Week Nine: Post #8 (Early 18th Century Art)

William Blake was not only an artist he was also a writer and a poet. Renowned not only for his works of art and paintings he is also famous for perhaps being eccentric, insane and even demented. Blake often lived a life of poverty and had few patrons throughout his life and career. His work was heavily influenced by the ideas of good and evil and the Romantic poets. Blake was heavily influenced by Durer and Michelangelo and these influences can be seen throughout the apocalyptic scenes he created throughout his career as well as his attempts at light and texture. Blake began his career as an engraver and was trained at the Royal Academy were he rejected his teachings and left under the thought that the intellectual atmosphere was to stifling.

His illustrations often depict an acute interest in the medieval art and the human anatomy. He often tapped into his broad imagination to create visions of wild creatures and demons perhaps of the spiritual realm.  In 1821 finished his work on the Book of Job in 1825, commissioned by his last patron John Linnell of which I will be focusing. Specifically Satan Smiting Job with Boils. The text attached to the image reads “Naked came I out of my mothers womb & Naked shall I return thither The Lord gave & the Lord hath taken away, Blessed be the Name of the Lord....and smote Job with sore Boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head”. In the story of Job God allows Satan to strike Job with a variety of afflictions to prove that Job loves God most of all and will not curse His name. And through all of the terrible things God allows to happen to Job he does not curse Gods name or turn away from him even though his life is shattered and broken and he wants to die.

The image depicted by Blake is one in which Job is being inflicted with boils by Satan himself who has red bat wings and appears to be almost casting a spell on Job who he consequently is standing on his chest which in my opinion is an accurate metaphor and great depiction of oppression. Blake used a lot of symbolism in his work one of the most notable instances is in the use of right and left limbs in figures to represent good on the right limbs of figures and evil on the left. In the image of Satan Smiting Job with Boils Satan is striking him with his left hand. This is happening through a jar of some type and pouring out onto job in what looks like wind almost blowing onto him. On the left a white figure is weeping this may be God looking on or Job himself mourning about his misfortune. The image is very saturated in color and used a lot of texture. The works of Blake appear to me to reflect Romanticism and show a true escapist look by being very inwardly focused and show Blake's own emotional fantastic and novelistic approach. Blake's Satan Smiting Job with Boils being an excellent example of this.

Merriman, C. D. "William Blake." - Biography and Works. Search Texts, Read Online. Discuss. Jalic Inc., 2006. Web. 29 Feb. 2012. <http://www.online-literature.com/blake/>.

"Illustrations to the Book of Job, the Butts Set." Illustrations to the Book of Job (c. 1805-06 and C. 1821-27 C. 1805-06 (objects 1-16, 18-19, 21) and C. 1821-27 (objects 17, 20) ): Electronic Edition. Web. 29 Feb. 2012. <http://www.blakearchive.org/exist/blake/archive/work.xq?workid=but550>.

"Exhibitions | Past." The Morgan Library & Museum. Web. 29 Feb. 2012. <http://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/exhibition.asp?id=23>.

Week Eight: Post #7 (Baroque Art)

Caravaggio’s painting inspired a new style of painting throughout Europe in the seventeenth century. His personal touch on the new Baroque style of painting inspired painters in both southern and northern Europe in the seventeenth century. One painter in particular from Spain is Francisco de Zurbaran. His St. Serapion is an amazing example of Caravaggio’s influence. In St. Serapion first on foremost one must note the use of tenebrism the strong light and dark contrast in the figure and also more specifically in the deference between background and foreground. Through the use of tenebrism the figure is brought forward into a place of prominence the viewer is forced to face the subject and the scene at hand with no other visual elements to force the eyes attention. The use of the color red must also be noted in this painting. Red was often used by Caravaggio to set an intense mood and tone is this is also the case with the red emblem in the St. Serapion painting. Interest in naturalism was a strong part of the Baroque style as well as part of Caravaggio’s interest and this can be seen in the positioning of the figure and the realistic way in which both the hands hang from the ropes and the way that the fabric is draped and bunching up on the figure. The figure looks like a Spanish man and is therefore is not an idealized depiction of a man.

Another painter from a different part of Europe who was also clearly influenced by the painting of Caravaggio is Hendrick ter Brugghen of the Netherlands. Caravaggio’s influence can be easily seen in the painting St. Sebastian Tended by St. Irene. One of the first and most obvious signs of Caravaggio’s influence again is the use of tenebrism however in this painting there is a background. A distant sunset is visible as well as a large gloomy looking tree behind the figures. The figure in the foregrounds hand and body down to the tip of his toes in the bottom corner of the composition strongly reference the use of hard diagonals as did Caravaggio’s work and the Baroque style. This piece also has a strong use of naturalism that can be seen on the faces of the women the color of the figures skin as well as the blood running from the wounds and the way the figures skin is bunched up were it is bound. Caravaggio was very interested in dirty gritty and raw naturalism that could be seen on the grungy figures and dirty appendages in his paintings.

