Gateways To Art Chap 1 Slides For Classroom

PART 1
FUNDAMENTAL
S
Chapter 1.8
Emphasis and Focal Point
Copyright 2011 Thames & Hudso
Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Introduction
Emphasis is the principle by which an artist
draws attention to particular content in a work
of art or design
A focal point is a specific place of visual
emphasis
An artist can emphasize focal points through the
use of line, implied line, value, colorany of the
elements of art
Emphasis and focal point usually accentuate
concepts, themes, or ideas the artist wants to
express
Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, M. Kathryn Shields
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Emphasis and Subordination

When an artist emphasizes different elements in
a work of art, he or she creates visual
relationships and connections between them
The opposite of emphasis is subordination
u
Subordination draws our attention away from certain

areas of a work
Double-chambered vessel with

mouse

The mouse attracts our
attention because it is so
detailed
The spout of the vessel also
stands out, not only because of
its color but also because of its
geometric simplicity
Third and fourth areas of
emphasis are found in the
decorations on the two
chambers of the vessel
These areas connect because
they share common shapes,
coloration, and texture that
draw our attention away from
the undecoratedsubordinated
areas of the vessel
1.141 Double-chambered
vessel with mouse, Recuay,
Peru, 4th8th century.
Ceramic, 6 high.
Metropolitan Museum of
Art, New York
1.142 Jules Olitski, Tin

Lizzie Green, 1964. Acrylic
and oil/wax crayon on
canvas, 1010 x 610.
Museum of Fine Arts,
Boston, Massachusetts
Jules Olitski,
Tin Lizzie Green
Because abstract works can
never directly evoke our
memories of things or
people, they frequently rely
on compositional principles,
such as emphasis
Olitski frames our attention
on the color field in the
center of the work with
three colored dots on the
right, red horizontal strokes
on the top and bottom, and
a tan-colored stroke on the
left
These color shapes support
the real focus of this work,
which is the blue-green
color in the center
1.143 Mark Tobey, Blue

Interior, 1959. Tempera on
card, 44 x 28
Mark Tobey,
Blue Interior
When a work does not have
areas of emphasis, that
changes the way we
respond to it
Tobey was interested in
creating a meditative
response to the landscape
of the Pacific Northwest,
where he grew up
Because Tobey does not use
areas of emphasis, we are
free to roam visually in his
painting
We can immerse ourselves
in the work, as if it were an
ocean
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Focal Point
A focal point is the specific part of an area of
emphasis to which the artist draws our eye
Pieter Bruegel the Elder,

Landscape with the Fall of Icarus
The story of Icarus is one
from Greek mythology
His wax wings melt as he
flies too close to the sun
Bruegel diverts our

attention so that we
barely notice Icarus
plunging to his doom
Instead the artists main
area of emphasis is the
plower in the foreground,
possibly illustrating the
proverb No plow stands
still because a man dies.
1.144 slide 1: Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Landscape with the Fall of Icarus, c. 15558. Oil on canvas, mounted on wood,
29 x 44. Muses Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium
1.145 Artemisia
Gentileschi, Judith
Decapitating Holofernes,
c. 1620. Oil on canvas,
66 x 53. Uffizi
Gallery, Florence, Italy
1.145 slide 2: Directional

lines in Artemisia
Gentileschi's Judith
Decapitating Holofernes
Gentileschi, Judith Decapitating Holofernes

Emphasis Used to Create Drama
Through Gentileschis use of
directional line and contrasting
values we are drawn irresistibly
to the point where the climax
of the story is unfolding
Judiths arms and those of her
maidservant (visually
connected to the sword itself)
stretch toward the dark values
of their victims head
The light values of the five bare
arms create strong directional
lines that lead to the focal
point where blood spurts from
the violent attack on
Holofernes neck
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Emphasis and Focal Point in Action

Artists can use direction, dramatic contrasts,
and placement relationships to organize the
elements in a work and draw our attention to
areas of emphasis and focal points
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Emphasis and Focal Point in Action:

Line
Line is an effective way to focus a viewers
attention in an artwork
1.146 slide 1: The Emperor

Babur Overseeing his
Gardeners, India, Mughal
period, c. 1590. Tempera
and gouache on paper, 8 x
5. Victoria and Albert
Museum, London, England
1.146 slide 2: Detail of The

Emperor Babur Overseeing
his Gardeners, showing
directional lines
The Emperor Babur Overseeing

his Gardeners

The gardener/artist
Babur is pointing to a
feature that channels
water in four directions
The strong diagonal of
the channel draws our
attention to the water as
it runs toward us
The central cross-shaped
confluence of the waters
becomes the focal point
of the composition
In this work, water is the
focal point conceptually
as well as visually
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS

