You can download the greeting cards for health on this website free of charge and send them as email attachments. You can also print them out in color and send them by post. The range of free greeting cards and gift books is continually expanding. Just stop by again!
You are also welcome to send a link to our online book “Congratulations” (Relaxing with Flowers, Colors, Poetry, and Art). You can find more information about the book in the foreword. If you wish, you can include relaxing music while viewing the online book. The book is bilingual: English and German.
The relaxing book “Congratulations!“ is also available as a printed gift book.
Christmas video – free Christmas card with candle light and haiku poem
With the first beautiful candlelight here the Christmas season has begun, and we wanted to surprise you with two free Christmas greetings cards and a Christmas video with music. You can download the Christmas cards for free, each with a Christmas haiku, and then forward them as email attachments. Surprise dear people with a wonderful gift book! See below!
Continue readingFree wedding greeting cards – Congratulations on your wedding day!
You can download the wedding greeting cards on this website free of charge and send them as email attachments. You can also print them out in color and send them by post. The range of free wedding greeting cards and gift books is continually expanding. Just stop by again!
You are also welcome to send a link to our online book “Congratulations” (Relaxing with Flowers, Colors, Poetry, and Art). You can find more information about the book in the foreword. If you wish, you can include relaxing music while viewing the online book. The book is bilingual: English and German.
The relaxing book “Congratulations!“ is also available as a printed gift book.
Free New Year’s greeting cards – free congratulations Happy New Year!
You can download the New Year greeting cards on this website free of charge and send them as email attachments. You can also print them out in color and send them by post. The range of free greeting cards and gift books is continually expanding. Just stop by again!
You are also welcome to send a link to our online book “Congratulations” (Relaxing with Flowers, Colors, Poetry, and Art). You can find more information about the book in the foreword. If you wish, you can include relaxing music while viewing the online book. The book is bilingual: English and German.
The relaxing book “Congratulations!“ is also available as a printed gift book.
Free Valentine’s greetings – Happy Valentine’s Day!
You can download the Valentine’s greeting cards on this website free of charge and send them as email attachments. You can also print them out in color and send them by post. The range of free greeting cards and gift books is continually expanding. Just stop by again!
You are also welcome to send a link to our online book “Congratulations” (Relaxing with Flowers, Colors, Poetry, and Art). You can find more information about the book in the foreword. If you wish, you can include relaxing music while viewing the online book. The book is bilingual: English and German.
The relaxing book “Congratulations!“ is also available as a printed gift book.
Free greeting cards for every festive occasion and event – All the best!
You can download the greeting cards for every festive occasion and event on this website free of charge and send them as email attachments. You can also print them out in color and send them by post. The range of free greeting cards and gift books is continually expanding. Just stop by again!
You are also welcome to send a link to our online book “Congratulations” (Relaxing with Flowers, Colors, Poetry, and Art). You can find more information about the book in the foreword. If you wish, you can include relaxing music while viewing the online book. The book is bilingual: English and German.
The relaxing book “Congratulations!“ is also available as a printed gift book.
Free Christmas greeting cards – Merry Christmas!
You can download the Christmas greeting cards on this website free of charge and send them as email attachments. You can also print them out in color and send them by post. The range of free greeting cards and gift books is continually expanding. Just stop by again!
You are also welcome to send a link to our online book “Congratulations” (Relaxing with Flowers, Colors, Poetry, and Art). You can find more information about the book in the foreword. If you wish, you can include relaxing music while viewing the online book. The book is bilingual: English and German.
The relaxing book “Congratulations!“ is also available as a printed gift book.
Free birthday greeting cards – Happy birthday to you!
You can download the birthday greeting cards on this website free of charge and send them as email attachments. You can also print them out in color and send them by post. The range of free greeting cards and gift books is continually expanding. Just stop by again!
