White

Painting, Ondinas, Liliana Pantanali

Ondinas

Liliana Pantanali

Painting - 19.7 x 47.2 x 0.4 inch

£1,882

Painting, Regality, Sergio Capitani

Regality

Sergio Capitani

Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

£491

Fine Art Drawings, Erase Myself 01, Marco Rea

Erase Myself 01

Marco Rea

Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch

£590

Print, Portrait 5, Manuella Ferré

Portrait 5

Manuella Ferré

Print - 10.9 x 8.2 inch

£80

Sculpture, Kiss My Diamonds, Gab

Kiss My Diamonds

Gab

Sculpture - 7.9 x 7.9 x 11.8 inch

£5,181

Fine Art Drawings, Homeland, Anet Duncan

Homeland

Anet Duncan

Fine Art Drawings - 10.2 x 8.3 x 2.8 inch

£607

Print, Trio Musical, Jean-Louis Toutain

Trio Musical

Jean-Louis Toutain

Print - 22.8 x 29.9 inch

£670

Painting, Identikit, Katherine Russell

Identikit

Katherine Russell

Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 1 inch

£670

Photography, Prayer for Kinshasa, Thiemoko Claude Diarra

Prayer for Kinshasa

Thiemoko Claude Diarra

Photography - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch

£1,519

Painting, Le couple, Alain Zirignond

Le couple

Alain Zirignond

Painting - 38.2 x 31.9 x 1.2 inch

£1,474

Painting, Vieil homme à la pipe, Louis Granata

Vieil homme à la pipe

Louis Granata

Painting - 12.6 x 9.1 x 0.4 inch

£1,429

Painting, Black&white #1, Dominik Rutz

Black&white #1

Dominik Rutz

Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 2 inch

£916

Photography, Hope and happiness, John Mastrogiacomo

Hope and happiness

John Mastrogiacomo

Photography - 16 x 24 x 2 inch

£910

Painting, Te tiny esther & coffee, Jeong Won Chun

Te tiny esther & coffee

Jeong Won Chun

Painting - 20.9 x 17.9 x 1.6 inch

£1,328

Print, E., Bruno Di Bello

E.

Bruno Di Bello

Print - 27.2 x 13.4 x 0.1 inch

£295

Sculpture, Prête, Sacha Haillote

Prête

Sacha Haillote

Sculpture - 11.8 x 12.6 x 12.6 inch

£1,697

Print, Wanderlust, Thomas Falkner

Wanderlust

Thomas Falkner

Print - 23.6 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch

£1,385

Painting, Il gioco delle parti, Artisti Vari

Il gioco delle parti

Artisti Vari

Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

£1,072

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 4 (Nature Takes Back series), Stela Vasileva

Untitled 4 (Nature Takes Back series)

