Harry Diamond Portrait Francis Bacon – Strong, distinct style. In this way the artist’s identity is more prominent and overpowering than any other aspect of the work. His style gives birth to his intention. Artist O Sitter Queen Elizabeth I, Coronation Portrait ? A artist Unknown All of Queen Elizabethan portraits fall under this same category She had complete and all control and say in the representation Of her portraits during this time, due to the nature Of her reign. Viewer Artist Peter Eely ? “Nell Gwynne” Lover of King Charles II primary sitter commissioned the work for own personal viewing pleasure.
Sitter O Viewer Note: When viewing and analyzing an artwork, always look out for the Conventions used and also read and make sense Of the Sign Systems in the images 2 Portrait Painters Examined: In analyzing Lucien Freud & A Andy W roll we will look at 1. 2. 3. 4. Choice of subject Their approach to making the work Their approach to the subject Their respective contravention of convention Lucien Freud l. His subjects are usually connected to his l, immediate personal life, He paints his wives, daughters, friends but also rarely high profile people among artists which are commissioned.
His style is raw, truthful, slow and tedious, Subjects: Leigh Bowers Performance artist and friend -Francis Bacon Artist For Freud is a matter of intimacy and relationships VS. the consumerism and commodities which Whorl’s work is centered around. Andy Warhol His subjects are people Who present themselves as ‘ideal constructed images’ already to themselves and to the world. It is a prerequisite that they are associated With fame, glamour and wealth. Warhol works With publicity images and images which are easily mass produced or mass producible.
Subjects: Marilyn Monroe Actress and Singer – V Aladdin Lenin Marxist Revolutionary Mao Sedona Chinese Communist – Liz Millennial Actress and Singer Freud makes use of a gestures style with very thickly applied paint, obvious brush marks, he builds the paint up over a prolonged period of time (comparable to clay modeling). With the use of this technique the viewer can sense a trace of the artist. Freud uses a scrutinizing method of looking and intensely studying his subject over a long period of time in order to achieve the mood and feel of his works.
The scale to his works are rather small considering the amount of months and hours a day which he invests in creating the actual works. The size and time both substantiate the level of intimacy involved in the final portrait. – Acute observation – painter’s attitude embedded in work – Change and time is captured Expressionistic/emotional splurge When Warhol creates a work or more specifically a portrait, the model arrives at his studio (called the Factory- significant due to the nature of the work he produces) and has a min photo shoot, executed with a Polaroid camera with standard lighting and composition.
Warhol will then retreat to work on the image himself, normally applying drastic changes in terms Of eliminating flaws and vying the subject a ‘generic’ and ‘flawless’ idealistic look to them- he gives the surface a ‘skin deep’ treatment Which appears cosmetic. His mechanical style is an accurate representation of his superficial relationship with the subjects of his work. – He makes use Of speedy reproduction styles, making use Of screen printing and lithographs. Large scale works, even billboard sized – Poster-like quality Reiterating facade, uniformity, standardization and advertising. By the very nature of the process of Whorl’s work his intention is born. Again, although drastically opposite in style and intension, with Warhol as with Freud, they sit in he main seat of power and control over the outcome of their own work. Warhol approaches the sitter with a very precise and mechanical process. Through this process he reflects the superficiality of his relationship with the sitter and the world’s relationship with the sitter.
Through every step tooth process from the IS minute walk in “glamour” photo shoot with a Polaroid camera, to the end product which is usually overwhelmed with incorrect registration of the screen prints and ridiculous bright colors masking the subject’s faces, Warhol intentionally makes comment on the American pop, Although Fraud’s process of creating a portrait was a slow and tedious method which was executed over many months and therefore a certain level Of intimacy was 3. Obtained between him and the subject, as well as him allowing for the subject to choose their own positions in Which they felt comfortable to pose in for that extended period of time, Freud always had a tight sense of control in his studio. Even when viewing his paintings one can sense Objectification of the subject. It is difficult to get away from the feeling that the sitter has to some extent been reduced to a ‘piece of flesh’. One can sense uneasiness and defensiveness in the body language of the sitters. Freud said, “A painter must think of everything he sees as being there for his own use and pleasure. Freud removes the subject from any possible context except that which is his studio, he strips them bare, literally, In the case of Fraud’s position to power in the Triad, he almost definitely always has 4. The most power and control, extending beyond the subject’s and the viewers. His style, method and intension is so overwhelming that it becomes the centre of observation and mood, 4, On the contrary to conventional portraiture, which s named in order to create status and recognition, Freud rarely names his works after the sitter.
He tends to give his works mundane titles, ‘The lady”, ‘The Pat Man”. Also these are titles broadly associated with everyone. Freud makes use of his studio setting alone, not relying on the facade of objects and material substance to give meaning to his portraits. Freud confirms convention with his very technical style and method of looking and painting, his method is labouringly and requires a high level of skill and understanding of the medium. The medium which he works with is oil paint, a convention within itself.
Although his method of layering and building up the paint is not so conventional. Consumerist culture. In terms Of Whorl’s work, it is not breaking convention working With rich and famous people as the subjects for portraiture but what breaks convention is the way in which he uses these ‘glamorous’ people to fulfill his intention. His medium is quick and easily reproducible and at the time was a very unconventional medium and method for portraiture in particular.
Warhol also intentionally allowed for ‘mistakes’ in his final prints. The colors were wrong, oversized and the register was often not lined up correctly at all. This aspect of his work reiterates his stance about consumerist, material values. In many senses Warhol denatured the subjects. Ironically, as so often happens, Warhol eventually became the convention and system which he was so boldly commenting on. Challenging conventions, eventually we redefine conventions and the relationship to genre.
