sorting through: Old Master & 19th Century Paintings: Sotheby's

Let me start by saying I have the upmost respect for all artists and especially all artists that have earned the right to be called "masters." That being said, I don't normally visually enjoy works by old masters. I often enjoy studying their works, but the pieces of this genre I would be willing to hang in my home are few and far between. Here are a series of works that I would allow in my home.

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Still life of cheese, eggs, lemons, olives, and a sheet of music, on a ledge in an interior

Lombard School

I am obsessed with how much this food looks like it came from vintage wooden play kitchen. Respectfully. It is also important to note that if I attempted to paint food, it would not even look like food. Despite the painting being vastly dark, the moments of light and color carry a significant weight in the impact of the work. The choice of light draws you in as it comes in unexpected areas such as the dramatic shift in hue on the cheese wedge. The red flowers throughout help to carry the eye to different details and add a romantic and soft feel to an otherwise dark and static scene. Great work master!

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A landscape with figures and animals by farm buildings

Johannes Urselincx

 What a silly little house. A house where life is being lived with a longing castle in the background. I have always loved mundane subject matter in beautiful art, and this is a great example of that. The warmed aged tones are rustic and comforting. A truthful representation of a home that would look great in someone else's home.

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An interior of a church

Pieter Neefs the Elder

 This painting is a great example of a work in the master style that still visually fits in with more modern approaches to art. This work tells a story of life hundreds of yers ago, but moment being captured feels timeless. Beyond the era-spanning appeal of religious art, the technique and artistic decisions are awe-inspiring. The use of light is particularly noteworthy with the streams of light coming from the middle ground. The main draw of the work being in this room sandwiched between a seemingly never-ending hallway in the background a dark almost somber foreground really brings you inside the church and the scene. A beautiful painting of a meaningful moment. Add this to a formal dining room perhaps.

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Milkmaid in Tegernsee

Wilhelm von Kobell

I selfishly don't normally like paintings of other people. In my opinion, portraits are meant to be owned and enjoyed by the subject(s) themselves. This work seems special though. The distinct difference in detail between the foreground and background which looks like portrait mode photo on an iPhone immediately caught my eye. And then I became captivated by the scene. The little boy playing the instrument is comical today, but was probably a very real and grounded moment at the time. You can see it in the goats eyes that the boy is a musical genius.

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Calves in a Wooded Glade

Anton Braith

COWS! Who doesn't love a painting of cows. Such happy nurturing creatures that bring so much joy to the world. I want this hanging on a living room wall above a chair with a needlepoint pillow.