Sunlight
and Shadow by
Humphrey
Humphrey’s Sunlight
and Shadow contrasts with other works in his oeuvre due to the strong
presence of darker values that are usually not as prominent in his sunlit and
colorful vistas. In this composition, the river’s path cuts through a dense
forest that the sunlight struggles to penetrate through, creating passages of
shadow throughout. Somber tones are employed to depict the depth of the water
and the areas alongside the river that are untouched by the sun. Even though
shadows are momentous throughout the design, they further serve to emphasize
the light by providing visual contrast.
Light is the
primary focus of this composition, concentrated in the center of the painting.
The light illuminates the water unfettered by forest canopy. Where light
manages to break through, it sparkles on the surface of the water, and
highlights the multicolored rocks glistening in the shallow embankment. As the
river meanders around the bend, its destination is obscured; an enigmatic mist
has settled upon the horizon.
Radiating out
from the center of the picture plane, light travels in a diagonal towards the
viewer's gaze creating a balance to the lustrous haze in the distance. In the
foreground, upon the surface of the dusky blue water, fiery red leaves have
fallen to continue their journey upon the river's current, serving as reminders
of the turning tide of the season and the miracles embodied within nature.
©Katherine Shevchenko - Art Consultant, J.R. Mooney
Gallery, Boerne
