My Favorite Movements From ART 237

All of the movements we studied in this course were captivating to me (with the exception of DuChamp’s urinal-why was that such a huge influence on art that we are still learning about it today? If anyone can be an artist, then I feel like the appreciation for talented and hardworking artists is lost.) Besides that, I really enjoyed reading and learning about impressionism. I am intrigued that artists were challenged by new technologies like the camera to create something more unique. Monet’s paintings are impressive; I appreciate that he would actually go outside, prop up a canvas and begin to paint as quickly as he could. I am fascinated by his study of light with the haystacks as well. He painted them during every season of the year at various times of the day. The vibrancy of his colors and the fluid quick brushstrokes remind me of my own work. One of my favorite pieces by Monet is Springtime (top). The branches of the trees take up most of the canvas, which is made up of several small brushstrokes. These little brushstrokes give the painting so much energy. I am also impressed with how he handles the sunshine and light.

                Another movement that I really enjoyed learning more about was surrealism. This movement is so interesting because artists were really starting to break away from traditions like portraiture and narratives while instead, creating a dream-like world. Surrealistic artwork gave the viewer the opportunity to venture out of reality. I like incorporating surrealistic elements in my paintings because it is my escape from the burdens of the real world. I like having the ability to manipulate the believability of the image and the ideas behind it. I am so fascinated with strange or abnormal forms and artists like Salvador Dali who can make those forms seem real. One Dali painting that is particularly interesting to me is The Geopolitical Child Watching the Birth of the New Man (bottom). I love the twisted organic shapes that Dali uses in his work and especially in this one. The hanging cloth at the top of the painting has little dangling pieces that draw my attention. I absolutely love the strangeness of Dali’s work and even though it is realistic to an extent, it still doesn’t make sense. For example, in this painting we see a human form breaking free from an egg shaped form, but rather than cracking like an eggshell, it stretches like elastic. Also, the egg form has the definitions of a world map, which doesn’t exactly make sense. 

Rothko

The Abstract Expressionist movement has broadened our sense of meaning for art today, but I have a difficult time appreciating some of the pieces artists from this time period are famous for. Mark Rothko, for example, is one of the pioneers of abstract expressionism from his success with color-fill paintings. Seeing his work in textbooks doesn’t do the paintings justice. When I first learned about him I wondered why on earth we were wasting time studying rectangular canvases with sloppy, colored squares. I have never seen a Rothko in person before, but judging by the massive scale and sensational colors of most of his paintings, I can only imagine the emotion that I would encounter. I decided to research Rothko because I don’t give him much credit for his paintings, as art historians and critics like Clement Greenberg do. Originally, I wanted to focus on one of his earlier works because of their abstract and primitive quality, but as I was browsing through some of his works there was one that immediately caught my attention.  

                No. 7 Orange and Chocolate has one of my favorite qualities in a painting: complimentary colors. This piece is one of Rothko’s later works from 1957 and is 70”x 44”. When I look at this painting, I feel as if I’m in a state of trance; I am hypnotized by the strangely vibrant yellow rectangle. However, I also can’t help but absorb the tension between the three segments because of not only their contrast, but because their soft and uneven edges are just barely touching one another. I am extremely fascinated with this piece. Its color is haunting because it envelops everything I see and I am lost in the perplexity of it.

                In the article “Painting the Page” written by Simon Morley from the University of Southampton, he explains that Rothko’s objective was not for his viewers to analyze his work formally by shape, texture and subject matter, but to have an emotional experience with the “fundamentally tragic” imagery. He explains that Rothko explores the extreme and harsh reality of the modern man. I found this very interesting because Rothko’s color filled paintings definitely give off a dramatic and almost haunting vibe. Morley mentions an article written by Robert Rosenburg called the “Abstract Sublime”, where he argues that modernist art bloomed from the sublimation and essences of awe and terror, branching from Romanticism. This ties back in to Morley’s point that Rothko’s work is based on the modern man. Rosenblum wrote, “These infinite glowing [levels of mysterious light] carry us beyond reason to the Sublime; we can only submit to them in an act of faith and let ourselves be absorbed into their radiant depths”. The way he moved the paint on the canvas, leaving edges un even and faded gives the painting a presence; as if there is something concealed within it, but we don’t know exactly what it is and it won’t be the same for anyone. The viewer is not forced to have a specific experience with subjective imagery, which is exactly what Rothko was going for. Each luminous block of color represents something, but it is up to the viewer to figure out its secret.

Bibliography:

Simon Morley, “Painting the Page,” Journal of Visual Arts Practice Volume 8, Numbers 1 and 2 (2009): 152, accessed May 23, 2012, http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp.lib.cwu.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4298384b-40f3-42d8-bbea-452c7b077ba2%40sessionmgr115&vid=1&hid=111

Robert Rosenblum, “The Abstract Sublime,” Art News Magazine. No access online. Found article on May 23, 2012 through alternate source, http://www.empireofglass.com/abstract_sublime.pdf

Dadaism and Surrealism

            The destruction of the First World War resulted in an extreme amount of casualties and suffering which in turn, initiated a new trend for artists to reject the rationality of thought as a tool to critique society. This trend is known as Dadaism. Dadaist artists embraced the rejection of expression to eliminate the idea of the subjective art form. They figured if thinking rationally is what brought on World War I, then, thinking irrationally must prevent anything of the like. This is completely against the traditional conventions of art and challenges the artist as subject.

