Question:

 

Where is the brightest part of this cloth?

 

Answer:

 

It points the way for the eye to travel, and we can enjoy each and every item in the scene.

 

 

Question:

 

Where is the weight of this scene?

 

Answer:

 

Although it at first appears that the painting is unbalanced in favor of the right side,  what pulls the scened back together in harmony and balance is the larger shape and more singular color of the lute  and its large and bright reflection; the brightness of the crumpled white cloth that directs our attention to the left; and the spacious less-complicated areas in the upper left.

 

Question:

Can you find rare instances of brush strokes in the painting?

 

Answer:

The bright white glare on the lower left of the vinyl mat is one example.

 

Question:

Why is the glass of the salt shaker less refletive and shiny than that of the other glass items?

 

Besides the words on the labels of the catsup bottle, where else do you find evidence of words?

 

Answer:

The shadow of a window sign on the upper left corner of the table top.

 

Question:

How is Still Life With Red mat both cool and warm at the same time?

 

Answer:

Cool – there is much glass and reflective metal in the scene. The presenation of the objects is direct, frontal, matter-of-fact, and the objects themselves are ordinary and impersonal.

Warm – the colors are rich, “hot” reds and oranges; the light that comes in the window gives the impression of warm sunlight outside.

 

Question:

Close your eyes. Would you say there are more vertical, horizontal or diagonal lines?

Rank them in order of most to least.

After looking at the painting again, are you surprised?

Can you discover any horizontal lines at all?

 

Answer:

Magritte has painted the illusion of a stable, solid scene, which is usually created with horizontals and verticals.

 

Question:

After studying Still Life by Jan de Heem and Hefty 2-Ply, can you find similarities? what might they be?

 

Answer:

Both are message works, referring in their own ways to human excess, extravagance, accumulation, and waste The objects themselves in Hefty 2-Ply may be used up, but they still exisst as they look the same with or without their contents. In addition, both pieces required close observation, great amounts of work, and a long time to complete.

 

Question:

Can you discover any horizontal lines at all?

 

Answer:

Magritte has painted the illusion of a stable, solid scene, which is usually created with horizontals and verticals.

 

Question:

How is balance created in this picture?

 

Answer:

Repetition and plaemnt of colors and shapes; light against dark and bright against dull.

 

Question:

\\How is Bull's Head, Fruit, and Pitcher like Jan de Heem's Still Life? how is it different?

 

Answer:

Both of these paintings are still lifes of a table scene. oth contain symbols of human mortality.