Art History Essays Examples

Art History & the 21st

His paintings were and are provocative because, instead of using personal confessions (like Dali), he uses irony and wit and intelligence to make his point hear. "The Treason of Images" is controversial in the sense that it makes the viewer question art and language and the meaning that we apply to objects. Magritte questions the assumptions made by people about the world, changing the scale of objects and defying the laws of gravity

Picasso, Dali and Magritte were all controversial artists of the early 1920s who expressed their fears, their guilt and fantasies as well as their question through their works of art. All of the artists had a major influence on other artists to come as well as a major impact on society during that time. While some may have considered these artists a threat to society, their works express a heightened sense of reality and an awareness.

Surrealism, expressionism and symbolism attempted to express the inner life or more implicit workings of the human condition. Expressionism was depicted not in an objective realistic fashion but in a subjective fashion, its aim was to stir emotion and illicit response. The works are usually highly personal to the artist and…… [Read More]

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Art History the Transition From the Baroque

Art History

The transition from the Baroque to the Rococo style in sculpture and painting was attended by a concurrent shift in European power relations, as the cultural and political hegemony of the Roman Catholic Church gave way to secular institutions of power. Comparing a work produced during the height of either style demonstrates this shift implicitly, because the Rococo style contains a playfulness in both theme and visual content hinting that its intended audience and patron were far less concerned with grandeur and religious imagery than they might have been a century before, during the Baroque era. Furthermore, comparing and contrasting Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Ecstasy of Saint Teresa with Jean-Honore Fragonard's The Swing will make this implicit cultural shift stand out more dramatically, because although both works include some of the same stylistic features that link the Baroque and Rococo, the playful, almost deliberately blasphemous thematic and literal content of Fragonard's Swing stands in stark contrast to the explicitly religious milieu of Bernini's Teresa.

To begin, one may note the similarities between both works that reveal the Rococo style's Baroque ancestry. Although Bernini's Ecstasy of Saint Teresa is a marble sculpture completed in 1652 and intended to adorn the…… [Read More]

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Art History and Contemporary Art the World

Art History And Contemporary Art

The world is a complex place and the old, outmoded, Eurocentric way we look at politics, economics and culture (art) may not be the right way to conceive the new order. Globalism describes, in fact, the increasing unification of the world through economic means (reduction of trade barriers, support of international trade, and mitigation of export and import quotas). They goal for globalization is to increase material wealth and the distribution of goods and services through a more international division of labor and then, in turn, a process in which regional cultures integrate through communication, transportation and trade. The overall theory is that if countries are tied together cooperatively economically, they will not have needed to become political enemies. However, politics and economics do not exist in a vacuum, and art is part of culture and the historical paradigm of regions, countries and is part of . While this is primarily an economic determinant, nothing exists in a vacuum. Therefore, economics drive technological, social, cultural, political, and even biological factors. And, with this exchange of paradigms, there is transnational circulation of ideas, languages, popular culture, and communication through acculturation. Typically, we see the movement of…… [Read More]

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Art History of Western World

Art History Of the Western World

Raphael's Madonna of the Meadow is from the High Renaissance period, which lasted from the 14th Century to the 16th Century. The Italian term "Madonna" is a medieval term for a noble or important woman, but in Western art it has come to specifically refer to work that depicts the Virgin Mother Mary. Biblical subjects such as the Madonna were very important to Renaissance painters and other artists. Other subjects of importance were the Holy Family and the Passion of the Christ. Raphael was very much creating exemplary work of the Renaissance period -- other Renaissance artists such as Da Vinci and Michaelangelo have also become renown for their depictions of the Madonna. Two of the most popular moments in the life of the Virgin Mary that were chosen for depiction in Madonna art were the Virgin with the Child, and the Pieta.

During his Florentine years, Raphael painted many numbers of Madonnas. Leonardo did at least forty variations on the theme of the Virgin mother with her child. In his paintings, the Madonna is seen as both extremely human and motherly, but also very majestic. He additionally utilized the concept of Sprezzatura, which…… [Read More]

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Art History of Western World

Art History Of the Western World

Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, also known as La Giconda, is one of the most well-known paintings of the High Renaissance period. Painted between 1503-1506, it was done with oil paints on wood. Part of the reason it has so haunted people is because of Da Vinci's unique ability to capture expressions and facial subtleties that are lost in works by other artists. Da Vinci used a combination of idealizing and humanizing his subjects that gave them a realistic and surrealistic feel. The Mona Lisa has so many feelings expressed in the face that her smile has become legendary in and of itself for being completely mysterious. There are rumors that Da Vinci hired clowns and singers and other performers to amuse the model for his Mona Lisa so that she would enjoy her time posing for him, which is one theory as to why she looks so very amused. However, others speculate this is a ridiculous proposition due to the stately nature of the picture. The painting is confident and mellow, and the balance of her mouth in particular implies the same about her personality. The Mona Lisa is a woman that represents…… [Read More]

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Art History High Renaissance

Art History - High Renaissance

The contextual knowledge of the era of High Renaissance and Mannerism is important as its integral to any study of work emerging from the period. The Renaissance movement took place in Europe from the early 14th to late 16th century, which witnessed a revival of interest in the values and artistic styles of classical antiquity especially in Italy. Early in the movement, the concept of Renaissance or revival emerged as a consequence of contemporary efforts in the period to imitate the poetic and painting styles of the ancient Greeks and Romans. But as the movement progressed the word Renaissance came to represent a distinctive cultural and intellectual movement characterized by the growth of secular values and the rise of scientific and geographical exploration of the natural world. While Early Renaissance artists sought to create art forms consistent with the appearance of the natural world and with their perception of human experience, the emphasis was on theoretical art or the laws of proportion and pictorial considerations of measurable space and the effects of light and color (Web Museum, Paris).

The culmination of the artistic revolution of the Early Renaissance led to what is now known as…… [Read More]

Art History High Renaissance

Art History -- High Renaissance

raphael, da vinci & MICHELANGELO:

THE SUPREME MASTERS OF THE HIGH RENAISSANCE

Within a thirty year span, beginning approximately in 1495, the city of Rome replaced Florence as the Italian seat of artistic pre-eminence. A series of powerful and ambitious popes, most notably Julius II and those associated with the rich and powerful De Medici family run by Cosimo De Medici and later on by Lorenzo De Medici, created a new papal state with Rome as its capitol and artistic center of Europe. These popes embellished Rome with great works of art and invited artists from all over Italy to take on some very challenging tasks. In its duration, the "High Renaissance" (ca. 1492 to 1520) produced works of such authority and magnitude that later generations of artists were forced to imitate it in order to compete with the growing competition within Italy and northern Europe. The various masters of this period had of course inherited the pictorial science of their predecessors, yet they made a distinct break from the past and occupied new and lofty ground that had never been explored before.

