Composition - examples of note

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Mike, you are right. These are very lively self-portraits and I will have to read about her. Thanks for the link!

In the recent movie about "Marie Antoinette", it is amazing to see at what an early age the ruling of a nation fell upon the royal couple. When Marie Antoinette came to the French court, she was only 14 years old. Louis XVI was not much older either and in the movie it looks like they did nothing but party, totally oblivious to the affairs of the state. (The movie is only noteworthy for the beautiful costumes. )

That the young Le Brun would fit into that milieu is totally understandable and it would be interesting to see how her portraits of the royal family differ from those of her predecessor.

[Allan Rahbek]

"And just phor the phun of it" I would like to comment on a phew of themm.

Alexandre Charles Emmanuel de Crussol-Florensac 1787: He has got a sophisticated, arrogant look that could be taken for intelligence or even good manners, at least nobility.

The light on the head is more convincing than the modeling of the body. The color scheme is cool and quite pleasing.

Hubert Robert 1788: A rural type painter though a bit unfocused. I think that his bandanna is in the center of the golden means. It might justify the sumptuousness of the garment, that is, otherwise, uninteresting. Good volume in the body.

The bather (daughter Julie) 1792: This is obviously a detail of a larger canvas so it is difficult to talk about anything golden.

About the shape of the body, I find it hard to acknowledge the structure of it, it feels like the shoulder is further away than the legs, just like she don't have hips, and what about the fold of the fabric by the elbow?

Self 1790: Now that this is a topic about composition I would like to emphasize the merging of lines that happens with the collar and the hand pointing. I also have problems with the hair that tangents the upper edge of the painting.

Otherwice I am positive.

[Mike McCarty]

Enzie,

I haven't heard of that movie, I'll have to check it out. It sure seems that Ms. Vigee Lebrun led an interesting life. Although, I guess anyone living in Paris (Europe) at this time in history would have stories to tell. Where ever she traveled her reputation as an artist preceded her and she was taken in by all the heads of state.

Self 1790: Now that this is a topic about composition I would like to emphasize the merging of lines that happens with the collar and the hand pointing. I also have problems with the hair that tangents the upper edge of the painting.

Allan,

I'm sitting here eating popcorn and trying to phigure this out. Do you think you could elaborate on your comments above? Maybe having the image here will help me.

Also, another self portrait from 1800, 8.5x7".

[Allan Rahbek]

Mike,

I know that I am not always consistent in my critique. But I feel that it is OK to go to the limit and sometimes over when it comes to debating old masters, since they will no longer be personally offended. We must try our minds on their works and discuss it freely and we might learn something.

My opinion of the little bather is that it is charming but a bit too sweet. The body looks as if it was drawn from a very bad memory. I can't believe that the shoulder / neck would show no signs of bone structure. The features in the head are painted from the front but the head is seen slightly from our right. All the edges are weak and endlessly repeating them self, the fabric hangs like a curtain, the leaves in the back is all bend the same way and even the hair shape repeats itself three times, at the head, hand and lap.

Now look at a real master, Sargent would not waste his time painting the same thing twice.

[Mike McCarty]

Allan,

I agree that it's OK to be hard on the dead painters, as long as it's not in their obituary.

I was confused, I thought your comments were about the "Self 1790" painting.

As to "The Bather," I will admit that I will always be a sucker for a sweet face, and if they make it sweet enough I will give them the rest. I'm much too sentimental, I think. I also have no particular strength as a critiquer. I tend to look for something good and dwell on it.

[Mike McCarty]

Jihan Georges Vibert 1840 - 1902.

I pulled the following from the ARC biography of Mr. Vilbert:

He entered the Salon in 1863; found his first success with a medal at the 1864 salon, and won a financial prize at the universal exposition of 1867.

During the later part of his life, his interest turned to the clergy. Paintings such as The Fortune Teller satirized the clergy's irreligious indulgences or depicted them in homey situations to an audience used to seeing the church ennobled in traditional religious and historic works. These would be the paintings that would make his reputation.

In 1882, he was promoted to Officer of the Legion of Honor, for his painting this time. This growing reputation would make him one the the most sought after atelier masters at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. This would lead him to being one of the seven most influential artists of his time, along with Bouguereau, Cabanel, Meissonnier, G

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Dear Mike,

I had come across his work before and just love the vibrancy of the colors. His work also reminds me of that of illustrators, there is a narrative in each and every one of them.

Thanks for digging these delightful images up!