Upload
others
View
11
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Nathan Grace
How Classical portraiture can be presented in a
Contemporary manner.
Classical portraiture has incorporated a variety of techniques and ideas. Many of
these are essential to the success of the works and have remained within paintings
throughout time. I wish to delve into this topic based on my own interest in
portraiture and the medium of oil painting. I intend to develop my skills further by
exploring and comparing the fundamental qualities of Classical and Contemporary
oil portraits. These features include exploring; chiaroscuro, colour and paint
application and narrative. I intend to focus on specific artists that portray
similarities between one another.
Chapter 1: Chiaroscuro
Michelangelo Merisi da Carravaggio
“Judith Beheading Holofernes”
1599, 154 x 195cm, Oil on Canvas
Chiaroscuro is a term that refers to the idea of light and
dark values in paintings, and the way they contrast to
create a dramatic or emotional effect based on the
artists ideas and aims. In Italian, it means “light-dark”
and the dramatic effect was popularly used by the artist
Caravaggio, who used the method with great intensity as
seen in the image to the left, “Judith Beheading
Holofernes”. It was his work that continued to influence
many artists of the 17th Century, leading it to become a
primary painting technique in that era. Though
Caravaggio is a key figure who used the technique,
I wish to focus on the application within other artists
work.
.
Rembrandt
“Titus Van Rijn as St Francis / Titus Van
Rijn in a Monks Habit”
1660, 79.5 x 67.5cm, Oil on Canvas
The styles’ harsh lighting creates isolation of the
subject, therefore generating a great sense of
tension and emotion within the painting.
Rembrandt, an artist who is “arguably the greatest
painter since the Renaissance”, (http://www.visual-
arts-cork.com/best-artists-of-all-time.htm*) created
masterful pieces, based on the style of chiaroscuro
and was able to successfully generate this effect.
He is praised as a great exponent of chiaroscuro
and this can be seen in his piece ‘Titus Van Rijn as
St Francis’ which shows Rembrandt’s son, Titus,
as a monk. Around the figure is a darkened
background, a technique used by Rembrandt, generating a sense of isolation, drawing
a viewers’ focus upon the mans face, which is illuminated on the right side. This
therefore creates a contrast between the figure and his surroundings, and implies a
sorrow and thoughtfulness about Titus, to which one can empathise with. The shadow
cast by his hood beneath his superciliary arches and below his cheekbone, contrasts
with the rest of his structure, and creates drama to the form of his face. The sharpness
between lights and darks achieves volume and dimension in the work.
Comparatively, Henrik Uldalen, a contemporary artist, incorporates a strong sense of
chiaroscuro into his surreal works. Many of his pieces focus on the idea of isolation in a deep,
ambiguous darkness, with an ascending, cool hued person. Many of his pieces focus on the
Henrik Uldalen
“Efface”
2015, 100cm x 100cm, Oil on Wood
idea of isolation in a deep, ambiguous
darkness, with an ascending, cool hued
person. They appear to expel
themselves from an unknown dream
world into a smokey light. The portrait
to the left appears to shine amongst
darkness and the abstract calmness
generated by the use of light and dark
values create a broad sense of dramatic
enticement. As with ‘Titus Van Rijn as
St Francis’, there is a triangular light cast
on the cheekbone to extenuate the
strong, dramatic light from the darkness
and create a strong, chiaroscuro style
contrast. The two portraits, produced in different centuries, are presented very differently, due
to the opposing styles of painting in terms of colour palette.
Rembrandt’s painting of ‘Titus’ is a warm and saturated piece that
exaggerates the darks and light tones. The application of colours such as
burnt sienna, red ochre and vermillion along side suggestions of yellow
ochre help to achieve this. In contrast, Uldalen’s monochromatic
paintings incorporates blue tonalities, which gives the illusion of a cool,
stark painting. However, he similarly creates the illusion of light and
dark tones through the pale blue additions, against the extreme darkness
of the background. Rembrandt allows different emotional reactions in
the warm hues comparatively to Uldalen’s subdued marks and cool
values that draw you into a “dream or limbo-like state, with elements of
surrealism.” - (http://www.saatchiart.-com/henrikaau) Though different
in subject matter and colour, both paintings supply the viewer with an
emotional reaction and create an impacting, dramatic response.