Stela Vasileva

Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 16.5 inch

£590

Sculpture, Dear Ugly Future, Volkan Aslan

Dear Ugly Future

Volkan Aslan

Sculpture - 21.7 x 10.6 x 13.4 inch

£5,360

Print, El mundo es una cárcel, Carmen Calvo

El mundo es una cárcel

Carmen Calvo

Print - 22 x 16.1 inch

£639

Painting, Mountain n°6, Jil Joannin

Mountain n°6

Jil Joannin

Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch

£938

Painting, Swiss harmony, Mathieu Lebreton

Swiss harmony

Mathieu Lebreton

Painting - 25.6 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

£1,224

Design, Miniflash Table Lamp, Joe Colombo

Miniflash Table Lamp

Joe Colombo

Design - 8.1 x 5.9 x 5.1 inch

£1,072

Design, Serpente Floor Lamp, Elio Martinelli

Serpente Floor Lamp

Elio Martinelli

Design - 47.2 x 21.7 x 21.7 inch

£1,608

Painting, Juste l'espoir, Lydie Foliot

Juste l'espoir

Lydie Foliot

Painting - 78.7 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

£465

Painting, Humming, Naomi Nishizawa

Humming

Naomi Nishizawa

Painting - 17.7 x 15 x 0.8 inch

£929

Sculpture, The First Day, Bevan Ramsay

The First Day

Bevan Ramsay

Sculpture - 41.3 x 48 x 2.8 inch

£2,233

Photography, Parfums #1, Isa Marcelli

Parfums #1

Isa Marcelli

Photography - 18.5 x 14.2 inch

£1,563

Print, Power Flower, Anne Kari Ødegård

Power Flower

Anne Kari Ødegård

Print - 24.8 x 17.7 inch

£1,251

Photography, The classroom, Magnus Wahman

The classroom

Magnus Wahman

Photography - 15.7 x 28.7 x 0.1 inch

£1,072

Painting, Inner thoughts, Ivan Gette

Inner thoughts

Ivan Gette

Painting - 70.9 x 55.1 x 0.8 inch

£12,552

Print, Chef Louis, Guy Buffet

Chef Louis

Guy Buffet

Print - 23 x 18 x 2 inch

£618

Painting, Capitol, Claire Halpin

Capitol

Claire Halpin

Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

£1,117

Design, Metal and Pulegoso Glass Table Lamp, Poliarte Studio

Metal and Pulegoso Glass Table Lamp

Poliarte Studio

Design - 4.3 x 6.3 x 6.3 inch

£1,429

Design, Four Wall Applique, Sergio Mazza

Four Wall Applique

Sergio Mazza

Design - 4.7 x 10.2 x 10.2 inch

£1,429

Painting, Equus colore, Lluc Queralt

Equus colore

Lluc Queralt

Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

£1,072

Print, Was für ein Glück (Gestern), Paul Thierry

Was für ein Glück (Gestern)

Paul Thierry

Print - 39.4 x 19.7 x 3.1 inch

£2,042

Painting, Melty 2, Melt.Y

Melty 2

Melt.Y

Painting - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

£223

Painting, Keep your vibrations high, Michele Lysek

Keep your vibrations high

Michele Lysek

Painting - 51.2 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

£3,841

Painting, Bigger cloud, Mateusz Deryniowski

Bigger cloud

Mateusz Deryniowski

Painting - 15.7 x 27.6 x 1.2 inch

£983

Photography, Jeanne Moreau / Paris Match, Jack Garofalo

Jeanne Moreau / Paris Match

Jack Garofalo

Photography - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0 inch

£1,715

Print, Cherry Blossom, Bruce Gilden

Cherry Blossom

Bruce Gilden

Print - 12.2 x 8.5 inch

£715

Painting, Morning moon, Nikolay Nyagolov

Morning moon

Nikolay Nyagolov

Painting - 31.5 x 35.4 x 1 inch

£2,323

Painting, Same Page, Carbonn Blck

Same Page

Carbonn Blck

Painting - 39.4 x 29.1 x 1.2 inch

£1,697

Design, Little Cloud Vase, Friends With You

Little Cloud Vase

Friends With You

Design - 7.1 x 5.1 inch

£618

Sculpture, Chaos, Mark Yale Harris

Chaos

Mark Yale Harris

Sculpture - 22 x 10 x 10 inch

£5,933

Print, Peace, Gris1

Peace

Gris1

Print - 19.7 x 25.6 inch

£268

Painting, The boys in the boat, Lisa Golightly

The boys in the boat

Lisa Golightly

Painting - 4.7 x 6.3 inch

£1,787

Sculpture, Lesson about the cube, Stefanoiu Vasile

Lesson about the cube

Stefanoiu Vasile

Sculpture - 15.7 x 9.1 x 5.5 inch

£1,787

Painting, Snoopy, Oli Art

Snoopy

Oli Art

Painting - 24 x 19.7 x 1.2 inch

£1,483

Sculpture, Girouette, Albert Chubac

Girouette

Albert Chubac

Sculpture - 23.6 x 7.9 x 7.9 inch

£5,538

Painting, Les lignes de la Citadelle, fragment 14, Carole Nieder

Les lignes de la Citadelle, fragment 14

Carole Nieder

Painting - 32.3 x 18.5 x 0 inch

£893

Design, Silver, Alex Meli

Silver

Alex Meli

Design - 20.5 x 20.5 x 2.4 inch

£715

Print, Grammature Di Colore (Color Weight), Elio Marchegiani

Grammature Di Colore (Color Weight)