You are also welcome to send a link to our online book “Congratulations” (Relaxing with Flowers, Colors, Poetry, and Art). You can find more information about the book in the foreword. If you wish, you can include relaxing music while viewing the online book. The book is bilingual: English and German.
The relaxing book “Congratulations!“ is also available as a printed gift book.
Free Easter greeting cards – congratulations Happy Easter!
You can download the Easter greeting cards on this website free of charge and send them as email attachments. You can also print them out in color and send them by post. The range of free greeting cards and gift books is continually expanding. Just stop by again!
You are also welcome to send a link to our online book “Congratulations” (Relaxing with Flowers, Colors, Poetry, and Art). You can find more information about the book in the foreword. If you wish, you can include relaxing music while viewing the online book. The book is bilingual: English and German.
The relaxing book “Congratulations!“ is also available as a printed gift book.
Art gift book “Congratulations! – Herzliche Glückwünsche!”, vol. 4 – 2026
Relaxing with Flowers, Colors, Poetry and Art
Book series LOUNGE 5 – volume 4
Editor: Gabriele Walter
Flowers are a gift for every occasion. With gorgeous blossoms, art, and rainbow colors in panoramic format, this unusual gift book will take you on a soothing trip to deep relaxation. The printed flower bouquet was created with love to bring joy to your loved ones. Consciously experience the colors and shapes of the flowers as you breathe them in through your eyes like healing scents. Every year, eight artists are selected and awarded the Diamond Prize.
‘Enter into Art’ Free Service
We offer services such as competitions with valuable book design awards and a free online version of the book which you can share with your friends and art lovers.
SOME USP:
- Art and music page
- Unique in our books: memorial sites, who will be made aware of the book by us (examples s. page 108 – 109)
- NEW! In our online books: on the first page relaxing music (example) to start browsing
- Youtube playlists with reference to our books
In summary:
Click here for detailed information: additional free service
- Comprehensive online documentation of our books and their content
- Book Design Awards
- Online show (VIRTUAL ART INSTALLATION) organized by color on our German website featuring one artwork per artist and book for one year + German online gallery (archiv, featuring your artworks forever)
- Bonus video for the first 20 participants
We ensure that artists have independence and can use there images everywhere (see our user contract). In our terms and conditions you can find all important information, clearly divided into PART 1, 2 and 3.
We will do our best for you and wish you every success!
German online show and other related links 2025
Free German “Virtual Art Installation” with international artworks and Online gallery (archive):
After one year they will be shown forever in our German ONLINE GALLERY (archive)
Pictures will be shown for one year in our free German online show (embedded in our meditative color concept).
Information about our free services: German online show, awards, tips and offers, “Enter into Art” bonus video, networking on the Internet.
Continue reading‘Enter into Art’ book design awards 2025
The book design prizes are awarded according to the requirements of the book design, whereby the quality of the works of art naturally plays an important role. These prizes are awarded as part of a book project. The winning images will be selected solely from the participating images in the respective book. In our LOUNGE series we usually have about 40 to 70 participants per book. The artworks of the participants automatically take part in the respective competition.
Continue readingThe Fascinating Realm of Dreams and Dreaming in Art and Music
Excerpts from the book “Dreams of Art”
Artists have always been fascinated with dreams. Just like dreams, their paintings often show events simultaneously happening in the past, present and future. At times, their art depicts everyday objects in a new way and turns them into symbols. In this context, dreaming is understood as a more perceptive kind of seeing. Dreams mostly consist of pictures. William Shakespeare’s play “A Midsummernight’s Dream” bears witness to the fact that the great playwright also delved into the world of dreams – dreams, too, tend to lack clarity and order.
Art gift book “Dreams of Art – Träume der Kunst”
Homage to Sigmund Freud and his Dream Theory
Book series LOUNGE 2 – volume XIV
Editor: Kurt Ries
Artists have always been fascinated with dreams. Just like dreams, their paintings often show events simultaneously happening in the past, present and future. At times, their art depicts everyday objects in a new way and turns them into symbols. In this context, dreaming is understood as a more perceptive kind of seeing. Dreams mostly consist of pictures.
