Student Artwork Guide — Realization

Name Class Date

Ernest Lawson, Realization. Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist: Ernest Lawson originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/ernest-lawson/
Artist’s dates: 1873 – 1939
Movement: Impressionism Painters working fast and outdoors to catch how light actually looked at one moment, rather than finishing smoothly in a studio.

Copyright This work is in the public domain. Ernest Lawson died in 1939; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2009.

Realization — Ernest Lawson

When might this have been painted?

1870
1880
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 66 at death.

Shaded: the lifetime of Ernest Lawson (1873–1939) every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1907 Main working years: 1907–1918 Late works: from 1918

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?

Compare with

Washington Bridge, Harlem River, 1915 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/ernest-lawson-washington-bridge-harlem-river-8YE8CG-en/
The Garden Umbrella, 1914 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/ernest-lawson-the-garden-umbrella-8XXDMU-en/
New England Birches, 1918 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/ernest-lawson-new-england-birches-8YDJCB-en/

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/ernest-lawson-realization-8DP5WH-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

Main colour

Putty #cac9a9

Catalogued palette

#CAC9A9
#374132
#6C7256
#9BA999

These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

Palette: Neutrals The dominant colour family in the image.
Main colour name: Putty
Intensity: Balanced How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
Contrast: Bold How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
Harmony: Softly Mixed Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
Brightness: Brilliant How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
Saturation: Subtle Color How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

Where in the world is this painting looked at?

under 1%
1–3%
3–8%
8–20%
20% and over

This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Ernest Lawson over the last twelve months — 5 countries in all. Where these figures come from

The ten leading countries

1 China 82.9%
2 United States of America 11.8%
3 Hong Kong 2.6%
4 India 1.3%
5 Singapore 1.3%

Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

The 20 most looked-at works by Ernest Lawson

1 Realization this painting 5.1%
2 River Scene in Winter, 1899 3.8%
3 The Bridge 3.8%
4 Red Roofs of Mosman 3.8%
5 Dunwoodie, Upper New York, 1910 2.5%
6 End of Winter - The Boathouse on the Harlem River, New York 2.5%
7 The Harlem River from High Bridge, 1894 2.5%
8 Spuyten Duyvil Creek, 1914 2.5%
9 Wet Night, Gramercy Park 2.5%
10 High Bridge-Early Moon 2.5%
11 Winter Landscape, 1925 2.5%
12 The Bronx River 2.5%
13 High Bridge at Night, New York City, 1920 2.5%
14 Abandoned Mine, Cripple Creek 2.5%
15 Riverside Church, 1928 2.5%
16 The Red Mill 2.5%
17 The Garden Umbrella, 1914 1.3%
18 High Bridge - Early Moon, 1910 1.3%
19 Spring Night, Harlem River, 1913 1.3%
20 City Suburbs, 1914 1.3%

Together these works take 51.7% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 161 works by this artist, of which 58 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 1 of them, with 5.1% of that attention. The same counts, month by month

Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

Artist

Ernest Lawson

Born in Halifax, Canada

early life and training

ernest lawson, a prominent figure in the american impressionist movement, was born on march 22, 1873, in halifax, nova scotia, canada. in 1888, he moved to the united states, settling in kansas city, and later, in 1891, he made his way to new york, where he enrolled in classes at the art students league. under the tutelage of john twachtman, lawson was introduced to impressionism, which would significantly influence his formative years.

artistic development and influences

lawson's style, characterized by a blend of impressionism and realism, was shaped by his interactions with various artists. he studied at the académie julian in paris in 1893, where he met jean-joseph benjamin-constant and jean-paul laurens. his plein air painting experiences in southern france and moret-sur-loing, where he encountered alfred sisley, an english impressionist, further enriched his artistic perspective.

the eight and notable exhibitions

in 1908, lawson joined the eight, a group of artists protesting the narrow tastes and restrictive exhibition policies of the national academy of design. this association led to a pivotal exhibition at the macbeth galleries in new york, which garnered significant media attention and sparked debate about the diversity of style and subject matter in american art.

city suburbs, one of lawson's notable works, is now part of the phillips collection in washington, d.c., showcasing his unique blend of impressionism and realism. (view at AllPaintingsStore)

another piece, approaching storm, also in the phillips collection, demonstrates lawson's mastery of capturing the essence of american landscapes. (view at AllPaintingsStore)

for more on ernest lawson and his contributions to american impressionism, visit his page on AllPaintingsStore.

legacy and impact

lawson's understated yet vibrant style, described by art critic james gibbons huneker as originating from a "palette of crushed jewels," has left an indelible mark on american art. his participation in the eight and his unique artistic approach have made him a notable figure in the history of impressionism. key points: born: march 22, 1873, halifax, nova scotia, canada died: december 18, 1939 notable works: city suburbs, approaching storm influences: john twachtman, jean-joseph benjamin-constant, alfred sisley association: the eight style: blend of impressionism and realism

Where to read more

The artist Ernest Lawson originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/ernest-lawson/
Similar works More works to compare originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/ernest-lawson-realization-8DP5WH-en/

Find this online

QR code linking to the download page for Realization

originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/ernest-lawson-realization-8DP5WH-en/

Cite this artwork

MLA: Lawson, Ernest. Realization. n.d., https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/ernest-lawson-realization-8DP5WH-en/
APA: Lawson, Ernest (n.d.). Realization [Painting]. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/ernest-lawson-realization-8DP5WH-en/
Chicago: Ernest Lawson. Realization. n.d. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/ernest-lawson-realization-8DP5WH-en/
Harvard: Lawson, Ernest (n.d.) Realization. Available at: https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/ernest-lawson-realization-8DP5WH-en/

Realization — Ernest Lawson

Look closely

Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

What catches your eye first, and why?
Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
Our catalogue files this work under: symbols. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
Look back at Washington Bridge, Harlem River (1915), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
Impressionism: Painters working fast and outdoors to catch how light actually looked at one moment, rather than finishing smoothly in a studio. Where can you see that in this work?

Your response

Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

Questions & Answers

What luminance does "Realization" by Ernest Lawson have?

"Realization" by Ernest Lawson has a bright balance luminance. Luminance describes how much light the colors appear to reflect.

How strong are the colors of "Realization"?

The color of "Realization" is subtle color in saturation and balanced in intensity.

Where can I buy a print of "Realization" by Ernest Lawson?

To get a print of "Realization" by Ernest Lawson, simply order it on this page: a fine art print on cotton canvas or archival canvas paper.

Which color stands out most in "Realization"?

The color that stands out most in "Realization" is putty (#cac9a9). The dominant color is useful when matching an artwork to an interior.

Who is the artist behind "Realization"?

"Realization" was created by Ernest Lawson. The information on this page describes Ernest Lawson's original work.

Which artistic current is "Realization" by Ernest Lawson part of?

The movement associated with "Realization" by Ernest Lawson is Impressionism. This classification situates the work among related artists and artworks.

What kind of colors does "Realization" use?

"Realization" by Ernest Lawson uses a neutrals color palette. The palette summarizes the work's overall color character.

Who is the author of "Realization", and in which movement?

Ernest Lawson created "Realization" within the Impressionism movement.