This program lets you see in the dark the way painters do. Nocturnes are night scenes using moonlight, starlight and candlelight to create a contrast between light and dark. Some aspire to be like nocturnes in music and have a dream-like quality that is associated with musical compositions of that name. Others exploit contrast and manipulate the eye to create images that are almost fantasy. Still others are scientific or spiritual in orientation. All nocturnes in painting are an opportunity to show off a painter’s skill with color and light. We’ll follow along with Rembrandt, van Gogh, Whistler, Remington, Hopper and many others as they build an atmosphere that values nightlight over daylight.

After many years of teaching classical languages, philosophy, and the history of ideas at Souhegan High School, presenter Nancy Baker now spends her time volunteering. She is immediate past Executive Chair of the Guild of Volunteers at the Currier Museum of Art and is an active docent there. Nancy gives talks on art, language and the history of ideas at the Currier, libraries, senior living enrichment programs, and community groups in the greater area. She is Chairman of the Amherst Library Board of Trustees and is an enthusiastic supporter of the role of the free library in communities.

Featured Painting: Henri Rousseau, Carnival Evening (1886)

Virtual Program. Registration Required. This program WILL be recorded. Register to receive a link to the recording.