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Gora Mbengue
(1931–1988, Wolof People, Senegal), Al-Buraq,
1975. Paint on glass, 34.3 x 48.9 cm (13 1/2" x 19 1/4"). Brooklyn
Museum, Brooklyn, NY. © 2014 Estate of Gora Mbengue. (BMA-3555)
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I once watched an
artist in Switzerland do a reverse painting on glass, and the technique amazed
me. As an artist, one is thinking in reverse, literally painting details and
foreground first, then middleground, then background. Mbengue was a leading
artist in contemporary reverse glass painting (sous verre in French, souwère
in Wolof) technique on glass in Africa. Senegalese “under glass painting”(or
reverse glass painting) technique migrated from northern Africa in the late
1800s, and quickly became a popular means of expression. Looking at works of
art in this genre it is fascinating to try to decide which layer of color went
down after the initial black outlines.
The reverse glass painting technique has existed since
ancient times. Although the works may seem to be works under a glass matte,
they are actually painted on the reverse of a piece of glass. This entails
doing details first, usually with a brush the size of those used to paint
ceramics. Once the outline and details are established—such as the facial
features and outline of the horse’s body—then colors are applied from lightest
to darkest, the exact opposite of traditional painting where the artist
establishes an underpainting of darks and lights.
In Senegal, reverse painting initially represented symbolic
scenes from the Qur’an, traditional stories, and cultural symbols. It eventually
added portraiture and genre scenes to the oeuvre. Mbengue, a Sufi Muslim, has
followed the tradition in Islamic art of not directly depicting the Prophet
Muhammad. Al-Buraq was the angel that carried Muhammad to the throne of God
upon his death. The well-known image of the angel would encourage people to
contemplate the Prophet’s ascension without the necessity of depicting him.
Question for students:
Souwère paintings are made on the back of a
glass surface. This requires the artist to start with the finest details, add
layers of color on top, and then finally add a background layer. Look closely
at the painting. Can you find evidence of all three steps?
Correlations to Davis programs: Explorations in Art Grade 6: 3.16; A Community
Connection: 1.1, 8.5; A Global Pursuit: 1.5; Discovering Art History: 4.8, 7.3;
Experience Painting: 9; Exploring Painting: 1, 2; The Visual Experience: 9.3,
14.2, 14.3
When artists and their public realized that telling history always will be subjective and a painting will always be an illusion Realism and history painting lost their ground to modern painting.
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