An
Informal
Survey of Western Painting
As compiled by the members of the European Arts Movements
Symposium
2
Art Notes
Use the following questions when you look at a piece of art from an historical point of
view
1. What do you see? Objective descriptive, non-judgmental, factual (for example:
triangular shape, smooth, round, bright colors, figure faces the viewer). What does
the artist intend for us to see/feel/experience? ( relationships, shapes, movement?
emotional content)
2. What do you know of the artist? When did he or she live? Nationality?
Relationship to the subject?
3. Why was this piece created? Why was the building constructed? What was the
artist’s intent?
4. What historical information can be gleaned from studying the
painting/sculpture/architecture? Is it characteristic of its era? Is it innovative for
its time?
5. How reliable is the piece as a source? Evaluate why or why not.
3
Virgin and Child, Andrea della Robbia, c. 1470-75 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
The Virgin and Child is a glazed terracotta sculpture made by Andrea della
Robbia
between 1470 to 1475. Della Robbia was a student of his uncle, Luca della Robbia, who
taught him own style, which Andrea della Robbia later used himself – terracotta glazed
with blue and white paint.1 Della Robbia’s sculpting style was making “high reliefs”.2
While the subject, Mary holding baby Jesus, is clearly religious the figures look very
human, especially Mary. Perhaps it’s that she’s looking down or maybe it’s the softness
in her face but she wouldn’t look divine if it weren’t for the halo on top of her head. Mary
is my favorite aspect of this sculpture. While I like that the whole sculpture because of its
simplicity in colors and also that there are no severe lines, my eyes go straight to Mary.
She looks kind of sad yet beautiful at the same time. Her features are very soft and she
seems very motherly as she holds her child. This sculpture embodies the Renaissance art
style through its use of religious figures but shows the beginning of artistic individuality
through della Robbia’s distinctive Mary.
-- Roberta Samuel
1. "The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Virgin and Child." The Metropolitan Museum of
Art - Virgin and Child. Accessed February 12, 2014.
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/205116.
2. ibid.
4
The Choice Between Virtue and Vice, Paolo Veronese, c. 1580 (Frick Collection)
This oil painting done by Veronese, depicts Hercules at cross roads with Virtue and Vice
as it happened in the myth where Hercules had to choose if he wanted the easy and
meaningless life Vice offered or the difficult but fulfilling life Virtue offered.1 Vice is
depicted with talons for nails, and we can see that she scratched him because of the rip in
his stocking. Finally, her open dress is supposed to be perceived as the indecency of vice.
Virtue on the other hand is very regal looking despite her simple clothing. Although this
is a Greek myth, the message behind this, living a life of high morals, speaks to the
philosophy of the Catholic religion. The reason why Hercules is dressed in Venetian
clothing instead of the traditional depiction in robes is because the people who looked at
this were supposed to make the same choice he did and depicting the myth in a manner
that they could relate to was the most effective way to get the message across. The use of
light, the rich clothing, attention to detail, and depiction of the myth show the ideas
central to the Renaissance—the revival of Greek and Roman culture, an attention to
artistry, and religious messages reassessed for the art connoisseurs of the time.2 What I
really liked about this painting was seeing such a huge painting have such beautifully
done details. Also, I had no idea this was based on the myth but once it was explained to
me I was really able to see how the artists Renaissance incorporated Ancient culture into
the artwork they were doing.
-- Roberta Samuel
1. "Paolo Veronese - The Choice Between Virtue and Vice : The Frick Collection." Paolo
Veronese - The Choice Between Virtue and Vice : The Frick Collection. Accessed
February 12, 2014.
http://collections.frick.org/view/objects/asitem/items%240040%3A276.
2. ibid.
5
Jan van Eyck, The Crucifixion/The Last Judgment, 1420-25, Metropolitan Museum of Art
In Jan van Eyck’s duo of paintings, The Crucifixion and The Last Judgment,
painted in approximately 1420-1425, the viewer is presented with the contrasting visuals
of the final moments of Jesus Christ’s life and the final judgment of mankind. Van Eyck
paints with such dramatic detail in such a small painting that the result is astounding; the
depth in it of itself is a masterpiece as we are shown the visuals of the mourners at Jesus’
feet to the distant outline of Jerusalem in the background.1 The painting is done on such a
small scale it is hard to differentiate between the people but van Eyck has given each of
the people a different emotion; from the horror shown in the body language of the two
Marys to the smiling faces of those who put Christ on the cross. In the Last Judgment, the
painting is arranged from top to bottom, from the salvation of Heaven to the bowels of
Hell. The visuals presented are both horrifying and comforting, contrasting the trials and
tribulations of those condemned to Hell (Popes and Kings included) to the smiling faces
of those at the side of Jesus Christ. The painting is organized hierarchically, with the
more important characters given a larger size in the painting.2 The oil on canvas painting
duo complements each other and provide starkly different views with the same person at
the center of both, Jesus.
