Rachael CarterARTH 1

EXTRA CREDIT

Art isn’t just a pretty piece hanging on the wall, it’s a way of life, it is life. You

can’t go a day without passing a piece of art. Everything around you has meaning,

color, design, form, texture, and even an artist. When this assignment was given, I

already knew that this was going to be a challenge because walking into a museum

is an overwhelming arrangement of color, shape, and design. Fortunately I learned

all about art in high school through my mother. She not only was my AP Art teacher

but she has a past with art and art history.

About a month ago I took a trip downtown with her and ended up going to

the Mint Museum Uptown. The exhibits collection was all about American Art;

which was informing because it had pieces from about the 1600’s to date. Many

pieces stood out and I sketched and critiqued them, but one that I became fond of

was “St. Cecila, A Portrait (Mrs. Richard Crowninshield Derby). The piece not only

had great use of art elements and principles, but it also had a unique history

following it.

Artist John Singleton Copley was commissioned by London’s social elite,

Martha Crowninshield Derby to paint her portrait. It became a monumental painting

of oil on canvas. He set her up in a luxurious furnished room with tasteful clothing.

He wanted to demonstrate her musical talent with the harp; however he also

wanted to use this instrument to share her grace and poise.

Although every piece I came across in this museum was perfect and unique in

its own way, this piece I chose because it was mysterious and captivating. The

darkness with the red and the white dress pulled in my interest. My eyes were first

Rachael CarterARTH 1

EXTRA CREDITdrawn to the woman in the pure white dress playing the harp; however along the

asymmetrical axis, my eyes carried up towards the angels. The beauty and

creativeness of the angels proved the artists ability to change up just a normal set up

and picture and made it his own. The angels were originally in a background or

canvas, but he used the space to his advantage and brought them to life, as if they

were floating right out of the canvas, a type of surrealism. The use of color and

contrast was also an element the artist used to his advantage because he used deep

reds and black to create a dark contrast in the upper right corner, but he used

whites, pinks, and yellow tones to contradict the darkness and cause the importance

and focal points to stand out.

The woman’s features showed her delicateness. Around the 1700’s women

were known for their pure and innocence, this is where the white dress and

porcelain skin come in. Her face and eyes carry a look of wonder, but the face of the

angels shows interest and enjoyment. The layout of this entire portrait was creative

in space and layout. Instead of just a simple portrait of a woman playing a harp,

Copley used the surroundings and furnishings as an active background.

His use of his medium, proved his knowledge and expertise of oil on canvas.

Up close you can see the layering and blending, and even the strokes; but in

comparison to artists like Van Gogh, his placement and technique are cleaner and

more precise. The emphasis of the woman playing the harp was the focal point, and

the white dress made her stand out even more. There was no negative space, Copley

used every inch to his advantage and expressed his talent through this.

Rachael CarterARTH 1

EXTRA CREDITThis is the first piece I have ever seen by this artist and I am now interested

in his work. He captured my attention out of a museum full of pieces; that must say

something about his talent, creativity, and brush use.