Blacksmith's Shop by: Joseph Wright

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Joseph Wright of Derby is well known for his intriguing method used in his “Blacksmiths Shop” painting. He produced five series, pictures of the blacksmith’s shops between 1771 and 1773, were he incorporated a small piece of gold leaf onto a “white under layer of a picture” (David H.). The first version was purchased by Lord Melbourne which is now housed in The Yale Centre for British Art, New Haven, Connecticut. The picture you see here is his second version of a Blacksmith’s Shop. Joseph Wright referred to these pieces as “Night Pieces” “emphasizing their romantic elements” (David H.).  Although his methods were unusual they were original “a scientific masterpiece.” His painting depicted three blacksmiths crafting what appeared to be a horse shoe during the night.

Wright a pupil and protégé of Sir Joshua; gained a reputation within a seven year period as a local artist in London without influential patrons. He was interested in the effects of dramatic light (from candles, lamps, and the reflection of the moon). His interests were along the same lines of; “the new scientific philosophical [ideals] of industrial developments in the Midlands” (David H.). His Blacksmith painting was thought to have been created in the summer or autumn of 1770. The method used for Joseph Wright’s Blacksmith’s Shop, was the covering of a narrow strip of metal, in which a thick (opaque) layer of Naples yellow was applied. This created the luminous effect, which was the compositions focal point. The method was not revealed until two centuries later where it underwent a technical examination.

The most intriguing thing to me about this painting aside from the luminous lighting effects; are those things the light emphasizes; the two blacksmiths facing the observer standing in front of the bright metal are highlighted thoroughly. The blacksmith with his back toward the viewer is highlighted as well. But in a more darken light, so the viewer gets a sense of transition, the contrast from extreme bright light to dim low lighting, gradually receding into an opaque darkness. The building itself drives a very dramatic effect. In fact it complements the focal point of the painting; illustrating the remaining light that’s not being hovered over, as reflecting onto the walls softly highlighting small details of the surrounding area. The observer then gets a small, minute view of the buildings architectural design.

Of course the additional lighting of the outside sky depicts the moon shielded behind a cluster of dark clouds. The painting itself aside from the three blacksmiths, indicate several more characters lurking in the dark. One version is of a teen boy covering his face as he turns away from the bright metal. The second, which is the one you see here, is of a young girl mimicking the same action in front of people assumed to be her parents appearing next to her. In addition there is a young boy peeping between the two adults. A woman on the left closes to the blacksmiths mending the strip of metal, and man on the right sitting with a hood covering his face. The woman’s body is highlighted by the glowing strip of metal while the man presence recedes into the darkness.

http://www.jstor.org.ezp.lib.cwu.edu/stable/pdfplus/871444.pdf

http://www.jstor.org.ezp.lib.cwu.edu/stable/pdfplus/10.1525/rep.2003.83.1.167.pdf

http://www.europeana.eu/portal/record/09405u/06459D2BD15506EECD22679231A1331B1D78AA11.html

Joseph Wright's Early Subject Pictures

Benedict Nicolson

The Burlington Magazine , Vol. 96, No. 612 (Mar., 1954), pp. 72+74-80

Published by: The Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd.

Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/871444

Joseph Wright of Derby and the Sublime Art of Labor

David H. Solkin

Representations , Vol. 83, No. 1 (Summer 2003), pp. 167-194

Published by: University of California Press

Article DOI: 10.1525/rep.2003.83.1.167

Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/rep.2003.83.1.167

Baroque Art

Baroque art is characterized by propaganda and “deliberately evokes intense emotional response from the viewer” (p.712). It is dramatically driven with theatrical compositions and compiled with several different Medias within a particular work in which artists display their talents. Baroque art has its own ideal and principals of classicism. Its idealizations are based on observations in the material world. Baroque compositions are often asymmetrical (uneven, unbalanced or lopped-sided), though “diagonal…in space” it is rich to harmonious colors with visual reference to ancient Greece and Rome. Artist of the seventeenth Baroque period created lifelike paintings, depictions of their world. Genres for paintings were scenes of everyday life, still life and paintings of inanimate objects such as food, fruit or flowers.