-Grant Olson
1.
2.
“The Metropolitan Museum of Art – Crucifixion/The Last Judgment,” The Metropolitan Museum
of Art – Crucifixion/The Last Judgment, accessed January 31, 2014,
http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/436282
Ibid.
6
Lucas Cranach the Elder, Judgment of Paris, 1528, Metropolitan Museum of Art
In Lucas Cranach the Elder’s painting The Judgment of Paris, painted in 1528, the
ancient myth is portrayed in contemporary terms as he judges the three goddesses
Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera. By placing the picture into his time rather than in the time
of the ancient Greeks, he has made it relatable to his viewers and brought the myth to life.
Cupid, in the top left corner, has his arrow pointed at Aphrodite, signifying Paris’
decision to choose her over the other goddesses. The depth in the painting is astounding
as the background garners just as much attention as the action that is going on in the
foreground. The castle on the hill and the town on the lake give much detail to the
painting and cloak the myth in a sense of realism, clearly intended by Cranach.
-Grant Olson
7
Lucas Cranach the Elder, Johann I, Constant, 1532-1533, (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
This painting is a portrait of Johann I, Constant, by Lucas Cranach the Elder and
his workshop. Johann I the Constant, also known as John the Steadfast, was the Elector
of Saxony from 1525-1532. He inherited the title of Elector when his brother Fredrick the
Wise died in 15251. This is one of a series of sixty portraits that was ordered by Johann’s
son and was intended to be used as propaganda. This work was completed in between
1532-1533. The sixty portraits were also completed in 1533, which speaks to the
efficiency and capability of Cranach’s workshop. Cranach the Elder was a German
Renaissance painter and a court painter for the Electors of Saxony. He was friends with
Martin Luther and tried to find ways to paint Lutheranism.2
-Michael Wakin
1. "John (elector of Saxony)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 31 Jan.
2014.
2. "CRANACH DIGITAL ARCHIVE." CRANACH DIGITAL ARCHIVE. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014.
8
Caravaggio, The Denial of St. Peter, 1606, (Metropolitan Museum of Art).
In Caravaggio’s famous oil on canvas painting The Denial of St. Peter, painted in
approximately 1610, the artist is at his artistic prime even though he is entrenched in his
own personal struggles. Caravaggio specializes in humanizing Biblical stories, as he does
with the story from the Gospels with the three denials of St. Peter after the arrest of Jesus.
The figures themselves do not appear to be from the Bible and instead are painted into
Caravaggio’s own world, which were the streets of modern Rome and Italy.
Caravaggio’s strong use of light and dark is at its most powerful here, as the artist
commands us to focus our attention on the spots of light that he has sprinkled throughout:
the glean of the armor, the face of the woman, the furrowed brow of Peter. Peter’s face is
wracked with guilt and emotion, the prophecy of Jesus fulfilled. His use of light also
informs the viewer to the way that the subjects should be portrayed as the guard is
completely shrouded in darkness and is thus threatening to Peter and the viewer. He also
does a tremendous job in the painting with the narrative, which is immensely clear to the
viewer; he even uses the two fingers of the woman and the one finger of the guard
pointing at Peter to represent the three accusations and denials of Peter. Caravaggio’s
greater works directly influenced the fledgling Baroque school of art and he served as an
inspiration for later artists such as Bernini and Rembrandt.
Grant Olson
9
Artemisia Gentileschi, Esther before Ahasuerus, Between 1593-1651 – Oil on canvas
(Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Artemisia Gentileschi was an Italian baroque painter, and she painted in the style
of Caravaggio. Her father, Orazio Gentileschi, was a well-known painter and hired a tutor
to instruct her on how to paint. Artemisia was raped by her tutor and then tortured
throughout the trail; however she kept to her accusation and her tutor was found guilty.
