Journal Entry 3

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Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

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Introduction

A focal point is a specific place of visual emphasis

Emphasis is the principle by which an artist draws attention to particular content; subordination is the opposite

Emphasis and focal point usually accentuate concepts, themes, or ideas the artist wants to express

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FUNDAMENTALS

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

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FUNDAMENTALS

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Focal points can be emphasized through the use of any of the elements of art (e.g. line, value, color, etc.).

Focal Point

Focal point is a tool artists use to give specific emphasis to an important symbol, event, or distinguishing feature in a work

It is the place in an area of emphasis that draws our eye

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Focal Point

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FUNDAMENTALS

Interactive Exercises:

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Interactive Exercises:

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Artwork: Dieric Bouts, The Coronation of the Virgin Mary

1.8.1 Dieric Bouts (the Elder), The Coronation of the Virgin Mary, 1455/60. Tempera on oak panel, approximately 32⅞" × 33½". Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Vienna, Austria

Dieric Bouts, The Coronation of the Virgin Mary

Bouts renders the Holy Trinity with reverence, but focuses attention on the centrally placed Virgin Mary

Her face is framed by the crown and dove above and folded hands below; all eyes are oriented toward her

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Dutch artist Dieric Bouts’s (1415–1475) responsibility was to highlight the Virgin Mary even when she was in the presence of the Holy Trinity: God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit (pictured here as a dove)

Bouts invites the viewer to share in this majestic, solemn, and otherworldly event

Artwork: Marc Chagall, The Fall of Icarus

1.8.2 Marc Chagall, The Fall of Icarus, 1975. Oil on canvas, 6'11⅞" × 6'6".

Musée National d’Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France

Marc Chagall, The Fall of Icarus

The story of Icarus is from Greek mythology

Icarus is the focal point, set apart by his position and color

The contrast between the brightly colored wings and the dull, pale-gray sky draws attention to the flailing boy

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Marc Chagall (1887–1985) illustrates the critical moment in the story

Icarus and his father Daedalus had been imprisoned on the island of Crete by its ruler, Minos

In order to escape, Daedalus fashioned two sets of wings from feathers and wax

As they flew away, Icarus became overly exuberant

Although his father warned him not to, he recklessly flew too close to the sun

The wax from his wings melted and he fell to his death in the sea below

Artwork: Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Decapitating Holofernes

1.8.3 Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Decapitating Holofernes, c. 1620. Oil on canvas,

6'6⅜" × 5'3¾". Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

Directional lines in Gentileschi's Judith Decapitating Holofernes

1.8.3 Directional lines in Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Decapitating Holofernes, c. 1620. Oil on canvas,

6'6⅜" × 5'3¾". Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

Gentileschi: Using Focal Point for Dramatic Emphasis

Directional line and contrasting values emphasize the climax of the story

Strong single focal point: where blood spurts from Holofernes’ neck as Judith delivers the fatal blow

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Gateway to Art:

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

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FUNDAMENTALS

Gateway to Art:

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Bright light emphasizes Judith’s arms and those of her maidservant (visually connected to the sword itself)

The five bare arms create strong directional lines that lead to the focal point

Emphasis

An entire work, a broad area within a work of art, multiple areas, and even specific points can be emphasized

Broad emphasis can also occur when there are multiple elements within a work, but no one element dominates

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Artwork: Vija Celmins, Untitled (Ocean)

1.8.4 Vija Celmins, Untitled (Ocean), 1977. Graphite on acrylic ground on paper, 10 x 12⅞". San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Vija Celmins, Untitled (Ocean)

Celmins intentionally created a composition that does not have a dominant area of emphasis

Has an overall field of undulating value changes with no singular point that the eye is drawn to

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Latvian-born American artist Vija Celmins (b. 1938)

Celmins’s parents brought her to the United States when she was ten years old, eventually settling in Indianapolis, Indiana

Portal Artwork: Tunic

3.4.6 Tunic, c. 1500. Interlocked tapestry of cotton and wool, 35⅞ × 30⅛". Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collections, Washington, D.C.

An example of overall emphasis in the design of this Inca tunic.

