The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali
Dali applied the concept of surrealism, which featured the element of surprise, "unforeseen comparisons, and irreverent humor". Truly, it is surprising. This famous piece is known for its unique portrayal of time as well as the technique used. The Persistence of Memory shows pocket watches melting slowly on inanimate objects like the tree and the rock. One part of the painting is covered in sunlight while the other is covered in shadow. Dali used the concept of hard and soft in this painting. The melting watches refer to time as eternal and the rocks as reality. In this artwork, he combined inanimate objects with time and reality, and this strong technique led to its many interpretations by experts.
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A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat
Seurat used pointillism as his technique for this painting. He took extra care in the making of this masterpiece. The painting shows. There is balance in the painting; the river on the left is occupied by yachts and boats while on the right there are large figures such as the woman with the umbrella. Seurat uses a blending technique and defined shadows according to the color they come into contact with. For example, if the woman’s skirt is blue, there is a blue shadow cast on the ground. One of the unique and strongest points of the piece is his use of light. The glory of the sun basking the people and objects in the painting is portrayed accurately. Hence, Seurat’s technique was strong and impactful because of the unique use of light and shadows.
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Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer
The painting shows a girl looking over her shoulder and gazing at the viewer, appearing lost in thought. The way she looks catches the attention of the viewer. It makes the viewer feel like she turned her head to see the viewer. A highlight of the painting is the pearl earring, which was made up at most two brush strokes. Vermeer uses his iconic ultramarine in the top of the turban, in the neck and on the end of the hanging cloth. His uses of colors and light resulted in a three-dimensional effect as well as a glowing effect on the girl’s skin due to a special blend of creamier tones. He uses fine stokes that are linear and have strong definition. The technique used in this painting has a strong effect on the viewer.
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Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez
The painting precisely signifies the the upper class in that time. It depicts a girl in an artist’s studio, most likely Diego Velazquez. By her side and around her are her ladies-in-waiting, some dwarves, two adults and a dog. In the artwork, she is the main focus. This can be seen by her almost-white dress as well as the light streaming in from the window, which falls on her more than the other figures. Velazquez can be seen in the painting holding his palette and a brush in his left and right hand respectively. The complication of the painting stands out because of the way lighting is used, the almost life-sized figures and the position of the surrounding figures. The unusual illusion of reality in the painting shows the strength in technique of the artist.
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