Contrast
Artists look to create effects of contrast by
positioning elements next to one another that
are very different
For example, areas of different value, color, or
size
1.147 Francisco de
Zurbarn, The Funeral of St.
Bonaventure, 1629. Oil on
canvas, 8' 2 x 7' 4. Muse
du Louvre, Paris, France
Francisco de Zurbarn,
The Funeral of St. Bonaventure

Most of the lightest values
in the painting are reserved
for the clothing adorning
the dead body of St.
Bonaventure
These create a central focal
point that stands out in
contrast to the surrounding
dark values
The whiteness of his
clothing symbolizes
Bonaventure's spotless
reputation
Enough light value is
distributed to the other
figures to allow our eyes to
be drawn away from the
saints body, making the
composition more
interesting
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS

Placement
The placement of elements within a composition
controls rhythm and creates multiple focal
points
1.148 Ando Hiroshige,

Riverside Bamboo Market,
Kyobashi, from One
Hundred Famous Views of
Edo, 1857. 15 x 10.
James A. Michener
Collection, Honolulu
Academy of Arts, Hawaii
Ando Hiroshige, Riverside

Bamboo Market, Kyobashi

The positions of the
moon, the bridge, and
the figure in a boat form
three separate focal
points
Each shape commands

our attention and draws
more of our focus to the
right side of the work
The varying distances
between the placements
of the three focal points
also create rhythm that
adds visual interest
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Conclusion
All the elements and principles of art can serve
to create emphasis
Both actual and implied lines shape our
examination of a work of art by directing the
movement of our gaze
Contrasts between different values, colors, or
textures can sometimes be so dramatic and
distinct that we cannot help but feel drawn to
that area of a work
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Click the image above to launch the video

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
This concludes the PowerPoint slide set for Chapter 1.8

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts

By Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, M. Kathryn Shields

Copyright 2011 Thames & Hudson
PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studio
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Picture Credits for Chapter 1.8

1.141 Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Nathan Cummings, 1966, 66.30.2. Photo Metropolitan
Museum of Art/Art Resource/Scala, Florence
1.142 Photo Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Courtesy Jules Olitski Warehouse LLC. Estate of Jules
Olitski, DACS, London/VAGA, New York 2011
1.143 Estate of Mark Tobey, ARS, NY/DACS, London 2011. Courtesy Sothebys
1.144 Muses Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels
1.145 Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence
1.146 Victoria & Albert Museum, London
1.147 Muse du Louvre, Paris
1.148 James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Study Questions chapter 1.8
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
1.This is a specific place of visual emphasis

in a work of art.

a. Focal point
b. Variety
c. Subversion
d. Vanishing point
e. None of these answers

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
1.This is a specific place of visual emphasis

in a work of art.

a. Focal point
b. Variety
c. Subversion
d. Vanishing point
e. None of these answers

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
2. When an artist wants to draw attention

away from a particular part of the work,
he or she uses__________.
Topic: n/a
a. subordination
b. focal point
c. emphasis
d. distortion
e. balance

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
2. When an artist wants to draw attention

away from a particular part of the work,
he or she uses__________.
Topic: n/a
a. subordination
b. focal point
c. emphasis
d. distortion
e. balance

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
3. The abstract work Tin Lizzie Green by

Jules Olitzki draws attention to this part
of the work.
a. top
b. bottom
c. center
d. left
e. right

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
3. The abstract work Tin Lizzie Green by

Jules Olitzki draws attention to this part
of the work.
a. top
b. bottom
c. center
d. left
e. right

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
4. Blue Interior by Mark Tobey focuses the

viewers attention squarely on this area of
emphasis:
a. there is no area of emphasis
b. the blue marks.
c. the light marks.
d. the center.
e. the bottom edge.
Feedback/Reference: Page 137

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
4. Blue Interior by Mark Tobey focuses the

viewers attention squarely on this area of
emphasis:
a. there is no area of emphasis
b. the blue marks.
c. the light marks.
d. the center.
e. the bottom edge.

