It is as if the months have become reversed and May has become the normally showery April. On the radio this morning I was interested to hear just how many words there are to describe rain and that these have fallen out of use and we just say “it is raining”. Rain features in quite a few very well known paintings and I wonder what rain words you would use to describe the selection of rain themed paintings I have chosen. Here are some of my favourite rain words followed by some of my favourite rain paintings.
Soft, misty, mizzle, steady unceasing, sharp pelting, heavy unexpected,fine penterating, gentle refreshing, storm force, blinding, turbulent dark, leaden, steady, torrential, pouring cats and dogs, cold dismal, tropical, driving.
Despite the umbrellas one does not get the impression that the rain is dampening the overtures of courtship evident in the figures in Renior’s painting of The Umbrellas of 1886
In complete contrast is the tropical storm raging in Rousseau’s painting of Tiger in a tropical storm 1891 complete with forked lightning. Look closely to observe the angled driving rain and the blown back whiskers of the tiger.
We have combined in Turner’s painting Rain, steam and speed of 1844 the forces of humankind is pitted against the power of nature.
One can almost feel the steam raising in Franz Marc’s painting Summer rain of 1912
Paris is a city that seems to have been pictured in the rain more than any other European city and no where more finely captured than in Paris street; rainy day by Gustave Caillebotte 1877.
Maja Pitamic 