Gari Melchers: Inspired by Virginia

"Crimson Rambler" by Gari Melchers

His heavy impasto work

"Between 1916 and 1932 Gari Melchers produced a series of genre, landscape and still-life paintings that depict his new home as well as the inhabitants and surroundings of the region. The prominent site of Melchers' new home, which has commanding views of the area, may have motivated the artist to work in this landscape mode. 'From My Window' represents a view of the Rappahannock River valley just to the east of Belmont, showing parts of Fredericksburg and Falmouth. 

Scenes are also viewed from the eye level of the man on the street. 'Nelson Berry's Store' display a number of important stylistic features of Melchers' late works. Here the artist has heightened the brilliance of naturalistic hues until they approach arbitrary colors. The impastoed paint surface of the painting, which is thicker than his earlier works, is also typical of his later work. These two qualities are also very evident, and used effectively, in his painting of a lovely rose arbor at Belmont entitled "Crimson Rambler."

His still-life paintings are a third group that directly reflected his new environment. The subjects of these works include flowers, fruit, and fish as well as decorative art object that he owned. 'Flowers in a Blue Jar' depicts pink and white cosmos, yellow marigolds, and blue and purple anemones arranged loosely in a Chinese pottery jar - another work features a Staffordshire bowl. Both the jar and bowl are still in the Belmont collection."

To be continued

(Excerpts from "Gari Melchers: His Life and Art" by Joseph G. Dreiss.)