FORMAL

WRITING
ANALYSIS
ROMNICK
EROLES

Prof. JOAN JAVEN

CAE
13
SOUTHERN LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY
 An Analysis on
Fernando Amorsolo’s
"Dalagang Bukid"

21 X 1 5
1/2 IN

Fernando Amorsolo was born on May 30, 1892, in Paco Manila, and he was the first
recipient of the National Artist Award, which was instituted by the Marcos
administration in 1986. Despite the fact that he was born and raised in Manila, he
spent his childhood in the small town of Daet in the province of Camarines Norte.
Fernando Cueto Amorsolo's paintings, which were inspired by rural life, were
consistently focused on showing the "vibrant tropical Phillpine sunlight," as
mentioned by art historian Eric Torres. Amorsolo painted landscapes that
supposedly depicted the "simple and happy life" of the farmers in the provinces,
according to art historian Eric Torres. The artist also attended the University of the
Philippines School of Fine Arts, where his uncle Fabian Dela Rosa served as an
instructor, having trained him when he was just 13 years old. He then eventually
followed in his uncle's footsteps and began his teaching career at the same
university where he had grown up with him.

Amorsolo's further education in Madrid was sponsored by Enrique Zobel de Ayala, a

Spanish businessman and one of the heirs to the Ayala Empire, which has remained

one of the Philippines' largest conglomerates to this day. Enrique Zobel de Ayala was

born in Spain and grew up in the Philippines. This provided the artist with the stylistic

tools that enabled him to eventually establish himself as one of the most

internationally acclaimed artists of his generation. According to art historian Floriana

Capistrano-Baker, Amorsolo's style was characterized by the use of swift, broken

brushwork and thick impasto, with an emphasis on landscapes and everyday scenes,

as he was exposed to Western Impressionism during his time in the United Kingdom.

Dalagang Bukid (1937), one of his estimated 10,000 works, depicts a portrait of an

ideal young Filipina maiden with a sweet smile, as if she is enjoying the agricultural

life in the Philippines, as seen in the image of one of his estimated 10,000 works. His

use of vibrant colors explicitly conveys the impression that life in the Philippines

during his time period, particularly around 1937, was heavily reliant on agriculture, as

evidenced by his other works, which depict farmers planting rice in the fields.

The "Dalagang Bukid," also known as the maiden in the rice field, depicts a medium-

brown-skinned woman who is dressed in the image of Maria Clara. The vibrant

tropical sunlight, which was accentuated by the use of texture and impressionism,

which was characterized by relatively thin and small brushstrokes, emphasized the

appearance of the woman in terms of her outfit and skin color. Amorsolo's style

emphasized the importance of movement even more. Although it is not immediately

apparent, the image that the painting depicts, in my opinion, is that the woman was
enjoying her walk by the fields, gazing at the trees, and she looked back with a smile

on her face So her shoulder was used to draw attention to the way women dressed,
which was intended to convey a conservative Filipino demeanor that every Filipina

was expected to have during the American colonial period. With the help of her
gentle and warm demeanor, this portrait helped to create a narrative about how life

in the province is primarily agricultural, how life is good, and how the ideal Filipino
woman must be conservative, beautiful, and happily serving her family while also

performing reproductive tasks such as housework and child rearing.

The space behind the smiling young maiden appeared to offer an ideal

environment where everything is abundantly flourishing, thanks to the use of

bright tones of yellow and green that were used in the design. It may be because
decades have passed that I still find the portrait of the woman alluringly
attractive, but it is still "ideal" because it does not reflect what is really happening

in the provinces. Although it appears to be very traditional and no different from

the artist's works depicting rural scenes, I still find it alluringly attractive. Amorsolo

may have painted ten thousand paintings, the vast majority of which are based on
the same theme as Dalagang Bukid, but, even after the death of the first National

Awardee, today's political, economic, and social reality remains far removed from
this portrayal of the artist's life. Perhaps this is what makes his works so
appealing, and why they continue to be published in elementary, high school, and
even college textbooks, as well as being taught as part of the mandatory K-12
curriculum.

Due to the fact that I am 20 years old as of this writing, have been quarantined
inside a house with my parents for the past three months, and have longed to see
the outside world again, I regard the painting as a timeless standard of what is

beautiful in the Philippines, given my age. It may have alienated the lives of other
Filipino women in the city and regarded women as the weak, gentle, and calm one
taking care of the "female responsibilities" given the soft implied lines that guided

the figure, but it must be recognized that this work of Amorsolo is a reminder of
what could be and how happy it would be to live in the countryside, had the
Philippines become successful in taking care of their natural resources and if only
the politicians did not erect barriers to their progress. Amorsolo When I look at
the image of the portrait, it appears that the woman is smiling at me, as if she
were telling me that life in the countryside is simple but joyful. According to the
appearance of her invitation, I'm invited to visit the province and experience her
way of life.
Date of Creation:
1889

Starry Night
Height (cm):
73.70

Analysis
Length (cm):
92.10
Medium:

Oil

Support:
Canvas
Subject:
Landscapes
Characteristics:
Post-impressionism
Framed:
Yes
Art Movement:
Post-Impressionism
Created by:
Vincent van Gogh
Current Location:
New York, New York
Owner:
Museum of Modern Art
 Starry Night Composition

The night sky depicted by van Gogh in his painting The Starry Night is filled with
whirling clouds, sparkling stars, and a bright

crescent moon, among other things.