Bach themed Museums and Memorial Sites – Johann Sebastian Bach’s 340th Birthday
To all Bach lovers wanting to travel on the trails of the composer I recommend also visiting Ohrdruf, Weimar, Dornheim, Mühlhausen and Dresden, as well as Lüneburg, Celle, Buxtehude, and Hamburg. Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the greatest geniuses ever alive. Please read also our blog post: Celebrating Christmas, New Year and Easter with Johann Sebastian Bach.
Continue readingArt gift book ‘Art Château’, vol. 2 – Vernissage with Ice Wine
Vernissage imaginaire with ICE Wine – Celebrating Christmas, New Year and Easter with Johann Sebastian Bach
Book series LOUNGE 1 – volume II
Editor: Gabriele Walter
A festive occasion like an anniversary or a vernissage is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a fine wine. This gave us the idea to create a series of books called “Art Château” celebrating the special relationship between wine and art. Wine as a cultural treasure goes far beyond drinking. Wine cannot be considered a muse, it is however, said that only those who value art, poetry, and music, can truly treasure it. The special occasion for the book is the 340th birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach and his festive music for Christmas, New Year and Easter.
Celebrating Christmas, New Year and Easter with Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the greatest geniuses ever alive. The true extent of his creativity, however, can only be grasped when going beyond the sublime tragedy of his passions and the deep faith of his cantatas, to discover the playful joy of his dances and orchestra suites as well. In the famous Goldberg Variations, every third piece is a canon. If the follower plays the melody backwards, doubles or halves the notes of the leader, while the latter undauntedly strides ahead, various canons can be heard simultaneous
Starstruck – The romantic wine landscapes on the rivers Rhine and Nahe
Excerpts from the book “Art Château – vol. 2 – Vernissage with Ice Wine”
The refreshingly sweet ice wine is a very special treat originating in Germany and Austria. Its production process is an interesting story. Only grapes frozen naturally on the vine may be used for the Dionysian drink, forcing growers out to harvest in icy cold weather. Going down the Rhine, you reach a point behind Koblenz where the grapes start feeling uncomfortable. At the steep slopes above Leutesdorf, where the water drains through swiftly, their roots start clawing 15 meters deep into the poor, stony soil. In the vaults of the vineyards around here, 40-year-old wines are kept behind heavy wooden doors. Looking down the vertiginous vineyards, the river and the town come into view. In the background, way up high, squats Hammerstein Castle, while down below, the picturesque landscape of the Rhine Valley with its hoarfrost cover rings in the Christmas season.
Video “International artworks 2024 – 2025” with relaxing music
Video for the first 20 participants
in our book projects 2024 – 2025
The images in the video represent a bonus selection of about 20 images per book that have been published in 2024-25 in the bilingual Enter into Art – gift book series:
Art gift book “Congratulations! – Herzliche Glückwünsche!”, vol. 3 – 2025
Relaxing with Flowers, Colors, Poetry and Art
Book series LOUNGE 5 – volume 3
Editor: Gabriele Walter
Flowers are a gift for every occasion. With gorgeous blossoms, art, and rainbow colors in panoramic format, this unusual gift book will take you on a soothing trip to deep relaxation. The printed flower bouquet was created with love to bring joy to your loved ones. Consciously experience the colors and shapes of the flowers as you breathe them in through your eyes like healing scents. Every year, eight artists are selected and awarded the Diamond Prize.
William Turner and the Roots of Modernism in Rhine Romanticism
Excerpts from the book “Landscapes for William Turner”
In painting, the term “landscape” did not exist until the 15th / 16th century. While the frescoes of Roman villas featured nature in their depictions of gardens, medieval art neglected it completely. It was the zeitgeist shift during the Renaissance that restored people’s interest in life before death, thus ringing in the radical changes that eventually led to the modern era. As people turned away from the afterlife, they began to explore nature, which led artists to incorporate perspective into their work. The element of landscape that had previously been perceived as dark and hostile was now elevated to a sublime means to express aesthetic beauty.