In his excellent work The Lives of the Artists, Giorgio Vasari points…… [Read More]

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Art History the 'Self' Concept in Abstract

Art History

The 'Self' Concept in Abstract Expressionism Movement

Throughout many years, movements concerning approaches on different works of art often reflect principles that appeal to the utility and social function of artworks, which is the primary characteristic of Socialist art movement. Moreover, Cubism as an art movement subsists to creating ambiguous sense of space and use of geometric shapes to flatten the objects and subjects of the painting. Figures, objects, and subjects are broken into fragments and are overlapped with each other.

These are examples of important movements in art history that, somehow, deal with artworks as creations or products of an individual's conscious being, since these artworks have specific interpretations, functions, and purposes. But what if artworks cannot be easily interpreted, and have no specific functions and purposes?

The above-mentioned characteristics are illustrated in artworks created through the Abstract Expressionism movement. In this movement, there is a spontaneous assertion of feelings of the individual/artist. In addition, since the discipline utilizes abstraction, there are no definite styles, only subjective expressions of the artist's feelings, visually illustrated through his/her paintings. Abstract Expressionism is often associated with the Surrealist movement, where thoughts that are only found in dreams and the unconscious…… [Read More]

Art History Compare Ancient War Imagery With Contemporary Modern War Imagery

Art History

War Imagery in Ancient and Contemporary Art

Considering the backdrop of politics and war is an important part of understanding ancient and contemporary art (Stockstad, 2003, p. 468). Historians can tell a lot about the actual events and feelings that occurred during wartime by looking at the rat of the time.

As the twentieth century dawned, many European and Americans had an optimistic outlook on life, believing that human society would advance through the spread of democracy, capitalism and technological change. Thus, during this time, artwork was relatively positive and upbeat. However, the competitive nature of both colonialism and capitalism created greater instability in Europe, and countries banded together in rival political alliances.

World War I started in 1914, pitting Britain, France and Russia against Germany and Austria. War imagery was created by many artists and often was used as propaganda. The United States entered in 1917 and contributed to an Allied victory in 1918. WWI transformed European politics and economics, particularly in Russia, which became the world's first Communist nation. In 1922, the Soviet Union was created.

American and Western European economies soon recovered from the war but the 1929 stock market crash in New York caused…… [Read More]

Art History Mark Rothko's Earth

Their uneven edges contrast with the stark, sharp, straight lines of the canvas itself. Correspondingly, Rothko uses the canvas to its maximum space, extending the blue background all the way to the edges. The blue is neither bright nor dull; it is a calm blue like the one that just follows dusk or precedes dawn. Such a naturalistic blue matches the earthy red and green used for the rectangles.

Furthermore, Rothko uses some shadow and nuance, creating slightly darker blue lines around the rectangles. The red rectangle floats above the green one. The green rectangle can be experienced as a giant field of grass, or as a forest scene from a distance. Like the blue field in the background, the green is not a solid block of color. There are nuances and shades within the green. Likewise, the red appears darker in some spots than in others, especially around the edges. Rothko's title, "Earth and Green" draws attention to the artist's affection for natural forms and colors.

Bright spots and thicker layers of paint in the red and green planes add to the textural complexity of Rothko's deceptively simple work. Moreover, Rothko places the objects on the canvas unevenly rather…… [Read More]

Art History John Singleton Copley

The dress is refined, but oversized and ill-fitting as befits a young boy. Here too, an Americanism is no doubt being added. Rather than make Henry Pelham appear too formal, as the scion of some great house in a European portrait, Copley reminds us that his subject is quite young and probably wearing hand-me-downs, or else some cost-saving garment into which he will eventually grow. It is a budding American disregard for class - a break with both the limners and the European masters. Copley's half-brother is both a young man of a good family and of a certain standing in society, and also any boy of the same age and similar means. In many ways, Henry Pelham comes across as a typical schoolboy. The way he holds string in his hand makes it appear like a pencil or pen that he is absent-mindedly twirling in his fingers as an unseen teacher continues with another tedious lesson. The desktop adds to this feeling, and the small glass of water might be doubling for an inkwell. Possibly, Copley means to give us the sense that his narrative, that is, the painter's, is actually being composed by the subjects of the painting…… [Read More]

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Art History Comparative Analysis Buddhist

Can it be that Kuan-yin is not a precursor to Seated but rather a copy of it, produced with less attention to detail and elegance because it was intended to serve the masses? While that is possible, one cannot completely discount either that, having been created during the same century (with little information to narrow down the exact year or even which half of the century), and with so many symbolic similarities as well as a similar pose, it is possible and even likely that Kuan-yin is an ancestor in the artistic style of Seated.

Drawing conclusions about two works of art created in the course of the same century, with at minimum, similar ideals and societal influences, as represented in the symbolism and postures that comprise the similarities between Kuan-yin and Seated, is a complex and multi-faceted process. One cannot ignore, however, that these two pieces, juxtaposed beside one another, seem to form viable links in a chain following the course of artistic style and trends, connected one right after the other. The real benefit to comparing works within such a long period of time as was the rule of the Song Dynasty is that one can see the…… [Read More]

Art History the Functions and Dysfunctions Mass

Art History

The Functions and Dysfunctions Mass Media advertising and Elitist vs. Popular Art in John Berger's "Ways of Seeing"

The emergence of the Industrial Revolution gave birth to numerous movements that influenced contemporary culture and society at the turn of 20th century. The increase in production and distribution of goods and services, and the production of surplus of these goods and services gave birth to advertising. Consequently, advertising, in order to attract and entice consumers to buy their products or subsist to their services, came up with creative concepts on advertising their products and services -- through art and the mass media. Thus, popular culture was created, where mass communicated media messages are extended to consumers in visual, audio, print, and, nowadays, in multimedia forms.

Advertising is an essential factor that propagates two interrelated elements in today's capitalist world: popular culture and consumption. These two are interrelated because what is included in popular culture tends to be patronized by society, which explains why advertising is a very lucrative market for goods, services, and even ideologies to be propagated and accepted by society.

