Author: Jake Cohen (Page 2 of 3)

During today’s class, we shifted our focus to baroque art in France. We learned how there was an absolute monarchy existing within France, under King Louis XIV. The king owns his power from God and proclaims himself second in command after God. We learned about the architecture of the massive and spectacular Palace of Versailles. Louis XIV moved the palace from Paris to the suburbs as a result of multiple civil wars in France, and increasing pressure from the nobility of the country. After the nobles and peasants are defeated, Louis XIV abolishes the feudal pyramid that was in place, establishing absolute power. All nobles now have to come to Versailles at some point so that Louis XIV can keep an eye on them. The Palace of Versailles is expanded tremendously under him as well, connecting this to his ideology of power. The sheer size of the palace is representative of baroque art, and is a way to display the king’s power and might across France. The “French Gardens” are gigantic as well, and are displayed right in front of the palace. The sections are designed like garden rooms, but are very controlled. There is a large canal, with all kinds of fountains throughout the garden as well.

Within the Palace of Versailles, is the “Hall of Mirrors,” which was constructed by Jules Hardouin Mansart in 1678. The hallway is filled with tons of gold in between the mirrors and the areas are covered in mirrors that were imported from Venice, which means they are extremely expensive, further emphasizing the king’s power and wealth. There are seventeen windows, each directly opposite from mirrors, so that light is reflected. There are a total of four hundred mirrors, making the light seem infinite. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about this magnificent palace as well as its surroundings that helped emphasize absolutism under King Louis XIV.

Today we discussed the Baroque in the Netherlands, and broke the class up into discussing about artwork in the Spanish Netherlands and artwork in the Dutch Republic, which is present-day Netherlands. In the 16th century, European countries had to choose which religion they would embrace, as the influence of the Reformation was huge. The Netherlands was split between the north and south, with the north embracing Calvinism and the south embracing Catholicism. The Treaty of Westphalia granted autonomy in the north. The most influential artist in the Spanish Netherlands was Peter Paul Rubens. He was born in Germany, then moved to Antwerp, where he converted to Catholicism. This area was under Spanish rule, and he learned to behave in an upper-class society at a young age. He was impressed by Caravaggio’s artwork when visiting Rome in 1601, and many of his artworks were inspired by Caravaggio’s light and darkness contrast.

One of Peter Paul’s most influential pieces was his “Elevation of the Cross,” which was constructed from 1610 to 1611 in Antwerp. The format of the work is old fashioned, and based on the “Merode Triptych” structure in 1425. The triptych displayed in the artwork was decided by the commissioners, not Peter Paul himself. The work calls to mind things the way they were before the Reformation, a time when Catholicism dominated Europe. Only one scene is depicted despite, three different panels, so there is not a continuous narrative. The left side represents people who are friends of Christ, the “good guys.” The right ide represents the “bad guys.” This is an instantaneous action, with the Cross being elevated, which is representative of the nature of baroque art.

In today’s class we visited the Colby Museum of Art. We looked at a variety of different types of art, spanning over different centuries and locations. One thing that we specifically focused on was engravings versus etchings on paper, and how we could tell which type was created by the author. For example, we could tell that Hendrik Goltzius’s “The Roman Heroes: Mucius Scaevola,” was an engraving due to the different types of line across the artwork. Some lines are thin and some are thick, along with some lines being interrupted and the width on the same line varying. On the other hand, we know that Jacques Callot’s “From the Medici Landscapes: La Chasse Au Cerf” was an etching, as the lines are very natural and sketchier. Francisco’s “Disparate Volante” is also an etching because as we looked closer there were white dots within the dark area. These are bits of residue that stand out after the painting was completed. Overall, I liked examining the different artworks and enjoyed our visit to the Arts Museum!

In today’s class, we continued our discussion on Italian baroque art. We analyzed a variety of different works such as Gianlorenzo Bernini’s “David” as well as his “Ecstasy of St. Teresa.” Bernini was one of the most influential artists at the time. Born in Naples, he moved to Rome and spent his entire career there commissioning a variety of different works. He was multi-talented: a painter, stage designer, an architect, and more. By age 17 he was already commissioning sculptures for the Pope. His “David” sculpture was made entirely out of marble in just seven months, a remarkably short amount of time for such a creation. The sculpture represented an important symbol for Florentines, which was the Goliath being defeated with a slingshot. Bernini’s “David” shows David getting ready to slingshot the rock. He is twisted in one direction, and the depiction represents a split-second stop right before David is about to release the shot. His facial expression is very focused, as he is looking directly at the target. This architecture represents instantaneous action. David is just about to throw the sling shot at the giant, with the viewer being apart of the action. The viewer is apart of this illusion and “real time” experience that is associated with Italian baroque art.

