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Artists overlap things to create the illusion of space. As in the real world, those things nearest to us can partially
overlap objects that are farther away. |
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The Antimenes Painter
Black-figured Hydria
c. 530 B.C.
Slip-glazed earthenware
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
The John R. Van Derlip Fund
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The artist has shown horses and reins overlapping each other, indicating which horses are nearest to us and which are
farthest away, or behind other horses. |
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The Antimenes Painter
Detail of Black-figured Hydria
c. 530 B.C.
Slip-glazed earthenware
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
The John R. Van Derlip Fund
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This sculpture uses a series of overlapping shapes to create a sense of space. |
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Robert Smithson
Leaning Strata
1968
Aluminum, paint
Walker Art Center
Donation of Virginia Dwan
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An artist can use the relative size of objects to create the illusion of space in a two-dimensional work, like a
painting or a drawing. Things appear to be smaller the farther away they are from us. The three women in this painting appear
closer to us because they are larger than the three men carrying the coffin in the background. |
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Ben Shahn
Italian Landscape
1943-1944
Tempera on paper
Walker Art Center
Gift of the T. B. Walker Foundation, Gilbert M. Walker Fund
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We understand the shepherd boy to be closer to us because he is larger than the figures in the background. |
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Abraham Bloemaert
Shepherd Boy Pointing at Tobias and the Angel
c. 1625-1630
Oil on canvas
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
The Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fund
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This artist plays with our notion of space by depicting small objects such as a spoon and cherry as surprisingly
large. The sailboat and runner are dwarfed by the gigantic spoon and cherry, a reversal of the relative sizes we would usually
expect when we see these familiar objects. The relationship of things to each other creates a sense of scale. |
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Claes Oldenburg
View of Spoonbridge and Cherry, with Sailboat and Running Man
1988
Pastel, paper collage on paper
Walker Art Center
Acquired in conjunction with the commissioning of Spoonbridge and Cherry for the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
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Artists use relative position on the picture plane to create the illusion of space. The higher up the objects are
placed in the picture, the farther away we assume them to be. Objects placed lower in the picture appear nearer to us. We understand
that the chairs in the lower part of this drawing are closer to us than the chairs that are higher up in the picture. |
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Michele Zalophany
The Castleton
1987
Pastel, charcoal, on paper mounted on canvas
Walker Art Center
Walker Special Purchase Fund, Jerome Foundation Purchase Fund for Emerging Artists
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Traditionally, many Asian artists have used relative position on the picture plane, but not relative size, to create
depth in a picture. |
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Tosa Mitsuyoshi
Butterfly Dance
c. 1585
Ink, color and gold on paper
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cleveland, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Zelle, and the Lillian Z. Turnblad Fund
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Even though the figures are the same size in this painting, we understand which are closer and which are further away
by their lower and higher placement on the picture plane. |
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Tosa Mitsuyoshi
Detail of Butterfly Dance
c. 1585
Ink, color and gold on paper
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cleveland, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Zelle, and the Lillian Z. Turnblad Fund
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