March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers . . .
Susan here. So goes the nursery rhyme, promising that the crazy weather of March and the rain of April will once again lead to balmy spring days filled with flowers and sunshine. Here in the northern hemisphere with just one week left in March, this month we’ve seen everything from clouds, winds, and rain to sunny warmth and even several inches of snow not long ago. Sun or snow, the hyacinths and daffodils are blooming and the tulips are making their way out of the ground. Today, we have rain and winds again, alas – but we've made it through the equinox, so we know winter is done and spring is on its way.
To celebrate the coming of spring, here are some images in honor of the new season – and in honor of March, some images of wind too — not easy to portray in painting or sculpture!
Monet, Spring, 1872, Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. I recently saw this beautiful little Monet again at the Walters Gallery, and up close, it's every bit as gorgeous and evocative of springtime as you can imagine. Monet is perhaps the undisputed master of capturing spring in paint on canvas, in color and texture and light. In this and other paintings it is easy to almost feel the warmth of the sun, the scent of flowers and new grass, and a hint of soft, fresh breezes and scudding clouds.
Monet's gorgeous depiction of Mme. Monet and her son on a windy hill in springtime – in the National Gallery, Washington DC. This painting is just stunning and seems larger than life and filled with springtime breezes.
Above, Monet's depiction of a hillside in springtime, 1873 (Johannesburg Art Gallery). He produced hundreds of views of trees, meadows, and other landscape views in quick studies and more finished work, always with the immediacy of technique that is a hallmark of his style and the Impressionist movement. This one puts you right on the hillside, climbing up beside the flowering bush.
John William Waterhouse, Pre-Raphaelite artist, was a master of atmosphere and romance—and wind! He seems to have particularly loved the challenge – and the beautiful arcs, curves, and shapes – of airy subjects, depicting wind's effect on drapery as it takes on forms of its own. Below, Boreas (the North Wind), 1903 (listed as private collection). It's exquisite, and one of my favorite paintings.
Waterhouse, Windflowers, 1902 (another in a private collection). Here he plays again with a favorite motif – airy beauty, spring winds, draperies, breezes playing hair, and conveying the very real sense of fresh air and springtime.
Above, J.W. Waterhouse, Flora and the Zephyrs, 1898 (private collection) – and below, Thomas Ridgeway Gould, West Wind (Zephyr), marble, 1876, in Rochester. In both paint and stone, depicting an invisible wind is a main focus for the artists and their imagination and skill. What Gould does with stone here is miraculous!
Vincent Van Gogh is another artist fascinated by springtime subjects. He painted numerous versions of orchards and trees in blossom in spring, studying the colors, the light, the movement of breezes through trees. Here's White Orchard, 1888.
This is one of my favorite springtime paintings – Van Gogh's Almond Blossoms, 1890. Almond blossoms were one of his favorite subjects – he painted several versions in studies and finished paintings. This one was meant as a gift for his brother, painted the year that Vincent died.
Spring is here at last! What are you doing to celebrate?
Lovely artwork Susan!
Lovely artwork Susan!
Lovely artwork Susan!
Lovely artwork Susan!
Lovely artwork Susan!
Thank you for sharing these lovely pictures, Susan.
Thank you for sharing these lovely pictures, Susan.
Thank you for sharing these lovely pictures, Susan.
Thank you for sharing these lovely pictures, Susan.
Thank you for sharing these lovely pictures, Susan.
Ooooh, feel the wind! What a fine topic, Susan. Like you, I particularly love the Waterhouses, but I have A Thing for Pre-Raphaelites in general.
Ooooh, feel the wind! What a fine topic, Susan. Like you, I particularly love the Waterhouses, but I have A Thing for Pre-Raphaelites in general.
Ooooh, feel the wind! What a fine topic, Susan. Like you, I particularly love the Waterhouses, but I have A Thing for Pre-Raphaelites in general.
Ooooh, feel the wind! What a fine topic, Susan. Like you, I particularly love the Waterhouses, but I have A Thing for Pre-Raphaelites in general.