Elio Marchegiani

Print - 18.7 x 25.6 x 0.1 inch

£250

Photography, Shakespeare Mirror Nr 1, Lika Brutyan

Shakespeare Mirror Nr 1

Lika Brutyan

Photography - 31.5 x 23.6 inch

£1,566

Painting, Merci, Bongo

Merci

Bongo

Painting - 39.4 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch

£1,590

Painting, Bubble queen, Roberta Modena

Bubble queen

Roberta Modena

Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch

£893

Photography, Silent, Emilie Mori

Silent

Emilie Mori

Photography - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0 inch

£804

Painting, Suprised, Lemon

Suprised

Lemon

Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch

£670

Photography, Rothko Chapel, Houston, Hervé Gloaguen

Rothko Chapel, Houston

Hervé Gloaguen

Photography - 15.7 x 19.7 inch

£1,608

Photography, Blurry minds #2, Rani Bruchstein

Blurry minds #2

Rani Bruchstein

Photography - 35.4 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

£3,890

Painting, Honey Ant Dreaming - - EDA-JC2087/22, Janice Kngwarreye Clarke

Honey Ant Dreaming - - EDA-JC2087/22

Janice Kngwarreye Clarke

Painting - 39.4 x 57.5 inch

£1,697

Design, Vintage Plate from the Series of Church Domes Cupole d'Italia, Piero Fornasetti

Vintage Plate from the Series of Church Domes Cupole d'Italia

Piero Fornasetti

Design - 9.6 x 9.6 x 1 inch

£893

Sculpture, El abrazo I, Pere Bennàssar Obrador

El abrazo I

Pere Bennàssar Obrador

Sculpture - 37.4 x 18.9 x 13 inch

£3,296

Fine Art Drawings, Temps nouveaux, Yves Grandjean

Temps nouveaux

Yves Grandjean

Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 25.6 inch

£1,519

Photography, Jeune indien jouant avec sa colombe, Sabrina & Roland Michaud

Jeune indien jouant avec sa colombe

Sabrina & Roland Michaud

Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch

£1,072

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Olivier Marin

Untitled

Olivier Marin

Fine Art Drawings - 29.9 x 43.7 inch

£1,340

Photography, Lac des cygnes, Peter Zupnik

Lac des cygnes

Peter Zupnik

Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch

£1,474

Painting, Grails, Magdalena Gronowska

Grails

Magdalena Gronowska

Painting - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch

£2,574

Fine Art Drawings, Floating, a Ee

Floating

a Ee

Fine Art Drawings - 8.4 x 5.8 x 0.4 inch

£3,902

Painting, Untitled5, Basia

Untitled5

Basia

Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch

£3,493

Painting, This Wallpaper is not Avaiable, Chiara Santoro

This Wallpaper is not Avaiable

Chiara Santoro

Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.7 inch

£447

Painting, Ink on Gold, Zena Dabbous

Ink on Gold

Zena Dabbous

Painting - 39.4 x 35.4 x 0 inch

£1,854

Fine Art Drawings, Tondo, Catalin Guguianu

Tondo

Catalin Guguianu

Fine Art Drawings - 35.4 x 35.4 inch

£5,002

Print, Cinderella, Rita Briansky

Cinderella

Rita Briansky

Print - 9 x 6 x 2 inch

£989

Print, Japan flowers with water, J.C Heywood

Japan flowers with water

J.C Heywood

Print - 33 x 26 x 2 inch

£989

Sculpture, Sur la banquise - Ourse polaire, Véronique Laffaille

Sur la banquise - Ourse polaire

Véronique Laffaille

Sculpture - 9.6 x 19.7 x 7.9 inch

£3,461

Painting, Details I, Lyudmyla Davydenko

Details I

Lyudmyla Davydenko

Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

£2,680

Painting, Spanish melody, Erick Ifergan

Spanish melody

Erick Ifergan

Painting - 98.4 x 78.7 x 1.2 inch

£34,838

Photography, Diego Silvetti. La México, CDMX., Andrés Calamaro

Diego Silvetti. La México, CDMX.