            One artist in particular who had a huge impact on Dadaism was Marcel Duchamp and his piece Fountain of 1917. With a piece such as Fountain, Duchamp questioned artistic convention and critiqued the idea of art itself. This sculpture is an example of what he called a “ready-made”, which is a mass produced, manufactured or a found-man-made object. Basically, he purchased a standard, functional urinal, positioned it with its back facing flat on a horizontal surface, and signed it as “R. Mutt”. Dadaism wanted to bring humor to the somber world by making fun of art. Apparently, his signature refers to the plumbing company called “Mott” and also is a symbol of the comic character, Mutt; this doesn’t really make sense and seems chaotic, just like Dadaism. Duchamp came up with works such as this to create a new thought for already existing objects. He wanted his viewers to wonder if his work should be characterized as art or not, and what exactly should constitute art. Before I learned about art history or any kind of artistic trends, I never considered something like Duchamp’s Fountain art, and I still don’t. However, I do appreciate the point he is trying to make. Art isn’t always about making a statement and I believe that art serves as a different purpose for everybody. I love that he forces a different perspective on mundane objects, and he impresses me with some of his ideas. Certainly, every person has the potential to be an artist, but it’s a combination of technical skill and the creativity to execute a work of art.

            Moreover, Dadaism grew more extreme and became a new art movement called Surrealism. This new style was based on the elements of Dadaism in its critique of society, but its primary focus was on the Marxist and Freudian influences, more specifically, an exploration of sexuality. One artist who is the epitome of surrealism in terms of Freudian values was Salvador Dali. His painting Birth of Liquid Desires of 1931 is the perfect example of the irrationality of dreams and the subconscious. For example, Dali uses imagery that could never be seen in reality, such as the large yellow biomorphic shape in the background. There is a theme of rejection and turmoil based on the two figures in the center of the piece, giving a sense of sexual desire and guilty arousal while the dark cloud looms above them. During the time that Dali painted Birth of Liquid Desires, his father expressed disapproval towards Dali’s wife, which explains the rejection underlying this piece. This is a surrealist work because of the repressed sexual desire and because there are so many different emotions conveyed, the painting doesn’t make any sense.       

Primitivism in the eyes of Henri Matisse

                At the end of the nineteenth century as modernity began to overwhelm western European culture, artists began to use elements of lesser developed societies to embrace the simplicity that modern life started to lack. Artists such as Gauguin, who were spiritually endowed and in tune with their emotions were able to embody the simple part of life in a rustic environment. Only somebody that is different than the norm can truly identify the primitive or advanced characteristics of another culture. One work in particular that embodies the idea of primitive life is Blue Nude: Souvenir at Biskra by Henri Matisse.

                Firstly, Matisse was a French artist so he is native to western culture. However, this painting contrasts the typical western renderings of the reclining female nude. Most western European paintings of nude women depicted them on soft fluffy pillows wrapped in sheets and peering directly at the viewer, flaunting their sexuality. My interpretations of eye contact between the viewer and the nude woman in these kinds of paintings are a stimulation of arousal, or personal affairs with the woman giving the suggestion of prostitution. In Blue Nude: Souvenir at Biskra, the woman is not making eye contact with the viewer. She is looking down, away from the viewer. It is as if she doesn’t even realize that any one is watching her. This demonstrates that this painting was not intended to please male viewers in a sexual way, like some western nude paintings. Furthermore, Matisse’s painting can be considered avant-guarde because it reflects the characteristics based on Griselda Pollock’s three key elements: reference, deference and difference. The reference of this painting is the fact that Matisse chose a conventional composition of the reclining female nude. As for deference, Matisse expresses a similar quality to impressionism with his use of warm and cool colors to suggest highlights and shadows. He also kept his brushstrokes fairly loose which gave the piece a painterly effect, like the impressionists. Lastly, Matisse’s work is different because he placed this reclining nude figure out in a natural, outdoor setting. This contrasts traditional western paintings of the reclining nude and proves that Matisse was an avant-guarde artist for taking a different aesthetic approach to modern art.

                Moreover, this piece ties into the idea of primitivism because of artistic style and the subject matter. Blue Nude: Souvenir at Biskra is not naturalistic, rather it is more abstract. Matisse used thick outlines to define the edges of the woman’s figure, which emphasizes the idea of simplicity. Another detail that I noticed is that her right leg seems to be out of perspective with the rest of her body. It reminds me of ancient Egyptian paintings with depictions of people in twisted perspective, with both legs facing the same direction. Matisse’s painting is similar with ancient Egyptian art in that sense, which also gives it a primitive quality. As I mentioned before, the woman depicted here is completely naked and laying out in the middle of the wilderness with no clothes thrown off to the side, or blanket underneath her; just the simplicity of her own body. There is no reference to modernity in this painting, which emphasizes the primitive identity of this woman and the painting as a whole. One specific detail that caught my attention is the body type this woman has. Although she has an ideal figure, she is fairly muscular for a female. Perhaps her muscular build is supposed to demonstrate that she survives in the world by doing everything herself. For example, in modern culture houses are built for people by machinery and food is conveniently manufactured and mass produced. This woman, however, does all of that herself. One other element of primitivism is evident by Matisse’s choice of composition because women are seen as closer to nature. Throughout art history, women have been a symbol of fertility and sexuality and with Blue Nude: Souvenir at Biskra, Matisse created the perfect example of the simplicity of nature and a simple way of life. 

Isolation in the life of Caillebotte

The boom of industrialization in the late nineteenth century caused impressionist artists to celebrate the new modern life. Gustave Caillebotte, on the other hand, critiqued modernity by emphasizing the isolation that coincided with it. He felt that because of new technology and the high demand of mass produced items, interaction between people was lost and a reliance on machinery took over. Caillebotte stood out from other impressionist artists because he explored the idea of isolationism by utilizing modern gender roles in relation to the unusual interior and exterior space that he puts them in.   

