Author: Paige Saudek (Page 2 of 3)

Following Spring Break, April 1st brings us to the beginning of our study of the Rococo period. We see multiple themes of the Rococo period throughout the works we looked at. Most profoundly, though, Jean-Antoine Watteau’s 1717 A Pilgrimage to Cythera (fig. 4) reflects Rococo themes of theatricality, illusion, sensuality, nature, and playfulness to create a world of fantasy. Moving on in the class, we looked at Jean-Antoine Watteau’s Gersaint’s Signboard and Seated Young Woman, both workings typical of Watteau — intricate use of light and dark along with details referencing beauty and a sense of sensuality.

Next, we looked at François Boucher, Portrait of Madame de Pompadour and Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Swing. The Swing in particular presents a baron lying in a pastoral scene below his swinging mistress, with “fantasy, flirtatiousness, and licentiousness” (Janson 22.1) all coming together amid vibrant colors and gentle light. Continuing class, we looked at Jean-Baptiste Honoré Chardin, Back from the Market, Chardin, Boy Soap Bubbles, Chardin, La Brioche, Jean-Baptiste Greuze, The Village Bride or The Marriage: The Moment When a Father Gives His Son-in-Law a Dowry, and lastly, William Hogarth, The Orgy, scene III of The Rake’s Progress. Ultimately, while I only speak about a few works, the Rococo period provokes sensuality, drama, a sense of escapism, and wealth, and these themes are portrayed though the works we focused on during class.

Wednesday, March 20th, we continued with the Baroque period, specifically focusing the Baroque influence and growth in France and England. During this class period, we looked at a few artists consisting of Jacob Van Ruisdael and his Bleaching ground near Haarlem, Rachel Ruysch, Jan Vermeer, Charles le Brun, and
Claude Lorrain. The works of each artists varied quite significantly, yet we continue to see themes of Baroque art, including a distancing from the harmony and idealized beauty of Mannerism, a turn to naturalism, and the turbulent subject matter that reflected the conflict between Catholicism and the Protestant Reformation.

This class focused on the casts of light drawn on each painting, along with the shadows and sunlight in the natural world. Not only did we look at various works of paintings, we also focused on Louis XIV and his architectural guidance which ultimately grew the Palace of Versaille. I found this part of the class particularly interesting, specifically learning about the role power and hierarchy had over the art industry in France at the time of Louis XIV and the sheer scale and brilliance the architects sought through the large foundations and structures that were being built.

Monday, March 18, our class focused on the Baroque period, specifically in the Netherlands. The Netherlands underwent a split between Catholicism and Protestantism — Flanders leading Catholic and Holland to be Protestant.

In class, we focused on three major artists during this period. The first being a Flemish artist and Catholic, Peter Paul Rubens. Reuben’s travelled across Rome, taking inspiration and learning from Italian artists, Titian and Caravaggio. Reuben’s took his knowledge to show others what they can do, opening a successful workshop of many young, talented artists, one being Portrait of Charles I of England Hunting painter, Anthony van Dyck. We looked at a few of his works, including his first well-known oil on panel, Elevation of the Cross and Marie de Medici. The cross, in particular, draws my eye as it casts a stark contrast and separates the light and dark scenes of the panel. This work in particular shows the intricate brushstrokes sweeping across the canvas, along with vibrant colors.

Moving on, our class looked at two works by Dutch Golden Age Painter, Frans Hals. Hals’s inique talent and fascination green through painting portraits for the wealthy middle class. The two portraits we focused on consisted of The Jolly Topper and Banquet of the Officers of the St. George Civic Guard. Hals works were dynamic and eye catching for the viewer. The last artist we focused was the Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn. van Reign soon came known to express intense emotions, realism, oftentimes displayed through his self-portraits. van Rijn’s last work we looked at, The Night Watch, catches my eye through his depiction of the militia beginning to march in a parade. van Rijn’s willingness to make a stand and portray the troubled parts of society through his works perhaps opens doors to other artists to protest through art.

Class on Wednesday, March 13th, we had the opportunity to visit the Colby College Museum of Art Special Collections with Professor Plesch. It was an amazing opportunity, and I am thankful we have the privilege to do this.