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
5. In Bruegels Landscape with the Fall of

Icarus, the viewer is directed away from
Icarus plunging into the sea through the
use of __________ .
a. subordination
b. focal point
c. emphasis
d. balance
e. proportion

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
5. In Bruegels Landscape with the Fall of

Icarus, the viewer is directed away from
Icarus plunging into the sea through the
use of __________ .
a. subordination
b. focal point
c. emphasis
d. balance
e. proportion

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
6. In Artemisia Gentileschis work Judith

Decapitating Holofernes, the viewer is
directed to the __________ that is
indicated by directional lines.
a. area of emphasis
b. subordinated point
c. vanishing point
d. the top of the work
e. focal point

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
6. In Artemisia Gentileschis work Judith

Decapitating Holofernes, the viewer is
directed to the __________ that is
indicated by directional lines.
a. area of emphasis
b. subordinated point
c. vanishing point
d. the top of the work
e. focal point

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
7. This kind of line tends to be more visually

active so it can draw the viewers
attention.
a. Vertical
b. Diagonal
c. Horizontal
d. Solid
e. None of these

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
7. This kind of line tends to be more visually

active so it can draw the viewers
attention.
a. Vertical
b. Diagonal
c. Horizontal
d. Solid
e. None of these

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
8. Placement of elements in a composition

controls this and creates multiple focal
points.
a. Size
b. Proportion
c. Rhythm
d. Line
e. Focal point

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
8. Placement of elements in a composition

controls this and creates multiple focal
points.
a. Size
b. Proportion
c. Rhythm
d. Line
e. Focal point

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
9. Hiroshige used this process to create the

work "Riverside Bamboo Market,
Kyobashi.
a. Sculpture
b. Ceramics
c. Tapestry
d. Printmaking
e. Glass

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
9. Hiroshige used this process to create the

work "Riverside Bamboo Market,
Kyobashi.
a. Sculpture
b. Ceramics
c. Tapestry
d. Printmaking
e. Glass

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
10. Which of these elements of art and

principles of design can be used to create
emphasis?
a. All of the other answers
b. Shape
c. Color
d. Contrast
e. Rhythm

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
10. Which of these elements of art and

principles of design can be used to create
emphasis?
a. All of the other answers
b. Shape
c. Color
d. Contrast
e. Rhythm

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Chapter 1.9
Pattern and Rhythm
Chapter 1.9 Pattern and Rhythm
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Introduction
Artists use pattern and rhythm to bring order to
space and to create a dynamic experience of
time
When events recur, this creates a pattern
Patterns are created by the recurrence of an art
element
In a work of art, the repetition of such patterns
gives a sense of unity
Rhythm arises through the repetition of pattern
The rhythm of a series of linked elements
guides the movement of our eyes across and
through a design
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Pattern
The use of repetition in a work of art usually
results in the creation of a pattern
Artists often create unity in works of art by
repeatedly using a similar shape, value, or color,
for example
An artist can use repetition of a pattern to
impose order on a work
Sometimes artists use alternating patterns to
make a
work more lively
The area covered by pattern is called the field
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
1.149 Horizontal
alternating pattern
Suzanne Valadon,
The Blue Room
Includes three
contrasting patterns
The blue bed covering,
in the lower portion of
the painting
The green-and-white
striped pattern in the
womans pajama
bottoms
Above the figure is a
mottled pattern
The differences in
these patterns energize
the work
1.150 Suzanne Valadon, The Blue Room, 1923. Oil on canvas, 35 45. Muse National dArt Moderne,
Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Motif
A design repeated as a unit in a pattern is called
a motif
Motifs can represent ideas, images, and themes
that can be brought together through the use of
pattern
An artist can create a strong unified design by
repeating a motif
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Gateway to Art:
Huqqa base
Elements, such as the flowers and leaves of the
plants, recur at intervals
1.151 Huqqa base, India,

Deccan, last quarter of 17th
century. Bidri ware (zinc alloy
inlaid with brass), 6 x 6
in. Metropolitan Museum of
Art, New York

1.152 slide 1: Pashmina

carpet with millefleur pattern,
northern India, Kashmir or
Lahore, second half of 17th
century. Ashmolean Museum,
Oxford
1.152 slide 2: Detail of pashmina carpet with millefleur pattern

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Pashmina carpet with millefleur

pattern
Flower-like motifs are arranged in a pattern in
the center
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS

Chuck Close,
Self Portrait

Uses motif to unify his
paintings
Uses a repeated pattern of
organic concentric rings set
into a diamond shape as the
basic building blocks for his
large compositions
There is a difference between a
close-up view of the painting
and the overall effect when we
stand back from this enormous
canvas
The motif that Close uses is
the result of a technical
process
A grid that subdivides the
entire image organizes the
placement of each cell
1.153a Chuck Close,

