? -Albert Bierstadt

Albert Bierstadt was a German American painter who was famous for his landscapes of the American West. He was born in 1830 and died in 1902. He was part of the Hudson River School, a group of artists who painted scenes of nature with romantic and luminous effects. He traveled several times to the West and made sketches that he later turned into large and detailed paintings in his studio. Some of his most famous works are Among the Sierra Nevada, California 1 , Rocky Mountain Landscape , and The Rocky Mountains. He is regarded as one of the greatest landscape painters of his time

5B "Storm clouds over Scotland" -Ron Blundell

6A "Olive trees" -Vincent Van Gogh

It depicts a group of olive trees in the countryside of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, where van Gogh stayed at an asylum for a year. The painting shows van Gogh’s use of vibrant colors and expressive brushstrokes to capture the beauty and movement of nature. He painted the olive trees with thick layers of paint, creating a textured and dynamic effect. He also used contrasting colors to enhance the visual impact, such as the yellow and green of the leaves, the blue and purple of the sky, and the orange and red of the soil. The painting is part of a series of views of the olive groves that van Gogh painted from different angles and times of the day. He considered the olive trees as symbols of life, hope, and eternity

6B "Quantock dancing Trees 2023" - Ron Blundell

7A "Desert sandstones, Australia" - Richard Daintree 1868 Richard Daintree (1832-1878), geologist and photographer, was born on 13 December 1832 at Hemingford Abbots, Huntingdonshire. In 1852 he joined the gold rush to Victoria Australia, When he rejoined the Geological Survey as a field surveyor in

January 1859, he pioneered the use of photography in field-work.

This image is a painting by Richard Daintree, a British geologist and photographer who worked in Australia in the 19th century1. It shows a landscape of desert sandstones, which are sedimentary rocks formed by the accumulation and cementation of sand grains. The painting is part of a series of works that Daintree produced to illustrate the geology and scenery of Australia, using a technique called autotype, which involved enlarging and coloring his photographic prints 2. The painting demonstrates Daintree’s skill and interest in capturing the natural beauty and diversity of the Australian continent.

7B "Australian sandstone" - Ron Blundell 2005

8A "The Sea of Steps"- Fredrick H Evans

Frederick H. Evans (26 June 1853 – 24 June 1943) was an English photographer, best known for his images of architectural subjects, such as English and French cathedrals He used the platinotype technique, which produced high-quality prints with a wide tonal range. He was also a friend of George Bernard Shaw and Aubrey Beardsley, whom he photographed. He is regarded as one of the finest architectural photographers of his time.

8B "Stairs at Cleeve Abbey - Ron Blundell 2023

9A "Road, Trees and Lake 1880" - Paul Cezanne

It depicts a rural landscape in the south of France, where Cézanne often painted. The painting shows Cézanne’s use of geometric shapes and multiple perspectives to create a sense of depth and structure. He also used vibrant colors and contrasting tones to capture the light and atmosphere of the scene. The painting is an example of Cézanne’s interest in exploring the relationship between nature and art, as well as his influence on the development of modern art.

9B "Dunster castle grounds" - Ron Blundell

10A "Venice" - Edouard Manet.

This painting is called Venice and it was created by Edouard Manet in 18741. It depicts a view of the Grand Canal in Venice, with the Santa Maria della Salute church in the background. The painting shows Manet’s use of bright colors and loose brushstrokes to capture the light and atmosphere of the city. He painted it during his trip to Venice with his wife and his friend, the painter James Tissot 2. The painting is an example of Manet’s interest in urban scenes and modern life, as well as his influence on the Impressionist movement.

10B "Blue Venice" - Ron Blundell

11A July The seaside

Born in Stretford in 1887, L. S. Lowry is best known for images of 'match-stick' men and 'match-stick' cats and dogs set against the backdrop of industrial northern England, found in works such as 'Coming Home from the Mill' and 'The Organ Grinder'.

L. S. Lowry is known for depicting these urban landscapes in his art work, images of factory walls, belching chimneys, looming mills, the streets below teeming with figures, moving in waves towards, or away from, mill gateways, mines, football matches, and political meetings. Classic images of the North of England in years gone by.

11B "Match stick walkers Minehead beach April 2025 Ron Blundell

12A " Penzance station" by Stanhope Forbes

1857 - 1947

Born in Dublin but educated at Dulwich College in London he and his wife founded the Newlyn School of Art in Cornwall. The Newlyn School painted en plein air showing local life in the fishing village. He is buried in Sancreed Church near Newlyn.

12B Minehead West Somerset Railway station April 2025 - Ron Blundell.

13A The Scream is an art composition created by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch in 1893. The Norwegian name of the piece is Skrik ('Scream'), and the German title under which it was first exhibited is Der Schrei der Natur ('The Scream of Nature'). The agonized face in the painting has become one of the most iconic images in art, seen as symbolizing the anxiety of the human condition. Munch's work, including The Scream, had a formative influence on the Expressionist movement.

13B "The scream" Dunster castle gardens.-Ron Blundell

14A The Road in Front of Saint-Simeon Farm in Winter is an 1867 oil-on-canvas snowscape painted by French impressionist Claude Monet. It depicts a snow-covered road in front of a barn, with tracks of a horse cart and various footsteps in the snow. The painting is one of four related works from the winter of 1867, and represents Monet’s earliest series.

14 B "Exmoor snows" - Ron Blundell

14C "Gone but not forgotten" The Ponsford road phone box Minehead _Ron Blundell

15A Autumn, Path through the Woods (1876) by Camille Pissarro

15B North Hill Minehead "A Path through the woods" -Ron Blundell

16A "Monet - Nenúfares," or "Water Lilies," refers to a series of approximately 250 oil paintings by Claude Monet, focusing on his water lily pond at his home in Giverny, France. These monumental works, created over the last 30 years of his life, were a major artistic undertaking.