Observe Your Thoughts Like Passing Clouds

Engage with your sense of wonder and bring awareness to your thoughts through this meditation practice inspired by Simon Joseph Alexandre Clément Denis’s Study of Clouds with a Sunset near Rome (1786–1801).

Though small in scale, Study of Clouds with a Sunset near Rome is one of the most luscious paintings in Getty’s collection. Denis depicts the clouds as the scene’s protagonists, dominating the composition and dwarfing the trees and buildings that appear on a narrow strip of land along the bottom of the canvas. These billowing, dramatic clouds, bathed in the warm hues of a sunset, serve as a reminder of the beauty of fleeting moments.

By observing clouds we can learn to watch—and release—thoughts and emotions without judgment.

You can watch this episode on YouTube here: https://gty.art/4wZysOS

Find images, a transcript, and more resources on our website: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/ommm/observe-your-thoughts-like-passing-clouds/

See the painting in person at the Getty Center: https://www.getty.edu/visit/ 

Hear about the history of the color blue in art with author Victoria Finlay in this week’s deeper dive conversation. Look for this conversation in your podcast feed or on our YouTube channel Thursday, or find it on our website. 

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Production team:

Host: Lilit Sadoyan

Producers: Zoe Goldman and Gideon Brower

Video Editor: Jeremy Rhodes

Mixer and Sound Designer: Jaime Roque

Executive Producer: Christopher Sprinkle

For more art history insights, check out our other Getty Podcasts shows at www.getty.edu/podcasts

• Recording Artists tells artist biographies using archival material from the Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recording-artists/
• If Objects Could Talk is a family-friendly show where Getty museum objects, like a Greek vase or porcelain clock, come alive to share their story: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/
• ReCurrent chronicles the people who shape our culture and keep the past alive: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recurrent/
• Art + Ideas showcases interviews with artists, architects, scientists, and cultural luminaries by former Getty President Jim Cuno: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/art-and-ideas/

Through its programs—Getty Conservation Institute, Getty Foundation, Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute, and Getty Trust—Getty shares and advances the world’s visual art and cultural heritage, both in Los Angeles and throughout the world. 

Learn more about all we do for art on our website:

• Getty: https://www.getty.edu/
• Getty Conservation Institute: https://www.getty.edu/conservation/
• Getty Foundation: https://www.getty.edu/foundation/
• Getty Museum: https://www.getty.edu/museum/
• Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/research/