Both of these painting feature a high sense of drama and emotion that is accentuated through the use of tenebrism and the way the paintings show of a moment that is happening currently or just about to take place. Both painters still hold true to some classical styles and subject matter but the influence of Caravaggio is very strong in both paintings and they show that his influence was carried all over Europe throughout this period of art.

Week Six: Post #6 (16th Century Art in Northern Europe)

Albrect Dürer represents the Northern Renaissance and a major change in the school of thought and the way that paintings in the north were produced, after his paintings. He was one of the first artists to really harness the power of the printing press and is known for his wood block prints some of which are great examples of the way he was influenced by his trip to Italy. A great example of this would be Adam and Eve. He was also considered to be one of the first graphic artists as well as one of the first artists to brand himself with a logo. His logo, an upper case A, over and housing an upper case D for Albrect Dürer essentially created a brand. Albrect Dürer was a prolific painter who took important aspects from the earlier school of northern European traditions and blended them with techniques of the Italian Renaissance. 

 The piece that I have chosen to represent Albrect Dürer’s shift in style and technique I have chosen is The Suicide of Lucrezia painted in 1518. This painting depicts a female figure apparently Lucrezia who is nude covered only by some type of cloth sash and is committing suicide with a long knife or sword. The background is extremely dark and ominous perhaps setting a graven mood. While the foreground of the image is very light, there seems to be a very strong light source coming from out of the panel on the viewers left.

First off the figure is nude. This fact is a great example of his Italian influence this was not a Northern way of depicting a figure especially a female. This picture seems to be very humanist and shows a strong interest in the human figure as a subject that is worthy of high artistic attention and admiration. In my opinion the figure appears to be very bottom heavy and could be influenced by the Italian style of elongating and exaggerating the figure. There is a definite strong reference to the human figure as something to be idealized. The figure is also standing in a contrapposto pose and the composition is shaded very dark to light using the chiaroscuro technique which is a technique of the high Italian Renaissance. There is also some subtle attempt at foreshortening in the hand holding the sword and some of the fabric that is draped around the composition.

As far as the continuation of Northern traditions there appears to be symbolism in the subject matter itself and perhaps in the way the face is portrayed almost child like on the woman’s body. The interest in naturalism is seen in the way that the light is cast on the subject and the elements of the room. There also seems to be a continuation in extreme attention to detail in the shading, the floor, the perspective of the bed and background images. Albrect Dürer is a wonderful example of someone who furthered art in the North by applying things he had seen and learned from the Italians while continuing in the great traditions of the North with amazing attention to detail, naturalism and the use of iconography and symbolism.

Week Five: Post #5 (Late Renaissance/ Mannerism)

Two works of art from the Mannerist style I have chosen to compare are Pontormo’s Entombment (p. 661) and Parmigianino’s Madonna with the Long Neck (p. 662). Both of these works are great examples of the Mannerist style for a variety of diverse reasons they also share many key stylistic elements from the period. Both paintings were created within about twenty years of each other in the early to mid fifteenth century. Both works of art leave the viewer with unsettling feelings that perhaps the things that are included are exaggerated and as well as the since that some things may be missing from the composition.

In Pontormo’s Entombment the colors used are almost electric and do not seem to be an attempt at being realistic at all. Jesus and the other figures appear to be a strange mix of yellow and grey hues while the figure holding up the body of Christ is some type of strange Neon yellow. The figures in the composition are strangely distorted. Elongated and heavy in places while very delicate in others, their bodies are strangely twisted and contorted as well. There is a shallow depth in the composition but no real calculated use of perspective as was popular in the high Italian Renaissance. The figures also seem to be floating in mid air stacked on top of one another. These are all examples of elements that represent the Mannerist style, most of which are present as well in Parmigianino’s Madonna with the Long Neck.

Parmigianino’s Madonna with the Long Neck also has an extremely shallow depth of field as well as figures that are distorted in strange and un-human like ways. The Virgin's body for example seems to be very out of proportion between the top and bottom of her body. She also seems to be impossibly perched upon a thrown that does not exist. There is also a figure St. Jerome, holding a scroll in the bottom right of the composition placed almost only to balance the composition in my opinion. St. Jerome is standing in front of a pole that holds up nothing in front of a missing throne, great examples of an irrational distorted environment.

As far as subject matter is concerned both compositions include depictions of what appears to be Christ dead. In Madonna with the Long Neck Christ appears to be dead as a child which may be a foreshadowing while in Entombment Christ is being carried to the tomb. The background of both images seem to be very dark and heavy perhaps trying to creating a sense of sadness and mourning. Both compositions have a group of figures staring at Christ and the Virgin Mary.

