Ralph Blakelock Moonlight Essay

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The subversive importance of impressionists’ arts has been discussed in various art analyses by many scholars. Ralph Blakelock, one of the most prominent impressionists, was born in New York on 1847. Having undergone formal education, Blakelock taught himself artistry, with more interest in landscape views. He, particularly, concentrated on the selective landscape views that he encountered in his journeys across America and India. One of his most sought after painting is Moonlight. After a visit to High Museum of Art in Atlanta, I came a cross Ralph Blakelock’s Moonlight, which inevitably says a lot of the artist’s personality and background. In fact, it is evident that Blakelock has tried to achieve certain level of subversion of tradition …show more content…

The painting depicts a sense of wilderness and solitude, with a sense of solitary lifestyle in nature. With those familiar with his background, it is said that Blakelock’s painting depicted his harsh and exclusionary American society. He was not happy with the way Native Americans were being displaced during wars in America. In other words, he resorted to protest with his candid paintings, rather than be in the battlefield. It is accepted across the board that Blakelock’s Moonlight, just like many of his artworks, was highly personal in technical terms. His individualistic approach to nature endeared him to many, with more aspects of space depth being illustrated by his lighting technique. Blakelock tactically uses light to create space, hence the illuminating effects of the Moonlight. His love for wilderness is clearly indicated by the use of deep colored aspects of the dark tree leaves, cemented with disappearing valley at the background. Moonlight is a typical example Blakelock’s moods, personality and general feelings expressed in painting. His love for nature and Native Americans’ culture can be argued to have informed his genius attitude as expressed in the

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