The Sense of Sight
The Sense of Sight is an oil painting by Annie Swynnerton, finished in 1895. In the painting, the sense of sight is depicted as an angel viewing all the beauty of Earth. Most of the painting's detail is in the face and hands of the angel with the landscape and her wings kept vague.
I really love this painting. I like the beauty of the angel with her rosy cheeks and striking eyes, I like the wonderful choice of color with the violet wings and red flowing robes, and I like the technical difficulty of getting so much detail in the face and see-though top.
The only thing I don't like about this painting is the wings. I love their color, but they look rather sloppy. I don't know if they are the result of damage over time, or if Swynnerton purposely made them that way to make sure the viewer's eye is first attracted to the angel's face.
Gallery
This is an alternate version of the painting. I haven't found and reputable information, but I think it's an earlier test piece. Sales web sites use the title, "Gift of Sight."