There is a sense of familiarity about the scene, and van Gogh's swirling sky directs

the viewer's gaze around the painting, with space between the stars and the
curving contours creating a dot to dot effect. Fluidity is achieved through the use of
internal elements, and the artist considered contours to be important, even though
they were becoming less significant for other Impressionists at the time. As a

result, the composition of Starry Night was distinct from the Impressionist

technique of the nineteenth century.

Although the artist was well aware that his Starry Night composition was somewhat

surreal and stylized, it was in a letter to his brother that he made reference to
"exaggerations in terms of composition." Van Gogh's vivid style was unusual at the
time; he chose lines to depict this night scene rather than silhouettes, which would
have been a more obvious choice.

In Starry Night, contoured forms serve as a means of expression and are used to
convey a variety of emotions. Many people believe that the dimness of the night
sky reflects van Gogh's tumultuous journey to overcome his illness. However, even
though the village is painted in dark colors, the brightly lit windows create a feeling
of comfort. In comparison to the dramatic night sky, the village is serene, and the
silence of the night can almost be felt in Starry Night, which is a beautiful film. The
steeple, which dominates the village and symbolizes the town's unity, is a powerful

symbol. The church steeple, in terms of composition, conveys a sense of grandeur

and isolation to the viewer.
A curvy cypress tree, which is typically associated with mourning, can be seen in the
foreground on the left. With fluid lines, it is painted in a similar manner as the sky,
which contributes to the painting's overall flow as well as its ease on the eye.
 Starry Night Use of color

The use of color in Van Gogh's painting Starry Night has been hotly debated,

particularly the prominence of yellow in this and other late works by the artist.

Some speculate that van Gogh may have been suffering from lead poisoning or a

type of brain disease at the time of his paintings,

which would explain his unusual

use of color in his later works.

The use of white and yellow by Van Gogh creates a spiral effect and draws the

viewer's attention to the sky. Using vertical lines such as the cypress tree and

church tower to softly break up the composition, Van Gogh achieves his goal of
drawing attention away from the powerful night sky depicted in Starry Night.

Vincent van Gogh's use of dark blues and greens was complemented by hints of
mint green, which represented the moon's reflection in the water. To the left of the
church, a smidgeon of red is added to break up the small blocks of yellow, orange,

and green that make up the buildings in the center of the painting. The orange of
the night sky elements in Starry Night helps to counterbalance the dominance of
blue in the painting.

Van Gogh paints in the vibrant colors of the night, which corresponds to the true
character of this Starry Night, in which colors are used to elicit emotional responses
from the viewer.
 Starry Night Use of color

The use of color in Van Gogh's painting Starry Night has been hotly debated,

particularly the prominence of yellow in this and other late works by the artist.

Some speculate that van Gogh may have been suffering from lead poisoning or a
type of brain disease at the time of his paintings,

which would explain his unusual
use of color in his later works.

The use of white and yellow by Van Gogh creates a spiral effect and draws the
viewer's attention to the sky. Using vertical lines such as the cypress tree and

church tower to softly break up the composition, Van Gogh achieves his goal of
drawing attention away from the powerful night sky depicted in Starry Night.

Vincent van Gogh's use of dark blues and greens was complemented by hints of
mint green, which represented the moon's reflection in the water. To the left of the
church, a smidgeon of red is added to break up the small blocks of yellow, orange,

and green that make up the buildings in the center of the painting. The orange of
the night sky elements in Starry Night helps to counterbalance the dominance of
blue in the painting.

Van Gogh paints in the vibrant colors of the night, which corresponds to the true
character of this Starry Night, in which colors are used to elicit emotional responses
from the viewer.
 Starry Night Use of Light

It is evident in Van Gogh's painting The Starry Night, where the powerful sky towers

above a sleepy town, that he has a strong affinity for the nighttime. Van Gogh

appears to be drawing a contrast between life and death in this painting, which

features luminous stars and a gloomy, peaceful village. The bright stars and the

crescent moon serve as the primary light sources.

Starry Night Mood, Tone

and Emotion

There are numerous interpretations of Starry Night, one of which is that it

represents hope. Van Gogh appears to be demonstrating that even on a dark night

like this, light can still be seen in the windows of the dwellings. Additionally, with
the sky filled with dazzling stars, there is always light to guide you. It appears as

though van Gogh was finally healed of his ailment and had discovered his nirvana.

He also understood that he would be at peace in death, which he conveys through

the use of strong colors in the Starry Night painting.

Van Gogh writes in a letter to his brother, Theo, "I would not be shocked if you

loved the Starry Night and Ploughed Fields; they have a greater tranquillity than the
other canvases." Later in the letter, he refers to Leo Tolstoy's book My Religion and

its rejection of resurrection. Such passing references to religion reflected van

Gogh's thoughts about the subject at the time; he could neither forget nor accept it
completely. Despite this, his use of the term 'quiet' and reference to Tolstoy's work
imply that the night sky calmed him and reminded him of eternity.
Starry Night demonstrates nature's tremendous strength, while the church tower
and cypress tree - which represent man and nature, respectively - both point to the
heavens.
 Starry Night Brushstroke

In Starry Night van Gogh´s unique, thick brush strokes are very much obvious and

it´s possible that his severe attacks further dramatized his brush work. However,
there is a consistency to his technique that adds even more depth as well as a rich

texture to this work of art.