Self Portrait, 1997. Oil
on canvas, 86 7.
MOMA, New York
1.153b Chuck Close,

Self Portrait, detail

1.153c Chuck Close, Self Portrait, detail
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Randomness
The introduction of chance symbolizes antiorder
Artists who introduce randomness to a work try
to
avoid predictable repetition
Works made in this way purposely contradict
widely
used traditional methods
Hans Arp,
Trousse dun Da
Dada reveled in
absurdity, irrationality,
the flamboyantly
bizarre, and the
shocking
Arp worked on creating
chance arrangements
Arp claimed that the
arrangement of the
shapes happened by
random placement
1.154 Hans Arp, Trousse dun Da,1920

21. Assemblage of driftwood nailed onto
wood with painting remains, 15 x 10 x
1. Muse National dArt Moderne,
Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Rhythm
Rhythm gives structure to the experience of
looking, just as it guides our eyes from one
point to another in a work of art
There is rhythm when there are at least two
points of reference in an artwork
The intervals between elements provide points
of reference for more complex rhythms
Pieter Bruegel, Hunters in the

Snow
We see not only large rhythmic
progressions that take our eye
all around the canvas, but also
refined micro-rhythms in the
repetition of such details as the
trees, houses, birds, and colors
The party of hunters on the left
side first draws our attention
into the work
Our gaze then travels from the
left foreground to the middle
ground on the right
We then look at the
background of the work
As a result of following this
rhythmic progression, our eye
has circled round the whole
picture
1.155 slide 1: Pieter Bruegel, Hunters in the Snow, 1565. Oil on panel, 46 x 63 in. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna,
Austria
1.155 slide 2: Detail of Pieter Bruegel, Hunters in the Snow
1.155 slide 3: Detail of Pieter Bruegel, Hunters in the Snow

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Simple Repetitive Rhythm

A repeating pulse of similar elements sets up
a visual rhythm that a viewer can anticipate
Such regularity communicates reassurance
The design of buildings is often intended to
reassure us about the stability and durability of
the structure
For this reason, architectural designs often
incorporate simple repetition
Great Mosque of Crdoba

Each of the repeating
elementscolumns,
arches, and voussoirs
creates its own simple
rhythm
The accumulation of
these simple repetitions
also enhances the
function of the space and
becomes a part of the
activity of worship, like
prayer beads, reciting the
Shahada (profession of
faith), or the five-timesa-day call to prayer
1.156 Great Mosque of Crdoba, prayer hall of Abd al-Rahman I, 7846, Crdoba, Spain
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Progressive Rhythm
Repetition that regularly increases or decreases
in frequency creates a progressive rhythm as
the eye
moves faster or slower across the surface of the
work
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Alternating Rhythm
Artists can intertwine multiple rhythms until
they
become quite complex
Alternation of rhythms can add unpredictability
and visual excitement
Bai-ra-Irrai
The imagery above
the entry of this bai
begins, at the
bottom, with the
regular rhythms of
horizontal lines of
fish, but the images
above become
increasingly
irregular as they
change to other
kinds of shapes
1.158 slide 1: Bai-ra-Irrai,

originally built c. 1700 and
periodically restored,
Airai village, Airai State,
Republic of Palau
1.158 slide 2: Detail of Bai-ra-Irrai
Goya, The Third of May, 1808

Visual Rhythm in the
Composition
It can be divided up into two
distinct rhythmic groups

Although the number of figures
in each group is the same, they
are distributed very differently
The group of French soldiers on
the right stands in a pattern so
regulated it is almost mechanical
On the left side, the rhythms are
irregular and unpredictable
The alternating rhythm in this

painting leads our eye from the
figure in white, through a
group of figures, downward to
the victims on the ground
It helps define our ideas about
humanity and inhumanity
1.159 Francisco Goya, The Third of May, 1808, 1814. Oil on canvas, 84 x 113. Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Rhythmic Design Structure

How artists divide visual space into different
sections to achieve different kinds of effect
Rosa Bonheur, Plowing in the

Nivernais: The Dressing of the
Vines
A horizontal structure leads
our eye in sequence from
one group of shapes to the
next
Bonheur expertly organizes
the composition,
emphasizing the cumulative
effect of the rhythm of the
groupings as they move
from left to right
By changing the width of
the gaps between the
animals, Bonheur suggests
their irregular movement as
they plod forward
Each group also has a
different relative size and
occupies a different amount
of space, creating a visual
rhythm
1.160a Rosa Bonheur, Plowing in the Nivernais: The Dressing of the Vines, 1849. Oil on canvas, 44 x 86.
Muse dOrsay, Paris, France
1.160b Rhythmic structural diagram of 1.160a
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Conclusion
In works of art, good composition articulates
patterns and rhythms in a way that grabs our
attention
Because the visual rhythm of pattern is
predictable, it tends to unify a work of art
Some artists try to contradict pattern by
imposing randomness and chance to free a work
from what they see as suffocating orderliness
Irregular rhythm can make a work seem
unpredictable or make us feel uneasy
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS



PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS

1.149 Ralph Larmann
1.150 Muse National dArt Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris
1.151 Metropolitan Museum of Art, Louis E. and Theresa S. Seley Purchase Fund for Islamic Art, and
Rogers Fund, 1984. Photo Metropolitan Museum of Art/Art Resource/Scala, Florence
1.152 Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
1.153a, 1.153b, 1.153c Museum of Modern Art, New York, Gift of Agnes Gund, Jo Carole and Ronald S.
Lauder, Donald L. Bryant, Jr., Leon Black, Michael and Judy Ovitz, Anna Marie and Robert F.
Shapiro, Leila and Melville Straus, Doris and Donald Fisher, and purchase, Acc. no. 215.2000.
Photo Ellen Page Wilson, courtesy The Pace Gallery Chuck Close, The Pace Gallery
1.154 DACS 2011
1.155 Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
1.156 iStockphoto.com
1.157 Please note that this image is not available for digital use but can be found on page 148 of the
textbook.
1.158 WaterFrame/Alamy
1.159 Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid
1.160a
1.160b
Muse dOrsay, Paris

Ralph Larmann
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
STUDY QUESTIONS CH 1.9
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
1.This principle of design arises from

repetition of a pattern.

a. Balance
b. Focal point
c. Unity
d. None of these answers
e. Rhythm

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
1.This principle of design arises from

repetition of a pattern.

a. Balance
b. Focal point
c. Unity
d. None of these answers
e. Rhythm

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
2. Sometimes artists use this kind of

changing pattern to make a work more
lively.
a. Alternating pattern
b. Focal pattern
c. Interval pattern
d. Repetitive pattern
e. Balanced pattern

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
2. Sometimes artists use this kind of

changing pattern to make a work more
lively.
a. Alternating pattern
b. Focal pattern
c. Interval pattern
d. Repetitive pattern
e. Balanced pattern

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
3. In Islamic art it is not uncommon to see

complex interlaced __________, which are
designs repeated as units in a pattern.
a. arabesques
b. mihrabs
c. motifs
d. qiblas
e. none of these

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
3. In Islamic art it is not uncommon to see

complex interlaced __________, which are
designs repeated as units in a pattern.
a. arabesques
b. mihrabs
c. motifs
d. qiblas
e. none of these

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
4. The artist Chuck Close used a repeated

pattern of organic concentric rings set
into a diamond pattern to create his large
__________ .
a. sculptures
b. ceramics
c. paintings
d. glassware
e. prints
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
5. Chuck Closes Self Portrait of 1997 is

made up of small units that are
unrecognizable, or __________ .
a. abstract
b. representational
c. stylized
d. realistic
e. expressionistic
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
5. Chuck Closes Self Portrait of 1997 is

made up of small units that are
unrecognizable, or __________ .
a. abstract
b. representational
c. stylized
d. realistic
e. expressionistic
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
6. Using automatic reactions to apply art

materials in such a way as consciously to
deny order can lead to __________ in art.
a. structure
b. balance
c. unity
d. randomness
e. proportion

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
6. Using automatic reactions to apply art

materials in such a way as consciously to
deny order can lead to __________ in art.
a. structure
b. balance
c. unity
d. randomness
e. proportion

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
7. The German-French sculptor Hans Arp

worked on creating "__________ "
arrangements to communicate the ideas
of the Dada movement.
a. chance
b. controlled
c. rigid
d. solid
e. none of these

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
7. The German-French sculptor Hans Arp

worked on creating "__________ "
arrangements to communicate the ideas
of the Dada movement.
a. chance
b. controlled
c. rigid
d. solid
e. none of these

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
8. When there are at least two points of

reference in an artwork, __________ is
present.
a. size
b. rhythm
c. proportion
d. line
e. focal point

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
8. When there are at least two points of

reference in an artwork, __________ is
present.
a. size
b. rhythm
c. proportion
d. line
e. focal point

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
9. In this sixteenth-century work, the Dutch

artist Pieter Bruegel uses rhythm to direct
the viewers attention through the work.
a. Trousse dun Da
b. The Third of May 1808
c. The Blue Room
d. Hunters in the Snow
e. Artichoke Halved
Feedback/Reference: Pages 14748
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
9. In this sixteenth-century work, the Dutch

artist Pieter Bruegel uses rhythm to direct
the viewers attention through the work.
a. Trousse dun Da
b. The Third of May 1808
c. The Blue Room
d. Hunters in the Snow
e. Artichoke Halved
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
10. This is a way in which artists divide visual

space into different kinds of sections to
achieve different rhythmic effects.
a. Randomness
b. Unity
c. Contrast
d. Linear perspective rhythm
e. Rhythmic design structure

