“One of the monsoon pictures that I really like is Gustave Caillebotte’s Paris Street: Rainy Day painted in 1877. This
classic rendition of 19th century urban life is in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. The painting depicts a street intersection at Place de Dublin; its commanding scale draws you in and the brilliantly painted wet umbrella tops, the reflections on the cobble stone streets makes you feel the dampness in the air. It’s almost as if the painter was able to freeze forever the beautiful monsoon light, the humidity and the slow rhythm of life in 19th Century
Europe.”
Jitish Kallat
“Looks like monsoons and rains are not a favourite subject with western artists. Obviously, they have winter and snow and all the associated lore to spike their imagination with. In my recollection it is Marc Chagall’s painting of Rain which comes up as the most memorable. It actually does not depict the rain, instead that significant moment when clouds gather in the sky just before a downpour. I like the painting for the sense of magic he creates, and of course for the movement, energy and colour. I can hardly remember any other painting dealing with rain except may be a minor work by Van Gogh, which is actually a painted version of an image he saw in a Japanese woodcut by Utagawa Hiroshige.”
Baiju Parthan
“Light and Colour - After The Deluge by JMW Turner is my favourite. Impressionism is one of my favourite styles and Turner is one of my favourite artists. Most of the paintings done by him have an amazing quality of light, using texture and colour. He depicted water in most of his paintings Even though this is a very old painting, it appears contemporary.”
Brinda Miller
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