Monday, June 04, 2012

ABC Wednesday
June 6, 2012  (D Day)

The letter this week is the less than ubiquitous U

The U is a little sparse on the ground, but I did find a classic one that stands for Utrillo

Maurice Utrillo, the illegitimate son of Suzanne Valadon, born on Christmas Day, 1883 in Montmartre, Paris.


Often drunk, struggling with alcoholism and mental illness, ignored by the art world for many years, but now known as an admired post-impressionist painter along with artists such as Monet and Renoir.  A recent auction of Utrillo's paintings raised over $7 million dollars....


la rue tholoze a Montmartre

Such crisp clean lines and pleasing perspective

and here a more romanticized painting of the streets of Paris,

full of light and softer lines


I would hang this very happily somewhere where I could look at it for hours at a time

and lose myself  along the street, among the shops and flowered windowsills.

Next week I will post for V and tell the story of
Utrillo's mother, Suzanne Valadron.

In the meantime do go here to see what other U's are at ABC Wednesday.

12 comments:

Tina´s PicStory said...

what a wonderful U. love this paintings :)

Carver said...

Interesting post and wonderful paintings. Carver, ABC-Wed. Team

Roger Owen Green said...

sad story, but great art
ROG, ABC Wednesday team

Leslie: said...

Wonderful post as impressionism and post impressionism are my favourite art styles. I taught a unit on Monet to my grade 4s for several years and they really enjoyed the lessons. They even had a go at creating their own work of art!

Leslie
abcw team

Reader Wil said...

You have always got a new interesting entry. I had not heard of him. I like his paintings and the period in which it was painted. Many painters are a bit mentally disturbed, like Van Gogh.
Thank for your post and also for your comment. No, David was a sinful man, and he was punished for it.

Ann said...

What stunning work, I had not heard of him before. I learn so many neat things on this weekly party.
Ann

Chubskulit Rose said...

Lovely art and a nice piece of history.

Up and Down

Rose, ABC Wednesday Team

MERYL JAFFE, PhD - parent, psychologist, teacher, author... said...

Really interesting post. I really like the top painting!

photowannabe said...

A new name for me. She really did lovely work and I could hang them on my wall also.

VioletSky said...

Thanks for the introduction to a previously unknown artist!

ChrisJ said...

I do so love both of these paintings. I have never heard of him and will have to research him some more.
Do you know that the American Psychiatric Association have discovered that an abnormally high number of famous painters, writers and musicians suffer(ed) from mental illness? Someone expressed it this way -- they seemed to have been born with one less layer of skin. They were so gifted and able to express themselves so uniquely because they felt things so deeply. Interesting.

Black Jack's Carol said...

This was a fascinating post to read and savour. I would happily hang either of the paintings shown here in my home. Utrillo's life may not have been easy, but he left a beautiful legacy for the world to enjoy.