Art: Interest in the incidental

Look at some of the great fine art paintings and you will see how the artist ensures that all elements even the seemingly incidental parts of the painting that are not the main focus sill provide enough dynamic interaction, fascination or drama to be worthy of framing themselves. Whether it be the almost impressionistic portrayal of the detail of three men in Rembrandt’s ‘Conjuration de Claudius Civilis’, the child’s expression watching the lizards in Louis Matout’s ‘At the fountain’ or being curious about wanting to take a walk further into the buildings and town in Hendrik van Steenwijk II’s ‘The Courtyard of a Renaissance’.

Take a look at his gallery below then go find other fine art paintings such as Renaissance or Flemish Art and seek out what is happening in the rest of the painting. If you are not familiar with Hans Holbein’s ‘The Ambassadors’ painting, go check it out for a rather strange yet fascinating detail. You’ve got to look at it from the correct angle to appreciate it!

Robert Koehler (1850-1917). The Strike, 1886. Detail. Credit: Prisma/Universal Images Group
Jan Bruegel the Elder (1568-1625). Flemish painter. Netherlandish Proverbs (also called The Blue Cloak or The Topsy Turvy World), 1559. Credit: Prisma/Universal Images Group
David Teniers the Younger (1610-1690). Baroque painter. Village Wedding, 1650. Detail. Credit: Prisma/Universal Images Group
Joachim Beuckelar, Market scene (detail) – Peasant woman in broad-brimmed hat, apron over red dress. Circa 1560. Credit: Photo12/Universal Images Group
Detail from the painting titled Charlemagne and the Meeting at the Golden Gate by Jean Hey (1480-1500) an Early Netherlandish painter. Dated 15th Century. Credit: Photo12/Universal Images Group
Detail from the painting titled The Courtyard of a Renaissance Palace by Hendrik van Steenwijk II (1580-1649). Dated 18th Century. Credit: Photo12/Universal Images Group
Georges du Mesnil de La Tour 1593-1652. The Denial of Saint Peter. Circa 1650. Detail. Credit: MolteniMotta/Universal Images Group
Georges du Mesnil de La Tour 1593-1652. The Denial of Saint Peter. Circa 1650. Detail. Credit: MolteniMotta/Universal Images Group
Georges du Mesnil de La Tour 1593-1652. The Musicians Brawl. Circa 1625-1630. Detail. Credit: MolteniMotta/Universal Images Group
Edouard Manet 1832-1883. The balcony. 1868-1869. Detail. Credit: MolteniMotta/Universal Images Group
The Comtesse de Selve Making Music, detail, by Adelaide Labille-Guiard, 1787. Credit: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group
Angelo Inganni. 1807-1880. View on the Piazza Duomo with the Coperto dei Figini. Circa 1838. Detail. Credit: MolteniMotta/Universal Images Group
Angelo Inganni. 1807-1880. View on the Piazza Duomo with the Coperto dei Figini. Circa 1838. Detail. Credit: MolteniMotta/Universal Images Group
The Descent from the Cross (detail), c1520, Artist: Jan Gossaert. Credit: World History Archive/Universal Images Group
Conjuration de Claudius Civilis, 1661 by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669). Credit: World History Archive/Universal Images Group
Cecco del Caravaggio, 1580-1630, The Coin Tribute, 17th century (detail). Credit: MolteniMotta/Universal Images Group
Les Halles by Leon Augustin Lhermitte, 1895. Credit: Sepia Timesa/Universal Images Group
At the fountain, 19th Century by Louis Matout (1833-1886). Credit: Sepia Timesa/Universal Images Group
Without asylum, 1833 by Fernand Pelez. Credit: Sepia Timesa/Universal Images Group
A child in the garret, 1881 by Fernand Pelez.