Art gift book ‘Landscapes for William Turner – Landschaften für William Turner’
William Turner and the roots of modernism
Book series LOUNGE 2 – volume XIII
Editor: Kurt Ries
In painting, the term “landscape” did not exist until the 15th / 16th century. While the frescoes of Roman villas featured nature in their depictions of gardens, medieval art neglected it completely. It was the zeitgeist shift during the Renaissance that restored people’s interest in life before death, thus ringing in the radical changes that eventually led to the modern era. As people turned away from the afterlife, they began to explore nature, which led artists to incorporate perspective into their work.
‘Pierrot Lunaire’ by Arnold Schoenberg and Aga Cela’s Clowns
Excerpts from the book “Aga Cela – Clowns”
Based on the Commedia dell’ Arte, the Clown theme was taken up by painters including famous artists like Antoine Watteau, James Ensor, Paul Cézanne, Bernard Buffet, and Picasso. Applying her firm grasp of human psychology, Aga Cela pays homage to the subject by masterfully revealing the prankster hidden in the depths of human nature.
Continue readingMichelangelo and the Freedom of Art
Excerpts from the book “Inspiration Tuscany”
The cultural landscape of Tuscany exerts a special pull on art lovers. As if it was a painter’s composition, its scenery tempts them to embark on a hedonist art and culture tour from town to town. With the rhythmical wave shapes of its cypress and pine studded hill ranges and its unequalled light, it is so much more than your regular holiday destination. Drawing on ideas from the ancient world, the Italian Renaissance also heralded the separation between crafts and fine arts. As the creative act became art’s central focus, people’s understanding of what “art” meant underwent a significant change.
Art gift book ‘Inspiration Tuscany – Inspiration Toskana’
In memory of Michelangelo and the Florentine Renaissance
Book series LOUNGE 2 – volume XII
Editor: Kurt Ries
“Florentia”, “the blossoming one” can also be found in the name of the city of “Florence”. Over time, the city has blossomed into the queen of Tuscany, and continues to be one of the most important art metropoles in the world. The conscious differentiation between a landscape’s significance as an artistic motif and its arability led to a new culture, the blossoming of the “villeggiatura”. Its inhabitants began to reflect deeply, write poetry, make music. Florentine cities like Siena, Lucca, and Pisa have their own architectural charm. Similarly, the walled picture book villages on the hill ranges of Tuscany resemble organic structures.
Ai-Wen Wu Kratz, USA
Ai-Wen Wu Kratz
United States
in the Studio Gallery “Apollinaire”
Solo art book Aga Cela – Clowns
Clowns and the circus are a recurring subject in the arts. They are equally present in music: Through works like Arnold Schoenberg’s “Pierrot Lunaire” and the “Circus Days and Nights” by Philip Glass, the clown has made his way into the world’s opera houses, inspiring Aga Cela, an artist with a central focus on portrait painting, to go on a profound creative journey.
‘Enter into Art’ book design awards 2024
The book design prizes are awarded according to the requirements of the book design, whereby the quality of the works of art naturally plays an important role. These prizes are awarded as part of a book project. The winning images will be selected solely from the participating images in the respective book. In our LOUNGE series we usually have about 40 to 70 participants per book. The artworks of the participants automatically take part in the respective competition.
Continue readingGerman online show and other related links 2024:
Free German “Virtual Art Installation” with international artworks and Online gallery (archive):
After one year they will be shown forever in our German ONLINE GALLERY (archive)
Pictures will be shown for one year in our free German online show (embedded in our meditative color concept).
Information about our free services: German online show, tips and offers, “Enter into Art” bonus video, networking on the Internet.
