Unit VI Assignment Art Gallery: Background
INTERPRETATION OF ARTWORK Mary Katz Columbia Southern University
John Singleton Copley, The Death of Major Peirson, 1783 (Saunders,1990)
This presentation describes the visual elements in this artwork in terms the light, lines, color, motion, texture, mass, time, and shape.
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Visual Elements for Death of Major Pierson
Lines: The artist uses thin lines that converge at the center of the artwork to paint the picture of the battle field.
Light: Bright and sufficient light has been used to help identify the different objects in the background. Smoke, building structures, flags, guns etcetera can be easily recognized because of the light that reflects from them. Similarly, different people such as kids and women can be identified because of the brightness of their clothes.
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Color: The artist uses bright colors to help differentiate people in the battlefield. The British defense can be easily recognized by the colors of their flag (Red, white and black).
Motion: The painting suggest all sorts of running and fighting (Saunders, 1990). Women and children are seen fleeing the scene while the soldiers are attacking each other.
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Shape: Female shapes are clearly depicted in the painting. Male shapes are also present to demonstrate that only males used to fight in the battlefields (Saunders, 1990).
Texture: The folds in human clothes develop texture in the painting.
Mass: Majority of people are in the foreground thus creating movement and mass.
Time: The bright colors and images suggest that it is during day time.
Design Principles for Death of Major Pierson
Unity- Some people are fighting (men) while others are fleeing. Therefore there is some level of unity.
Balance- The features in the painting are well balanced.
Emphasis- The painting focusses on Major Pearson who is a the center (Bayley & Perkins, 1915)).
Directional forces-Audiences can be directed to the side people are fleeing to.
Contrast- There is low contrast between the background and the people in the foreground. Different colors have been used.
Repetition and Rhythm-The soldiers for either side of the war have been repeated in the painting to create a war scene.
Scale and Proportion-The figures are proportional to the size of the painting.
Paolo Uccello, The Battle of San Romano, c. 1438–40 (Griffiths, 1978)
Visual Elements for The Battle of San Romano
Lines- The artist uses thin lines that converge at the center.
Color-white horses and black horses can be seen in the foreground.
Motion- The painting suggest all sorts of running and fighting.
Light- Sufficient light has been used to help identify the different objects in the background such as horses and warriors.
Shape- Male shapes and animal shapes are clearly depicted.
Texture-The knights armor clothes develop texture.
Mass-The painting has many people and horses which develop mass.
Time- The dark background shows that the battle is at night.
Design Principles for The Battle of San Romano
Unity- The running horses with soldiers carrying spears collectively shows unity in the war scene.
Balance- The are not balanced, with more people in the foreground.
Emphasis- The painting focusses on the type of battle with soldier on the horses.
Directional forces-audiences can be directed to the side people are fleeing to.
Contrast- There is high contrast between the background and the people in the foreground in terms of size.
Repetition and Rhythm-The soldiers for either side of the war have been repeated in the painting to create a war scene.
Scale and Proportion-The figures are not proportional. Some are larger while others are small.
Albrecht Altdorf, The Battle of Alexander at Issus, 1529 (Murison, 1972)
Visual Elements for The Battle of Alexander at Issus
Lines- The artist uses straight lines to draw spears.
Color-the grey color is used to paint clouds.
Motion- There are horses running in the painting.
Light- Lack of sufficient lighting makes the minor features hard to identify.
Shape- Animal shapes are clearly depicted i.e. the running horses.
Texture-The knights armor clothes develop texture.
Mass-The painting has many people and horses which develop mass.
Time- The blue sky suggests that it is during daytime.
Design Principles for The Battle of Alexander at Issus
Unity- The features create unity since they all indicate people fighting.
Balance- The painting is well balanced to show every detail.
Emphasis- There is no focal point.
Directional forces-Audiences can be directed to the side people are fleeing to.
Contrast- There is low contrast between the background and the people in the foreground. Blue color is used both in the background and foreground.