Andrés Calamaro

Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

£7,012

Print, Shopping Heads 1, Ester Partegàs

Shopping Heads 1

Ester Partegàs

Print - 18.9 x 25.6 x 0 inch

£625

Painting, Zen colors 020, Ckraft

Zen colors 020

Ckraft

Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch

£2,144

Photography, Roadster, Franck Leclerc

Roadster

Franck Leclerc

Photography - 13 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch

£616

Painting, Untitled II, Ricardo Carbonell

Untitled II

Ricardo Carbonell

Painting - 12 x 24 x 1.5 inch

£1,340

Print, Venc I, Jean-Charles Blais

Venc I

Jean-Charles Blais

Print - 12.8 x 9.3 inch

£402

Photography, La Terre est bleue comme une orange, Elena Krasteva

La Terre est bleue comme une orange

Elena Krasteva

Photography - 18.9 x 23.6 x 0 inch

£286

Painting, We Don't Know How Water Is Blue #2, Tran Trong Vu

We Don't Know How Water Is Blue #2

Tran Trong Vu

Painting - 100 x 40 x 1 inch

£1,895

Painting, King be shaved, James Ogamba Tochukwu

King be shaved

James Ogamba Tochukwu

Painting - 50 x 40 x 1 inch

£2,060

Painting, Museum, Slav Nedev

Museum

Slav Nedev

Painting - 23.6 x 53.9 x 0.8 inch

£3,172

Print, Gravure eau forte 1, Joel Giraud

Gravure eau forte 1

Joel Giraud

Print - 11.8 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch

£161

White

In physics, white is the sum of all the colours. To the human eye, white appears to be the total absence of colour. Amongst artists, white and its many uses in art are continuously evolving and challenging those who would embrace them. Is white, then, a non-colour, or an enhancer of colours? Intangible or material? Absence or excess?

Since Antiquity, white has been appreciated for its symbolic value. In Ancient Greece, where they would paint their statues, it was a sign of incompletion, whereas the Romans believed it showed pomp and imperialist virtue. With the rise of Christianity, white was used in opposition to black in order to emphasise moral dichotomies: the pure, divine white against the darkness. In some cases, however, white was used to show sickness or death, most notably in the pallid representations of the skeletal, crucified Christ.

In the Renaissance white was used to sublimate faces and backgrounds. Da Vinci even based his sfumato technique on the soft transition from light into darkness. Throughout the history of painting, white was considered precious for its ability to reflect light. It attracts the gaze even when used in the tiniest quantities, and illuminates the subject, drawing out stunning contrasts as seen in the works of Rembrandt, or in Vermeer's famous Girl with the Pearl Earring.

With the rise of Impressionism, white was used as the brightest tone amongst shades of grey. While Manet produced canvases which were forerunners to monochromes, including The Reader, which was almost pure white, Monet delivered a stunning gradient of whites whilst recreating the snow at his home in Giverny. The first true white monochrome appeared with the arrival of Malevitch's White Square on a White Background. The artist said 'I have broken the blue boundary of colour limits, and come out into the white'.

 

Modernists were equally passionate about white and valued it incredibly highly. Miro in particular questioned the status of white on canvases. In his painting Woman, Bird and Star white is in parts boldly painted, but is also distinctive for its absence around the star. Picasso, on the other hand, explored white in conjunction with his famous coloured periods. Piero Manzoni became famous thanks to his 'achromatic' paintings, a series of canvases produced exclusively in shades of white. Moving into the 20th century, white became synonymous with minimalist abstraction. For artists like Kandinsky, white was a cosmic colour, associated with a spiritual search for the absolute, guiding the artists as he seek to express his emotions.  

 

Today, white remains an ever popular subject. Roman Opalka made his name creating a series of white numbers of a white background, while Daniel Arsham reinvents white walls in galleries by letting his artwork drip down onto them. White is a colour with multiple symbolic interpretations. The colour of divinity or humility; of purity and immaculate, of emptiness and absence, but always colour. If blue has Klein and red has Rothko, it appears that no artist has yet succeeded in fully mastering white – but maybe you'll find them in our selection!


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