She is considered one of the forefront women painters in the seventeenth century, and
this painting is considered to be one of her most ambitious. This painting depicts the
biblical story of the Jewish heroine Esther and her plead to King Ahasuerus to spare her
people. In the painting Esther is in control of the situation. She is fainting yet she is doing
so in a theatrical way to manipulate the king, who falls for her act and he is coming off of
his chair when he sees her faint. Artemisia Gentileschi has painted Esther with dynamism
and insight through her use of color and light. This painting is a statement for Artemisia
Gentileschi, and through this painting she is elevating women while protesting the
brutality of her own situation.
10
Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Apollo and Daphne, 1622-1625, marble, (Borghese Gallery)
Bernini, born in Naples during the Baroque, was a master sculptor of marble. The
Baroque style is characterized by drama and theatricality but Bernini also captures the
inner emotion of his subjects. The Borghese family ushered his earlier career but, after
becoming well known, he was able to do private commissions. Apollo and Daphne is
among the most renowned of his works. As Daphne runs and Apollo touches her, she
morphs into a tree. Her hands turn into leaves as her hair flies up to meet them. There is
an intense vertical ascension yet she also feels grounded as she is literally growing roots.
There are contrasting feelings of movement and being tapped. Although she appears to be
arcing up off the ground, she also is being dragged down. Apollo never actually touches
her flesh because the bark begins to sprout where his fingers lie on her abdomen. There is
a sad recognition at lost hope of a love. It is a single moment of realization for both
subjects. Bernini is able to capture that one moment of shock in Daphne’s face; her
mouth, open in a shriek of surprise and perhaps fear. This becomes relatable to the viewer
on a human level even though it’s a mystical sculpture. They feel like real humans with
emotion. He gives the marble a life story, taking flesh and turning it back into a natural
material, wood, with which one could then use to sculpt. Daphne ends up going back to
the immobile slab of rock that she was carved from and it becomes a birth and rebirth of
marble, making it eternal in its devastating beauty.
11
Jacques-Louis David, The Death of Socrates 1787 Oil on canvas
(Metropolitan Museum of Art)
This painting is considered to be the first done in the neoclassical style. JacquesLouis David did not like the regime of Louis XVI and started painting in the neoclassical
style, which was in many ways the opposite of Rococo, the art form of Versailles at the
time. David believed that by painting in the neoclassical style he was fulfilling art’s
highest and noblest purpose of moral reeducation. He was considered a painter for the
French Revolution and his art was propaganda. David supported the Revolution and
considered himself a follower of Maximillien Robespierre. After the French Revolution,
David allied himself with Napoleon I and was commissioned to paint Napoleon many
times.
In this painting, Socrates has been put into jail by the Athenian government for
corrupting the youth through his teachings, and he is given a choice of either renouncing
his beliefs or drinking poisonous hemlock. David portrays the moment when Socrates
chooses to drink the hemlock and die for his country even though he knows his country is
flawed. Even at the moment of his death Socrates is still stoic and calm. He treats his
death as a final lesson for his pupils rather than a tragedy, as can be seen through his hand
pointed toward the heavens demonstrating the immortality of his soul. David depicts him
as an enlightened and virtuous figure by draping him in white, which stands out against
the black background, and exposing his chest to reveal a perfect and young human form.
In contrast, his pupils are overcome with grief at his decision. Socrates’ decision to die
reflects the sentiments and strong nationalism of the people during the time it was painted
12
Caspar David Friedrich, Zwei Männer in Betrachtung des Mondes (Two Men
Contemplating the Moon) ca. 1825- 1830 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Two men (identified as Friedrich himself and August Heinrich, the writer of the
German national anthem, to the left) are staring at the moon in German contemporary
revolutionary garb. The subjects’ perspective is such that the face is not seen, typical of
Friedrich’s art. This very likely to represent the subjects’ in awe of the moon and of the
future that awaits when the sun rises. Friedrich, Germany’s most influential Romantic
painter, portrays the common themes of his era along with the desires of a German people
on the brink of revolution. At this time, Germany was a collection of states greatly
influenced by the Romantic ideals of unity. The men, in revolutionary attire, are shown
leaning on each other, a symbol of the popular idea of brotherhood and unity. There is
great sense of hope in his work and because one cant see the faces of the people, there is
a sense of immersion in the art that any one could experience especially the Germans
from his time.1
1. Artble. "Caspar David Friedrich." Artble: The Home of Passionate Art Lovers.
Artble, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014.
