Composition - examples of note

Richard Monro · 09-11-2006, 06:42 AM

Mike,
Here is another painting to add to the collection. It is the Calmady Children by Sir Thomas Lawrence. It is said to be the most copied painting in the world.

The composition of this painting is stunning. Lawrence uses an upward and inward diagonal to trap the views look on the face of the youngest girl. This is created in part by the use of flesh tone values starting with the highest value on the oldest girls shoulders shifting lower toward the little girl and also the gaze direction of the older girl toward the younger.

I have gotten permission from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to have a private viewing of this painting as it is usually not on display. I will be going to NY this winter and can"t wait to get my eyeballs on this magnificent piece of work.

Mike McCarty · 09-11-2006, 09:53 AM

Richard,

What a beautiful painting, thanks for that. I'm surprised that the Met would be so accommodating. I'll bet that a tour of all that is NOT displayed would be almost as gratifying.

Here are a few paintings by Edgar Degas. Now here's a fellow that understood a soft edge. This last painting is remarkable for so many reasons. When you consider all that he has accomplished in this composition it is staggering. From this single perspective he has successfully portrayed all the many characters of the evening. Even with greatly different lighting and the vast distances between the subjects he has managed to create more than just a suggestion of each, while drawing more attention to one. Not only is she in the highest key, but with the introduction of the woodwind(?) instrument against her dress (not exactly where he found it I'll bet) he creates the sharpest contrast.

SB Wang · 09-15-2006, 02:18 PM

Would you please improve this composition?
http://www.artrenewal.org/asp/databa...ge.asp?id=7755

Mike McCarty · 09-15-2006, 03:52 PM

It's a real study, isn't it SB? Valazques' The Spinners, 46x75.

I might replace the cat with a dog, but this is the sort of complexity that extends beyond my reach. As I look at it I don't see anything that looks discordant. It has some of the same types of eye leading techniques that we saw in some of his other less complex themes displayed above. It's obvious that he put a lot of thought into his compositions. It would not surprise me to learn that the design of this painting took much more time than the actual painting. The better the design, the faster the painting, I think. It also has some of the same compositional qualities as the Degas above in terms of distance and focus.

My own tastes lean more toward the simpler themes. I can find just as much to be fascinated by in a well done head and shoulder pose, but that's just me.

If you have a particular grievance with this composition just jump in SB. Good to see one of his where someone's head hasn't been whacked off.

Mike McCarty · 09-16-2006, 01:14 PM

Here are some paintings by Anders Zorn, Swedish 1860-1920.

This guy was pretty darn good, especially in the watercolor department. The two girls with a fan (lets see, that would make three) is a w/c 54x36 and pretty darn tasty.

And speaking of tasty, this next w/c is so rich I feel like I'm gaining weight just looking at it. It's like eating a banana split right after a big meal. I'd like to see it in person with a great frame, it might loose some of it's calories.

And then there's Gustav V, 201x123, just for the pure pomp of it, as he strikes his 19th century pose - Ahem. Striking, with all it's verticality.

Mike McCarty · 09-17-2006, 03:44 PM

I also like the compositions of the Englishman John William Godward.

This first one is interesting because of the lighting. The face has taken a back seat to the shoulder in the order of things. Normally you would think that maybe he just got bored with painting the same old lighting and thought he'd try something different, but I don't think he was the type to get bored by painting the same thing over and over again. He did so many paintings that were basically the same thing with maybe a ten percent tweak. Even the same model shows up time and again. I couldn't do that, I would get bored. If you take each individually I think they are all very good, but as a collection of work there sure is a lot of sameness there.

These to me are particularly lush. It's possible that the third one has been cropped, It's hard to know for sure, but there are indications. It's not really all that instructive if it is.

Allan Rahbek · 09-18-2006, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike McCarty

It's possible that the third one has been cropped, It's hard to know for sure, but there are indications.

Mike,
I believe that all four paintings have been cropped. The reason that I am convinced of that is that this type of paintings are meant to idealize the antique living, note the dress and hairstyle.
Everything would be carefully arranged and proportions would be harmonious all over the composition and not like the snapshot cropping presented here.
My favorite is the third.