During our visit to the museum, Professor Plesch taught us about a few techniques and showed us works portraying these techniques. Our class focused on painted-over woodcuts, relief, intaglio, cross-hatching, drypoint needling, and finally etching. We looked at one woodcut: Albrecht Dürer’s Passio Christi and Hendrik Goltzius’s Mucius Scaevola which displayed the cross-hatching technique that ultimately holds a wide range of line-width throughout the work. Mucius Scaevola also held lines portraying complex shapes; not exact straightness, yet the lines held arches and arcs, with varying amounts of space between each line. We looked at Colby College students’ etchings and drypoint needling, where one sketches on varnished metal and then places the metal into an acid bath. We also discussed Jacques Callot’s Dwarf with Big Belly, which showed as an example of a printmaker hoping to depict an engraving. We continued class looking at Rembrandt van Rijn’s The Goldweigher’s Field, a simple-looking etching, Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s Vedutta Della Bascilica, E Piazza Di S.Pietro in Vaticano, another etching on paper. Many of these works showed intricate details in the faces of the people. Ultimately these works brought me to modern day cartoons, which show harsh facial expressions through intricate detail and multiple lines. 

During class on Monday, March 11th, we continued our studies on Italian Baroque Art. For the majority of the beginning of class, Professor Plesch focused on Italian sculptor Gianlorenzo Bernini. Bernini served as a member of the Borghese family and fulfilled the Basilica of St. Peters and the beautification system in Rome. We looked at a few of Bernini’s works, including David, a life size portrayal of David from the biblical text, David and Goliath. Bernini astonishingly completed the sculpture in a span of seven months (a short period of time for a detailed sculptor of that size). The sculptor conveys realism, as David stands in an athletic position, holding an intense focus as he throws a stone. Given this work was commissioned by Scipione Borghese, a former Cardinal in Italy, I ponder the question of how much direction the cardinals or popes gave the artists when asking them to commission a work for them?

We continued our study of Bernini, noting his The Ecstasy of St. Teresa, representing a complex depiction of vision and coextensive space, along with his Baldacchino and Piazza before St. Peter’s. Each of Bernini’s sculptures that we focused on depict an intense representation and an in-depth portrayal of space and religious motive sought through various church’s ideals and cardinal or pope motives. Following our studies on Bernini, we focused on a few other artists at the time, including Giovanni Battista Gauli, Francesco Borromini, Juan Sánchez Cotán, Jusepe de Ribera (“Lo Spagnoletto”), Francisco de Zurbarán, and lastly Diego Velázquez. Giovanni Battista Gauli incorporated a usage of mixed media works and a representation of the Jesuit order, specifically we saw this through his Triumph of the Name of Jesus. Francesco Borromini’s San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane draws multiple geometrical and complex illusions to the eye, exemplifying vast differences to Juan Sánchez Cotán’s Quince, Cabbage, Melon, and Cucumber. Cotán paints a simple and managed work. The work seems to be much more tame than that of Borromini’s San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane. Lastly, we studied three more works during this class period: Jusepe de Ribera’s The Club-Footed Boy, Francisco de Zurbarán’s St. Serapion, and finally Diego Velázquez’s Las Meninas. The Club-Footed Boy depicts a young beggar, but the young boy is almost laughing, sending the message that light-heartedness is the only way to overcome lack of rights, meagerness, or just hardships. The low horizon allows the reader to look up at the figure, perhaps alluding to the ability for the lower class to gain equality to the middle or upper classes. Finally, Diego Velázquez’s Las Meninas is one of the grandest spectacles of art in the world, as it conveys “A theory of painting.” This painting nicely wrapped up our class of tricky, dynamic, and clever works we focused on in this class period. 

Class on Wednesday, March 6th, we continued our studies on Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Originally from the Netherlands, Bruegel joined the Antwerp painters’ guild in 1551. Bruegel’s collections contained various ranges, specifically containing sketches of mountainous views and proverbs seen through vignettes. Bruegel encouraged the interconnectedness between humanism: ultimately the similarities, differences, and harmony between human beings and nature. We focused on a few works of Bruegel’s, including The Blind Leading the Blind, Harvesters and The Return of the Hunters. Bruegel’s The Blind Leading the Blind paints a modern setting, though a diagonal composition in comparison to the people located in the work. The work portrays a message from a biblical text reading, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides [of the blind]. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”— Matthew 15:13-14. Bruegel’s work conveys the idea of unrevealed knowledge, perhaps leading human beings to be “blind,” in a world of uncertainty.

