Analysis Of Dress On The Color By Dale Gallon

Dale Gallon’s - Dress on the Colors

Dale Gallon’s piece titled Dress on the Colors is a print that the United States Army War College commissioned in 1988. Gallon is renowned for his adoration of art, history, and most importantly, his attention to detail when depicting such historical pieces of art. As a matter of fact, he is considered a pioneer for the civil war era artwork that he created in the early 1980’s (Gallon). According to Gallon’s website, the print is depicting Sergeant Berry carrying the flag of the United States of America, on his free will, as his unit conducts an attack (Gallon). In this essay, I will be discussing composition, color, objects, technique, and size and shape in a detailed analysis of Gallon’s artwork, Dress

However, Gallon focuses the painting on Sergeant Berry. Those viewing this piece of artwork will instantly notice the nation’s flag and the man bearing it as he moves forward. Next, the smirk like expression on Sergeant Berry’s face is observed and begs the viewer to ask why. One answer is his admirable and courageous decision to bear the flag and carry it forward into battle. One can assume that he understood the dangers in his actions of storming a hill fortified heavily by Spanish soldiers, and the smirk is nothing more than an acceptance of a possible deadly

It begins with the usage of hues of green in the bottom right of the painting, in which this serves as the source of light. It seems fitting that Gallon would choose the source of light to come from that area of the scene because it gives the feeling of hope and energy unlike the shadows and heavier undertones behind Sergeant Berry. Moreover, the hues of green begin to get darker as Gallon’s use of cooler shadows facilitates the depth of the hill that the soldiers are about to climb. The soldiers in their blue uniforms help establish a visual path that also adds to the depth of the artwork. However, he also uses color for emphasis in a variety of other ways and the background is a prime example. The blues, grays, and white tones give a realistic and somberly feeling to the artwork. War is dark, and the gloomy background reminds viewers of this. Cool colors dominate the work of art, with a few exception, the nation’s flag, and guidons. The warm colors are in sharp contrast to the background and provide an essence of power and might as the sergeant carries them