How Do Artists Inform their Colour Choice in Flower Paintings?
An essay that explores whether artists inform their flower paintings by colour theories. By Dalia Atteya MA Painting – Wimbledon College of Arts – University of the Arts London
Introduction
This essay aims to explore whether artists resort to colour theories upon creating or during painting, or do they let the painting itself inform the colour composition. Of course there are other factors, such as the subject itself, and whether the artist is a realist painter, impressionist or otherwise. However, I will explore the idea in an abstract form leaving other factors aside for lack of space. It is hard to consult a theory since, through its unique use of colour, every painting expresses and opens up a visual world for the spectator to engage with.
Even if artists consulted theories, the painting itself will eventually takeover.
According to John Gage the art historian should be concerned with the local context of colour-ideas as they relate to the artist under consideration than with any global theoretical framework. He also added
“They have tended to expect more coherence in the handling of theory by painters than the evidence would warrant. However, this does not make colour theory any less important” (GAGE, John, 1999, p.43)
I will explore this by analysing Georgia O'Keefe’s (1887-1986) “Jimson Weed” (1936) and Claude Monet’s (1840-1926) “The Water Lilies – Green Reflections” (1915-1926) and test it against the relevant theories.
Georgia O’keeffe
Figure 1: Georgia O’Keeffe 1887-1986
Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 1932
Oil paint on canvas
48 x 40 inches appx 122 x 100 cm
“Jimson Weed” is one of O’keeffe’s most famous paintings, and although it seems simple at first glance, as you look closer, you see a number of characteristics. First, the colour: the petals are coloured with gradations of white to green towards the core, and the core itself is painted in bright green. Inside the core, there are buds painted in light purple with one yellow bud. The petals are surrounded by green leaves, which are graded between lighter to darker green, almost black. Another important characteristic, is the background, there is a light blue shade, which also comes in gradations of lighter and darker blue, however, almost unnoticeable. It is a close-up and a top view of the flower that captures and engages the viewer with the paintings.
Since this is a top view, and if O’keeffe was simply copying the view, the background should have been dark brown (colour of the soil) and not blue. This suggests that the painting was not informed by reality, but maybe the artist wanted to envelop the flower by a mythical atmosphere. And also suggests that the artist made a conscious choice of colour, but did she consult colour theories?
A number of colour theories discussed green, black and white. One important theory is the Alexander Nequam’s (GAGE, John, 1999, p.96) who argues that green and black rest the eyes while white dazzles them. Also, Bartholomeus (GAGE, John, 1999, p.97) supports Nequam in that green lies in between the colours red and black and offers pleasance to the sight and comforts the visible spirit (Seymore (op.cit.n.32 above) ch.xixi,1290. This is the effect the eye experiences once it encounters the painting.
As for the blue in the background, John Gage (Gage, 1999) stated that blue had gained its heavenly connotation during the Middle Ages, especially in its precious form of Lapis Lazuli. This supports the idea that the artist wanted to add a spiritual heavenly atmosphere to the painting. According to Newton’s colour wheel, blue is considered a “cool” colour, which will make a good choice to complement a low-toned painting.
As for the giant white petals Albers argues (ALBERS, Josph, 2013, p.44), the increase in amount of colour – not merely in size of the canvas visually reduces distance. As a consequence, it often produces nearness, meaning, intimacy and respect, which is the same impact the viewer experiences when they encounter the painting.
In her own words, O’keeffe stated …
“The large white flower with the golden heart is something I have to say about white”. “Whether the flower or the colour is the focus I do not know . . . colour is one of the greatest things in the world that makes life worth living” (RUBIN, Susan Goldman, 2010, p.84)
Also in a TV interview:
“You probably make a painting and for some little part you don’t know what to do with it, until you get to it, and I wouldn’t know until I get to it, and then I have to do something about it”. (O'KEEFFE, Georgia, 1977)
Those quotes emphasis that O’Keeffe was interested in colour and was conscious about her colour choices, however, no solid evidence supports that fact that she resorted to any theories while she painted. In spite of that, Jimson Weed remains O’keeffe’s most iconic painting.
Claude Monet
Figure 2: The Water Lilies: Green Reflections
Around 1915-1926
Oil on canvas
H:200, W: 850
It is one of a set of 8 compositions, composed of 22 panels displayed in Musée de L’Orangerie –Paris. There are some important facts about those compositions. First, the subject was the artist’s own perception of landscape which was apparent in the size and the tight focus on the pond surface and its reflections. Second, Monet omitted the horizon line, the sky and the ground in order to immerse the viewer in the paintings. Sometimes included a hint of the pond’s edge in order to situate the viewer in the space (TEMKIN, Ann and Lawrence, Nora, 2010). Third, the exhibition space was designed with certain specifications to host the 8 compositions, notably a skylight ceiling. This indicates the amount of devotion Monet gave to his water lily garden to the extent that he wanted the viewers to immerse themselves in the atmosphere and to experience the garden the same way he did.
I chose (The Water Lilies – Green Reflections 1915-1926) for a number of reasons. First, Monet used the effect of light and darkness to assist in viewing the work by building the skylight ceiling in the exhibition space. Second, the scale of the artwork emphasises the presence of the water lilies, and the fact that the blue colour dominates the painting.
In addition to blue, some shades of green, red and yellow are represented by the lily pads and the flowers respectively.
The scale of the artwork takes us to a new question of whether theories of light and darkness, colour composition and volume and quantity of colour have an effect on the viewing experience. There are a number of theories in this regard.
