Visual and Formal Analysis of A Pair of Ear Flares - Essay Example

Visual and Formal Analysis of A Pair of Ear Flares What feeling does it raise? It raises a feeling of heavy responsibility in the sense that massagers had to make sure that they deliver the message in time since everyone depended on the efficiency. Contrast is the use of a given number of elements of design to capture the audience attention and to direct the audience eye throughout the artwork (Jewitt and Leeuwen, 20). In this image of Ear flare, the texture of the Ear flare on the left hand side appears to contrasts with the texture of the Ear flare on the right. What ideas does it raise? The image also raises the idea of movement which refers to how a viewer’s eye is guided through an artwork based on areas of emphasis (Jewitt and Leeuwen, 40). Contrasting colors or shapes as well as use of lines directs movement in a piece of art. In our work of art (a Pair of Ear flare), our eye navigates through the pattern starting from the frontal which is a level round metal base that has relief figures on the exterior. Our eye then moves to different colors and textures of the Ear flare. What emotions it provokes and the size of space needed for display The image emphasizes on mythologies and ritual performances (Jewitt and Leeuwen, 40). It provokes cruelty in the sense of use of birds for ritual sacrifices. Messengers were also subjected to hard labor. The Pair of Ear flares do not need to be displayed in a wide open space since it is large to notice from far. It is large in size for an Ear ornament, but it does not necessarily mean that it requires to be displayed in a large space. The lighting required, and position to be viewed from: The color at the background is dull, and it thus makes the Ear flare stand out as it has an outer gold color that captures the viewer’s attention (Jewitt and Leeuwen, 50). It does not require bright, high contrast lighting since it already has a combination of bright colors. The pair of Ear flares welcomes you to view it up-close because they are not large enough to enable a viewer to be able to concentrate on details. Where is the artifact meant for display? The artifact was meant to be on display in a museum. The artist has used hammered gold, shell, sodality and turquoise as the main elements in the design of the Pair of Ear flares. The main reason for using these medium is to make the art piece standout especially from the use of gold and turquoise. Advantages Gold brings out a sense of high value because it is a symbol of prestige and wealth. It is also bold hence making the Ear flare standout. Hammered gold is strong and does not weather out or break. Turquoise was associated with bringing a good fortune and happiness to the wearer of the ornament. Shells help enhance the beauty of the artifact. Limitations The use of gold makes the Pair of Ear flare expensive to purchase especially for those individuals that are not wealthy. The use of gold makes it a target for theft. Shells make it prone to damage since they are brittle. Turquoise is damaged by household chemicals and also hot water, which makes the task of taking care of the element difficult. Lines Lines have been used to define edges on the pair of Ear flare, where some of those lines are linear while others are curvilinear in character which has resulted in plane spaces and negative spaces. A plane surface in a triangular shape is formed by the connection of the points. Lines have been used to describe dissimilar forms, levels in the spaces and movement region in the general design (Jewitt and Leeuwen, 100). There is the use of both thick and thin lines in the image of ear flares. They are largely vertical in nature. There is a combination of both straight and curved lines the image of a pair of era flares. This gives the Image a solid look. Aspect of color The color used is particularly attractive and rich. The colors used on the pair of ear flares are lively; the use a combination of green, white, red, gold and purple colors makes the ear flares look outstanding. The mixing of those colors forms a mosaic (Jewitt and Leeuwen, 100). There is a combination of both warm and cool colors in the pair of ear flares. Warm colors include warm red and gold. Cool colors on the other hand, include purple and green. There is the use of bright colors, which give the ear flares a sense of energy which viewers can be able to react to. Aspect of Light Light has been used to create contrast in the spaces and the surrounding environment of the Pair of Ear flare. Lighting emphasizes on different parts of the Pair of Ear flare. Shadows are used to prove that light travels in a straight line. The viewer mostly deduces the shape of an object in its environment by the use of its shadow. The use of shadow in the pair of Ear flare image is to heighten the false impression of depth. Is There Any Play between the Two? Yes, the two pieces of Ear flares are slightly different from each other. There is a difference in the colors used on each. The Ear flare on the left hand side has dark colors as compared to the Ear flare on the right hand side which has brighter colors (Jewitt and Leeuwen, 80). The arrangement of the shapes inside the circular region also differs each Ear flare has its own arrangement. The messengers with bird heads are facing different directions in both Ear flares. What Is Communicated To the Viewer? There is the aspect of wealth and status when a viewer looks at the Pair of Ear flares. This is due to the fact that they gold made, which is extremely expensive hence making it difficult for the ornament to be owned or afforded by common individuals hence only affordable to the nobles (Jewitt and Leeuwen, 20). There is the extensive use of birds in the design of the ornament. This was meant to show the importance in mythologies and ritual performances. Craftsmen created colorful textiles, ceramic vessels and stylish metal jewels which were inspired by birds such as Pelicans, waders, ducks, owls, vultures, hummingbirds and condors. The wide use of birds in art portrays their significance in mythologies and ritual performances for Peruvians. Thus, the Pair of Ear flares could have been used to depict mythological messengers. In Moche ceramic art (1–800 A.D.), raptorial birds were portrayed as warriors and sacrifices while their human counterparts handled shields, tumi knives and mazes. Ritual runners took the form of birds with extended wings on Moche painted ceramic objects and detailed jewelry. Space There are a lot of spaces formed by the intersection of lines in the pair of ear flares. The curvilinear planes form spaces which overlap and cast shadows giving the pair of Ear flares a three dimensional view (Jewitt and Leeuwen, 100). There is negative space around the pair of Ear flares. The positive space on the other hand, is the one occupied by the pair of ear flares and its shadow. The lack of proportionality between the negative space and the positive space makes the Ear flares looks secluded and exposed. The configuration of the elements in the space The use of a combination of horizontal and vertical lines on the pair of Ear flares reflects steadiness and firmness. The curvilinear lines reflect energy. Circles dominate; lines and rectangles dominate the image. Work Cited Sylvan, Barnet. A Short Guide to Writing about Art. New York: Longman, 1997, pg79. Pair of Ear flares, Peru; Moche, 3rd-7th century, Hammered gold, turquoise, sodalite and shell inlay. August 25th, 2011. http://kephartphoto.smugmug.com/Museums/NY-Metropolitan-Museum-of-Art/18760441_9wzk9C/1452107408_3vH3rXt#!i=1452107408&k=3vH3rXt Jewitt, Theo Leeuwen. The Handbook of Visual Analysis. SAGE, 2001, 2nd edition, pg 20-100 Read More