This Is the Coolest, Most Unexpected Wall Art I've Seen Lately
In a new series, Elizabeth Pash, designer and owner of Elizabeth Pash Antiques & Decoration, will be sharing one item you should be on the lookout for when shopping for antiques. Get to know our Girl on the Ground, just in time for your weekend shopping!
I find joy and inspiration in paintings and drawings of interiors. When done well, they are not only beautiful to look at, but a source of ideas as well. A drawing of a quiet room, absent of people, sometimes even more than a photograph, gives the viewer a glimpse into the soul of a room. It invites us to imagine what had just finished, or what is about to be, who had just left the room, or who was about to enter.
These illustrations are not simply beautiful works of art, but can be historical documents
as well. Long before photographs of interiors filled glossy magazines and sites on the internet, interiors, their fabrics and furnishings, were preserved and displayed in carefully detailed drawings or paintings. There was a long tradition in Europe of interiors being represented in paintings, usually done by artists who were commissioned to make accurate renderings of a home’s architecture and furnishings. During the first half of the 19th century, interest developed in rooms themselves, as distinct from interiors being depicted simply as a backdrop to a portrait or a scene with people. First the aristocracy, then the middle and upper classes participated in a movement to document their living spaces, and the design, architecture and furniture of their homes and estates.
One of the most accomplished interior artists of the 19th century was an American: Walter Gay. Gay worked most of his life in France, where he earned his livelihood painting interiors. He said that the purpose of his art was to capture the “spirit” of a room. Below are three of my favorite Walter Gay paintings. They make me want to spend time in these rooms!
Today, Walter Gay paintings are not easy to find (at least at affordable prices). Looking at his work, however, is a great way to train your eye. His skill was in his fine detail and depth and his paintings, like a well-executed interior, urge the viewer to study every layer.
Whenever I come across a well done interior drawing or painting, I try to buy it, either for my shop, a client, or-even better-myself! Here are two that I purchased on recent trips. One is watercolor, and one is oil. In my opinion, they are both colorful and inviting. They are both great stand-alone pieces or would work well in a grouping of other interiors.
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