Firstly, Issac Newton argued that colour is a function of light alone (GAGE, John, 1999). Which is a limited perception since he did not take into account darkness and each individual’s sensation of colour. On the other hand, Goeth disagreed and argued that colour is based on the sensation of the eye, he did not see darkness as an absence of light but rather a polar that interacts with light and produces colour. Based on his experiments Goeth characterized colour as a dynamic display resulting from the interaction of light and darkness. — (Rudolf Steiner, 1897). Accordingly, our sensation of colour changes according to the light and darkness that fall upon it, and this is what this painting achieves by having skylight falling upon it with different degrees depending upon the time of the day and the weather conditions.
Having said that, let us discuss the colour composition; also a number of theories tackled this. Bartholomeus argued that although red stood, strictly speaking mid-way between black and white on the colour scale, it did not pan out, since it ‘accordeth more in blaynge [i.e. in heraldry] with white than black (GAGE, John, 1999, p.97)
And therefore deep red separates the sight, as bright light does, and gathers not the sight, as black does. Seymour (op. cit. n. 32 above) ch. XIV, 1287, (GAGE, John, 1999, p.97)
However, in this painting, red did not play such a role but was rather almost unnoticeable, luckily, there is a reasonable explanation for that. Joseph Albers (ALBERS, Josph, 2013, p.44) argues that the quantity of colour is one important factor, and adds that the more the colour is presented in quantity, the less role other colours will play. Which exactly what happened in this painting, where the blue dominated the painting and the complementary colours (red and yellow) hardly – despite being bright - played any role.
Regarding the volume of colour, Albers (ALBERS, Josph, 2013, p.46) argues that oil is a film colour not a volume colour, i.e. the intensity, weight and darkens of the colour does not change by applying several layers, which is acceptable from a practical point of view.
Comparison and Contrast / Analysis
In the next section, I compare and contrast these two paintings in terms of colour choice, light and darkness and quantity and volume.
Colour choice
It is clear that O’keeffe made a deliberate choice of colour, however, no evidence that this is the case for Monet’s “Water Liliy”. While O’keeffe applied the blue scarcely in her “Jimson Weed”, the blue was dominant in Monet’s “Water Liliy”, the blue was used in different connotations though. In the “Jimson Weed” it was used to add a mythical heavenly atmosphere to the painting, while in the “Water Lilies”, blue was used in large quantities to magnify the landscape, focus on the pond and to bring the viewer closer to the painting. The same effect that “white” had in the Jimson Weed.
Both paintings were dominated by “cool” colours, however, the sheer white of the “Jimson Weed” petals shocks the viewer and draws them further away, whereas the sheer quantity of the blue in “the water lilies” draws the viewer closer, and creates intimacy with the artwork. Which proves Nequam, Bartholomeus and Albers assumptions in these matters.
Light and darkness
In contrast to the relevant theories; Newton (Gage, 1999) argued that colour is a function of light alone, whereas, Goeth (Gage, 1999) refuted that by claiming that Newton disregarded the darkness and the human sensation of colour, he also stated that colour is a function of light and darkness. This is not necessarily the case for artists. For example, while O’Keeffe did not deploy the light and darkness elements in her “Jimson Weed”, Monet relied heavily on light and darkness to complement the viewing experience.
Quantity and Volume of colour / Scale
Neither Newton nor Goeth tackled the quantity and volume factors in their theories and did not take the viewer’s experience of colour, whereas Albers did. The quantity is an important factor since both O’Keeffe and Monet relied on the quantity of colour extensively in their “Jimson Weed” and “Water Lilies – Green Reflection”.
Conclusion
From a theoretical perspective, Gage argued that the art historian should be concerned with the local context of colour-ideas as they relate to the artist under consideration than with any global theoretical framework. Art historians have tended to expect more coherence in the handling of theory by painters than the evidence would warrant. However, this does not make colour theory any less important (GAGE, John, 1999, p.43). Gage’s theory rings true when it comes to looking at O’Keeffe’s “Jimson Weed 1936” and Monet’s “The Water Lilies – Green Reflections 1915-1926”. This is because there was no evidence to prove that either had taken colour theories into consideration upon starting their work. O’keeffe responded to the natural colours of the flower she painted, while Monet considered the light and darkness as essential factors affecting the colour and the viewer experience.
Newton (Gage, 1999) argued that colour is a function of light alone, whereas, Goeth (Gage, 1999) refuted that by claiming that Newton disregarded the darkness and the human sensation of colour, he also stated that colour is a function of light and darkness. Neither Newton, nor Goeth, considered the intensity or the volume of colour, which opens their theories for debate.
The above does not undermine the colour theorists’ efforts and assumptions, but rather, highlights that more research can be done in this area. However, artists are not bound by any theories but rather rely more on their own experience of the subject matter; the colour choice, quantity and volume can be informed and changed many times during the process.
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Bibliography
ALBERS, Josph. 2013. Interaction of Color. New York: Yale University Press.
BACHELOR, David. 2014. The Luminous and the Grey. Reaktion Books.
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GAGE, John. 1999. Colour and Meaning - Art, Science and Symbolism. London: Thames & Hudson.
GAGE, John. 2001. Colour and Culture: Practice and Meaning from Antiquity to Abstraction. London: Thames & Hudson.
O'KEEFFE, Georgia. 1977.
RUBIN, Susan Goldman. 2010. Wideness & Wonder : The Life and Art of Georgia O'Keeffe. New York: Chronicle Books LLC.
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TEMKIN, Ann and Nora LAWRENCE. 2010. Claude Monet Water Lilies. New York: The Museum of Modern Art.
