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Payment (the lender)
Georges de La Tour • Painting, Start XVII centuries, 99×152 cm
Description of the artwork «Payment (the lender)»
Painting by Georges de Latour "Payment" (also known as Calculation and "From a loan shark") is the only painting of the famous wizard of Lorraine in the former Soviet Union. "Payment" is exhibited in the Lviv art gallery and is of great value, as it has the author's signature, while 40-50 of attributed artist's works in museums around the world signed no more than ten. Most of the heritage Latour died in a fire during his lifetime, during the siege and destruction of the city of Lunéville, where the artist's house and the Palace of the Duke of Lorraine Henry II, a former 20-ies of the XVII century, the main customer Latour. Probably due to these losses, the artist's name on for two centuries had been forgotten, and his individual paintings were attributed to French, Spanish and Dutch caravaggisti.
"Payment" has long been considered the cloth of the Dutch tenebrist Gerrit van Honthorst. In 1953 art historian Maria Sherbakova attributed it as a picture of Latour. This assumption was brilliantly confirmed in 1974, when radiographs were able to detect the author's signature.
The compositional center of the picture, which attracted the attention of the audience and the characters of the "Payment" is the table with a burning candle, an open book and a handful of coins. Their counts highbrow bearded man (this is common in the works of Latour type), on which the views of all those present. A candle flame illuminates the faces and hands of the three main characters. The other three are located at some distance, the light from the candle illuminates not so sharp, does not dull in their dress of red color, always have the accent Latour. The very composition of the painting, placement of actors is remarkable, even compared with open Tulip flower.
For the use of contrast of light and shade Latour often together with Caravaggio however , it is easy to notice the difference in the light sources used both. A Caravaggio light is directed from above and the side (the so-called ". lighting"), and the source of illumination is outside of the picture. Latour in most of his paintings, uses the light from the candles. In the film "Payment" candle he becomes a full participant of the action: it kind of outlines the thoughts and aspirations of the characters. The faces of the people at the table devoid of affectation, and their poses seem calm, but the giant dark shadow placed on the walls, create a feeling of anxiety, misleading everything a tinge of mystery. Maybe they are planning something or have to make a fateful decision?
Researchers Latour noted how close his style is to organize the characters and the space of art, which will appear only after three hundred years in the cinema. The picture of the "Payment" is a well-built frame, which takes into account and calculated everything from the psychological characteristics selection to suits, from setting light to speak of details of the props.
Author: Anna Yesterday
"Payment" has long been considered the cloth of the Dutch tenebrist Gerrit van Honthorst. In 1953 art historian Maria Sherbakova attributed it as a picture of Latour. This assumption was brilliantly confirmed in 1974, when radiographs were able to detect the author's signature.
The compositional center of the picture, which attracted the attention of the audience and the characters of the "Payment" is the table with a burning candle, an open book and a handful of coins. Their counts highbrow bearded man (this is common in the works of Latour type), on which the views of all those present. A candle flame illuminates the faces and hands of the three main characters. The other three are located at some distance, the light from the candle illuminates not so sharp, does not dull in their dress of red color, always have the accent Latour. The very composition of the painting, placement of actors is remarkable, even compared with open Tulip flower.
For the use of contrast of light and shade Latour often together with Caravaggio however , it is easy to notice the difference in the light sources used both. A Caravaggio light is directed from above and the side (the so-called ". lighting"), and the source of illumination is outside of the picture. Latour in most of his paintings, uses the light from the candles. In the film "Payment" candle he becomes a full participant of the action: it kind of outlines the thoughts and aspirations of the characters. The faces of the people at the table devoid of affectation, and their poses seem calm, but the giant dark shadow placed on the walls, create a feeling of anxiety, misleading everything a tinge of mystery. Maybe they are planning something or have to make a fateful decision?
Researchers Latour noted how close his style is to organize the characters and the space of art, which will appear only after three hundred years in the cinema. The picture of the "Payment" is a well-built frame, which takes into account and calculated everything from the psychological characteristics selection to suits, from setting light to speak of details of the props.
Author: Anna Yesterday