                In most of Caillebotte’s work, he incorporates some kind of barrier or window to the outside world, which demonstrates tension between domestic space and the outside world in modern life, thus establishing a sense of isolation in the viewer. For example, in his work Young Man at His Window, painted in 1875 depicts a finely dressed, modern man standing at an open window. The interior space is much darker and melancholic than the outside space where the sky is lit up by the shining sun and towering buildings loom in his view. The viewer gets the sense of longing and tension because this man is trapped in this internal space. Tension between gender roles is also present in this piece. In the background, a woman walking down the street catches the man’s stare. Perhaps this is a sign of sexual tension or the question of what constitutes masculinity. Up until this point in time, women were mostly seen in domestic spaces, while the men were out and about making the money. Caillebotte incorporates this switch in gender roles to represent what is happening in modern society.              

                Another painting that delved into the idea of gender roles is Luncheon painted in 1876, just two years after his father’s death. Caillebotte’s family history may be the primary source for his central theme of isolation in painting. In fact, during only a span of four years, he lost his father, his brother, and his mother.  Moreover, Luncheon shows a scene of his mother and brother eating at the family table while a servant brings their food. Caillebotte depicted his mother with an authoritative presence in this painting because of the death of his father. Both mother and son seem occupied with their meal and separate from each other. One other theme that Caillebotte seems to use as the underlying composition for all of his paintings is illusionism and a rapid receding space. For example, in Luncheon, the table is at such a steep perspective that the viewer gets the sense of isolation because there is so much space between the two figures. This is a domestic scene, yet there are men painted within the interior space. Caillebotte was promoting the fact that domestic space can be masculine too. This is also evident in his Floor Scraper painting of 1875. The painting shows three men working in a domestic space. The lighting is dim, and the workers’ faces are kept in the shadows. The feeling of isolation is triggered by the men’s scraping motions moving away from the viewer while their shadows creep into the foreground, creating a somber mood. Similar to Luncheon, each figure is given their own space with hardly any interaction. The verticle lines receding into the background not only give a greater sense of depth and interior space, but it leads the viewer’s eye to the open window on the back wall. The decorative metal on the balcony acts as a barrier, blocking them from the outside world.       

Formal Analysis of Degas

Impressionism is perhaps one of the most fascinating art movements discussed in this series of courses. Artists during this time struggled to compete with new technology such as the camera because of its ability to capture a real, unpredictable moment in time. Thus the birth of impressionism, where art became a moment of modern life captured in a painting; unblended brush strokes are evidence of a fast paced and painterly approach while color was used to enhance a certain mood.  One artist that I have grown to appreciate is Edgar Degas. His painting The Rehearsal on Stage, completed in 1874, uses social commentary to evoke a sense of physical, sexual, and moral tension in depicting modern life.

                Firstly, The Rehearsal on Stage exhibits physical tension by the way that Degas painted the dancers. He has put some of them in strenuous and unnatural poses. For example, the dancer in the center foreground is uncomfortably leaning forward with her legs stretched in front of her. The dancers in the background are on the tips of their toes trying to maintain balance, while the girls on the side look tired and bored. . This painting demonstrates the long and gruesome hours that the young dancers experienced during practice.

                Degas also portrays sexual tension in this painting with his use of imagery. These are young women, dancing in more provocative, revealing dresses.  One important aspect of this painting is the two men sitting in the background on the right side. The men sitting there suggest that they have come to the rehearsal and paid to watch the girls dance. Because of Degas’s impressionistic approach to painting, we cannot make out the detail of the men’s faces; however it is obvious that they are simply there to watch. The men don’t seem to be carrying a conversation as if they are waiting for the rehearsal to end; rather they are relaxed, slumped in their chairs, enjoying the private show. Dancers during this time were typically of the lower class, but the strange thing is that the men watching are wearing suits so they must have been wealthy, not to mention that we are assuming that they paid to be there. In light of this, seeing this painting makes me feel as though it was easier to be taken advantage of, especially being a lower class woman, or perhaps that it was okay for the men to watch because these women were of a lesser rank. This can be interpreted as sexual tension. It almost seems as though the social commentary was showing how exhausted lower class women are of being degraded and simply seen as items of sex, which bring up the question of morality and the moral tension in this scene.      

                One characteristic that makes Degas’s work so interesting is that he was an impressionist, but he sometimes broke away from the style and incorporated more realism. For example, in The Rehearsal on Stage represents impressionism with his use of cropping. The dancer on the left closest to the viewer is cut in half; similar to how a photograph would look. On the other hand, he does not have a fascination with color and light like other impressionist artists. Instead he uses neutral colors and keeps a wide range of values without having one direct light source. Other impressionists painted exactly what was in front of them, which is what made them unique. However, Degas did not attend an actual rehearsal for this painting, but he used models instead. This isn’t a quick representation of life in front of him, however it is contrived. He exhibits a fluid, textured surface of brush strokes while still keeping a flat-like quality in his work.  A couple of elements in this painting in particular are the steepness of the floor and the bass clef in the foreground. In 1853, Japan made itself available in Western trade and diplomacy where art objects and prints became popular in France during the late nineteenth century. Degas was heavily influenced by Japanese wood block prints at this time. His work shares some of the same elements of Japanese wood block prints such as steep receding perspectives, flatness, blocks of color and geometric shapes. In The Rehearsal on Stage, Degas uses outline to shape some of the dancers; for instance the dancer’s legs in the middle ground are outlined and also the dresses of the dancers in the foreground are outlined which produces a flat effect. The bass clefs also reflect the blocks of color seen in the Japanese prints because they are immediately in the foreground and impossible to ignore which also gives the piece a flatness because of the solid dark color.   

                Overall, I love the way Degas incorporated different artistic styles into this painting to achieve a snapshot like scene of modern life in the late nineteenth century.  

Gustave Courbet: Political and Artistic Radicalism

In the nineteenth century, the oppression of the lower class by the bourgeois caused a great deal of political and artistic radicalism. Thus, began the socialist revolution in 1848. One of the avant-guarde painters of this century whose subject matter was based on this oppression of the poor was Gustave Courbet.

