Take a moment to appreciate these two paintings:
1. Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer
2. Books – a still life by Rembrandt
Both paintings depict rather mundane, everyday situations – one a woman pouring milk into a container, and the other, a table in disarray. Why, then, do we elevate them and hang them up in museums?
When we celebrate a piece of art, we also acknowledge the effort that went into creating it. In these works, Vermeer and Rembrandt observed the intricate interplay of colours, lighting and shadows to later depict them with delicate strokes of their brushes. On looking at their painting, their skill and their toil rubs off on us. It allows us to see the world with a more attentive and discerning pair of eyes.
Art reminds us that there is so much beauty that we overlook.
Observations 