Ooooh, feel the wind! What a fine topic, Susan. Like you, I particularly love the Waterhouses, but I have A Thing for Pre-Raphaelites in general.
What a lovely post, Susan…thank you. And that carving by Gould truly is stupendous!
What a lovely post, Susan…thank you. And that carving by Gould truly is stupendous!
What a lovely post, Susan…thank you. And that carving by Gould truly is stupendous!
What a lovely post, Susan…thank you. And that carving by Gould truly is stupendous!
What a lovely post, Susan…thank you. And that carving by Gould truly is stupendous!
Thank you so much, dreary day here and this lifts my spirit. How Gould made marble appear diaphanous is miraculous.
Thank you so much, dreary day here and this lifts my spirit. How Gould made marble appear diaphanous is miraculous.
Thank you so much, dreary day here and this lifts my spirit. How Gould made marble appear diaphanous is miraculous.
Thank you so much, dreary day here and this lifts my spirit. How Gould made marble appear diaphanous is miraculous.
Thank you so much, dreary day here and this lifts my spirit. How Gould made marble appear diaphanous is miraculous.
I absolutely love the paintings. Thank you for sharing this
I absolutely love the paintings. Thank you for sharing this
I absolutely love the paintings. Thank you for sharing this
I absolutely love the paintings. Thank you for sharing this
I absolutely love the paintings. Thank you for sharing this
The Gould “West Wind” marble truly IS miraculous. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such elaborately worked marble. I could stare at it all day!
Spring in the Arizona desert, while gorgeous with its colorful wildflowers, looks nothing like these paintings. Even northern Arizona, at a higher altitude, is mostly ponderosa pine trees. But these paintings bring back lovely memories of spring in the midwest and northeast, and even the D.C. orange blossoms.
The Gould “West Wind” marble truly IS miraculous. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such elaborately worked marble. I could stare at it all day!
Spring in the Arizona desert, while gorgeous with its colorful wildflowers, looks nothing like these paintings. Even northern Arizona, at a higher altitude, is mostly ponderosa pine trees. But these paintings bring back lovely memories of spring in the midwest and northeast, and even the D.C. orange blossoms.
The Gould “West Wind” marble truly IS miraculous. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such elaborately worked marble. I could stare at it all day!
Spring in the Arizona desert, while gorgeous with its colorful wildflowers, looks nothing like these paintings. Even northern Arizona, at a higher altitude, is mostly ponderosa pine trees. But these paintings bring back lovely memories of spring in the midwest and northeast, and even the D.C. orange blossoms.
The Gould “West Wind” marble truly IS miraculous. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such elaborately worked marble. I could stare at it all day!
Spring in the Arizona desert, while gorgeous with its colorful wildflowers, looks nothing like these paintings. Even northern Arizona, at a higher altitude, is mostly ponderosa pine trees. But these paintings bring back lovely memories of spring in the midwest and northeast, and even the D.C. orange blossoms.
The Gould “West Wind” marble truly IS miraculous. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such elaborately worked marble. I could stare at it all day!
Spring in the Arizona desert, while gorgeous with its colorful wildflowers, looks nothing like these paintings. Even northern Arizona, at a higher altitude, is mostly ponderosa pine trees. But these paintings bring back lovely memories of spring in the midwest and northeast, and even the D.C. orange blossoms.
Lovely images, and some of them are new to me. The weather certainly has been changeable this month!
Lovely images, and some of them are new to me. The weather certainly has been changeable this month!
Lovely images, and some of them are new to me. The weather certainly has been changeable this month!
Lovely images, and some of them are new to me. The weather certainly has been changeable this month!
Lovely images, and some of them are new to me. The weather certainly has been changeable this month!
