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“What interests me most is neither still life nor landscape: it is the human figure” [6] – Henri Matisse

Sophie Wiskow

My curiosity for the figure was stimulated during the A level course by attending regular life drawing classes. I really enjoyed exploring the human form in different compositions and as a result I gained a more in-depth understanding of the body and I began to find the figure to be a particularly intriguing subject matter. The more sessions I attended the more involved I became with my drawings and I was eager to investigate the figure in different and more complex compositions. I soon realised what a challenging conformation the body is to describe because, with few harsh edges, conveying the form is very dependent on the subtle light and dark tones formed on the skin surface. However I found that this challenge only increased my desire to deepen my knowledge of the figure and develop the skills required to explain it.

When in Paris, in February 2012, I became absorbed by the numerous cubist paintings I saw in galleries. Picasso’s paintings ‘Tête de femme’ and ‘Femmes devant la mer’ particularly moved me as I found the geometric style of the figures bold and striking. This style showed me an unexpected interpretation of the form and I was captivated by the defiance of classical techniques which so many paintings often conform to.

“The Cubist painters rejected the inherited concept that art should copy nature, or that they should adopt the traditional techniques of perspective, modeling, and foreshortening.” [1]

The refusal to follow convention demonstrated by cubist artists such as Picasso and Braque revolutionised the way in which art was perceived. I was excited by this concept of simultaneous viewpoints in one composition typical of cubism. The importance is therefore on the subject of the painting rather than on a single perception of it and I felt this related my intentions to focus solely on the figure in three-dimensions.

I wanted to investigate the figure in greater depth and explore the subtle curves of the form. I was inspired by Christie Brown’s typically partial sculptures, which display great fragility yet are also powerful and bold. This led me to consider whether my sculpture could remain deliberately unfinished as a fragment of the figure, thereby allowing me to focus all of my energy on a section of my choice.

Brown’s early works feature classically inspired compositions, with the torso of the figure usually the focal point. The subtle relief provided by this arrangement definitely appealed to me because it supplied a surface described by a series of light and dark tones to suggest the structure beneath. Taking this into account I intended to produce a sculpture that was not immediately obvious in its detail, but which instead was in the discrete movement of the clay to form the subtle curves of the figure.

I remembered how Matisse’s series of backs had caught my attention whilst visiting galleries in Paris because despite their composition of a solitary figure they produce an impressive arrangement. I was particularly curious of the progression into abstraction displayed by the collective figures. I found the development from a detailed figure to the basic shapes it represented fascinating, which led me to question how I might introduce this evolution from representation into abstraction into my studies.

I also found that the focus on the back of the figure in these pieces especially appealed to me. Unlike the front of the torso the back has very few distinctive defining features and so requires a more complex description purely based on light and dark tones. I was particularly drawn to this as a focus because of the challenge involved in skilfully describing it.

Consequently I began to research other artists who had similarly used the back of the figure as a focus in their work and this led me to look at the sculptures of Rodin. His works emphasised the physical details of the figure and the surface textures used to produce this. I felt the importance that light and shadow played in describing the form of his sculptures showed a strong relevance to my work. The description Rodin creates through this method highlighted to me its effectiveness in portraying the relief and curves of the figure.

"What makes my Thinker think is that he thinks not only with his brain, with his knitted brow, his distended nostrils and compressed lips, but with every muscle of his arms, back and legs, with his clenched fists and gripping toes." – Auguste Rodin [4]

In his sculptures Rodin uses the entire figure to express the emotion behind the composition. As a consequence I began to consider the significance of body language in the arrangement of the figure and what message this may portray. I therefore had to contemplate what I wanted my piece to represent and the message I wished to convey to those who viewed it.

It seemed a natural progression for my research to develop into classical sculpture and I was keen to expand my knowledge of figurative works. I was particularly drawn to Greek sculptures due to the legend and tribute behind them. Typically they were made in honour of the gods that they represented. Similarly I wished to produce my sculpture as a tribute to the figure and to showcase the back as an impressive feature, which I believe is often underappreciated.

I was extremely impressed at the skilful labour that had clearly gone into producing these marbles. This was reinforced when I noticed the plaque pictured below, whilst visiting the British Museum London. It highlighted that despite the fact the Elgin marbles would only be viewed from the front, the backs are surprisingly detailed. I think the reason for this attention to detail is because the sculptures were designed as a tribute in honour. This further inspired me to use the back as the focus of my studies as I feel it is a powerful composition that is frequently overlooked.

“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance” – Aristotle [5]

This statement made me consider what underlying structures produce the subtle relief that forms the back. And I was anxious to question how the figure could be manipulated in order to produce light and dark tones that best described this relief on the skin’s surface.

At this point I began to develop my three-dimensional studies referring back to the influence of Christie Brown’s work. In order to investigate the relief of the figure three-dimensionally, I photographed a few individuals under dramatic lighting. This formed an exaggerated pattern of light and dark tones due to the features of their backs and allowed me to explore the structure of the form whilst providing a valuable reference for making my pieces. The results demonstrated to me how fundamental the underlying structure is to the relief displayed on the surface of the skin.

As in ‘Lynette Reclining’, I chose to produce a delicate sculpture that showcased the powerful composition of the figure torso. I gradually moulded thin slabs to form the subtle curves of the body whilst retaining the elegance I intended. I was excited by the contrast of the fragility of the structure with the strength of the pose and I felt this showcased the back as the impressive feature that I feel it is.

