An excellent gestural drawing that uses the energy of the pen strokes to
effectively communicate the chaos at the expense of optical reality. Value,
line and value-defined shapes create a masterful work. |
The subject is a chaotic mass of intertwining figures and shadows rendered in
ink and wash. Poussin’s formal choices fully support the violent and desperate
struggle of this event. Energy and motion characterize this work. Interlocking shadow and white areas
seamlessly form the swirling conflict. This is aided by conservative use of narrow
gestural ink lines, which support the motion of their respective figures.
Value contrast and detail bleed off toward the background; forms are much more
clearly defined in the foreground. Transparency increases from front to back,
and there is heavy use of overlap and a consistent light source to establish
depth. Movement and energy spread evenly across the bottom of
the canvas, and because of this low location the work seems stabilized.
This work uses unbalanced proportions more than equivalency. In spite of a
number of man-made structures, an overwhelming number of forms are organic in
character. This is a high-key painting, which causes the dense areas to take on
more significance. A handful of value “stops” are used, not the full scale, but
the lightest lights and darkest darks are on the terminals.
The reverse highlight, elevated position, and outstretched arm of a feminine
figure to the extreme left of the canvas is probably the area of most activity.
High-contrast and detail sweep downward and across the canvas from her. The
amazing and rich treatment of the background attracts some attention to the
upper portion of the canvas.
The overall shapes the figures create, in addition to the lateral character of
the background (with the exception of the trunks), are underscored by the landscape
orientation of this work. This is a thumbnail study and still
becomes the object of value introduction. Poussin creates a beautiful and
rhythmic value pattern and spatial arrangement in this truly unified work of
art.
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