Repetition and Rhythm-The soldiers for either side of the war have been repeated in the painting to create a war scene and create rhythm.
Scale and Proportion-The figures are proportional to the size of the painting.
Diego Velázquez, The Surrender of Breda, 1634-1635 (Moffitt,1982)
Visual Elements for The Surrender of Breda
Lines- The artist does not use lines.
Color-The blue color is used to represent the sky.
Motion- There is no motion
Light- The lighting is sufficient and hence making the features easy to recognize.
Shape- Male shapes are clearly depicted.
Texture-The knights armor clothes develop texture.
Mass-Many people making negotiations suggest mass.
Time- The clouds suggests that it is in the evening.
Design Principles for The Surrender of Breda
Unity- The collection of people in a peaceful environment indicate that they are in peace agreement.
Balance- The painting is well balanced to show every detail.
Emphasis- There is a focus on the agreement where two people seem to come to terms with each other.
Directional forces- There are no directional forces.
Contrast- There is no contrast.
Repetition and Rhythm-The soldiers for either side of the war have been repeated in the painting to create two different sides.
Scale and Proportion-The figures are proportional to the size of the painting.
Peter Paul Rubens, Consequences of War, 1638-1639 (Néret, 2004)
Visual Elements for Consequences of War
Lines- The artist does not use lines.
Color-Color is used sparingly.
Motion- People’s motion suggest deaths as a result of war.
Light- The lighting is sufficient and hence making the features easy to recognize.
Shape- Male and female shapes are clearly depicted.
Texture-A lot of people in the foreground suggest texture.
Mass-Many people dying in the vicinity suggest mass.
Time- The clouds suggests that it is in the evening.
Design Principles for Consequences of War
Unity- The features collectively indicate the impact of war on people.
Variety-The motion of people creates variety.
Balance- The painting is well balanced in terms of the number of features used.
Emphasis- There is focus on the deaths of people to show the consequences of war.
Directional forces-Audiences can be directed to the right side. Where the painting is flowing towards.
Contrast- There is low contrast between the background and the people in the foreground.
Repetition and Rhythm-The dying people are repeated to suggest mass demise of people due to war.
Scale and Proportion-The figures are proportional to the size of the painting.
Harry Dix, War Landscape, ca. 1940-1949, gouache and pencil on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Olin Dows, 1983.90.33 (Vogt, 1980).
Visual Elements for War Landscape
Lines- The artist uses vertical lines to draw trees.
Color-The different colors are used to differentiate different features like buildings, trees.
Light- The lighting is sufficient and hence making the features easy to recognize.
Shape- The buildings are shaped accordingly.
Texture-The is no texture.
Mass-Many features suggest mass.
Time- The dark background suggest that its at night.
Design Principles for War Landscape
Unity- The features are used collectively to show the isolated state of the environment.
Balance- The painting is well balanced to show every detail.
Emphasis- There is no focal point.
Directional forces-Audiences can be directed to the side people are fleeing to.
Contrast- There is low contrast between the background and the people in the foreground. Blue color is used both in the background and foreground.
Repetition and Rhythm-Tree structures have been repeated in the painting.
Scale and Proportion-The figures are proportional to the size of the painting.
References
Bayley, F. W., & Perkins, A. T. (1915). The Life and Works of John Singleton Copley: Founded on the Work of Augustus Thorndike Perkins. Taylor Press.
Saunders, R. H. (1990). Genius and Glory: John Singleton Copley's" The Death of Major Peirson". American Art Journal, 22(3), 5-39.
Griffiths, G. (1978). The Political Significance of Uccello's Battle of San Romano. Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, 313-316.
Murison, C. L. (1972). Darius III and the Battle of Issus. Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte, (H. 3), 399-423.
Moffitt, J. F. (1982). Diego Velázquez, Andrea Alciati and the Surrender of Breda. Artibus et Historiae, 75-90.
Néret, G. (2004). Rubens. Taschen.
Vogt, P. (1980). Expressionism: German Painting, 1905-1920. Harry N Abrams Inc.