Enlightenment
Size: 152.4cm X 122cm
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date of Completion: November, 2017
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date of Completion: November, 2017
Enlightenment is a self-portrait deeply inspired by Caravaggio's Medusa. Inspired in part through my own revelations on my cultural identity and beliefs, Enlightenment is meant to illustrate the uncertainty in discovery and acceptance.
Inspiration
Enlightenment was inspired by my admiration for Baroque art, specifically Caravaggio's emotionally and physically charged imagery. It was through viewing his works that I was able to relate my own inner feelings of salvation. Unlike in his work my salvation came through the liberation from faith. Enlightenment is my own take on the revelations often depicted in Caravaggio's work.
Caravaggio |
|
Michelangelo Merisi de Caravaggio was a prolific 17th century Baroque painter. Thought he use of dramatic lighting Caravaggio was able to make even the most unruly subjects beautiful. Despite his innate ability to render subjects beautifully Caravaggio brought a sense of uneasiness to the depiction of the sacred. Through his unprecedented choice in depiction Caravaggio created pieces not only for the church but for the people.
Medusa was created by Caravaggio through a commission by Cardinal Francesco del Monte. This painting was done on concave shield and meant to be a gift for the Grand Duke Ferdinando de Medici. Medusa is not meant to be directly depicted on the shield but rather be reflected on the shield. Somewhere in-between life and death this Medusa is witnessing the ultimate revelation of her being before perishing.
Upon initially viewing the Medusa I was stuck by the sheer emotion and pain legible on her face. Forget the visceral aspects of the blood and irate snakes, Medusa's expression is the real illustration of not only death but revelation. It was upon viewing this piece that I was inspired to create a piece with as much tension, fear, and grandeur. Taking special notice of the the contrast in his work and the sheer amount of detail I embarked on my own portrait.
Planning
Due to the nature of this being a self-portrait I wanted the end result to look as much like me as possible and that therefore the sketches created were studies on expressions I could then channel in a photograph. These studies guided me with not only what expression I wanted to portray but how to paint them later on.
Photography
In this photograph the contrast is adjusted but I was still unhappy with the emotion or lack thereof I was emitting. Compared to Medusa this photograph is stiff. Other than the lack of emotion I was very satisfied with the outcome of the photograph. The ultimate reason I pushed for a better photograph was the amount of glare in the photo as well as how orange I looked.
Process
To begin the self-portrait I first began by building a canvas. To build the canvas I received assistance from my dad who cut the individual board to make up the canvas. After they were cut I then went on to staple them together at a 90-degree angle to form one very large rectangle. After the rectangle was formed I took the actual canvas material and wrapped it around the frame. The last part in constructing the canvas involved me securing the canvas material to the frame with an industrial stapler and cutting away the excess material.
In order to get the photograph on to the canvas, I first had to prep the canvas with several thin even coats of gesso. After the gesso had dried I transferred the photograph onto the canvas by freehand drawing. Essentially I printed the photo and had it with me as I drew without any guidelines directly on the canvas. I chose this method of transfer because at the time it appeared to be the fastest for me but looking back I would have done a different method. Looking at the end result it is apparent that there are some mistakes that could have been avoided if I did not completely freehand draw my portrait.
After Drawing the guidelines with a pencil I began laying down thin washes of paint to build the base tone. After the washes were dry I began adding thicker layers of paint. When adding thicker layers of paint I used fast drying medium in order to reduce drying time. Little by little I built up layers of different values to form dimension and form. Throughout the painting process, I referred back to the photograph taken in order to make sure the values and colors looked appropriate for the lighting.
In order to produce the same life as effectively as Caravaggio did in his work, I worked with a limited color pallet.The most vital colors in my pallet included raw umber, burnt sienna, yellow ocher, cadmium red, titanium white, and ivory black. It was through the extensive use of these colors that I created gradients of value in order to imply form.
Experimentation
Though I had worked in oil before there was a lot of experimenting that occurred throughout the painting of this piece. The first thing I experimented with was the addition of fast drying medium. When mixing the medium into my paint or applying it directly on the canvas I noticed it made the layer and area of paint blend seamlessly. Another thing I noticed with the addition of the medium was the varnish-like finish it seemed to apply once dry. Despite this looking fantastic in person, it made it a challenge to take a good photograph.
Reflection
Overall I am displeased with the outcome of the painting. I believe it lacks a certain likeness and has several mistakes that can be attributed to certain choices I had deliberately made in the painting process. I believe there are many areas that could use improvement in the piece. Despite my best attempts at pushing the expression, I believe it could go further. This would not only serve to get the desired effect but pull a little more from my inspiration into the actual piece. That being said I feel that the despite Caravaggio's Medusa being the inspiration for not only the emotion in the piece but the painting technique I feel it could be improved. I feel this could be attributed to my referencing the photograph of myself more than the inspiration during the painting process. In the end, I feel like the end result was a self-portrait but not one that directly embodied the inspiration as I would have liked it too.
ACT Responses
1) Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your work?
The cause of my inspiration was my fascination with life like work Caravaggio was able to produce through limited color pallet and a masterful use of value.
2) What is the overall approach(point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The authors who wrote the work I conducted research for my work with used objective language in their works. They presented factual historical evidence on the painting in a professional tone.
3) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
From my research I can generalize that the inspiration for the creation of works is rarely 100% original but instead based on the most impactful parts of others work to the individual.
4) What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea for my research was focused on observing the way Caravaggio used colors and values to create life like paintings.
5) What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
While conducting research I came to the conclusion that throughout time portraits have played an important part in preserving not only important historical figure but also literature.
The cause of my inspiration was my fascination with life like work Caravaggio was able to produce through limited color pallet and a masterful use of value.
2) What is the overall approach(point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The authors who wrote the work I conducted research for my work with used objective language in their works. They presented factual historical evidence on the painting in a professional tone.
3) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
From my research I can generalize that the inspiration for the creation of works is rarely 100% original but instead based on the most impactful parts of others work to the individual.
4) What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea for my research was focused on observing the way Caravaggio used colors and values to create life like paintings.
5) What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
While conducting research I came to the conclusion that throughout time portraits have played an important part in preserving not only important historical figure but also literature.
Bibliography
Bernini, Gian Lorenzo. The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa. 1652, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome.
Caravaggio. Medusa. 1598, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy.
Caravaggio. The Entombment of Christ. 1603, Pinacoteca Vaticana, Rome.
Caravaggio. The Lute Player. 1596, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Jones, Jonathan. “Medusa, Caravaggio (c 1598).” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 24 Jan. 2003, www.theguardian.com/culture/2003/jan/25/art
“Medusa.” Uffizi.com, www.uffizi.com/painting-medusa-uffizi-gallery.aspx.
“Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio: Medusa (1597/1598); Galleria Uffizi, Florence.” The World According to Art, rijksmuseumamsterdam.blogspot.com/2012/03/michelangelo-merisi-da-caravaggio.html.
Caravaggio. Medusa. 1598, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy.
Caravaggio. The Entombment of Christ. 1603, Pinacoteca Vaticana, Rome.
Caravaggio. The Lute Player. 1596, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Jones, Jonathan. “Medusa, Caravaggio (c 1598).” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 24 Jan. 2003, www.theguardian.com/culture/2003/jan/25/art
“Medusa.” Uffizi.com, www.uffizi.com/painting-medusa-uffizi-gallery.aspx.
“Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio: Medusa (1597/1598); Galleria Uffizi, Florence.” The World According to Art, rijksmuseumamsterdam.blogspot.com/2012/03/michelangelo-merisi-da-caravaggio.html.