Essay - Art Utopian Images of the Natural State Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's...

Art

Utopian Images of the Natural State

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's "Bathers Beneath Trees" and Franz Marc's "Bathing Girls." are paintings ***** the same subject; three women in nature getting ready to ba***** and, or, swim. Both are utopian visions of what each artist felt was ideal. The utopian representation of both artists is seen in the use of an idealistic notion of freedom and a personal response to nature. Freedom is ***** in ***** comf*****table presence ***** the nudes and ***** use of color in nature reflects the artists' perception of utopian existence.

Bathers Beneath Trees is replete with the colors of the island paradise Kirchner thought of as his utopian vision. The tall trees r***** to the top ***** the painting and are done in dark greens with the tree trunks allowed to come forward with the color yellow against a blue and green skyscape. The only blue in ***** ***** is seen in the horizon and part of ***** skyscape. The depiction ***** the horizon is a deep royal blue and ***** reminiscent of an image of earth from space. The sky is filled with a lighter ***** mixed with d*****rk blue and a medium green. The foliage at the bot*****m of the picture carries over the ***** of the treetops and the color of the *****'s skin is what is set in contrast.

Two of ***** women are standing, one in three quarter pr*****ile and the other straight on to the audience. The woman slightly behind has a smile ***** her face. They seem to be in ***** act of walk*****g down a path - perhaps ********** the water. The third woman sits in a somewh*****t awkward position facing the path (or at least the feet of ***** ot***** two women). The ***** is dark green and outlined in black, giving it a sense ***** depth ***** *****ness that brings to mind the word, 'fecund'.

Nature in t***** painting has ***** warm appeal of a m*****her's soothing arms or nurturing womb. There is no fear, nor is there any worry ***** just a sense of calm contentment ***** envelops all that come ***** partake.

***** ***** ***** of Bathing Girls ***** as filled ***** light and merriment as ***** painting is full of dense greenery. The trees in this painting bend and sway with a feeling ***** playful ***** while the three **********rs stand and play around a rock painted in white with shadow ***** greenery. The ***** sky/background swirls ***** the ***** and lifts the arms of the trees ***** a manner reflective of one bather's ***** ***** arranging her hair. ***** women's hair is the color of corn husks two days before harvest and ***** same ***** auburn or orange hued brown is repeated in the rocks under their feet. The blue ***** the sky and water enlivens the painting, while it adds a sense of stability by being the ***** truly vertical presentation.

***** tree on the left, next to the woman managing her