Art Analysis 1



    For this analysis, I have chosen the work of art shown below. This piece is "Wisteria at Kameido Tenjin Shrine” from One Hundred Famous Views in Edo by Utagawa Hiroshige. It was produced in 1856 and is now housed at the British museum in London. The art work is a woodblock print.



When viewing this artwork, the color is what immediately drew me in. Most specifically, the deep blue in the foreground  and midground that is depicting the water. This intense, eye-catching color makes up almost half of the entire paper. In addition, this same color is used above at the very top of the paper. I think the use of this color at both the top and bottom of the page creates a cohesiveness within the work that helps to draw the eye to the middle, focusing on the bridge. The use of line in the image is quite delicate in the foreground, specifically where the flowers and shruberry are. I think this lends the image a graceful and serene feeling. Another use of visual elements is the shapes throughout the image. In the immediate foreground, we see a long skinny rectangle that extends the length of the image. This shape creates depth, as well as drags my eye from the very bottom of the image, all the way to the very top. Another shape we see in the art, is the half circle created by the bridge. This shape creates movement and flow. 

For presentation, I believe a work of art like this can be incredibly versatile. I could see this piece being hung in somebody's house or hung in a museum, and looking equally as natural in either place. Personally, I would love to have art like this hanging in my home. It is so beautiful and calming. 




Bibliography

    Dr. Asa Simon Mittman, "Gardens as pleasurable microcosms: comparisons and connections," in Smarthistory, August 30, 2019, accessed February 5, 2024, https://smarthistory.org/gardens-connections/. 

    "The Visual Elements," in Artfactory, 2023, accessed February 5, 2024, https://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/visual-elements/visual-elements.html.

Comments

  1. Lisa RochaFebruary 8, 2024 at 8:42 PM

    Hello Lauren,
    The intense blue of the water at the bottom and then again at the top beautifully frame the bridge and the delicate flowers. I visited the Japanese Tea Gardens in San Francisco, California many times with my family growing up. My favorite thing was the high-arched bridge and the variety of flowers. In this picture, the colors and the placement of the flowers give it so much depth. You feel like you are looking a window and being pulled in.

    ReplyDelete
  2. CaraJoFebruary 8, 2024 at 8:48 PM

    Hi Lauren,
    I love that you chose a woodblock art piece from Asia. The deep and rich colors balance with the gentle organic shapes of the leaves. The lines balance out the organic shapes and draw depth into the art piece. While looking at the details of the bridge, my eyes are drawn to the two little birds flying above the deep blue water. The space is balanced and frankly beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  3. OwenFebruary 9, 2024 at 12:56 AM

    The use of shapes to create depth in this artwork really stood out to me as well! I too love the colors used as well, that deep vibrant blue is one of my favorite colors. The green and hints of orange add to the piece as well! I would also like to point out the use of natural patterns to create the trees and leaves as an additional element that wasn't mentioned. And thank you for this great analysis!

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