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Editor's Notes

• #3: Focal points can be emphasized through the use of any of the elements of art (e.g. line, value, color, etc.)
• #8: Agnes Martin (1912–2004) grew up in Vancouver, Canada For many years Martin lived a life of solitude and simplicity in New Mexico Believed art could enable people to “leave themselves behind” Her Taoist ideas about the importance of harmony in the universe are reflected in the emphasis on the work as a whole The resulting effect allows us to immerse ourselves in the work
• #10: Emphasis can also be used to draw attention to a large portion of a work African-American sculptor Martin Puryear (b. 1941) makes connections between a nineteenth-century trading company and African masks The Compagnie Française de L’Afrique Occidentale, or C.F.A.O., was a company that connected Europe to ports in Sierra Leone in Africa, where Puryear also worked as a member of the Peace Corps The work invites the viewer to lift the wheelbarrow and peer through the two eye-holes, encouraging him or her to see things from the point of view, or assume the role, of the colonized instead of the colonist
• #12: African-American artist Jacob Lawrence (1917–2000) uses broad emphasis in his homage to John Brown (Brown is not actually depicted in the work) Brown believed that slavery could be eradicated only through armed insurrection He was hanged for leading a violent revolt at Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia The figure on the right in the yellow coat is immediately emphasized in contrast to the dark figure in the foreground, as is the white rifle held by the figure in brown on the left The counter-balancing unifies the work, implies equality amongst the men, and thus subtly supports the ideals for which John Brown fought and died
• #16: Dutch artist Dieric Bouts’s (1415–1475) responsibility was to highlight the Virgin Mary even when she was in the presence of the Holy Trinity: God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit (pictured here as a dove) Bouts invites the viewer to share in this majestic, solemn, and otherworldly event
• #18: Marc Chagall (1887–1985) illustrates the critical moment in the story Icarus and his father Daedalus had been imprisoned on the island of Crete by its ruler, Minos In order to escape, Daedalus fashioned two sets of wings from feathers and wax As they flew away, Icarus became overly exuberant Although his father warned him not to, he recklessly flew too close to the sun The wax from his wings melted and he fell to his death in the sea below
• #21: In direct contrast to the version by Marc Chagall, this painting by Flemish artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/30–1569) is a fine example of subordination In Bruegel’s version, we are first drawn to the scarlet-smocked man plowing his field Several other areas of emphasis—the tree on the left, the sunset, and fanciful ships—also capture our interest We hardly notice Icarus, whose legs are disappearing into the sea just in front of the large ship on the right Possibly illustrates the proverb “No plow stands still because a man dies” or “Life goes on”
• #26: Spanish artist Francisco de Zurbarán (1598–1664) uses value to create emphasis and focal point We are drawn to the white area of the saint (symbolic of Bonaventure’s chaste and spotless reputation) before we look at the surrounding characters
• #30: Mughal India was the period from 1526 until the mid-nineteenth century Zahir ud-Din Muhammad bin Omar Sheikh, nicknamed Babur, founded the Mughal Empire when he conquered most of Central Asia and northern India In the painting, Babur is pointing to a feature that channels water in four directions Diagonal lines draw our attention and are more visually active than horizontal or vertical lines
• #33: Bright light emphasizes Judith’s arms and those of her maidservant (visually connected to the sword itself) The five bare arms create strong directional lines that lead to the focal point
• #36: Japanese artist Ando Hiroshige (1797–1858) was a master of woodcut printing Our focus is drawn to the right side of the work The bridge is the largest shape and naturally catches our attention The light value and hard geometry of the moon divert our gaze We look at the figure under the bridge because of its placement under the moon, and because it has a definite outline that contrasts with the flat color of the water