Continue readingArt gift book ‘Excellent Art – Exzellente Kunst 2024’ – vol. 4
Book series LOUNGE 3 – volume IV
Editor: Gabriele Walter
The art and gift book introduces 41 selected artists from 20 countries around the globe. The interpretations focus mainly on the visible, specific side of paintings and sculptures. The texts invite art lovers to connect with the artworks themselves. Special art and poetry pages have been incorporated to give artists an opportunity to present their visual work alongside their poetry. The book also deals with the topic “Ludwig van Beethoven in Vienna”: Due to its programmatic character, his Pastoral Symphony is ideally suited to establishing a connection between painting and music.
Ludwig van Beethoven in Vienna and his “Pastorale”, Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68
Excerpts from the book “Excellent Art 2024, vol. 4”
This art and gift book introduces 41 selected artists from 20 countries around the globe. The book invites art lovers to connect with the artworks through philosophical-poetic texts about the images and classical music. Due to its programmatic character, the Symphony No.6 of Ludwig van Beethoven is ideally suited to establishing a connection between painting and music. While the poems in this book were selected based on the musical message of its five movements, the artworks were created independently of it. Rather than making Beethoven’s composition a guiding principle throughout the book, the idea is that listening to it will increase readers’ sense of joy and relaxation while looking through its pages.
Art gift book “Congratulations! – Herzliche Glückwünsche!”, vol. 2 – 2024
Relaxing with Flowers, Colors, Poetry and Art
Book series LOUNGE 5 – volume 2
Editor: Gabriele Walter
Flowers are a gift for every occasion. With gorgeous blossoms, art, and rainbow colors in panoramic format, this unusual gift book will take you on a soothing trip to deep relaxation. The printed flower bouquet was created with love to bring joy to your loved ones. Consciously experience the colors and shapes of the flowers as you breathe them in through your eyes like healing scents. Every year, eight artists are selected and awarded the Diamond Prize.
Video ‘International artworks 2024’ with relaxing music
Video for the first 20 participants
in our book projects 2023 – 2024
The images in the video represent a bonus selection of about 20 images per book that have been published in 2023-24 in the bilingual Enter into Art – gift book series:
Art gift book “Poetry of Travel – Poesie des Reisens” – In memory of Paul Klee
In memory of Paul Klee
Book series LOUNGE 2 – volume XI
Editor: Kurt Ries
Visual artists have always traveled because for people who create art, it is essential to unlock new sources of inspiration. In Paul Klee’s artistic career, traveling played an especially large part. Time and again, he went to Italy, France and Switzerland. Both his trips to Tunisia and Egypt had a major impact on his work. On his quest to overcome the limitations of sensual experience and explore the secrets of nature, he encountered progressive European painters’ movements and eventually found his own style, which brought him world success.
Paul Klee: Journey of Longing to a Realm of Magic and Poetry
Excerpts from the book “Poetry of Travel”
Visual artists have always traveled because for people who create art, it is essential to unlock new sources of inspiration. In Paul Klee’s artistic career, traveling played an especially large part. Time and again, he went to Italy, France and Switzerland. Both his trips to Tunisia and Egypt had a major impact on his work. On his quest to overcome the limitations of sensual experience and explore the secrets of nature, he encountered progressive European painters’ movements and eventually found his own style, which brought him world success.
Art gift book ‘Inspiration Venice – Inspiration Venedig’
An Homage to Venice and Marco Polo
Book series LOUNGE 2 – volume X
Editor: Kurt Ries
Venice stirs admiration and wonder and exerts a strange power over the imagination. At times its appearance resembles a theater production, at times a mirage from 1001 Nights. Strolling through it feels like sliding into a daydream – shimmering like mother-of-pearl, everything solid dissolves into water and colors. For centuries, the poetic melancholy of the lagoon city has been challenging artists and poets with its magic. Even its name stirs up associations with “Venus” who sprang from the foam of the sea.
