Monday, June 2, 2014

Brent Tabuso (Canaletto, The Grand Canal) Getty Center visit


Tabuso, Brent
T-Th 1:00-4:20/3:30

(Canaletto, The Grand Canal, 1738 oil on canvas) at The Getty Center
Canaletto was born in Venice, on October 28, 1697. He learned art from his father who drew theatrical scenes. Canaletto would follow in his father’s footsteps and be known for painting the city and everyday people. In his painting of The Grand Canal, Canaletto Captures the use of perspective, line, and light and shadow.
The use of one point perspective creates the feeling of everything converging to the middle-right of the painting.  Using perspective in this way helps the painting to become more realistic and logical. Helps the viewer’s eye identify what is close to us and what is far or at an angle. He also uses perspective with the boats, showing that the boats that are closer are bigger and more detailed. Versus the boats that are farther and smaller with less detail.
Line work in the windows and the shingles on top of the roofs gives off a sense of things being elongated. The lines used within the reflection help make the painting feel bigger then it is, similar to how mirrors are used in houses to make the room appear bigger. The use of line in the water I didn’t like, I felt it looked fake and forced.
I felt the light and shadowing was well executed. The building to the right is being casted with a shadow that helps make the painting realistic. Also the light in the clouds I felt had a logical feel to it. Each window, roof or reflection has a shadow that helps bring the colors out. Almost like an outlined effect. This outlined effect I feel is heighted due to the lack of line in the upper part of the painting. The sky and the city create this natural separation that compliment each other.
Canaletto’s work in the Grand Canal is really inspiring. His attention to detail really shows in this painting. This is one of the paintings that really caught my eye while I was there; paintings like this are reminders to stay on course with the detail. Details can be boring and frustrating at time but in the end will pay off if done right.

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