MODULE TWO ESSAY ASSIGNMENT

Your name: Khalid Alqahtani

Your TA’s name: Candice Anthony

Source: NPG
Artist: George Peter Alexander Healy
Exhibition Title: Sixteenth president, 1861–1865

Explain the material, style, and meaning of portrait #1, identifying the signs and symbols. (25 words)

The material used for this is oil painting on the canvas. This is shown by the polished surfaces and shiny
attributes, whether on a chair or Lincoln’s boots. However, no distinct lines are there, which would’ve
suggested otherwise. There is a mesh or blending. The art represents US Sixteenth President, Abraham
Lincoln, indulged in a deep thought. He’s wearing a formal attire and it must mean that he is at his office or at
a meeting or an interview. The light source is coming straight towards Lincoln and the colors used depicts that
Lincoln was white. It’s a representational art with naturalistic approach, as it depicts how Lincoln looked like
and how he acted and what gestures he used. Lastly, chair’s design is of 18th century, quite antique and
wooden, no cushions.

Describe how the portrait #1 uses at least 4 visual elements and principles of design. Point to specific
locations in the work where these are visible as your evidence. (100 words)

The Abraham Lincoln portrait is of linear perspective and is two-dimensional. As there is no 3D effect and the
portrait is painted on the canvas using oil paint, it could be said that the attribute is flat. The texture is quite
confusing at first. As there are proper lines in a zig-zag if we take a look at the back of Lincoln’s siting in a
chair, which depicts implied lines, but looking closely, the bright shiny surfaces of Chair and Lincoln’s boots
suggests that it’s a mold but looking closely at the hands, and legs of the chairs, they are blending in respective
spaces and no distinct linings are used. Hence, this could be said that texture is smooth and done by oil
painting. There is unity and variety found in this portrait. The black shadow of Lincoln’s chair and his self, the
black attire with white shirts forms a lot of unity, however, the orange-red carpet and greenish scrappy wall in
the background adds variety to the portrait. Also, the light source is focused on Lincoln’s face as it’s brighter
and the consequence of that light is the shadow projected in the background of his self and chair depicts that
artist used significant attribute of light and darkness in his painting.
 Insert portrait #2. Identify the title and artist.

Source: NPG
Artist: Edward Hughes
Exhibition Title: Born Savannah, Georgia
Explain the material, style, and meaning of portrait #2, identifying the signs and symbols. (25 words)

The lady in the picture is known as Juliette Gordon Low. She is sitting in her balcony in an open space, with
plants accompanying her. The golden bracelets on her left arm and her attire depicts royalty and nobility. The
colors in the background represents an evening or early morning and depicts that how Nobel women carry
themselves in evening or morning. Also, she is staring in front and smiling, and sitting in a Nobel pose
depicting that she has commissioned her own portrait and she is getting it done with the use of the beautiful
scenery. The robe represents British attire. As far her as skin tone is concerned, she is beautiful white Nobel
woman.
Describe how the portrait #2 uses at least 4 visual elements and principles of design. Point to specific
locations in the work where these are visible as your evidence. (100 words)
The artist used bright colors in a two-dimensional perspective using a naturalistic in combination with
atmospheric perspective approach to capture the beauty of Juliette Gordon Low. The texture of the painting is
blending, if we take a look at the plant leaves and sky; there are no distinct lines, but looking at the leaves
mountain range and cloud, the implied lines are at play. However, the colors are bright. This depicts that the
texture is smooth oil canvas made my oil paints. Moreover, the black leg of bench and black pot, with a little
shadow over the edge of balcony depicts a quite use of light and dark shades. This also depicts a number of
variety and unity. The unity is defined with the great detail of skin color and tone and attributes and a pink
attire whereas, the variety comes with the greenish yellow plants, greyish white stone, bluish sky, white-grey
clouds and greenish mountain with combination of blackness to depict the height of the mountains. This
portrait is asymmetrical and symmetrical as there is no balance to it. The left side of the portrait is with leaves
and the body posture is also inclined on the left, while the right side is totally bland with only the attributable
item is a purse, but if the whole picture is viewed, the right side is covered with more atmospheric beauty and
white purse pours balance into this art. Hence, closer and wider look holds asymmetry and symmetry.
 Insert portrait #3. Identify the title and artist.

