“Embankment”

 

“Embankment” By: Rachael Whiteread (2005)

Rachael Whiteread’s artworks here is a great example of open volume. This space is enclosed and a path is created by the towering boxes, allowing the viewer to walk through

The boxes are arranged in a variety of ways. This high variety makes the room seem a bit chaotic and overwhelming

Whiteread created motion in her sculpture by the placement of some of the boxes that seem like they could tip over at any moment. Motion is also created in the way that the viewer is guided through the maze of boxes

“Relief Under Cybele”

“Relief Under Cybele” By: Artus Quellinus (1653)

This sculpture is done in the form of a relief as it is flat on one side and therefore made to be seen from one side only

There is a pattern creating a boarder around the different food items. The right side of the boarder is darker and more triangular than the other three sides.

There is an element of randomness in the way that the tools and food or displayed.

What gives this piece unity is that every element has to do with food and the tools needed to cultivate that food.

The variety of the foods and tools- wheat, grapes, as shovel, a plate- add great variety to this sculpture which keeps the viewer interested

“Vanitas- Still Life with Books and Manuscripts and a Skull”

 

“Vanitas- Still Life with Books and Manuscripts and a Skull” By: Edwaert Collier (1663)

Collier effectively uses the technique of randomness in this painting: There is simply a collection of random objects from books, to a recorder, and a glass jar among other things

The randomness of the objects certainly grabs the viewers attention and causes one to intently look at each individual object in the painting. It sparks curiosity

The placement of the objects- overlapping one another- emphasize that there is in fact no focal point.

The is a great degree of variety in this painting, however it is not jarring or overwhelming because of subtle colors in the painting. There is a common color of a dark, earthy green which helps create unity among the chaos of the objects

 

“Bridge in Grez-sur-Long”

“Bridge in Grez-sur-Loing” By: Asai Chu

Chu uses warm tones in creating this piece. The main colors are yellowish brown and orange. These colors give the painting a serene feeling.

Chu uses rough brush strokes in this painting, creating  a sort of hazy look in the scene.

The trees lining the road give the painting  progressive rhythm

Chu also uses blue in this painting around one of the figures and on one of the buildings causing them to stand out because of the  contrast against the shades of orange

 

“Little Circus Camp”

 

“Little Circus Camp” By: Albert Dubois- Pillet

Pillet uses the technique of Pointillism to create this painting

He uses the whole color wheel as the viewer can see the warm colors- red, orange, and yellow- as well as the cool colors- green blue and purple.

The trees behind the tent create implied line and guide the viewers eye through to the right side of the painting

In creating the tents, Pilet uses both one- and two-point perspective

“Croquet Scene”

“Croquet Scene” By: Winslow Homer (1866)

Homer uses great detail in painting the dresses of these women, however he uses little to no detail in painting their faces.

The crouching man is the focal point of the painting. Not only is he in the center, but all the women are looking downward at him and what he is doing. This is an example of implied line

Homer uses contrast in this piece  by having one of the women’s dress in a cool tone and the other in a warm tone.

The variety in dress color makes the painting feel heavier on the warm colored side.

Homer uses pointillism in the bushes in the background to achieve optical color mixture.

The people in this painting make up the positive shapes and the bushes in the background are the negative shapes

“Destruction of the Royal Statue in New York”

“Destruction of the Royal Statue in New York” by: Balthasar Friedrich Leizelt

This piece of art by Leizelt is in the medium of a Print

Leizelt uses two- point perspective in creating the middle building. The viewer is looking at the corner of the building, and therefore one can see that there are two vanishing points

Balance was created in this piece by having the edges of buildings emerge on both sides of the print. If a building only appeared on one side of the print it would feel heavier on one side.

Rhythm is created in this print by the  men standing in groups  throughout the painting; they seem to go up one street and down another

“Washington Arch, Spring”

“Washington Arch, Spring” By: Childe Hassam (1890)

Hassam uses short staccato brush strokes in this painting. Everything from the trees to the people have a sort of choppy look

He uses analagous color; the painting consists of what are considered cool colors- greens and blues

Hassam makes it clear that the arch is of importance as it is drawn on a hierarchal scale in the painting

He has given the painting depth in the way he paints the receding trees. The tree in the forefront is very defined and it is easy to see the trunk and the branches. However as you follow the painting the trees become less defined. This also conveys the idea of space.

“At the Window”

“At the Windown” By: Winslow Homer (1872)

Homer uses high contrast in this painting. The woman’s figure is almost undefinable in the bottom half of the painting, however there is a strong light highlighting her face, and the greenery outside the window adds light as well

Homer creates a sense of texture in the trees and grass outside the window by painting with more dotted and short strokes.

There is a strong use of actual line in the painting defining the boundaries of the window and the room. Homer causes the viewer the follow the young ladies gaze through implied line.

The horizontal lines create a sense of calmness in the artwork however the rigid vertical lines of the chair and the corner of the wall fight against this calmness and make the young girl seem unsatisfied in this setting

“Saint Philips, Charleston”

“Saint Philips, Charleston” by Childe Hassam (1925)

The medium of this work is a drawing and therefore has monochromatic color

The road and the line of trees leads your eye into the painting creating depth

There is atmospheric perspective as the building in the forefront of the picture is larger and more detailed than the buildings in the background further down the road

Hassam’s drawing demonstrates both positive and negative shapes