Drawing lessons - illustrated lesson notes for teachers and students

http://www.geocities.com/~jlhagan/advanced/what_makes_a_masterpiece.htm

Now that is out of the way we can ask; how do we classify works as masterpieces? Answer; by

finding their similarities and judging whether their differences are relevant differences. For this

purpose I list below ten pre -1900 paintings I class as masterpieces. This is not to say there aren't

others ...

Giorgione - The Tempest

Vermeer - Girl with pearl earing

Leonardo - The Mona Lisa

Rembrant - The night watch

Caravaggio - Calling St.Mathew

Velazquez - Las Meninas

Titian - the assumption

Watteau - The clown -Pierot

Turner - The fighting Temairaire

Gerome - Police Versa

THEY ARE ALL SHOWN ON THIS PAGE

It is assumed that what binds these paintings together is more relevant than their differences. So

what binds them? Here we must almost become Toaist in our answer. The artists all ‘walked on rice-

paper but left no footprints’(ie, more becomes less).

In all these works there is mystery, subtlety and a magnetic attraction. The technique is so skilful,

so masterful, so seamless, it is unnoticeable. Like the great actor who makes the audience forget

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