This therefore shows how chiaroscuro is implemented beyond the 17th
Century, and into to a Contemporary manner.
Chapter 2: Colour and Application of Oil Paint
John Singer Sargent
“Man Wearing Laurels”
1874 – 1880, 44.5cm x 33.4cm, Oil on Canvas
The Classical ‘Indirect’ painting style consists of three or more
layers of a painting in which a wash of thinned oil colour
(generally burnt sienna due to its transparency, or possibly burnt
umber or warm grey) is applied on a white canvas or board.
This technique stops the light being absorbed into the canvas
and forbids a ‘flat’ look to the painting. This stage is followed by
an opaque layer, on which the subject is created. This generates
the beginning of a narrative, progressing into a final stage, where
glazing takes place, which is “a subtle transparent evenly applied
layer of color” (Nancy Reyner, 2012) to control the intestines
and light and dark values, achieving the sense of dimension.
This technique was popular in the eras of Claude Lorrain,
Rembrandt and John Singer Sargent. It is also used in the
Contemporary works of Aaron Nagel and Jeremy Mann.
Singer Sargent, especially, worked in half tones. He said, “If you begin
with the middle-tone and work up from it towards the darks so that you
deal last with your highest lights and darkest darks, you avoid false
accents.” Singer Sargent applied the paint generously with a large brush
and worked in layers to achieve texture and dimension. He said, “You
do not want dabs of colour, you want plenty of paint to paint with.”
This can be seen in the painting, “Man Wearing Laurels” through the
painterly marks on the skin as seen in the zoomed image on the right.
This style of painting is used by Contemporary artists such as Jeremy Mann. Mann is famous for his cityscapes,
though I will be exploring portraiture. His unmistakable style lead to him being praised as a “modern master”
(http://www.johnpence.com/visuals/painters/mann/). His application is very precise and every mark and insertion of
every colour is an essential movement in his works: “The fact that I now know the minimal information it takes to
get an idea across in the brain, that is ten/fifteen years of study into a two minute mark - that’s rehearsal, rehearsal,
rehearsal. Hit it. If you missed, start another painting.” - Jeremy Mann.
Jeremy Mann
“Self Portrait”
2009, 28” x 22”, Oil on Board
He expresses the importance of application as Singer Sargent
does and his work is textured in the same way. Many of
Mann’s paintings are of a cooler palette comparatively to
Singer Sargent’s generally warm works. The primary
difference lies within this factor. However, the broad brush
strokes appear similar through the use of painterly marks.
The physicality of appliance in Mann’s paintings match the
classical masters, like Singer Sargent. The difference lies with
the intentions of their pieces. Mann presents visuals of the
emotional aspect of life within modern society, while Singer
Sargent followed relevance to his own time of the 19th
Century. Another observation between the two artists is that
though they are both fairly loose in their painted application
of colour, however Singer Sargent’s work is slightly ‘tighter’ in
terms of blending than Mann’s.
As seen in the comparison of the eyes and nose below, there is methods applied in Mann’s work that are apparent
in Singer Sargent's piece. For example, the method of highlighting the nose with a bold white to create a prominence
and three-dimensional effect is used in both as well as a deep darkness in the area of the eyes. This suggests both
Singer Sargent and Mann had similar ideas with lighting and with their appliance. In both paintings, the marks can
be seen on the surface and appear to be directional and follow the structure of the facial features.
Chapter 3: Narrative
Tiziano Vecellio
“Penitent Mary Magdalen”
1565, 47”x39”, Oil on Canvas
Narrative in paintings is an essential element for an artist to convey
what they wish to present and inform a viewer. It is the telling of a
‘story’ through visual arrangements and is essential to many works,
both Classical and Contemporary. The nature of narrative in art
can vary from minuscule to extremely suggestive, depending on the
desirability of the artist and their subject. Tiziano Vecellio, (1488-
1576) was infamous for his splendid religious, mythological, and
portrait paintings, original in conception and vivid with colour and
movement. His religious painting, “Penitent Mary Magdalen,”
created in 1565, displays an emotional subject and empathetic
piece, due to the narrative in the piece. It tells a story of a woman
raising her eyes to a heavenly sky to face God and show
repentance. It speaks to a reader and informs them of her sense of
spiritual devotion through the presentation of penitent tears falling
upon an open Bible.