These functions of the mass media, particularly the advertising sector, are discussed extensively in Ways of Seeing…… [Read More]

Art History Client Paid for This Sculpture

Art History

Client paid for This sculpture is from Cambodia, in the Angkor period. The statue is 22.75 inches high, which is just under two feet. The majority of the statue is made from bronze, but it is ornamented with inlaid silver. The tiny Amitabha Buddha is seated within the topknot of hair on the Bodhisattva's head.

Although the posture is erect with a very straight back, the Bodhisattva is not well muscled: there is a curvature to the hips and a smooth femininity to the arms. The posture of "Royal Ease" indicates a relaxation and informality.

The Bodhisattva's right hand is missing (broken off). (There also seems to be some damage to his skirt and to the base of the statue on which he sits, but it is impossible to tell if some ornament is missing in these portions.)

This bottle shape was favored in northern Peru for 3,000 years.

The handle is made in this way either because it was convenient to carry, or because the shape prevented evaporation of liquids.

This vessel was made by the Moche culture of Peru's northern coast.

The country of origin for this item is Peru.

The warriors depicted on the vessel…… [Read More]

Art History Marxism Principal Ideology in Russian

Art History

Marxism: Principal Ideology in Russian Constructivism and Mexican Mural Movement

In the history or political philosophy, Karl Marx has revolutionized the social structure of the society by introducing in his discourse, The Communist Manifesto, the concept of modern Socialism, more popularly called as Socialism. In his discourse, Marx posits that in the course of human history, there is the ongoing struggle between the oppressed and the oppressor, which he termed the proletariat and bourgeois societies, respectively. Marx argues that this continued oppression of the proletariat by the bourgeois class will eventually lead to social revolution, where the proletariats will be the new dominant social class, and social order is ruled by the proletariats. A distinct characteristic of Marx's concept of socialism is that it promotes state ownership, control of means of production and distribution, and reconstruction of the capitalist and other political systems through peaceful and democratic means.

Through Marx's discourse on socialism, many artists where influenced by his proposed ideologies. Cultures in the 20th century society have taken on the Marxist characteristic of being socialist, such as the Russian Constructivism and Mexican Mural movements. Russia, one of the main proponents of Socialist Communism and adherents of Marx's…… [Read More]

Art History What Conclusions Can

C.E.), a large underground chamber with massive capitals supporting a slanting and beamed ceiling. In tombs like this and in many others, the walls were usually covered with paintings in the form of murals, mostly drawn from Greek legends. Most of the time, these murals provide scenes of banquets, feasts and revelry, such as in the Tomb of the Leopards in Tarquinia, Italy. This tomb is decorated with a banquet scene and groups of dancers and musicians. These wall paintings are similar yet different from those of other ancient societies, for in ancient Roman, the murals were more focused on the family and familial ancestry; Minoan murals also express the daily lives of the Minoans, celebrating at banquets, sporting events and religious ceremonies; Egyptian murals, however, usually expressed religious activities, especially those of the gods and goddesses, such as Osiris and Isis, and with Greek murals, those of the Etruscans are very similar in theme and execution, yet are sometimes more architecturally dominant.

QUESTION #4: How and why did Early Christian sculpture differ from the Roman sculptural style of depicting man?

As to the form of man in Early Christian sculpture, there occurred a shift from Greco-Roman naturalism to a…… [Read More]

Art History - Survival Research Labs Survival

Art History - Survival Research Labs

Survival Research Laboratories (SRL) is the brainchild of Mark Pauline, and was founded in 1978. SRL has the following Mission Statement "SRL is an organization of creative technicians dedicated to redirecting the techniques, tools, and tenets of industry, science, and the military away from their typical manifestations in practicality, product or warfare. Performances consist of a unique set of ritualized interactions between machines, robots, and special-effect devices, employed in developing themes of sociopolitical satire." On its web site: (http://www.srl.org),SRL claim to "produce the most dangerous shows on Earth," and SRL has gained a cult following, due to its anarchic gut-wrenching machine performances, which have been described as "theatrical displays which blend high and low technology and transform junkyard, industrial and avant-garde aesthetics into explosive socio-political satire....which draw attention to everyday technological violence" (Lucas, 1995).

Since its foundation, SRL has performed over 45 mechanized presentations, and 'typical' performances and exhibitions have included:

The Deliberate Evolution of a Warzone: A Parable of Spontaneous Structural Disintegration, which was performed in Austria, and in which machines battled against each other, and an overhead crane moved between them, trying to break up the fights. The crane hurled down bombs…… [Read More]

Art History Structuralism and Semiotics in Advertising

Art History

Structuralism and Semiotics in Advertising

Modern culture in the 20th century characteristically subsists to techniques of structuralism and semiotics, which introduces a new scientific rigor to art criticism. This is because both fields of study provide systematic and detailed analyses of images and texts. Structuralism and semiotics also borrows from various disciplines, such as linguistics, anthropology, psychology, philosophy, and other social sciences in the analysis of these images and texts.

Structuralism is the study of various code functions within a single structure, which may be in different forms. Through this discipline of image and text analysis, structuralists can scientifically, i.e., objectively create concepts or ideas embedded within the unit of analysis. Semiotics, on the other hand, is the study of symbols, representation, and signs. Thus, both are essential in the study of codes (which can be words, images, sounds, odors, and objects that are encountered through sensory experience) that we encounter everyday, how people organize and signify meaning to a code (structuralism), and how these codes are represented (semiotics).

Roland Barthes, a French social and literary critic, is one main proponent of Structuralism and Semiotics to analyze, primarily, images and texts. His contribution in semiotics concerns the process…… [Read More]

Art History - Gilgamesh Since

The poem shows him as a harsh ruler, very rude to people and a lady's man. This behavior stirs the gods against him and god Aruru creates Enkidu, a wild creature, to be the rival of Gilgamesh and punish him for all his bad deeds. The two characters fight, but in the end, they become friends. On a deeper analysis of the text of this poem, Enkidu may be perceived as the human part of Gilgamesh, and their fight as an inner fight between mortality and immortality. In the end, mortality is accepted and poise is re-established.

Enkidu appears like an innocent and humble creature, ready to follow his friend in the most dangerous fights. He is very courageous, ready to sacrifice. Even from the beginning, there is a very powerful bond between the two. Despite the fact that they are different, they create a whole new being together, this time with traits that belong more to the human rather than the god side. Gilgamesh is an arrogant, hot-tempered person, while Enkidu is warm, spontaneous and simple. It is very difficult to see who has stronger features, and which one of them is more interesting a character. The main idea…… [Read More]

Art History the Values of

The rococo ethos symbolized this coming together of worldly knowledge and artistic accomplishment. It was a world of the few and the privileged, but in its promotion of careful inquiry and insightful debate, it was laying the groundwork for another era.

