Painting of the Day #5Painting of the Day #5

Painting of the Day #5Painting of the Day #5

These aren’t the Dutch Masters, actually. They are cloth merchants. Poo.These aren’t the Dutch Masters, actually. They are cloth merchants. Poo.

Rembrandt Van RijnRembrandt Van Rijn

The Syndics of the Cloth Makers' Guild, 1662The Syndics of the Cloth Makers' Guild, 1662

The Golden Period of Dutch The Golden Period of Dutch PaintingPainting

Remember Van Eyck? His breakthroughs Remember Van Eyck? His breakthroughs in oil painting greatly influenced northern in oil painting greatly influenced northern European painting, and while post European painting, and while post Renaissance Italy was mainly making Renaissance Italy was mainly making sculptures, The Dutch were hard at work, sculptures, The Dutch were hard at work, crankin out some hot pieces, influenced crankin out some hot pieces, influenced mainly by talented Dutchies like Van Eyck, mainly by talented Dutchies like Van Eyck, Franz Hals and Rubens . Franz Hals and Rubens .

Peter Paul RubensPeter Paul Rubens Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus c.1617Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus c.1617

Oil on canvas, 224 x 211 cmOil on canvas, 224 x 211 cmAlte Pinakothek, Munich Alte Pinakothek, Munich

Rembrandt van Rijn was a brilliant technical Rembrandt van Rijn was a brilliant technical painter and has long been thought of as painter and has long been thought of as one of Europe's best. The frankness of his one of Europe's best. The frankness of his paintings was emphasized by the fleshing paintings was emphasized by the fleshing out of his subject matter. His color sense out of his subject matter. His color sense and brushwork made for a convincing three and brushwork made for a convincing three dimensional head. dimensional head.

Click the center pic to enlarge.Click the center pic to enlarge.

In the top left and center, In the top left and center, Rembrandt practices chiaroscuro, a Rembrandt practices chiaroscuro, a term that was brought about to term that was brought about to describe Caravaggio's work. It is describe Caravaggio's work. It is the use of dramatic shadows and the use of dramatic shadows and light to help create form. It is light to help create form. It is usually expressed with candle light.usually expressed with candle light.

Camera Obscura! Finally!Camera Obscura! Finally! Vermeer was a tracer.Vermeer was a tracer. The pinhole camera was first invented in the The pinhole camera was first invented in the

fourth century BC(!) in China. Later on, the fourth century BC(!) in China. Later on, the Camera obscura was invented by an Iraqi (boo!) Camera obscura was invented by an Iraqi (boo!) scientist about 1000 years ago. scientist about 1000 years ago.

This was employed by Vermeer who made a This was employed by Vermeer who made a large dark room with a pinhole or lens in one large dark room with a pinhole or lens in one wall, the other wall would then project the wall, the other wall would then project the inverted image with no changes in perspective inverted image with no changes in perspective and no warping of the image. He’d trace the and no warping of the image. He’d trace the inverted image directly onto the canvas in his inverted image directly onto the canvas in his dark little room, solving all perspective problems. dark little room, solving all perspective problems.

The ‘Girl With the Pearl Earring’ was caught with The ‘Girl With the Pearl Earring’ was caught with a radiographic do-hickey on the left side here. a radiographic do-hickey on the left side here. This is the image that the light subtly etched in This is the image that the light subtly etched in the canvas during the camera obscura’s the canvas during the camera obscura’s projection.projection.

Though the camera obscura was invented Though the camera obscura was invented around 1000AD, Vermeer’s artwork gave the around 1000AD, Vermeer’s artwork gave the invention of the modern camera a firm kick in the invention of the modern camera a firm kick in the ass.ass.

Young Woman With a Water Pitcher 1662-1663Young Woman With a Water Pitcher 1662-1663 Metropolitan Museum of Art (NY) Metropolitan Museum of Art (NY)18x16” 18x16”

He’s totally cheating, but He’s totally cheating, but these paintings made these paintings made giant strides toward the giant strides toward the downfall of traditional downfall of traditional painting and the beginning painting and the beginning of modern painting. of modern painting. Vermeer also helped Vermeer also helped popularize ‘genre popularize ‘genre paintings’ which essentially paintings’ which essentially means, he painted people means, he painted people just doing everyday boring just doing everyday boring stuff. stuff.

Below is an example of what Below is an example of what his camera obscura probably his camera obscura probably looked like.looked like.

Richard Torchia is a Philadelphia based installation artist who uses the camera Richard Torchia is a Philadelphia based installation artist who uses the camera obscura to create works of art that are projections on walls/floors/cargo obscura to create works of art that are projections on walls/floors/cargo

containers/toilets etc...I saw a show of his at the Eastern State Penitentiary (below containers/toilets etc...I saw a show of his at the Eastern State Penitentiary (below left) where he affixed lenses into the ceiling and made entire cells into illuminated left) where he affixed lenses into the ceiling and made entire cells into illuminated rooms. It’s pretty darn sweet to look down and watch clouds and the occasional rooms. It’s pretty darn sweet to look down and watch clouds and the occasional

airplane moving across the floor. Shown here is a cell illuminated with the airplane moving across the floor. Shown here is a cell illuminated with the projections of the weeds on top of the prisons’ roof and sky.projections of the weeds on top of the prisons’ roof and sky.

I don’t know where the other one is from, but it’s obviously projecting an outdoor I don’t know where the other one is from, but it’s obviously projecting an outdoor scene into a gallery space.scene into a gallery space.

ENDEND The Metropolitan Museum of Art has 5 Vermeer's and 19 Rembrandts! Go The Metropolitan Museum of Art has 5 Vermeer's and 19 Rembrandts! Go

check em out (actually I’ve found most Rembrandts to be kinda boring, but check em out (actually I’ve found most Rembrandts to be kinda boring, but don’t tell anyone I said that).don’t tell anyone I said that).