Composition - examples of note

[Tom Edgerton]

Mike--

Tibi gratias agimus quod nihil fumas.

Best--TE

[Mike McCarty]

Tom,

I don't smoke, but sometimes I turn real red!

Perscriptio in manibus tabellariorum est

[Mike McCarty]

Michele,

It does look to be a well thought out composition. It's interesting that Mr. Camuccini chose the Senators who were striking the blows to make in the highest key and Caesar left relatively mutted below. It's also been said that Caesar wore purple. Ah well, compositional compromise, much like Shakespeare's play. And yet the 1798 painting seems pretty true to the facts as they are presented to us today.

This that follows is a historical record of Caesar's death:

The Senators approached Caesar to petition him with various things, but this time, he was approached by 60 men bent on his death. With daggers concealed under their togas, they surrounded Caesar and waited for the signal that would send shockwaves rippling throughout the world.

Tillius Cimber was the man expected to deliver it. He petitioned Caesar to pardon his exiled brother, likely knowing full well that Caesar would refuse. When Caesar did so, the conspirators gathered more tightly around him, forcing Caesar to stand. Cimber then grabbed and pulled Caesar's purple robe from his shoulders, the signal to send the conspirators into action. Publius Servilius Casca, who positioned himself behind Caesar, was the first to strike the mark. He stabbed Caesar in the upper shoulder, near the neck, and Plutarch wrote that Caesar said, "Vile Casca" or Casca what is this? Reacting with the tenacity of a grizzled legionary veteran he apparently grabbed Casca's arm, stabbing it with his own writing pen, probably still completely unaware of the scope of the plot. At this point, the ferocity of the attack was revealed in earnest. The assassins stabbed Caesar relentlessly, each taking a shot at the dictator. The attack was so rapid and vicious that several conspirators wounded each other. Brutus, the great symbol of Republican virtue and freedom for tyranny was wounded in the hand by an errant dagger, as he himself stabbed Caesar in the groin. Though the line made famous by Shakespeare, "Et tu Brute" (translated as "You too Brutus", "You too my son", or "even you Brutus") was supposedly spoken by Caesar as he saw Brutus approach with dagger in hand, this is likely a complete dramatic fabrication. The ancient sources suggest that Caesar said nothing, and this seems most likely, considering the duress he was under. After the initial attack, though many say Caesar fought valiantly in his defense, he likely had little idea where all the shots were coming from.

Despite the overwhelming assault on him, Caesar still had the presence of mind to maintain his dignity for posterity purposed. Resigning himself to the assassination, Caesar pulled the folds of his toga over his head so as to prevent anyone seeing his face at death. In all, Caesar was stabbed 23 times, and inevitably collapsed. At the foot of the blood splattered statue of his old friend, rival and son-in-law, Pompey, Gaius Julius Caesar died at the age of 55, on March 15, 44 BC.

[Mike McCarty]

Out of curiosity I've tried to apply the Golden Section to the above Camuccini painting of Caesar's death. It would appear that some consideration was given to these principles.

Although, with the Golden Section calculations there doesn't appear to be any real guidelines as to where you start or when to finish. My thinking is that as long as you stick to the principles you can create as many sections as you wish and stop anytime. It just depends on how complicated the composition is. This composition having quite a few scattered elements it begged for more than a few of sections.

It's interesting how elements of the painting keep leading you back around and to the center of the action. The arm in the bottom left stops your eye and delivers you up to the statue which then points you to the right and across to the fellows (obviously only able to muster enough courage to flip the finger at Caesar, they're probably demanding a timetable for withdrawal) that again point back toward the action along with those at the bottom right.

[Mike McCarty]

Emile Munier was born in Paris on June 2, 1840 and lived with his family at 66 rue des Foss

[John Reidy]

Mike,

At the beginning of my not so illustrious pursuit of the portrait I turned up my nose at the idea of painting children.

I have come to discover that these little people are far more interesting and challenging to do justice. In addition I have found that to create a happy client I must capture the identity of the child in the Parent's mind and not necessarily just a likeness.

The simple story conveyed by and for the third painting is illustrious of just how my pride causes me to overlook the beauty of a thing.

Thank you for the post.

[Mike McCarty]

John,

Still, others would call these trite or sentimental. Usually people in the trade, people that look at paintings all day long. I try and see a painting on my wall apart from the weight of those that know so much. At the end of the day we all have to figure it out for ourselves.

Here are a few more from Emile Munier, always with the hands and feet:

1- The Broken Vas 36x24
2- La Lettre
3- Distracting the baby 20x15

And finally, one of our recent arrivals to Florida. Probably just arrived from Minnesota looking for a condo - something in oak.