Art 101 - Essay 2
The Difference in Dance Movements
"The Dance Lesson", circa 1879, is by Edgar Degas. Degas lived between the period of 1834-1917. The medium is oil on canvas. The painting was done during the Impressionist movement. The painting uses asymmetric balance to present an equally measured piece of work. The dancers on the right anchor the right side while the dancer on the left anchors the left. The two main characters are the teacher and the student who are centered to emphasize the "lesson" in action. This use of emphasis and balance creates unity as all of the dancers and the teacher are positioned appropriately on the canvas, displaying a oneness. The rhythm, sporadic placements of buoyant tutus and legs fill the room and space adequately. The contrast in hues are evident as the vibrant pastel leotards and tutus, in colors of pink, red, and white, are vividly more appealing than the dingy, earth tones of the walls and floor. In the background, the dancers on the right practice and their movement causes the eyes to move to the right, but the eyes are led back to the center and eventually to the lone dancer sitting on the floor. There is a constant flow of gentle movement and the painting, in alluding to subtle feminine attributes, shows the fragile state of ballet and young girls in the learning process.
My second piece, "The Dancing Couple" from 1663, is by Jan Steen. The period is 1625/1626-1679. The medium is oil on canvas. The painting was done during the Baroque movement. The entire atmosphere of the painting lends itself to unity. The crowd of people and musicians are all of one accord rejoicing. The painting utilizes asymmetric balance as the left side is filled with revilers and the right side is balanced with musicians and the fullness of the canopy. The movement is as if the eyes are traveling to the beat of the music. The eyes actually leap from person to person and object to object. The canvas is filled with places for the eyes to land, from the barrel to the hanging baskets and the people behind the wooden fence. The rhythm is regular as the repeated textured baskets are centered on the canvas. The pattern on the fence form a repetition of lines. The pattern on the canopy assists in the movement, leading the eyes toward the heavens and back down the side of the painting. The colors, deep and true in the women's dresses are contrasted against the dull, earth tones of browns and greys. The round shape of the barrel is staunchly contrasted against the flat surface of the floor, which seems less than 2-dimensional. The emphasis, of course, is primarily on the couple in the center dancing, and the barrel is also vying for the focal point of the painting. Historically, this painting indicates a time when works of art reflected the change of interest to the common man and their day-to-day lives.
"The Dance Lesson", circa 1879, is by Edgar Degas. Degas lived between the period of 1834-1917. The medium is oil on canvas. The painting was done during the Impressionist movement. The painting uses asymmetric balance to present an equally measured piece of work. The dancers on the right anchor the right side while the dancer on the left anchors the left. The two main characters are the teacher and the student who are centered to emphasize the "lesson" in action. This use of emphasis and balance creates unity as all of the dancers and the teacher are positioned appropriately on the canvas, displaying a oneness. The rhythm, sporadic placements of buoyant tutus and legs fill the room and space adequately. The contrast in hues are evident as the vibrant pastel leotards and tutus, in colors of pink, red, and white, are vividly more appealing than the dingy, earth tones of the walls and floor. In the background, the dancers on the right practice and their movement causes the eyes to move to the right, but the eyes are led back to the center and eventually to the lone dancer sitting on the floor. There is a constant flow of gentle movement and the painting, in alluding to subtle feminine attributes, shows the fragile state of ballet and young girls in the learning process.
My second piece, "The Dancing Couple" from 1663, is by Jan Steen. The period is 1625/1626-1679. The medium is oil on canvas. The painting was done during the Baroque movement. The entire atmosphere of the painting lends itself to unity. The crowd of people and musicians are all of one accord rejoicing. The painting utilizes asymmetric balance as the left side is filled with revilers and the right side is balanced with musicians and the fullness of the canopy. The movement is as if the eyes are traveling to the beat of the music. The eyes actually leap from person to person and object to object. The canvas is filled with places for the eyes to land, from the barrel to the hanging baskets and the people behind the wooden fence. The rhythm is regular as the repeated textured baskets are centered on the canvas. The pattern on the fence form a repetition of lines. The pattern on the canopy assists in the movement, leading the eyes toward the heavens and back down the side of the painting. The colors, deep and true in the women's dresses are contrasted against the dull, earth tones of browns and greys. The round shape of the barrel is staunchly contrasted against the flat surface of the floor, which seems less than 2-dimensional. The emphasis, of course, is primarily on the couple in the center dancing, and the barrel is also vying for the focal point of the painting. Historically, this painting indicates a time when works of art reflected the change of interest to the common man and their day-to-day lives.
posted by Wendy Thompson | 10:37 PM
1 Comments:
Wendy, Wendy, Wendy, students like you come along once in a lifetime. I hope that whatever job you have (you could be an art critic) that you get to write!!! ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! Keep writing. For example, a particularly beautiful passage, "This use of emphasis and blanace creates unity as all of the dancers and the teacher are ppositioned appropriately on the canvas, displaying a oneness.....buoyant tutus and legs fill the room and space adequately." Just wonderful.
brew
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