Introduction
Appreciating art is a rather delicate and thought-provoking process, as it requires the audience to examine the steps, message, and context implemented in the creation of a work. These important details help emphasize its value and importance in art. That way, the audience will be more appreciative of a particular piece and understand why it matters. The following essay concerns one of the two paintings in the assignment.
Identification of the Art Object
I have chosen the picture “Young Woman with a Water Jug” by Jan Vermeer. The painting was created in the Baroque style and was released between 1660 and 1662.
Examination of the Art Object
Technique
Like in multiple other paintings, Vermeer used a technique called chiaroscuro, which treats light and shade in a painting. The brushwork implemented in the painting helped demonstrate the damp mist prevalent in the majority of Dutch cities.
Vermeer used multiple ultramarine and black undertones for a nocturnal hue. Ultramarine is implemented for reflective surfaces portrayed in the painting. The source of light creates a triangle-shaped composition between the three main elements: the map, the jug, and the window. It helps place the young woman as the central figure in the work and helps the audience focus on her.
Medium
The painting’s support is plain-weave linen with a thread number of 14 x 14 per square centimeter. The canvas was lined, and the original tacking edges were removed. The artist altered the composition, as it used to have a chair with a lion’s head, and the map in the background was placed further to the left.
Process
The early phases of the painting procedure featured underpainting prior to the introduction of color and detail to the work. The painting was made on canvas and was drawn with oil paints. It is relatively small compared to most of the artist’s works.
The process of making the painting, besides the implementation of underpainting, features proper distribution of light and painting sections of the piece in a specific manner to make it distinct and help to make it evenly lit. In this work, the slow drying of oil paints facilitates the two alterations in the picture. It could contribute to the creation of texture in the painting.
The Analysis
Objective Description and the Subject Matter
The Young Woman with a Water Jug consists of the following elements: the lady herself, a window, a map, a table, a pitcher, a chair, and a jewelry box. The woman is wearing a white headdress, a yellow bodice, and a blue gown. She is shown looking out of the window with a seemingly inexpressive face.
The table is decorated with a vibrant carpet with a pitcher and a jewelry box. A small chair piece is shown on the left side of the painting. The window has a yellowish frame and heavily decorated glass, and the woman’s hand is placed on the former.
Rationale Behind the Choice
I chose this painting because it is the most expressive despite its more classic appearance. Such works have a certain beauty, as artists can easily convey various moods and themes in them. Besides, despite the reliance on realism in the majority of such pieces of art, the creators can either slightly romanticize or dramatize the reality portrayed in a particular painting.
Comparison of Two Artworks
Differences
There are some striking differences between Liubov Popova’s “Study for a Portrait” and Vermeer’s “Young Woman with a Water Jug.” First, the former piece is a painting that features marble dust, while the latter does not. Second, Popova’s work is drawn in cubism and cubo-futurism, while Vermeer’s painting is a Baroque one.
In “Study for a Portrait,” Popova does not use muted colors but instead uses high colors with various intensities of deep blue and the contrasts of yellow and green. Light is relatively active throughout the painting, while in Vermeer’s painting, it accentuates the environment and the woman. Finally, the latter work heavily relies on color symbolism, which was popular during Jan’s era, while it is not the focus of Popova’s painting.
Similarities
The similarities between the two works are demonstrated in the ways the artists accentuate the primary focus of the painting. Due to the more specifically structured lines and lighting, the people are the primary focus of the painting. Lighting is a crucial aspect of the works, as it helps accentuate its characters. The narrative is not relevant to either of the pieces, as the artists wanted to focus on the portrayed individuals.
Personal Impression
I think that Popova and Vermeer are pretty different as artists. I find the former to be a person who was open to experimenting with various styles in art. This can be seen in her works that were made in the 1910s and the ones made in the 1900s. Vermeer rarely seeks different ways of portraying people and environments while thoroughly considering the relevance of details and lighting. As a people, however, I perceive Popova as an energetic and innovative individual, while Jan seems more traditionalistic to me.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Jan Vermeer’s “The Woman with a Water Jug” implements a technique called chiaroscuro, and the use of colors is based on symbolism. In its creation, oil paints were used, and two crucial details were altered: the chair and the map’s location. Contrary to Popova’s work, the painting is more realistic and has a diverse color palette. Like her painting, however, Vermeer’s work does not follow any narratives and uses people as the primary focus. I view Jan as traditionalistic, while Popova feels curious and open to experiments.