Читать книгу The Treatment of Drapery in Art - George Woolliscroft Rhead - Страница 4
ОглавлениеFORMATION AND STRUCTURE OF DRAPERY
Structure of the folds of drapery
The simplest system of drapery folds is when the material is suspended curtain-wise from two points of support. The lines of the folds radiate fan-like from both points, and the folds form a series of festoons more or less regular, or a succession of folds preponderating alternately on one side and the other, and gradually melting or disappearing in the mass of the material. The precise character of the folds will necessarily depend upon the heaviness, harshness, or lightness of the material employed. We select a heavier material as best adapted for demonstrating the structure of the folds, as it is this in which the principles of light and shade are most easily grasped. Often the continuity of the fold or festoon breaks upon itself and forms a subordinate fold, making the drapery more angular. (Fig. 3.)
Fig. 3.—Showing arrangement of the planes round the eyes of the drapery.
The folds of drapery may very well be likened to a series of ridges or hills with valleys between, each fold having its body, its base, its apex or ridge, with the corresponding grooves or valleys between.
Drapery suspended from two points
Fig. 4 illustrates the simplest possible arrangement of one or two folds. In the first the edge of the material forms a complete festoon, and the fold breaks off suddenly at the base, forming a deep cavity. The second is less continuous, and, from the weight of the material, breaks about the centre of the festoon, forming a subsidiary fold, the festoon becoming more angular, and the base of the fold being less sudden, and dying away more or less in the general mass of the material.
Principles of light and shade
In all systems of light and shade there are five things to be considered—high light, half tone, deep shadow, reflected light, and cast shadow. In the profile view which is given (Fig. 5) it will be seen that the first fold or edge of the material offers the greatest amount of projection, the second less so, and so on until the general plain of the material is reached. The ridge or summit of the fold is that portion which receives the highest light, according to the amount of projection. A certain amount of high light will, however, be received in those parts of the cavities of the folds which are immediately opposite the light. In this instance (Fig. 4) the largest area of light is near the base of the first fold. In theory, the ridges of the folds, being nearest the light, and nearest the eye, will receive the highest light; but in actual practice (and this will be more apparent in material of a highly reflective surface such as silk or satin) the greatest amount of light will be in the cavities, as light reflects more into a concave than upon a convex surface. The strongest dark also will be found to be, not upon the edges of the folds represented by the deep shadow, but in the cast shadows which are less affected by reflected light.
| Fig. 4.—Front view. | Fig. 5.—Profile. |
| Drapery suspended from two points. |
The amount of reflected light will, of course, depend upon the degree of projection of the folds, the amount of light received, and upon the near proximity of other folds to which light can be reflected.
Upon referring to the study of a standing figure by Sir Edward Poynter (page 12), which is really a study of drapery suspended from two points, since the mass of folds starts from the left shoulder of the figure, falls into festoons, and is caught up on the right arm and wrist, it will be seen that precisely the same principle is demonstrated. Indeed, the principle of drapery folds under these conditions never varies, and the folds can always be counted upon to behave in a similar way.
Composition of more complex series of folds
Fig. 6 is an example of a larger piece of drapery, which offers a more complex series of folds than the one we have been considering, but still not so complex as that which is stretched upon so varied a form as the human figure. It will be observed that when the drapery is ample the lines take the form of two opposing systems, radiating from and dominated by the points of support: the lines or folds of the drapery answer each other. This answering is caused by the breaking of the fold in the simple festoon at or about the centre, and breaking alternately on one side or the other.
STUDY
(By Sir E. J. Poynter, P.R.A.)
Fig. 7 represents the theory of all foldings of drapery hanging from two points, but in actual practice, from accident or other cause, the folds become a little more varied.
| Fig. 6. | Fig. 7. |
| Drapery suspended from two points. |
The next point to be considered is the character of what may be called the eyes of the folds. These vary with the kind of material employed. Character of folds in different materials In a soft silk the forms are rounder, softer, and the folds more continuous, gentle, and undulating (Fig. 8). In a hard silk they are sharper, and the folds break more suddenly (Fig. 9), the general effect being more angular. Satin partakes somewhat of the character of hard silk, though the folds are somewhat less sharp. The beautiful study of a satin dress by Sir Edward Poynter gives the sheen of satin admirably, and expresses the character of the folds: no better example could be given. The general effect of such a material as silk or satin, with its numberless reflections, depends so much upon its surroundings and the angle of the material to the light that it must be studied from nature: no general system of light and shade and effect could be formulated. In a heavy woollen material the folds are larger, simpler, and the eyes have a squareness, and even a doubleness of character (Fig. 10). In a light muslin the general effect is creasiness and crinkliness (Fig. 11). Velvet is the richest of all materials, and suitable to offices of state and to persons of great distinction.
STUDY OF A SATIN DRESS
(By Sir E. J. Poynter, P.R.A.)
| Fig. 8.—Soft silk. | Fig. 9.—Hard silk. |
| Fig. 10.—Felt. | Fig. 11.—Indian muslin. |
In connection with the foregoing, Sir Joshua Reynolds may be profitably quoted. He says, in his fourth discourse: "In the same manner as the historical painter never enters into the details of colours, so neither does he debase his conceptions with minute attention to the discriminations of drapery. It is the inferior style that marks the variety of stuffs. With him the clothing is neither woollen nor linen, nor silk, satin, or velvet—it is drapery; it is nothing more." It is no doubt true that some of the greatest painters—Leonardo, Raphael, Michael Angelo—did not concern themselves with these nice discriminations; but it should be remembered that since the time of Sir Joshua the English Pre-Raphaelites have amply demonstrated the fact that great Art is not incompatible with the closest attention to the details of nature.
Turnovers
Another most important matter is in the edges and turnovers of the drapery. These should always be emphasised, especially in decorative work, as such emphasis of the edges materially assists in composition of line, and the turnovers give a richness of decorative effect which may be further emphasised by the introduction of a different colour from that of the upper side of the material.
The illustration (Fig. 12), which is from a fifteenth-century brass, is a curious example of a false treatment of turnovers. The under side of the cloak is ornamented with ermine, and the shapes of the turnovers as a consequence are emphasised, while the dress and upper side of the cloak being of the same decorative value the general effect is that of a distorted figure. Mistakes of this kind are exceedingly rare in old work, and the illustration is here given as an example of what to avoid.
Fig. 12.
Monumental Brass, showing
false use of turnovers.
