The 18th century painting, An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump, is made by English painter, Joseph Wright of Derby. This art piece is done in 1768, marking as one of the important paintings in Neoclassicism. The oil-on-canvas painting has a dimension of 183 cm x 244 cm and is currently located in the National Gallery, London, England. It shows how a travelling scientist presented the inventive mechanism of air pump (The National Gallery, 2014). The demonstration attracts the attention of some family as they gather at the table. The focal point of the painting concentrated on an air pump as it works in depriving a cockatoo of its air inside a glass container.
In terms of line and composition, there are figures surrounding the main subject of the painting. But even with such enclosing, there is enough space for the main apparatus to be viewed. The height of the instrument also draws the eye of the viewer from the bird container and down to the container that acts as the light source. The figures are colored in such a way that the interplay of lightness and darkness is dramatically seen. The use of chiaroscuro enforces this technique. Since the moonlight has been blocked from the gathering, the source of light majority comes from the glass container on the table. The light has spread throughout the room and cast interesting shadows on each figure in the scene. With the scattering of the light across the room it enables the painter to effectively apply chiaroscuro by using shadows and darkness to highlight the features and the silhouettes of the individuals and also the interesting reflections on different materials such as the glass containers and some metal parts. The stylistic effect of rendering is close enough in achieving a three-dimensional feel to the painting. And, the variation in color also adds to the realistic approach to color rendering and illustration. Chiaroscuro emphasized the focal point of the painting which is the air pump and the light made the eye move to those surrounding the demonstration. The painting denotes a conflicting relationship of science and morality. It tunnels the ideas of Neoclassicism in scientific pursuits (History of Art, 2014). The air pump represents the advancement of science and technology while the bird represents morality and the importance of life. Wright manages to showcase the wide spectrum of reaction from such demonstration of science. It is interesting to note that in this particular painting, there is no historical figure being depicted. Unlike the previous Romanticism themes, this painting tackles a scientific subject, however this is unlike other scientific illustrations. Although the painting does not take any sides between being pro and anti about science, his intention hinges on the viewer’s perspective on the topic. It can also be said that this conflict is magnified by his use of a cockatoo instead of any ordinary bird. This might imply that the lives that science would cross is valuable and not ordinary. The viewers would be left with things to ponder on about the importance of science and the cost it would take in terms of the lives lost. The painting also illustrates the different possible reactions from this issue. The children show an utmost concern for the bird as it becomes slowly deprived of air while the young men show interest and curiosity for the demonstration. These reactions are the same reactions that the viewing public could have. Some people may be against adding casualties to the advancement of science while some viewers would understand the necessary steps of science for the betterment of the society.
In can be reviewed that Wright considered science as an interesting subject for his paintings. The removal of a historical figure as the central subject gives a new way of challenging the art decorum and also recognizing the increasing importance of science during that period. Although it can be said that most of paintings revolves around a scientific subject, it does not necessarily mean that Wright is a scientific illustrator. The basis of his paintings is still anchored on tackling the subject of the art with feelings and emotional appeal, as seen in this particular painting. To conclude, it seems that the prevailing zeitgeist of the society dictates the interest of painters, as what science is during the advent of the Industrial Revolution. In this way, science and the arts have been combined effective enough to elicit ideas, opinions and conflicting views.
Reference
The National Gallery. (2014). Joseph Wright 'of Derby' | An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump | NG725 | The National Gallery, London. Retrieved from http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/joseph-wright-of-derby-an-experiment-on-a-bird-in-the-air-pump
History of Art,. (2014). History of Art: Neoclassicism - Bertel Thorvaldsen. Retrieved from http://www.all-art.org/history356-5.html
