Light/Dark

    Earlier I discussed chiaroscuro and its roots with Leonardo da Vinci and its proponents like Caravaggio and Rembrandt.  The Light/Dark contrast principle has utility beyond chiaroscuro.  Any surface plane advances toward you and, the dark territories recede( or implode).  An artist like Cezanne whose ambition lies in reconciling biological vision with art history found utility in this property of light.  If we look at his watercolor of Mt. St. Victoire you notice there is little to no paint on selected areas of the mountain.  The mountain’s flanks  which have no paint appear light and also appear to have an ironic solidity for being without paint.  This happens because the light area moves forward due to its dark edges and dark surround.  The dark (sky) apppears as a backdrop against the light flanking planes of the mountain.  These slanting slabs of light and the recessional effects of the dark edges  will form part of the basis for the development of cubism which I will explore later.  My painting example shows a woman whose bag (on the floor) advances to the viewer and whose calves and upper edge of hip advance to the extent that they are lighter than the adjacent shaded areas.   The furthest wall supports a series of slightly muted light rectangles.  Light is a comparative sensation. Their value is less bright than the forward light areas and consequently they recede.    The interstitial spaces between the lights of the merchandise(stuff) on the shelving is dark and therefore recedes between items.   The material on the shelves appears blurred surrounding the figure which helps to separate the figure from the rest of the painting and, make the figure appear as a more stable and concrete form.