Lastly, as we brought the study of Bruegel to an end for the week, we looked at one more of his works, Harvesters and The Return of the Hunters. The work contains a rich, lively landscape, illustrating human figures, and adding virtue and meaning to the natural landscape. Some researchers believe that this work consisted of multiple sketches from his travels combined into a central work. One of the most interesting aspects of Bruegel’s work was that they were painting or sketches composed to be sold at an open market, allowing and encouraging new ideas and questions to arise from the public. 

We continued class on the 6th by beginning our studies on the Italian Baroque period. We focused on multiple different aspects of this period, including artists reaction to Mannerism, counter reformation, crisis with the Church, and discussing some works and artists that are necessary to talk about, given their grande impact on the period. The artists we focused on involved Guercino and Agostino Tassi’s Love of the Gods, a fresco painting located in the Palazzo Farnese. Michelangelo Merisi (also known as Caravaggio) and his The Calling of Matthew, illustrated the biblical time when Christ encourages Matthew to follow in his footsteps. Lastly, we looked at Artemisia Gentileschi. Looking at the works of Artemisia, though, we see the challenges women artists faced at the time and the animosity women faced. 

This past Monday we focused on the High Renaissance in the North, beginning with Agnolo Bronzino’s Allegory with Venus and Cupid. Bronzino utilizes the mannerist style through much of the art composition of the work. Many of these characteristics include Father Time draping a rich blue cloak behind the figures of the painting, multiple unknown figures, and a French kiss occurring in the focal point of the work between Cupid and his mother, Venus. As we talked about in class, this French kiss perhaps alludes to eroticism. Perhaps, though, this French kiss also represents the meaning behind Cupid, the God of desire, and physical affection and admiration he holds for many to look up to. Not only do the main figures draw allusions and metaphors, but a figure in the foreground perhaps draws the most significant symbolism and mannerist style. A man, seeming to be in agony, grasps his head with a sense of anger or pain. Many speculations state this man represents jealousy, envy, or even syphilis (given Francis I was diagnosed with syphilis and this work was commissioned for him). The characteristics of this work are typical of Agnolo’s mannerist, intricate, and complicated style seen throughout his work.

Moving forward in class, we began discussing artistic aspects present in Northern Europe. Traditional styles continued, Italian influence increased, and lastly the protestant reform occurred, following Martin Luther’s criticism on the Church, which ultimately led Luther to be expelled from the Church. Focusing on German painter, Albrecht Dürer and his developments of goldsmith techniques from his father and learnings from being taught by the art and print workshop. We analyzed his The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Buxheum St. Christopher, and his Self Portrait, all sketches by Dürer, and lastly his Adam and Eve. Albrecht Dürer’s various works are incredible, but I am struck in particular by the multiple techniques and vast differences in technique and style between each of his works present. Each work is intricate and unique in detail, holds an allusion to religious concepts, and incorporates light versus dark colors.

Last Wednesday we wrapped up the High Renaissance period, beginning class with Michelangelo’s, Awakening Prisoners and his Dying Slave. Michelangelo believed sculpting with stone was the most ideal form of art. Moving on, our class studied a marble sculpture by Michelangelo, Pieta. The sculpture depicts Christ’s body removed from the cross and laid across the Virgin Mary’s lap. The sculpture is gentle as Mary’s face looks down on Christ with a calm demeanor. As a class we spoke about the work’s symbolic meaning of Mary’s young features, perhaps referencing Christ as a baby in her arms. This sculpture displays many of the goals of the High Renaissance period: harmony (through the draped clothes), ideal forms, balance (through Christ’s body laying evenly across Mary), and pyramidal form.

Moving along in class, we began discussing and learning about Mannerism. A drastic change from High Renaissance to Mannerism brought forward a few necessary changes between religious and political shifts that are necessary to be spoken about. The Medici family thus returns to power in 1530 and the protestants break apart. Through art, we began to see a departure from primary colors, contorted body positions, and an overall shift from simplicity to complexity. To finish class, we looked at two Parmigiano works: Self Portrait in a Convex Mirror and Madonna of the Long Neck. Madonna of the Long Neck draws a bridge from the High Renaissance period, given it holds many changes in style. This work caught my attention, specifically the detail of the work’s unfinished elements, her long and large baby in her arms, elongated neck, an imbalance of figures (almost all figures are crammed on the left side of the work), and refined, rich beauty held by the Virgin.

