FIGURES IN INTERIORS

For this research point in particular I wanted to find three paintings that showed a contrast with both the interiors, but also the figures, and the importance of class, money and what that can get you in life. The two artists are John Lavery, an Irish artist from the 20th century and Adriaen van Ostade of the Dutch Golden Age. Both have a wonderful talent of capturing a scene and forming a relationship or behaviour between the figures, but Lavery paint the high class, van Ostade the lowest of the low. As you can see below Lavery painted the aristocracy and the gentleman who lived a life of pleasure, with expensive furnishings and the servants to clean up after them. Ostade however, painted the goings on of normal people managing to live and cope in dirty taverns, and one can see that his figures are much more content and friendly with one another, than the high class and emotive limitations. One can see the class divide simple by looking at the interiors, but the addition of figures give the rooms their character and purpose in the background.