Joan Miro. The Tilled Field. 1923 George Ronsholdt. Birds Flying South.

2006
Comparative Study
Aidan Riley

This comparative study will compare and contrast “The Tilled Field,” by Joan Miro with “Birds Flying
South” by Milwaukee artist George Ronsholdt. This study will analytically explore the formal qualities of
both pieces, how they interact with each other, and how both artists deconstruct these formal qualities.
The study will also examine how both pieces intend to reflect the unconscious mind, and how redefining
the parameters of art can expand aesthetic possibility without losing objectivity.
 Evaluation of Cultural Context: Joan Miro

Joan Miro was a Spanish painter, sculptor and

printmaker who made a lasting impression on the
Surrealism and Cubism movement. In the early years
of his art career, he painted realistic still lifes and
landscapes of Catalan, the region of Spain he grew
up in. But soon after he was introduced to the
flourishing scene of modern art. Fascinated by
Fauvism and Cubism, he moved to Paris in 1919 to
further his art career. While in Paris he read a lot of
surrealism literature and embellished concepts from
surrealism into his artwork. He often questioned his
methods of producing art, which furthered him to
start developing his signature style. He creates
dreamlike landscapes with puzzling yet recognizable
forms. He uses bold and expressive colors and
shapes that reflect automatism and surrealism. While
his works are abstract, the fine edges and basic
forms are still considerably representational and
objective. As his career continued, his style became
increasingly less representational and more abstract.
 Analysis of Formal Qualities: Joan Miro

His relatively small The vertical splitting in

palette unifies the the middle of the piece
piece and creates a creates symmetry
harmony between between the top and
all of the forms bottom of the piece. He
represented evenly balances his use
of space on both the
top and bottom, which
unifies the seemingly
The slight color disordered forms
gradient within all
of his forms
intensifies their Joan masterfully breaks
surreal qualities down and simplifies
and gives them the forms of normal
unique boldness objects without losing
much objectivity, which
Joan Miro. The Tilled Field. 1923 gives the piece a
surreal representational
The simple yet bold forms, the variation He sporadically mingles and interests value
of shape and size, and the megring of line movement throughout the piece.
2D perspective and 3D perspective This allows the viewer to look at
invoke a dreamlike quality that is random parts of the painting, instead
simultaneously uniform and chaotic of having a specific viewing
movement