13
Theodore Gericault, Evening: Landscape with an Aqueduct 1818 (Metropolitan
Museum of Art)
Evening: Landscape with an Aqueduct was painted by the French artist Theodore
Gericault in 1818. It was one of a series of four massive landscapes, but only three were
fully completed. It was painted with oil on canvas. There is a beautiful contrast of colors
used in this painting. From one side of the painting the light of a setting sun shines on the
aqueduct and a hillside village. However, on the ride side there are very darks clouds,
which seem to be taking over the light. This creates a clashing image of light and
darkness. Gericault is trying to respresent that nature is fleeting and ephemeral. Six
subjects are portrayed on the bottom of the picture quite insignificantly compared to the
rest of the painting. They are depicted realistically with detailed brush strokes. By doing
this, Gericault is communicating that nature is far more momentous and meanignful than
humans. This piece perfectly reflects the work of the Romantic era in French art.
Gericault idealises and celebrates nature, highlights ancient and medieval architecture,
and utilizes bright colors, which were all consistent in Romantic Art.
Mike Wakin
14
J. M. W. Turner, The Fighting Temeraire tugged to her last Berth to be broken up, 1838
(National Gallery, London. Source: Wikipedia)
Turner was a Romantic painter known as a “painter of light,” a painter at the turn
of Romanticism to Impressionism. In his painting, The Fighting Temeraire… , as typical
of Turner’s work, the light of the sun spreads across the entire sky. Turner splits the
painting two polar sides, the old warship Temeraire on the left and the setting sun on the
right. The old sailing ship, the last of its kind, being tugged by its industrial era successor,
goes to the harbor to be broken down for its wood. The setting sun, pushed down by dark
clouds, furthers the sense of an end. The colors are moody and soft, much like many
other Romantic painters, this painting expresses the extreme emotion of the ending of
Romantic ideals and the entrance into a new industrial age.1
1. National Gallery. "J. M. W. Turner." National Gallery. London, n.d. Web. 31 Jan.
2014.
15
Goustave Courbet. Studio of a Painter: A Real Allegory Summarizing My Seven Years of
Life as an Artist. 1854-1855 (Musee d’Orsay)
This painting is divided into three sections. “On the left are ‘the people.’ They are types
rather than individuals, drawn largely from the artist’s home environment at Ornans:
hunters, peasants, workers, a Jew, a priest, a young mother with her baby. On the right we
see groups of portraits representing the Parisian side of Courbet’s life: clients, critics,
intellectuals. (The man is reading Baudelaire.).” In the middle we see Courbet himself
situated in between a nude woman and a little boy. The woman and the little boy are the
only people in the entire painting who are looking at Courbet. (Jansen 708). Courbet is
facing the people from his hometown and has his back to the Parisian critics. The subject
of the painting is Courbet’s life. By placing himself at the center of the painting,
inbetween the Perisians and the Ornanians, he is saying that everything that he has done
is an amalgamation of the provincial and the cosmopolitan. Look and see that he is facing
towards the townspeople from Ornans and away from the cosmopolitan trifles of Paris
(i.e. naked lovers, hyper-critical thinkers, and intellectual show-offs). By doing so he is
conveying what he believes to be real and true. The people who work for subsistance are
more real than anyone who simply critiques the creations of others. My favorite part of
this “realist” painting, as Courbet and his contemporaries called it, is his unabashed
portrayal of his ego. Everyone in this painting cares deeply about the painter, and by
trying to understand him, maybe we do too.
-
Isaac Easton
Janson, H. W., and Anthony F. Janson. History of Art. 6th ed. New York: Harry N.
Abrams, 2001. Print.
16
Jean François-Millet. Woman with a Rake. 1856-1857 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
In this painting, Millet uses oil to portray a woman raking wheat in a field, which is
located in rural France. He uses dark hues like brown, beige, and grey, and a light shade
of blue. The woman’s face is obscured by her hood. The color that Millet uses in the
painting is integral to understanding the painting itself. The sky and background of the
painting are both different hues of grey, relaying to us that her entire life and job are
unendingly bleak.. The browns and beiges of the painting are shown in the hay bales and
her rake. These colors convey the monotony her action. Furthermore the fact that hay is
leaving the pull of the rake, creating a wake in the woman’s pull conveys to us the
sysiphean nature of her task; no matter how hard she tries, some wheat will be left
behind. The blues though, are what evoke our pathos. Their soft cool color conveys to us
a person who wants a life a little bit more beautiful. Although the woman is wearing
period clothing, the obsuracation of the face makes it a timeless piece; an embodiment of
of the plight of the worker, everywhere.
