Artwork of the Week: December 1
Inside this Gothic sanctuary, clustered pillars and vaulted ceilings soar above three small figures. In the foreground stands a single, black-clothed figure. In the background, a woman is greeted with a hushed welcome by another solemn figure. The visitor’s bright blue outfit starkly contrasts with the soft, neutral tones of the architecture, distinguishing the mundane world from the sacred realm of the cathedral. Warmth pours into the composition from an inviting glow emanating from the left-side passage. Perhaps it leads to the chapel where miracles of the Mass are about to take place.
In this watercolor, the artist Dorothy Weir Young demonstrates her affinity for sacred architecture, which she first encountered on a family trip to Europe at age eleven. [MB1] Having developed her mature style as an artist, she returned to Europe as an adult in 1931 with her husband, Mahonri M. Young.[1] On their honeymoon, she sketched the interiors of Gothic churches, such as Our Lady of Chartres, which inspired her watercolors. These works often included human figures to amplify the grandeur of the architecture and inspire humility in the viewer.[2]
[1] Kristen Brotherson, “The Life and Art of Dorothy Weir Young: ‘Celebrations of a Harmonious Ideal.’” Brigham Young University, 1998.
[2] Brotherson, “Dorothy Weir Young.”
