Description: This painting is composed of a yellow horizontal band than gradually fades darker into the left-hand side. The various figures create another horizontal plane that dissects the middle. The figures are surrounding by a pale green hue. The figures on the right side are generally darker than those on the left. There are also green, red, and white figures that contrast with the mostly dark figures. The right side consists mainly of women who gaze in the same direction, while the men stand on the left side. The men do not look in the same direction and have varied postures. In the center a brown, darkish hole appears and rising out of the left hand corner is a cross.
Interpretation: The pale colors suggest a dismal atmosphere. They also bring a foggy, unhealthy feeling to the air. There also seems to be a division between the darker, predominately female figures on the right and the more colorful, predominately male figures on the left. Some of the figures on the left are obviously of the cloth, and since my eye is drawn towards to them it suggests a hierarchy. My attention is also drawn towards the cross in the left hand corner. The clumping nature of the crowd gives the painting a chaotic feeling, but the uniformity of the women on the right side balance some of the chaos. The flowing horizontal planes do create a calmness though.
Evaluation: I don't really care for the pale, depressing colors. This painting seems really heavy and the subject matter isn't that interesting to me. None of the people seem to be really affected by what's going on around them. It seems to be a funeral, but only a few people seem like they belong there. The way the artist obviously put emphasis on the clerical people doesn't suit well with me either.
1 comment:
This is very clear, well-focused on the formal issues, and you come to some logical--and fairly sophisticated--conclusions, with some gaps. Elaborating on why, for example, that the subject matter isn't that interesting to you, or why you think many of the people don't belong in the scene depicted, would fill those gaps.
Post a Comment