– Isaac Easton
Janson, H. W., and Anthony F. Janson. History of Art. 6th ed. New York: Harry N.
Abrams, 2001. Print.
17
Claude Monet, Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies, 1899, (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
In 1899, Frenchman Claude Monet painted his Bridge Over a Pond of Water
Lilies, which captures the Impressionist values prevalent during the 19th century1.
Impressionism was a part of the transition to modernism and Monet expresses this
transition in his less than realistic portrayal of a bridge over a pond of water lilies2. His
use of short, thick brush strokes going in both horizontal and vertical directions may not
lead to the most accurate representation of the scene but these Impressionist techniques
convey an extreme sense of depth and light. For example, the horizontal and much lighter
brush strokes Monet used to paint the water lilies in comparison to the very vertical,
darker brush strokes he used to paint the reflection of the trees into the water offer and
extreme sense of depth while the bridge that has both horizontal and vertical brush
strokes breaks up the painting and adds a sense of slight realism to the scene. From close
up, the lines may look like nothing more than differently colored splotches but from far
away, they come together to form a beautiful landscape.
-Ellen Harty
1. Marilyn Stokstad, Marion Spears. Grayson, and Stephen Addiss, "Impressionists,"
in Art History (New York: H.N. Abrams, 1995).
2. (Lecture, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, January 29, 2014).
18
(The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
(The Art Institute of Chicago)
Georges Seurat, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, 1884-1886
The above paintings are both by Frenchman Georges Seurat and were painted
between 1884 and 1886. The painting on the left is one of 32 sketches painted prior to the
completion of the final piece in 1886 that now hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago1. This
painting and its sketch both fall within the Impressionist genre, the final painting made up
entirely of tiny dots in the technique called Pointillism2. Seurat and others studied the
science behind Pointillism and figured out how to use these small dots of contrasting and
complementary colors to create a sense of luminosity in the artwork3. For example, there
is enormous contrast between the light and dark in this painting and the trees looks like
wispy clouds as their leaves diffuse into the background. Seurat used the subjects of his
painting to both show what a typical afternoon for Paris’ middle class might look like but
also portrays them in a somewhat satirical way, with the harsh profile and frontal views
and the overall rigidness of the subjects of the painting4.
-Ellen Harty
1. H. W. Janson and Anthony F. Janson, History of Art (New York: Harry N. Abrams,
2001)
2. ibid.
3. ibid.
4. Marilyn Stokstad, Marion Spears. Grayson, and Stephen Addiss, "Impressionists,"
in Art History (New York: H.N. Abrams, 1995).
19
Vincent van Gogh, Peasant Woman Cooking by a Fireplace, 1885 (Metropolitan
Museum of Art)
This 1885 Oil on Canvas was one of Van Gogh’s early works. 1Many of Van
Gogh’s pieces focused on the lives of peasants and working class people and their
everyday lives. 2This image was made in the spring after he created “The Potato Eaters”.
3
“Peasant Woman” and “Potato Eaters” both use dark earthy shades of brown green
which magnifies the rugged, crude, and harsh conditions that peasants worked and lived
in. 4Both images use light to illuminate the human struggle instead of glamorizing it.
5
Since this was one of Van Gogh’s first paintings several drawings have been found with
the same interior, and model which he used as a way of developing his technique. In
comparison to his later work you can see no traces of Van Gogh’s signature thick,
defined, detailed brush strokes.
Imani Williford
1
Wallace , Robert , and The Editors of Time-Life Books. The World of Van Gogh 1853-1890. Alexandria, Virginia : Time-Life
Library Of Art, 1969.
2
The Metropolitan Meusesam of Art , . The Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Peasant Woman Cooking by a Fireplace." Accessed
January 31, 2014. http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/436531.
3
Wallace , Robert , and The Editors of Time-Life Books. The World of Van Gogh 1853-1890. Alexandria, Virginia : Time-Life
Library Of Art, 1969.
4
Van Gogh Gallery , . Van Goh Gallery , "Vincent van Gogh: The Potato Eaters." Accessed January 31, 2014.
http://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/potatoindex.html.
5
id Metropolitan Museum of Art .
