Workmanship n. 1.
Skill as a workman; craftsmanship.
Here we have two examples of workmanship from two well known painters. I
have chosen these examples for three reasons: 1) they are well crafted but very
different in execution, 2) the artists were contemporaries and 3) they were both Dutch
painters. The first similarity is the most important while the second two
make for a more apt comparison.
Johannes Vermeer, The Girl With the Pearl Earring @ 1665 Collection of the Mauritshuis, the Hague
It is said that Vermeer is more representative of the Dutch
tradition of painting with his carefully composed and exquisitely rendered
genre scenes. A close up of the painting shows the carefully blended brushwork in the
face of the sitter while the turban is done in much broader and defined brushstrokes.
The
painting is a beautiful example of the deceptive simplicity I enjoy in some
minor works as its subject has been the cause of great speculation. Who is the Girl With the Pearl Earring? Why
did he paint her? What is meant by the juxtaposition of the modestly covered hair and the sensuality of her mouth? That little is known of Vermeer's life and work adds fuel to the fire. (Having seen several Vermeers in person I can testify that they are definitely worth all the fuss.) Of course, it is a great pleasure simply to look at the painting, but the mystery of it adds depth to its beauty.
Part 2, a Rembrandt self portrait: the other end of the
spectrum.
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