Introduction
The two pieces of art chosen in this reflection essay were made in two different historical periods. The first artwork is Abbey’s La reine dans Hamlet, an 1895 painting categorized within the romanticism genre. This painting is made of oil on canvas and features a lady whose sitting posture and colors used fit the Romanticism era. The second painting is a Portrait of Gertrude Stein, made by Pablo Picasso in 1905. The painting is made of oil on canvas and depicts a firm lady figure celebrated during the three rose periods. The painting is categorized in the modern art classification and is found in the Metropolitan Museum Art Gallery.
Focal Point
The focal point is a crucial element in artwork, which serves to engage the viewer in the piece of art. In essence, the focal point is the aspect of the painting to which viewers are most attracted. In the painting by Abbey (1895), the lady is shown to be sited in a central position on a chair within an illuminant room. This positioning in itself creates a focal point of interest to the viewers.
The effect may be obtained through a blend of colors, marks, and positioning, with each playing a different role in the final effect. In Picasso’s (1905) painting, the focus of interest is demonstrated through the lady’s firm gaze with her hand on her lap. In this regard, the look gives a clear indication of Stein’s life and role in modern literature as a strong and influential figure.
Color Layers
The ability to apply layers of color to a painting is among the key principles that characterize high-quality artworks. In some cases, the color may be illuminant or muted to portray different elements and communicate a given idea to the viewers. Picasso (1905) uses muted colors to convey an introspective, calm, and quiet mood that was considered a major characteristic of Stein in her work. This principle is vital since using a different variant of colors would have communicated an opposite effect.
Based on the genre, colors induce certain feelings in viewers and enable them to relate to the artwork in different ways. Abbey’s (1895) artwork uses a blend of illuminant colors to create a sense of joy, friendliness, and romance that was a main feature in the Romanticism period. Notably, this principle enables the author to reach the viewers who relate to the painting since they can feel the connection evoked by the layers of color applied.
Directional Changes
In painting, direction is achieved through particular brush strokes movement, which can be identified from the resulting artwork. The direction gives a statement on the author’s point of focus based on how they decide to show the various attributes of their image. For instance, Abbey (1895) used color contrast and diagonal and vertical orientations to attract the viewers’ attention. For artworks made from oil on canvas, the lines can be followed to reveal the direction in which the author moved while painting.
This element of directional change in relation to the overall picture quality is a key component of images that allow authors to communicate their ideas effectively to an audience. Notably, directional changes may be better understood by people who can relate to the picture’s era and grasp the meaning implied. In this painting, individuals within the Romanticism era would easily comprehend the implied meaning.
Conclusion
This assignment has taught me that paintings convey different aspects of culture, values, and historical elements. Authors use color, direction, and focal points to communicate to the audience who can relate to the artworks in different ways. I have learned that artworks from different genres use colors to evoke different feelings from viewers. Each painting is unique and suited for a specific purpose.
References
Abbey, E. A. (1895) La reine dans Hamlet [painting]. Wikiart; Visual Art Encyclopedia. Web.
Picasso, P. (1905). Portrait of Gertrude Stein [painting]. The Metropolitan Museum Art.