Is “black” really black in art?
Artists are best aware that black color is by nature a combination of all colors together, and that it does not always cause associations with night, darkness, destruction, death and emptiness; that it does not always cause sorrow. Yes, it is true that as early as the ancient people, black was a symbol of darkness, evil and hostility, of the mysterious nightmares, but this attitude is slowly changing. If we look at the black in the works of art, we will be convinced that it can have quite different effects - to express a strict style and to impose respect. Black is far from being black. Once in Pierre Auguste Renoir's studio, students from the art school invaded and praised his "pale-transparent palette." "Cast the black paint in the Seine!" They told him. Renoir, for a long time, pondered the words of these rebellious youths and tried to prove to them how important the black color was in nature, and especially in painting; that the black has many shades and gives a unique sound of the image. The most curious thing is that there is not a pure black color in this painting - the illusion of the black artist achieved with the help of other colors and their nuances.
Only in the 20th century, using X-ray analysis, the researchers proved that in order to achieve this effect, Renoir had painted for 5 years. He put a lot of effort into proving his thesis about the black color, made up of many other colors. In this regard, the experts also recall the painting of Renoir "Girl in Black", which also does not have a pure black color. This painting, and the other, "Umbrellas," in fact, perfectly illustrates what Renoir was saying with the words "I've reached the end of Impressionism." Is the black color an oppressive factor? Many people in the world are referring to the black color of positivism, unlike others who associate it with darkness, death and evil. For example, the ancient Egyptians worshiped the black and even associated it with the fertility of the earth. African peoples associate it with the rainy season and the happy marriage.... The Chinese associate the black color with the sky and consider it the "king of all colors". In the Eastern peoples the black carries a philosophical meaning - the Divine Presence. And although in Europe the attitude towards black is far less positive, but on the contrary - it suggests sadness and melancholy, in the whole Western society black is present as the dominant color in the works of the best brush masters. With one remark - and a century further. Since then black has begun to be used so much that even the price of black paint on the market has become more expensive than that of the other color paints. According to some, the increasing interest in God's mother, Virgin Mary, contributes to this because her symbol is the black color.
Suddenly, it seemed like all the artists around the world began to see black as a very sophisticated color. This also affected dress fashion - all over Europe, the fashion of black suits and dresses is being imposed. The 15th century is the triumph of the black. Blacks are the official clothing of many monarchs, the priests' race, the uniforms of senior officials, and so on. The popularity of black is also reflected in fine art. More and more portraits seal celebrities dressed in black, and this process has continued for centuries to this day. Art historians have made a special contribution to the celebration of the black, the Dutch painter Frances Hals (1582-1666). More than 40 shades of black have been found in his canvases. The painting of Hals "The Banking of the Officers of the St. George Shooting Company" is considered to be a top achievement in fine arts. The author of the "Black Square" - Kazimir Malevich, remains in the story with his incredibly eccentric design. It is hard to believe, but the artist has devoted a lot of time to his work, and the reflections of the researchers and the disputes between them on the occasion of the "square" do not stop even today. Either way, everyone agrees that the complexity of the work is that there is mixing of colors in pre-calculated proportions, and this is definitely not a simple job! See unique examples of fine art in which black is a true celebration of colors.