Originally written on: 25 September 2015
The Flotilla Fresco is an extensive and vibrant mural that was painted on a smoothed stone wall around 1650 BCE. Although ancient, this wall painting is complex, full of emotion, and bursting with activity and life; it contains several bright hues, line movements, and textures, as well as local wildlife, terrain, and human activity. The Flotilla Fresco appears to have been repaired in several places, which provides contrasting visual texture and noticeable differences in the painting's color quality and pallet. Overall, the mural's color, intended texture, and arrangement/activity of objects and figures represents a joyful remembrance and celebration of this people's life on sea, their cities on shore, and the surrounding nature. First, the mural's lively, varying hues with light values conveys an emotion and overall tone for the piece. Shades of golden and olive yellow, sapphire, steel, and Cambridge blue, maroon and mahogany red, russet brown, and white fill the image. This collection of color radiates feelings of joy, warmth, and excitement; together, these emotional triggers create a mood for the piece- one of celebration and liveliness. Secondly, the colors work as a compositional technique by splitting one form from another- which gives depth, provides visual texture, and creates a sense of motion. The grayish blue sea/sky (they appear to be one form) is heavily contrasted with the reds, browns, whites, and yellows of the mountain, boats, animals, and people. These color differences cause each image to be easily distinguishable to the viewer and makes the figures/terrain 'pop out' from the vast sea; even the dolphins, being part of the sea (sharing a similar blue color of the sky/sea), is lined with white and gold to bring it out of the water. Windows are a darkened brown, conveying an opening in the building, and the brightly painted shape of ships jut out almost fully from the lightly colored water, hinting at flotation. This sense of depth is created without perspective; color, size (only on the far right of the wall), overlapping shapes, and texture is utilized to denote distance. Texture in the Flotilla Fresco is caused by lines and color. Rough, brick buildings are represented in the two cities by thin, horizontal, black paint strokes (with an occasional vertical one) intermingled with golden yellows and browns. Brick buildings are adorned with textured roofs, painted doors (blue), and windows (dark brown) that have smooth textures and no lines; small details like this give spirit and a sense of reality to the town. Texture is also found in the surrounding mountainous terrain. Rocks and dirt are separated into sections by color- a wash of the hue makes up the interior, and darker, concentrated colors run in a wavy, active line around the shape. These organic lines border each layer and produce a rough texture. Grass is hinted at on top of these earthen layers, represented by clumps of diagonal, curved lines. Foliage adds both depth and detail to the piece, building further upon the environment. As for the sea, the pale, mottled blues provide a calm, water/air-like quality that contrasts the boats' textures and patterns. Each ship utilizes sections of unified lines to depict carvings, paintings, and even moving oars. These textures create movement, a lively atmosphere- which adds to the mural's joyful, celebratory tone- and develop a more realistic, detailed setting in which touch, sight, and sound is imaginable. Lastly, the arrangement and activity of figures/objects in the mural suggest an energetic atmosphere and a tone of happiness, excitement, and celebration. First, all animals are either mid-stride or mid-air; dolphins jump out of water beside large ships, twisting and pointing in every direction or angle, while stags race across the top of a mountain away from a lion. Lions, birds, and dolphins decorate the ships' sides in several colors, positions, and patterns. Animals are also placed in close proximity to humans- suggesting a positive relationship with the creatures, and perhaps even feelings of respect or adoration. Second, several boats are painted out at sea, with no two alike. Some transport finely dressed individuals to the larger city in vessels adorned with ornaments and tassels, while others are comprised only of scantily clad rowers in a simple boat. Each ship faces right, heading towards the larger city; the villagers in the smaller city are also facing right (for the most part), watching them flow away. The finely dressed citizens, decorations, and vast number of individuals suggest that a festival may be being held. These observations also add to the lively, celebratory mood of the piece. In conclusion, the Flotilla Fresco is a positive painting about a place, its people, and nature. The mural utilizes color, texture, and overlapping shapes to convey emotion, activity, environments, and detail. In addition, the painting forever commemorates a love or pride for this land, its natural beauty, and its community. The Flotilla Fresco is full of energy, color, and life, hints at celebration and harmony between man and nature, and displays a kind of nationalism for a homeland.
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August 2018
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