Music and painting are two different types of art, which, however, can interact and influence each other. Artists inspired by music try to convey its sound, rhythm, melody, harmony, mood and emotion on canvas using color, shape, line, composition and other elements of painting. This is called artistic interpretation of music.

Rhythm of Colors: How Artists Bring Musical Rhythms to Life on Canvas

“When I paint, I am like a conductor directing an orchestra, where the brush is my baton and the paints are musical instruments.” - Pablo Picasso

 

All types of art have common roots - originating from syncretism (that is, the stage of their inseparable coexistence, for example, in ritual). Once upon a time, the characteristics of each of the emerging arts performed one of the functions necessary to reproduce the ritual. But the rituals became a thing of the past, and the arts were divided, and their separate history began.

Now it seems that music, painting, dance and other forms of art are not related to each other. They have different external shapes and affect different human senses. But this is not entirely true; the internal connection between them remains forever. So let's try to determine how music lives in painting.

Rhythm

Music is born from sound combinations that are rhythmically arranged and thus produce a sensory impression. Classical music uses harmonious sounds, avant-garde art strives more for disharmony, imbalance, which is similar to the very time in which this art is created: turning point, impetuous, revolutionary.

And painting rhythmically organizes all the elements from which a painting is created: composition, color scheme and palette of the work. This means that music and painting are created from the interaction of different components, which can refer in painting to music, and in music to painting. Let's look at each of these levels separately.

Rhythm is probably the most universal basis of a work of art (and more). It is the rhythmic organization that makes a musical, pictorial, or literary text whole. Rhythm arranges the remaining constituent elements (notes, themes, voices or composition, colors, characters) into a certain order, which the viewer or listener perceives and then an emotional response to the musical painting occurs in their souls.

But if the music has a duration, its rhythm reveals itself sequentially during the sound, then we see the whole painting at once. But this is everyone's impression. The rhythm in the painting is also revealed sequentially, under observation. The longer you look, the more you see (and hear the music caught in the colors).

Tactile Compositions: How Artists Depict Rhythm and Dynamics on Canvas

"Musical notes become colors on my palette; they inspire me to create paintings where sounds become visible." - Marc Chagall

 

Rhythm, like a magical musical sound, penetrates into every stroke of the artist’s brush, into every detail of the composition, creating a kind of symphony on canvas. Great artists of times and styles used composition as a key element, capable of giving static paintings invisible but tangible dynamics. Let's get acquainted with the world of rhythm in art, where the composition becomes an invisible conductor embodying visual notes.

Composition

Composition, colors, poses of the characters - all this is rhythm, enclosed in a paintingsque frame. But what is the rhythm of a static painting (portrait, still life)? Rhythm is always individual, it can be completely calm (Mikalojus Ciurlionis “The Sun Enters the Sign of Virgo”, 1906) or nervous, lively (Mikhail Fedorovich Larionov “Bull’s Head”, 1913).

Even a portrait can be dynamic, for example Edvard Munch's Madonna (1894) offers a heavy, melancholic movement of merging colors framing a maiden. The irritated, drawn-out rhythm of the painting is palpable both through the centralized composition, highlighting the languid movement of the Madonna, and through the movement of contrasting colors around her.

Consequently, the composition organizes rhythm on paper and offers its visual fixation (in music, compositional fixation is sound). This means that the composition works for a specific organ of perception, uses certain means to make the sensation specific. These means include the shapes and dynamics of bodies (postures of the characters, their relationships to each other, emphasis on the main character), color and shading solutions, etc.

Looking at the painting, we feel the dynamics between the characters, without words we read their relationships (who is the main one, who is secondary) - the rhythm twists into an ideal figure, the movement of which can be heard if you listen closely (Ilya Efimovich Repin “What a space!”, 1844 / “Not waited", 1888).

Thus, the composition on canvas has an impact comparable to a piece of music. It becomes an invisible thread that connects shapes, colors and movements into a single artistic chord. Rhythm in art is not limited to just music, it breathes in every stroke, framing visual motifs and creating magnificent harmony on the canvas. Just as notes find sound in music, the composition turns paintings into mosaic canvases of sounds, inviting us to hear a world filled with color and rhythm of art.

Paintings of Consonances: Artistic Reflections of Musical Worlds

"A painting, like music, can create harmony or dissonance, depending on the colors and shapes the artist uses." - Pierre Auguste Renoir

Colors in art are a language that can tell a story, evoke emotions and leave an indescribable impression. In the world of painting, gamma and palette are magical colors that bring the canvas to life and give it its own visual rhythm. Let's dive into the palette of artistic masterpieces and consider how color combinations become invisible musical notes that shape the character and mood of each work.

Gamma and palette

Painting cannot be imagined without color relationships; they fill the painting with life! And the color scheme and palette systematize them, realizing the rhythm fixed in the composition. The color scale, like its musical analogue, determines the main color scheme of the work. Cool or warm, light or dark shades of paint will be used.

