Emily Carr
Completed in Brittany, the painting we present today is a confident portrayal of the French countryside, marking a significant leap forward in Emily Carr's artistic journey. Freed from the constraints of obsessing over intricate details, she employs vigorous brushwork, clearly influenced by Post-Impressionism, to convey a sense of overall movement. In doing so, Carr constructs a harmonious composition while capturing the natural rhythms and prominent transitions within the vast French landscape.
During her time in France, the Canadian artist embraced the countryside wholeheartedly, recounting her experiences, "I tramped the countryside, sketch sack on the shoulder. The fields were lovely, lying like a spread of gay patchwork against red-gold wheat, cool, pale oats, red-purple of new-turned soil, green, green grass, and orderly, well-trimmed trees." Carr's exploration of the French countryside transformed her approach, emphasizing the landscape's unity, vibrancy, and underlying structure over strict naturalistic representation.
If you would like to learn more about what Emily Carr took from Post-Impressionism, please check out our Post-Impressionism 101 Course in DailyArt Courses. :)
P.S. Emily Carr loved to depict the pristine Canadian landscapes. The paintings she created at the end of her life, however, present something different; they show the disastrous impact of industry on nature. Explore her environmentally-involved art!