De Lempicka

• De Lempicka was influenced by Picasso when he was working in his Cubism era.
• This inspiration from Picasso can be seen in her use of the large planes of colour on the Bugatti which have a flattened quality to them.
• She was also influenced by Picasso's cubist colour palette in 'Femme Assise', however she interpreted it in slightly brighter tones.
• De Lempicka was influenced by the feminist movement of the 1920's.
• This inspiration from the feminist movement can be seen how she has portrayed herself driving a very expensive car highlighting her independence as a woman in the twenties.
• Media handling and / or techniques? (first point)

  • De Lempicka has chosen to use very smooth brushstrokes that are long and non visible. You can barely see where the strokes start and end due to how thickly the paint is applied so much so there is no transparency. This can be seen in most areas of the portrait especially in the Bugatti.
• Media handling and / or techniques? (second point)

  • The technique on the Bugatti contrasts with the finer brushwork applied to the face. The application of paint helps to create more of a finished look and to pull focus onto De Lempicka.
• Colour?

  • The artist has used a rather restricted colour palette mainly using greens, greys which give a harmonious effect, but there is also a pop of red. This red can be seen in De Lempicka’s lips which immediately stand out against the green as they are complementary colours. This is effective because it creates contrast / impact and directs the viewer’s eye toward the areas of importance which is De Lempicka.
• Line? (first point)

  • There is a balanced mix of both strong, defined outlines and blending that can be seen over different areas of the painting. For instance the sides of the car have more of an angular outline which complements the mechanical form of the car.
• Line? (second point)

  • There is a strong diagonal line which runs from the bottom left of the painting directly up to De Lempicka’s face. The effect of this leading line is that it draws the viewers eyes to the focal point of the painting.
• Composition? (first point)

  • De Lempicka paints herself within a triangular structure that can be seen from the edges of the car, this structure helps the viewer's eye to be led in the direction toward De Lempicka's face.
• Composition? (second point)

  • The majority of the painting contains the car, with only a small part of the of the top right part of the painting showing the portrait of the artist. Even though the self portrait is a small part of the painting, De Lempicka has succeeded in making her face the focal point of the composition because she is painted in more detail.
• Composition? (third point)

  • Another reason De Lempicka is the focal point is because she is making direct eye contact with the viewer, this works effectively as it lures the viewer in. 
• Tone?

  • The tone in this painting is created by the direction of natural light which is coming from the right hand side of the painting through the car window. This creates highlights on the side of the car and also on the right side of De Lempicka’s face but also creates shadows on the left side. This helps to give the effect of three dimensions throughout the whole painting.
• Texture?

  • De Lempicka uses very smooth brush marks for painting the surface of the Bugatti to create the impression of the smooth, shiny metallic texture. The same smooth texture is used to give the impression of the soft folds of silky fabric in De Lempicka’s scarf.
• Shape and / or form?

  • De Lempicka uses geometric shapes for the car especially on the angular windows which contrast with the organic rounded shapes of  both the scarf and De Lempicka’s face. The angular shape of the window of the car is effective because it acts almost like a frame for her face.
• Pattern?

  • The repeated pattern that is created from the folds in the fabric of her scarf creates contrasts with the repeated diagonal lines in the car.
• Scale?

  • The painting was intended as a magazine cover, therefore it is smaller than life size and quite a lot of detail compacted within a small space in places like De Lempicka’s face which is effective as it adds to the intensity of the piece.
• Style? (first point)

  • The style of De Lempicka’s self portrait is Art Deco. It has the characteristics of Art Deco in it’s simple bold lines and curves which help to make it look quite graphic.
• Style? (second point)

  • The Art Deco style is also seen in its geometric shapes and flat planes of colour which are mostly represented in the car. This reflects the modern machinery often seen in Art Deco.
• Subject matter? (first point)

  • The subject matter of De Lempicka’s painting is a self-portrait. She depicts herself as a strong independent female with her confident gaze to the viewer whilst driving an expensive vehicle.
• Subject matter? (second point)

  • De Lempicka also portrayed her sophistication with the luxurious silk and leather fabrics of the gloves and scarf and wearing a red lip.
• Mood and atmosphere?

  • De Lempicka creates the atmosphere of unattainable wealth with her aloof gaze and expensive clothing. Her expression looks almost cold and stern and exceeds confidence and power.