Artwork: Martin Puryear, C.F.A.O

1.8.5 Martin Puryear, C.F.A.O., 2006–7. Painted and unpainted pine and

found wheelbarrow, 8'4¾" × 6'5½" × 5'1". MoMA, New York

Martin Puryear, C.F.A.O

The wheelbarrow and pine structure contrast with the large area of emphasis: the white, mask-like shape in the center

Mask mimics the designs of the Fang tribe of Gabon

Intended to recall French colonialism in West Africa

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

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Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Emphasis can also be used to draw attention to a large portion of a work

African-American sculptor Martin Puryear (b. 1941) makes connections between a nineteenth-century trading company and African masks

The Compagnie Française de L’Afrique Occidentale, or C.F.A.O., was a company that connected Europe to ports in Sierra Leone in Africa, where Puryear also worked as a member of the Peace Corps

The work invites the viewer to lift the wheelbarrow and peer through the two eye-holes, encouraging him or her to see things from the point of view, or assume the role, of the colonized instead of the colonist

Artwork: Jacob Lawrence, “John Brown…”

1.8.6 Jacob Lawrence, “John Brown Remained a Full Winter in Canada, Drilling Negroes for His Coming Raid on Harpers Ferry (no.17)”, from The Life of John Brown (22 prints), 1977. Gouache and tempera on paper, 20 × 14"

Jacob Lawrence, “John Brown […]”

Each figure attracts enough attention so that none stands out

Solemn poses are an homage to the Civil War-era abolitionist John Brown

Composition is balanced with separate areas of emphasis; implies equality among the men

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

African-American artist Jacob Lawrence (1917–2000) uses broad emphasis in his homage to John Brown (Brown is not actually depicted in the work)

Brown believed that slavery could be eradicated only through armed insurrection

He was hanged for leading a violent revolt at Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia

The figure on the right in the yellow coat is immediately emphasized in contrast to the dark figure in the foreground, as is the white rifle held by the figure in brown on the left

The counter-balancing unifies the work, implies equality amongst the men, and thus subtly supports the ideals for which John Brown fought and died

Subordination

The use of emphasis to draw the viewer’s attention away from a particular part of a composition is referred to as subordination

Can also involve deliberately reducing the impact of certain details

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Emphasis and Subordination

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FUNDAMENTALS

Interactive Exercises:

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

PART 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Interactive Exercises:

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Artwork: Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Landscape with the Fall of Icarus

1.8.7 Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Landscape with the Fall of Icarus, c. 1555–58. Oil on canvas, mounted on wood, 29 × 44⅛". Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium

Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Landscape with the Fall of Icarus

Bruegel diverts our attention so that we barely notice Icarus plunging to his doom

Emphasis is drawn to other areas, such as the plowman in the foreground

PART 1

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Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

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FUNDAMENTALS

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

In direct contrast to the version by Marc Chagall, this painting by Flemish artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/30–1569) is a fine example of subordination

In Bruegel’s version, we are first drawn to the scarlet-smocked man plowing his field

Several other areas of emphasis—the tree on the left, the sunset, and fanciful ships—also capture our interest

We hardly notice Icarus, whose legs are disappearing into the sea just in front of the large ship on the right

Possibly illustrates the proverb “No plow stands still because a man dies” or “Life goes on”

Focal Point and Emphasis in Action

Artists use direction, dramatic contrasts, and placement relationships to organize elements in a work and draw our attention to areas of emphasis and focal points

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Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

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Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Drawing Attention

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Interactive Exercises:

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

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Interactive Exercises:

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Contrast

Artists look to create effects of contrast by positioning elements that are very different next to one another

For example, areas of varied value, color, or size

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Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

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Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Artwork: Francisco de Zurbarán The Funeral of St. Bonaventure

1.8.8 Francisco de Zurbarán, The Funeral of St. Bonaventure, 1629. Oil on canvas, 8'2" × 7'4".

Musée du Louvre, Paris, France

Francisco de Zurbarán, The Funeral of St. Bonaventure

The whiteness of St. Bonaventure’s clothing contrasts with the dark values of the background

Creates a central focal point

Enough light value is distributed to other figures, making the composition more interesting

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Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

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Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Spanish artist Francisco de Zurbarán (1598–1664) uses value to create emphasis and focal point

