Analysis Of Ah 201 - Dr. Curtis Kahrin Spear - 814 Words

AH 201 – Dr. Curtis Kahrin Spear Paper III Artwork Analysis Pair 1 Deemed to be one his most famous compositions, Johannes Vermeer, using oil on canvas, created The Allegory of Painting in 1666. A standout piece of Seventeenth Century, this still life representation of a painter in his studio depicts some of the best naturalistic qualities of this era. His usage of light, space, color, and symbolism blends harmoniously to create the perfect illusion. In the foreground we see the painter himself, seated on a wooden stool and dressed in ravishing garments not necessarily suited for this time period. However, his outfit is still thought to be characteristic of a painter. The symbolism behind this atypical attire is unclear, however, perhaps Vermeer chose this style dress as a means to sustain a consistent theme of lavish across the piece. The elegance in the marble flooring, chandelier, and intricate drapery all contribute to this theme. One of the most discussed attributes of this piece is Vermeer’s usage of light and the clever approach he uses to depict the scene and fool the eye of the beholder. As discussed by Miedema in his analysis of this piece, he explains the human eye’s tendency to view artwork similarly to the way one would read text: left to right1. Vermeer, understanding this concept, paints The Allegory of Painting in this manner to lead the eye into the rest of the scene. We see this with the large drapery on the left hand side that hangs into the