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06/29/2009: "To Walk Where Rembrandt Walked"
As photographer of details of architecture, I am conditioned to observe my surroundings carefully. I notice buildings, but I hone in on the line of a corner; the angle of a gable; a fashioned decorative vine on a wrought iron gate and the stone carvings on a façade. Fine tuning a bit more, I visually thrive on the textures used for building: grainy granite, polished marble, satiny wood, rough brick, smooth cold iron. These elements create an environment that promotes creativity for me. And above all the light that permeates the scene sets the tone of my photography. Rembrandt 's art and the light of his world are the reasons that I recently went to Amsterdam. To know and to understand an artist 's work on an intimate level, it is essential to see the light with which the artist worked. I believe that the light of Amsterdam defined Rembrandt 's paintings, drawings, etchings. The way that the master saw his subjects, gave him the framework for the art he created.
Amazingly, in a world that is evolving with split second timing, Amsterdam welcomes the future to blend smoothly with the past. It is quite possible to imagine that you are walking along the canals with Rembrandt in the 1600 's. The city is criss-crossed with canals that reflect the soft misty light back into the sky. In late May, when I visited the city, the huge puffy clouds of Rembrandt 's landscapes were just as low to earth as in his paintings. It seemed as if I could pull off a piece of cloud like cotton candy if I stretched out my arm. The marvelous billows of grays, whites, ochres, yellows, blues and many other colors were dotted with openings, big and small, to the soft sky beyond. Through these portals light drifted in soft shafts. Rays that lit fragments of a building, a tree or a face. The delicate way that the light illuminates in Amsterdam creates a mood of fluidity: seamless values.
When the sky turned darker in the late afternoon, I could see the glow that glorified so many of Rembrandt 's subjects. The setting sun through the mist that was usually present allowed beams of radiant light to highlight with a luminosity for which the master is famous. The golden shafts of light were slightly blurred by the watery atmosphere to create a soft, ethereal radiance that was both brilliant and subtle. The night sky also presented a much more diffused dark than I have experienced. The celestial bodies, when visible, seemed to have a filmy edge with a sparkling central area that gave the sky a surreal enchantment. Perhaps the same magic that suffuses the nightscapes Rembrandt prolifically painted.
On one extraordinary day, my son Joe, who had generously gifted me with the wonderful trip, and I took an excursion to Ghent and Bruges in the Flemish region of Belgium. Throughout the drive (furthest four hours outside of Amsterdam) there are farmlands and grazing cows, and other farm animals. Occasionally we spotted a windmill. The scenery was so much like being in a Rembrandt work that the experience may have surpassed seeing the master 's paintings and drawings in the Rijksmuseum. The day was sunny, but the light was, again, as in Amsterdam, filtered, soft, delicate. The pastoral landscape was filled with water trenches that collect the abundant rainfall and irrigate the farms. Enormous clouds hung low and echoed the blues, greens and pale yellows of the countryside. Remarkable light.
Our journey was filled with marvelous sights and delightful chance encounters with people we met along the way. Always, I felt the presence of Rembrandt: walking by the canals, sitting in a charming courtyard or square, traversing the countryside and seeing the light that he saw. Although four hundred years have passed since Rembrandt lived and created art in Amsterdam, he is very much alive there today.
Replies: 24 Comments
on Thursday, July 23rd, generic soma said
Perfect work!
on Monday, July 20th, Mathew Gill said
Thank You so much for describing this type of topic
Which is depends on architectural photography.In above comment,it have fully described about labor devotee for making architecture of building ,decoration of park and everything which can be made by architecture.
on Sunday, July 19th, extra wide baby gate said
Amsterdam has always been a leading cultural centre, with top attractions such as the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. And your work make that statement even more true !! Thank you for sharing
on Saturday, July 18th, glass pendants said
Amsterdam and Paris, and Rome and London, and ... are wonderful cities. Amsterdam is especially fun on a bicycle. But it also has an overtly seedy side. I'll never forget on one of my visits seeing a junkie shaking and throwing up on himself in plain site of all, or passing through the red light district (only looking). Like all great cities, the dichotomy of old and new, of rarefied beauty and lowly humanity is what makes these cities great thus providing artists infinite number of subject matters.
