"Ophelia" Sir John Everett Millais

• USE OF MATERIALS:

  • Ophelia by sir john everett millais uses a base of white oil paint on canvas before using pencil for detailed line drawings of the subject
  • he applies thin brown tonal glazes of dilute paint on top to create the idea of form in subject matter, tonal layer becomes the base where translucent layers built
  • by using glazing technique, piece allows light to pass through translucent layers to white base, each layer appears suspended, sense of depth
• USE OF SCALE:

  Millais worked at a large scale with canvas measuring 76cm x 1.12m, giving him the opportunity to record fine details in the subject matter surrounding the main subject, detail of the plant species makes them identifiable, an important decision as each plant has symbolic importance to story
• USE OF SCALE:

  Millais uses scale to create a sense of depth in his painting, painting the subject matter in the foreground larger than that of the mid and background, creating an illusion that the foreground is closer.
• USE OF SCALE:

  Millais uses scale to create a focal point in the work, as Ophelia is the largest subject, making her the most dominant feature of the painting, automatically grabbing viewers' attention.
• USE OF TECHNIQUES:

  • millais was very observational, used careful measurements to record and depict what he saw, making angular measurements, one eye closed to remove issue of depth, half closed eyes to see contrast in tone, once accurate measurement was made he adds detail, resulting in high realism
• USE OF TECHNIQUES:

  • millais had a very good understanding of layering transparent colours effect - demonstrated through his oil paint glazes, to achieve realistic results he mixes paints with linseed oil beforehand, necessary secondary and tertiary colours were achieved by measuring how much coloured glaze would be required to change them, the painting slowly builds more realistic
• USE OF TECHNIQUES:

  • to achieve high detail, he painted the most detailed layer at the end, using progressively smaller brushes until finest shadows and highlights were repainted at end, results in exceptionally high detail
• WORKING METHODS:

  • millais worked from life, he took sketchbooks into Surrey landscapes to produce a range of artworks, once completed entire landscape from life at Hogsmill River at Ewell at Surrey
• WORKING METHODS:

  • ophelia's model was 19 year old elizabeth sindall, painted from life, she had to pose for hours in a bath of water heated with lamps below, many initial sketches were produced before artist moved to final piece
• WORKING METHODS:

  • millais painted landscape background first, spending more time on surrounding subject matter than ophelia, less time on main subject, however still apparent he used observational skills as painting is highly realistc
• CHOICE OF SUBJECT:

  • subject matter depicting scene of shakespeare's hamlet, tragic death of ophelia as drowned woman is main subject
• CHOICE OF SUBJECT:

  • subject matter depicts ophelia if she were a mermaid, calm and singing, at peace with water, weight of dress pulling her down, calmness in ophelia's pose and facial expression is contrast to a horrific drowning
• CHOICE OF SUBJECT:

  • subject matter shares love of nature and countryside, wide variety of plants and animals, brilliant greens sing a song of life over lament of death in river below
• MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE:

  • i think the painting has a very peaceful mood and atmosphere, conveyed in ophelia's face which is pale and vacant, like if she was in a daydream or ready to sleep
• MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE:

  • the river adds to the peaceful mood and atmosphere since its so deep and black and slow moving, even the grasses swaying movements contribute to the silence and transquility
• MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE:

  • the subject matter contributes to a spring like mood and atmosphere because of the nature being so full of life, just like the growth of life to the world of spring, contrast of life and death depicting the hopelessness of ophelia's situation
• CONSIDERATION OF STYLE:

  • obviously figurative as painting is from play, subject matter clearly identifiable as viewer can see ophelia floating down stream surrounded by landscape
• CONSIDERATION OF STYLE:

  • highly realistic in style as visual elements recorded with high accuracy, every line, tone, texture and colour has been measured with high level of detail, contributing to realistic style
• CONSIDERATION OF STYLE:

  • his handling of selected media has contributed to realistic style, oil paint applied with sihc control that no brush strokes are visible, due to high level of rendering, ophelia's face looks smooth and unblemished creating high level of realism
• USE OF TONE:

  • tone creates illusion of depth by using tone to describe 3d surfaces of subjects depicted, upper parts painted light and lower parts painted dark, creates idea of light source hitting objects and casting shadows, creating illusion of depth
• USE OF TONE:

  • tone is also important of ophelia, making her light and the background water dark, millais has created tonal contrast and dominance, which frames and creates focal point of her
• USE OF TONE:

