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The Clubfoot Boy by Jusepe de Ribera,
oil on canvas, 1642.
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Art...has the power to make any spot on earth the living center of the universe; and
unlike science, which often gives us the illusion of understanding things we
really do not understand, it helps us to know life in a way that still keeps
before us the mystery of things.
- William
Steig, Author of Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
The Vertical
The
vertical-horizontal framework remains inherent in visual composition, just as
the measured beat down in music. Obliqueness is always perceived as a
deviation, hence its strongly dynamic character. -Rudolf Arnheim
Most of our physical environment is dominated by vertical
and horizontal elements: both form the backdrop of our lives. These lines are
balanced and rational, and compositions based on these formal directions exist
in art as in life.
The vertical line is an element of resistance against
gravity; as such, it embodies far more energy and vitality than the horizontal
line. We stand upright and
square our shoulders to face challenges; our waking, active life is spent on
our feet; and buildings rise from the ground in confidence. In paintings as well as real world situations,
the vertical is a strong line direction that denotes a measure of power and
assurance.
In Jusepe de Ribera's The Clubfoot Boy, the figure has
been placed in a tall rectangle. By utilizing this format, our eyes travel up
to see him in a position of strength and confidence. Imagine the difference in
the message if he was shown reclining in a long horizontal rectangle. The puckish attitude of the child-beggar would be completely lost.
Hans Holbein's oil painting, The
Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb was shocking due to its feeling of claustrophobia
and static hopelessness. This earth-bound, rectangular composition serves to make the
Christ's subsequent resurrection all the more miraculous.
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The Body of the Dead Christ in the Tomb by Hans Holbein, 1521,
oil and tempera on wood. |
The Diagonal
We are now led to the energetic line that denotes movement
and directionality: the dynamic diagonal. This line creates tension because it
is inherently unstable; it teeters and lunges to add an unpredictable element
to a composition; it cannot be sustained in one place without pushing the eye
ahead to the next area of the work of art. Artistic movements like the Baroque
period are a celebration of emotion and passion--therefore, the diagonal is the
main line motif of this era.
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The Raising of the Cross
by Rubens, oil on canvas, 1610.
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In Rubens' The Raising
of the Cross, the dominant line of the central Christ figure takes the eye
from the lower right to the upper left of the composition. The complementary
strain of the bodies on either side of Christ point our eyes up to him, while the
radiating diagonals extend down from the cross like a grim maypole. This
organization of line allows the composition to be dynamic without becoming chaotic.
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The
Eendracht and a Dutch Fleet of Men-of-War Before the Wind
by Ludolph Backhuysen, oil painting, 1670. |
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In Ludolph Backhuysen's
The
Eendracht and a Dutch Fleet of Men-of-War Before the Wind, the
use of the diagonal conveys the tumultuous movement of wind and waves. The
diagonals are not consistent in their attitude and the different angles do not
seem to lead us anywhere in particular. The artist has achieved flux by not coordinating his diagonals--everything feels slightly off and works to create a feeling of seasickness.
We can intensify the experience of reality in our work by
identifying a dominant sensation. Creating a simple pictorial hierarchy with
our line direction is a good first step to orchestrating a riveting experience
for your viewer: we are able to transcend accuracy and build a dialogue that
will endure throughout the passage of time.
Please look for another article on this
subject in the March 2013 issue of The Artist Magazine.
--Juliette