The role of the viewer changed in the 17^th century, Italian Renaissance was about the visual possibilities of perspective and idealism of form. This was valued and kept viewers at a distance. Baroque artists wanted to engage all viewers as participants in the works of art. For example artists in Catholic countries depicted scenes of passionate spiritual life of religious ecstasy to inspire viewers to renew their faith. Protestant countries displayed images of communal parades and city views; this was meant to inspire pride in “civic accomplishments.” These works of art engaged and drew the viewer in visually and emotionally.

Artist in 17th century rejected and incorporate Renaissance ideals (such as humanism, naturalism, idealism, and visual harmony). Bernini DAVID for example very much holds an idealistic view for anatomy an ideal young man. His David displays a mescaline body etc with humanistic lifelike qualities. Of course the sculpture is a bit more modest than Michelangelo’s DAVID because the genital are not exposed. Bernini’s version lacks the Renaissance ideal of naturalism in his DAVID’s posture. It is an unnatural but realistic movement. There is an unbalance of harmony in Bernini’s DAVID’s twisted body, which appears to be in-motion.  The sculpted figure is also tarnished, realistically dirty from battle. Oppose to Michelangelo’s DAVID, which is clean and motionless in a contrappasto posture. His David does not appear to be or have been in battle. Michelangelo’s sculpture is also humanistic because it posse lifelike qualities of an individual, as well as accurate bodily description of anatomy. It is hormonally balanced, natural in its posture and ideal in appearance according to the renaissance era.

Bernini’s DAVID and Michelangelo’s DAVID are similar ideally in anatomy and humanistic features. But they differ naturalistically, somewhat ideally, and in visual hormonal balance. Michelangelo’s David compared to Bernini’s is lifeless, a still life of events of the past. His David is depicted more as a statue rather than an actual life-filled being. Bernini’s David on the other hand appears to be filled with life. Its twisted body in motion depicting an event of the past brought into the present. Engaging the viewers, making them fill emotionally drawn to the battle of a historical event. Bernini’s David sparks drama and emotion opposed to Michelangelo’s version. Which is more of a classical display of pre historic era?

Protestant Reformation/Northern Europe

Protestant Reformation of arts in northern Europe begins in about 1660. Artists are moving away from religious images and reformation is taking place due to political and religious strife. This greatly impacted artists some who even found their careers ended. When the Protestantism came to power widespread iconoclasm began taking place. Sculptures and stained glass windows were destroyed. Religious paintings where whitewashed from churches, things they considered idols. Artist turned to portraiture, secular subjects such as “moralizing depictions of human folly and weaknesses, still life” (p.679) Artists subject matter was now paintings of inanimate objects, landscapes and natural life. Unlike before where you had grand portraits of wealthy patrons and Kings, the view shifted toward peasant life etc.

Works like the Nymph of the spring by artist Lucas Cranach the Elder began being produced. Provocative subject matter, were place in front of vast landscapes. This seemed to be the ideal style during the Reformation “Earthly beauty”. Unlike Catholic art this new style idealizes fantasy and eroticism, peasant life and landscapes verses realism, naturalism, religious scripture and stories. It also strays away from the mannerist style the “Nymph of the spring” has no twisted features, exaggerated postures or body parts. Instead the images are settling and balanced unlike most mannerist art.

Two works of art stood out to me during this time period, Hans Baldung Grien “Death and the Matron and B. Pieter Bruegel the Elder “The Harvesters”. Death and the Matron is a very dark depiction of human psychological emotion. Here you have a woman in a natural state of bliss with who she thinks is her lover, only to find out its death instead. It’s very twisted and bazar unlike anything you would find in Catholic based art. This mixture of life and death partaking in a natural act of procreation, or human pleasure is very strange and distasteful. It makes the viewer ponder about what is really going on in this image. Is she dreaming? Has death come to claim her but in more ways than one? Or is it her lover and he doesn’t realize he’s dead? These are the types of question that come to mind when viewer this image “Death and the Matron”.

The Harvesters is a favorite of mine, a simple depiction of men and women working and resting in a wheat field. There is a large emphasis on the landscape which makes your eye wonder throughout the painting. This is definitely different from the ideal Renaissance style of Art, it drastically differ from the mannerist style. The painting is a realistic depiction and is very much a natural life style at that time. But it still differs from naturalism and realism in the Renaissance due to the lack of detail in the anatomy of the characters in the painting.  Both of these paintings represent the Protestant Reformation of arts in northern Europe.  They lack idolism, naturalism and realistic anatomy instead they represent natural depictions of everyday life, peasants, landscaping exoticism fantasy and struggle.