20
Vincent van Gogh, Shoes, 1888, (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
During Van Gogh’s time in Paris, he painted five other still lives of shoes or
boots. This oil on canvas was painted in the August of 1888. 2If you look closely at the
painting you can see that the floor is red and the walls of the room are yellow from the
reflection of the tiles. 3The floor gives us a sense of setting, but the shoes give a sense of
the person who owns them. 4As previously stated Van Gogh often used peasants as
subjects for his paintings and this image is no exception. Much like his early work the
shoes use contains a rugged brown color that conveys the grime and hard work of the
peasant farmers. Van Gogh’s brush technique was much more announced and understood
at this time which is shown exemplified at how damaged and used the shoes like. 5These
shoes have been rumored to belong to Patience Escalier who is a peasant Van Gogh did a
portrait of around the same time as this painting.
1
1
The Metropolitan Meusesam of Art , . The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accessed January 31, 2014.
http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/436533.
2
id.
3
The Metropolitan Meusesam of Art , . The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accessed January 31, 2014.
http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/436533.
4
Wallace , Robert , and The Editors of Time-Life Books. The World of Van Gogh 1853-1890. Alexandria, Virginia : Time-Life
Library Of Art, 1969.
5
The Metropolitan Meusesam of Art , . The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accessed January 31, 2014.
http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/436533.\
21
Vincent van Gough, La Berceuse (Woman Rocking a Cradle; Augustine- Alix
Pelicot Roulin, 1851-1930), 1889 (The Metropolitan Museum of Art).
There are five version of this 1889 canvas. 1This portrait is an Augustine Roulin,
who was the wife of Van Gogh’s friend the postmaster of Arles. 2Out of all the five
portraits Augustine Roulin chose this one. 3Van Gogh begun these portraits in December
of 1888 and finished them in the beginning of 1889. In late December of 1888 Van Gogh
famously cut off a piece of his ear and stayed at the “Old Hospital in Arles”. 4Van Gogh
called “La Berceuse” which means “lullaby or woman who rocks the cradle”. 5Her hands
are holding a rope that would be attached to an unseen cradle. Comparing this to Van
Gogh’s early work, you can really see how much his technique has developed. If you
specifically look at her face and hair you can see Van Gogh’s signature strokes.
1
The Metropolitan Meusesam of Art , . The Metropolitan Museum of Art, "La Berceuse (Woman Rocking a Cradle; Augustine-Alix
Pellicot Roulin, 1851–1930)." Accessed January 31, 2014. http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/437984.
2
id.
3
The Metropolitan Meusesam of Art , . The Metropolitan Museum of Art, "La Berceuse (Woman Rocking a Cradle; Augustine-Alix
Pellicot Roulin, 1851–1930)." Accessed January 31, 2014. http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/437984.
4
Wikipedia, . Wikipedia.org , "Vincent van Gogh Chronology ." Accessed January 31, 2014.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh_chronology.
5
The Metropolitan Meusesam of Art , . The Metropolitan Museum of Art, "La Berceuse (Woman Rocking a Cradle; Augustine-Alix
Pellicot Roulin, 1851–1930)." Accessed January 31, 2014. http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/437984
.
22
Edvard Munch, The Vampire or Love and Pain, 1893 (Private Collection)
Edvard Much was a Norwegian expressionist painter who lived from 1863-1944.
This painting was originally known as Love and Pain, but it later became known as The
Vampire due to the darkness in the image, her striking red hair and how their embrace
resembles a vampire biting his neck. However, Munch claimed it was only a woman
kissing a man’s neck. Another possibility is that this is a painting of one of the prostitute
he was known for visiting.1 The man’s dark coat allows him to blend into the
background, and makes the woman stand out as the focal point of the image.2 From either
of these interpretations it shocked society and the Nazi’s deemed the work morally
“degenerate”.3 We can see in this painting Munch’s dark attitude towards women. His
mother died when he was five and his sister when he was thirteen. This led for him to
have a dark attitude towards women, and he believed them to be manipulative sexual
beings. The man appears weak in the woman’s embrace and she appears to be an
attacking, powerful force instead of a comforting presence.
Ryan Kaiser
1
"Edvard Munch." Vampire, 1893 by. http://www.edvardmunch.org/vampire.jsp
(accessed January 31, 2014).
