Man Writing a Letter 1662-65 (selected)
Woman Reading a Letter 1662-65
"...it is only outside the Beit Woman Reading a Letter, in its pendant depicting a man writing a letter to the woman, that Metsu admits to the problem what is absent. This invention of the pendant is his. No other painter does it at the time. In his common-sense way, Metsu reminds us of the social circumstances, the parted correspondents, upon which the letter representation depends. Separated by their frames, in their separate rooms, these lovers can forever attend to the represetation of love rather than engage in love itself."
- Svetlana Alpers, ' The Art of Describing'
Self Exploration on the painting:
According from the previous description by Svetlana Alpers, the painting is impressed on me favourably. Back in that time, these two independent paintings were actually designed to relate on each other in a sequence. The letter is written by the man is dramatically the one holding on the woman’s hand. They make more sense like drama show on television in these days. Together they tell a love story. The selected painting seems to depict a noble man who backs in a hurry, sitting in a front of a table near an open window and rapidly writes a letter to his lover may about what his thought or what he has been through in the middle of his trip at this moment. He is fully concentrated on his letter even in an uncomfortable pose. Now he looks calm and a smile of pleasure passes across his face. The room he is in is paved with black-white tiles; while the table is pushed into a corner covers with a huge red tablecloth. There are also several unidentified equipments such as some kind of silver containers as well as a wooden one falling on that table. The window in this painting swing inward which isolates the globe at the back. There is also a painting with a rich frame hang on the other side of the room. It is hard to describe what actually it is. However there are several camels resting inside the painting seems in a particular travel circumstance.
Light: natural sun light, warm, golden, illuminate the majority of the room
My narrative: A place for a man can forever attend to the representation of love.
My site: E Ji Na, Inner Mongolia, China, Autumn
There are 2 reasons for choosing this site:
1. In this particular time, the site's color matches with my painting. I want to maintian the color tone in my design.
The majority of the room in the painting is exposed under the sun. Unconsciously it is telling us that the relationship between the room and the external space are very close. The room is quite open, can be influenced directly from the outside.
2. Through self exploration on the painting, I imagine the man is in his travelling trip and away from his lover. So I decide to select a place which is isolated from crowed cities, then he can freely enjoy on representation love to his lover.
Concept:
There are numinous ways to represent a love especially in these days. You can directly though conversation, write a letter same as the man does in the painting, or you can take an action.
So my idea is create a meeting place for couples to get together. Since they are getting together, they are actually taking the option on action to represent their love.
There are numinous ways to represent a love especially in these days. You can directly though conversation, write a letter same as the man does in the painting, or you can take an action.
So my idea is create a meeting place for couples to get together. Since they are getting together, they are actually taking the option on action to represent their love.
Analyzing a clean understanding of different types of internal spaces (From my tutor)
Living room
Bathroom
These two different rooms are all under the internal space category. However each of them is provide completely different relationship with external condition. Living room is open and created forward to outside while the bathroom is tried to be more isolated to the outside.
Meeting place-My idea draws from my previous assignment
This is a meeting place for two famous people to get together. It provides in a more private space. I also want to create a private meeting place for couples, but it has to be more open to the external.
Final design components:
1. Two intersectant staircases: I decide to use the two staircases which toward different directions, bring couple get together and isolate from others in a higher-level, private space.
2. Curved wall & high ceiling: I use the curved wall in the internal space. Because it expands the room in a circular shape and feels more invited to outside. High ceiling makes the room space much bigger and provides completely different style of private space.
3. Elliptic windows: romantic figure, more welcoming
4. Balcony: It is a external place for couple to get up level and view its surroundings.
5. Curved column: It is used for block the internal view and balance the whole structure of this building.
1. Two intersectant staircases: I decide to use the two staircases which toward different directions, bring couple get together and isolate from others in a higher-level, private space.
2. Curved wall & high ceiling: I use the curved wall in the internal space. Because it expands the room in a circular shape and feels more invited to outside. High ceiling makes the room space much bigger and provides completely different style of private space.
3. Elliptic windows: romantic figure, more welcoming
4. Balcony: It is a external place for couple to get up level and view its surroundings.
5. Curved column: It is used for block the internal view and balance the whole structure of this building.
6. Matrial: brick veneer construction
