Page 27 - Studio International - October 1970

Highlights. The lightest parts of an illumi- of wood and with a hole for the thumb—used Tone. The general colour impression of a
nated object. for setting out the colours. whole painting, as differentiated from 'local
colour'. Thus it can happen that the local
Local colour. The colour-tone which an ob- Renaissance, Rococo. Not without value as a colours are so dominant that the total im-
ject has in itself, without influence of light, rhetoric exclamation. The first word should, pression is lost. In such cases one uses the
shadows or reflexes. of course, be used with enthusiasm; the latter, expression 'disturbed harmony'. The word
however, should be used as a conditioned `tone' can also be used in reference to single
Manner. After years of practice a painter praise, for instance, 'Our young artists can colours.
develops a certain method of drawing and in many aspects learn a lot from the rococo
painting; this is called his 'manner', or style. painters'. This comment never fails, and there Trivial. A term used by detractors about the
If this is exaggerated the term is simply is always some truth in it. opinions of the connoisseur, but which he can
changed to 'mania'. ignore with sublime contempt.
Reflections are those light sections which
Uhm! Expression of silent agreement with a are not caused by direct lighting. If, for in- Conception (i.e., of the subject). With this
well-known connoisseur. May be accompanied stance, a burning candle is reflected in a word much praise or criticism can be con-
with a gentle bow of the head. mirror and this mirror throws the light upon nected; the most usual epithets are 'weak',
an object, this is a reflection. A more de- `sober', 'life-like', 'clear', 'conventional', etc.
Naturalistic; every painter who, without tailed explanation only confuses the con-
regard for the beautiful, copies nature in all noisseur. He need never understand what he Veduta. Painting of a particular landscape,
its details, with unappetizing grease, spots, talks about, and must therefore avoid compli- as differentiated from a fantasy landscape, in
warts and dirty patches. The connoisseur can, cated definitions. which Claude Lorrain and Poussin, and later
in this connection, include a lecture on the Schirmer, were masters. The connoisseur can
eternal value of art, about the degeneration of Raphael. To be mentioned in connection occasionally express his regret that the veduta
idealism and similar subjects which easily with modern Madonna paintings. An expres- landscape has become too dominant.
occur. Recommended for use by young men sion like 'the apostle of beauty' makes a
anxious to get married, in the presence of good impression. Such epithets have a great Certain. One of the most important words,
young ladies. Idealism usually wears well. effect generally; they are winged words which as it has a tone of assurance and does not
summarize the importance of an artist. If the place one under any obligation. 'Certain
Nature study. Can always be strongly connoisseur at the same time can make some colours (or lines, parts, etc.) in the painting
recommended as it is neglected by many witticism it will further improve the expression. remind one of...', or 'A certain originality is
painters. In this connection refer also to required to do this or that,' or 'In certain
Murillo, Holbein, Diirer, etc. Spatula. An instrument for scraping the paint aspects the lighting, conception, colouring
from the palette. Also used for painting clouds and so on is not sufficiently clear'. We wish
Immoral. An expression which can be used or backgrounds. It is then referred to as 'bold' to draw attention to the unlimited potential
about paintings of nude women, which are or brilliant technique. use of this word.
difficult to criticize with regard to drawing
and colour: this word saves trouble and gives Mood is the general atmosphere, the total Anxious: describes a technique which very
the judgement a moral basis, which makes a impression of a painting; to be used specially meticulously attends to every hair or every leaf.
good impression. The painters themselves about landscapes, in relation to the time of
like this epithet, because their work becomes day, morning, evening or afternoon. The last Eyepoint. The point from which an object is
thereby more noticed—even by the ladies. expression can be applied to boring pictures. viewed. A technical term in the science of
perspective. Every object is perceived from a
Perspective. A very dangerous subject, the Talent. After finding fault with the details of certain point and must be painted from this
Scylla and Charybdis of the connoisseur. The of a painting, one can acknowledge that the point only. In order to understand whether
science of perspective deals with the influence painter has talent. the artist has painted from two different
of distance on the size of an object. The greater points, and thus erroneously, one must know
the distance, the smaller seems the object; Thought. In all circumstances unnecessary quite a lot about perspective, but that is not
from this is derived the well-known definition, for a connoisseur. the concern of the connoisseur. In order safely
`Perspective means a diminishing avenue'. to use the word, one should therefore only
This reduction follows fixed geometrical laws Drawing. Like perspective this term is so say, 'The eyepoint is not happily chosen', or
which are so difficult that many artists do not difficult that even some artists do not under- some such phrase. q
know them—a connoisseur still less. Another stand it. The connoisseur, therefore, must not
kind is the aerial or colour perspective, that discuss the particulars but limit himself to
is, observing the change which is caused by generalities and empty phrases: the painter
the atmosphere between the eye of the viewer should not draw with the tip of the brush but
and the object; for instance green mountains with colour tones; the figure may be well
may appear grey or blue. This word must be drawn but badly painted and in this respect
used with care, as with gloves, because it is `the ancients' (see this word) can serve as
full of thorns. Always avoid discussion of this models. In these comments words like 'linear
subject in detail. Great care is recommended perspective', 'foreshortening', and similar
but this can be learned with practice. terms may be inserted. It is not necessary for
the connoisseur to understand them, and if
Pyramidal grouping. Use with confidence he is asked for an explanation he can always
and en passant about biblical and historic say that these terms are impossible to explain
subjects. to somebody who is not well acquainted with
perspective and its basic principles. But to
Palette. An oval or square tray, usually made explain this would take too long a time... etc. Translation © Tore Håkansson