Aaron Nagel
“Signals”
2010, 30” x 40”, Oil on Canvas
She also carries a small pot next to her which she used to wash the feet of Christ as a sign of her
determination in penitence. It displays maturity and a richness about the colour. The tones of her
skin are presented as saturated whilst on a cool background with elements of warmth which may
be considered to represent her hope among a sense of despair. Her hands and the use of light
are essential elements to the narrative of the piece, as
they inform the messages deep within the work which
include the idea that a fallen woman has returned to
the path of Jesus. Similarly, the works of
Contemporary painter, Aaron Nagel relate to the
works of Titian in terms of religious imagery, yet the
contemporary artist portrays his messages in his own
manner that implies modern influence in his subjects.
Both artists rely on suggestion and narrative to
exaggerate a point. Nagel’s narratives, in many of his
works, are told through the positioning of his subjects
hands, such as in “Penitent Mary Magdalen” due to
their representing of sin.
He paints the hands and chests of his subjects black, which goes beyond being merely aesthetic and represents “dirty
hands” metaphorically, implying wrong doing of the subject. The nudity of the subject implies that the sin is sexual.
This relates to the painting of Magdalene as her sin was sexual due to her reputation as a prostitute. This style of
Nagels generates a unique narrative and purposeful piece that allows for a rich narrative and interpretation.
Both narratives of Nagel and Titian manipulate light in order to create atmospheric tension and contrast that defines
the different intentions of the artists. Both artists appear to rely on the concept of narrative to achieve paintings that
allow them to convey what they wish to inform and present to a viewer.
I found that in the process of collaborating the techniques found in the transition of Classical to Contemporary
portraits, there are many methods to paintings that can be presented as effectively today as in the past. The
techniques and ideas of chiaroscuro, colour and paint application and narrative in oil paintings are all essential to the
success of how Classical portraiture can be presented in a Contemporary manner. Reflecting on the similar qualities
between Rembrandt and Uldalen show that chiaroscuro is still as effective today in creating an emotive reaction from
a viewer due to the “dramatic effect” it has. Despite the different intentions, both artists achieved this in response,
showing the effectiveness of chiaroscuro in a Contemporary manner. Colour and paint application, when looking at
Singer Sargent and Mann, show that similar techniques were followed through time between each artist with certain
methods such as highlights and values. Also, both artists appear to use the idea or directional appliance, proving its
lasting effectiveness as a technique. Narrative was proved timelessly essential in paintings in the comparison of Titian
and Nagel due to each artists use Of telling of a ‘story’ through visual arrangements. For example, the open Bible
and penitent tears of Mary Magdalene and the ‘dirty hands’ of Aaron Nagel’s subjects.
Summary
Looking back on my title, “How Classical portraiture can be presented in a Contemporary manner”, I discovered
that application of paint and colour, composition and techniques such as chiaroscuro are all factors that have as
much relevance today as they did in past centuries, and are essential to the success of Contemporary oil painting.
Having compared the similarities and fundamental qualities of Classical and Contemporary portraiture, I will take
what I have learnt and apply it to studio practice in sketchbooks and future paintings that accompany this work.
Conclusion
Bibliography
http://www.explore-drawing-and-painting.com/Sargent-John-Singer.html
http://www.gamblincolors.com/newsletters/studionotes12.html
http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/519/titian-tiziano-vecellio-the-penitent-magdalene-italian-
1555-1565/
https://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/titian/
http://www.johnpence.com/visuals/painters/Mann
http://nancyreyner.com/whats-a-glaze/
http://www.naturalpigments.com/art-supply-education/rembrandt-van-rijn-color-palette/
http://www.redrabbit7.com
http://www.saatchiart.com/henrikaau
http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/n/narrative
https://vimeo.com/25449641 (Artist Aaron Nagel Studio Interview - Warholian Profile Series -
warholian.com)
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/best-artists-of-all-time.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrFThpurzVY