Formal Analysis of Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria Portrait

Peter Paul Rubens, Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria
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Formal Analysis of Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria Portrait
Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria's portrait was done by Paul Rubens and is believed to have been painted in 1606. Paul Rubens was born in 1577 in Siege, Germany, and was an accomplished Baroque artist. Notably, Paul supported the Baroque art movement and traveled around Europe to popularize the movement around Europe. Baroque art originates from 'barroco,' a Portuguese word that means irregular pearl or stone. Baroque art put more emphasis on drama, exaggerated motion, and precise and easily interpreted details of the composition (Bailey, 2012).
Formal Analysis
The portrait Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria is an oil on canvas, which was done by Paul Rubens and was completed in 1606. The exact date is still being determined, but Rubens indicated he completed the painting in 1606 while working in Genoa, Italy. The painting depicts young Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria in her wedding gown. She was 22 and had just married Giacomo Massimiliano Doria in 1605. the current measurement of the painting is 152cm by 99 cm, and it is housed in Morgan Library and Museum in New York City.
From the painting, one can note the angle and gaze of architecture. One can assume Rubens wanted viewers to admire the portrait with a worm’s eye view. Further, Brigida occupies 80% of the portrait as she is the subject of the composition. Using the Baroque technique, Rubens exaggerates the portrait by using excessive light to emphasize the pose and finesse of her gown. Further, Ms. Doria is static, with no movement in the portrait. However, according to the National Gallery of Arts, the drawing was initially large and imposing and was diminished to cover Ms. Doria up to the knee-length of her gown ( 2023). From the painting, one can tell that Ms. Doria was from a noble and wealthy family, and Rubens was able to convince the viewer by integrating light and color.
Ms. Doria’s young face is spirited by her deep, velvety brown eyes and gentle smile, which is set off by her vast and high-end ruff. In addition, her dominant presence is highlighted by the glowing satin, jewels, and lace of her gown, and her hair ornaments command limitless luxury. Further, one can notice that the painting was meant to be hung on a high wall from the direction of miss Doria’s gaze and the nature of the architecture.
Colors
The painting is in harmony and has no color clash. Rubens uses primary and secondary colors in Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria's portrait. Rubens Uses whitish-grey color on Ms. Doria's gown, bright red curtains, red lips, black to brown eyes, whitish-brown face, brown architect, and grey ruff are the most eye-catching features in the painting. All these colors create a light-to-dark contrast that gives the painting an elegant and sophisticated appearance. Further, Rubens uses light exaggeration in the composition to make the subject shine. For instance, Ms. Doria's face and gown have more...