The works of the philosophes quickly turned to an out and out criticism of the status quo. Men like Voltaire and woman like Madame de Stael, pursued avenues of thought that lead directly, in their most extreme versions, to revolution. Diderot's Encyclopedie, and Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language, were examples of the strongly rational spirit that was emerging. Much as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and other Classical thinkers had sought to probe and to understand the mysteries of the natural and human world, so too did the leaders of the Eighteenth Century hope to create a civilization that was based on rational principles and scientific investigation. Turning to examples from the Ancient World, Eighteenth Century artists and architects created works in a neoclassical style that embodied the extreme restraint, studied introspection, and balanced purity of the original Classical forms. England, with its developing democratic institutions, was a leading exemplar of the new outlook, producing such works as Syon House…… [Read More]

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Art History Certainly After Proceeding

The above perception of the insanity of life is not at all apparent in the second painting of Georges Seurat. While it is mystical, it gives too much quiescence that is there with the impressionistic style. This like Picasso's painting above is a happy trip and does not exhibit as much negative energy as Picasso. He also does not seem to be trying to summon any primitive energies. Rather Seurat's painting is very urban. He is obviously a product of a new city, with new sidewalks, parks and a newly affluent city where nature had been tamed, including the monkeys on the leash. While it may seem that the monkeys are almost a Darwian joke, it does seem to be in the same as the dog on the leash of the lady with the umbrella. The dog and the monkey almost seem to expensive accessories like a handbag that has no other purpose. Indeed, the monkeys all over the painting make one wonder who is really in charge.

The individual dots, dashes and small strokes are fascinating however. It is almost as if he is stitching together some kind of needle point. This meticulous, colored dot method, plays with the…… [Read More]

Art History the Impressionists MD4

Art History: The Impressionists

Baroque

The word baroque has no clear origin. Some says that it came from a medieval philosophical word connoting the strange or the ridiculous, some consider it as derived from the Spanish barueco or Portuguese referring to an irregular shaped pearl. As 18th century was coming to an end baroque find its way to art criticism terminology in form of epithet leveled against art of the 17th century, though it later faced criticism that it was too strange or bizarre to merit serious study. Some of the baroque images can be viewed through this link, http://loki.stockton.edu/~fergusoc/lesson7/lect7.htm

Jakob Burckhardt among other 19th century Swiss cultural historian had a view that baroque was the decadent end of the Renaissance, and so was his student Heinrich who identified the essential differences between the art of 16th and 17th century describing baroque as a fully distinct art but not a decline or a rise from classic. Art of baroque captures a wide range of regional distinctions. Sometimes it becomes challenging when somebody wants to label any related two distinct artists such as Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Rembrandt as baroque, however despite such differences most of them have common themes as…… [Read More]

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Art History the Clouds Gleamed Gloriously as

Art History

The clouds gleamed gloriously, as if they were smiling to greet newcomers to heaven Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti. The two artists sat rather impatiently in the heavenly waiting room, and they refused to pick up any of the literature that lay strewn on the gilded coffee table before them.

This is ridiculous," grumbled Leonardo, who in spite of his age lacked no luster in his eyes. "I am not accustomed to waiting for so long. Indeed, I myself made the King of France, Francis the First, to wait for me. Now, if I am able to keep a mighty monarch..."

Indeed," interrupted Michelangelo. "If you were able to keep the mighty King of France waiting for you, why indeed should you not have to wait at heaven's gate. Whosoever can know the timetable of the angels?"

The angels keep perfect time, I am sure," replied Leonardo, rolling his eyes. "They more than us know the pains involved in sitting on one's bottom for hours on end."

Why, we have barely been here for a matter of minutes. You have grown tedious in your old age, Leonardo. What happened? Have you finally realized how many times you…… [Read More]

Art History Roy Lichtenstein -- Stepping Out

Art History

Roy Lichtenstein -- Stepping Out is a painting done in oil and magna on canvas by Roy Lichtenstein. (Magna is a plastic painting product made of permanent pigment ground in acrylic resen with solvents and plasticizer. This material mixes with turpentine and mineral spirits and dries rapidly with a mat finish) (www.artlex.com/ArtLex/M.html).Painted in 1978, this work is 85 inches in heighth and 70 inches in width, 218.4 cm by 177.8 cm. This work of art, accession number 1980,420, is located at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (5th Avenue and 82nd Street). It was purchased in 1980 as a Lila Acheson Wallace Gift with additional funding through the Arthur Hoppock Hearn Fund, the Arthur Lejwa Fund, in honor of Jean Arp; the Bernhill Fund, the Joseph H. Hazen Foundation Inc., the Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation Inc., and gifts fromWalter Bareiss, Marie Bannon McHenry, Louise Smith, and Stephen C. Swid.

The painting is signed on the reverse with the signature of the painter, R. Lichtenstein, dated 1978. The Metropolitan Museum of Art also owns and displays Lichtenstein's Study for Stepping Out, 4 inches x 3 3/8 inches, done in pencil in 1978.

A chose to explore this…… [Read More]

Art History the Architecture of

Patterned after the old cathedral at Reims, the abbey church displays a similar set of volumes with east and west transepts with crossing towers; an especially large western apse balancing a triple apse at the opposite end.

The massing of the towers around the main structure of the nave, and the rows of round arched windows set high in the walls are typical Romanesque features. The overall affect is one of fortress-like magnificence - a fitting setting for an abbey in a world that was still heavily plagued by violence, and in which the learned were as yet required to turn inward. Symbolically, too, it represents the introspection of religion, the commitment of the devout to purge themselves of sin, and to create a pure space within themselves, one that is walled off from all external temptations. The interior plan, as well, is simple and straightforward, a two-aisled nave that is forerunner of the kinds of proportions that would remain common throughout the Gothic Era.

Solid, yet expansive with its long, tall nave, Hildesheim, and other structures like it, are perfect exemplars of a medieval piety that is poised between Heaven and Earth, an ideal manifestation of Romanesque architecture.

Works…… [Read More]

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Art History Willem De Kooning's

Each quadrant contains different shapes, forms, and combinations of color but all four quadrants interact harmoniously.

The balanced composition of "Woman 1" offers counterpoint to what would otherwise seem simply like chaotic brushstrokes and jagged lines. While de Kooning paints the woman's hooves with relative clarity, her hands are blurred. They blend in seamlessly with the remainder of the canvas, again suggesting that she is in motion. The blurred hands are also unsettling, symbolizing the unearthly and even unnatural or supernatural female image.

