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The art selected for the essay is Fishing by Torch Light by Paul Kane, which is an oil on paper sketch dating back to 1845 and is a rare piece depicting Canada’s history. The oil-on-paper sketch by Paul Kane is among Canada’s First Peoples art collections at Royal Ontario Museum. This essay will argue that in Fishing by Torch Light, Paul Kane’s use of color, line, and shape focuses on emphasis and movement in the composition. The formal elements, as well as principles of art, form an impression of mystery and foreboding.

The medium used for the artwork is oil on canvas, and the Canadian artist sketched the western landscape to denote the lives of the Natives. This artwork was undertaken during his voyage from 1845 to 1848 as he traveled far west. While observing the artwork, one notices that the hues in this sketch have been used mainly on the fishermen rowing the boat as well as on the outline of the boat and torchlight. This emphasizes the importance of the torchlight and its impact on the fishermen. This emphasis makes the torchlight along with the fishermen, the focal point or center of interest for the observer. The dark hues used correlate with harmony as a large amount of area within the artwork has been painted with limited hues (Field, 2018). The relatively simple arrangement of yellow, black, and brown are distributed throughout the artwork and ties the parts together to forge harmony. At the same time, the pop of color makes the torchlight appear more pronounced. This contrast of light and dark values aid in emphasizing the torchlight and the fishermen, but also the river, trees, and the night sky. It should be noted how the light of the torchlight is shown in the water against the dark background. This clearly establishes the importance of torchlight. On the other hand, the light values of the fisherman, boat, etc. make them stand out against the darker values.

The element of line can be observed within the painting, and it can be tied to the principle of movement. The diagonal lines within the sketch convey a feeling of movement. For example, the movement of the boat moving forward is depicted through the torchlight, which is neither horizontal nor vertical. It is imperative to note that the oil on paper sketch also contains characteristics of impressionist painting as it captures the essence of the subject matter, which is fishing aided by the torch lights (Webster, 1944). Paul Kane thus manipulates the use of line to create a movement which the observer channelizes through observation. A sense of intrigue is created in the backdrop of the night as the boats are shown to move forward through diagonal lines, however, the path forward is not clear because of dark hues surrounding the light emitted by the torchlight(Brommer, 2000).

In addition, the diagonal lines within the artwork are creating the potential effect of confusion surrounding the space. The thick and thin, long and short, curved and straight lines across the river and on the trees tie the element of the line to the principle of variety as well. This is because the curved line of the torchlight, vertical line of the fishermen, and the curved outlines of the trees provide the variety which is necessary for generating curiosity in the onlooker as well as a sense of mystery within the realm of the painting.

Furthermore, the elements of shape and form, along with the principles of emphasis, create a gradual change from darkness to light. It can be noticed how the transition of light from the torchlight to the surroundings, i.e., boat, water, etc. overlaps, which in turn overlaps with the fishermen. This overlapping draws the eye of the observer to the trees as well as the river. The illusion of depth is created by the reflection of the light from the torchlight into the dark water that creates atmospheric tension and mystery(Brommer, 2000). The opposing element of light and dark water creates a sense of foreboding. The emphasis on light, as well as the changing of light as it passes through deep water, creates an impression of uncertainty. The theory of impressionism can best describe the judgment on this formal analysis as the fleeting effect of light on the surface of the water is captured in such a profound way that it is emphasizing on color and tone rather than on outline and shape (Brommer, 2000). Kane has mixed hues with opposite colors, such as shadows of yellow, to create atmospheric tension. Furthermore, the mystery does not have to be depicted visually as it can be felt.

The uncertainty of where the fishermen are headed to or what might lay in their path creates a metaphysical scenario that cannot be measured. The shape of the torchlight, boat, and fishermen range differently, and the directions of the lines enclose them diagonally, which projects visual interest because of unequal proportion(Field, 2018). For example, while looking are the waving torchlight one is drawn towards the image of the fisherman rowing the boat in forward direction creating a sense of ease while the small shape of the boat ahead and a potentially deep river ahead creates a sense of foreboding as it denotes the relatively minor impact of the efforts of the fisherman in comparison to the vastness of the deep dark water or the night. The shape of the trees is a circle and in an equal proportion, which creates less interest and the emphasis, which is why they amount to a large void encompassing the deep river.

References

Brommer, G. F. (2000). Elements and Principles of Design. Crystal Productions.

Field, J. (2018). An Illustrated Field Guide to the Elements and Principles of Art + Design. Hot Iron Press.

Webster, J. C. (1944). The Technique of Impressionism: A Reappraisal. College Art Journal, 22.

 

 

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