          For example, Courbet’s painting The Stone Breakers, completed just one year after Karl Marx’s “Communist Manifesto” in 1848, demonstrates the conditions and lifestyle of the proletariats, or lower working class. This painting shows a young boy struggling to carry a heavy basket of rocks as the gentleman to the right is in an uncomfortable back breaking position hammering away at rocks. It is apparent that the man on the left is older because of the wrinkles on his hands and the highlighted wrinkles on his cheeks where the sun hits his face. This man is trying to survive while working, and he is working in order to survive. Coubet exposes political radicalism by glorifying the working class and recognizing its oppressed state.

          Like few other artists, Courbet wanted to paint exactly what he saw in front of him; this led to a movement called realism, which was the painting of modern life. The rise of realism was inspired by the invention of the camera. Artists were suddenly challenged to keep up with new technology in order to produce images similar to what could be captured by a camera. Some artists intentionally cropped their compositions as if cutting off a section that the camera couldn’t see. However, artists still rejected the standards of the Academy simply because their subject matter was not of mythological or religious narratives; rather they painted what was directly in front of them. This is artistic radicalism. The Stone Breakers is a rather large painting, about five feet by eight and a half feet. Looking at this painting as a bourgeois member would be extremely intimidating and quite offensive. Firstly, it was untraditional for large scale works to be dedicated to “lowly” subject matter. Not to mention that these figures take up most of the painting. The wealthy must have been appalled to see this. Another aspect of artistic radicalism is expressed by Courbet with his rough paint application; he did not leave a smooth glossy finished surface like artists of the Academy would have done. Also, his figures are pushed to the foreground, forcing the viewer to acknowledge them and recognize what they do on an average day. This was happening right in front of him, and that is the very point Courbet was trying to make. The faces and the gazes of the figures are not visible, which gives them an anonymous identity, representing the oppressed class as a whole. Although their faces are not attracting attention, the simplicity and darkness of the background brings the figures into focus that much more. Courbet expresses some disinterest in creating depth and the illusion of perspective with this piece, which is also a sign of artistic radicalism.          

Introduction to Avant-Guarde: Manet

Art created in the nineteenth century created a new category of art called the Avant-Guarde. This is a term first associated with art by Saint Simon, who encouraged artists to create works that motivated society to do things for the greater good. The term Avant-Guarde was originally used to describe the soldiers in the French military who were ahead of the troops. After its association with art, it was coined to identify artists who went beyond others and challenged the artistic standards governed by the Academy. Avant-Guarde is connected with art that is seen as revolutionary, or innovative. Artists considered to be part of this were those who challenged traditional conventions such as realism and illusionism, which is what the Academy holds in high regards.

            Manet is a great example of Avant-Guarde painting. In fact, in 1960 Clement Greenberg, author of the “Modernist Painting” essay, claimed that Manet’s work began the Modernist movement. Greenberg argued that nineteenth century painting started to “purify” itself and get rid of the more traditional elements of art such as illusionism; it simply becomes nothing more than paint on a canvas. One of Manet’s most controversial paintings is Le Dejeuner sur L’herbe. First of all, it is obvious that Manet has broken away from traditional conventions with his technique. Paintings of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, for example, were smooth and the paint was well blended and varnished several times. Manet, on the other hand, left his brush strokes visible because he wanted his painting to look flat, to diminish perspective. Manet has given the viewer a reference to the art world with his incorporation of a nude woman. However, alongside the woman are two modern clothed men. This sparks a bit of confusion in the viewer. The men’s style of clothing suggests that this scene takes place in modern day, and that this is a representation of an everyday occurrence. What is so strange is that these characteristics of the naked woman and the men are casually combined into one painting. What is interesting about the naked woman is that she is facing the two men as if engaging in conversation, but she is turned gazing at the viewer as if to include them in the scene. Another element of the Academy’s tradition that Manet ruins is the illusionism of depth. For example, the woman in the water behind the picnic does not appear as far away as the artist is suggesting. In order for the image to make sense spatially, she would have to be much smaller in proportion to the three people in the foreground. In conclusion, Manet’s painting Le Dejeuner sur L’herbe is a perfect example of an Avant-Guarde painting because of his modern approach to subject matter and technique that goes against traditional conventions established by the Academy.       

My Favorite Style within Renaissance Art

I have studied art from the Renaissance period in previous courses. However one aspect of European art that intrigued me in this class was Mannerism. I had never heard the term before taking this class and it was a pleasure to learn about something new and interesting!

                I am an oil painter and I am so fascinated with the Mannerist style because I feel that I have a connection with the strangeness of some works. I completed my first oil painting in high school and most of my inspiration was drawn from Renaissance artists. Though, as an artist, I’ve evolved into more of a surrealist which explains why I enjoy mannerism so much because that seemed to be the ‘Surrealism’ period of the Renaissance.  I love looking at a piece of work and being forced to ask questions. For example, when I first saw the painting Madonna with the Long Neck by Parmigianino, I had several questions going through my head. I wondered why the artist made the child’s body so large and why the Madonna’s head was so tiny, not to mention the un-functional pillar in the background. I couldn’t take my eyes off of this piece because it was so interesting to me. Parmigianino made his figures so realistic in terms of texture and color, which is why the proportions in this composition are so bothersome to look at. For example, if the baby’s head, hands and feet were covered, he would look normal because of the musculature and subtleties that the artist captured. One of my favorite parts of the piece, though, is the set of pillars lined up in the background. Parmigianino has completely de-functionalized classically derived architectural form which is shocking at first glance and makes the piece that much more unpredictable.   

