ground strong and deep. Our view is that of perhaps a weeder on the field. Homers Carnival is cropped and less symmetrical with figures emerging from off the canvas. Less emphasis is placed on use of foreground, in turn creating less depth. Bretons figures hold much movement and expression, women working the field are crouched close to the viewer. Farther back a woman stands alone, basket full, gaze and body positioned toward the setting sun. The women weeding are bent and tired. Homers figures hold much more static energy, their gestures are held firmly with out a potential for further movement, like a snapshot. They are mimicking and playful with much variation of size, adults and various aged children. This is easily observed because of the placement of the figures all standing in a line, all the same distance from the viewer. The figure is the focus of the viewer, with the background less important. The figures feet almost meet the bottom of the canvas, out view eye level. This horizontal linear figure focus creates a flow and path of the viewers eye from right to left. The The Weeders flow moves from foreground figures to middle ground left and finally the expansive deep horizon. Front to back as opposed to side to side. Breton's backward recession is also created using the crop lines in the dirt which carry us off into the distance. Bretons brush work is painterly and general compared to his classic roots, though his figures are quite detailed. The texture of the canvas can be seen because of his thin application of smooth layers of oil paint. Homers application and use of the brush is notably different. It is rougher, thicker, and much much more suggestive. Both artists use of color plays an important role in the overall effect of the painting on the viewer. Bretons color focuses on contrast, this has much to do with the time of day and setting of a field minutes away from night. The figures are softly silhouetted and lit by the ...
