Image Analysis Paper
John Singleton Copley’s portrait of Paul Revere is perhaps one of the most iconic works of the painter, not only because it was his first portrait of an artisan, but because it exhibits excellent skill manship. The painting oozes of excellent artistic skills in terms of its incorporation of elements of art and principles of design. Some of the conspicuous elements include line. The artist relies on both vertical and horizontal lines, which run independently to create the form and contours of the portrait. The use of lines is particularly evident in the creation of such prominent features as the form of clothing the artisan puts on and the features of his hands. The artist then encloses these lines with each other to form the shape. As an element of art, shapes are enclosed spaces that are two-dimensional. The artist develops the definite and even shape of the artisan’s head, his calm and flawless face, as well as the kettle he holds on the table.
Copley’s artistry is then made prominent in his vibrant use of color. He uses multiple colors for each element to build on its distinctiveness. His lavish use of color is seen in the light blue and cream clothe the artisan dons, the silver kettle he holds, and the brown table he leans on, not forgetting his dark brown hair. All of these colors, against the dull background, build on the vibrant atmosphere created. Another great use of element is seen in his creation of texture. Although the artist generally adopts a smooth texture, seen in the calm demeanor of the artisan, the silver kettle, and the well-polished table, this clothe presents a rough edge around the arms. The creation of the rough edges is a welcome break from the smooth texture that would have been somewhat monotonous.
Some of the principles of design that make this piece stand out include emphasis. The artisan sits in the middle of the portrait, with his features well lit up in terms of the intensity and value of color. Copley uses the intensity on the figure’s face against the dull background to draw the attention of the audience to his facial features. The other principle that is conspicuously developed is balance and alignment.Copley aimed to showcase the artwork as a whole, and to achieve this end, he sought to use an array of colors throughout the portrait (Ames-Lewis 4). He manages to balance the hue and intensity of all these colors by placing them centrally across the piece to achieve a great balance where no one element overwhelms the other.Although the value of the artwork is relatively mild, Copley avoided the dull and boring approach by incorporating various intensitiesof the colors to achieve a great balance.
Contextually speaking, this piece of art, painted on oil on canvas in around 1768, and currently in collection at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, America, holds central importance in the life and work of J.S. Copley.He presents Revere holding a newly crafted silver kettle, heavily borrowing from the European tradition of art depicting artisans with their tools as an attribute to the NorthernRenaissanceportrayal of artisans and artists.This piece is significant in the sense that it was Copley’s only finished of an artisan. The painter had previously done portraits for clergymen and merchants and their wives, which was his main area of focus. He may have produced a few pictures of other craftsmen during his career, but the Paul Revere portrait was the first, and the only artisan portrait he completed.