Philosopher Reading, by Rembrandt, 1631, Oil on canvas - in Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden.
The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, by Caravaggio, 1601–1602, Oil on canvas - in Sanssouci, Potsdam, Germany
Untitled, Mark Rothko, 1969-70, Synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Suprematist Composition: White on white, by Kazimir Malevich, 1918, oil on canvas
Die Fahne Hoch, by Frank Stella, 1959, Enamel paint on canvas
Concetto spaziale, by Lucio Fontana (Italian painter, 1899-1968), 1966, waterpaint on canvas
Black Painting Nº 8, by Mark Rothko, 1964
These works mark a complete break with his colour field paintings of the 1950s, not only for their radically different deployment of colour. At first glance, these paintings may appear solid black. However, prolonged contemplation reveals the slow build-up of the surface through multiple layers and the close attention Rothko paid to gradations in tone and texture.
Rather than annihilating colour and light, the Black-Form paintings appear almost luminous as their surfaces absorb and reflect light. The paintings invite the viewer to look more closely, introducing an element of duration and physical self-awareness into the process of perception.
The Swing, Renoir, 1876, oil on canvas, 92x73 cm
The bourgeois leisure time is one of the favorite themes of the Impressionist paintors especially Renoir. Filtered by vegetation, the intense sunlight is accomplished through the bright spots painted on the floor, clothing, faces.
