The Art of Advent: Day Fourteen
By Ami Melville
On the thirteenth day of our Art of Advent calendar, I’d love to highlight one of my favorite winter scenes as the potential for a white Christmas comes nearer and nearer. This season gives artists a variety of opportunities to experiment with texture, light and color and to me, the perfect balance of cold, crisp air and the warmth of the holiday season is encapsulated in Lucien Pissarro’s Ivy Cottage, Cold Harbour, Sun and Snow (1916).
Lucien Pissarro, Ivy Cottage, Cold Harbour, Sun and Snow, 1916. Oil on canvas, 53.0 × 64.4 cm. Tate.
Pissarro pays exceptional attention to the detail of the snow, creating a sense of nostalgia as the viewer can almost hear the sound of footsteps on the frozen path. A lone figure heads away from us at sunset, but instead of casting a somber tone the warmth of the sun in the distance reflects this familiarity we associate with the feelings Pissarro evokes. Through textured brushstrokes and the warm, pastel-like reflections of the sun on the snow, he creates a beautiful and impactful landscape that we feel like we can step into.
The holiday season can bring feelings of sadness and anxiety along with joy as we finish exams and get ready to head home. Always remember that you are never alone and that the simplest things, such as a walk outside or even viewing one like this, can bring just a little more peace into our chaotic lives.
Bibliography:
Tate. “‘Ivy Cottage, Coldharbour: Sun and Snow’, Lucien Pissarro, 1916.” Tate, January 1, 1970. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/pissarro-ivy-cottage-coldharbour-sun-and-snow-n05552.