This painting has a shape based on a combination of different geometric shapes. It can be noted that a combination of various straight and broken lines is used. It should be noted that this picture can be described based on the expressive theory of evaluation, due to the peculiarities of its cubism style (Frank, 2018). Although the depicted shapes, lines, and color spots are stationary, they are perceived dynamically due to the movement of the gaze. Thus, time and motion are manifested in the picture due to the fact that the viewer is trying to consider various details scattered throughout the picture. Speaking of color, it is worth saying that the painting uses a fairly bright range, combining shades of green, red, blue and yellow. Moreover, Pablo Picasso leaves a small amount of space in the painting, occupying it with all the details depicting a woman and her surroundings.
Objects, text, their size and shape, color and texture – they all have a weight that must be taken into account in the balance so that the final result looks organic. There is a radial balance in which all objects are arranged in a circle in this picture. Due to Cubism, Picasso focuses the viewer’s emphasis on light, which is reflected in the use of contrast techniques. In this picture, the importance of various details of the environment is emphasized by various shades and combinations of colors. Furthermore, in this picture, the scale and proportions are violated since, visually, it strives for diversity through the use of various techniques of cubism. The emphasis and subordination of objects in the picture are manifested through a combination of colors, where the use of warm shades brings the subject to the foreground, and cold tones are pushed to the background.
This painting was painted in 1932 during the period of Picasso’s work associated with Cubism. It depicts Marie-Theresa Walter, who served as one of the main muses of the artist (Masterworks Fine Art, 2021). In this work, my attention was drawn to how a skillful combination of colors and shapes creates a feeling of softness of a woman’s body and the hardness of the objects surrounding her. In my opinion, the subject matter of the work is to create an image of a woman and demonstrate that painting is no longer the only way to display artistic images in their usual perception. This work affects me in the sense that it allowed me to see how it is possible to display the characteristics of various objects and people without resorting to realism.
This type of portrait painting is characterized by the use of free space behind the person depicted. Furthermore, the background shades are often dark, which allows the artist to emphasize the color, brightness, and liveliness of a woman’s skin. Exposed to the conditions of realism, the artist uses clear lines that correspond to the contour of the body and clothing items. This picture should be viewed from the contextual theory of evaluation, as this is followed by several factors related to realism (Frank, 2018). Dutch-Flemish painting of the XVII century reflected in such detail the contemporary historical era that today it is possible to restore family life, leisure, interior, and fashion from artists’ paintings. Moreover, in this picture, it should be noted the skillful use of light and shadow in order to convey the shape of clothing. Another essential factor that gives this picture time and motion is an accurate image of the face, according to which the viewer can recreate the psychological and emotional state of a woman.
Based on the features of this picture, its scale and proportions should be highlighted. Through the use of those techniques, a stately, aristocratic image of a woman who feels like a real one is transmitted. In the transfer of characteristic qualities, it is essential to be able to analyze, highlighting the main thing in the general mass. In this picture, there is a clear emphasis and subordination of all the details of the face and clothes aimed at conveying the character of a woman. Furthermore, in this case, the artist resorts to the pronounced use of contrast between the shades of the background, clothing and skin of a woman in order to most clearly outline the brightness and liveliness for a more detailed transfer of each detail of the person being imitated. It should be noted that this picture has a symmetrical balance, which makes the woman’s face the main object of the viewer’s attention. In this way, the unity and integrity of the picture are maintained, and variety is manifested by crossing out various details of clothing and accessories.
Jan Anthonis van Ravesteyn has shown himself to be a talented portraitist, the creator of both individual and group portraits. Due to the exceptional The 17th century was recognized as the Golden Age of Dutch Painting because of the remarkable quality of the work created, and its painters had a profound effect on the visual arts across Europe (The Art Story, 2021). In this work, I was attracted by the special use of light and shadow, and background shades and clothes to emphasize the face. All this contributes to a more accurate psychological and emotional state transmission. In my opinion, the subject matter of this picture is to convey the status and aristocracy of a woman. This work affects me in the aspect that it demonstrates how alive the person in the picture can feel and how easily the viewers can relate to the character of the person depicted.
References
Frank, P. (2018). Prebles’ artforms (12th ed.). Pearson.
Masterworks Fine Art. (2021). Marie-Thérèse walter. Masterworks Fine Art Gallery.
The Art Story. (2021). Dutch Golden Age painting movement overview.