Studying Art: Frye Art Museum in Seattle Essay Example

painting, titled "Die Svende," features an ornate frame containing nothing, challenging conventions of traditional art. Liu Ding's exhibition is unconventional and has the potential to evoke either thoughtfulness or disappointment, depending on the viewer's taste, refinement, and patience.

The Frye Art Museum is currently hosting an exhibition titled Ties That Bind: American Artists in Europe. This exhibition focuses on showcasing portraits and landscapes created by American artists who were influenced by classical European styles from the 18th and 19th centuries. After the Civil War in 1865, many American artists traveled to Europe to fully immerse themselves in its thriving artistic culture. In Europe, there was a flourishing period of artistic, cultural, and intellectual expression that attracted these American artists who wanted to be part of this stimulating environment. Consequently, a significant era of artistic production emerged as American talents adapted European techniques and traditions into their own works.

One of the paintings on display is William Merritt Chase’s Portrait of a Lady against Pink Ground (ca.1886). Chase divulged that each sitter he painted presented a new aspect of their personality, providing constant variety and study in his work. The portrait captures the bohemian attitude through the lady’s pose and posture, portraying Miss Virginia Gerson.
John Singer Sargent’s Mrs. Frederick William Roller (dated 1895) shares a similar theme as it adapts a mature style of portraiture, capturing the interior life of the sitter against finely articulated backdrops. Mrs. Roller, an elderly lady dressed in black, stands within an architectural frame, creating a strong impact on the viewer. Sargent skillfully depicts the curves of her dress and pays great attention to detail in the room setting. The minimal use

of jewelry and accessories further showcases Sargent’s artistic effectiveness.
Another intimate portrait is Maybelle (1898) by Thomas Eakins. This close-range drawing reveals Eakins’ ability to imbue his sitter with inner spirit while showcasing her emotional and cerebral intelligence. The focused gaze of the sitter serves as further evidence of her strength of character.

Another genre represented in the exhibition is landscape paintings. One notable example is Albert Bierstadt’s rainbow in the Sierra Nevada (ca. 1871-73), which portrays a romanticized western landscape as an American Eden, as stated in the accompanying note. The beauty of the lake, mountain, and woods is enhanced by Bierstadt’s use of inner light. This painting goes beyond simply imitating life; it elevates perception to a higher level.

The Deserted Camp by Henry Raschen exhibits the grim truth of the organized removal and annihilation of Native Americans by settlers. The painting depicts the haunting but vibrant hues of the American West. In comparison, William Merritt Chase's Coast of Holland shares a similar theme with The Deserted Camp, but distinguishes itself by its ecological and geological aspects.

Frederick Childe Hassam’s Parc Monceau, Paris (1897) depicts the essence of leisure in Paris, with an aristocratic lady and child immersed in the garden's beauty. It serves as a metaphor for city life. Willard Leroy Metcalf’s Bank of the Seine (1888) has a haunting quality that lingers in one's memory, evoking melancholy and stagnancy. The painting incorporates characteristic features of the impressionist style. Lastly, John Henry Twachtman’s Windmills, Dardrecht (ca.1881) presents an elegant landscape.