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See art in a
fresh way.
Art Tutorial:
Abstraction in Representational Art
Abstraction is
one of the most important tools in an artist's arsenal--it
groups together masses of visual information into a cohesive
whole, enabling the viewer to "see the forest through the
trees."
Rembrandt,
The Little Children Being Brought to Jesus ("The 100 Guilder
Print"), 1647-49, etching and drypoint
Abstraction is a guide that allows viewers to take in
small details, while simultaneously keeping their attention on
the larger panoramic picture.
Abstraction, in
representational art, is a grouping of visual units into a
bigger visual shape.
Not surprisingly, Rembrandt
uses light and shadow to mass people and settings into large
abstract shapes. What might be more subtle is that he also
organized those shapes into forms that rotate in space.
For example, in the shape I
outlined in green, Rembrandt has grouped several people into
this swirl of light. This large shape pulls the viewer into the
work and sweeps them around behind Christ.
By bathing this abstract
shape in such strong light, Rembrandt also added the metaphor
that this group is enlightened or receiving his light.
As a counter
balance to the large areas of light he has grouped most of
the background into a large cast shadow. Very few people,
perhaps skeptics, are in the shadows. This dark area is not a
cardboard cut of flat black. Rather, it opens up the cavernous
depth of the setting, creating a sense of emptiness--a poignant
contrast to the people-filled areas in light.
Abstract artists, such as
Kline, distilled abstraction until there was little left other
than abstraction itself. These bold expressions drove home the
formal compositional elements, dividing the painted surface into
simple positive and negative areas.
When studying an artist as
complex as Rembrandt it is easy to get lost in all the things
that he is a powerful master of: the human condition, the
gestures, the light, the movement, etc. In contrast, studying
Kline makes it easy to remember the importance of organizing the
composition into big areas.
Kline, 1957
Monet does a
beautiful job of abstracting the pink sunset and turquoise
shadows and their reflections in the water.
Monet,
Arm of the
Seine near Giverny
While
researching images for this tutorial, I came across this fun
image of Monet's Poplars. The "S" curve of the poplars
creates a gestural abstract shape.
Monet, Poplars
It's easy to see the
similarity of Monet's "S" curve with the staircase of this
Rembrandt. I cannot help but think that Rembrandt accented this
staircase, not only as a major abstract shape, but as a metaphor
for learning in stages or steps.
001.jpg)
Rembrandt, Philosopher in Meditation, 1632
I hope you enjoyed seeing
abstraction in a fresh way.
Michael Newberry
New York, January 14th, 2007
O ther
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copyright 2012 by Michael Newberry |
