The Penitent

by Felix Resurrection Hidalgo

Felix Resurrection Hidalgo's "The Penitent" is a portrait of a man feeling sorry for his wrong doings. The strong feelings are very visible in the man's eyes. The portrait, which used oil as medium and canvas as surface, was made in the late 19th century in Madrid, and measures 71.1 cm x 45.1 cm. It is a two-dimensional expression, since the medium used includes the surface and marking/coloring substances. According to Vargas Museum staff, the easel painting used the indirect or traditional method that is achieved by applying the paint in thin layers of transparent color and by using technique of glazing, Hidalgo made use of a transparent layer of oil paint and applied it over a solid one so the color of the first was significantly modified.

Weak diagonal lines can be observed from the inclination of the man's body, which then conveyed uncertainty, instability, insecurity, and a sense of impending collapse. The use of curved lines in the face, particularly in the eyes suggest grace and beauty and conveys deep emotions.

Hidalgo used an analogous color scheme to achieve a low saturation that is the purity of a color in the sense of the amount of apparent color in contrast with the achromatic area of equal brightness. This in effect conveys elusiveness and indeterminacy as well as subtlety and emotional complexity. The dimension of color referring to a scale running from dim to bright (black to lighter brown to white) showed the value and tonality of the artwork. Hidalgo was successful enough in trying to create transition among the colors. The way in which color was used can be said to be representational since the artist's paint object from the real world. For instance, in the portrait, the color may range from white to black through pink, tan and brown even if a black background was used.

The value as applied in the artwork can be seen from the gradation of tones. Thus, with the meeting of light and dark hues (chiaroscuro) can be seen. Texture in the artwork was simulated since it rendered a two dimensional surface textural quality. The way Hidalgo handled the paint and brush in this painting possesses an immediate physical presence that invites touch.

Curvilinear shapes can be seen from the structure of the face and since it is a figurative painting, shapes were used in three dimensionality. This was done by modeling of forms, that is, darkening or lightening the contours of figures and objects in relation to an indicated or implied light source, so the figure seems to be shaped by light and shadow as it occupied the space.

Balance in the painting was achieved in two ways. First is formal balance which can be observed since both halves of the picture correspond with one another. The face forms symmetry or balance of equal measures. Second is the strong central figure, where the face balanced the whole picture juxtaposition with the black background.

Linear perspective is highly observable. Hidalgo's use of round forms which have no parallel sides can be considered as though they had rectangles surrounding them.

The face which is the strong figure is relatively proportional to the body. Hidalgo gave more emphasis to the structure of the face in relation to the body's pictorial space. Movement was achieved through the use of dark to light hues that made the figure close to real. The shadowing of the face and the lighting of the subject gave and even stronger physical look to the artwork.