Tianbo Li
Prof. Emily Sharma
DISC 1311
12 April 2018
Color and Atmosphere

This essay is a comparison and contrast between the portraits of the Duchess of Arion Marchioness of Bay and ‘The Bull Fighter'- "El Segoviento" painted by the artist Ignacio Zuloaga; who was born July 26, 1870, Eibar, near Bilbao, Spain and died Oct. 31, 1945, in Madrid. He was a portrait painter noted for his theatrical paintings of figures from Spanish culture and folklore. He was largely a self-taught artist who learned to paint by copying Old Masters in the Prado Museum in Madrid. From about 1890, he split his time between Paris and Spain. In Paris, he became acquainted with the artists Paul Gauguin, Edgar Degas, and Auguste Rodin but his main influences were …show more content…
The most important aspect of the bullfighter painting in regard to informing us of the subject's emotional state and point of view is his face. In contrast to the bright whiteness of his shirt, we are drawn to the dark and uneasy nature of his expression. The bullfighter looks unwell, or at the very least uncomfortable, and it is through the contrast between his face and his beautiful clothing and environment that the artist invites the viewer to contemplate the subject's unhappiness. The room is poorly lit and lacks the grandeur of a brightly lit arena where the fighter would surely be more secure and comfortable. Despite his theatrical nature in the arena, he is unable to look the viewer directly in the eye. His state of mind is purposefully unclear and invites us to explore the nature of our own uncomfortability and personal insecurities which hold us back from being our best all of the time. The Duchess interaction with her environment is utterly defiant, and as previously mentioned leaves us in an unsure position as to her true state of mind. Does she enjoy the stormy weather? Is she so happy as to not be bothered by the weather? Is it the last moment before she realizes the reality of the unstoppable darkness approaching? In both portraits, the artist uses the facial expression as a vital point in relation to …show more content…
The duchess painting uses the expression of the woman as a way of making us unable to know her state of mind or being. The bullfighter seems hyper-aware of his environment and the way that he feels. He is unable to claim the glory in a small room which he regularly does before adoring fans. It is easy to understand his sense of personal inadequacy when not doing things. Or being in the environment which makes one most comfortable. In the Duchess painting, her expression is meant to confound us, to cause a million questions without a single answer. The atmosphere of the painting is created by the natural tension between her expression and environment. Her expression alone indicates a jovial, carefree happiness which seems senseless considering her