Bernini’s “The Ecstasy of St. Teresa” is another fascinating display. Constructed from 1645 to 1652, the scene depicts St. Teresa, a Carmelite nun in Spain, having a clear vision. The Bernini family is also viewing this vision on the sides of the scene, and the viewer also has a view of the saint having a vision. The central group of the scene is very light compared to the darkness surrounding it. This paints the illusion that the central figures are supernatural with a heavenly light honing down on them. The viewer can not see that there is actually a secret window that is letting light in to the white marble. There are many images portrayed throughout this scene, which is very important for contemporary times. Images was used as a way of fighting against Protestantism, and was thus apart of the Counter Reformation. Bernini depicts Teresa being spiritually and physically affected by this saint next to her, and the levitation of Teresa makes it look very real, creating an illusion. This persuasion of reality is a defining feature of baroque art in Italy.

In today’s class, we wrapped up our discussion on the High Renaissance in Northern Europe by studying the work of Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Bruegel, initially from the Netherlands, traveled to Italy and was fascinated by the mountainous Alps that he witnessed. Being from a very flat landscape in the Netherlands, Bruegel made sculptures of mountains in the Alps, as he was intrigued by the hilly landscape. Bruegel’s works often poke fun at people and this is exactly what his “The Blind Leading the Blind” artwork did. The painting depicts a bunch of blind guys who are in the process of falling in a ditch. It represents the idea of when someone is in charging a group of people when they don’t even know where they are supposed to go. A countryside contemporary setting is depicted, with a church in the background. The scene also depicts a statement from Christ when he spoke about the blind, however, Christ’s saying was about spiritual blindness, not human blindness. Bruegel knew this as well, and so he could be making a critical statement about the church institution.

We then shifted our focus to Italian baroque art. This period is defined by emotion and the counter-reformation movement. The Catholic Church was losing business because of Luther’s criticisms of the papacy and they needed to do something to stop losing followers. As a result, the Catholic Church undertook a rebranding plan at the Council of Trent from 1545 to 1563. The goal of the meetings were to fight against the advancements of Protestantism. The company of Jesuits was created to fight back against the progress of the Reformation. The Council of Trent formed guidelines to better represent things. The Catholics used images and art to convince people to be Catholic rather than Protestant. Ultimately, the council was somewhat successful, with spreading Catholicism around the world, however many Europeans still became followers of Protestantism.

To begin today’s class, we studied the “Allegory with Venus and Cupid” painting by Agnolo Bronzino. Bronzino was known for his mannerist style of painting and no one really know what is going on in this painting, which was typical for art at the time. The subject matter of this artwork is important, as it was commissioned by one of the Medici’s as a gift to the King of France. Toward the top of the painting, Father Time can be seen holding a clock, while unveiling the scene we see. The goddess Venus and her son Cupid are presented in the center of the scene. The figure in the background is holding honey in one hand and a scorpion in the other. Honey represents happiness and love whereas the scorpion represents danger and death. The hands of this figure are reversed, signifying mannerism art which was known for its unusual and puzzling elements. This figure represents a hybrid character. On the one hand, time is revealing love and the amazing things that come with love, but on the other side, we see the dangers of love at times and jealousy that can stem from it.

We then transitioned to the High Renaissance in Northern Europe. The Protestant Reformation played an enormous role in Northern Europe during this era. Martin Luther criticizes the church, writing his 95 Theses criticizing the papacy. The most famous artist in this era was Albrecht Durer. He is referred to as the “German Leonardo” because he has lots of different talents similar to Leonardo and his work is extremely well known in the region to this day. One of Durer’s most famous paintings is his “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” which was made in 1498. Durer used woodcut to create this painting and it is part of a larger series of prints on the “Book of Revelations.” Durer used print making to mass produce his paintings and more easily transfer them across villages, which expanded his popularity massively. The four horsemen consist of death, famine, war, and conquest, who all kill creatures as they ride away. The artwork portrayed the fear in the turn of the millennial in 1500.

Throughout today’s class, we went into depth about Michelangelo’s art, and learned how there was a shift in Renaissance art in what’s know as “late Michelangelo.” Late Michelangelo is classified as a period where all the travels in Italian renaissance began to part ways. One of his most famous works during this era was his artwork on the Sistine Chapel ceiling in the Vatican. Michelangelo was commissioned by Julius II, the new pope, to perform these paintings from 1908 to 1912. These different scenes depicted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel are still some of the most popular paintings in the world today. There are many different parts to Michelangelo’s paintings including lunettes which are semi-circle figures that are represented as historical. Prophets are also depicted throughout many of the scenes and represent old Testament figures, in a away announcing Christ. Sybils on the other hand don’t come from the old Testament, and rather are women who announce what is to come. Lastly, “ignudi” are naked man portrayed throughout many of the scenes, however it is unknown what their role in the paintings is. They are very muscular and flexible, making their brawn stature seem effortless.

