Many admire art, but, unfortunately, not everyone understands it.
Cloths of famous artists, for example, such as Jerome Bosch, namely his painting “Garden of Earthly Delights” is still a mystery, even the researchers could not fully understand its meaning.
The artist’s painting is always a mystery, through his canvases he interacts with the world, and we admire the beautiful lines, curving paths ...
The main principle in understanding the paintings - do not try to understand what the artist wanted to say! Look at the pictures and feel. This is the key to understanding, especially when it comes to abstract art or similar styles.
10. Learn about the picture
Before you decide to understand what is depicted in the picture and become a connoisseur of art, always pay attention to some important points, namely: in which year (century) the picture was painted, which direction the author preferred.
It is also very important to study the biography of the artist, because having understood how he lived and what values he adhered to, it is possible to unravel the meaning.
To understand the paintings, at least basic knowledge of history is necessary, because often artists reflect in their paintings the history of the time in which they are located.
9. Discover the "entry point"
An “entry point” is a region in the picture where a sophisticated look immediately falls.
For example, it may be a sparkling moon casting its glare into the village ... Or a cat sitting outside the window. In general, this is where the inspection of the canvas begins. It is the “entry point" that makes sense, and your task is to see it.
Probably everyone saw the painting "Moonlit Night on the Dnieper", painted by Arkhip Kuindzhi in 1880. The moon is the main element of the picture. On the canvas we see a river in which the light of the moon is reflected, coloring it in a greenish color, it crosses the plain and merges at the horizon with a dark sky covered with light clouds ...
The “entry point” is the center of the picture, and you need to begin your acquaintance with a work of art from it.
8. Use your knowledge and memory
For the greatest understanding of painting, of course, you need to know as much as possible, always read, and have a good understanding of history.
"Melancholy I" by Albrecht Durer is considered one of the most mysterious engravings with secret messages.
But how to solve them? As we know, the painting is called "Melancholy", when it was created, Dürer observed the sky and saw a comet that attracted the eye.
In this work, almost everything is connected with the planet Saturn. This planet is the patroness of melancholy. It used to be that the god of Saturn had inherent knowledge and discoveries, and melancholic people had a higher intellect.
When you look at a picture, notice details, even insignificant ones, they make sense.
7. Find the main areas in the picture
Look at the picture. What are its main areas (those that are the center of the canvas). It can be a river and a lonely tree, a monument, and in the background a park, yes, anything. The main thing is to find the central areas and mark them by drawing lines.
An important meaning is usually embedded in a semantic center. Draw lines and see what geometric shape is revealed to us? If it is a circle, then it symbolizes infinity, a triangle means life, unity, resurrection, a square is the symbolism of the earth, it means 4 elements: water, earth, fire and air.
6. Pay attention to the proportions
This is an important point in understanding the work - if the proportions are not met, then the author wanted to emphasize.
For example, in Theodore Gericault's painting “Horse Racing in Epsom,” written in 1821, we see riders (incidentally, the author of the work loved horses and paintings), as well as the fact that horses have disproportionate bodies that are elongated. Through such manipulation, Theodore Gericault wanted to emphasize the speed of horses.
Many artists use this trick, be careful!
5. Colors often reflect the essence of the picture.
Each color carries a meaning. Until the 20th century, color was inextricably linked with form: an apple has either a yellow tint, or it is bright red, the sea is blue or blue, clouds ... they have a grayish tint or almost transparent.
You probably have seen the picture "Black Square" painted by Kazimir Malevich. With his work, he revolutionized.
Color becomes in itself - self-sufficient, it does not recognize others and carries an independent content.
So a new direction appeared - Suprematism, and each color carries a certain meaning.
Red, for example, is the color of passion, in addition, it means blood, revolution. Blue represents the sky, purity and peace.
4. The season can tell a lot.
What do you feel when you look at those pictures that depict winter, bare branches, frozen ice? And looking at the canvases on which lush green trees flaunt, does the sun shine? What you feel is unlikely to fail you.
Winter personifies a blessed dream for nature, for a man it bears longing, stagnation, death.
Spring depicted on canvases symbolizes revitalization, spiritual renewal, the beginning of a new life.
Autumn is a symbol of fertility and maturity, and summer is the time of year, which means energy, strength, maturity.
But it is also important to pay attention to what time of day in the picture. Night, for example, is always a mystery, mysticism.
3. Take a closer look at the plot
This is very important for those who want to understand the picture that they see. Have you noticed a picture with a historical or some other context? Do not be too lazy to find out the story.
For example, the Rococo style (1730-1789) can be recognized by its outstanding features - people in such paintings have bright cheeks, pale, almost white skin, rounded shapes, a wig with letters, the furniture has curved legs, the interior always has a lot of details . Rococo style appeared with the end of the "beautiful era" of Louis XIV.
Wanting to know the plot of the picture, it is important to familiarize yourself with the story before doing this.
2. Decipher the allegories
Take a look and pay attention to all the details and elements that you see in the picture: night, stump, moon, sea or mountains ... Each element means something, and, besides this, the same means different.
The moon, for example, if it is arriving, means youth, infantile incentives, etc. If you don’t know what this or that meaning has in itself, read the book “Dictionary of Symbols” or study only those that are on the pictures you are interested in.
1. Examine the canvas for signatures
Words, inscriptions and numbers will never flaunt in the paintings of famous artists just like that, without any meaning.
All strange and incomprehensible expressions need to be translated, to find out what this or that number means (each means something, for example, 1 - an important number for the person who acquired it, a person has a serious mission, and the unit has incredible power).
All the numbers in the paintings are talking about something. For example, in the works of Salvador Dali, the clock always shows 6. And this number means luck, truth and perfection.