2. Focal Point
With the help of different art elements, the painter
reveals the focal point of the artwork. Different artists
use different techniques to put emphasis on a certain
object to get the audience’s attention to what is most
important of the piece. The focal point reveals the artists’
interest, history or the importance of the art.
3. Sandro Botticelli, Birth of Venus, c. 1480. Tempera on canvas; 1.73 x
2.77 m
Botticelli uses direction with three
different people to reveal the focal
point of the painting. Venus is exactly
in the middle and unlike the other
people in the painting, she is naked.
This painting was created for the
powerful Medici family.
The Medici family supported the
study of Plato and Neoplatonism.
In this painting, Venus is born to the world (which explains
her nudeness) and that is why the people are rushing to her.
Since Medici family encouraged
the Classical themes, Botticelli
brought that back with this
painting. He created a large
mythological painting and uses
Venus to demonstrate the interest
of the classical theme.
4. Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Swing, 1766. Oil on
canvas; 35 x 32 in.
Fragonard uses the element of color
and light to display the focal point.
Surrounding the woman on the
swing, the colors are darker and not
much light is shown.
There are many hidden sexual
contents in this painting. The content
is hidden within the darken colors.
The Rococo style is a “world of fantasy
and grace, which also includes a taste
for the exotic and for satire” (663).
The painting appears to be graceful
but the focal point is the woman
directly, which was seen as a satire.
5. Francisco de Goya y Lucientes, Executions of the
Third of May, 1808, 1814. Oil of canvas; 2.67 x 3.45
m
During the
romanticism, the
political view shifted
towards people having
the power rather than
royalty or in other words
the rebellion against
social conventions. The
romantic artists
demonstrate the
citizens’ struggle against
the corruption of the
government. In both
these paintings, the
attention and emphasis
is put on the oppressed.
The faces of the victims
are emphasized and
revealed unlike the
executioners. The
Executions of the Third
of May was produced
after French troops
murdered about a
thousand citizens.
The viewers can see the
emotion on the victims’
faces because they are
highlighted by the
lighting.
In this painting, Goya uses light and
direction to direct the viewer to the
focal point. The victims are in the
light and are being pointed by the
surrounding gunmen. Rejection of
Neo-classicism is especially seen with
this painting.
Theodore Gericault, Raft of the “Medusa,”
1819. Oil on canvas; 4.88 x 7.16 m
Similar to Goya y Lucientes, Gericault uses
light and direction to demonstrate the
focal point. Starting from the left hand
side, the lighting and the linear direction
goes towards one direction.
The Raft of the “Medusa” was created
after there was a disaster and the the
government attempted to hide the
details of the incident. Gericault uses
this information and the political
situation to reveal the pain and
oppression the citizens are going through
through emphasizing them in the
painting.
6. Diego Rivera, Ancient Mexico, from the History of
Mexico fresco murals, 1929-1935. National
Palace, Mexico City.
Rivera’s use of direction helps the
viewer see the focal point:
Quetzalcoatl, the god. The focal point
refers to their culture. With the
Mexican culture, religion is a pig part.
With this painting and using the god as
the focus, Rivera also uses his murals
to reveal the Mexican history. Similar
to many other artists, Rivera uses his
to reveal the corruption of the
system. The viewers see the Spanish
conquerors attacking the natives.
Throughout the rest of this piece of
the mural, the natives are continuing
with their rituals. However, the
Spanish conquerors come to disturb
them. focal point is surrounded by
many people that are facing his
direction but it is very noticeable that
the attack is occurring because it is a
whole different scene happening
compared to the rest of the mural.
7. Jacopo Tintoretto, Last Supper, 1592-1594. Oil on
canvas; 3.66 x 5.69 m
Tintoretto uses direction
and light to reveal the focal
point of the painting.
Throughout the painting it
is very dark because it is
the servants. By the
diagonally placed supper
table, it gets lighter. Jesus
is the focal point of this
painting because of the
light that surrounds his head
and his body.
During the mannerism and
16th century, religion was a
big part of the European
culture; the Catholic Church
was tested by the
Protestant Reformation.
Europe was divided into two
religions: Reformation and
Counter-Reformation.
Tintoretto follows the
requirements of the
Counter-Reformation
requirements because of
the lighting of the painting
by the table with Jesus and
the apostles.
