Some Watercolors

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This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.

Watercolor is my favorite medium. I love the finality of it. It's not such a popular medium (galleries today have ten oil paintings for each watercolor at best, and few can name an artist who got famous painting watercolors.) But for those who can embrace that challenge, the results can be amazing.

Villa di Marlia, Lucca: A Fountain, John Singer Sargent, 1910, From the collection of: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Many of the great impressionists used watercolors as study pieces for their great oil works. These works now stand alone as great art and I certainly feel I'm rediscovering his genius every time I look at his watercolors. The vibrancy and subtlety of his colors is just perfect. The bold brushwork is also well delivered.

De-Icing Aircraft, Ravilious, Eric, 1942, From the collection of: Imperial War Museums

As your eye moves through this painting, you can feel the wind and the blowing snow. While he was a wartime artist, the painting is not grim or violent. The subtle message seems to focus on man vs. nature. It lends to a much more psychological message that does include wartime elements but certainly transcends the war as well.

Gothic Church Ruin, Carl Blechen, c. 1829 - 1831, From the collection of: Kunstpalast

When men fail, nature steps in with out apology. However, in the careful details and romance of this painting we see the beauty of both the work of men and the work of nature.

Hypothetical Image - Of human bandage,1982-2, Kim, Jonak, 1982, From the collection of: Korean Art Museum Association

Quite frankly, I'm not sure I've ever seen a more creative approach to a watercolor painting. With amazing reality of an image born totally in the artist's mind, this is a painting that I will not soon forget.

Study of Pink Hollyhocks in Sunlight, from Nature, John La Farge, 1879, From the collection of: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

This painting has a lot of energy, and its almost like you can see the plant growing and the flower opening in bloom. The artist was able to strike the perfect balance of careful details and of light , quick, & loose brushwork.

Tours: Sunset: Looking Backwards, Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1775–1851, British, between 1826 and 1830, From the collection of: Yale Center for British Art

The grainy washes and quick, light brush strokes give this painting a certain quality, almost abstract though certainly not exactly abstract. Combine this with the title and the overall message is delivered very well. I really feel this painting was ahead of its time.

Glass-blowers 'Gathering' from the Furnace, Peake, Mervyn, 1943, From the collection of: Imperial War Museums

It is rare indeed to find such bold, warm colors in a watercolor painting. What I love about this one is how the artist captured such brilliant lighting in an interior. It is definitely a good illustration of his experience in this setting.

Three Boys in a Dory with Lobster Pots, Winslow Homer, 1875, From the collection of: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Winslow Homer was a master of composition, color harmony, and of communicating the honest details of everyday life of those at sea. This is the simplicity of a realist watercolor at its best.

Rhodes, Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1775–1851, British, between 1823 and 1824, From the collection of: Yale Center for British Art

Here, the basic palette and color harmony give the sun-washed buildings an almost dream-like quality.

Snowy Forest, Andreas Achenbach, 1835, From the collection of: Kunstpalast

First off, read the details on this one- its totally worth it and that person knows better what they're doing than I do. From my point of view, I just can't believe this is a watercolor.While it's almost monochramatic, and while the scene could be dismal, it's anything but. I just can't stop looking at it.

This is an extremely early work given the amount of rather scientific detail and careful observation. The masterful artistry is not lost in this simple subject either. It's so lifelike I can imagine myself betting the hare, running my hand over it's long ears- I can see how they would move if I did. I 'm waiting for it to twitch its nose and hop off.

Preliminary study for the décor of the ballet "Le Dieu bleu" (The Blue God), Leon Bakst, 1911, From the collection of: Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University

This may have been a "preliminary study" for ballet decor, but it's a wonderful work of art on its own. Here in brilliant technicolor, reality meets both the imagined world and functionality for the theater. It's a huge challenge for an artist to attempt, and in this case, succeed at.

Mary Cassatt Self-Portrait, Mary Stevenson Cassatt, circa 1880, From the collection of: Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery

Again we have an impressionist with wonderful color interpretation which deftly delivers an energetic and insightful painting. Mary Cassatt is so well known for communicating the beauty and humanity of everyday life of women and children. So it's a treat when she gives us a glimpse of her perspective of herself.

Andernach, Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1775–1851, British, 1817, From the collection of: Yale Center for British Art

In this dreamy landscape, the atmosphere of mystery blends the composition. The elements are a treat for the eye to explore.

Stonehenge, John Constable, 1835 (painted) - 1835, From the collection of: The Victoria and Albert Museum

I didn't even notice the people until I zoomed in the second time I looked at this one. I love how the restless sky energizes the scene and together with the lines and stark lighting on the stones, gives life to the ancient and mysterious ruins.