Looking at Brown’s work again, led me to question whether my study could remain partial and showcase only a fragment of the figure. This led me to discover non-finito: ‘a sculpting technique literally meaning that the work is unfinished’ [8]. This style of sculpture is left unfinished because only part of the block is sculpted and the rest of the figure remains stuck within it.

I was intrigued by the concept of controlling how and what part of the figure is viewed. This allowed me to make the back of the figure the sole focus of the sculpture and so effectively showcase it as a powerful feature.

I found this initial maquette a successful display of the figure that delicately portrayed the subtle relief and form of the back. However I now wanted to explore the concept of the progression into abstraction previously mentioned in reference to Matisse’s series of backs. This movement into the abstract excited me as it allowed the figure to be exaggerated and manipulated without the restriction of retaining a correct portrayal of the human form.

I thought the natural choice for my development into abstraction was through cubism as it had already been quite involved in the thought behind my studies. And looking back at paintings that had caught my attention in Paris I came across this work by Albert Gleizes and again the figures depicted in it captivated me.

"Everything in nature takes its form from the sphere, cone or cylinder" – Paul Cézanne [9]

I was fascinated where geometric shapes could be found in supposedly organic subject matter. This made me question where in my composition could I find these shapes and how I could use them to exaggerate the features. I chose a composition of the back that particularly intrigued me because of the intricate planes that composed it. The unusual features of this back could be manipulated and exaggerated to form a more dramatic relief compared to my previous study. I considered the concept of simultaneous viewpoints on this piece, which allowed me to produce a fuller representation of the figure. The complex surface relief of the back is therefore the focus of the study rather than a simple perception of it from one point of view.

The intricate shapes and surface planes formed in this clay study intrigued me and led me to question how I might further progress the evolution into abstraction. The shift of focus from the shape and form of the back in my initial piece, to the surface detail and relief in this study made me consider whether I should further explore the surface detail on the back. Thus gradually losing the shape of the back and the focus changing to the movement and relief of it instead.

In the above study I allowed both the ink and bleach to run freely down the page, which formed an interesting portrayal of the curves of the back. The movement that this conveys made me consider how I might create this relief three-dimensionally. To emphasise the further progression into abstraction this piece represents I also wanted to explore alternative materials. I needed a material that could be moulded to create the complex curves and relief I intended to portray. As a result I developed my work into wire because it didn’t limit the scale of my piece and could be shaped and remoulded, to produce quite angular shapes, until I was fully satisfied with the composition.

The modroc layer I placed on this wire not only fixed the position of the wire mesh but also provided a suitable canvas for me to work on. It allowed me to put melted wax on the surface, which I used to create light and dark tones to describe the form. When the wax was heated I was able to highlight features and exaggerate shadows to produce a very tonal study. This heat also encouraged the melted wax to run freely down the surface, which again reinforced the movement of the form.

In this module, I wanted to explore the human figure and deepen my understanding of the form. I was intrigued by the challenge involved in describing the figure and wanted to advance my ability to do so. Cubist concepts such as the use of simultaneous viewpoints in a single composition fascinated me and were an important influence in my work by changing how I might approach a composition. I also took influence from other artists who had used the figure in a similar manner and applied aspects of their work to my own. I was captivated by Matisse’s progression into abstraction (in his series of bronze backs) and this became an important theme in my studies. I initially focused on describing the figure and form of the back and gradually through my module turned my attention to the surface relief. In doing so the shape of the figure became less important and allowed me more freedom to exaggerate the form.

Bibliography:

Websites:

[1] http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cube/hd_cube.htm

[2] http://www.christiebrown.co.uk/portfolio/early_work/early5.html

[3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Matisse__left_to_right_'The_Back_I', _190809,_'The_Back_II',_1913,_'The_Back_III'_1916,_'The_Back_IV',_c._1931,_bronze,_Museum_of_Modern_Art_(New_York_City).jpg

[4] http://www.nortonsimon.org/collections/browse_artist.php?name= Rodin%2 C+Auguste&resultnum=10

[5] http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/aristotle104151.html

[6] http://www.henri-matisse.net/quotes.html

[7] http://www.beyondthenotes.org/blog/michelangelos-non-finito-sculptures/

[8] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non_finito

[9] http://www.people.vcu.edu/~djbromle/modern04/elizabethc/index.htm

Books:

Rodin Sculpture & Drawings (by Catherine Lampert)

Figure Drawing & Anatomy for the Artist (by John Raynes)

Galleries Visited:

In Paris - Musée d'Orsay

Musée de l'Orangerie

Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris

Centre Pompidou

Rodin Gardens

Others – British Museum London

Tate Liverpool

[Word Count 2130]

Life Drawing Sketch

From module 2

Femmes devant la mer (1956)

Tête de femme (1909)

Lynette Reclining [2] (1989)

Matisse’s Bronze Backs [3] (1908-1931)

Aphrodite (British Museum London)

(2nd Century BC)

Elgin Marbles (British Museum London)

Michelangelo ‘Young Slave’ [figure 7]

(1917)

Albert Gleizes, ‘Les Baigneuses’ (1881-1953)

Photograph taken by myself

Study of back in clay

Ink and bleach study on sheet

Above: small wire maquette

Right: start of final wire sculpture

I increased the scale of this sculpture because I wanted to make this piece more dramatic and exaggerate its impact. In fact, it is about the height of an average person.

Left: large final study of back before addition of wax

Below: same sculpture with melted black wax on surface