                Another work that held my attention was Allegory with Venus and Cupid by Bronzino. This painting appears to be completely bizarre to most of its viewers and to me it seems a bit overwhelming. However, I am so attracted to this piece because of its strange ability to hypnotize the viewer into believing that the imagery is acceptable. The situation depicted in this painting is disturbing and uncomfortable but is redeemed by its unique characteristics and different taste that makes the viewer want to analyze every part of it. I am obsessed with the awkward poses that Bronzino has trapped the figures in. I even find a bit of humor looking at this painting simply because the inappropriate behavior between Cupid and Venus is unsettling as it is, but then to the right of them, a young child is running up about the throw flower petals at them as if celebrating their relationship. It is so absurd, I love it!

                In my own work, I tend to exaggerate details and color. I am attracted to vibrant and unnatural color while utilizing true-to-life characteristics. As did the mannerist artists, I am inspired by naturalistic and classical artistic styles, but I exaggerate them while keeping the imagery believable. 

Francois Boucher in Rococo Art

               Of all of the eighteenth century artists noted in our textbook, I was most intrigued by the French artist, Francois Boucher. He lived from 1703 to 1730 during the Rococo period, when Parisian artists began to reject some of the strict Baroque elements of art after the French court was moved from Versaille to Paris. The Rococo style consisted of fanciful decorative arts of gold and painting combined curves and pastel colors for a more graceful and flowingly asymmetrical composition. Boucher took these ideas and incorporated them into his paintings of romanticized pastorals, which were landscapes with shepherds and shepherdesses.  Not only did he paint, but he was one of the most well-known artists of the decorative arts in Europe because of his exquisite tapestries and porcelain. Boucher was talented with several mediums and because of his popularity, had many prints distributed on an international level. During this time, artists were not simply creating works for a single patron; rather the artwork was sold to those of the higher middle class established by the industrial revolution.

                Although Francois Boucher was one of the most famous artists of the eighteenth century, he still had critics. Denis Diderot, for example, was a writer who grew tired of Boucher’s pastorals and repetitive color palette, but praised him for having the talent of having such a magical quality to his work.  One painting called Diana Leaving her Bath has such a quality. I find the subject matter of this piece very interesting because of the way he depicted Diana’s story. She is obviously a skilled huntress roaming around in this vast landscape of eerie and dark woods, yet she is so beautiful and idealized. Her glowing skin and luminous presence makes this painting seem to be a snapshot of a real event that was captured in an instant before anyone could see.  I am attracted to the elegance and subtle variations of warm and cool colors (mostly blues and pinks), for which he was notorious for. Typically, I find softer color palettes boring, but I love the way Boucher exaggerates the blues in his shadows and lightens up women’s flesh as if she’s a miracle.

Boucher worked in Italy in 1728 where he was fascinated by Italian Baroque painters.  His return to Paris in 1730 was when he began working with large scale paintings of mythological scenes, one of which he completed in 1742: Diana Leaving her Bath. This piece describes the goddess Diana relaxing after a day’s hunt. The dead birds and rabbit piled adjacent to her bow suggest that she shot them herself. A nymph waits at the goddess’s side to aid her bathing; this shows that Diana was a superior figure. Boucher’s influence by baroque art is evident with his depiction of the dog on the left side of the work. The position of the dog does not give the viewer a pleasant view, in fact it is a little unexpected and indiscrete. Another element of baroque art in this piece is shown with the blue drapery behind Diana. It swoops down underneath her and the viewer’s eye travels down her crossed legs in a rhythmic diagonal. This blue drapery also seems to act as a “curtain” to represent a figure of importance, also seen in baroque art. The work of Francois Boucher is the epitome of Rococo art, however towards the end of the eighteenth century, Neoclassicism cut him out of the picture with  the renewing style of simplicity and harmony.

               

Bibliography:

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/bouc/hd_bouc.htm

http://www.jstor.org/pss/25159852

Michelangelo V Bernini

            Artistic style has evolved over time while trends carried on through generations of creativity. The high Renaissance, for example, explored classicism in art and embraced human anatomy beginning a style called humanism. This carried over into a later period known as the Southern Baroque style. Two works of art that have the same subject matter but were created by different artists from each time period are the sculptures of David by Michelangelo of the Renaissance and Bernini of the Baroque time.   

            Firstly, Michelangelo’s David was executed in a time of perfection. Artists like him living in the high renaissance celebrated the human body and idealized figures portrayed in art. With this version of David, the viewer gets a real sense of naturalism by Michelangelo’s use of “contraposto”. This exaggerated shift of weight was popular during this time to create a more naturalistic feel in the work. Despite this true to life image, David was idealized and his body type makes the piece seem less realistic. On the other hand, David was a heroic biblical figure and is therefore being celebrated and praised as an ideal man. His body looks hard to the touch not because of the marble that it was carved from, but from the muscles that Michelangelo sculpted; his veins are even visible in his arms. This depiction of David is completely nude and shows no embarrassment or attempt to hide himself from the viewer. His hair is stylized into little perfect locks of hair. His stance gives the impression that defeating Goliath was an easy task and now he is simply soaking up the glory. All of this is evidence of idealism being paired with naturalism to create a more harmonious composition.    

            Bernini’s David on the other hand, expresses something a bit more dramatic. Like Bernini, artists of the Southern Baroque period drew attention to movement and drama in their works. He still kept the classical idealism and mythological background; however he captured these styles and images at the height of the action. Rather than standing tall, his David is depicted in the action of hurling his weapon over his shoulder to destroy Goliath. There is so much movement emphasized in this sculpture and is evident by the diagonals created by David’s arms, legs and the rope between his hands. Bernini has drawn the viewer into David’s environment by establishing the curiosity of wanting to look at the sculpture from all angles. One of the biggest differences in Bernini’s David as opposed to Michelangelo’s is that Bernini placed a piece of drapery over David’s genitals. This is important because during this time of the catholic counter-reformation, it was necessary to conceal nudity in art to encourage decency. Most art created at this time served the sole purposes of instructing the faithful and realigning those with the Catholic Church by stirring an emotional response from the work. Bernini made this sculpture of David for the nephew of Pope Paul V which was appropriate because David was a heroic and influential biblical figure. Although this depiction of David is also stylized in terms of his figure and hair, his facial expression is something that really contrasts that of Michelangelo’s version. It is said that Bernini used himself as a reference for this sculpture, which gives it a more dramatic feel because of the expression he used. Instead of the serene, lost-in-thought expression that the former David wore, the latter is portraying his aggression and fear through his facial expression, making it all the more dramatic.

