Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell - The Grey Fan, 1920

Question 1

SCALE

Answer 1

• The dimensions of the piece are quite small, giving it a domestic appeal and making it suitable for a traditional house interior.
• The proportions of the objects diminish in size from foreground to background, creating depth in the piece.
• The elevated viewpoint allows the viewer to use the objects like stepping stones from largest (fan) to smallest (green bowl) in the distance. This is compositionally clever.

Question 2

SOCIAL/CULTURAL

Answer 2

• The piece is inspired by the Art Deco movement. The characteristics of hard-edged geometry and crisp lines are evident all over this artwork.
• Cadell was not without wealth, his parents ensured that he was financially secure. We can see in his choice of tasteful items that he could afford to purchase foreign objects to use in his work.
• The piece is directly inspired by oriental culture. These artefacts were regularly imported from the East around the turn of the 20th century, and Cadell had utilised them in his work.
• The piece is influenced by the collage work of artist Matisse, who specialised in this technique. We can tell this because of the block colour approach which mimics his paper cut-out work.

Question 3

COLOUR

Answer 3

• Cadell has used a reduced colour palette of mostly creams, black, and two primaries (red and yellow). This, combined with neutral grey, creates quite a calming effect as nothing appears too loud.
• The most saturated colour is red. This contrasts with the black pattern and helps draw the viewer’s eye to the top of the composition.
• Cadell’s use of dark tones (starting with the fan ribbon and ending with the silhouette outside the window) successfully links foreground with background.

Question 4

SUBJECT MATTER

Answer 4

• Cadell has selected to paint a very limited arrangement of oriental Japanese items. This creates an uncluttered and tasteful arrangement.
• The separation of the items allows the viewer to see the simplicity of the shapes with minimal overlapping, making it easier on the eyes.
• The use of fabrics (some plain but some patterned to break up the negative spaces) makes the piece more compositionally interesting.

Question 5

MATERIALS/TECHNIQUES/WORKING METHODS

Answer 5

• Cadell has used mostly flat-headed medium brushes and blended his brushstrokes to create a flat textureless effect.
• The paint has been applied thinly. We can tell as there are no opaque pigments, as well as visible parts of the canvas, reminding us of the 2D nature of this art.
• Cadell primed this canvas with gesso before painting. This is a glue that seals the surface and allows for optimum vibrancy of colour, which was important to him.

Question 6

STYLE

Answer 6

• The piece is very geometric in appearance, hard-edged and quite crisp. This creates quite a cold effect.
• The piece is semi-realistic. It can’t be called fully realistic as its forms lack 3D shading, which would be evident in real life.
• Cadell was a Scottish Colourist painter: they were typically famous for their bold use of colour. This piece however is quite restrained in terms of colour, creating a subdued effect.

Question 7

MOOD/ATMOSPHERE

Answer 7

• Cadell’s emphasis on man-made objects and nothing organic creates quite a lifeless and sterile effect.
• There is a suggestion of natural light with the windows in the background, but this is not consistent with the 2D appearance of the objects. This creates an ambiguous mood.
• The low light effect and lack of drama creates occasional shadow play (ex. under the fan ribbons) which adds an element of realism to the piece.

Question 8

INTRO

Answer 8

I will be writing about a still-life painting called The Grey Fan. This piece was painted in 1920 by Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell.