3_Autumn in Milan_Hermann_Schmidtmann

Autumn in MilanHermann Schmidtmann, 1936

There’s little information available about the 20th century artist Hermann Schmidtmann, but it’s evident that he was adept at applying his paint in an expressive and bold style, and also at capturing the liveliness of everyday life. This painting depicts a bustling, light-filled street in Milan, Italy. It was painted in or before 1936.

Attribution

By Hermann Schmidtmann (1869–1936) (Van Ham Kunstauktionen) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Wrap Up Your Painting

  • What caught your eye immediately about the painting?
  • How did you describe the character of the built environment to yourself?
  • How did the air smell, in your imagination?
  • Did you think the person you focused on was affluent or not? How could you tell?
  • In what way, if any, did this guided noticing activity add to your original impressions of the painting?
  • How do you feel now you’ve completed this activity? If you enjoyed it, why not add more Look at Paintings audio guides to your week? And don’t forget, you can take these guides with you to your local gallery and try them whilst standing in front of ‘real life’ art

Wrap Up Your Painting

  • Did you notice additional details during the guide that you didn’t notice when you first looked? If so, what were these?
  • What did you think of the style of the painting?
  • Has your opinion of the painting altered in any way after listening to this guide?
  • Where did you put yourself, in the painting?
  • Did this activity help you to slow down, take time out? If you enjoyed it, why not try more listening guides and make them a part of your week?