[Blue Graveyard], Steiner-Prag, Hugo, 1880/1945, From the collection of: Leo Baeck Institute, Center for Jewish History
This artwork demonstrates the sadness and eeriness that the color blue creates in a painting. The artist seems to know it as well, painting a graveyard in different shades of the color.
Portrait of a man in blue, Nadel, Arno, 1878/1943, From the collection of: Leo Baeck Institute, Center for Jewish History
This painting of a weary man is highlighted with blue to accentuate the overall feeling of poverty.
Etude in Blue, Alma Thomas, 1966, From the collection of: SCAD Museum of Art
This painting by Alma Thomas creates a chaotic yet almost sad quality using mainly the color blue. Had the artist used a different color, like say red, the painting would've had a far angrier quality.
The blues in this painting mimic almost a spiral of depression, like the object is curling in on itself from the darker blues that outline the painting.
After the War. The Sad Home, Santiago Rusiñol, Around 1895, From the collection of: Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya - MNAC, Barcelona
To finish his piece that depicts a soldier returning to life after the war, the artist uses blue in this other wise black and white drawing to emphasis the feeling of sadness in the home.
Blue and green (arthroplasty), Dame Barbara Hepworth (artist), 1947, From the collection of: Te Papa
Using cool colors like blue and green, the artist depicts a solemn mood during an operation and a presumably very injured person.
Blue-Green Land, Xu Lei, 2008/2012, From the collection of: Today Art Museum
By using blues and greens the artist was able to make it seem like this ethereal horse came from a very sad place.
Vincent van Gogh in Blue, Kang, Hyung Koo, 2007, From the collection of: Korean Art Museum Association
Kang recreates Vincent Van Gogh in blue, it's lighter colors, especially around his eyes, show a feeling of eeriness and creates an almost depressed feeling from the viewer.
Fuck Off, Sonni, 2010/2013, From the collection of: graffitimundo
The blue background shows that despite trying to put a smile on their face, the person in the picture is still very sad.
Horse Frightened by Lightning, Eugène Delacroix, between 1825 and 1829, From the collection of: Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
The blues in the storm create an overbearing feeling, and a sense of fear as shown through the horse.
The Blue Passion Flower, for Robert John Thornton’s Temple of Flora (London, 1799–1812), Philip Reinagle, 1749–1833, British, 1800, From the collection of: Yale Center for British Art
By using blue in the leaves the artist created the appearance of the flowers not being alive, as opposed to how they would look with bright warm colors.
Backstage―Symphony in Blue, Jean-Louis Forain, c.1900 - 1923, From the collection of: Ohara Museum of Art
This painting shows a feeling of fear right before a big performance, while waiting backstage. The highlights of blue dampen the mood to enhance this effect.
The dining room, Opus 152, Paul Signac, 1886/1887, From the collection of: Kröller-Müller Museum
It seems that the feeling at this table is very solemn and sullen because of the highlights of blue around the scene.
Somewhere There Must Be a Future, Wolfgang Lettl, 2005, From the collection of: Lettl Collection
By using blue in the background it showcases the desperate feeling of this piece, as a woman is "reborn" to a new futures.
Portrait of Peasant, Paul Cézanne, 1905 - 1906, From the collection of: Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza
This artist draws a peasant in shades of blue to make note of the poverty the peasant must feel and emphasis it.
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.
Today Art Museum
graffitimundo
Ohara Museum of Art
Korean Art Museum Association
Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza
Lettl Collection
SCAD Museum of Art
Kröller-Müller Museum
Leo Baeck Institute, Center for Jewish History
Te Papa
Yale Center for British Art
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya - MNAC, Barcelona