Selecting a scale as the direction of the melody sound (high or low octave, major or minor key). The artist determines how his work will sound. He makes the painting either calm, relaxing like a symphony (Louis Jeanmot “Poem of the Soul 16. Flight of the Soul”, 1860), tense but consistent like a march (Jacques-Louis David “Napoleon at the Pass of Saint Bernard IV”, 1801).

It can turn out triumphant (P. A. Krivonogov “Victory”, 1948) or restless, turning into an impetuous contrasting movement (El Lissitzky “Beat the Whites with a Red Wedge”, 1920), like the familiar suite “Time, forward!” G. V. Sviridova.

Thus, gamma and palette turn out to be an integral part of the visual symphony of art. In their palette, artists find bright and hued echoes of musical chords, choosing timbre and tonality for their creation. Just like in music, where every note carries its own meaning, every color in a painting is a building block in the rhythm of the painting. This choreographic language of color turns each painting into a melodic poem, where each shade is not just paint, but a voice sounding in a symphony of art.

Artistic Harmonies: Music in Paintings and Portraits

"Colors are the keys that the artist plays; the soul is an instrument tuned to musical vibrations." - Vassily Kandinsky

Paintings, permeated with the sound of music, as overt acts of cultural heritage, reveal to us not only the virtuosity of the artists’ skills, but also the richness of cultural movements and musical traditions of their time. They become windows into the past, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of eras when the sounds of musical instruments vibrated in the air.

The idea that images of musical artifacts carry not only artistic, but also symbolic meaning, becomes a fascinating guide to the study of the cultural environment. In addition, often artistic portraits of great composers become real gateways to their world, telling us about the creative geniuses and the subtleties of their personality. Let's raise the curtain on the most famous and important artistic masterpieces that take us back to the magic of musical times.

Edgar Degas "Orchestra of the Opera" (1868–1870)

The impressionist Degas transferred his interest in the theme of theater and ballet to canvas, creating one of the few images of the orchestra. Essentially, this is a collective portrait of the musicians who worked at the Paris Opera. The artist embodied them in the images of his friends. Degas often chose unusual angles and perspectives; here he presented the orchestra from above, so the viewer seemed to be watching the action from the conductor’s seat. This feature of the angle made it possible to convey the dynamism and energy of the moment. In fact, this is not only a painting of a musical performance, but also a visual study of the environment of the theater stage, the world of the artists and their creative energy.

Pablo Picasso "Violin and Guitar" (1912)

The painting belongs to the period of synthetic cubism. Here the viewer does not see a complete image, a kind of still life, but separate parts, scraps. On the canvas you can see elements of a guitar and violin, a piece of wallpaper, part of a table, and a glass. Thus, a holistic image of what can happen in the plot is formed. If you are a fan of Picasso’s work, then one of the most interesting options that will complement the interior will be a reproduction of this work in the form of a polyptych. Thanks to its cubic shapes and inconsistent plot, this embodiment will be an original reimagining of the masterpiece of the world famous artist.

Michelangelo Caravaggio "The Lute Player" (circa 1595)

Paintings of musical instruments were often supplemented with characters and other elements. It is believed that the young artist Mario Minniti posed for this masterpiece. But the work cannot be considered just a portrait. This is a harmonious composition in which every detail is designed to awaken your senses. Looking at the canvas, we notice expressive details that are aimed at our sensory system:

• hearing - you can hear a beautiful melody and, possibly, the voice of a young character, given the slightly open mouth, which was uncharacteristic for painting of that time;
• taste - juicy fruits lying on the table, you just want to try them;
• smell - feel the aroma of fresh flowers;
• tactile receptors - imagine how fruit or the delicate skin of a lute player feels to the touch;
• vision - here everything attracts attention, from the pretty image of the character to beautiful flowers and delicious fruits.

Johannes Vermeer "The Music Lesson" (circa 1662–1665)

One of the few works that was kept in Vermeer's house until the end of his life. Considering the use of colors and materials, experts conclude that this is a mature work of the creator. The painting depicts a scene from the peaceful life of Holland at that time: a girl stands behind a virginel, mastering the art of music, and a teacher is nearby. Some interpret the plot with romantic overtones. For example, a mirror above the instrument may demonstrate that the girl is more interested in the teacher than in the music. Thanks to this work and its excellent detailing, it was possible to determine in which city and workshop the instrument was made.

Michelangelo Caravaggio "The Musicians" (1595)

The customer of the painting was Cardinal Francesco del Monte, who wanted to decorate one of his offices. Then the young Caravaggio received an order to paint two canvases. As we can see, the job was done brilliantly. The plot centers on three artists who are preparing for a rehearsal. In the background is Cupid trying to pluck a branch of grapes. The author could have used this image to give the plot an erotic message. Experts agree that in the center of the painting is Mario Minitti with a lute, behind him with a horn is Caravaggio himself, and the third is just a violinist diligently studying the notes.