Chiaroscuro

When i searching the word Chiaroscuro, i found this painting called The Matchmaker by Gerard van Honthorst. Chiaroscuro is an oil painting technique that uses strong tonal contrasts between light and dark to model three-dimensional forms, often to dramatic effect. In this painting, the middle candle is the main light source in this scene. The background is dark and the light gathered on the woman’s face. This painting used the technique of light and darkness, better protruding the protagonist. This is very similar to what I have learned in the class.

-ShuLinTan, Team Venus

“Wreck of the Covenant” by N.C. Wyeth

While doing some research for another class, I came across this painting and it became relevant and interesting to me because of the chiaroscuro of the painting. Chiaroscuro is the contrast between light and darkness. You can see in the painting the darkness in the water at the bottom and darkness of the sky. The lightness is usually coming the ship and the waves; and you can see some light on the man’s face and the other side is dark. The difference is that while the chiaroscuro paintings that we have been learning were from the 17th century, this painting was created in 1913; one of the paintings that we’ve learned was bloody like Artemisia’s “Judith slaying Holofernes, this painting is a shipwreck but you do not see blood in the water or on the man’s face. The similarities are that like most of the chiaroscuro paintings that we’ve learned were oil on canvases, this painting was also oil on canvas and the artist was also using chiaroscuro lighting.  Like Rubens’ “Elevation of the Cross”, this painting shows a traumatic experience.

Caroline Snyder, Team Cronos