Details in Art History

Examining the artwork of Jan van Kessel the Elder

Jan van Kessel the Elder was a Flemish painter who created works while in the city of Antwerp during the mid-17th century (Wikipedia). He created a series of nature studies, paintings representing the "Four Continents," and many more. I'd like to take a look at a few of the epistemic technologies, as well as other techniques, van Kessel used to craft his artworks.

>> Side note: epistemic technologies in this context refers to tools and features present in images that establish a specific knowledge or meaning. Epistemic means "of or relating to knowledge."

Jan van Kessel, Flemish. Study of Butterfly and Insects. 1655. Artstor, library.artstor.org/asset/ANGAIG_10313973937.

Specimen Logic

The image to the left, titled Study of Butterfly and Insects, is part of van Kessel's nature studies. He employs specimen logic to convey that the subjects in this painting are there to be observed. The precise lines, tiny brush strokes, and great attention to detail further exemplify that the viewer is looking at objects as specimens.

Van Kessel used oil on copper to create this painting, and thus no visible texture appears on the image. The copper allows for more precise lines by avoiding the grid-like pattern/texture that comes from painting on canvas.

The composition of the subjects in the image create a sense of individuality; each insect is separate from all the others. Focus specifically on the viewer's perspective of each insect, and how this affects the shadows. The wasp on the left side is depicted from an aerial view, with a shadow cast below it. The branch in the center of the painting creates a shadow that fades into the background, creating a sense of 3-dimensional space. The backside of the leaves are turned to the viewer to show their veins, but each leaf is at a slightly different angle.

The non-uniformity creates a sense of mystery about the image's light source, as well as the absence of a background. I also love van Kessel's use of color; the painting has a warm tone due to the presence of yellow, orange, and golden hues in the wasp, butterfly, caterpillar, and (what appear to be) grapes.

Due to the small size of this painting (11 x 14.8 cm; 4 5/16 x 5 13/16 in.), the viewer must be close to view the image. But that might be exactly what van Kessel hoped for; closeness allows viewers to notice small details that may have otherwise gone unseen.

As we can see from Study of Butterfly and Insects, Jan van Kessel paints with extreme precision, going so far as to depict the wasp's dainty glass wings, or the moth's fuzzy torso. He also paints with intention; in this case, to present the subjects as objects for examination and observation. The lack of background means that the viewer gets exactly what they see; nothing more or less.

The Anecdote

Let's take a look at a different type of epistemic technology that van Kessel employed in his artwork. The image below, titled Concert of Birds, creates an anecdote of a group of birds who come together in a tree to sing. As Professor Herbert discussed in his lecture ("The Cabinet of Curiosities"), the anecdote catches a moment of an event. In the moment that van Kessel captured here, many different species of birds are gathered to sing in a tree. There is an owl, somewhat in the center, holding sheet music.

Jan van Kessel I. Concert of Birds (Concert de oiseaux). second half of the 17th century. Artstor, library.artstor.org/asset/ALUKASWEBIG_10313648986.

While there is a sense of an anecdote, that doesn't mean van Kessel didn't also incorporate specimen logic into his painting. Again, he used precise attention to detail when depicting each bird. It seems like all of the birds are interacting with each other, but in reality, each one has a sense of individuality. Consider the peacock, whose back is turned to the viewer to show off its tail (which is painted with precise accuracy). The parrot, on the other hand, faces the viewer to show its beak, as well as the array of colors on its wing.

In Concert of Birds, van Kessel created a landscape of a field with a few trees that also features a horse grazing near the trunk of the tree. This background establishes context for the anecdote of the birds.

What I find most interesting about this painting is its composition. Van Kessel arranged the birds so that the viewer's eye is drawn towards the center, where most of the birds face. The tree in the bottom right corner allows the viewer to follow the tree trunk's curve upwards and extend it along the branch to the center tree.

The painting itself is 172.5 cm x 239.7 cm x 3 cm, thus it is probably viewed from a distance so the viewer can see the entire image. Contrast to Study of Butterfly and Insects, which contained very minuscule details to be seen up close, this image's most outstanding feature (in my opinion) is the subject composition. Thus, viewing it from a distance allows the trees and the birds to guide the viewer's eye towards the focal point.

Both images are very accurate & detailed depictions of specimens: one in which they are carrying out an action (Concert) and one in which they are not (Study). In contrast, I feel like van Kessel also paints with a sense of whimsy, like with the mixed-up shadows and confused background in Study of Butterfly and Insects. In Concert of Birds, not only does van Kessel include a bat sitting on one of the tree branches, he also gives a sheet of music to an owl. So despite the specimen logic that pervades his artwork, Jan van Kessel manages to sneak in a little bit of surrealism as well.

Sources

Jan van Kessel, Flemish. Study of Butterfly and Insects. 1655. Artstor, library.artstor.org/asset/ANGAIG_10313973937.

Jan van Kessel I. Concert of Birds (Concert de oiseaux). second half of the 17th century. Artstor, library.artstor.org/asset/ALUKASWEBIG_10313648986.

Wikipedia contributors. "Jan van Kessel the Elder." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 31 Dec. 2019. Web. 14 Jan. 2020.

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