Art Interpretation

An artists personal history can be a optical roadmap into their past, subconscious, and their personal reality. The purpose of this paper is to explore these idioms in the forge of Gerard Ter Borch and its historical relevance to art. Gerard Ter Borch had an established rapport with his uncle Robert van Voerst, a relationship that enabled the artist to claim his niche as one of atomic number 63s leading court portraitists. Robert van Voersts ties with Charles I began Borchs career and launched him into his fame and status.With royal backing it is no wonder that Borch kept more of his subject matter dealing with the rich and wealthy instead of the ordinary Dutch preclusion to the drab or mundane of human life. It is this square turn of events that lead this discussion to Borchs sophisticated representation of coetaneous life (62). Such representations into modernity of Dutch life can be witnessed in Borchs scene Curiosity (c. 1660). Since Borchs family was so nearly tied to an aristocratic lifestyle, it is no wonder that the artists work would reflect what he so intimately knew.Although the composition of the work is trump seen through the use of rich fabrics (as is most of Borchs work) what should be taken note of is his use of diagonals to illustrate the inner psychology of the characters in his work. The second base of a letter arriving has each charr in the painting special(a) as to its contents, but this curiosity is best exemplified by the woman on the left leaning over the other young womans shoulder in order to gain a better befool of the letters contents. This leaning of the young woman gives the painting an suspicious feel that is not present in other of Borchs work.A heights profile woman that is a woman of so obvious a rich birth (as can be seen by her clothing) indulges in a dalliance of childish movement making the moment both socialize and whimsical. This whimsical record is given further emphasis by the big background contact the young ladies. That this one woman would allow herself the self-indulgence of something so trivial as a childish leaning preliminary among all that tradition and overbearing space (notice the columns in the background as hygienic as the ornate fixture of the diagonally placed mirror) is what is so appealing about this piece of work.The reason for the letter writing with this common chord of women is that Borch had a very close relationship with his half sisters, which surely contributed to his social sensitivity to how young women might behave on such an affair (76). With Borchs obvious eye for the little(a)est detail a closer run of the painting must be given, including symbol for such objects. Of note in such objects is the watch notice which precariously dangles over the edge of the table.The symbolism of such a state for a watch thread key could mean for the spectator to take special note of temperance which would take out sense with Borch having been raised i n the Eastern Netherlands and privy to that regions Protestant upbringing. Since the objects on the table are of such small stature, from the candlestick to the watch winding key to even the letter itself, the dish may imagine that the symbolism of such objects do not have equal weight as the characters themselves therefore, motive for the letter takes precedence over any idea of temperance.However, with Borchs style leaning toward developing and understanding human behavior it may be worthwhile to ask Why did the artist choose to complicate a moral lesson in such small objects if not to specify a point? Indeed, this curiosity of The Curiosity is the reason why the painting is known as a conversatiestuk or conversation piece. With such small detail making an impact on critiques and watchmans alike what becomes predominately communicate in deliberateing Borch is that he continually uses small objects to emphasize his study of human behavior.Upon first looking at The Curiosity a viewer is not completely aware of all of the objects in the composition. The element of wild is what fabricates these objects more noticeable such as the winding key on the tables ledge that gives off a golden chromaticity and is further emphasized by the spaniels body language pointing to the key. If the element of light is to be discussed in The Curiosity then most notably the woman on the right shimmers with luminescence her costume as well as her countenance.With such brilliance transposing the portrait it is a wonder that the woman stands at such a outmatch from the main action of the painting. This distance is only emphasized by Borchs use of light on her. This leads the viewer to wonder the cause of the distance and to become enraptured by the back story of the moment of the painting and the relationship among these three women. Thus, by the use of light, Borch has made the viewer not only appreciate a fine painting but to become engrossed in the psychology of the cha racters and their reasons for standing the way he has painted them.In this psychological history of the women, the viewer becomes aware of something else a voyeuristic tone to the painting. The intimate moment of a woman opening a letter that may (by the stance of the women surrounding her) be from a lover or gentleman caller makes the viewer realize that the puma is a man, and that the interest of all of the women is of a man. Thus, the puma through these psychological stances becomes the object of the viewers scrutiny (76).Upon revisiting the painter as the background object of the painting, the viewer must once again re-examine the objects on the table and their significance to the painters life. The condemnation piece once again must be examined not as an abstract composition of temperance but as a disclosure to the viewer of the artists own timeframe. Time is often associated with death, thereby the death of the painters uncle during this time is significant. It is the unc le who allowed him his introduction to Charles I and which thereby gained him his entrance into the art world.It seems that Borch is writing his own life history in the small objects on the table. The death of Borchs mother Anna Bufkens would perhaps be also realistically attached to the significance to the time piece. The complex nature of the painting is revealed the women gathering around the letter are anxious to become out the lovers intentions but the objects on the table mark of lives and lovers past. Love quickly follows death for the viewers in Borchs painting.With so much psychology behind the small objects involved in Borchs painting The Curiosity it cannot be said that the painting is for mere visual enjoyment that is most definitely not a conversatiestuk it is far more than just a simple conversation piece. Without the use of light, of lines, and of composition such nuisances of Borchs style would be lost on the viewer. Thus, the importance of these esthetical styles is what ultimately makes the painter so interesting to the art world. If Borch desired to make a moralizing message it would be to enjoy the love letter when they are coming and in time to allow for the moments of death.