Leonardo da Vinci used many colors to produce his masterpieces. Surprisingly, he wasn’t very fond ofthe color green, though. Da Vinci warned artists about using it because he felt its beauty would eventually “vanish into thin air.” He’s not alone since many artists find green a complicatedand mysterious color.
Green is a symbol for both good and bad things in life. It’soften linked tolife and new beginnings because it’s the color of healthy leaves. On the other hand, green is sometimes associated with sickness and death. For example, green moldgrows on top of fruits when they rot. The expression “turn green” means that a person appears ill. Pablo Picasso exploredthis darker expression of green during his blue period. He featured it in a death portraitof Carles Casagemas, a heartbroken friend who killed himself. Picasso painted Casagemas’ cheeks green as a representationof the bridge between life and death.
The French painter Claude Monet used green to create a completely different effect. For him, it was a cheerfulcolor. Monet skillfully used different shadesof green to bring out the beauty in trees and water lilies.