In conclusion these are literally textbook examples of the mannerist style both portraying Christ and the Virgin Mary in mourning. Both also have contorted figures in proportions and the way their bodies are moving, an exaggerated color palette, and strange unsettling composition that defies physics and reality. Therefore both Pontormo’s Entombment and Parmigianino’s Madonna with the Long Neck are excellent examples of the Mannerist style of Italian Renaissance Art.

Week Four: Post #3 Comparative Analysis

I conduct comparative analysis between a work of art from the Early Renaissance period and one from the High Renaissance. For this analysis I have chosen The Virgin Of The Rocks by Leonardo da Vinci for my example from the High Renaissance. For the Early Renaissance I have chosen to study the Baptism Of Christ by Piero della Francesca. To start with at first glance these are very different paintings both are beautiful compositions and both have a sense of three dimensionality on a two dimensional surface. But The Virgin of the Rocks displays a more mature working of idealism, naturalism as well as a stronger composition.

The Baptism of Christ seems to me to be heavily weighted to the left with a conglomeration of figures in the foreground on the left side of the panel in addition to a number of trees. As opposed to the right side of the painting where these same pieces of the composition are dropped into the background amongst the hills. As far as dynamic unity is concerned in the Baptism of Christ piece I suppose it could be argued that it does exist. John the Baptist is leaning forward toward Christ and a man in the background is either putting on or taking off his shirt. Yet the book argues that the artist achieves “an air of beatific calm and peaceful stasis a stillness suggesting that nothing will ever change, no one will ever move in this frozen moment”. This to me seems to be a strong case against dynamic unity.

However in The Virgin of the Rocks the composition in my opinion is much more visually pleasing and balanced the image of young John the Baptist on the left opposing Jesus on the right with the rocks and background creating a pleasing type of room for the figures. Naturalism in The Virgin on the Rocks is much more apparent the body shapes and the skin tones in conjunction with the way the clothing is modeled is much better examples on naturalism. In the Baptism of Christ the figures are white almost like ghosts and there is seemingly very little effort to make the figures appear as they would in reality. Chiaroscuro and sfumato are both present in The Virgin of the Rocks while in the time that the Baptism of Christ was created these were not prevalent practices in creating paintings. The way that light is modeled in the Virgin peace shows an enlightened and better understanding of the way lightness and darkness can be addressed with paint. I must point out as well that The Baptism of Christ was painted with Tempera while The Virgin of the Rocks was painted in oil.

My favorite part of both paintings however is the use of foreshortening which is present in both pieces. In the Baptism it is used in the dove that is flying over Jesus head and in front of the tree, while in the Virgin on the Rocks it is the Virgin’s hand that is foreshortened. In the Baptism it seems to be used in more of a symbolic way while in the Virgin it used symbolically but also creates an illusion that is very beautiful to the eye and creates a great depth in the work. The Virgin of the Rocks is a great way of showing the progress of the southern renaissance in comparison to the Baptism of Christ because it shows the progress in thinking in skill that took place over time.

Week Three: Post #3 (Early Italian Renaissance Art)

The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli painted in tempera and gold on canvas was painted from 1484-1486 and is the painting I have chose to analyze from the southern renaissance. The painting depicts a nude Venus standing in a scallop shell on the sea shore. She is covering herself with both her hands and hair. There is also on the left side a wind Zephyr and some type of other angelic figure as well. On the right side of the painting is a devotee offering the center figure the Venus a blanket. I find this to be a very dynamic composition that is in no way static in composition of line, color or texture.

In the composition the figures themselves create a sense of energy and dynamic movement.  The Venus herself at center is standing in a contrapposto pose and the line created with her body in the composition is that she is being actually moved by the wind. This is also depicted with her hair being blown off toward the devotee. The figure at right the devotee, appears to be leaning into this implied wind and consequently the blanket she is holding and her clothes are being blown to the right creating a beautiful diagonal line away from the Venus at center. The two figures at left are also angled away from the Venus but at a much more severe angle creating a dynamic visual composition that moves the eye from right to left. There are also plucked flowers that are surrounding the figures on the left side of the painting that offer some depth to the composition as well as help make the figure appear to be floating in mid air.

The color and texture applied to the image also add to the energy and dynamic aspect of the composition. The water in the image is blue and is shaded very dark at the bottom of the image giving a beautiful heavy weight to the bottom of the image. Over the top of the water is a beautiful white texture that implies the movement of the water. The texture is created with a large number of dynamic lines that vary in weight and texture adding to the sense of depth in the image. In conjunction with the texture of the water the figures in the image as well as the shell that the Venus is standing upon at center are all shaded and modeled in a way that gives the composition a better sense of depth and a feel that the figures and fabrics pictured are actually in motion.

