Analysis: The Garden At Sainte-Adresse

Color and composition are important elements to art. Without understanding the basic information of these elements, you tend to just look at a piece of art and not fully understand what the artist is trying to covey. The Garden at Sainte-Adresse was painted by Monet in 1857. It is oil on canvas and is 38 5/8 x 51 1/18 inches. Monet was on vacation with his family, while painting this and even had them pose for the painting. The Autumn Effect at Argenteuil was painted by Monet in 1873. It is oil on canvas and is 21 5/8 x 29 3/8 inches. Monet painted this piece while out on his studio boat, a small boat that had a cover over it so he could paint outside in any weather. Even though, Garden at Sainte-Adresse and Autumn Effect at Argenteuil,

In Garden at Sainte-Adresse the use of reds, yellows, and oranges in the flowers and the flag, to the blues and greens in the water and grass, makes all the colors “pop” in this piece. The brush strokes have a more defined outline and that makes the painting crisp and gives it more of a smooth texture. Whereas, in Autumn Effect at Argenteuil, he still uses complementary colors, the orange trees to the blue water and touches of greens, the colors don’t seem as vibrant, due to his different brush stroke technique. There are no defined outlines, in this piece, almost as if it is just blotches of color. They are almost muted in comparison to Garden at Sainte-Adresse. By using these types of brush strokes it give the work more texture and makes the leaves on the trees more realistic. In both pieces he uses “cool” colors to give us a calming and relaxing feeling, but in Autumn Effect at Argenteuil, he also gives us warmth by using a lot of reds and oranges. By using both “cool” and “warm” colors we get more of a warm and relaxing feel in Autumn Effect at Argenteuil than in Garden at Sainte-Adresse. There is also, a difference in the use of intermediate colors. He uses more intermediate colors in Autumn Effect at Argenteuil, whereas, in Garden at Sainte-Adresse, he uses more primary colors. In Autumn Effect at Argenteuil, he uses of more blue-green and yellow-orange

He uses unity, balance, emphasis and subordination, and rhythm to design each piece. He has created a unified piece in, Autumn Effect at Argenteuil the use of vertical lines, the height of the trees and the stream. He also adds a little variety by painting the town in the horizon. In Garden at Sainte-Adresse, he uses the same technique, but only opposite. He has unity by painting the patio, sea, and sky horizontally, but adds some variety by painting the flag poles and flowers vertically and by painting one boat, in the forefront and the fence being higher on one side. Both piece have a balance to them. In Autumn Effect at Argenteuil, the forms above the horizon mirror the forms below the horizon, in the reflection of the water. It is not a perfect balance, but it makes the piece more calming to look at. There are three horizontal bands of the painting, Garden at Sainte-Adresse; the patio, sea, clouds, and sky and with the vertical lines of the flag poles and flowers, it gives the piece a nice balance. According to Getlein, “Emphasis and subordination are complementary concepts” (Getlein, 2012, 127). In Autumn Effect at Argenteuil, the emphasis is on the stream and trees, but the subordination is the town on the horizon. The emphasis in Garden at Sainte-Adresse is the people, patio, and flowers. The subordination is the boats on the horizon and the sky. “Through, repetition, any of the visual elements can