However, the woman's ample bosom forms the main foreground of "Woman 1." The large bosom represents an earth mother. The largest solid blocks of color on the canvas, the breasts are mostly white. The bright white adds shadow and creates a sense of depth in the composition. White also symbolizes breast milk. Moreover, the white in the breasts balances the black on the hooves and head as well as in the random lines of motion de Kooning places around the woman. The woman's teeth, which are bared in a grin, are also black and white as are her large eyes.

The woman's hair and her irises provide the most solid areas of black paint on the canvas,…… [Read More]

Art History the Lure of

A romanticism that was rooted in the legendary European past served well to bring comfort and a sense of place in space and time to people who might otherwise have felt rootless and adrift. In its eclecticism the Richardsonian Romanesque house gave visible expression to the deepest needs and of an age.

Works Cited

http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=99883293

Gowans, Alan. Styles and Types of North American Architecture: Social Function and Cultural Expression. New York: Icon Editions, 1993.

A www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=99883726

Roth, Leland M., ed. America Builds: Source Docs in American Architecture and Planning. New York: Harper & Row, 1983.

A www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=91043982

Roth, Leland M. A Concise History of American Architecture. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1980.

A www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=26178642

Roth, Leland M. Understanding Architecture Its Elements, History, and Meaning. 1st ed. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1993.

A www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=99883482

Alan Gowans, Styles and Types of North American Architecture: Social Function and Cultural Expression (New York: Icon Editions, 1993) 174. http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=99883482

Alan Gowans, Styles and Types of North American Architecture: Social Function and Cultural Expression (New York: Icon Editions, 1993) 174. http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=91044164

Leland M. Roth, a Concise History of American Architecture (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1980) 157. http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=26179125

Leland M. Roth, Understanding Architecture Its Elements, History, and Meaning,…… [Read More]

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Art History Art Ages Discussion Question 1

Art (History Art ages) Discussion question 1 page long follow directions carefully youtube lectures provided

There is no denying the fact that one of the hallmarks of Rembrandt's works of art is his copious usage of elements of light, dark and shadow to great effect. This sort of tenebrism is deployed by the artist initially to give a sense of contrast to his works. Light and dark are antipodes of one another, and by involving both of these elements the painter was able to create striking counterpoints within his works of art. This fact is seen quite prominently in his self-portrait circa 1629. Not only does the artist use both light and dark elements to illustrate his face and the brimming future which he saw in front of himself as an artist, but this portrait is also characterized by loose brushwork which is distinct from the crisp strokes of the Renaissance. His self-portrait in 1637 also displays a startlingly contrast between the gold and brown colors that dominate this work of art. As the final self-portrait that Soltes shows in which Rembrandt was quite advanced in his age, the artist would always depict the light emanating from the subject (himself),…… [Read More]

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Four Periods in Art History Journey Through Time

Art History Time Travel

Our first stop will be the eighteenth century, where we will investigate Neoclassical painting. We will be visiting Sir Joshua Reynolds, as he works on his 1770 oil on canvas "Portrait of a Black Man" -- and we will be asking if the heroic structure of the painting is meant to contain some sort of ideological message, for example asserting the humanity of his subject against the evils of slavery (which was then still common). We should also find out if indeed the portrait is of Dr. Samuel Johnson's servant Francis Barber, as Johnson's progressive attitude in opposing slavery (and his generous treatment of Barber, to whom he left his estate) might explain why this figure is treated heroically in the painting. Then we will visit Jacques-Louis David, as he works on his stark 1793 Neoclassical oil on canvas depiction of "The Death of Marat." We will interrogate David about his political purposes in this painting -- for example, his portrait of the dead Marat in his bathtub entirely avoids depicting the reason why Marat was in a bathtub when he died (he suffered from a horrible and disfiguring skin disease).

The time machine will stop…… [Read More]

Art History

Baroque Art

An examination of "Virgin and Child with St. John the Baptist" by Jacopo del Sellaio, 1480-85 and "St. Sebastian Attended by Holy Women" by Nicolas Regnier (called Nicolo Renieri) 1615-1626 reveal the differences between early and later Renaissance painting in Italy. Jacopo del Sellaio's word dates to the late fifteenth century, and Renieri painted more than a century after that. The historical context of their work also signals the differences between Sellaio and Renieri. Sellaio studied under Fra Filippo Lippi and his style inevitably reveals his connection with the Lippi school. Sandro Botticelli studied under Lippi at the same time; Renieri and Botticelli influenced each other and this is especially evident in "Virgin and Child with St. John the Baptist." For instance, Botticelli's style is evident in Sellaio's work "in such traits as the texture and color of hair, the tilt of the Virgin's head and the elongation of her hands," (Castelvecchi 1). On the other hand, Regnier's "St. Sebastian Attended by Holy Women" bears a far more dramatic homage to Caravaggio in the use of extreme chiaroscuro, or tenebrism. Therefore, the eras in which they painted is directly related to the differences in style between Sellaio and…… [Read More]

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European Art History From 1400

From this point-of-view, on Protestant art, the effect of Reformation is a releasing effect, with the former conceptualization into iconic figures of saints and Christ being transformed in the more relaxed imagery of peasants simply enjoying their time together.

On the other hand, Reformation had a different impact on Catholic art. Especially through its Counter-Reformation process, the Catholic Church wanted to impose a continuance of tradition even in terms of culture and art. This obviously meant, among others, a preservation and exacerbation of icon and religious imagery use in everyday paintings.

One good example of this is a painting of the lamentation by Scipione Pulzone. A traditional image in Catholic art, the act seems greatly increased in intensity in Pulzone's case. Despite the portrayal of a town in the background (as was the tradition during the 14th to 16th centuries), this remains not only lost in the background, but almost entirely conveyed in black, so as not to take away one's attention from the front of the painting.

This is where the deposition from the cross takes place. The entire image is emphasized, as are the behaviors of the participants. The pain depicted is greatly increased, so as to provide…… [Read More]

Asian Art History What Had

Over the course of time, this gave many, the ability to express ideas from: Chinese mysticism and culture. Guang is the classic example of this, where a mysterious dragon is resting on a base. This is signifying, the belief in East Asian ideals and what they have tied to these different views (such as dragons). Where, the subject is depicted to be: powerful and larger than life creature (even though they are not real). ("China and Korea 1729")

The Neighing Horse

The use of stoneware, allowed artists the ability to be able to: create real depictions of actual people and things. This helped artisans to design a real life representation of their subjects. They would then paint these images, to illustrate the emotions and feelings that were being experienced. This is important, because it helped to create new ways that artists could be able to: represent their subjects and the world around them.

