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Image of The Proposition by Judith Leyster |
Judith Leyster
Judith Leyster was a Dutch artist in painter born in 1609 in Haarlem. She is well known for her baroque portrait paintings, still life, and spontaneous brushwork. At the age of 19 she had already successfully made a name for herself as she was first mentioned as an artist in 1928. Her family ended up moving to Vreeland where it is believed that she began influence under Utrecht Caravaggisti. Later, she moved with her family once again to Zaandam. It is not known when but he eventually moved away from her family to return back to Haarlem. In 1633 she became the first the first women to be admitted to Saint Luke's Guild of Haarlem. She married to another Dutch painter, Jan Miense Molenaer in 1636. The couple moved to Amsterdam shortly after. Once Leyster was married she hardly painted and produced much of any art anymore. Judith Leyster died in 1660 in Heemstede which is where her and Jan Miense Molenaer lived after 1648.
The Proposition
This painting was published in 1931 as an oil painting. The element of contrast in this particular piece of art is extremely prominent as seen in many baroque art works. The contrast really works to bring out a particular type of focus to the viewer and projects detail on the lighting of the scene. The scene which is a women who is sewing while an older man is grasping the women's shoulder with an intense look at her. Which for me generates a feeling of suspense when inspecting the artwork. The women has a look to her face that almost reflects an emotion of unease as she solemnly looks at her sewing. It is a painting that leaves viewers with the thoughts of "what is actually going on here?". If you look closer you can even see the man has coins in his hand which adds even more to the viewer's questioning of the meaning of this work of art. The colors in this painting are all very warm, but dark giving a sense that maybe something sinister is going on in the painting that the viewer is left to interpret. Which is what really makes this piece so interesting to me as there is just so much that Leyster left for viewers to interpret in their own way.
The Influence of Royalty
The influence of royalty is seen in this work of art as it can be interpreted as a man of wealth and royalty making a proposition to a women with coins. As if he can buy his way with this women who is busy sewing just with his wealth and royalty. One common interpretation of many viewers upon inspection is that this is a message of choosing either virtue or vice. Will the women ignore the man to continue her sewing or will she end up taking the money and royalty that he is offering her?
Beranek, Dr. Saskia. “Judith Leyster, The Proposition.” Smarthistory, 17 Mar. 2017, smarthistory.org/leyster-proposition/.
Wheelock, Arthur K. “Judith Leyster.” National Gallery of Art, 24 Apr. 2014, www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.1485.html.
If the work depicts a man of wealth and royalty making a proposition to a woman with coins, as you suggest, then I think it's an idea that has persisted throughout time and is still relevant to our modern times. The idea that those with wealth are able to get whatever they desire on a whim is still a very popular idea nowadays. The reality shows out there that follow the affluent doesn't help their narrative either, they are often portrayed as detached from life, and as the man in the painting shows, believe that money will give them everything.
ReplyDeleteGreat painting choice!
Also as a side note, I enjoy how a lot of the baroque era paintings focus in on their subjects with the use of lighting. This one in particular uses heavy shadowing and the light of a candle to only give light to the man and the woman. It shines light on the coins in the mans hand, and the garment in the woman's hand. Straightforward and to the point.
DeleteI really can't say that I like Baroque artwork. They're so dark you can barely see a thing. I will say that the man looks like Bob Ross though so that's pretty funny, and it is extreemly well drawn and I can't ignore that. It seems like this is a commentary on not just royalty but all of nobility as a whole. I wonder if this piece is potentially a reflection of her life? Maybe she ran into this instance before?
ReplyDeleteYou're right this painting does give out an uneasy vive. I see your point that this man is trying to buy this women, which is so disturbing. I feel like your comment about the man being or using superiority is not really royalty. Since back then anyone really with coin could purchase time with a women. Judith Leyster painted a lot about things that happened to her in her lifetime, maybe this or something similar happened to her?
ReplyDelete