THE ARTISTIC AND AESTHETIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COMPOSITIONAL CENTER AND VISUAL BALANCE IN PAINTING

This article examines the role of the compositional center and visual balance in establishing the artistic unity of paintings through theoretical-aesthetic and formal-compositional approaches. It analyzes the influence of color, light and shadow, scale, contrast, rhythm, and spatial relationships on viewers’ visual perception and the organization of focal points within pictorial compositions. Through selected examples from classical and modern painting, the study demonstrates that the compositional center does not necessarily coincide with the geometric center of an artwork and that asymmetrical balance can introduce a sense of movement, visual dynamism, and psychological tension into the composition. Furthermore, the article proposes a set of criteria for compositional analysis in fine arts education, emphasizing the importance of understanding visual hierarchy, compositional coherence, and aesthetic relationships among pictorial elements. The research is theoretical in nature, and its findings are not presented as experimental results.