Claude Monet’s Agapanthus

Alexandra Exter’s Theatrical Composition

Alexandra Exter’s Theatrical Composition and Claude Monet’s Agapanthus were pieces created in approximately the same period. Thus, they have many similarities. However, they also have many differences. For example, Exter and Monet both use neutral color palettes and lack of accurate representations of light and shadow in the images. However, Exter uses bold and defined figures in Theatrical Composition’s figures whereas Monet’s Agapanthus uses blended and blurred figures.

Theatrical Composition and Agapanthus both have neutral color palettes. Even though Theatrical Composition uses red, blue, and yellow (colors that are known to stand out), Exter uses unsaturated and paler shades of the color. Thus, the colors do not stand out to the eye as much and gives the audience a relaxing mood. It also causes the audience to pay more attention to the composition of shapes in the painting rather than a single subject. Agapanthus uses mainly earthly colors (green, brown, and blue) but has traces of yellow and a lavender. The color scheme is muddy looking overall but adds to a theme of nature. The strokes are very dynamic. It is easily to tell that Monet chose to make his strokes quick rather than precise. He did not wish to create a realistic looking painting but rather an expressive one. Thus, the quick strokes and nature color scheme give a relaxing mood like Theatrical Composition. Even though the colors used are different, the fact that both color schemes paler shades of such bold colors add to the relaxing and contemplative mood of the pieces.

-light

Theatrical Composition’s  and Agapanthus’ colors give similar moods to create the same effect as well as lack realistic portrayal of lights and shadows. Agapanthus seems to have a subtle light source coming from the top. However, the work does not emphasize a realistic nor distinct figure. Thus, it does not create a great amount of light and shadows. In addition, there are some areas of the painting where the light source is not towards the top. In fact, the grass towards the top left of the painting has its light source coming from the left and the flowers on the right have the light source coming from the bottom. Therefore, the light on the subjects is shown unrealistically. Since the goal is to express tranquility and display a scene, however, this lack of proper shadows and light allow the purpose of creating a tranquil mood to be fulfilled.

-form

The main difference between Theatrical Composition and Agapanthus is the form of the figures. Theatrical Composition has more bolded and define figures due to the thick lines used to define shapes. Agapanthus, on the other hand, is created with whimsical, quick, and messy strokes that make the figures blurry but dream-like. The colors in Theatrical Composition are neutral, but are not blurred together by having an outline show the shape they occupy with a bold line of contrasting color. This creates detail throughout the painting and causes the audience to travel around the painting in order to find each outlined and clear detail. Agapanthus, however, does not have lines to define the shapes of the figures it depicts. It allows the audience to appreciate the painting as a whole.

Theatrical Composition and Agapanthus both use neutral pale colors with inaccurate shading. These features allow the works to impact the audience in a surreal way. However, they attract attention in different ways. Theatrical Composition attracts attention through its small but bolded details. Not a single part of the painting is meant to be blurred and, thus, has a lot of small details for the reader to observe. Agapanthus, however, has its detail blurred with its messy strokes but offers a whole image. It offers audiences a curiosity on the creation of the image that the viewers cannot help but look closely at each stroke and how each one contributes to the painting as a whole.