Every day I read a few pages from Art That Changed the World, a lovely coffee table book from DK publishing.
Yesterday I enjoyed reading how Leonardo DaVinci is known by art historians for introducing a style of painting called sfumato (“in the manner of smoke”) where he blurred edges and offered viewers “grace,” as one commentator put it. This is in contrast to painters before him who rendered “lucid” lines and intent.
DaVinci also painted with “ariel,” which means “atmospheric,” or seeking to create a pleasant experience. In other words, DaVinci created paintings that invited his viewers into a topography that engaged rather than disengaged his audience.
“Grace Ariel” is a lovely idea, don’t you think? A worthy goal if we are a painter, friend, parent or sibling, colleague, neighbor, or simply a human navigating all the challenges and blessings of living our lives outside of a painter’s frame.
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