            These are two fantastic sculptures by two very talented artists and it is interesting to see how the same figure can be translated two different ways in different art movements.

Sixteenth Century Art in Northern Europe

Whilst southern Europe was emerging with the new Mannerist art movement, northern Europe began rebelling Protestantism with its own unique styles. However, one of the most famous artists of this time was a man from Germany named Albrecht Dürer and he was inspired by Italian painting and incorporated some of the southern ideas into his work. Unlike other Northern European countries, Germany did not hold a guild system for artists. Because of this, Dürer was able to work independently to gain fame of his marvelous talent.    

            In his engraving Adam and Eve, Dürer promotes several artistic techniques that were popular in northern and southern Europe. For example, one of the characteristics of this work that is a trademark of Italian art is the idealism of the human form. Typically, northern art during this time moved away from the perfect, stylized bodies that were seen more in the south. In this piece, however, Dürer utilizes this ideal form with Adam and Eve although instead of elongating them as seen in Italian mannerist art, he used correct and exact human proportions. This is a sign that humanism was still a big part of art in the south, especially with the contraposto stance that he uses. Another characteristic that shows Italian influence is the stylized hair of Adam and Eve. Eve’s hair appears to be blown back in the wind in perfectly detailed wavy locks. Another distinction that I noticed about this work is that the two figures are shown in profile (at least their heads are) which is a similar style used during the fifteenth century in Italy when portraiture became popular. With his own self-portraits, Düer used the three quarter view and the frontal view, so I am curious as to why he chose to portray Adam and Eve in profile.       

            Dürer integrated this southern style into more northern features. In Adam and Eve, he displays northern ideas with careful attention to detail and texture. The way he created the soft flesh of the two figures as opposed to the rough tree bark is a perfect example of what was popular in northern art. Also, northerners tended to keep similar ideas used in medieval times to capture biblical events in a more contemporary environment. This is portrayed with the animals depicted in the foreground of this work. Four of the animals represent the four medieval temperaments: phlegm, yellow bile, black bile and blood. These animals together are also a sign of balance, which is something that southern artists avoided. Another aspect that represents northern art is the use of symbols. Besides the four temperaments, there are various other symbols such as the parrot which represents the Virgin Mary. It is an implication that Mary is going to bring Christ into the world and reverse the effects of sin that Eve has brought on Earth. Another symbol here is the goat standing on the very top of the mountain in the background. The goat is carefully balancing, looking as if it is about to fall off. This is a representation of the fall of Adam and Eve. They are about to give into temptation and take the fruit of the tree, and therefore become unholy.        

            Along with many other works by Dürer, this piece is a classic example of European art and he is still praised to this day for his astounding work. Some even said that he was immortal. He was a well-educated artist who was aware of his talent and assumed the divine power as an artist. The earlier invention of the printing press is one reason why Dürer became so popular. His work was duplicated and copied, making it more affordable for people all over the world to buy.   

Mannerism During the Late Renaissance

Mannerism arose during the late Renaissance, first started in Italy and then traveled into Northern Europe. This period was mainly influenced by the Italians’ reaction of insecurity about Protestantism. They felt threatened while the northern Catholics were not as affected. Mannerism was a move away from harmony and balance which turned into uncomfortable, awkward and unbalanced compositions.  For my comparative analysis, I will discuss two mannerist paintings Parmigianino’s Madonna with the Long Neck and Bronzino’s Allegory with Venus and Cupid.

The painting Madonna with the Long Neck by Parmigianino is a great example of some mannerist art. One of the biggest signs of mannerism is that both the Madonna and the child are extremely elongated. The Madonna’s legs, her arms, her neck, nose, and even fingers are all longer than the normal human. The child is also laying on her in a strange position. It almost seems as if he is going to fall right onto the floor. The way the Madonna is just barely holding him by the neck and shoulders looks very unpleasing. Even the figure on the left is twisting in an uncomfortable way, and their leg is elongated as well. The single pillar in the background isn’t supporting anything. The viewer has no sense of there being a roof or ceiling; the pillar doesn’t meet up with anything. It doesn’t make any sense. Perhaps this painting is meant to create discomfort in looking upon protestant figures.

Similarly, Allegory with Venus and Cupid by Bronzino is full of mannerist characteristics and is perhaps the most extreme of them all. First of all, the image itself is a bit unsettling. This explicit incest relationship between mother and son is a bit disturbing. Cupid touches the Venus’s breast while her tongue slips out as he kisses her. The fact that both of their eyes are open makes the image all the more inappropriate. Another characteristic is the positions that both Venus and Cupid are posed in. Cupid seems to be a little elongated and is bending down and oddly twisting and embracing Venus. His farthest leg (his left) is still visible and appears to be resting on the pink pillow, but not all of his weight is on that left leg so that cannot be. The same goes for Venus. We cannot tell whether her legs are resting or if she is holding herself up by her knees. Her torso is angled and twisted in a painful looking way and her left arm hangs down holding the golden apple of discord. The child to the right is leading them on running up to throw rose petals at them. This character is known as Folly, or jest. The two masks down at the bottom right corner reinforce the deception portrayed in this image while the dove on the left takes form of the bottom of Cupid’s foot without even touching it. The background is just as un-peaceful. On the right, behind Folly, is a serpent-like creature with the head of a little girl staring blankly with a slight smile. She is twisting her right arm back behind her to push her tail with a stinger back. She had been referred to as Fraud and Pleasure. During the Renaissance, paintings were covered by curtains to temporarily conceal them. We see the same things repeated here where Time (on the right) and Truth (on the left) pull back the curtain to reveal such a horrid and unsettling moment.

