Light in painting

Light in painting fulfills several objectives, both plastic and aesthetic: on the one hand, it is a fundamental factor in the technical representation of the work, since its presence determines the vision of the projected image, as it affects certain values such as color, texture and volume; on the other hand, light has a great aesthetic value, since its combination with shadow and with certain lighting and color effects can determine the composition of the work and the image that the artist wants to project. Also, light can have a symbolic component, especially in religion, where this element has often been associated with divinity. The incidence of light on the human eye produces visual impressions, so its presence is indispensable for the capture of art. At the same time, light is intrinsically found in painting, since it is indispensable for the composition of the image: the play of light and shadow is the basis of drawing and, in its interaction with color, is the primordial aspect of painting, with a direct influence on factors such as modeling and relief. The technical representation of light has evolved throughout the history of painting, and various techniques have been created over time to capture it, such as shading, chiaroscuro, sfumato, or tenebrism. On the other hand, light has been a particularly determining factor in various periods and styles, such as Renaissance, Baroque, Impressionism, or Fauvism. The greater emphasis given to the expression of light in painting is called "luminism", a term generally applied to various styles such as Baroque tenebrism and impressionism, as well as to various movements of the late 19th century and early 20th century such as American, Belgian, and Valencian luminism. Light is the fundamental building block of observational art, as well as the key to controlling composition and storytelling. It is one of the most important aspects of visual art. Light (from the Latin lux, lucis) is an electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength between 380 nm and 750 nm, the part of the visible spectrum that is perceived by the human eye, located between infrared and ultraviolet radiation.