On Monday, February 26, our focus centered on High Renaissance in Italy, specifically discussing Leonardo da Vinci and his strong influence on many artists to come. Before speaking about Leonardo, we looked at Botticelli and Raphael. Both artists incorporated Ancient Greek myths, historical events, and philosophers. Raphael’s The School of Athens displays Plato versus Aristotle is necessary to discuss and analyze. Plato points upward to the sky, referring to the platonic school’s ideal principal to achieve excellence. Aristotle, on the other hand, holds down his palm, representing the Aristotelian philosophy, the principle of observing life through observation and using one’s senses to gain experiences and new ideas/concepts. 

Moving on in class, we focused on Italian painter and polymath, Leonardo da Vinci and his focus on macrocosmic and microcosmic worlds, believing mathematics was the “absolute paradigm of knowledge” (Powerpoint from class). Leonardo drew great interest from the anatomy of human bodies and the geometrical design of the shape of the human body. Leonardo specifically portrayed this interest through sketches, such as the Virtruvian Man. By developing the three aspects of painting: pictorial, graphic, and speculative, it displayed his love for abstraction and deep thinking. Of course we all know Leonardo da Vinci as the painter of the famous Mona Lisa, however this class, and Professor Plesch specifically, opened me up to the complex story behind Leonardo’s paintings, and ultimately why Leonardo serves as a paragon of the bridge between mathematics and painting. Leonardo was looked up to so much by society that when his Madonna of the Rocks was never completed after starting it in 1483, Leonardo was sued by the confraternity for not finishing the work. Finally the painting depicting the Virgin Mary, John the Baptist, young Jesus, and the Angel Uriel, was finished in 1508.

Lastly, I would like to recount our discussion on the Mona Lisa. Leonardo utilizes a technique that contrasts light and dark, known as chiaroscuro and a technique portraying tones and colors shading into one another, known as sfumato. The painting depicts Lisa Gherardini, a rich Florentine woman. Ms. Gherardini’s dress is simple, and she is free of jewelry (drastically different motive than that of many portraits in which are purposeful to show wealth). The smile of Ms. Gherardini is the most well known feature of the woman. Her grin is mischievous, yet simple, calm, and welcoming. The background of the work displays a complex landscape, and upon closer look, an expansive greenery. Given what I have learned about Leonardo, I wonder whether it was his choice solely to provide a woman without displaying her wealthy class or if Lisa Gherardini had any say of what she wore and what her expression was for the painting. I could spend a whole week on this incredible work and what the story and feelings behind this work consist of.

Last Wednesday, toward the beginning of class, we focused our attention toward Masaccio’s The Tribute Money. The story is striking as it is told from the Gospel of Matthew, yet it is unique to many biblical stories. The story is continuous, showing St. Peter portrayed three times throughout the work. The story is not intended to be read left to right, like we are used to, and the significance of this detail is that Christ becomes the focal point of this work. Perhaps Christ being the focal point draws on the importance of Christ’s intent to look over the people of Florentine. One way he does this is by enforcing that church shall pay their own taxes. The painting’s colors are necessary to note, as Masaccio utilizes dark versus light colors, vibrant reds, blues, teals, and oranges, thus allowing for the subjects to look closer than they actually are. As the textbook wrote, the posture and stances of the figures decreases the spacial setting area of the work. I particularly like this painting, because of the colors, the rich detail of the figures clothes and body figures, and ultimately the feeling that you get — it is as if you are experiencing the scene yourself.

Continuing on with Masaccio’s works, we centered on his, The Holy Trinity with the Virgin, St John and Two Donors. Masaccio’s work does something that many artists struggled or even denied doing: depicting the Trinity. The painting’s colors are majority blues and reds and the architecture is contemporary. Moving on, we focused on Michelozzo’s Palazzo Medici-Riccardi and the differences between architectural buildings for people living in Florence. Michelozzo’s architectural designs, along with other architects and their works, convey the power held by wealthier palace owners in Florence. Lastly, we looked at Donatello’s David, addressing the pinnacle of Florence, David, and his poised, calm, young figure. Finally, the last work we looked at include’s Paulo Uccello’s Battle of San Romano. This work is particularly interesting, given it is not to portray a violent battle, but is perhaps more of a set scene or background of everything that is going on in society at the time.