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Diane Boswell

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Posted
Just for information, there is a Youtube channel called Learn from the masters. It is basically a lot of slideshows of different painters' works. I immerse myself in them from time to time. There are hundreds of paintings to enjoy. 

Diane Boswell

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Posted
.

Edited
by Diane Boswell

IMG_8857

Marjorie Firth

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I’ll make a note of that Diane.

AnonymousUser-5 AnonymousUser-5

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In an alternate universe one might choose another artist. Here’s another master from the Dutch “golden age”—Emanuel de Witte (1617-1692/3). Better known for his architectural views of church interiors—some imaginary, some real—where the actual visual experience, including beautifully observed light effects, play as big a part as the architecture. Here he turns his hand to portraiture-come-genre. A wealthy merchant, in his palatial Amsterdam residence. Stolid looking —he reminds me of Colonel Hall from The Phil Silvers Show (Bilko), played by the wonderful, Paul Ford. He seems completely oblivious to the fact that the serving girl seems to have difficulty in keeping a straight face. To the right, his missus appears to be bored witless, and gazes longingly at the painter. That’s my interpretation anyhow(!)  
Entwined, abstract

Sandra Kennedy

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Posted
Love your interpretation Tom.
IMG_8857

Marjorie Firth

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Posted
Ha ha, I like that interpretation too - and so much skill involved.
forum pic p.o

Peter Smith

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Posted
Hilarious and spot on!

Norrette Moore

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Posted
Yes, this is an impossible choice! I admire so many of those already mentioned! One of my favourite landscape painters is Isaac Levitan.
Diane Boswell on 11/01/2026 16:42:12
I'd not come across Levitan before now. It's the sort of view I have in my photo folders, and think 'that wont make an interesting picture'.  But strangely, it does, and I keep coming back to it.  He's clever.

Alan Bickley

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The position of the horizon line was critical here…Obvious of course - I like it for its simplicity…

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by Alan Bickley

Entwined, abstract

Sandra Kennedy

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Love your interpretation Tom.
Sandra Kennedy on 13/01/2026 06:05:18
I'm having another look at this very intriguing painting and come up with a different interpretation, can't resist sharing. He's eyeing up the servant girl, his wife looks angry to me rather than bored as she knows what is happening. She might of course be eyeing up the painter as a result.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

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It looks as if Tom  and I watched many of the same programmes - I well remember Paul Ford, and yes, I see the resemblance.  The Levitan painting - an artist I've always admired - reminds me of a despairing remark by one of the  German invaders (Fieldmarshal von Rundstedt, to be precise): in Russia, "the distances swallow us".  Levitan and Repin capture those vast expanses of steppe and forest - they're quite distinct from the generality of European painting; the Russians still have very much their own schools of painting, and even materials.  

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