In Vermeer's paintings shapes are abstracted, on a few occasions to the point of becoming unrecognizable. The fundamental difference between the two concepts is that abstraction seeks to extract an underlying "truth" of reality on a general level, such that it can be true of many cases, while idealization involves a premise, which can skew reality to a predetermined result making it potentially misleading. The closest concept is that of idealization, by which classically oriented painters sought to divest the world of imperfections and transmit fundamental religious and ethical truths that were considered the only worthy objectives of the art of painting. However, abstraction, which we inevitably associate with twentieth-century abstract painting, has no exact correspondence in seventeenth-century art discussion. Throughout the twentieth entury, the term "abstraction" was regularly summoned to describe certain aspects of Vermeer's style. The ability of the human mind to abstract may also be linked to the limitations of its memory system. In the case of photographic images, it has been calculated that this redundancy may be as high as 90%. In daily life most visual information is redundant. Without abstraction the brain would be enslaved to the particular because it would have to recall every detail in order to make sense of the contents of the visible world. By reducing visual complexity abstraction increases perceptual efficiency allowing us to recognize objects, evaluate movement and orient ourselves in space with great rapidity. Visual abstraction is not merely an aesthetic quest it is a biological necessity. Such patterning has often been appreciated for its own sake music without vocal narrative elements tends to be enjoyed in a similar manner.įrom the late-nineteenth century onwards, visual abstract or formal qualities were increasingly emphasized, analyzed and finally isolated by painters.
Synonym for contour line art series#
The arrangement of lines, forms, tone and color, even in a painting depicting an aspect of the known world, can be viewed as a series of non-representational relationships. The abstract qualities in art are those which are independent of a work's resemblance to external reality.
While not written as a "how-to" manual, realist painters will find a true treasure trove of technical information that can be adapted to almost any style of figurative painting.Ī Dutch term for the painting technique called "maniera lavata," that describes a method of dead-coloring (underpainting) in which each specific area of the painting is first approximated in a flat tint-a relatively light wash-before creating the final nuances of form, hue and light.Ī loss of media or scratches, often resulting in a loss on the surface, extending to the paint and ground layers, caused by faulty cleaning, friction as well as where the frame touches the painted surface.
Each of the book's 24 topics is accompanied by abundant color illustrations and diagrams.īy observing at close quarters the studio practices of Vermeer and his preeminent contemporaries, the reader will acquire a concrete understanding of 17th-century painting methods and materials and gain a fresh view of Vermeer's 35 works of art, which reveal a seamless unity of craft and poetry. Also investigated are a number of key issues related specifically to Vermeer's studio methods, such as the camera obscura, studio organization as well as how he depicted wall-maps, floor tiles, pictures-within-pictures, carpets and other of his most defining motifs.
Synonym for contour line art professional#
Looking Over Vermeer's Shoulder is a comprehensive study of the materials and painting techniques that made Vermeer one of the greatest masters of European art.īolstered by the author's qualifications as a professional painter and a Vermeer connoisseur, every facet of 17th-century and Vermeer's painting practices-including canvas preparation, underdrawing, underpainting, glazing, palette, brushes, pigments and composition-is laid out in clear, comprehensible language.
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