Art in Detail-Susie Hodge

A book introduced the details in 100 masterpieces have been ignored.here we take some examples from this book, have a look:
《The Scream》（1893）

Munch was inspired when feelings tired and ill while crossing a fjord on a bridge ,he gazed out across the sunset and "sensed a scream passing through nature".
"It seemed to me that i heard the scream" ,he wrote in his diary."i painted this picture,painted the clouds as actual blood.the color shrieked.this became The Scream."
The viewers gaze is drawn almost instantly to the iconic,terrified figure,the sickly hear-black fjord,and the apocalyptic skies above. Less obvious are the shadowy figures in the background.They look threatening,but in reality they are representations of Munchs two friends,who were with him on the bridge but oblivious to his vision.

《The Laughing Cavalier》(1624)

One of the most celebrated Baroque portraits of all time,Dutch painter Hals put an extraordinary amount of detail into his subjects clothing and appearance-particularly his wry and enigmatic smile. Its not known who the cavalier is-although the Latin in the top -right of the picture says he was 26,and it was painted in 1624.
While we know nothing about Hals`s puckish subject,the round, golden pommel of a sword can be seen in the crook of his left arm.
That would suggest that the subject was a proficient swordfighter -the sign of a gentleman at the time.

《The Ambassadors》(1533)

The Ambassadors has been the subject of debate by art historians for years, who have pondered the symbolism of the items on the tables between the two men, and the identites of the figures themselves.
Holbein added details such as a lute with a broken string, a symbol of disharmony,next to a copy of Martin Luthers translation of a hymnbook perhaps representing the religious strife seen at the time. The Ambassadors clearly doesnt lack for details to consider, one startling addition is often overlooked at first glance :the stretched skull in the bottom-center of the image.
Why Holbein streched the skull out isnt known, but its been suggested that the painting might have been intended to hang in a stairwell-where people approaching it from the left would have been it in the correct perspective.

《The Arnolfini Portrait》(1434)

There are many signs of the Arnolfiniswealth in the image,such as the fur trim on the womans dress and her gold necklace and rings-both of which appear to be small details but would have been extremely expensive.
above the mirror can be seen a message in elaborate handwriting,looking to the untrained eye like some ancient passage or motto,befitting the noble subjects.
In fact,it`s a naughty little message from Eyck that simply reads"Johannes de eyck fuit hic 1434"-literally "Johannes van Eyck was here 1434".

《Oath of the Horatii》(1784)

Davids masterful painting depicts a scene from Roman legend in which two warring cities agreed to end their fight by sending three men each to battle one another,with the survivors city winning.
In this scene,three brothers of the ultimately victorious Horatii family salute their father, who holds out their swords for them.all four ,in accepting death and duty, are symbolic of patriotism and moral strength.
One of the women, in black, clutches a little boy and girl-the girl buries her head in the woman`s clothes,upset about the unfolding scene.
But the boy looks up at the men in,impressed by their devotion and bravery,reinforcing the idea that their patriotism is to be admired and mirrored.

《Joseph the Carpenter》(1645)

The image,which was created in the tenebrist style, featuring deep,dark shadows and strong contrast between light and dark,shows the infant Jesus holding a candle while his father Joseph is at work.
The symbolism of Jesus lighting up the dark is clear, and his left hand is held up in manner used during the Catholic Benediction.
There is dark foreshadowing here, the wood is laid crosswise from Jesus, while the angle of the augar resembles crucifix.
Both are symbolic of Jesus`s eventual sacrifice.

《Las Meninas》(1656)

Las Meninas shows the infant Margaret Theresa of Spain-daughter of King Philip IV of Spain-surrounded by an entourage including a dog,two dwarfs and the titular ladies in waiting.
The painting is notable for complexity of its composition,with some of those in the painting look out at the viewer,as in a traditional portrait,while others appear to be caught'off - guard'.
Almost lost in shadow,above the kneeling lady in waiting,is a painter stood in front of a large canvas,gazing out at the viewer,palette in hand.
and the painter?Velazquez himself,in his only known self-portrait.

《Entry of the Crusaders in Constantinople》(1840)

Delacroix`s oil painting depicts the moment in the Fourth Crusade in which the Crusaders turned away from their invasion of Muslim Egypt and Jerusalem.
Instead,they sacked the Christian city of Constantinople after being refused long-promised aid,the leader,Baldwin,can be seen at the front of the parade,backed by his soldiers and surrounded by scenes of chaos and fear.
Among the huddled masses is a young child,looking up to his wizened father, who clutches his wife and begs Baldwin for mercy.
Though Baldwin was a vassal of the French king,and although this painting was commissioned by King Louis-Philippe I of France,Delacroix made the effort to humanize the victims of the invasion.

《The Battle of San Romano》(1445)

Ucello painted the battle between Florentine and Sienese forces in 1432-which took place within his lifetime-three times ,each time employing spectacular color and for the time great realism.
Despite being largely realistic ,the painting does have an inevitable break from reality:all of the horses are drawn in static positions,except for one galloping horse that is partly hidden from view.
That`s because artists of the time had not yet worked out how to draw realistically running horses.