visual grammar

The idea that we can't understand art until we see the real thing is still circulating. But ninety-nine percent of the works I have seen are reproductions. If we accept that design (image) is the essence of art, by looking at art books and digital images, we can find the answer to what art is.  In formal art theory, digital images are also works.      from [Blog "Unified Art Theory"]   Genuine works of the print collection  in museum collection are not readily available to see. Kiyonobu's name is well known but his work is not understood. One of the reasons is that most people don't realize that reproduction is enough to enjoy seeing. It seems that there are few people who try to find it in digital images.   I found three digital images which are related.        The middle one seems to be most balanced.         Torii Kiyonobu　「 Actor Sawamura Kodenji as a Woman at the Time of the 　　　Tanabata Festival」 It ...

In the previous blog "Cézanne, Seurat and Beardsley arrived at the same technique", I wrote two conditions of modern art from the level of formalism: Constructing with only arcs of a few circles of different sizes creates harmony. Then the circles can be used to create a balanced structure. 　    Picasso “Female Nude with Arms Raised” 　 1907 in the Sainsbury Collection    Picasso “Female Nude with Arms Raised” 　 arc-circle model According to the explanation of the museum that owns this work, it is a study for Les Demoiselles D'Avignon, But if you look at the work itself 、 this painting is more complete. Comments without a structural model don't make much sense.  The model reminds me of Seurat's "Study of Model".    Seurat "Study of the Model"    Seurat "Study of the Model" arc-circle model.

     Woman Carrying a Vase | The Metropolitan Museum of Art 17th century From the beginning my interest in art have been in seeing reproductions as the original works cannot been seen often.   I may have passed by this work in the museum as I lived in New York for over twenty years. I have several books which contain the reproduction of this work as I used to go to Strand bookstore every day,        arc model      large blue circle arc model      red circle arc model I have already made the models of o Raphael, Cranach, Sharaku (Hokusai), Seurat, Cézanne, Picasso, Klee, and Matisse. Since this model is quantitative, it should be possible to create it automatically with AI. Predicting the near future, automatic model making of all artworks will enable to reveal the reason why the great works are. Besides w e can make masterpieces that was never made.

Matisse's interest in Cezanne's bathers' paintings is well known. Let's see when the influence appeared in the work. The first candidates are "Game of Bowls" and "Music(study)".  They are on very linear drawings   Matisse "Game of Bowls 1908     Matisse "Game of Bowls large circle-arc model              　　　　　　　　　　　　 Matisse "Music(sketch)"  Matisse "Music(sketch)" large circle-arc model Comparing the two models, the difference in their structure is clear. One of the necessary conditions to be a masterpiece is to be unique. The basic structure of large circle shows the uniqueness of a work. Some of the great circles  in the second model are aligned along vertical or horizontal lines. Cezanne painted a few prepared Bathers' paintings. This painting in Basel Museum is well known in reproduction.    Cezanne "Five Bathers" 1985-87 Kunst Museum Basel  large circle-arc model The model shows that Cezanne might be...

 Last time, I showed that the arc technique was used in Cézanne, Seurat, and Beardsley's nude forms. Mondrian, who did not paint nude forms, found the same technique in abstracting the curves of a tree.   I googled "mondrian tree" and found this image mixed with many Mondrian imitations. There is no explanation for this image, and it is a work that I have never seen in any art books. The painting is so well-balanced and harmonious that I am convinced that it is Mondrian's work. I can certify this authentic by making models      arc model Six circles are enough to make the model, which create harmonious effect. Extending the arcs, make arc-circle model.      arc-circle model The largest blue circles make the basic structure. It turned out that Mondrian used the same arc-circle technique, alongside Picasso,   Matisse, Klee, Leger, Modigliani, etc.

  I noticed that Cézanne, Seurat and Beardsley used the same arc-circle technique    in the second half of the twentieth century .   Here are the examples. Cezanne “The Bather “in MOMA 1885 Seurat “Study for the Models” 1886 Beadsley “Bathyllus taking the pose” 1896 、 I still don't know how they affected each other. It may be self-evident if you look closely at classical paintings, as myself did. Visual grammar is an a priori ability, and the end result is the same. This ability is at the foundation of formalism.        Cezanne “The Bather “in MOMA 1885      Seurat “Study for the Models” 1886      Beadsley “Bathyllus taking the pose” 1896 、

       Matisse "Fairy in a Luminous Hat" This is one of Matisse's most designed works. There is no trace of personal touch. Though the pattern is almost symmetrical, some asymmetrical parts can be easily seen. Make an arc model.      Matisse "Fairy in a Luminous Hat" arc-circle model In the model the asymmetrical parts are recognized as shape difference. The next drawing looks more freely drawn.      Matisse "Study for The Virgin" Right cheek, left chin, nose bridge, etc. appear to have the same curvature. The wavy hair on the top of the head also looks like the same curve is used repeatedly. Make an arc model. Matisse "Study for The Virgin" arc-circle model The basic structure is mostly made up of large purple circles, smaller  circles linking them to the structure.