Lyonel Feininger considered light to be the ordering principle of the world - "the source of clarity amid chaos". He is best known for his semi-abstract landscapes and cityscapes. In them shafts of light falling on indistinct suggestions of church steeples, buildings, sailboats and ocean waves suggest a kind of heavenly immanence. He is also of particular interest because he systematically integrated the medium of photography into his painting process. Photography allowed Feininger to expand on his painterly explorations of what he called the "magical veiled world".
Course aim
This session explores the role of light in the work of Lyonel Feininger
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- No previous experience is necessary - just a lively, open-minded interest in art!
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Identify Feinnger's approach(es) to the representation pf light - from 'realism' to 'semi-abstraction', the imaginative to the spiritual
- Recognize the key characteristics of his work including inter-penetrating planes of transparent colour
- Understand the role of photography in Feininger's painting process
- Recognize some of the major influences on the artist's work including Robert Delaunay, the Bauhaus
What else do I need to know?
A booklist and suggested web sites will be available online
View full course information sheet