The lines created by the feet of all the figures in the image are also strong examples of movement created in the image. The devotee figure at right appears to be twisting and moving toward the Venus at center. Her left foot is contorted in a way that makes her appear to be just on the verge of taking another step. In contrast the figures on the left side of the composition have their feet pointed in the same angle as their bodies as if to imply that they are in fact flying above the water. No weight is being carried by the feet of these figures. All of these things working together give the painting a very dynamic feel and a lot of energy.

 weight is being carried by the feet of these figures.ion have there feet poited in the same angle as there bodies as if to imp

s pictured are actually in motion. way that gives the composition a better sence of depth and a feel that the figures and fab

 

Week Two: Post #2 (Nothern Renaissance Documentary)

My understanding of the documentary Northern Renaissance: The Supreme Art is that art created during this time period was all about seeing. For example seeing things portrayed as they actually appear in reality. As well as the deeper religious connotation in which seeing is some sort of spiritual act of connection, as well as a literal act connecting the person to a spiritual realm that is unseen. My gut reaction upon hearing the narrator talk about the meanings of Jan van Eyck’s The Virgin of Chancellor Rolin led me to believe that he was reading too much into the painting, giving him too much credit. In the end of that segment however my mind was completely blown to fact that he really did portray himself showing a guild member the world he resides in with special inclusion to the vineyards that essentially pay his employer and in the end are the source of his own wealth. Not to mention the even more powerful and interesting aspect to me of the chancellor. Who is symbolically through the power of prayer, and then literally in the painting seeing the Virgin Mary and Jesus as a child. This for me is the most powerful image described in the video; the Northern Renaissance in my limited opinion is all about seeing.

It is clear that in this time period supreme wealth and social status is highly upheld as in any time period. This being an almost universal truth, I found it so interesting to learn that painting became during this time another type of jewel or valuable. This was something new to be treasured and acquired to measure a person’s wealth that was cheaper and more attainable. I love the fact that value was attributed to these works because of the recognized labor that was poured into these works

Thinking about values it is so interesting to me that the religious characters depicted in these works for the most part are depicted as human. In contrast to what has been alluded to in the video and lectures that in the south these same characters will be pictured in an almost surreal way with features that are exaggerated beyond what you see in reality. To me this poses more questions about religion. Obviously these were important figures worth depicting yet they seem to value the idea that they were human in the same way that the model they were painting from was human. In contrast to that, they are placing themselves inside the narrative. Seeing their prayers come to life. Is this an egocentric act? Placing themselves at equal importance to the biblical characters depicted. Or are they earnestly seeking to see these moments that they hold so highly, through what is basically an unprecedented ability to do so? I had no idea the depth of ideas and skill in the works of the Renaissance. To the uninformed eye it is so easy to look right past these works to the work of the Southern Renaissance. I would have never realized the depth and importance of the Northern Renaissance.

Week One: Post #1 (Introduction to Renaissance Art)

The first thing that comes to mind when I consider why Renaissance art is held in such high regard; is the almost unbelievable skill shown in the work we see representing this time period. I see a technical skill and control represented, that I do not as easily recognize in other periods of art. Most outstanding to me is the fact that they were created without modern tools like projectors or artificial light. It starts to really stress me out when I think about the skill level of the artist of the renaissance and how they were able to create these beautiful and amazing works without the use of our modern tools. Then again that is what is going to make this class so interesting. How did they get to this level?

There is an incredible sense of depth created in many of the works from this period. In my opinion a mix of many design elements lead to this sense of depth in these works. From the different perspectives used as well as the way color is manipulated to create foreground and background mood as well the modeling of figures and objects throughout the works.  I think people are definitely responding to technical skill portrayed in the paintings of the renaissance as previously stated.  When you see the work of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael it is so easy to yourself this is art. These are the people on the cover of books. Search art on google and these are the artists you will see. The work is so technically well executed that it is easy for people to use renaissance art as a measuring stick for all other art.  With the thinking; this is as good as it gets. Based on the early time in history that they were created the size and scope of the work, location we can say these are the precedent for beautiful and ascetically pleasing art.

Again I must refer to the depth created in the works from this time period. Looking through the book this is the one thing that stands out to me throughout almost every piece chosen to represent the renaissance. Whether it be through sculpture or two dimensional work the sense of depth created in these works are what really stand out to me.  The eye naturally moves throughout the work comfortably and seamlessly in a way that it does not in previous time periods. This is created from the perspective as well as the color harmony used throughout the time period. The sculpture pieces in the book such as Michael Pacher’s St. Wolfgang alterpeice and Nanni di Banco The Four Crowned Martyrs are great examples for me of the way renaissance artist learned to control the eye and create great depth in sculpture as well.

I personally enjoy the work of the renaissance for all of the reasons I presupposed that our culture does earlier in my blog post. I am very excited to be studying this time period and look forward to finding out if the things I have suggested in this post are valid or not.