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
10. This is a way in which artists divide visual

space into different kinds of sections to
achieve different rhythmic effects.
a. Randomness
b. Unity
c. Contrast
d. Linear perspective rhythm
e. Rhythmic design structure

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Chapter 1.10
Content and Analysis
Chapter 1.10 Content and Analysis
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Introduction
The artist uses a visual language to
communicate ideas, beliefs, emotions, and
opinions
Content: Subject
Analysis: Finding meaning
Imitation and individual style
u
Learning from the masters
Developing a unique style
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Content
Content refers to the meaning and the subject of
a work of art
Identifying the subject of an artwork:
u
Representational (one can identify the subject)
Non-objective (unrecognizable subject matter)
Abstraction
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Equestrian statue of Marcus

Aurelius
Representational
u
u
Recognizable as a man on a horse

Artist tries to create realistic movement and
expressions
1.161 Equestrian statue of

Marcus Aurelius, c. 175 CE.
Bronze, 116 high. Musei
Capitolini, Rome, Italy
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Jos de Rivera, Infinity

Non-objective
u
u
Unrecognizable subject matter

Subjective: individual viewer creates his or her
own interpretation
1.162 Jos de Rivera, Infinity, 1967. Stainless steel sculpture in front of National Museum of American History,
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
Allan Houser, Reverie

Representational
Can identify two faces
Size of faces and
positioning of forms
suggest mother
and child
Abstraction
To emphasize, distort or
simplify forms
The degree to which an
artwork is less
representational
and moves toward nonobjective
1.163 Allan Houser,

Reverie, 1981. Bronze, 25 x
23 x 13, edition of 10.
Allan Houser Archives
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Modes of Analysis
Iconographic
Biographical
Feminist
Contextual
Psychological
Formal (or visual)
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Iconographic Analysis
Interprets signs and symbols within an artwork
Historical and religious references
Audrey Flack,
Marilyn Monroe
Representational:
Marilyn Monroe
Still life objects
Symbols of vanitas (reminders

of mortality):
Time: Calendar, watch, hourglass
Vanity: Cosmetics, mirror,
jewelry, perfume
Death and decay: Candle, fruit,
flowers
Wealth and fame: Marilyn,
necklace
Individual meaning:
Our mortality
Photograph of artist and her
brother
1.164 Audrey Flack, Marilyn

Monroe, 1977. Oil over
acrylic on canvas, 8 x 8.
Collection of the University
of Arizona Museum of Art,
Tucson
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Biographical Analysis
Relates artists life and experiences to artwork
Considers gender, race, nationality, and class
Eva Hesse, Hang-Up

Representational
Empty frame
Materials are wood,
cloth, steel tube, and
cord
Biographical analysis
Title may relate to issue
(hang-up) artist has not
resolved:
Born a Jew in Nazi
Germany
Mothers suicide
Divorced
The artist herself did not

claim these associations
1.165 Eva Hesse,

Hang-Up, 1966. Acrylic,
cloth, wood, cord, and steel,
72 x 84 x 78. Art Institute
of Chicago
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Feminist Analysis
Role of women as:
u
Artists
Subjects
Viewers
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres,
Grande Odalisque
Feminist analysis
u
Objectified subject (nude woman in a harem)
Male audience/viewer
Pose is sensual and submissive
1.166 Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Grande Odalisque, 1814. Oil on canvas, 35 x 63. Muse du Louvre, Paris,
France
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Contextual Analysis
Interprets artwork based on time and place in
which it was made
Considers historical, religious, political,
economic, and social factors
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Leni Riefenstahl,
still from Triumph of the Will
Contextual analysis
u
Film made for Hitler of his speech in Nuremberg

in 1934
Film as propaganda for Nazi regime
1.167 Leni Riefenstahl, still from Triumph of the Will, 1934
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Psychological Analysis
Considers the mental state of the artist when
the artwork was being made and uses this to
help interpret the work
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Edward Hopper,
Nighthawks
Psychological analysis
u
Made during Americas entry into World War II
Emotion conveyed through figures and setting
1.168 Edward Hopper, Nighthawks, 1942. Oil on canvas, 33 x 60. Art Institute of Chicago
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Formal Analysis
Considers the elements and principles used by
the artist
u
Elements of art: line, shape, form, mass, volume, color,

texture, space, time and motion, and value
Principles of art: contrast, balance, unity, variety,
rhythm, emphasis, pattern, proportion, and scale
Diego de Silva y Velzquez,

