Art History: What do your eyes not see?

Written by Anna Lam

Have you ever been to a museum or seen a movie scene set in one? If so, does it ever make you wonder why people take so long looking at a portrait? 

It's a universal experience as a child to wonder why people are so invested in looking at a portrait. After all, why wouldn't we? From the perspective of a quick passerby, our judgment determines art, whether it is pretty or not. However, art enthusiasts aren't crazy; they notice details beyond a quick glance. Every element within the painting tells a small piece of its story. In this article, I will take you into the eyes of these art enthusiasts in analysing art to formulate a story and how you can do it yourself.

The Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s 1767 painting. At first glance, the woman centered in the portrait will capture your attention. She's happy, swinging in the air, feeling free. How does this make you feel? A sense of freedom and ease, perhaps. Look to the right-hand side; there's a man holding the reins of her swing, pushing it back and forth. His happy suggestion implies he is her husband. However, the lady's eyes are directed elsewhere, most likely at the gentleman hiding in the bushes in the bottom right corner. The action of someone hiding in the bush already implies that this meeting is meant to be secret, but also the direction where he's looking... It further suggests that this is her lover. 

Upon closer analysis, the ropes of the swings, ragged, loose, almost as if they're about to snap, suggest the fragility of the state of her marriage. Her husband holds onto the reins of the swing, which could symbolize his persistence in keeping their relationship close. However, the lady's actions differ, barely holding onto the reins. Overall, this could suggest that she wants "out" of their relationship.

Other details, like the barking dogs, which, for context, symbolized fidelity, suggest disapproval of her actions or acknowledge her unjust behaviour. Another detail you can look into is the Cupid with a finger-over-lips expression. At the time ( this is also context as well ), the Cupid in the painting resembles the menacing Cupid statue created by Etienne-Maurice, commissioned by the King of France ( Louis the 15th ) for his mistress. I will let you interpret that in whatever way you like

Therefore, zooming out, this portrait narrates a secret love affair or forbidden love.

Now, how can YOU analyse portraits in a museum like this? Every portrait is meant to tell a story. The painter did not spend over 100 hours on a portrait for nothing, so there must be some meaning behind it, and here's how you can do it as well.

Step 1: The Elements

Don't stress about anything too much now, but direct your attention to what is currently in the portrait. What items are there? Who are present? Where are you? What's the time?

Step 2: The Style

Ok, now that you've got that sorted out, what's the composition like? By composition, I mean what's the shape/form/textures being used. Is it soft, is it sharp, is it edgy? These can all help you interpret the paintings better, so stay with me. Look at the colours; do they have a specific palette? This is an interesting one: is there light, shadows, or, in general, where is the source of light and where is it pointing? Finally, what is dominating the space of the canvas? Is it the people who are on there? Is it the items or is it the place?

By this point, you should hopefully get an idea about what your painting is about.

Step 3: CONTEXT

This is what I consider the most important.  You will need context about the background of this painting to try to understand what the painter is trying to convey. 

• The artist’s full name. Find out more about who he is, his personality, and what his life is like.

• The artwork's title. This could give you clues on what the painting is or an idea on its metaphorical symbol.

• The artwork's date of creation. CONTEXT.CONTEXT. CONTEXT. I'll give you an example: if a picture of loads of food and happy people was painted during a time of great famine, this could suggest the painting is portraying the upper class. Search what events were happening during that year or that time

• The artwork's medium and support. 

• Then, typically, how it entered that collection.

Step 4: Piecing

Now, you have the items, the composition, the context. Everything you need to start analysing and putting things together. Always ask yourself, why? Why did the painter do this? What is this colour scheme meant to evoke? Just question everything, because most likely the painter is doing this deliberately.

No matter what, though, your personal reading of the work- your imaginative bridging of the story's gaps, your emotional response to it- that’s just as valid as the one the artist intended.

To leave you off and hopefully see if you have applied this knowledge. Here's a portrait that I want you to test out.

It's called The Silent Voice (circa 1893) by the British artist Gerald Moira, oil on canvas. 

Good luck! And who knows, it might show up on a trivia or a pastime activity you can do when you're bored. Also, you can say it's a fun fact about you during ice-breakers.