Easel Picture - The Concept
The word 'easel' has its roots in the Dutch word, 'ezel,' which means ass or donkey. To keep a canvas conveniently upright, or for displaying art works, a stand, or a wooden frame known as easel, is required.
Wooden Easel Stands
The Details
As compared to the huge pictures on wall or ceiling, Easel Pictures are moderate in size. There are both, full height and shorter frames, available in the market. While the full-heighted ones stand on the floor independently, the short ones are mostly placed on a table or any raised platform to attain the convenient height required for painting comfortably. In fact, due to the ease of portability, short versions are preferred over the full-length ones. Easels are usually made of aluminum, steel, or wood. They are used to hold canvas, sketchbooks, blackboard, placard, or any other flat medium being worked upon. Completed works are also often fixed on these for display.
The History
The art form is several centuries old, dating back to ancient Egypt. Pliny the Elder (23 CE-79) mentioned that the large panels when painted were placed on an easel. In the 12th century, monks used the similar type of writing desks for drafting their enlightening manuscripts. It however, took a long time for Easel Picture Painting to come up to the level of replacing murals and wall paintings. It gained momentum during the Renaissance Period (14th-17th centuries). Recognized as established art for the first time, Easel Painting gained popularity among individual artists who came up with their different styles of elegant and intriguing creativity.
The Types
o Tripod - These are three legged structures. The vertical legs join at tip. Variations exist, including the use of crossbars to make easel extra stable.
o H- Frames - They have right angular arrangement of all four sides. The H shape comes from the two vertical posts connected with a horizontal crossbar. The different versions allow the vertical adjustments in the easels.
The Uses
o Sturdy Studio Easels - They include winches, multiple masts, and casters. The largest of all easels, they can support weight up to 200 lbs and frames up to 7 feet in height. They are meant for studio use due to their difficult portability.
o Portable Field Easels - Medium sized or small, they have tripod design with collapsible legs. Easily portable, they are apt for outdoor paintings.
o Fixed Display Easels - These simple frames are mainly used for displaying completed works. The variations are different in size and sturdiness.
The Artists
Some famous Easel Picture Painters are Domenico Fetti (Italian, 1589-1623), Benjamin West (Anglo-American, 1738-1820), John Ramage (Irish-American, 1748-1802), Edward Greene Malbone (American 1777-1807), Anson Dickinson (American, 1779-1852), Charles Fraser (Australian, 1788-1831), and Claude Clark (African-American, 1915-2001).
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