  • tone also contributes to atmosphere, millais uses mainly light, airy tones that are reminiscent of warm sunny days, contributes to idea of springtime and life, suggest contrast of life and death in tragedy depicted
• IMPACT OF SOCIAL, CULTURAL INFLUENCES:

  • millais was inspired by nature, unlike other artists at the Pre-Raphaelites times, he often worked around nature, improving the vast detail in his works
• IMPACT OF SOCIAL, CULTURAL INFLUENCES:

  • inspired by dutch flower painters, when religious paintings were banned in Holland, many painters turned to still life as a way of creating them with symbolic undertone, each flower chosen for symbolic reverence, briar rose - sleep, daisy - innocence, iris - life to death
• IMPACT OF SOCIAL, CULTURAL INFLUENCES:

  • major inspiration of shakespeare's hamlet, entire painting depicting the story of ophelia, driven to madness after her father was murdered by her lover hamlet, millais paints the moment when the character drowns, all while singing, inspiration can be seen in every element
• USE OF MATERIALS:

  • white oil paint base -> pencil -> delicate + detail line drawing of subject
  • thin brown tonal glazes -> form in subject matter -> tonal layer = base -> translucent layers built
  • glazing technique -> light passes through layers to base (stain glass window) -> smooth + glass-like -> depth beyond surface
• USE OF SCALE:

  • large scale (76cm x 1.12m) -> record fine detail (surrounding subject matter) -> recognisable plant species -> symbolic importance
  • sense of depth -> closer subject matter (foreground) -> illusion (real aesthetic)
  • focal point (Ophelia) -> large scale -> dominant -> captures viewers attention
• USE OF TECHNIQUES:

  • observational -> careful measurements (record what's seen) -> angular measurements (one eye closed- remove depth) -> half closed eyes (contrast of tone) -> after measurements, detail added
  • understanding layering tonal glazes -> mixed linseed oil with paint (for desired colour) -> measured each colour accurately
  • detailed layer painted last -> progressively smaller brushes -> high level of detail
• WORKING METHODS (FACTUAL INFORMATION):

  • worked from life ->sketchbooks in surrey landscapes -> range of artworks -> completed entire landscape by Hogsmill River at Ewell in Surrey.
  • Elizabeth Siddall (19) -> posed in bath (heated with lamps) -> many sketches before final
  • landscape painted first -> more time spent (surrounding subject matter) -> less time on main subject -> observational (high detail)
• CHOICE OF SUBJECT MATTER:

  • Shakespeare's Hamlet scene -> tragic death -> Ophelia drowning (main subject)
  • Ophelia as mermaid -> calm + singing -> relaxed + peace with water -> dress weight dragging her down -> pose=calm -> contrast of drowning scene
  • love of nature + countryside -> wide plant + animal variety in landscape -> sing song of life over lament of death in below river
• CONSIDERATION OF MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE:

  • peaceful mood+atmosphere -> conveyed through ophelia's pale + vacant face -> daydream + ready for sleep
  • river -> deep + slow moving -> river grass swaying (gentle movement) -> silence + tranquility
  • subject matter = spring-like -> rich + full of life -> fresh growth + coming to life -> contrasting life with death
• CONSIDERATION OF STYLE:

  • figurative -> scene from play -> identifiable subject matter -> ophelia floating down river surrounded by plants
  • highly realistic -> accurately recorded visual elements -> line, tone, texture, colour -> high detail contributes to style
  • handling selected media -> no brush strokes -> ophelia's face= unblemished -> high detail
• VISUAL ELEMENT OF TONE:

  • illusion of depth -> 3d surfaces depicted -> upper=light + lower=dark -> light source casting shadows
  • contrast -> dominance in ophelia -> ophelia= light + water=dark -> tonal dominance + contrast (focal point)
  • atmosphere -> light airy tones -> reminiscent warm sunny day -> springtime + life -> contrast of life + death
• IMPACT OF SOCIAL CULTURAL INFLUENCES:

  • pre-raphaelites -> inspired by nature -> worked outside (surrounded by nature) -> painting shows vast detail from surrey countryside
  • Dutch flower paintings -> religious banned (Holland) -> still life -> flower symbolic meaning
  • William Shakespeare's Hamlet -> Ophelia driven mad her father is murdered by her lover Hamlet -> painted drowning while singing -> inspiration everywhere