Both of these works are of different subject matter but still give off a sense of awkwardness and hold unrealistic characteristics. Because these paintings are the outcome of mannerism, they do not make any sense and are difficult to understand. It was like a form of surrealism during the late renaissance.             

Paintings of the Early and High Renaissance

In southern Europe, the beginning of the fifteenth century sparked one of the greatest art movements in history: The Renaissance. Italian artists didn’t simply conform to the “new thing”; rather there was a slow transition from the Early Renaissance to the High Renaissance. Two works of art that hold the characteristics from each period are: Portrait of a Woman and a Man by Fra Filippo Lippi of the Early Renaissance and Venus By Tiziano Vecellio (AKA Titan) of the High Renaissance.

          A few techniques that became evident in the Early Renaissance are those derived from the philosophical writings of Plato. Artists aimed for the ideal and perfection was beautiful. Portraiture became all the rage in the rising century and most were executed in profile view of the subject. In Lippi’s painting, the two figures are in profile facing each other. Lippi painted them realistically; however there is a sense of perfection with the lines used throughout the piece. For instance, the woman is painted in a way that doesn’t seem dimensional. There is one line that travels from the top of her hairline to the scrunched fabric of her dress which detracts from the illusion of dimension. Although the woman seems a bit flat, her environment implies space. Artists in the early renaissance developed ways to create depth in painting by the use of atmospheric perspective and linear perspective. Here, Lippi uses a little bit of both. For example, the ceiling of the room is lined with square panels that recede into space using linear perspective. The far wall on the other side of the woman is a window revealing the world outside the room which demonstrates atmospheric perspective.

          Artists in the high renaissance continued some of these techniques, but also utilized new ideas. Art during this time had more focus on idealism and naturalism through human anatomy. Titan’s Venus is a great example of art in the high renaissance because it illustrates popular methods of painting and anatomy. The woman painted stands out so much because of a new approach called chiaroscuro. This is the combination of light and dark used against one another to create a high contrast. This is one step that high renaissance artists took to emphasize naturalism. The contrast between the white sheets that the woman is laying on and the darkly shaded drapery behind her gives her skin a glowing affect and makes her seem more realistic. The shape of her body from her neck to her breast and down her left arm is so prominent against the almost black drapes and it really gives the viewer a sense of her anatomy and femininity.  Her arm is simply draped over her body and resting on her pelvis as she lies back, relaxed. This is so much different than the stiff perfect outline of the woman in Lippi’s portrait. Titan also utilized linear and atmospheric perspective. The lines created by the pattern of the floor in the background travel farther into space and meet a window. Because the viewer can see trees and sky through the window, the illusion of space is more believable. One thing that really stands out with this piece is that the Venus is staring right at the viewer. The use of eye contact is another thing that high renaissance art acquired, whereas, profile portraits painted before depicted the model staring straight forward, similar to the Portrait of a Woman and a Man. Lippi’s painting doesn’t seem to portray dynamic unity. However, the shape of the woman’s face is repeated with the shape created by the man’s hat. Vertical lines are also repeated with the woman’s veil and the architecture in the background. Titan’s painting however reflects a better sense of dynamic unity than Lippi’s. For example, the drapes behind the Venus as well as the sheet below her are mocking the way she is propped up on her right elbow as the rest of her body is draped along the couch. The parallel vertical lines display unity as well because they intersect with the horizontal line of the couch bringing the piece as a whole together and dynamically unifying it.   

15th Century Italy: Masaccio's Expulsion of Adam and Eve

One painting from fifteenth century Italy that I found particularly interesting is called the Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise by Masaccio. This painting immediately sparks a sense of rejection and vulnerability in the viewer from the effect of the nakedness of Adam and Eve and the body language that they possess. The elements that intensify this reaction were commonly used in Italian painting during the Early Renaissance.

With the rise of the Renaissance came naturalism. In the Expulsion, we see that the proportions of Adam and Eve are very life-like. The way Adam is hunched over while Eve tilts her head back in despair is quite naturalistic and contrasts the stiff poses that we studied in ancient art. Masaccio was building his figures off of their bone structure to get an idea of the actual body mass, instead of focusing on the details solely on the surface of the figures, like Flemish painters. For instance, the figures’ knees and Adam’s arms pulling in from his shoulders are very human-like. Another thing that stuck out to me is Adam’s hair. Southern European artists tended to stylize things like hair, in little ringlets and swirls, going back to the classical look. In this painting, however, Adam’s hair is more impressionistic. It’s natural in the way the light source is casting shadows upon his tangled locks, the viewer can get a sense of the texture and waviness of his hair. More unnaturally, line is utilized at the left side of the painting perhaps to show God’s disappointment as he shouts at them from his throne to leave The Garden of Eden because of their sinful lifestyle.

Furthermore, atmospheric perspective became a popular method of implying space in painting. Here, the viewer can see that there is space behind the two figures given by the illusion of mountains in the background. The foreground color is a bit darker and as it recedes into the background the color becomes lighter to describe that the mountains are farther away. Another technique used in this painting to emphasize depth is the foreshortening of the angel. The viewer can see the upper body of the angel, but because her lower body is farther back in space, we can only see the shape of her right leg pulled forward under the fabric of her dress.

