Note

BookArt
HISTORY OF CONTEMPORARY ART
WRITTEN EXAM

Student: Gress Olivera

 Autor: Pierre Auguste Renoir
The Seine at Asnières
1875, oil on canvas,
71x92 cm
The National Gallery, London

Known variously as "Boating On The Seine"or "The Seine at Asnieres (The Skiff) the scene
depicts two women rowing on a sun drenched lake in Chatou, an affluent area on the Isle
De France.
What strikes the viewer immediately is the sheer vibrancy of the colouration and the way
that light infuses every aspect.
This is achieved using short brush strokes and building up layers of colour that
occasionally allow previously applied paints to show through.

I consider this painting as contemporary art because when I look at this artwork, I feel a
connection to it, but why?
When I was a child I lived in a small town called "Oyon", but if you traveled 30 minutes
from the place you could see the trees, rivers, hills and animals.

What I liked most about living there was getting up and being able to listen to the sound of
the birds, there was an immense tranquility and at night you could see the stars perfectly,
it was simply a very beautiful natural light. And in this painting I can imagine the sound of
the birds, as well as the sound of the water, and the bubbles that form while the woman is
rowing the boat. In addition, the contrast of the colors that complement each other very
well, simply transmits an intense emotion but at the same time beautiful, like a unique
moment. I am honestly surprised how a painting can transmit thoughts, memories, ideas
and feelings just by looking at it.
 My little place
Autor: Gress Olivera

Thanks to the painting The seine at Asnières by Renoir I was inspired to make this
drawing digitally, giving it my personal touch, but guided by the style he used to use
in his paintings. For example, I tried to make the brushstrokes short and to build up
layers with the colors. Also, the colors I used were just as I used to see them.

The reason why I decided to draw especially this kind of style was because it
reminded me of the place where I used to live as a child and what was around this
small town. We can see the hills in the background, as well as the plants and the
river. I really enjoyed doing this drawing because while I was drawing it reminded
me a lot of my childhood and the times I got to build there. Finally, it was the first
time I made a drawing with oil (digitally) I was quite surprised with the result and
even discovered a new style of painting, which I did not think I would be able to do,
because to do this kind of style with just brushstrokes is not easy and even to be
able to convey to people what you want to say, it is not that easy. Therefore, today I
learned more to value art, my total admiration.