2
Ibid
3
Ibid
23
Salvador Dali, The Accommodations of Desire, 1929 (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Salvador Dali was a Spanish artist who lived from 1904 to 1989. His paintings
largely exemplify the Surrealist movement, particularly in his fascination with paranoia,
dreams and the subconscious. Dali was greatly inspired by the insane and paranoid, and
believed their minds had the ability to see more than one reality. Inspired by them, Dali
created what he called the “paranoiac-critical method”, which was the replacement of
reality with dreamlike symbols. This painting, The Accommodations of Desire was
painted in response to his anxiety over his love affair with a married woman. On the
boulders ahead of him are what he fears are possible outcomes from their relationship.1
The rocks resemble eggs which are a popular symbol in Dali’s work to show hope or
love.2 Animals, hair and teeth are classic symbols of Freud to show sexual desire. The
ants are a symbol of decay, and well as showing us how the anxiety is eating away at
him.
Ryan Kaiser
1
"Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Salvador Dalí: The Accommodations of Desire
(1999.363.16). http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1999.363.16 (accessed
January 31, 2014).
2
"Dalian Symbols." Dalian Symbols. http://www.daliinterart.be/pdf/DALI_SYMBOLS.pdf (accessed January 31, 2014).
24
The Bather, made in 1885 by Paul Cezanne, highlights experimentation rather
than the subject which shows a shift from earlier paintings.1 Depicted is a young boy,
who is very obscure to begin with, walking in an unspecific background. This painting
also stands out because no shading is used to make a certain aspect of the image appear to
pop from the canvas, which would be considered different because most paintings since
the Renaissance have used shading. Also, the heavy handedness that seems to be present
in the thick brush strokes is very different than the traditional use of smaller and cleaner
brushstrokes.2 Compositionally there are three important things to note. First and
probably the most important thing to recognize in this painting is again, the obscurity of
the face. It shows that the point was not to highlight the subject, which was an entirely
different approach to portraiture.3 Second, is Cezanne’s use of the black outline, which at
the time, was regarded as more sketch-like and not as neat as the final painting should
be.4 Finally, the background is kind of a blur and doesn’t use the traditional background
comprised of a foreground, middle ground, and background.5 All of these elements show
that Cezanne was moving away from traditional objective art to the more modern
figurative painting style.6 But perhaps more importantly in terms of art history, this
painting shows how painters in the 19th Century were moving away from the traditional
approach of following masters and instead were more individual images that came from
the artist.5 I really enjoyed how purposeful the whole image is—everything was very well
thought out. I like how the colors are more blue and gray colors, which are very different
to the more colorful paintings from the Renaissance and the Baroque/ Rococo periods. I
like the intention behind the thick brushstrokes and the line around the boy. Finally, I like
how approachable this image is, it’s not as breathtaking as the perfect paintings from
other time periods but is more personal than more objective artworks, which is why it’s
still so special.
-- Roberta Samuel
1. Docent. "MoMA Tour." Lecture, MoMA Tour, MoMA Museum, New York, January
29, 2014.
2. ibid.
3. ibid.
4. ibid.
5. ibid.
6. ibid.
25
Picasso, The Blind Man’s Meal, 1903 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Picasso’s A Blind Man’s Meal is an example of his Blue Period. This period is
characterized by Picasso’s extensive use of the color blue and his solemn and often
impoverished subjects. Picasso is working after the impressionists so he is experimenting
with breaking away from classicism. In this oil on canvas piece Picasso portrays a blind
man, seated, eating dinner. He is depicted lightly feeling around for his wine and bread.
Although most of the painting is dark there are lighter tones used on the man’s ear and
hands signifying the importance of his remaining senses. Picasso respectfully and artfully
paints the man by emphasizing his strong qualities while also showing his sadness.
Picasso in this painting as well as in all his paintings in the blue period aimed to convey
the suffering of the poor and disabled while also shedding light on his own personal
struggles at that time. These highlights contrast with the darker tones surrounding him as
well as the darkness that covers his eyes to depict his disability.
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Pablo Picasso, Gertrude Stein, 1905-1906 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
This is a portrait of Gertrude Stein using oil on canvas. Stein is portrayed
respectfully but not realistically.1 She is in a more relaxed position, more characteristic of
a man than a woman in portraiture. This could represent that she was more known for her
intellect and power than her beauty. The simple background makes her face the clear
focal point and her features are exaggerated and mask-like. Her sharp nose and deeply
indented eyes are reminiscent of an African mask. This piece reflects the steps taken by
artists to break away from classical predecessors and the influence of newly exhibited
African art in Europe.2
-
Emily Kessler
1. Docent, Metropolitan Museum of Art, January 30, 2014.
2. Docent, Museum of Modern Art, January 29, 2014
27
Henri Matisse, Olive Trees at Collioure, 1905 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Henri Matisse is undoubtedly one of the founding fathers of modern art. His use
of bright colors and rapid brushstrokes most definitely sets him apart from the old
masters that came before him.1 During the summer of 1905, Matisse spent time in the
town of Callioure in the South of France, creating works that hugely utilized bright and
vivid colors.2 In Olive Trees at Collioure, Matisse creates, not only a style completely his
own, but an entirely different way of looking at something as simple as an olive tree.
