The Devil in the Details, the Genius in the Big Picture

Up close, Claude Monet’s painting of Water Lilies at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York shows his perfectionism, a study of his impressionistic technique to capture color and light.

When stepping back, one sees “the illusion of an endless whole, of water without horizon or bank” that he was aiming for. His genius was creating the big picture while working on the fine details.

In contrast, Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night, also at the MoMA, shows the bold brush strokes that seem to be aimed at driving away the demons haunting his mind. That he was able to paint the beauty of the galaxies, the endless movement of the universe — the biggest picture of them all– is a testament to his bravery and the greatness of his genius.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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