Venice – Lost in an Enchanted Dream
Excerpts from the book “Inspiration Venice”
Venice stirs admiration and wonder and exerts a strange power over the imagination. At times its appearance resembles a theater production, at times a mirage from 1001 Nights. Strolling through it feels like sliding into a daydream – shimmering like mother-of-pearl, everything solid dissolves into water and colors. For centuries, the poetic melancholy of the lagoon city has been challenging artists and poets with its magic. Even its name stirs up associations with “Venus” who sprang from the foam of the sea. As Goethe’s “Venetian Epigrams”, this book also features artworks that lack any direct connection with Venice because inspiration may be expressed in the most diverse facets.
Continue readingArt gift book ‘Art Château’, vol. 1, Vernissage with Bordeaux Wine
Vernissage imaginaire with Bordeaux Wine
Book series LOUNGE 1 – volume I
Editor: Gabriele Walter
A festive occasion like an anniversary or a vernissage is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a fine wine. This gave us the idea to create a series of books called “Art Château” celebrating the special relationship between wine and art. Wine as a cultural treasure goes far beyond drinking. Wine cannot be considered a muse, it is however, said that only those who value art, poetry, and music, can truly treasure it. .
Book series ART CHÂTEAU: Vernissage with exquisite wines – Art, Wine, Poetry, and Music
Excerpts from the book series “Art Château”
Vernissage imaginaire – Invitation to the Opening
A festive occasion like an anniversary or a vernissage is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a fine wine. This gave us the idea to create a series of books called “Art Château” celebrating the special relationship between wine and art. Without question, wine stimulates the imagination – and the exchange of thoughts. We should only pay serious attention, however, to the truly fine wines. The joy of winetasting should not be the result of alcohol. Drinking wine is not about making life fade into the distance – even if this aspect of it tends to be glorified in volumes of brilliant poetry. Wine as a cultural treasure goes far beyond drinking, and many of the landscapes where the grapes are grown enchant us with their quaint historical appeal.
Continue readingTable Music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Drinking wine is a sensual journey, and listening to music is said to make it even more enjoyable. Even the grapes themselves love music – as they ripen, they prefer the great symphonies of Beethoven or Mahler, while fermentation makes them long for sacred vocal music and Baroque pieces. Yes – plants are sentient beings, too! While the wine bills of famous composers often mark them as sensual personalities, wine is not the most common subject in classical music.
Continue readingFrom the Winemakers’ Idyll of St. Emilion to the Prehistoric Splendor of Lascaux
Excerpts from the book “Art Château – vol. 1 – Vernissage with Bordeau Wine”
St. Emilion – surrounded by a medieval city wall, even the name of this quaint little town in the Bordeaux wine region breathes spiritual inspiration. Immediately upon entering the town, the stunning ruins of a former Benedictine monastery will tempt visitors to take pictures. The old Franciscan monastery with its gothic cloister with its contemplative combination of ruins and elysian vineyards is another eyecatcher. Like all winemakers around here, the inhabitants bless every path most generously with cases of fine wine. The magic aura of the place will make visitors float through the town’s medieval alleyways. Not a single modern building will disturb their historic sojourn.
Continue readingArt gift book “Congratulations! – Herzliche Glückwünsche!”, vol. 1 – 2023
Relaxing with Flowers, Colors, Poetry and Art
Book series LOUNGE 5 – volume I
Editor: Gabriele Walter
Flowers are a gift for every occasion. With gorgeous blossoms, art, and rainbow colors in panoramic format, this unusual gift book will take you on a soothing trip to deep relaxation. The printed flower bouquet was created with love to bring joy to your loved ones. Consciously experience the colors and shapes of the flowers as you breathe them in through your eyes like healing scents. Every year, eight artists are selected and awarded the Diamond Prize.
