Christening Morning

Christening Morning

18" x 24"

oil on canvas

[click on image to enlarge]

A newborn baby on the day of blessing brings so many poignant feelings. 

Among them:

-Reverence for this precious spirit

-Gratitude to Heaven for sending a special spirit

-Approaching Deity to ask an additional blessing for the infant and the future

-Family relationships

-Joy in a mother's sacrifice to bring forth a new family member

-The wonder of life

-Innocence and purity

Technically this painting was done somewhat in the chiaroscuro pattern with marked contrast between the background and the highlights. Black for the dress was made by mixing two powerful strong complementary pigments, in this case Phthalo Green and Alizarin Crimson which makes a rich, luxurious paint. It also allows small variations in hue not possible with traditional blacks. The extended arm has more crimson while the back of dress has a greenish hue.

The photo below shows this painting with a rather poorly cropped gold frame.
 

To most viewers the dominant figure in the painting is Rebecca, the young woman on the left, she is the figure closest to the viewer and therefore is larger, she is at the point of the highest contrast in the painting and she is painted with the sharpest details.

She is also on the left, and most of us 'read' a painting from the left to the right like we read text.

One might suppose that it wouldn't make that much difference, however below is the same painting now shown by reversing the photograph. Quite a different emphasis to my eyes.
Now to my eyes, the infant has increased in emphasis [and it is more apparent that the bottom of the white crochet blanket should be darker - and so I corrected it later]
You may see this differently.