Henry Ossawa Tanner
Today is Blue Monday. It is a day that is considered to be the most depressing or gloomy of the year. While it's not based on any scientific or objective criteria, it has become a popular concept in the realm of pop culture and psychology.
The painting we present today may play well with Blue Monday. The scene presents the biblical Daniel unjustly imprisoned in the lions' den. Tanner's depiction of a dimly lit prison cell is dramatically illuminated by evening light filtering through a high window. Daniel appears calm and spiritually fortified, with Tanner employing a blue-green palette to heighten the meditative atmosphere. The artist's experiments with pigments and glazing, initiated around 1907, allowed him to infuse his art with soft, radiant light and shimmering colors. While the overall color scheme of Daniel in the Lions' Den is tonal, typical of Tanner's mature works, the painting reveals a rich array of colors, particularly in the lions, rendered in vibrant shades of yellow, green, and lavender.
We hope you don't feel sad or depressed today! If yes, we send you hugs and a lot of warmth! And also to cheer you up a bit, you can check our free How To Look at Art online course!
P.S. Did you know colors can speed up or lower our heart rate? This is also why they represent different emotions in art. Read about color psychology and its use in art!
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