The two major scenes created on the Sistine Chapel ceiling are “The Original Sin” and “The Expulsion from the Garden of Eden,” along with “The creation of Adam.” Both scenes were created from 1508 to 1512. The first of the two scenes contains a continuous narrative and contrasts young and beautiful with old and frightened. The other scene shows a sparkle of life that is about to happen, with the birth of Adam and Eve into the world. There is a horizontal line with the two arms reaching out toward each other. Interestingly, we also learned about how dirty the ceiling got in a short period of time, and pieces began to literally fall down. This is because the medium of Michelangelo’s art was not that great and as a result the dirtiness and cracks of the paintings affect the ways that late Michelangelo art is viewed. The complexity in late Michelangelo art is what differentiates it from the previous simple, pure, and harmonious nature of previous Italian Renaissance art.

In today’s class we began by discussing Botticelli’s “The Birth of the Venus” which was created in 1485. It’s important to note that the scene does not actually depict how Venus was born, but it was given this name. Botticelli had a quest for naturalism. He adopted a slightly different approach to depictions of life and presented a very mythological scene in this painting. The painting is based on a Roman copy of a Greek Hellenistic original know as “Medici Venus.” Within the scene, Venus is being pushed to the shore by Zephyr, who is the God of the West wind, and is hugging Chloris. There are also roses flying in the air, which represent the “flowers of Venus.” Venus is known as the “Hour of Spring,” and thus the painting is filled with spring-like flora such as the roses and blooming orange trees in the background.

We then shifted our focus to the High Renaissance in Italy. The main start of this era was Leonardo da Vinci who was born in Vinci in 1452. Leonardo was more than just a painter, he was also a well-renowned sculptor, architect, and worked as a military engineer, creating many sketches and graphical representations for military items. Leonardo is widely known for the relationship between macrocosm and microcosm. He tried to find patterns and systems between small parts and the overall large part of something. We then focused on one of Leonardo’s works, “Madonna of the Rocks,” which is a painting that was divided into three aspects: pictorial, graphic, and speculative parts. Leonardo’s artwork is all about problem solving, and he is always searching for new ideas. Within this scene, baby Jesus, his cousin St. John the Baptist, the Virgin, and the angel are all connected with one another. He presents these four figures in a pyramidal shape, which is much more stable than a symmetrical work. Overall, it was fascinating studying some of Leonardo da Vinci’s works during the High Renaissance era.

During today’s class we talked more about fifteenth century Italian art. We learned how Masaccio produced the “Branacci chapel” in 1425 and became a master in 1422, joining the guild. Masaccio was asked to paint scenes from the life of Saint Peter, and despite his death at only 27 years old, he made a lasting impact during this era.

Masaccio’s “Tribute Money” painting in 1425 was based on Matthew’s Gospel. We know that there is a continuous narrative going on in the painting because St. Peter is depicted in three different scenes. First, St. Peter is talking to Christ about having to give money to the tax collector, then he is seen collecting the money from the mouth of a fish, and finally he is seen paying the tax collector. Christ and his representatives are depicted in togas and the change in color on the floor is indicative of fresh painting after initial paints, which was typical of Fresco painting. It is interesting to note that the three scenes are not depicted from the typical left to right. Instead, scene one is in the center of the painting, scene two is to the left, and scene three is to the right. This was done intentionally to highlight Christ and his followers being in the center of the painting. It also makes it so that the viewer goes through Christ twice, once to the scene of St. Peter collecting the money from the mouth of a fish, and the other of St. Peter giving the money to the tax collector. The painting was a product of the times in Florence, as the Pope made it mandatory for Florentines to pay taxes. Masaccio used elements of the landscape to help his narrative. He kept things according to scale, such as the church door which is certainly big enough for people to fit under. There is also an atmospheric perspective being presented, where objects that are farther away lose sharpness and detail. It is also interesting to see that Peter is replicating the motions of Christ. This is not an accident, as Peter was the first ever pope who was appointed as Christ.

Throughout today’s class we discussed early renaissance in fifteenth century Italy. We learned about the term “studia humanitatis,” which means the study of human works. These human works consist of rhetoric, literature, history, moral philosophy, and art. The rhetoric is displayed through public speaking or writing, and is ultimately used to convince people of something. There is a clear emphasis on ancient Greco-Roman knowledge during this era. We also learned that the introduction of the printing press in 1464 helped spread knowledge in Italy, and that paper was ultimately made with rags rather than trees at the time.

We then focused our shift toward Florence, which was a city-state within the Italian peninsula at the time. Florence was a republic, meaning there wasn’t just one ruler over the town, and by being a republic, they were affirming that they’re the heirs of Ancient Romans. Bankers and merchants controlled the economy of Florence and Florentine guilds were a common way to express groups of people in a form of “mechanical art.” We examined the Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore closely, which was architected by Brunelleschi from 1420 to 1436. He created a double shell within the dome, meaning that what you see from the outside is different than what you examine from the inside. The shape is octagonal, with eight ribs. The dome has a lantern to help bring light into the building, and has an orb near the top representing the world, with a cross at the very top representing Christianity ruling the world. Brunelleschi made ratios and relationships between parts of the structure very rational, which was an important way to architect during this era. The location of the dome is very important too, as its location in the center of the city acts as a way of looking over the Cathedral of Florence and the entire city-state. The dome serves as a way of looking over its town and its people, keeping them safe.