Seurat's method to compose "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jadde " in Barnes Foundation 1 / harmony

The answer to the question "What is art?" is implied in the masterpieceｓ.
Seurat's [Grand Jadde] has become increasingly famous, but I could not find on line any art thesis to convince .
I expect the visual grammar can explain it
Firstly I make the arc model of harmony.




   Seurat [Grand Jadde] in Banes Foundation arc model
The arcs of a limited circle creates the effect of harmony.
The sense of rhythm comes out because the arcs of the same circle are nearby.
The contour line is a continuous melody of arcs.
In this way, art is made on the same principle as music.

 

 

 

 

Cezanne's apple and Albers's curvilinear composition

In the previous blog about Seurat’s [The model], I showed that he used the technique which I named [circle-cross model].

Seurat and Cezanne somehow reached the same technique.

As Seurat's paintings are illustrative paintings,
most people failed to see the form, just trying to read the content.

Cezanne's paintings are only landscapes and still lifes, and their contents are not important.
Only those who understand the shapes noticed its importance.
This was why Cezanne was said to be the father of modern art.
If you look at everything on the level of formal art, most of architecture and sculpture can be enjoyed just by looking at photos,
All works can be classified because of their geometric structure.
A necessary condition for a masterpiece is that its shape has a unique structure.
The creator becomes the inventor of the device to create a new structure.
 This time I introduce a neglected work by Albers.                                                    
 

     Albers [circle]  circle-cross model


The pink part of the spiral of "Circle" is made by connecting different parts of the same circle. As a result, the distortion is slightly different from that of the circle even though the bending is the same.
This is how to draw a Cezanne apple curve. I call this type of curve linear abstract art “Cezanne’s apple-like abstract art”: curves are made of arcs of a few circles.

 

   Cezanne [Seven apples]  circle-cross model
It looks like a structure deliberately designed using a circular cross model.
A) Six types of circular arcs are used to create a basic structure. (Scale 6)
B)There are intersections of three or more circles in several places.
C)The balance effect is achieved by the units (the circle and its vertical-horizontal diameter) which are arranged in a straight line.

It is likely that Cezanne discovered the compositional technique intuitively and Albers could see the technique in Cezanne’s still life.

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How Seurat designed [The Model] in Barnes Foundation

In the previous blogg I have shown that the central nude in [the model] by Seurat are mostly made of the arcs of two types of circles, which makes harmony.

Seurat [The Model] circle-arc model

It is easy to guess how he started.
The pink circle which makes the left thumb of the central nude passes through the center of the picture.

    Seurat [Model] how he started

I make the circle-cross model.

 

Seurat [The Model] circle-cross model

Obviously the blue circles make the basic stfucture.
So I make blue purple circle model.

      Seurat [The Model] blue circle-cross model

Secondly I make  red circle-cross model which shows how Seurat created harmonious sense.

 

      Seurat [Model] red circle-cross model

Though Cezanne is likely to have rediscovered the technique by himself Seurat possibly got the hint from the study of classical painting.

 

 

 

Proportion in art is integer ratio, not Golden Section / Vasalery [Pebble Series]

Since the early days of Greek philosophy men have tried to find in art a geometrical law, if art (which we identify with beauty) is harmony, and harmony is the due observance of proportions, it seems reasonable to assume that these proportions are fixed,
The geometrical proportion known as GoldenSection has for centuries been regarded as such a key to the mystery of art, and so universal  is its application, not only in art but also in nature, that it has at times been treated with religious venaration.
  Herbert Read   (The meaning of art)

The problem is that even if the golden section is used for a hidden structure, the effect is indistinguishable from integer ratio.

I have shown in my blog [Mondrian did not use golden ratio but integer ratio for proportion] that even Mondrian who is most associated with Golden Section used simple grid for composition.

The geometrical laws of art must be in every work.
All artworks have a simple natural number relationship.
Art can be explained scientifically if the smallest unit is a geometrical element that can be easily counted visually.

Flute is an instrument that can be found anywhere in the world, and we can listen to each sound separately.

The musical scale is naturally devised, unified by the equal temperament, and finally theorized by the pure temperament.

The curved lines in a painting can be seen as a series of several arcs.
The arcs can be extended to circles.
Since a limited number of circles are used for one work, it can be called a scale.

This time I pick up a work, in which the scale is consciously used.

“Pebble Series” by Vasalery is a series of masterpieces as pure abstract art.
Dozens of them now can be found if we bother to search online,

                       Vazalery [Pebble series]
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                       Vasalery [Pebble series]circle-cross model

 

    Vasalery [Pebble beries] concentric circle model

 

                                                   Vasalery [Pebble series 2]
Though the design is asymetric the sense of balance is extremly good.
The trick must be due to the hidden structure.

 

 

                                                   Vasalery [Pebble series 2] circle-cross model

 

                                         Vasalery [Pebble series 2] concentric circle model

 

 

 

Looking at these concentric circle models, we can see that the painter had decided the size of the circles in advance.

A loop shape is counted as one.
If two or more shapes overlap, it becomes a network, and strings and dots are counted.
The number of concave and convex in a loops is the same and countable.

By quantifying the quality of the shape in this way, all the works can be classified with distinct differences in shape.

The complexity of the structural devices seems to explain why some shapes are very interesting.

Though there are countless artworks,
a sensor called taste judgement distinguishes only a small number of masterpieces.
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The geometrical structure in Matisse's 'The Dance' in Barnes Foundation / Ornamental paintings and pictures are made using the same technique

We can easily find a masterpiece by looking at Matisse's art book,
The time taken for the aesthetic judgment of a picture is almost instantaneous.

