The most difficult aspects of landscape painting to master are the use of perspective and color. It is easier to draw a landscape on a level plane because objects remain unchanged regardless of our distance from them or the angle at which we look at them. To better illustrate this, take a look up from this newspaper right now at the scene around you. Now pretend you are a free-floating camera that is currently at your eye level. If the camera sees whatever you see, what would happen if you were to lower the camera to the level of your feet? What would happen if you chose a top-down view or skewed perspective?
The way things look both near and far would be drastically different. Some objects may shrink, others may grow very large, and certain objects may disappear entirely. The most basic method for creating these kinds of landscapes is by establishing a “one point perspective.” However, when drawing in tighter spaces like the interior of buildings this can become incredibly difficult. If you are painting, you are also at a disadvantage if your skills aren’t on par with the greats. Painting in incredible detail takes patience and mastery. This week’s artist manages to hit both of these nails on the head. Giovanni Paolo Panini was an 18th century Baroque painter who achieved fame from his portrayal of popular Roman antiquities.
Panini was born in 1691 in the Italian city of Piacenza, where he would study perspective and architectural painting in his youth. He would eventually move to Rome, where he would initially take up a profession as a fresco decorator for the interior of aristocratic palaces. He would go on to serve as a president and teacher at two respective art academies, all the while working on architectural drawings and paintings. However, his claim to fame lay in his ability to reproduce “veduta,” or view paintings. Although it is true that Panini was the first artist that came up on WikiArt when I was searching for artists for this piece, I was too impressed to pass him up. In his paintings, it almost always seems as though he’s trying to make his job more difficult. Rather than choosing the most zoomed-in perspective possible, he chooses to make his views expansive so that even when he’s painting the interior of a building, he captures as much of the scene as possible. I believe that this is best illustrated in his rendition of the interior of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
In this painting, the first and most noticeable aspect is just how much ground is covered. It seems as though Panini chose this expansive perspective to not only portray how grand the Basilica is but also how happening it seems to be. Scattered around the basilica are both onlookers and churchgoers, seemingly covering its entire length, as we can see figures in the distance. This is only natural for such an important and iconic landmark religious site, so this contributes to the realism of the scene. Intensifying the realism is Panini’s incredible attention to detail, incorporating everything from the Corinthian-style pillars, the statues of religious figures adorning the walls, and the golden patterns on the ceilings and arches. Also, Panini’s ability to clearly portray the natural light flushing in through the windows contributes warmth to the painting which makes the scene more inviting, regardless of how overbearing the immense architecture seems to be. In addition, the intensity of the foreground contrasts well with the background, enhancing the depth of the painting.
Overall, it’s truly an outstanding piece, far grander than many of the ones featured in this column before. If I could encourage readers to take away anything from it, it would be to take time and master your craft. Novice artists make the mistake of buying the biggest canvases and trying to reproduce difficult references without having an understanding of the basics. Panini was a master of his craft because he spent an incredible amount of time studying and perfecting his style. Beginners can achieve this same growth as long as they realize that improving their art can take time, dedication, and practice.
Be First to Comment