A good example of this can be seen with the Neighing Horse. As, the sculpture would represent a real life depiction of: the horses that were used by Tang dynasty. Where, the use of colors and the way the horse is well groomed is: highlighting the pride…… [Read More]

Narrative in Asian Art History

Narrative in Asian Art History

Exporting Buddhism's Moral Authority

Whether or not one accepts Hayden White's assertion that the will to narrativize history is inseparable from a will to impose moral authority in a specific social reality, a brief survey of the artworks of several important Asian religious sites shows that there were narrative works. A further look reveals that those narrative works took as their subject matter the most significant entity in the region, the Buddha.

In addition, the fact that the Buddha and the ideas of the Buddha were exported to sites beyond the Indian subcontinent, to Jakarta, Indonesia for example, does indicate that perhaps White is correct. Perhaps by exporting the ideas attributed to the Buddha, those who commissioned the artworks were attempting to impose their own moral authority on a specific social reality, as well as reinforcing it at home.

Author Jean Johnson of New York University has pointed out that by the early part of the Common Era, Southeast Asia had been visited by Indian traders and the priests who accompanied them. In addition to bringing the Sanskrit language to Sumatra, Java and other points, they brought their priests with them.

The priests brought Hinduism…… [Read More]

Art During Renaissance the Evolution of Art

Art During Renaissance

The Evolution of Art During the Renaissance

The Renaissance period is defined as a cultural movement that spanned approximately from the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe (Brotton 2006, p. 6). This period in the history of art included the painting, decorative arts and sculpture of the period and for many was considered a reawakening or rebirth of historic and ancient traditions based on the classical antiquity and the inclusion of more recent developments by applications of contemporary scientific knowledge.

The Renaissance was seen as a bridge between the Middle Ages and the modern era. The period also marked a cognitive shift from religious perspectives to a more intellectual and social focus. Classical texts previously lost to European scholars became readily available and included science, drama, poetry, prose, philosophy, and new considerations regarding Christian theology. The medieval ages, a period in European history dated from the 5th to the 15th century preceded the dawn of the early modern era, and was considered a deviation from classical learning but later reemerged with its connectivity to scholarship in the Renaissance (Stokstad 1986, p. 3).…… [Read More]

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Art Culture

Art Culture: Public Space Art

Public art like that of Koon's Train (2011), Serra's Tilted Arc (1981), Lin's Vietnam Veterans Memorial (1981), and James' Sea Flower (1978), ignite discussion to the point of its modification, re-arrangement, or removal. The reason for this controversial treatment of public art is its ability to embrace a variety of aesthetic practices. The adoption of different aesthetic values like poster art, outdoor sculpture, earthworks, multimedia projections, and community-based projects among others, breaks the public's traditional understanding of art (Glahn, 2000). This critique finds that the public's totalizing classification of public sphere brings about controversy and dialogue over public art displays. By reviewing the famous public art "Tilted Arc" (1981) by Richard Serra, this analysis will show that there are distinct differences between public understanding and professional understanding of public art.

The government with the intention of exhibiting, protecting, and edifying art, commissions public art in America to identifying with national pride. To Levine (2002), artists follow the traditions of public art where it holds the highest moral, aesthetic value, and satisfied the interest of the mass (52). In this context, public art becomes a nuisance is if is deliberately ignores public approval. This policy creates…… [Read More]

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Art Analysis of Sacrifice of Isaac by Lorenzo Ghiberti

Art

"Sacrifice of Isaac" Analysis

This paper will focus upon Lorenzo Ghiberti and one of his artistic works called "Sacrifice of Isaac." The paper will provide a context within which to explain and evaluate this sculpture. Referencing art history, world history, and the artist's personal history, the paper will explore and analyze "Sacrifice of Isaac" as a seminal work of a famous artist that serves as a masterpiece representing the entire artistic movement at the time.

"Sacrifice of Isaac" was done in the International Gothic style This is a piece that was a part of the Early Renaissance. It was made in the early 15th century. "Sacrifice of Isaac" is specifically supposed to depict Abraham sacrificing Isaac because God commanded him to do so. The piece contains Abraham, who is moments away from stabbing Isaac with a knife. There is an angel watching this from the sky or heaven above them. There are others who are on the mountain's path having a conversation. One of the people is on a horse. The altar that Isaac is on is very ornate.

Abraham's sacrifice of his son Isaac was supposed to demonstrate or prove Abraham's faith in God. The story in the…… [Read More]

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Art of Classical Antiquity in the Ancient

Art of classical antiquity, in the ancient cultures of Greece and Rome, has been much revered, admired, and imitated. In fact, the arts of ancient Greece and Rome can be considered the first self-conscious and cohesive art movements in Europe. Style, form, execution, and media were standardized and honed to the point where aesthetic ideals were created and sustained over time. The art of classical antiquity in Greece and Rome reverberated throughout history, impacting the art of subsequent eras in Europe. In fact, there can be no absolute "neoclassical" era in art history because of the way neoclassicism evolved throughout the centuries since the fall of the Roman Empire. The arts of the Renaissance borrowed heavily from classical antiquity, as can be seen in Renaissance icons such as Michelangelo's David. Some suggest that medieval art pays homage to classical antiquity, even if the quotations from classical Greek and Rome are not as obvious as they would be in the Renaissance ("Classical Antiquity in the Middle Ages," n.d.). "Interest in the classical past never totally disappeared in the Middle Ages but the 15th century saw the emergence of a different attitude to it in Europe: growing admiration for ancient texts and…… [Read More]

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History of Western Art Compare

As a result, both works of art share this similarity, as they want to instill the audience with a sense of awe and respect for this person. (Stokstad, 2011)

When you step back and analyze both statues, it is clear that Donatello as well as Michael Angelo is trying to impress upon the audience a sense of: strength and respect for their statues. This is illustrated by the way they are using his physique, to underscore his physical strength and sexual prowess. However, both artists have different interpretations about what this character should look like. As far as Donatello is concerned, he is highlighting these momentous changes that are occurring (through a graphic depiction of the aftermath of the battle). Where, he shows David posed victoriously, with his foot on top of Goliath' severed head. This is important, because Donatello is trying to instill in the audience a sense of awe about what took place, by showing the brutality and accomplishment from these events. In the case of Michael Angelo, he is going for a more subtle interpretation of the underlying situation. This takes place, through the conservative pose of David after the battle. The difference is that this interpretation…… [Read More]

