In our last class of the semester, I noticed the recurring theme of the movement / replacement of artworks and how that also alters the purpose and meaning of the artwork. I was interested particularly in how the meaning of the Medici sculpture changed after it was removed from the private palace and positioned in the public center. This reminded me of our brief discussion of the spatial organization of a museum, specifically how the setting of a museum is set up to showcase the artworks on display (this is done typically from blank walls and clear / minimal lighting to not draw any attention away from artwork). The theme of mastery in art was also explored in our class today when we were talking about how artists began to create artwork just for the sake of creating artwork and showing off their abilities. This is an important shift from previous lectures, as other renaissance artwork had the purpose of conveying a moral message relating to Christianity. Overall, it was interesting to see how the purpose of artwork can deviate significantly within the same time period.
Category: AR257 (Page 2 of 33)
In our last class of the semester, we talked a lot about how the Renaissance gave birth to the phenomenon that still exists in art today of upholding famous/accomplished artists as tortured geniuses. Professor Plesch noted that the Renaissance was the first time that it became more important to have a work by a specific artist than to have a work representing a specific scene or person. This is still so present in modern-day art, and when Professor Plesch reminded the class that the plaques on the wall of museums describing the works they are next to always begin with the name of the artist, I was reminded of one of the first activities we did for homework in this course where we went to the museum and wrote down our observations about how art is presented in a museum. It has been fascinating to fully come to understand the origins of this style of presentation of art in museums, and I am glad that I have been able to see the evolution of the appreciation of the artists over the Renaissance over the course of this class.
My main takeaway from today’s class was the intentional architecture of cities and college campus’s. Starting in the Renaissance, cities began to design themselves with attention to organization, and dedicating parts of the city to different parts of the cities culture. Similarly, college campus’s design themselves with intent of creating a certain atmosphere (as we see with Gothic buildings in regards to Catholicism). This is an interesting topic points as it alludes to the the discussion of geometry and math in creating a certain feeling in art.
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 continued our discussion on secular pieces of art. As our first example, we revisted The Garden of Earthly Delights, emphasizing how many of these pieces were often conversation pieces. Furthermore, we discussed how most of these secular art pieces came to have a market. In trading towns, like ports or towns with mercantile systems, artists began to make art that was not intedned for specific patrons, but instead was art that was created for the free market. Therefore, artists were able to specialize in certain, popular, or unique styles. Furthermore, this meant that the audience for their art was largely increased, so artists began to look for themes or traditions that were favored by the masses. Much like the art from the manuscripts of Dürer, the artists working in these free markets utilized stuff that the common person would understand. For example, Bruegel utuilized moral stories that would not have been unfamiliar to the standard person, and therefore, were conversation pieces that would have a higher likelyhood of selling.
In this class our examination of the Colby campus led to an exploration of Renaissance Italian cities. The strong middle class in port cities and other mercantile hubs led to a flourishing artistic environment. I found it interesting how the structure of Florence was derived from the ancient fort it grew from, and how that layout seems reflected somewhat in Colby’s campus. The architectural style of the Palazzo Vecchio as a symbol of Guelph dominance in the city was also fascinating, as the fortress elements of the structure are completely unnecessary in the middle of a city. The representation of the city’s power through statues and structures reflects the political situations of each era and the continued importance of the city. This is reflected on a smaller level by the art commissioned by the most prominent guilds and placed in public spaces to ensure the population was constantly reminded of the importance of those groups in society. Finally, it was interesting how the rivalry between Franciscan and Dominican friars was reflected in the positioning of their churches and in the art they commissioned.
Today in class, we discussed the idea of making art for art’s sake. Previously, art had been primarily used to convey morals, political ambitions, and the will of the patron in general. However, this soon began to change. Giambologna’s masterwork, Rape of the Sabine Woman, was an excellent example of this shift. His work was primarily created to demonstrate his virtuosity in depicting human forms, rather than to convey a moral. Speaking to this is the fact that the work was named after it was completed. This demonstrates his primary goal: demonstration of talent. This tradition is continued even today, through artists such as Jackson Pollack and his splatter paint works.
In class on Thursday, we discussed the spatial organization of Colby’s campus. Through our dissection of Colby’s campus, it became clear that all the buildings are campus are relatively homogenous and built in the Federal style. Additionally, it was interesting to learn that in designs of old towns/cities there were two main roads that intersect. This can be seen on campus with the path directly in front and down of Miller Library. Furthermore, this type of design is seen in Florence where the cardo and decumanus also intercept through a monumental structure: the Florence Cathedral.
Colby campus’s design alludes a lot to past/ancient designs; likewise, many buildings and works of art also allude to ancient works. Brunelleschi and Ghiberti’s competition panels for the Florence baptistery both show figures dressed in classical togas and tunics — reminiscent of sculptures from antiquity. Furthermore, Donatello’s St. Mark looks almost straight out of Ancient Greece and showcases the same level of naturalism since we get a sense of a body underneath the clothing.
In this class, we first discussed a lot about the spatial organization of our campus. It is interesting to notice that the new Athletic Center and Gordon Center are located at the two “entrances” of campus, which shows visitors our commitment and emphasis on both sports and art. It is also good to learn that the tower of Miller is the highest one, even higher than the chapel, which contains symbolic meanings like Colby is an educational institution and we value knowledge more than religion.
Then we move to the city of Florence. The region that is Italy today is not a country in Renaissance but consists of many towns and cities that speak the same language. The city hall in Florence is impressive, as it looks like a fortress and its building stones are all rough–a design called rustication. Such a design stands for the victory of Guelphs, the supporters of the Pope, in the power competition with Ghibellines, the supporters of Emperor. It is thus an overall defensive architecture built for more symbolic meanings than practical use. The “Competition panels” for the Florence Baptistery are also interesting, where artists compete with each other in creating a sculpture with the theme “the sacrifice of Issac”. Filippo Brunelleschi and Lorenzo Ghiberti are the finalists, and Lorenzo wins eventually. I prefer Lorenzo’s artwork as well for he chooses the scene that the angel has not yet arrived so that spectators could have their own imagination of what will be going on.
During today’s class, we spent a lot of time talking about Colby’s spatial organization. We discussed how it appears like it was built from Miller out and creates a scenic view that could be seen atop the steps of Miller. However, we also discussed the not so great parts of the spatial organization which was that it felt much larger in one direction than the other which could cause struggle when walking around. The odd placement of the chapel was also discussed due to it being hard to reach despite it being the location of events like concerts.
Another interesting thing we discussed today were the “competition panels” because like the name suggests, they were made for a competition. They had created a competition to see who would make the new doors for the Baptistery by having them create panels for the doors. Ultimately it came down to Filippo Brunelleschi and Lorenzo Ghiberti and although their panels were similar, Ghiberti’s idealized depiction of Isaac and having him in contrapposto allowed him to win.