Grace Rhonda Nyberg Analysis

A painting by Rhonda Nyberg titled, "Grace" mainly focuses on an older gentleman who is seen in the painting. The man appears to be higher in age perhaps around seventy years old. His hair is mostly white with a few strands of gray mixed within. On his chin sits a rather large beard that covers the lower portion of his face including his upper lip. The man 's skin looks weathered from time and is slightly pale, while his cheeks are rosy. His shirt is a forest green and navy blue plaid patterned long sleeve flannel. From looking at the painting it is clear to see that the man is seated at a table with his elbows rested on the surface. His two frail hands are folded together and pressed against his forehead, as if he is bowing his head in prayer. Placed on the table in front of him is a loaf of bread with one end cut off, a bowl containing liquid of brown color, a knife which is right next to the bowl, a thick bible with a green cover, and laying on top of the bible is a pair of glasses folded, laying upside down. The wall beside the man is a brown color with light reflecting on it.

Color is one of the main visual elements that stands out in "Grace" because unlike some artwork this particular piece does not contain as many colors. The main color that stands out is the color white which is seen in the man 's hair, beard, and also his eyebrows. The color pink or rose is on the found on his cheek. The color green is seen in the flannel shirt and again on the cover of the Bible and is also very subtle within the wall. Another color is flesh which is seen in the man 's face and on his hands which give him complexion. The bread is a golden brown color as if it is freshly baked. The bowl is silver along with the knife that are on the table. The substance found in the bowl is light brown in color. There is an off white color on the pages of the book which make it appear to be dirty. The wall beside the man has a lighter brown color near the top left corner of the painting and the colors of darker brown, green, and even a blue are all mixed together to create the rest of the wall. The other visual element that stands out is texture. The man 's hair has a very soft texture to it as it is swept back across his head. His hands also appear to be smooth. The wrinkles in his face as well as on his shirt sleeve show an almost bumpy texture if it were felt. The man 's beard looks as if it is coarse and scratchy the way facial hair usually feels. The textures found on the man are the ones that stand out the most. The visual elements in "Grace" all work together to give the artwork unity and balance. Unity is one of the principles of design that can be found in "Grace." For example everything that is placed on the table in front of the man makes sense that it is there. There are no items that are out of the ordinary and each item seems to belong. The man is praying over these items as if he is giving thanks for what he has in front of him. The next principle of design that is easy to see is balance. The …show more content…
The photo was taken in 1918 in the small town of Bovey, Minnesota. The man featured in the picture is Charles Wilden who was an elderly peddler. At the time Enstrom was putting together a portfolio to take to a photography convention and was looking for one to show that people had lots to be thankful for. Charles Wilden was asked to sit at the table where a Bible, glasses, bread, a bowl, and a knife were arranged in front of him. Wilden was a natural and struck a pose that surprised Enstrom. The picture was printed in black and white or in a brown tinted color at the beginning. However, Rhonda Nyberg who is Enstrom 's daughter began painting the picture with oil paint. After Nyberg began painting the interest in the picture increased