One of the most interesting works that we looked at this semester was Giambologna (Giovanni Bologna), Rape of the Sabines, 1582, Florence. Giambologna was criticized in which observers said he was only able to do small scale sculptures. As a result, he created Rape of the Sabines, a complicated, large-scale sculpture with an old man, young man, and young woman, entangled in a complex manner. The sculpture is appealing from all angles, and Giambologna created the work for the sake of showing off. In fact, he did not have a name for it, however, after becoming recognized by many people, he chose Rape of the Sabines since he was all about virtuosity. He created this art for artsake in the sense that it was not about representing a story to convey a moral. Rather, he was motivated by making a cool sculpture to impress a large audience and demonstrate his skill in sculptures.
Author: Noah Brooks (Page 1 of 3)
We began this class by looking at the map of Colby and examining the spatial organization. We spoke of the type of architecture that Colby consists of, and its importance given the time period it was built in. I especially enjoyed Donatello, Marzocco, c. 1418-20. Pietra serena which encapsulates a Hebrew princess chopping the head of her enemy as proof of the murder. The work was moved from the private sector onto the public stage changing its overall meaning. In the Medici garden, the sculpture stood for triumph of bad rulers over vice, however, after being moved, its underlying meaning changed since the Medici family was no longer in power. Additionally, I like this work because it was revolutionary for Women during the time period. This work reversed the norm since a women beheaded a man.
The first work we talked about was Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights, c. 1510-15. Oil on panel, 7’3” x 12’ 9”. Madrid: Prado. We have already seen this painting before, however, we discussed its purpose as a conversation piece. We can see hell on the right and the ability for religion to transform things (alchemy). We then observed works by Pieter Bruegel including The Blind Leading the Blind, and Hunters in the Snow. The Blind Leading the Blind is based on the Gospel of Matthew and has and underlying meaning that people shouldn’t follow one another if the leader doesn’t know where they are going. This relates to a main topic we spoke about in many classes, art that includes allusions.
In this class, we examined multiple works that featured rising perspective. We looked at Sandro Botticelli, Primavera, c. 1478, Florence: Uffizi, a work that was commissioned at the time of the marriage. It features Cupid above Venus throwing flaming arrows (her son) at the Three Graces and perfect spherical oranges which allude to the Coat of arms of the Medici family.
In this class, we talked about Master of Frankfurt, Portrait of the Artist and his Wife, 1495. Oil on panel, 38×26 cm 1496. Antwerp: Museum of Fine Arts. We noticed that the Bull is a symbol of Saint Luke and discussed the format of portraits. Traditionally, the man always goes on the left and the women on the right of the portrait. The artist showed off on this work, trying to fool the audience by placing a fly on the wife in the portrait. Additionally, we talked about Nicola Pisano, Fortitude, 1259-60, Pulpit, Pisa, Baptistery and its importance as the first nude. This work also strongly reflects the idea of humanism.
In Jean Pucelle. The Betrayal of Christ (folio 15 verso) and Annunciation (folio 16 recto), from the Hours of Jeanne d’Évreux. 1324–28. Grisaille and tempera on vellum, we learned that the manuscript was named after the artist, a rarity for the time. The images are extremely impressive due to the extreme details on such a small canvas. We learned about Droleries (“funny things”) and their entertainment properties. We also spoke about Virgin of Jeanne d’Évreux. 1339. Silver gilt and enamel, height 271/2” (68 cm), in which the baby is touching the virgins face. The virgin’s bodyweight is on her leg opposite the baby creating and “s” shape, which was typical for the time. There were scenes from the crucifixion, resurrection, and Christ diving into Limbo to rescue patriarchs.
In this class, we talked about the different things that can be manipulated in a portrait. This includes appearances, lighting, context, landscape, the viewer (in what they say), and the sitter based on how they want to be portrayed. This was evident in Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, King Charles X in Coronation Robes, 1829. Oil on canvas. Bayonne: Musee Bonnat in which the sitter wore regalia to give a powerful impression to the viewer. We also talked about the condition of women in the Renaissance. We learned about the difficulty of women having power and spoke about the Guerilla Girls.
This lecture was especially interesting because of our conversation of gender portrayal in which we learned about the importance of jewelry as a means of showing status. This was exemplified in Titian, Eleonora Gonzaga. 1536-38. Oil on canvas, 44.8 x 40.5 in. (114 x 103 cm). Florence: Uffizi with her own jewelry and expensive clothing/lace. We also talked a lot about Mona Lisa and Leonardo’s choice in following a trend in which the sitter is placed at 3/4. Lots of conscious decisions went into this work including the placement of object and the sitter to present a centered scene. As a result, a relationship between the sitter and the environment is created.
In this class, we talked about many different portraits. I learned that silver point portraits which don’t last as long from Jan Van Eyck, Cardinal Niccolo Albergati (?), 1431(?), silverpoint, Dresden: Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden . We learned that these prints can be shown for 3 months and then they have to rest for a few years. Additionally, we talked about facial structure and the way that a sitter can hold their jaw in order to create a certain appearance of wealth and status.
In class, we talked about the one-point perspective by Petrus Christus, Exeter Madonna. We touched on the idea of aerial or atmospheric perspective in which as an object recedes into the distance relative to the viewer, we see that object with reduced clarity, value and color saturation due to water molecules. This can be seen with the blurring of outlines and a loss of details within Exeter Madonna. With the use of rising perspective, more elements are able to be shown. Another work that used rising perspective was Robert Campin’s Merode Triptych. This image was a domestic work, not an altarpiece. There are no halos which is an early change for the time period. Additionally, this is the first annunciation that takes place in a secular setting, making it more relatable.