Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #452537
    AdrianBall
    Default

        How could a great artist like Raphael make such errors in a painting? Thinking the leg in the centre of the painting that doesn’t belong to anyone and the disembodied head. I don’t think we can blame his assistants.

        #579892

        The head and the leg belong to the same person; he’s just twisting in shock or surprise.
        Cheers;
        Chris

        C&C of all sorts always welcome! (I don't mind rude or harsh criticism.)
        I suppose I have to do this too :p (my blog, & current work). My Visual Arts Nova Scotia page.
        Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known - Oscar Wilde

        The primary palette: Attention, observation, memory, imagination, integration, execution

        #579894
        budigart
        Default

            A few years ago, I ran into a short written discussion of some of John Singer Sargent’s paintings in which he tended to make legs too long. And I think it was Titian who seemed to have a penchant for making his bodies/figures too long.

            #579895

            John Singer Sargent worked with commissions. His reputation was based on his customers reviews so he had all the good reasons of this world to make the portraits of his customers look better than the customers actually looked like. There is no better way to make someone look better than s/he actually is, but achieve also the proper likeness, than giving to him or her a few more cms of height by drawing longer his or her legs.
            It is the equivalent of a photoshop retouch in painting terms.
            I bet that he made the waists of his female customers slimmer than they actually were and also their necks thinner and taller too. Not that much in order to look odd but enough to ensure that his clients would be satisfied. :)

            #579896
            AdrianBall
            Default

                I think Singer Sargent had more problems with proportions than just making legs too long. What about tiny heads, they look odd :eek:

                #579893

                It’s art, not photo-anatomy.As Marialena points out, his clients were generally quite pleased with his work.
                I guess some people just need representations to match expectations and formulae, while others like to have their imaginations tickled.

                Cheers,
                Chris

                C&C of all sorts always welcome! (I don't mind rude or harsh criticism.)
                I suppose I have to do this too :p (my blog, & current work). My Visual Arts Nova Scotia page.
                Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known - Oscar Wilde

                The primary palette: Attention, observation, memory, imagination, integration, execution

                #579891
                stlukesguild
                Default

                    Yes, the head and leg in Raphael’s painting belong to the same person… who appears to have fallen down or to be sitting. Such spatial distortions or oddities became commonplace and intentional in Mannerism which came about with the later works of Michelangelo and Raphael.

                    Sargent’s elongation was a common means of suggesting the elegance of the wealthy ruling class which dates back to Anthony Van Dyck (and earlier) and Gainsborough. As Marialena pointed out, it is not far removed from our culture’s use of photoshop to make models appear taller and thinner than they really are.

                    Saintlukesguild-http://stlukesguild.tumblr.com/
                    "Beauty is truth, truth beauty—that is all ye know on earth and all ye need to know." - John Keats
                    "Modern art is what happens when painters stop looking at girls and persuade themselves that they have a better idea."- John Ciardi

                  Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
                  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.