STYLE IN ART

“The artists must create a spark before He can make a fire and before his art is born the artists must be ready to be consumed by the fire of his own creation” (Auguste Rodin –French sculpture)


STYLE THE SPARK AND CHARACTER OF AN ARTIST



Our everyday Life was influence by Style, style in the way we dresses, style in music, the way we interact with people, even automobile manufacturers always comes out with a new trendy model each year, and we refer to them as “New Style”. Some of our friends usually wears a chic jeans, latest shoes, or often trendy dresses, provocating colors, or even floral prints. We distinguish them by their own style or because of their being stylish.

But what is Exactly Style in Art?

Style – a character, or a number of characteristics that we can identify as constant, recurring, or coherent. In art, the sum of such characteristics associated with a particular artist, group, or culture, or with an artists work at a specific given time.

This definition is most easily practical to ancient cultures with moderately few customs, art forms, and societal organization. But however, Style is renowned in the intricate cultures of Ancient Rome, the 18th century or even in the present. Artists style of the past is more apparent when compared today, plainly due to constant evolution of style where time has done a great deal of sorting through, and the standpoint of distance makes it achievable to see an era as a unified whole. Style may vary within a certain timeline; it could be due to domestic defences, wherein Art is highly influenced by the political and socio-economic situation and perception of the people. For example the Protestant in Holland and Catholics in Spain, the 17th century’s Counter Reformation. Sometimes artists style could have a difference based on their geographical condition which can affect their medium used in art, or to segregation where local traditions affects the mindset of the people brought about by fear or beliefs that are strictly being upheld, or because of ignorance or indifference to new ideas.

Personal styles depends upon the personality of the artist, and this is evident only in certain timeline when a nationalized style, for example, is fully developed and definite and where there is awareness of significance or importance of the individual. In an era such as the Proto-Renaissance, when ideas are emerging and old traditions still have vitality, various distinct Styles, besides personal idiosyncrasies or the “handwriting” of an individual artist flourished side by side.

Based on the above presentation we mean that Style in art was influence by certain timelines, cultural, political and socio-economic situation of a certain era. And we could recognize a mixed of style not essentially bad, but apparent.

For example in Visual arts, like in mostly area of daily life, style indicates a series of choices an artists or a painter has created.
Artistic Style – is the sum of constant recurring or coherent traits, distinct with a certain individual or group. In painting, a specific style would most probably compose of various elements – the medium, the style of brush strokes, colors, the method of forms, the preference of the subject matter, the intensity of resemblance to the real world (also known as representational art versus abstract style and etc.)

We can also incorporate style as an entire artistic culture, like the
Song Dynasty in China within a specific time and place and the
Renaissance style in Rome with the group of Artists whose works implies parallel characteristics (the Abstract Expressionist style) or an individual artist style (Vincent van Gogh) or with a particular artist at a given time (Picasso Blue Period Style) With all these being presented, we can see that there are common elements present –constant, recurring, coherent- Other artist developed a certain style and dwell on them; while some on the other hand adapted various styles concurrently or consecutively.

Each artists is absolutely unique, yet there are certain characteristics we can simply discern. Now we will get the sense of STYLE variations in art.


Let us have a closer look at the three paintings all with similar subject . Each one represents a woman in outline focusing from the waist up, but all are different. That even a non-art lover could easily noticed the disparity in style even though they could not express with eloquence those differences. First painting was done by Domenico Ghirlandiao ,” Portrait of Giovanna Tornabuoni 15th century ,Mixed media on panel 77x49 cm can now be found in Museo Thyssen – Bornemiza , Madrid, This portrait is set into a black background which contains a niche with various objects .The jewel with its dragons with two pearls and a ruby which forms a set with the pendant hanging from a silk cord around her neck ,is an allusion to her public life. Next to her on a label appears part of an epigram by Martial (xxxII) entitled to a portrait of Antonius Primus, along with a date in Roman numerals, reads…
“ Oh art, if only you were capable of representing the habits and the soul, there would be no painting so fine in the world “ .The subject posed standing in strict profile and bust length, with her arms relaxed and the hands together. In the face and the body and her features and proportion are both idealised.

The Second painting the portrait of a woman known in the world as “Mona Lisa “ by Leonardo Da Vinci was created before 1500-to about 1525, Oil on Panel, Louvre Paris. A portrait of a woman amidst an imaginary landscape unlike the first painting the background is not black but rather a hazy cloudy atmosphere a sense of three-dimensional form, behind her are distant paths and trees, indistinct and undefined. The subject reveals a beauty so exceptional, a pose that is not stiff but tranquil and a personality that is enigmatic. Just as what is magical about this painting is hard to characterized.





Third painting Om Prakash Sairi “Lady with an Apple” was created in India
Oil on Canvass, here we can see the subject on a sombre and vague background renders the portrait in a closer viewpoint. The affectionate colours, red, green, yellow exudes sensuality .Her pose seems to be calm but dramatic so enticing. She doesn’t even gazes at the apple instead she projects a feeling of seduction as if inviting someone. The intricate details of her Sari give her more allure. This portrait seems to be lifelike.

Portrait of Three Lovely women, each was created by a skilful artist but remarkably different from one another. That is the spark and character of Style.

































SOURCES:

PHOTOS
www.exoticindianart.com/product/0P07
www.artqoutes.net/…/monalisa-painting.jpg
www.canvaz.com/gallery/2162.htm


REFERENCE:
A History of Art Jean Anne Vincent 2nd edition A Barnes & Noble Outline Introduction.

Living with Art Rita Gilbert 4th edition.pp37-39

Fifty Centuries of Art Francis Henry Taylor Director The Metropolitan Museum of Art First Edition