Activity #4 - Re-write

Claude Monet created The Japanese Footbridge, in 1899, oil on canvas and Juan van der Hamen y León painted Still Life with Sweets and Pottery in 1627, also using oil on canvas. Both artists used a variety of principles of design to construct a coherently flowing visual composition, however in contrasting ways; such as the use of light and color to create emphasis.

Emphasis (pg. 134), is a clearly defined area, called the focal point (134). Monet uses implied lighting throughout his work, therefore color, line and placement highlights the bridge which serves as the focal point. Versus Leon use of a bold red, implied lighting and placement to draw focus on the pottery and still life. The placement of the emphasized objects creates a visual weight or balance in the two artworks.

Both compositions are Asymmetrical balanced (129), visual weight that’s unevenly distributed to both halves of the composition. Monet’s achieves this by the placement of the footbridge in the upper half of the composition; as the water flows under the bridge it begins to recede at the vanishing point or horizontal horizon, and eventually narrows and recedes into the bushes. The water on the left side of the vertical axis narrows and recedes sooner than the right, making the right side heavier and creating a visually uneven distribution within the composition. Leon achieves asymmetrical balance by placing the majority of objects on the left side of the composition. The placement of objects also contributes to the rhythm of each composition.

Rhythm (141) is based on repetition. Leon uses a repetition of earth tones and red hues to create rhythm. Where as Monet uses rhythm to paint a repeating pattern of circular brush strokes to represent the water lilies, followed by a repeating cluster of long and short strokes for the bushes. He also, repeats the use of cool and tertiary colors through out the composition. Both artists use a repeating color scheme to create unity.

Unity (pg. 122), is a sense of oneness or visual harmony throughout the composition and variety (pg. 122), is the difference that provides interest. Monet uses the cool colors of green and blue-green to unify the work and pink, a tint of red, and complementary to green to add variety. Leon adds unity and variety by using proportion (137), size relationship between parts of a whole. Such as the different size of shapes among the arrangement of objects.