Las Meninas
Combining modes of
analysis
Formal analysisMultiple
focal points discovered:
Princess Margarita
King and Queen
Velzquez painting
Nieto in doorway
Contextual analysis
Identification of members
of the court in scene
Biographical analysis
Artists desire to be
knighted
Artists relationship with
King Philip IV
Iconographical analysis
Cross on Velzquez
1.169 Diego de Silva y

Velzquez, Las Meninas,
c. 1656. Oil on canvas,
105 x 9. Museo
Nacional del Prado, Madrid,
Spain
1.170 Detail of Diego de

Silva y Velzquez, Las
Meninas
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
What Is the Meaning of Las Meninas?

Velzquez used Las Meninas to show his
importance as a painter and his intimacy with
the royal family
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Imitation and Individual Style

Artists often train themselves by studying and
copying earlier masterpieces
By referring to earlier masterpieces in new
artworks, artists associate themselves with
other artists who preceded them
By studying other artworks, artists may learn
how to differentiate themselves
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Picasso, Las Meninas

Picasso painted 45 paintings using a poster of
the original Las Meninas (by Velzquez) as a
model
Picasso competing with earlier Spanish master
1.171 Picasso, Las Meninas, first in a series, 1957. Oil on canvas, 64 86. Museo Picasso, Barcelona, Spain
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Comparison
Compare the original Las Meninas by Velzquez
with the reinterpretation by Picasso
Thomas Struth,
Museo del Prado 7
Artist is studying the
act of looking
Discuss whether the
students are viewers or
are subjects of an
artwork
Consider the
experience of looking
at this photograph
while it hung next to
Las Meninas in the
Prado
1.172 Thomas Struth, Museo del Prado 7, 2005. Chromogenic print, 5 72
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
Conclusion
Artworks can be representational or nonobjective; the degree to which they are nonobjective is based upon the level of abstraction
Best interpretations are based on synthesis of
several modes of analysis
Artists often look to earlier artists for
inspiration
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS



PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS

1.161 iStockphoto.com
1.162 Andia/Alamy
1.163 Allan Houser archives Cliinde LLC
1.164 Collection University of Arizona Museum of Art, Tucson, Museum purchase with funds provided
by the Edward J. Gallagher, Jr Memorial Fund 1982.35.1. the artist
1.165 The Art Institute of Chicago, Gift of Arthur Keating and Mr. and Mrs. Edward Morris by exchange,
April 1988. The Estate of Eva Hesse. Hauser & Wirth. Photo Susan Einstein, courtesy The Art
Institute of Chicago
1.166 Muse du Louvre, Paris
1.167 Courtesy Archiv LRP
1.168 The Art Institute of Chicago, Friends of American Art Collection, 1942.51
1.171 Succession Picasso/DACS, London 2011
1.172 2012 Thomas Struth
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
STUDY QUESTIONS CH1.10
PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
1. A work of art is the product of

interrelationships between various art
elements and __________.
a. colors
b. structures
c. contexts
d. shapes
e. principles

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
1. A work of art is the product of

interrelationships between various art
elements and __________.
a. colors
b. structures
c. contexts
d. shapes
e. principles

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
2. If we can recognize the objects or people

in a work of art, it is __________.
a. representational
b. objective
c. ephemeral
d. non-objective
e. abstract

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
2. If we can recognize the objects or people

in a work of art, it is __________.
a. representational
b. objective
c. ephemeral
d. non-objective
e. abstract

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
3. Allan Housers work Reverie is

representational because __________.
a. it is made of bronze
b. it is abstracted
c. it is lifesize
d. it includes two shapes that we recognize
as faces
e. it is a sculpted form

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
3. Allan Housers work Reverie is

representational because __________.
a. it is made of bronze
b. it is abstracted
c. it is lifesize
d. it includes two shapes that we recognize
as faces
e. it is a sculpted form

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
4. Iconographic analysis interprets objects

and figures in an artwork as __________.
a. dreams and thoughts
b. signs or symbols
c. things that really exist
d. geometric shapes
e. proven facts

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
4. Iconographic analysis interprets objects

and figures in an artwork as __________.
a. dreams and thoughts
b. signs or symbols
c. things that really exist
d. geometric shapes
e. proven facts

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
5. Eva Hesses minimalist sculpture Hang-Up

can be interpreted biographically as
__________.
a. showing that the artist was obsessed with
form
b. a window that leads to nothingness
c. a window that tells you nothing
d. a ridiculous way to make art
e. a humorous party trick