We are drawn to the white area of the saint (symbolic of Bonaventure’s chaste and spotless reputation) before we look at the surrounding characters

Line

Line is an effective way to focus our attention in an artwork

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Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

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FUNDAMENTALS

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Artwork: The Emperor Babur Overseeing His Gardeners

1.8.9 The Emperor Babur Overseeing His Gardeners, India, Mughal period, c. 1590. Tempera and gouache on paper, 8¾ × 5⅝". Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England

Detail of The Emperor Babur Overseeing His Gardeners

1.8.9 Detail of The Emperor Babur Overseeing His Gardeners, showing directional lines, , India, Mughal period, c. 1590. Tempera and gouache on paper, 8¾ × 5⅝". Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England

The Emperor Babur Overseeing his Gardeners

Gardens in Mughal India symbolized paradise

Water and the four cardinal directions represent life and eternity

Water feature is the focal point, both visually and conceptually

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Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

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Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Mughal India was the period from 1526 until the mid-nineteenth century

Zahir ud-Din Muhammad bin Omar Sheikh, nicknamed Babur, founded the Mughal Empire when he conquered most of Central Asia and northern India

In the painting, Babur is pointing to a feature that channels water in four directions

Diagonal lines draw our attention and are more visually active than horizontal or vertical lines

Placement

The placement of elements within a composition controls rhythm and creates multiple focal points

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Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

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Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Artwork: Ando Hiroshige “Riverside Bamboo Market, Kyo-bashi”

1.8.10 Ando Hiroshige, “Riverside Bamboo Market, Kyo-bashi,” from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, 1857. 15 × 10⅜". James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hawaii

Ando Hiroshige, “Riverside Bamboo Market, Kyo-bashi”

This artwork has three separate focal points: the moon, the bridge, and the figure in a boat

The varying distances between these three shapes create rhythm that adds visual interest

PART 1

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Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

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Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Japanese artist Ando Hiroshige (1797–1858) was a master of woodcut printing

Our focus is drawn to the right side of the work

The bridge is the largest shape and naturally catches our attention

The light value and hard geometry of the moon divert our gaze

We look at the figure under the bridge because of its placement under the moon, and because it has a definite outline that contrasts with the flat color of the water

Portal Artwork: Édouard Manet, A Bar at the Folies-Bergère

4.5.11 Édouard Manet, A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, 1882. Oil on canvas, 37⅞ × 51¼". Courtauld Gallery, London, England

The placement of intriguing elements that surround the main figure creates multiple focal points in Édouard Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergère.

Diego Velázquez: Las Meninas

Sandro Botticelli: The Birth of Venus

For two videos that explore focal point and emphasis further, click to watch:

Video:

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Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

Video:

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

MoMA Videos

To learn more about the use of emphasis and focal point, watch these videos of MoMA lecturers talking about artworks from the MoMA’s collection:

Willem de Kooning,

Woman I

Kazimir Malevich,

Suprematist Composition:

Airplane Flying

MoMA Video

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Third Edition, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

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Chapter 1.8 Copyright Information

This concludes the PowerPoint slide set for Chapter 1.8

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts

Third Edition

By Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields

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PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios

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Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis

Picture Credits for Chapter 1.8

1.8.1 Erich Lessing/akg-images

1.8.3 Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

1.8.4 San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Bequest of Alfred M. Esberg. Photo Don Ross. © Vija Celmins. Courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery

1.8.5 The Museum of Modern Art, New York, Gift of Sid Bass, Leon D. Black, Donald L. Bryant, Jr., Kathy and Richard S. Fuld, Jr., Agnes Gund, Mimi Haas, Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis, Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder, Donald B. Marron and Jerry Speyer on behalf of the Committee on Painting and Sculpture in honor of John Elderfield, 553.2008. Photo Jonathan Muzikar. Digital image, The Museum of Modern Art, New York/Scala, Florence. © Martin Puryear, Courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery

1.8.7 Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels

1.8.8 Musée du Louvre, Paris

1.8.9 Victoria & Albert Museum, London

1.8.10 James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hawaii

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PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studios

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FUNDAMENTALS

Chapter 1.8 Focal Point and Emphasis