Looking at Paintings

Looking at paintings can be very tricky. It really depends on the individuals themselves and how well they perceive art as. Some may have their own routines and rituals when looking at one, while others may perform the more common approach of just viewing them lightly. Art is after all a very personal affair and in any case there is no clear rule as to how one should look at paintings; there are only guidelines.

‘Where should I stand?’ is what beginners would usually ask. They should first determine their standing base. The right distance between them and the art piece is roughly the same as the height of the art piece (at the top) to the floor. Performing this approach ensures that the borders of the paintings are within the viewer’s vision. Some galleries provide sits for art lovers to lounge in and admire their paintings. Most of these lounge chairs have the right distance between them and the paintings.

Once the standing base is determined, the viewer can then decide whether or not to move closer to the painting. For example let’s say I am standing in front of Peter Paul Ruben’s Battle of the Amazons. It shows me a dream like view of the biblical battle. In order for me to get a clearer look of the battle scene, I would naturally take a few steps forward. As awkward as it may seem, I would constantly perform this ‘forward and backward’ dancing motion to any painting. If you are curious about a certain part of the painting then by all means get closer to it for a clearer look.

Looking at modern art has its respectable approaches too. Unlike fine art; modern and contemporary art demands the expense of the viewer’s imagination and time. It will be great if you can sit in front of one for as long as you can. Hopefully this will allow you to take in the colours and movement of the artist’s brush strokes.

Richard Ong
richard@shanghaibarn.com