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
5. Eva Hesses minimalist sculpture Hang-Up

can be interpreted biographically as
__________.
a. showing that the artist was obsessed with
form
b. a window that leads to nothingness
c. a window that tells you nothing
d. a ridiculous way to make art
e. a humorous party trick

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
6. Psychological analysis of Nighthawks by

the artist Edward Hopper tells us that the
painter was __________.
a. happy-go-lucky
b. interested in flat colors
c. a fashion model in his spare time
d. expressing loneliness
e. developing a new style of brushwork

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
6. Psychological analysis of Nighthawks by

the artist Edward Hopper tells us that the
painter was __________.
a. happy-go-lucky
b. interested in flat colors
c. a fashion model in his spare time
d. expressing loneliness
e. developing a new style of brushwork

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
7. A formal analysis of Las Meninas by Diego

de Silva y Velzquez would concentrate
on this aspect of the work:
a. its mood.
b. the artists painting technique.
c. the characters of the people shown in the
painting.
d. when it was created.
e. what was in the foreground and
background.

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
7. A formal analysis of Las Meninas by Diego

de Silva y Velzquez would concentrate
on this aspect of the work:
a. its mood.
b. the artists painting technique.
c. the characters of the people shown in the
painting.
d. when it was created.
e. what was in the foreground and
background.

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
8. Picasso studied and copied Las Meninas

because __________.
a. it was by an Italian artist
b. he was not interested in making original
works of his own
c. he was obsessed with the Spanish royal
family
d. he wanted to develop his own individual
style
e. his art college insisted he should

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
8. Picasso studied and copied Las Meninas

because __________.
a. it was by an Italian artist
b. he was not interested in making original
works of his own
c. he was obsessed with the Spanish royal
family
d. he wanted to develop his own individual
style
e. his art college insisted he should

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
9. Thomas Struths photograph Museo del

Prado 7 is
a. a perfect copy of Las Meninas by
Velzquez.
b. a portrait of art appreciation.
c. deliberately old-fashioned in style.
d. based on the later works of Pablo Picasso.
e. an attempt to distract us from looking at
Las Meninas.

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
9. Thomas Struths photograph Museo del

Prado 7 is
a. a perfect copy of Las Meninas by
Velzquez.
b. a portrait of art appreciation.
c. deliberately old-fashioned in style.
d. based on the later works of Pablo Picasso.
e. an attempt to distract us from looking at
Las Meninas.

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
10. The tools of formal analysis help us to

__________.
a. dismiss the use of balance and focal point
in a work
b. understand how an artwork was made
c. concentrate on the modern aspects of an
artwork
d. dig deeper into the history of an artwork
e. understand what was happening to women
at the time the work was made

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS
10. The tools of formal analysis help us to

__________.
a. dismiss the use of balance and focal point
in a work
b. understand how an artwork was made
c. concentrate on the modern aspects of an
artwork
d. dig deeper into the history of an artwork
e. understand what was happening to women
at the time the work was made

PART 1
FUNDAMENTALS

Gateways To Art Chap 1 Slides For Classroom

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PART 1

Emphasis and Focal Point

Copyright 2011 Thames & Hudso

Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

Emphasis and Subordination

Subordination draws our attention away from certain

Double-chambered vessel with

1.142 Jules Olitski, Tin

1.143 Mark Tobey, Blue

Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

Pieter Bruegel the Elder,

Bruegel diverts our

1.145 slide 2: Directional

Gentileschi, Judith Decapitating Holofernes

Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

Emphasis and Focal Point in Action

Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

Emphasis and Focal Point in Action:

1.146 slide 1: The Emperor

1.146 slide 2: Detail of The

The Emperor Babur Overseeing

Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

Emphasis and Focal Point in Action:

Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

Emphasis and Focal Point in Action:

1.148 Ando Hiroshige,

Ando Hiroshige, Riverside

Each shape commands

Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

Click the image above to launch the video

Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

This concludes the PowerPoint slide set for Chapter 1.8

Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts

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Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

Picture Credits for Chapter 1.8

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Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

Study Questions chapter 1.8

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Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

1.This is a specific place of visual emphasis

PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studio

Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

1.This is a specific place of visual emphasis

PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studio

Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

2. When an artist wants to draw attention

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Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

2. When an artist wants to draw attention

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Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

3. The abstract work Tin Lizzie Green by

PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studio

Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

3. The abstract work Tin Lizzie Green by

PowerPoints developed by CreativeMyndz Multimedia Studio

Chapter 1.8 Emphasis and Focal Point

4. Blue Interior by Mark Tobey focuses the