Visual Analysis of Marilyn, by Audrey Flack
The piece that I have chosen to analyze is a painting called Marilyn, by Audrey Flack. The painting was made of oil over acrylic on canvas in the year 1977. The dimensions of this piece make me feel as if it is huge. Considering the fact that it is 8' x 8' I first relate the piece to my height which is a few feet smaller than 8 feet. When looking at the photograph of the painting in the text book I assumed it was a fairly small painting. The actual size of the piece makes me much more involved and engaged in the piece rather than if it were the size I automatically assumed it was. The proportions of the piece are 1:1; this makes the painting a perfect square, but because of how large the painting is I would not have noticed the proportions, like I did when looking at a small picture of it. When I look at this image and imagine being face to face with the original I feel as if I am at the same level as the work. I am very close to the figures, which makes me feel I am in the piece. The viewpoint almost makes me feel as though the painting is about myself even though I know it isn't and that it is actually about Marilyn Monroe and her life. I relate to each figure because they are all familiar objec
The colors do influence my reaction to the piece. Because of the colors and values used in the painting I am left with a feeling of awe. These items give the feeling that the viewer is suppose to be admiring and observing Marilyn's life as a whole. Most of the colors are of rich, dark values but there are also some subtle lighter values as well, which create a middle key value composition. Audrey Flack used the lighting in a natural effect, objects are lit up but not specifically to show importance. The chance that all of these unique items are all placed together by accident just couldn't be true. They are what attracted me to the painting to begin with. The arrangement of the objects are in a circular motion which forces my eye to move consistently around the surface of the painting. The contrast of beauty and death is obvious in this work. There are many personal objects arranged around a book with Marilyn's portrait, on elegant and rich colored fabric. These layers help create the realistic aspects of the painting. In particular though it reminds me of "Still Life with Basket of Apples", because of the use of natural fruits with their natural color. This could symbolize the understanding of death and how a drip represents a diseased person joining the past diseased in the red fabric. The colors used are dramatic and daring, just like the life of Marilyn.
Common topics in this essay:
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Audrey Flack,
Cezanne Flack,
Visual Analysis,
Basket Apples,
rich colors,
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marilyn's life,
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life portrait,
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someone's life,
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book marilyn's portrait,
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Acceptance Essays