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History of Western Art Discuss

As the various are works are depicting the two as a perfect match. A good example of this can be seen in the painting the Meeting of Marie de ' Medici and Henry IV at Lyon. Where, Rubens is showing the two in heaven, looking down on themselves when they were younger riding lions. This is important, because the image of them in heaven is highlighting how they are God's match. While the lions are an illustration, of how they are from the same kind of background. As a result, a sense of mysticism is embraced with: heaven and the lions. While reality is depicted by: showing the two people as they actually appeared in real life. Therefore, the Baroque style is illustrated through the use of: mysticism and realism that are connected to one another. ("Marie de ' Medici and Henry IV at Lyon," 2011)

Bibliography

Artermisia Gentileschi. (n.d.) the Art History Archive. Retrieved from: http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/baroque/images/ArtemisiaGentileschi-Woman-Playing-the-Lute-1609-12.jpg

The King's Interior Apartments. (2011). Palace of Versailles. Retrieved from: http://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover-the-estate/the-palace/the-palace/the-kings-interior-apartments

Marie de ' Medici and Henry IV at Lyon. (2011). Arts Heaven. Retrieved from: http://www.artsheaven.com/peter-paul-rubens-the-meeting-of-marie-de-medici-and-henri-iv-at-lyon.html

The Merode Altarpeice. (n.d.). Home Schools. Retrieved from: http://www.homeschoolonline.co.uk/art/great-works-of-art/the-merode-altarpiece-by-robert-campin.html

Pyschobiographical Tenebrisim. (n.d.) Radford. Retrieved from: http://www.radford.edu/rbarris/art216sumfall/Caravaggio%20and%20Gentileschi%20revised.html

Pioch,…… [Read More]

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Art One Point Linear Perspective in the Renaissance

Art One-Point Linear Perspective in the Renaissance

One-Point Linear Perspective in the Renaissance

In the context of art, perspective is generally defined as "… the technique an artist uses to create the illusion of three dimensions on a flat surface" (Essak). Perspective is in essence an illusion of depth and realism in the work of art. It is also an intrinsic part of human evolutionary makeup. As Edgerton ( 2006) states, "

Every human being who has ever lived from Pleistocene times to the present, has experienced in vision the apparent convergence of parallel edges of objects as they extend away from our eyes and seem to come together in a single "vanishing point" on the distant horizon… (Edgerton, 2006)

However, from an art historical perspective it is also true that linear or single-point perspective has not always been an accepted part of painting and artistic creation. It is in fact only fairly recently in history that perspective has been seen to be an important part of the picture space of the artwork. Furthermore, it is also mainly a Western artistic convention and formal conventions of perspective are not found in many artistic traditions, such as in Eastern art. Perspective…… [Read More]

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Art and Society an Analysis

(176)

In this regard, Nead notes that because she was an art lover, Richardson experienced a moral dilemma in her decision to attack "The Rokeby Venus," but she felt compelled to do so anyway based on her perception that the government was failing to act responsibility towards women in general and the suffragettes in particular. "In her statement during her trial, Richardson appears calm and articulate and nothing is said explicitly about any objections that she might have had to a female nude. Indeed, it was not until an interview given in 1952 that Richardson gave an additional reason for choosing the Velazquez: 'I didn't like the way men visitors to the gallery gaped at it all day'" (emphasis added) (Nead 36).

Figure 1. Velazquez, The Rokeby Venus.

Source: The Social Construction of Gender, 2006.

According to Mann (2002), functionalism could help explain the attack by Richardson on "The Rokeby Venus" based on the stark contrasts between how men and women were treated during the early 20th century. "Functionalism was a static picture of a self-satisfied society run by interlocking power elites," he advises, "suppressing outsiders such as blacks, women, the poor, and the artistic avant-garde. The monuments of structural…… [Read More]

Works Cited:

Art Both Duccio Di Buoninsegna and Fra

Art

Both Duccio di Buoninsegna and Fra Filippo Lippi paint the Christian Madonna and child scene. Lippi's "Madonna and Child Enthroned with Two Angels" is rendered on wood with tempera and gold leaf. It is rounded at the top, and was the center part of a triptych that was completed in about the year 1440.[footnoteRef:1] Also in tempera and gold leaf on wood is di Buoninsegna's "Madonna and Child." Candle damage at the bottom of the wood panel suggests that the painting was "used for private devotion."[footnoteRef:2] Buoninsegna's painting was completed in the year 1300, almost one hundred and fifty years prior to Lippi's "Madonna and Child Enthroned with Two Angels." The two depictions of mother Mary and baby Jesus share similar themes, and in both the mother is holding the child. However, the composition of the two paintings is strikingly different and symbolizes their respective religious histories. [1: "Fra Filippo Lippi: Madonna and Child Enthroned with Two Angels (49.7.9)." In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000 -- . http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/49.7.9 (August 2007)] [2: "Duccio di Buoninsegna: Madonna and Child (2004.442)." In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art,…… [Read More]

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Art Therapy a Form of Psychotherapy

Art Therapy a form of psychotherapy?

Since the middle of the twentieth century, artistic expression and creation have been seen as valuable assets in the context of therapy and rehabilitation. The impact that art therapy has had on the field of psychology is undeniable, and its influence has contributed to the development of various diagnostic tools and interventions used in psychotherapy. The practice of art therapy involves the process of image making and its resulting products, as well as the relationship dynamic between the client and the therapist in relation to the image and/or each other (Edwards, 2004). Specific definitions of the term 'art therapy' are conflicting and numerous (Edwards, 2004). Currently, the British Association of Art Therapists perceives art therapy as process of practitioners enabling psychological and emotional growth and change in clients through artistic creation, and the relationship between the client and the therapist is viewed as integral to the therapeutic success of art therapy (Karkou & Sanderson, 2006). Several debates exist with the art therapy profession regarding its own identity (Karkou & Sanderson, 2006). In particular there is some disagreement among art therapists in regard to whether art therapy is a form of psychotherapy. The following discussion…… [Read More]

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Art Please Take a Close Look at

Art

Please take a close look at two paintings of storms: Watteau's the Storm

painting comparison

Watteau's the Storm and Delacroix's the Sea of Galilee

The two paintings in question refer to different time periods in art history and more importantly, to different views about art and life. These views are also reflected in the style and the technique of the two paintings. Art is often a reflection of the times in which it is created. The social values and perceptions as well as the dominant religious and philosophical ideas of the time tend to be represented in art during a certain period. The following two paintings will be compared and contrasted in terms of their unique qualities, as well as in terms of the way they reflect the era and the dominant ethos of the time period in which they were created.

