Cattleya Orchid and Three Brazilian Hummingbirds

This work of art is titled "Cattleya Orchid and Three Brazilian Hummingbirds". It was created by a man named Martin Johnson Heade in the year 1871. Heade was born and raised in a small town called Lumberville, Pennsylvania. Martin was originally tutored by a man named Edward Hicks and also his cousin Thomas Hicks. In 1863 Heade took a journey to Brazil where he planned on painting a series of South American hummingbirds and having them published in Britain. This idea did not go as he had planned, but he still continued to use birds and flowers as his main subjects in his artwork. His paintings of landscapes never really caught on until later on in his life when the Hudson River School paintings were being rediscovered and then his work became more appreciated. The four principles of organization are very prevalent in this painting. When looking for the unity in this piece it is found in the family of hummingbirds. They are all spread apart, but their bodies seem to almost make a circle that shows they all belong to one another. There is much variety in this painting as well, from the colors to the actual images in the work. As for balance it is mostly seen in the background where the trees and plants are evenly distributed on both sides of the painting. There is a sort of balance between the flower and the birds with the nest. The focus of this painting would be the orchid. It is not the brightest of colors, but given its proportion compared to everything else it really stands out. The elements of visual art are also seen throughout the painting. Although they are just birds you can see the direction they are flying in and which direction they are looking toward one another through their implied lines. The color is very somber throughout the painting even the orchid is of a pail pink. Gives it a sense of peace and beauty. As for the position of the flower it is slightly horizontal, but also slightly vertical which gives it a sense of strength. The depth in the

Cited: 1. http://www.nga.gov/cgi-bin/pimage?60978+0+0 2. "American Paradise: The World of the Hudson River School", Harry N Abrams. November 1987