Stacey Rate

This image from the Renaissance has an excellent example of hierarchy. This image uses triangular hierarchy. What triangular hierarchy does is it arranges the elements in a triangular shape to indicate importance or dominance. The tip of the triangle is the baby and it extends back to the women behind it. since the baby is the tip of the triangle it is the dominant structure (also known as the dump truck). The woman next to the baby is subordinate to it and the woman behind the baby is subordinate to the woman next to the baby. The woman in the back is subordinate to the woman behind the baby because she is in the background, therefore the least important figure in the triangle. The men and trees in the background are all accentual shapes (also known as the tiny french fries) and are the least important figures in the painting. The baby is scaled differently. It is slightly larger than normally sized babies are, but the all of the women are scaled correctly.