Whenever two artistic pieces are being analyzed, there are many things that are needed to be looked at. For instance, one of the important aspects is to make sure that what are the history and the context behind the pieces, what are some of the artistic interpretations of the work of art and what are some of the broader themes that are discussed during the work of art. Not only that, the historical time period in which the artists are living is also one of the thing that should be looked after accordingly. During the course of this paper, the comparison is going to be carried out between two works of art. The first one is the portrait of the Monsieur Bertin which is an oil canvas painting that was crafted by Jean Augeste Ingres. It is going to be compared with other piece of art that is the portrait of Jan Six which is the painting of the Dutch painter Rembrandt Van Rijn (Franklin et al. 1993).
Analysis of the Portrait of Monsieur Bertin
One of the key things about the portrait is the prolonged genesis that one gest to see in it. It is very apparent from the picture that there is a certain sense of agony over the pose that is being made here. Looking at the history of the picture, there were many preparatory sketches that are being made over it (Franklin et al. 1993). The final work that is being witnessed here is crafted in the manner that the depiction over the character of the sitter is apparent over here. At the same time, the way portrait is designed, there are myriad of emotions that one gets to see over there (Franklin et al. 1993). There is a sense of restless energy over the way it is being done. At the same time, another very distinctive feature of the whole thing is that how the imposing bulk of the whole thing is being portrayed over the given time period. What it is showing is the realistic portrayal of the ageing but at the same time, there is also a display of single mindedness and to certain degree arrogance with regards to the way the whole personality is being showed in the portrait (Franklin et al. 1993). The other thing that is very prominent about the portrait is the way he is sitting in the three quarter profile that goes from the brown ground lit from the right.
Not only that, there is certain sense of pronouncement with regards the way his fingers are shaped and there is great level of detail that one gets to see over here (Franklin et al. 1993). The pot rail that was being made by the Ingres was a popular and critical success (Franklin et al. 1993). It has to be noted that the portrait of the person that is being made here is someone private and not much is known about him. It was speculated that the family of the person was worried about the caricature at the given point of time and they had disapproved, but the popularity of the portrait was such that it more or less sealed the reputation of the artist (Franklin et al. 1993).
There are some interesting interpretations for the pose as well. The early biographers are of the point of view that there are many ways through which the seated pose can be looked. The key aspect is that Ingres most of the times observed Bertin in this posture and his posture becomes slight more crouched specially when there was a case that he was discussing politics with his son (Franklin et al. 1993). One of the first thing that was that Ingres was not able to capture the subject in the right manner in the appropriate way. As a matter of fact, he was so distraught that he broke down in tears and had to be consolled by Bertin. He had to take a long break to make sure that he gets his focus right again and allows the things to be get done in the appropriate manner to say the least. The effort thus was quite intense and there was lot of attention given to the overall personality of Bertin when that happened.
Analysis of the Portrait of Jan Six
One of the key things with regards to this portrait is that how more than half of the length of the size of the portrait is being seen. The key thing is that how he stands and how is seen in the full face (Molesworth and McCollum, 2010). At the same time, the face is turned slight to the left while on the other hand, his head is bent over a little of the right shoulder. And looks to be straight out of the picture in the whole thing (Molesworth and McCollum, 2010). He is about to go out and take a forward lunge and has a large black belt on the hat. The other aspect is that how the long fair reddish shapes. There is an interesting historical context added to it as well with regards to the way Berlin is standing and learning on the table. It is about the time period where Napeloean had captured the imagination of the people in the era. His hard stance and the level stare was something that was witnessed in more or less quite a few artistic portraits in that era. IT can be said that he was some sort of a style icon in that era.
The rigidness in the stance and the staunch look were some of the key features in more or less all the portraits that were made by in that era. The other thing that cnan be seen that how the extant drawing is supposed to be carried out (Molesworth and McCollum, 2010). The key element that is missing here is that there is no chair that can be seen in the portrait. The background of the picture is also interesting with regads to the way light is falling from the left top of the whole figure for the given time period. The low viewpoint that is needed to be taken into consideration is that how the permission of the little space between the top of the hat and the designation of the frame. Combined with the width of the clothes. The perception that one gets to see how the controlled power and how the nuisance of the power is going to be controlled at the first place.The Rembrandt and the combined broad as well as the rapid strokes with the painting being carried out in the meticulous detail (Tinterow et al. 1999).
The placement of the face becomes very important in this regard. It has to be noted that due to the preciison of the facial features, the gaze that the person seems to be having is the one that is of a look of piercing someone. The shadow that is casted over the upper face that is on the hat of the pictorial device is another aspect that is needed to be looked at. It as a matter of fact acts as a major pictorial device during the course of the whole analysis. It also encourages the observer to make sure that they are able to read and interpret things in a much more comprehensive fashion (Tinterow et al. 1999). There were many instances during the portrail that Ingres was frustated with this apparent lack of technical skills in drawing certain things. There were some other issues as well (Tinterow et al. 1999),
Difference in the Working Style
One of the key differrences that can be seen here is that how the working styles of both these artists differ from each other.While Jan Six was more calculative and did not allowed his impulse to create something like a piece of art (Tinterow et al. 2000). He spent lot of time on making sure that the relevant attention to detail and even though this approach works well at times, there are instances when it takes the instinctive touch that is an important part of the artistic expression. As a matter of fact, depsite being well known as one of the more well known realist artists of his era, the Rembrandt had a reputation for his long sittings. Not only that, there were some other issues as well with his work with regars to the way his deadling management was being and his lack of cooperation when any changes were being asked as compared to the initial sketch. There was no negotiation on his part as well when it comes to the financial matters, and it is due to these things, there was a perception about his work to be unreasonable (Tinterow et al. 2000).
Comparing it with the workking style of the Ingres, one of the stark constrast that is being witnessed is that how Ingres brngs about a more relaxed approach towards the work. He was well known for the attention to detail but the reason that his style is different is due to the fact that he allowed his own personal interpretation of the oustide work to be reflected in his work. Not only that, there was another thing about his work and that was about making sure that there must be something new and instinctive added to thbe portrait (Tinterow et al. 2000). This difference is evident in the way portraits are designed as well (Tinterow et al. 2000). There is a finess but at the same time, one gets an impressio that Ingres has allowed his creative impulse to take over the work in a very different direction. For instance, there is a one subtlely that makes it feel like the fact that subject is turning their direction and is taking a definitive tunr in a certain direction. These lack of details or as per some artistic experts, imperfections show that there is willingness and ability to take risks on the part of the Ingres. Jan Six combined involvement in the family business with a career as a magistrate and an avid patron of the arts. He was a member of the Muiderkring (Muiden circle) which formed around Pieter Cornelisz, and a keen collector of Baroque painting, antique sculpture, and precious stones.
Works Cited
Franklin, Margery B., Robert C. Becklen, and Charlotte L. Doyle. “The influence of titles on how paintings are seen.” Leonardo (1993): 103-108.
Molesworth, Helen, and Allan McCollum. “Helen Molesworth.” ARTFORUM INTERNATIONAL 48.10 (2010): 294-295.
Tinterow, Gary, and Philip Conisbee, eds. Portraits by Ingres: image of an epoch. Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1999.
Tinterow, Gary, Charlotte Hale, and Eric Bertin. “” Portraits by Ingres: Image of an Epoch”: Reflections, Technical Observations, Addenda, and Corrigenda.” Metropolitan Museum Journal 35 (2000): 193-219.