Source: NPG
Artist: Magda Pach
Exhibition Label: Born in Mexico City, Mexico
Explain the material, style, and meaning of portrait #3, identifying the signs and symbols. (25 words)

The artist used 4-5 colors that are blue, red, skin black and zinc. There are no definitive lines, but shape of this
art represents a woman, hence, the material used is oil painting on a canvas. The most prominent feature of
this painting is the Heirloom (which looks like a family heirloom) or necklace around the woman’s neck. Her
facial expressions are strict and worrisome, describing that she worried or have anxiety. The attire is simple
and hence, it depicts that she is from a middle class group. Lastly, the title of the painting and heirloom depicts
that she is a Mexican woman, who is strictly family oreiented, or it could be said it’s the Mexican Style.

Describe how the portrait #3 uses at least 4 visual elements and principles of design. Point to specific
locations in the work where these are visible as your evidence. (100 words)
The portait has messy colors interblending with no distinct lines. The contour lines are at play here depicting
the shape of face of the woman as an outline and her body.. Furthermore, the colors are rough and not totally
integrated, hence, depicting the canvas painting and the colors have distinct oil trait, hence, the texture is
coarse but smooth oil canvas painting. The emphasis is given to the heirloom that the woman is wearing
around her neck, which is quite big and this heirloom depicts a prominent feature of the painting. The style of
the heirloom resembles the Mexican style. Hence, it could be stated as the representation art using two-
dimensional linear perspective. The color shades and the skin tone distincts her from black and white, hence,
she is neither black or white, but is of another lineage, that is, Mexico, which, artist made prominent using the
light and darkness traits. Lastly, there is a lot of variety in this painting, the red attire, the zinc colored
heirloom and bluish background all adds to the variety in this painting, while the skin tone and color and
painting attribute contributes unity, as it has been painted in the same way in the whole painting.
 Insert portrait #4. Identify the title and artist.

Source: NPG
Artist: Joseph Siffred Duplessis
Exhibition Title: Born Boston, Massachusetts
Explain the material, style, and meaning of portrait #4, identifying the signs and symbols. (25 words)
The material used is the canvas with oil painting here. The Robe depicts that the person in the painting is quite
influencial and almost, a nobility. The attire seems from the 18th century American. However, the description
on the portrait says that, this man is infact Benjamin Franklin, a famous scientist and American Philospher.
This portrait is self-explanatory as it’s commissioned by the person to be recorded in history. Or, it could be
the artist depiction of Franklin at the time of his peak activities.
Describe how the portrait #4 uses at least 4 visual elements and principles of design. Point to specific
locations in the work where these are visible as your evidence. (100 words)

The artist painted him in a perfect depiction of two-dimension perspective, with a representational approach
depicting Franklin in the 80s. The implied lines on shoulders to bottom depicts an upside down L shape. The
Light was used in depicting the color and emphasize on the mass/size of Franklin. The contrast as in dark
shades and shadows was also used in the background. The greyish background and the light greyish attire with
white shirt and reddish brown chair adds variety to the painting, but greyish color and Franklin’s depiction
adds a lot more unity. The picture is asymmetrical as the emphasis on left body is greater than the right side of
body. The artist tried to put balance with chair on left, while the shadow on the right. The direction of the
painting is slightly tilted in a horizontal way. As far as the texture is concerned, the coarse coloring, yet shiny
surface but blended give away that it’s indeed a painting made by oil paints.
 Works Consulted

Getlein, Mark. Living With Art. 12th ed., Mcgraw-Hill Education, 2020, pp. 80-141.

NPG. "Abraham Lincoln | National Portrait Gallery". Npg.Si.Edu, 2020,

NPG. "Benjamin Franklin | National Portrait Gallery". Npg.Si.Edu, 2020,

NPG. "Frida Kahlo | National Portrait Gallery". Npg.Si.Edu, 2020,

NPG. "Juliette Gordon Low | National Portrait Gallery". Npg.Si.Edu, 2020,