Landscape With A Watermill By George Barret
Landscape with a Watermill by George Barret is an oil painting of a rural forest scene. The painting features an old, although working, dilapidated watermill, weary travelers on a grassy ledge, a rundown shack, and alert cows. Up above, grey clouds indicate an impending storm. In this painting, Barret wanted to depict the uncertainness of the future by emphasizing the central figures. To do this, he expertly used the elements of art.
In the foreground of the painting, there are two people resting by the water, one surveying the sky and another inspecting the watermill. The figures are on a journey. They are dressed in warm clothing, indicated by Barret’s use of deep shading, each have their own sack, and one has a walking stick. The traveler
that is looking towards the sky and the man by the watermill are both assessing the possibility of a storm. The first man is inspecting the grey clouds while the other man is looking at the rushing water coming out of the mill. The former indicates the arrival of a storm and the latter shows the prominence of rainfall in the area. The other two men also expect a storm and are hunkered down. None of them know what to expect besides what they are preparing for in the present- the arrival of a storm.
The journeyers are not the only ones on alert, the cows are as well. Just like the men, two of the three cows are gauging the weather while the third one is lying down in the grass. Barret’s ability to paint the cow’s sinewy lines and expressive facial features indicate the nervousness and awareness of the animals. Even though the white cow is resting, it still gazes into the dark, wooded area to look for shelter. The forest is safer than the opening because it is heavily wooded as indicated by the lack of light reaching the forest floor. The cows are also preparing for the storm and worrying about the future.
While the men and the animals are obvious figures, Barret uses high contrast in the clouds which personifies the sky, making it another figure. The beautiful blue part of the sky indicates hope for the future, while most of the sky contains the dark storm clouds that represent uncertainty and doubt. The inner turmoil of the other two figures is consistent with the weather.
Overall, Barret was able to masterfully depict the uncertainty of what is to come by using the elements of art and principles of design. His precise and expressive brushstrokes give the painting a weathered look that adds the viewer’s comprehension of the scene. Landscape with a Watermill is truly a work of art.
In the foreground of the painting, there are two people resting by the water, one surveying the sky and another inspecting the watermill. The figures are on a journey. They are dressed in warm clothing, indicated by Barret’s use of deep shading, each have their own sack, and one has a walking stick. The traveler
that is looking towards the sky and the man by the watermill are both assessing the possibility of a storm. The first man is inspecting the grey clouds while the other man is looking at the rushing water coming out of the mill. The former indicates the arrival of a storm and the latter shows the prominence of rainfall in the area. The other two men also expect a storm and are hunkered down. None of them know what to expect besides what they are preparing for in the present- the arrival of a storm.
The journeyers are not the only ones on alert, the cows are as well. Just like the men, two of the three cows are gauging the weather while the third one is lying down in the grass. Barret’s ability to paint the cow’s sinewy lines and expressive facial features indicate the nervousness and awareness of the animals. Even though the white cow is resting, it still gazes into the dark, wooded area to look for shelter. The forest is safer than the opening because it is heavily wooded as indicated by the lack of light reaching the forest floor. The cows are also preparing for the storm and worrying about the future.
While the men and the animals are obvious figures, Barret uses high contrast in the clouds which personifies the sky, making it another figure. The beautiful blue part of the sky indicates hope for the future, while most of the sky contains the dark storm clouds that represent uncertainty and doubt. The inner turmoil of the other two figures is consistent with the weather.
Overall, Barret was able to masterfully depict the uncertainty of what is to come by using the elements of art and principles of design. His precise and expressive brushstrokes give the painting a weathered look that adds the viewer’s comprehension of the scene. Landscape with a Watermill is truly a work of art.