Susan – I also have A Thing for Pre-Raphaelites, as Mary Jo said. If I had my druthers, I’d like to be walking around the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC, and enjoying the beneficence of the (early) blooming cherry blossom trees. cherryblossomwatch.com/ Another spring thought – if you’re in the Maryland area, Ladew Topiary Gardens in Harford County has recently been refurbished and is very much in all its glory. ladewgardens.com/
Susan – I also have A Thing for Pre-Raphaelites, as Mary Jo said. If I had my druthers, I’d like to be walking around the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC, and enjoying the beneficence of the (early) blooming cherry blossom trees. cherryblossomwatch.com/ Another spring thought – if you’re in the Maryland area, Ladew Topiary Gardens in Harford County has recently been refurbished and is very much in all its glory. ladewgardens.com/
Susan – I also have A Thing for Pre-Raphaelites, as Mary Jo said. If I had my druthers, I’d like to be walking around the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC, and enjoying the beneficence of the (early) blooming cherry blossom trees. cherryblossomwatch.com/ Another spring thought – if you’re in the Maryland area, Ladew Topiary Gardens in Harford County has recently been refurbished and is very much in all its glory. ladewgardens.com/
Susan – I also have A Thing for Pre-Raphaelites, as Mary Jo said. If I had my druthers, I’d like to be walking around the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC, and enjoying the beneficence of the (early) blooming cherry blossom trees. cherryblossomwatch.com/ Another spring thought – if you’re in the Maryland area, Ladew Topiary Gardens in Harford County has recently been refurbished and is very much in all its glory. ladewgardens.com/
Susan – I also have A Thing for Pre-Raphaelites, as Mary Jo said. If I had my druthers, I’d like to be walking around the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC, and enjoying the beneficence of the (early) blooming cherry blossom trees. cherryblossomwatch.com/ Another spring thought – if you’re in the Maryland area, Ladew Topiary Gardens in Harford County has recently been refurbished and is very much in all its glory. ladewgardens.com/
The art is wonderful. I had the first picture on my computer and have added some more. Thank you.
The art is wonderful. I had the first picture on my computer and have added some more. Thank you.
The art is wonderful. I had the first picture on my computer and have added some more. Thank you.
The art is wonderful. I had the first picture on my computer and have added some more. Thank you.
The art is wonderful. I had the first picture on my computer and have added some more. Thank you.
Wonderful pictures. Thank you so much for sharing them.
Here in Ireland our weather too is all over the place but the last couple of days have been fantastic!! It’s the warmest it’s been in years at this time. Hope it’s not our Summer!! Sometimes our Summer comprises of maybe three weeks in May. We’ve had some dreadful years of late.
Wonderful pictures. Thank you so much for sharing them.
Here in Ireland our weather too is all over the place but the last couple of days have been fantastic!! It’s the warmest it’s been in years at this time. Hope it’s not our Summer!! Sometimes our Summer comprises of maybe three weeks in May. We’ve had some dreadful years of late.
Wonderful pictures. Thank you so much for sharing them.
Here in Ireland our weather too is all over the place but the last couple of days have been fantastic!! It’s the warmest it’s been in years at this time. Hope it’s not our Summer!! Sometimes our Summer comprises of maybe three weeks in May. We’ve had some dreadful years of late.
Wonderful pictures. Thank you so much for sharing them.
Here in Ireland our weather too is all over the place but the last couple of days have been fantastic!! It’s the warmest it’s been in years at this time. Hope it’s not our Summer!! Sometimes our Summer comprises of maybe three weeks in May. We’ve had some dreadful years of late.
Wonderful pictures. Thank you so much for sharing them.
Here in Ireland our weather too is all over the place but the last couple of days have been fantastic!! It’s the warmest it’s been in years at this time. Hope it’s not our Summer!! Sometimes our Summer comprises of maybe three weeks in May. We’ve had some dreadful years of late.
Just beautiful Susan! I love Waterhouse especially.
Just beautiful Susan! I love Waterhouse especially.
Just beautiful Susan! I love Waterhouse especially.
Just beautiful Susan! I love Waterhouse especially.
Just beautiful Susan! I love Waterhouse especially.
Oops, cherry blossoms!
Oops, cherry blossoms!
Oops, cherry blossoms!
Oops, cherry blossoms!
Oops, cherry blossoms!
I love all of these, Susan – gorgeous!
I love all of these, Susan – gorgeous!
I love all of these, Susan – gorgeous!
I love all of these, Susan – gorgeous!
I love all of these, Susan – gorgeous!