The piece of art chosen for a critical visual analysis is Birds of Paradise, painted by Frits van Eeden, in 1997. Eeden was born in 1944 in Tilburg, Holland and later went on to become an internationally recognized artist (Biography: Frits Rudolf Alexander Van Eeden 2011). He attended "De Vrije School” that stimulated his creative mind and enhanced his artistic skills. World Art Critics and shows recognize the work done by Frits. The art analysis will follow the guideline set by Jones (1) and describe the factual and visual components of the art in the first part and describe those elements to make a convincing narrative. Thus the first part well focus on the objective analysis and the second part on the subjective.Birds of Paradise - Frits R.A. van Eeden 1997 When one looks at the art work, they can easily make out white birds standing next to each other but in different poses. The first part will focus on the objective analysis and the second part on the subjective.Objective analysis There are strong splashes of color on the canvas that looks in very good condition. The title of the work is “Birds of Paradise” and when one hears those words, they expect the canvas to show some birds in a glorious mood that reflect paradise. The artist, Frits Rudolf Alexander Van Eeden made the artwork in 1997 and he has used acrylic paint on the canvas. Acrylic medium is easy to use and there are great possibilities with this medium that can help create works of great beauty. The polymer transparencies of the acrylic make them suitable for different art projects seeking transparency and rich jewel-like colors as stated by Kendrick (5). Frits was perhaps looking for an easy medium to work with that could bring out the rich transparency he was looking for in his work on “Birds of Paradise.” Acrylic pigment are known to be one of the best colorants for creating transparencies and the artist seems to have exploited the medium to the full.
Every artist makes an artwork for a reason. However, there are no clear answers behind what motivated Frits to create “Birds of Paradise.” The definition of art has changed with time and has become subjective and debatable.Visual analysis The first central observation made by looking at “Birds of Paradise” is a fusion of colors and contrasts. Those birds of paradise are bright and cheerful. There are six white birds standing next to each other in arrow and cover the whole canvas. Frits has used white color for the birds that are outlined with black and make a sharp contrast with the reds, blues, yellows and greens of the background. Five of the birds look at each other and two of them have their head turned towards the other side, looking at the three birds that are in turn looking back at them. One of the birds lowers its neck in a downward position gracefully, as if looking for something in the grass below. The artists hasn’t made the legs of the birds very clearly but their heads, necks and wings are done clearly.
As the artwork resembles birds from real life, it falls under the category of representational art. Still, it is not a realistic work on birds as the artwork moves towards semi-abstractedness (Fussell 2016). While the birds look real, but they are partly representational and simplified to move towards abstraction. The way the artists has simplified the bodies of the birds and his use of colors makes the artwork semi-abstract in nature. The Genres painting are established as history, portraiture, genre painting; landscapes and still life. Still Life painting is concerned with the representation of objects such as flowers, fruits, along with animals and humans (Hierarchy of the Genres 2016). As the artwork by Frits is a representation of birds, it falls under the genre of still life.
“Birds of Paradise” is a non-narrative artwork as it does not tell a story. It could be a bunch of birds form anywhere, simply standing in a group. However, the artwork could mean different meanings to different viewer. In other words it could be rad differently.
When analyzing “Birds of Paradise” visually, the most important element that grabs the attention are the bird and the colors of the canvas. The texture of the work looks smooth and yet angular because of the way those brushstrokes and lines are created on the canvas.
The lines used by the artist in “Birds of Paradise” are vigorous and forceful. One can see straight lines and curved lines holding the lemons of the artwork, whether it is the birds or the backgrounds done in different colors. The eyes are forced to move with the lines and evaluate as to what they are trying to represent. The lines add to the illusion and develop 2-D forms. They are thick and thin and can get blurry at times, as and when required.
Just like the lines, Frits has made use of powerful brush strokes to fill in the artwork. He uses white to display the birds and adds tints of gray and green brush strokes to create shadows and add depth. The brush strokes follow the angle of the lines and at times are done in different shades to create shadows among the feathers and legs of the birds. “Birds of Paradise” carries two layers, one holds the birds and the other is the background filled with abstract colors. Both background and the foreground carry an importance in this work. On one hand, the viewer gets absorbed by the figures of the birds standing clause to each other and the very next moment he is taken in by the fusions of colors in the background. The relationship between the birds and background is strong and clear.
There is no symmetrical arrangement seen in the “Birds of Paradise.” The six birds are simply standing next to each other in a linear arrangement and one of them is kneeling down. The birds are aching their necks in different directions and seem to be communicating with each other. The shapes and forms display them in a close connectedness and are non-geometrical and taken from natural objects. The way the birds are standing forces the viewer to know as to what they are doing or saying to each other. They are standing in water as one can see the reflections of the reads and blues below.
There are no sharp shadows or lights in “Birds of Paradise”, but the colors emanate a kind of brightness. The artists has created a darker background in the shades of people and reds at the top while deep green and blues in the lower part. The string of birds splash a color of white across the canvas in the middle. The artists uses deeper tints of color to create highlights and shadows.
The color palette of “Birds of Paradise” is bright and the dominant colors are warm and cool, both. The main color that dominates the canvas is the white color of the birds. There is a blend of analogous colors that complement each other. The vibrant colors look quite ordinary when alone but look striking when placed with another complementing color. When those colors are placed next to next each, they reinforce each other as state by Wolfrom (32). Some examples of yellow and violet, reds and blues, magenta and green. The results are lovely hues when complementary colors are placed next to each other, such as in the “Birds of Paradise.” The sky seems to be filled with the vibrant hues of nature that show the white birds in a stronger contrast.
When looking at the artwork, there is a sense of strong movement and tension on the canvas. It is as if the birds are going to take the next step or make a movement. A kind of tension spreads across the canvas.
The focal point of “Birds of Paradise” are the birds and the colorful background they are placed in. The viewer focuses on the heads of each bird, and how the strokes of colors and line run parallel to their movements. Frits has created the right balance in the artwork, although there is no symmetry. The volume of white color doesn’t overpower the colors in the background and yet reach of those birds has a strong identity of its own. The size of the birds are roughly the same length and create a kind of rhythm on the canvas with the way they place their long slender necks close to each other. There is a repetition of the same form but from different perspectives. For example, the heads and necks of the birds are curved in different angles and their pointed beaks strike out in a variety of ways.
The artist applies the concepts of unity and variety during the design process. For example, he uses the theme of birds and shows them in different ways to add variety. There is no excessive ornamentation seen here, only use of a simplicity of expression. The birds are drawn in simple and angled strokes and those colors are used in strong strokes to add volume and atmosphere.
Works Cited
"Biography: Frits Rudolf Alexander Van Eeden." fritsvaneeden. 2011. Web. 21 March. 2016.
Fussell, Matt."Types of Visual Art." thevirtualinstructor. 2016. Web. 21 March. 2016.
"Hierarchy of the Genres (c.1669-1900)." Encyclopedia Of Art History. 2016. Web. 21 March. 2016.
Jones, Lars R. "Guide to the Descriptive Visual Analyses of Works of Art." Iowa 1.1 (2013): 1- 6. Print.
Kendrick, Inez A. "Acrylic Polymer Transparencies." Portland State University 1.1 (1972 1-45. Print.
Wolfrom, Joen. "The Magical Effects of Color." C&T Publishing Inc 1.1 (1992): 1-128. Print.