Comparison of Two Paintings

The development in art from Neoclassicism to the Romantic period can be seen in the analysis of these two paintings. However, one has to first ascertain the main characteristics of these two periods.

From the perspective of art history the Neoclassical period was still deeply concerned with the ideals of Greek as well…… [Read More]

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Art Museum Case Study This Case Study

Art Museum: Case Study

This case study involves a campus art museum that for many years had a competent director, but a relatively staid presence on campus. The last director had a far more populist orientation. He tried to bring schoolchildren into the museum on a regular basis, and bring in traveling art exhibitions that were of interest to the larger public. But he seemed more interested in advancing a radical political agenda than truly supporting art. Because the art museum is seen as connected to the graduate school, there is a great deal of anger amongst faculty members, who believe that the museum should serve the interests of the school, specifically the graduate students studying for PhDs. In the future, the evaluation committee must have a more systematic process for evaluating candidates. The mission of the art museum must be clearly defined. And the past qualifications, necessary skills, and goals of the position must be stated as part of the job description. The new director must be sensitive to the needs of the community, yet also have relevant managerial experience.

Universities have multifaceted missions, and must please a variety of stakeholders. On one hand, they have a duty to…… [Read More]

Art Critique of Surreal and Post-Impressionist Works

Art Critique

Critique of Surreal and Post-Impressionist Works of Art

Dali's Autumn Cannibalism (1936) http://arthistory.about.com/od/from_exhibitions/ig/dali_retrospective/dali_pma_05_07.htm

Salvador Dali is one of the great and mercurial figures in art history. The surrealistic Spanish painter was influenced heavily by the tumultuous period of history in which he lived and by the haunting images in his own psyche. Both are on dramatic display in the 1936 piece, "Autumn Cannibalism." Here, Dali paints a depiction of the military conflict tearing his motherland apart from within, offering us this terrifying rendering of civil war as seen through the eyes of one consumed by it.

In the confrontation between the social commentary and the internal reflection that comprise this piece, Dali creates a piece that is decidedly representative of the surrealist movement both in aesthetic and motif. In spite of Dali's incredible influence, surrealism was ultimately a short-lived movement, leaving its impression on the art world through a peak lasting from the mid-twenties until just prior to World War II. At a time when the Great Depression left the world with very little external inspiration, artists were finding more than enough ideas in the murky depths of their own anxieties, as such, painters like Dali would find…… [Read More]

Art Museum Visit This Particular Piece of

Art Museum Visit

This particular piece of art is a limestone statue, which in all likelihood, originally was a painted piece. Limestone was a precious mineral, and would have most likely been honed and by prepared by a servant or slave for the artisan to work with. This statue is considered to be sculpture in the round as there are no additional supports required (Barnet 113). A great deal of detail is carved into the headdress, and because of the realism qualities, the statue is of a woman. A number of these statues were designed in small decorative forms; however, many were crafted in life size and even larger forms. The proportions seem to be to scale. The Egyptian use of proportions is a method that depicts the human figure in a consistent way, using measurements derived from the observation of real bodies and related to Egyptian metrology (Baines 9). Every detail of the statues extremities are visually clear, with regard to the fingers, demarcation for toes, etc. The face is beautifully carved and the features are proportionate as well. Typically, these kinds of statutes represented a person of high status in Ancient Egypt.

Egyptian representation in art is considered…… [Read More]

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History of Dada Art Movement

History Of Dada Art Movement

There is a long list of movements that were begun for the sake of art, for instance cubism and surrealism. These two movements experienced grave criticism as they touched nihillism. On the other hand, movements like Dada have been admired and honored by the majorities (MobileReference).

If truth be told, the early 20th century brought a turbulent and disorderly change in the world. The First World War and the Russian Revolution tainted people's understanding of their worlds in an overwhelming manner. This new mind set of people was strongly reflected in the early twentieth century art movements as well. They were all, if seen in technical terms, were boldly modern and groundbreaking. In order to look into and explore the structure of realization, these movements moved further than the unruffled surface of traditional painting. However, perhaps Dada must be looked for its most compelling explorations of the modern psyche. It was a movement that put a great emphasis on mental investigation (Hopkins 1).

What is Dada?

According to Columbia Encyclopedia (2009), Dada or Dadaism was a nihilistic movement that was internationally began in 1916 by the European artists and writers and lasted till 1922. It…… [Read More]

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Art What Defines High and

Race and gender might have always been rigidly determined social categories, but class was more mutable when it came to access to cultural emblems like the visual and literary arts (Levine).

In "Cartoon and Comic Classicism," Smooden argues that scholars are deeply conflicted about the boundaries between high and low art. Cartoons, and the analysis of cartoons, are a perfect example of how, when, and why the boundaries between highbrow and lowbrow become blurred. Cartoons are artistically discreet modes of visual culture, and they often convey social and political commentary that is far more in depth than canvases hanging on the walls of art museums. Some mass-produced popular art carries with it an element of subversion, buried beneath the surface and only visible as satire by those keen enough to notice it -- whether high or low on the social ladder. Artists like Mark Ryden embody lowbrow, popular art and yet convey a sense of aesthetics and insight not dissimilar from that of sophisticated animation.

The boundaries between high and low art are becoming blurred, thanks in part to thoughtful analyses of the ethics of the phenomenon. High and low are not adjectives used to qualify the quality of the…… [Read More]

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Art Conception Early Renaissance Imagine

The function of the work of art would be to stand before the city, and to show the city as wisdom personified, and by implication show that the wisdom came from the works and power of the Medici. It would make an analogy between the city-state of Florence and the ancient city-state of Athens. Because Athens was a genuine republic, it might even deflect some criticism from the Medicis, who were technically supposed to be residents of a republic, even though they ruled from behind the scenes. The setting of the sculpture, next to David, outside the city gates would act as a powerful warning of the city's power (with the violence of the anvil and David's shotgun) as well as strike a balance between Classical representations of learning and the still-important tenants of the Catholic faith that must be honored in a world still dominated by the clergy.

The work would be seen by the people of Florence as yet another fitting tribute to their city's greatness by the Medicis, and to the neighboring city-states like Milan the statue would be seen as a warning. The glory of the statue would pay tribute to the new interest in the…… [Read More]

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