Solo book Derwin Leiva – Cubism from Hawai’i
Cubism in Hawai’i? Wasn’t Cubism mostly associated with Paris, Picasso, Braque, and the French-German gallerist Kahnweiler? Yet this Cuban artist found a natural affinity for painting in the Neo-Cubist style, particularly after being raised in Cuba… As opposed to Picasso, Derwin Leiva has no need to visit anthropology museums. His personal history gives him all he needs to bring together the natural appeal and poetic immediacy of Latin America, African and Oceanic, as well as European art and culture.
Video ‘International artworks 2023’ with relaxing music
Video for the first 20 participants in our book projects 2022
The images in the video represent a bonus selection of 20 images per book that have been published in 2022-23 in the bilingual Enter into Art – gift book series:
‘Enter into Art’ book design awards 2023
The book design prizes are awarded according to the requirements of the book design, whereby the quality of the works of art naturally plays an important role. These prizes are awarded as part of a book project. The winning images will be selected solely from the participating images in the respective book. In our LOUNGE series we usually have about 50 to 70 participants per book. The artworks of the participants automatically take part in the respective competition.
Continue readingArt gift book ‘Magic of La Bohème – Zauber der Bohème’
An Homage to Paris and Puccini
Book series LOUNGE 2 – volume IX
Editor: Kurt Ries
Giacomo Puccini’s masterpiece “La Bohème” is one of the five most frequently performed operas in the world. Set in Paris, the main reason for its success is that it depicts the actual lives, pains, and loves of artists working without trying to please the public, striving instead to create pure art. Any life governed by such idealistic ambitions is somewhat awe-inspiring. Cherishing the complete creative freedom the bohemians sought, this book predominantly features works unrelated to its title topic.
Retracing the Paths of Famous Artists and Poets in Paris
Excerpts from the book “Magic of La Bohème”
Critics regard Puccini’s works as sentimental, but the fact of the matter is: They are enchanting! Whilst working on Mimi’s dying scene, Puccini is said to have burst into heavy sobbing. The spiritual and sensory origin of his aesthetic sensitivity was Tuscany. It was in Torre del Lago, a romantic village near Lucca, that he lived and suffered with the heroes and heroines of his operas. “La Bohème” made the maestro world famous. Its success entirely freed him from financial worries. Nevertheless, he continued to hold the bohemian lifestyle in high regard, and even founded a bohemian club. His opera is marked by Baudlairesque anti-bourgeois aesthetics. The composer had read Henry Murger’s novel in one sitting. The subject allowed him to express exactly what he felt inside.
Continue readingArt gift book ‘Color Symphonies – Farbsymphonien’
In Memory of Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh
Book series LOUNGE 2 – volume VIII
Editor: Kurt Ries
While Gauguin and van Gogh were rather different people, they had some things in common. Besides frequently discussing Buddhist subjects, they shared an intense longing for the south, the sun, and the joy of exotic colors. After reading about the Marquesas Islands, Vincent, too, felt drawn towards the “savage”, now wanting to paint childishly simple pictures like those featured in old peasant calendars. Gauguin had only strengthened his convictions when talking about the suggestive expressiveness of colors.
Color Symphonies for Gauguin and van Gogh
Excerpts from the book “Color Symphonies for Gauguin and van Gogh”
Without color, life would be gray. This book explores the question why so many people around the world hang reproductions of Vincent van Gogh’s and Paul Gauguin’s paintings on their walls and do not mind waiting in line to see their originals. It is easy to forget that the origin of the artists’ social conflicts was first and foremost a kind of self-sacrifice, as reflected in the color eruptions of their paintings. Brightening daily life with their unconditional artistic passion, the fragrances of the South Sea and La Provence, seeing life as colorful and diverse, and respecting other cultures and their “primitive” ways as a precious asset doubtlessly constitutes their legacy. Both have had a significant influence on modern art and inspired fauvists and expressionists to use strong colors.
Continue reading