Though the number of artworks becomes almost infinite when we recognize that digital images are also works,
the masterpieces can be easily taken out of these by the taste judgment.

The picture below is “The Dance” by Matisse from the Barns Collection, which is a decorative painting.

 

As we know that this was made as mural, I can make a circular cross model with more confidence.

 

     Matisse [Dance] Barnes Foundation / circle-cross model
The blue circle that forms the arch is used as the main harmonic circle.
Seurat used the same technique for [Cancan].
(The color has been changed from blue-purple to blue-green for explanation sake.)

When the circle  (blue purple) that makes the back of the left nude is shifted horizontally to the right, it overlaps the circle that makes the middle nude shin.
The left nude waist and right front lower leg units overlap on the vertical line.
The second largest red circle unit (bright pink) also contribute to balance.

 
The upper left thigh of the nude on the left, the back of the left foot of the middle nude and the lower part of the right thigh are lined up on the horizon.


Furthermore, the leftmost unit and the unit that creates the right calf are lined up on the vertical line.
Two third largest units (orange) are placed on the horizon

As I know better about Matisse's model making now, try to make a model for mural [Dance 2].

    Matisse [Dance 2]  / circle-cross model

It is no coincidence that I have taken up [Dance 2]and [Pink Nude] for analysis.

The masterpiece is something I want to have a copy at hand to enjoy seeing repeatedly.
Consequently I started thinking  why it looks so interesting. 
It is scientific practice to create and explain structural models.

The structure that protrudes from the picture creates a balance effect in Matisse's [Pink Nude]

The document tells about [Pink Nude],
“After he finished a painting, the assistant took a picture then washed clean the canvas for the next session .
the same process was repeated 22 times.”

I had thought that this is why Matisse’s [ pink nude] has finished look with a simple manner, as if the lines were traced on a sketch drawn in advance.

But the good balance can not be acquired on blank canvas with no traces even after 22 trials because the balance is largely depending on position

I use the same illust from the second blog about [pink nude].

                                         Matisse [pink nude] and the first version
The black and white photo is the first version.
What is common to the two pictures is that the body parts protrude outside the canvas.
Besides many curves are the same arcs.
Here is  the circle-arc pivot model I made for the same blog.

 

                                            Matisse [pimk nude ] circle-pivot model
The model shows that
A) the main body can be made of five different sized circles.
B) the green circles are fastened at several points (pivots).

When I wrote about [Dance] ２
I found Matisse reached more advanced stage of syntax which I named circle-cross model level.
Forgetting about the document I guess  how to achieve this balancing effect.
To use the unit (a set of circle and the vertical ,horizontal diameter) device, the picture screen must be extended.

    Matisse [Pink Nude] circle-cross model extended outside the frame

It is obvious that thegreen circles are most important structualy.

    Matisse [Pink nude]  same circle-arc framework model

The model shows that the seventeen parts of the smooth body are made of the arcs of the same circle.

The same circle-arc framework technique can be seen in Hokusai’s [Tomegane] and Seurat’s [Cancan].

Masterpieces are no drawn but designed.

The universal technique rediscovered by Modern Artist was not understood grammatically,
which is the reason for the stagnation of the current art world.

The beauty of nude is geometrical 2 / Raphael

 Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael are generally considered as the three greatest Renaissance painters.
The former two are famous for their interesting episodes,
but Raphael is most important as a formal artist.
German art historian Walter Friedländer says,
"With the death of Raphael, the classical renaissance began to decline".(wikipedia)


  I make a model of the central figure of Raphael's completed drawing, [Three Graces]: more important work than [Mona Lisa]

                                     Raphael [Three Graces]

   Raphael [Tree Graces] circle-cross model

 The outline of the body is made up of five different circles.

The biggest purple unit that forms the lower part of the left thigh is the most important structurally.
On the horizontal diameter,
  A) another purple unit is attached ontop.
  B) two taching yellow-green units are placed .
There is another yellow-green unit on the vertical line of the left unit.

Four pink units are connected vertically and horizontally.

More than three intersecting points (pivots) are linned up.

I overlay the four circles of the scale on the arc model so that they pass through the top of the head.

  Raphel  [Three Graces]  body-proportioned circle model

I have made two models for the previous blog.

Granach [Venus]  body-proportioned circle model

   Seurat [The Model]  body-proportioned circle model

I made the three models together to compare.

   three body-proportioned circle models

Placing three models together, we can see the difference clearly.

Theｙ all use small Scale (type of circle required to make all arcs).

Raphael 5
Cranach 4
Seurat 3

The proportion of the circle to the body creates the character of the body.
  
① The size of the largest circle relative to the height of the body can be compared.

Seurat＞Cranach＞Raphael

 A large circle makes a long curved part of the body.
in Seurat the circles make upper arms and thighs  to make the body longer.
in Cranach this is used only for exaggeratedly long,thick thighs.
in Raphael this circle, being the diameter is close to two-thirds of the height, is very harmonious with the other circles.


② Second largest circle

C＞S＞ R

in Cranach this circle make the long part together with the largest circle.
 it is useful for creating proportions where the contrast of  parts is conspicuous.
in Seurat this is used for most of the slender body .
in Raphael this  makes most undulations with the third largest red circle.

③Third largest circle

R＞C＞S

in Raphael this circle is used most frequently at regular interval throughout the body.
in Cranach this is most expressive; undulating lines of left arm, nallow waist and fleshless knees.
in Seurat this is used only for the shoulder.

Limited arcs effectively expresses body features.

The contour is a looped melody line.
Just as music is made of musical notes, the masterpiece seems to be made of arcs