This painting is so appealing to me specifically because of Eve. Masaccio’s modest depiction of her is appropriate for this situation because after she and Adam were kicked out of Eden, they walked away mourning and covering themselves in fear of being seen naked. This is similar to the Venus. I find the “pudica” venus of the Renaissance extremely fascinating and Eve is the epitome of her. For her sin, God bestowed her with the discomfort and embarrassment of being nude. No longer is she free to roam around top less but she feels as if she is being watched and therefore covers herself. This draws more attention to Eve’s sexuality and idealizes her body which is a frequent image created in Italian painting. Naturally, the arousal created by the image of the pudica venus, or in this case Eve, is ideal.    

                The first thing that caught my attention in this painting was the visible sections of variations of blue in the sky. This leads me to believe that this is a wet fresco painting because most artists used this format often. The sections of blues indicate that Masaccio had to paint quickly in different sections one at a time.    

                All in all, Masaccio’s painting is a great example of some of the most commonly used formal elements in Italian painting in the fifteenth century. The viewer sees evidence of the religion and culture through the narrative.  We see the illusion of space created through atmospheric perspective and light and most prominently, naturalism coupled with idealism to duplicate nature and create the ideal in celebration of the human form. 

15th Century Europe: The Renaissance

The fifteenth century brought forth brilliant artists in Northern Europe who created astounding pieces of work that is still praised to this day. This was the Renaissance period. These Northern European artists were inspired by Aristotle’s ideas presented on practicality, which led them to mainly focus on naturalism. Artists wanted to translate a sense of reality in their paintings directly from the world we live in. For years before this time, artists had focused on the stylization of characters and their subject matter, but in the fifteenth century it was quite the opposite. Artists recreated exactly what they saw and kept images true to their real-life forms.

                Other highly valued ideas during the Renaissance were Catholicism, portraiture, humanism, and the invention of the printing press. Catholicism played an important role in northern Europe during this time and it is shown through most of the works created. For example, the great altarpieces of Ghent and Portinairi were painted by Jan van Eyck and Hugo van der Goes, two of the greatest artists of this time. Although graven images and idolatry were frowned upon by Catholics, Eyck was accepted by the courts for his personal skill and fame. Also, people believed in sacred space in that objects of sacred representation would enter the soul when they saw them.

                Portraits were all the rage in fifteenth century Europe and were thought to reveal deep spiritual desires. Jan van Eyck was regarded as one of the greatest artists of all time and was the artists of several portraits. In fact, it was special to be painted by Eyck himself. (More about Eyck later) Eyck especially, expressed exact details of whom he was painting. Every wrinkle, every follicle of hair, every reflection was painted with the most extreme focus on detail, which is the main reason why the Renaissance is so artistically valued.

                Artistic status was also a crucial element during the Renaissance. Most artists relied on the help from joining a guild. The guild system allowed artists to find work and gain more recognition. The only downside was that those fine artists were put in the same group as craftsmen an were therefore referred to as such. Because of this, a sort of tension developed between artists wanting to be recognized and not be associated as craftsmen. For example, if an artist achieved a high status in a guild, that artist was still in a lower status outside of the guild because he was a craftsman. To become a “master,” or great artist in the guild, one must create his/her masterpiece, in which it meets the standard of quality. Few artists, however, were able to build a reputation on their own without the help of a guild. One artist in particular, was Jan van Eyck. He was the court painter for Phillip the Good, a Duke of Burgundy. Eyck supposedly went on secret missions as ambassador for the Duke and painted portraits of prospective spouses for him. Eyck was so skillful that his clients were not based on the court’s decision and was free to work for whomever he wished. Jan van Eyck was aware of his greatness and often celebrated his achievements in several paintings. For instance, his own self portrait is a representation of his self-awareness and the red turban around his head is a symbol seen in other works he has done. Also, Eyck includes signatures in his paintings, also dates, personal mottos and even reflections of himself.      

                During the Renaissance, art became somewhat of a luxury object. Works were shared internationally and artists were appointed to the courts of royalty. Because of this, some art seemed to have the same expensive look and elegant style. This repetition of style consisted of using thin layers of oil paint, the placement of hidden symbols, perspective and careful attention to detail. Most importantly, though, was the lack of stylization and idealistic qualities with more focus on naturalistic qualities. For example, the Northern artist Claus Sleuter sculpted a work that is today called the Well of Moses. In this piece, Moses appears to be very life-like and real. Sleuter carved his face with deep wrinkles and thick skin. In contrast to this, southern artist Michelangelo’s version of Moses is much more idealistic and has great muscles implied underneath his clothing which seems much less natural.

                I find the Renaissance extremely interesting and I am very impressed with Jan van Eyck’s work. Examining his paintings make me realize how much time it must have taken him to paint these wonderful pieces and why they are so prized!       

  

My Thoughts on the Renaissance

The Renaissance was a period of incredible growth in Europe that rose in the fifteenth century. After the middle, or “dark” ages Europeans thought of this era as the rebirth of humanity full of art and literature that grew from classical elements from their ancestors and Christianity to pull them from decline.

The majority of Renaissance art appear to be based on religion, science or self devotion. The Virgin Mary and her child Jesus Christ seem to be the star models in hundreds of paintings from this time. The exquisite portraiture, which became a huge part of the Renaissance, is due to the wealthy families able to show off their prized portraits. Every detail in every portrait was executed with an almost unattractive realistic quality. One big thing I noticed about art in the Renaissance was the use of background. Italian artists wanted to portray realistic qualities in their art not only with objects and people, but with space. With the advancements in science and education, the mathematical system of linear perspective became the best invention. Space was not solely implied by overlap at this point; artists used foreshortening, placement and change in scale to express a three dimensional space. Art had become so realistic and accurately depicted that our culture today still praises it. During the Renaissance, education and scientific discoveries were all the rage. Artist and inventor, Leonardo Da Vinci, has gone down in history for many things. For example, his fascination with the human body led him to create a proportion scale for the human body that was used in art. I am extremely captivated by human anatomy as well and Da Vinci has always been an inspiration to me. I am looking forward to learning more about this time period!