on Saturday, July 18th, Kazelkmv said
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on Tuesday, July 14th, Afnvtvxd said
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on Sunday, July 12th, Kazelhtm said
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on Wednesday, July 8th, Ellen said
Andrea- Thank you for the kind words. Madrid is spectacular! I love the city and feel very attached to the art there. One can certainly attempt to understand the paintings of Valesquez and Sorolla in the light of Madrid and the nature of the city: I long to return there!
on Tuesday, July 7th, Andrea Amor said
The Amsterdam architecture it´s like a tale. I can imagine that place (but i heven´t been there yet, i will, i will...).
In Madrid we have a landscape that can you transport you to the Quevedos´s time S.XIX and this landscape with taverns, narrow streets....
Wonderful Photogrpahy website you have!
on Monday, July 6th, Ellen said
Kathleen- I am so pleased by your comments. Your web pages are wonderful, especially for one so young! (I clicked on your name to get to your web site.) I am honored that you said such kind things about my work considering the artists that you list as favorites are really up there, Rembrandt among them! Thank you for writing and much success!!
Christine- Thank you for the kind and thoughtful words.
on Sunday, July 5th, Christine said
Hi my name is christine i own a gallery in NYC i love your work please call me and i would love to show some of your work. Call me 732-832-9310. thank you i look forward to hearing from you.
on Sunday, July 5th, Kathleen said
Ellen,
It's amazing to see work as amazing as yours. A lot of the work done in recent times does not have so much heart in them as I see in yours. As I look at the photographs you have here my heart yearns to be able to be there, while at the same time it feels as if I already am there. The photographs capture a person's emotions and force them to feel as they would if they were to be there themselves.
on Thursday, July 2nd, Ellen said
Marta- Go soon! You will love it! Sincere thanks to you and Chris for your kind words.
My dear cousin Andrew- Thank you so much for adding to my experiences!! As always, you are wonderful!
on Thursday, July 2nd, Chris said
What a wonderful website. Thanks!
on Thursday, July 2nd, Andrew said
Dear Cousin Ellen -- Your beautiful description of your trip to Amsterdam is a pleasure to read and brings back wonderful memories of my trip there in the winter of 1990. I loved visiting Rembrandthuis, the Van Gogh museum and the Heineken Brewery! I was there just after Christmas holiday and watched the tree buring at Museumplein. I was amazed at the canals through the city, the age and detail of the building and the utilization of bicycles for transportation (since I did not grow up in the city)! Thank you for sharing such exceptional photography and have a fantastic 4th of July holiday.
on Thursday, July 2nd, Marta Incontri said
Beautiful description and rendering Ellen, almost poetic particularly for your attention to the light. Thank you. I now I feel like travelling to Amsterdam!
on Wednesday, July 1st, Ellen said
Charlie, Thank you so much for your kind words about my architectural photography: it is a true labor of love and one that reflects my admiration and respect for the many artists who devoted such time and talent to their art. I spent some time on your web site and found many wonderful works that evoked and stimulated my senses. Your use of color and space is marvelously dynamic. Really great!
Brad, I so appreciate that I could share my trip and feelings of place and, especially, the atmosphere. Your art and blogs always add to my perspective and awareness! Love your digital art!
on Wednesday, July 1st, BradMM said
Ellen,
Overall - images and words were successfully transportive and engaging. Thanks for sharing in real possibilities that can link us to our past via the annuals that Art History provides. Sounds like a worthy trip for you turns to be a benefiting fortune for us as well. - BradMM
on Tuesday, June 30th, Charlie said
Ellen, I looked at your website. It is good that someone looks again at the work of masons who also worked with feeling...I love your work it is gritty and rich. The texture is palatable it is like a spice for the eyes.
Thank you for showing your work.
on Tuesday, June 30th, Charlie said
Ellen, I looked at your website. It is good that someone looks again at the work of masons who also worked with feeling...I love your work it is gritty and rich. The texture is palatable it is like a spice for the eyes.
Thank you for showing your work.
