National Gallery Research
LIGHT-
Single-light source:
An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump - Joseph Wright of Derby
- Candle light Is the main light source which lights up each subjects face, there is also a small back light coming from the moon but does not affect the portrait.
- The light source has a different effect on each portrait in the painting for instants the man ongoing the experiment is partially lit one side and the other side has shadows, this allows the audience to still see his face and gives the impression he wants you to see the outcome
-The small girl in front is fully illuminated which gives the sense of her not knowing what is happening to the bird and a sort of innocence as she is looking but showing lack of concern for the bird and is more curious.
Light as a compositional element:
Belshazzar's Feast - Rembrandt
-The main light source which is coming from the writing forces the human eye to be naturally drawn there first where a narrative is being shown, in this case it is a message from God. Each portrait within the painting is also being drawn to the light source which enables the viewer two as well. By the light is also a hand which the light emphasises and draws the audience to this first.
The concert - Hendrick ter Brugghen
-The first part of the painting the viewer would see is the candle light, this then draws you to the female and male at the front of the circle due to the fact their faces are the most illuminated. The female and male look like they have just noticed something but the boy at the back is unaware, this could symbolise why he is more in the shadows.
COLOUR:
Colour for separation:
A Lady with a Squirrel and a Starling - Hans Holbein
Hans Holbein was well know for how he used lines, colour and pose to separate the background from the subject.
Colour schemes:
POSE:
Strong pose:
Doge Leonardo Loredan - Giovanni Bellini
Saint Catherine of Alexandria - Raphel
Portrait of Susanna Lunden - Peter Paul Rubens