From the bright colors, the viewer is able to really take on the emotions of the painter as
he viewed the original scene. The piece is considered to be a masterpiece of fauvist art, a
movement in which Matisse was a pioneer.
1
McMullen, Ray Donald. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2014. Accessed January 28, 2014.
http://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/51397.
2
"The Personal Life of Henri Matisse." Henri-matisse.net. 2011. Accessed January 31, 2014.
http://www.henri-matisse.net/biography.html.
28
Henri Matisse, Seated Odalisque, 1926 (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
By the 1920s, Henri Matisse was spending a lot of time in the Southern town
of Nice. It was during this period when Matisse began to focus on painting seated female
models. In Seated Odalisque, Matisse not only provides the viewer with a brightly
colored masterpiece, but also exhibits an entirely new type of portrait that is unique to
Matisse as a painter. By looking at this painting, we can definitely see how Matisse was
influenced by the time he spent in Morocco from the background and also the clothing
the woman is wearing.2 Rather than painting a woman exactly the way she looks, Matisse
causes the viewer to look at the simply, almost flat figure sitting on a bright green chair
over a brightly colored background. Although the woman looks roughly painted, there is
a certain simplicity and refined elegance to her persona that was only achievable by a
modern art genius like Matisse.
1
1
Lanchner, Carolyn. Henri Matisse. New York City: Museum of Modern Art, 2008.
"The Personal Life of Henri Matisse." Henri-matisse.net. 2011. Accessed January 31, 2014.
http://www.henri-matisse.net/biography.html.
2
29
Umberto Boccioni, Unique Forms of Continuity in Space, 1913, bronze, (Museum of
Modern Art)
Futurists like Boccioni seek to visualize motion. They are inspired by machinery and
embrace the modern world. This style grew out of cubism and the study of
industrialization. Unfortunately, like many of his generation, Boccioni welcomed World
War I only to be killed in action in 1916. Here we have Boccioni sculpting a figure that is
striding off into to the future. This man is driven, intense, undulating in front of the
viewer. Boccioni gives movement to the bronze, taking this solid mass of metal and
making it into something that has dynamism. It captures fluidity in a rippling effect. It is
not a moment in time but instead the continuous moment. It depicts the same leg in
different positions. The face, sculpted into a cross, references the Futurists love of war.
Boccioni also sculpts the space around the running man making the environment a part of
the piece. He is incredibly innovative and chooses a path no artist has taken; to highlight
the whirling of air and not just the subject’s form.
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Mark Rothko, No. 13 (White, Red, on Yellow), 1958, oil and acrylic with powdered
pigments on canvas (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Rothko was born in 1903 and committed suicide in 1970. He is categorized as an abstract
expressionist. Rothko believed in the ability to convey feeling and emotion through color.
In his paintings, there are no clear lines, so the canvas is given solely over to a field of
emotional color. Each plane has a life of its own as the colors vibrate and buzz off the
canvas. Rothko paints energy as color on the canvas. The yellow block background
extends off the canvas, leaving no borders or stopping points to Rothko’s painting. It
simply fades off to the sides. The borderless canvas and absence of any line speaks to the
quality of infinity. He flips the canvas to create the illusion of the paint dripping upward.
Even though it is a two-dimensional piece, these colors have a life of their own as they
hover over the canvas. The white floats up off the yellow and the red appears to sink
down. This painting is not just about color but also about space. They seem as though
they are a haze of rectangles that exist only in the space that they construct themselves.
This is a horizontal painting on a vertical canvas which also speaks to the creation of the
space it occupies. There is a calm, balanced beauty yet there is also an incomplete feeling
to the painting. One becomes part of the piece and the process as the viewer’s emotion
completes this work of art. Rothko is reminiscent of the great landscape painters like
Turner; where the skies of the paintings give over to the swirling of color and abstraction.
Just as many landscape painters thought that the sky showed a divine presence and was
the “chief organ of sentiment” in a painting, Rothko seems to take this idea to the next
level where the entire canvas is made up of sky. Although most large scale paintings are
made to emit grandeur on an impersonal level, