Analytical Paper

Analytical Paper

Part 1 - Analysis of a portrait

Vincent van Gogh, Self Portrait 1889

Oil on Canvas

The above self portrait from the Musée d'Orsay collectively brings all the elements of Van Gogh's later work. The choice of color in this portrait reflects the artists' emotional state and a style of depiction that throbs with energy. The portrait was painted in July 1889 soon after he left the St. Remy asylum and illustrates that he was still fighting his evil passion. It is perhaps the most intense and exquisite self portrait in the history of art.

This image is a self-portrait of Van Gogh's inner crux which exhibits the power of artistic movement on Van Gogh's utilization of brushwork and color. His intense eyes hold the viewer mesmerized but their concentration is not on what is taking place externally, but within his head. In this view of head and shoulders, the artist is not wearing a pea jacket in which he usually worked in but a suit. Attention is given on the face, but the most strongly drawn feature in this picture is his green rimmed eyes which builds the energy of the self portrait. His features are emaciated and hard and his eyes seem anxious and intransigent (Vincent van Gogh, 1889).

The pattern and movement of his brushstrokes moves across the illustration of his face, adding energy as they riffle through his hair & jacket, and at last disintegrate into the swirling commotion of the ice-blue setting. The prevailing color mix of absinth green and pale turquoise that he has utilized are usually peaceful colors, but as they are compared with the bright orange and red of the beard and hair they hit a strident message which sets the perfectly emotional tone of the portrayal, amplified and echoed in the hallucinatory position of the background. This is an extremely audacious picture of a man trying to embrace himself collectively as he fights with his internal fears.

Part 2 - Analysis of Iago in Othello

Othello is the main character and hero of this tragedy. However, the play and the action centers more around Iago as compared to Othello. In this play, Shakespeare has shown Iago as an artist of evil. In the same manner that some individuals filming movies or writing songs. Iago is shown as a devil that enjoys ruining the lives of people. It is the talent of Iago for manipulating and ...