Exhibition Text |
Inspired by Artemisia Gentileschi's Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy, I paint myself as Mary Magdalene to evoke a similar sense of peace as the woman. This peace is additionally symbolized by my use of warm colors and flowers. This piece is also meant to assist me in exploring chiaroscuro and painting in detail.
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Inspiration |
Artemesia Gentileschi was an Italian painter in the 1600s. She is now known for being one of the only female Baroque painters during that time period. Due to this, Gentileschi's works is centered around mostly female figures. The painter's work is characterized by her use of chiaroscuro, as she contrasts lighter colors with the darker hues of the background. This application of chiaroscuro is one I look to use in my work, as I develop techniques to depict extreme contrast. Inspired from Gentileschi's work, I want my work to include a lighter figure contrasted by a dark background. In her work, she also creates dramatic depictions surrounding the stories of various women. More specifcially, many of her paintings surround religious female figures such as Saint Catherine and Mary Magdalene.
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In her piece Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy, the woman sits with her hands interlocked while cradling her knee. It is said that Mary Magdalene is experiencing an ecstatic vision in which she is completely at ease. I want to portray a similar sense of mindlessness in my piece, as it is meant to represent the blissfulness one may feel. I plan to represent this feeling through the pose of Mary Magdalene with the interlocked fingers and head turned toward the ceiling. I also intend to depict this with the use of warm colors. In Gentileschi's piece, she applies warm colors such as reds and yellows into Mary Magdalene's face and body which contributes to the relaxed feeling.
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Additionally, Gentileschi reveals a great amount of detail in the folds of Mary Magdalene's shirt. I intend to implement a similar attention to detail by contrasting light and dark colors.
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Planning |
The first part of my planning consisted of analyzing my inspiration piece by Artemisia Gentileschi, Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy. In this piece, the facial expressions of Mary Magadalene along with the warm red and yellow tones used in her skin contribute to the warm and relaxed feeling of the piece. These are components that I wanted to use in my piece as well to achieve a similar blissful mood. While these colors are used in Mary Magdalene's skin tone, more cool colors such as blue are contrasted with these colors. The warm and cooI colors contributing to the foreground of the piece are all contrasted by the deep black of the background. I also noticed the position that Mary Magdalene sits suggests comfort as well.
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I also then began to consider elements of Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy that I did not want in my own work. One instance of this is that there is an element of sensuality in Mary Magdalene's exposed shoulder. I decided I did not want this in my piece, as I wanted the focus to be more on the blissful feeling felt by the figure in the painting as well as the colors and techniques that constitute this feeling. While I wanted the ruffled and smooth texture of Mary Magdalene's shirt, I wanted the shirt of the figure in my painting to be more modern to reflect the time that I am living in. Finally, I also planned to add an element that is not present in Gentileschi's work. This included the addition of flowers, as they symbolize growth and contribute to the warm and relaxed mood of the painting. This addition of flowers also reflects in other works of mine.
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Process |
I then began building up the different warm tones seen similarly in Mary Magdalene's face in Gentileschi's Mary Magdalalene in Ecstasy. The more red color acted as a way to create shadows and the illusion of depth on the face. This process became similar when building up color in the flowers as well. After placing highlights, I would add darker colors to create depth and shadows. I then began adding darker black values to create the contrast between elements that appeared closer to eye and elements further away.
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The process for each flower included adding red and then filling in darker shades of red along with black to create depth. For painting the hands, I initially started building up a very light orange color. I then began adding more red into the hands similar to my inspiration piece. The addition of warm colors into the hands also helped to differentiate the hands from the gray tones used in the shirt next to the hands.
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Experimentation |
Critique |
Similarities:
Composition in similar throughout both works. Both the figures in my work and Artemisia Gentileschi's Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy sit in a relaxed position with their hands crossed atop their knees. This position contributes to the feeling of bliss spread in the piece. Warm colors such as red and yellow are used similarly in both pieces. In the works, red and yellow are applied to create the skin tones of the figures. These warm colors contribute to the eased mood of the pieces, but also are contrasted with the cooler dark values of the background. The use of Chiaroscuro is similar in both works as well. In the pieces, brighter colors in the foreground are contrasted with dark values of the background. The backgrounds of the works are very dark, with some places appearing completely black. Differences: While my piece contains similar details with folds in the shirt, the shirt in my piece appears more modern to reflect the time I live in. This contrasts the shirt in Gentileschi's work which appears to be from the 1600s. Gentileschi's work contains a hint of sensuality. This is achieved in the plunging neckline of the shirt Mary Magdalene is wearing. However, in my piece, the shirt I wear does not plunge and instead covers my shoulders to eliminate the sense of sensuality. In my work, there is an addition of flowers protruding up around me, however this is not present in Gentileschi's work. The flowers in my work symbolize growth and comfort. Also, they reference another project I have done. |
Reflection |
My piece, Ava in Ecstasy, was inspired by Artemisia Gentileschi's Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy. Overall, I was able to apply warm colors to create skintones in a similar way to Gentileschi. In addition, I learned about chiaroscuro and how to apply it. In my piece I achieved this by contrasting the light hues constituting my skintone with the dark values of the background. This placed emphasis upon myself in the painting and the flowers surrounding me. Although different from elements of Gentileschi's paintings, I was also able to add flowers to my painting which symbolize the growth that I have achieved. This contributes to the theme of bliss and peace that is created with other elements of the painting. My painting was similar to that of Gentileschi in the way of approaching the blissful mood. I was able to shape this mood by including similar composition and color use to Gentileschi. While this was an interesting process, it was also challenging. It was difficult to see, at times, how bright or intense to make a color before applying it. However, as the process progressed, I also learned more about colors and their application.
ACT Questions |
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
My inspiration was Artemisia Gentileschi's Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy. My work has been influenced by that of Gentileschi, as I implement a similar use of compostion, warm colors, and chiaroscuro. What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration? The author makes assumptions on what Gentileschi's intentions were for each of her pieces. The author suggests the objects surrounding the figures in her paintings give insight into the role of the figure. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration? In the 1600s, paintings were typically more focused around the roles of men and did not necessarily include women. What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?. My theme revolves around the notion of happiness and bliss. What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research? I inferred that many paintings existing in the 1600s involved religious figures. I also inferred it was pretty rare for women to paint and offer commentary through their art. |
Citations (MLA) |
“Artemisia's Magdalene in Ecstasy - Google Arts & Culture.” Google, Google, https://artsandculture.google.com/story/artemisia-39-s-magdalene-in-ecstasy-the-national-gallery-london/9QWRm22VDbb1vg?hl=en.
“Gentileschi Paintings, Bio, Ideas.” The Art Story, https://www.theartstory.org/artist/gentileschi-artemisia/#:~:text=Summary%20of%20Artemisia%20Gentileschi&text=Following%20in%20the%20footsteps%20of,center%20of%20all%20her%20images. Wpengine. “The Priceless Legacy of Artemisia Gentileschi, Baroque Woman Artist.” Art Herstory, 19 Feb. 2022, https://artherstory.net/the-priceless-legacy-of-artemisia-gentileschi/. |