Ahead of the curve: Artists who used science to perfect their work

Across history, we have seen science and technology advance at great speeds. The two times when this growth was most notable were the Renaissance, between the 14^th and 17^th centuries, and the Industrial Revolution, between 1760 and 1820-40. Most of the advancements in both fields allowed for improvements in different areas of expertise, such as mathematics, chemistry, and engineering. Naturally, art benefited from these advancements as well. While not all artists took advantage of the most recent discoveries of those times, there were some who saw the possibility of improving their craft. Some did it by applying new research to their pieces, and others employed new inventions and technologies to improve the quality of their technique. Whether it was to cause a reaction, accurately depict nature, or paint from a different perspective, the use of science allowed these artists to create works of art never seen before. 

Rembrandt van Rjin, Self Portrait, 1659, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art

Rembrandt is known for his portraits, but what isn’t as widely known is how he used mirrors to paint from a new perspective. While there are no records that confirm this with absolute certainty, the are many reasons to believe that Rembrandt could have used these, such as the technology having been discovered at the time, and Rembrandt having access to these mirrors. In this self-portrait, the artist’s hands are clasped together; this position could have only been done if seen through a mirror. It would’ve been almost impossible to recreate it from memory!

Rembrandt van Rjin, Self Portrait with open eyes, 1630, etching, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

In this self-portrait, Rembrandt holds a striking expression with open eyes and pursed lips. Researchers Francis O’Neill and Sofia Palazzo Corner claim that he was able to etch it so well thanks to his perspective from a mirror. In fact, they argue that for different portraits, Rembrandt would not only use different kinds of mirrors, but also change their positions, all the while looking between the work and the reflection. In Self Portrait with open eyes, it is said that the artist only used a flat mirror, making the task of remembering (and holding) his expression much easier.

Georges Seurat, The Forest at Pontaubert, 1881, oil on canvas, 1985.237

This work shows Seurat beginning to play with Pointillism, or as he liked to call it, Divisionism. It consists of merging color by painting in small dots of various colors instead of brushstrokes. Notice how the closer you look at the artwork, the more distinct the colors are from each other, and the less distinguishable the figures are from one another. At first, we see mainly greens, yellows, and whites, but up close we notice some oranges, and even some red!

Georges Seurat, Sunday on La Grande Jatte, 1884, oil on canvas, 51.112.6

Some time after his Forest, Seurat paints Sunday on La Grande Jatte, which was a very popular spot in his time. We can see much more clearly the way the colored dots blend together. It works as an optical illusion: when we see two dots of different colors next to one another, our eyes merge them into a single mixed shade. What looks like solid color is actually multiple different colors mixing together. Seurat represented a well-known place in a way that had an effect not only on how its viewers felt, but on how they perceived what they were seeing.

Arkhyp Kuindzhi, Red Sunset on the Dnieper, 1905-08, oil on canvas, 1974.100

The Ukrainian artist Arkhyp Kuindzhi didn’t feel the need to represent nature like his European representationalist counterparts: he was more interested in replicating it to the best of his ability. He had a high appreciation for nature and was able to learn much about it thanks to his friendship with the scientist Mendeleev. In Red Sunset, we see how he poured most of his attention into how light is portrayed. The way it pours onto the landscape, river, and across the clouds makes the image seem like a photograph.

Arkhyp Kuindzhi, Moonlit Night on the Dnieper, 1880, oil on canvas, State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg

In Moonlit Night on the Dnieper, we find more ways Kuindzhi gave light great importance. He understood how value affected perceived luminosity, as well as how using juxtaposed colors would heighten their intensity and deepen the contrast between light and dark. Moreover, the piece was exhibited with a light shined directly on it, making the bright light of the moon even brighter, and the dark corners of the night sky even darker. Alongside the texture of the water and the clouds, it almost feels like you aren’t looking at a painting, but outside your room window into the night.