(The quail shooter), Emma Minnie BOYD, 1884, From the collection of: National Gallery of Australia

Here we see the human figure underplayed compared to the role of nature in the painting. The painting is both dreamy and adventurous and deftly captures a unique time and place.

The Garden Wall, John Singer Sargent, 1910, From the collection of: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

This painting to me is a comical view into a bit of a soap-opera situation. The two characters are obviously opposing each other (as contrasting forces illustrates.) But Sargent offers up hope of a solution past the problem- through the door and into the more harmonious world beyond.

The Princess and the Trolls, John Bauer, 1913, From the collection of: Nationalmuseum Sweden

This painting was an illustration but is still a worthy piece of art in my opinion. Imagination meets the mundane and the result is a story in itself.

Green and Silver: Beaulieu, Touraine, Artist: James McNeill Whistler, 1888, From the collection of: Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art

Whistler seemed to master any medium he picked **. This painting shows a light-hearted yet realistic impression of figures in a landscape.The color ratios and palette in general are very well done.

Old Settlers, Winslow Homer, 1892, From the collection of: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Winslow Homer shows the elements that "Old Settlers" faced rather than showing the characters themselves. The painting shows rough and dominating landscape, with resources that could be utilized which were both delicate and dangerous.

Sunlight on the Piazzetta, Maurice Brazil Prendergast, 1898 - 1899, From the collection of: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Nocturne: Black and Red - Back Canal, Holland, Artist: James McNeill Whistler, 1883 or 1884, From the collection of: Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art

The audacity of Whistler's Nocturnes show experimental genius at its best. This one is a bit more unique in that it's a watercolor but also that there is a bigger variety of colors in it. The scant details and rough mystery make for an intriguing atmosphere that I can't take my eyes off of.

Eliza Izard (Mrs. Thomas Pinckney, Jr.), Edward Greene Malbone, 1801, From the collection of: Gibbes Museum of Art

In the days before photography, a miniature portrait was a cherished item. I can't imagine getting that much likeness out of a portrait that would probably fit in my palm. And here on something called the internet, hundreds of years later, her beauty lives on.

The Large Piece of Turf, 1503, Albrecht Dürer, 1503, From the collection of: Albertina Museum

It takes a lot of patience to execute this kind of work. The details in this painting bring the plants to life and bring artistry to humble grasses and weeds.

Simplon Pass: The Tease, John Singer Sargent, 1911, From the collection of: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Again, Sargent showed insightful genius with the use of color in this watercolor. Here we also see the diagnal lines adding to the compostion. I love zooming in on the details in the faces as well.

Design for a bed-head, Gaspar Homar, 1900-1910, From the collection of: Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya - MNAC, Barcelona

watercolour - The Anniversary Meeting of the Charity Children in the Cathedral of St. Paul, Havell, Robert (junior), 1826, From the collection of: London Museum

Horse Frightened by Lightning, Eugène Delacroix, between 1825 and 1829, From the collection of: Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest

Poppi in the Casentino, Tuscany, Edward Darley Boit, 1910, From the collection of: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Song of Songs （Cantique des Cantiques）, Gustave Moreau, 1893, From the collection of: Ohara Museum of Art

Childhood, Eduard Bendemann, c. 1838, From the collection of: Kunstpalast

When I think of a painting that illustrates the many aspects of childhood, I would not picture a Grecco-Roman revival. However, this painting offers many aspects of the ideal childhood throughout the ages. It not only captures the imagination by taking us to a dreamworld, yet we also relate and reminisce centuries later.

Hill and Houses, Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Edward Hopper, 1927, From the collection of: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Under the Willows, John Singer Sargent, 1888, From the collection of: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

One of the falls on the Apsley, Conrad Martens, 1873, From the collection of: National Gallery of Victoria

Morning in the Highlands: the royal family ascending Lochnagar, Carl Haag, 1853, From the collection of: Royal Collection Trust, UK

Umbrellas in the Rain, Maurice Brazil Prendergast, 1899, From the collection of: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Dead Blue Roller, 1500 (or 1512), Albrecht Dürer, 1500 (or 1512), From the collection of: Albertina Museum

The blue appearance of most feathers is actually a certain way the light is refracted. If you ever have a chance, hold a naturally blue bird's feather to the light. I'm not sure if this artist did that in 1512, but given the plethora of colors he used to depict this blue bird, he was definitely ahead of his time.

The Piano Lesson, Frances Hodgkins, c 1909, From the collection of: Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Bell Rock Lighthouse, Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1819, From the collection of: National Galleries Scotland: National

Rio dei Mendicanti, Venice, John Singer Sargent, about 1909, From the collection of: Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields

Credits: All media

This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.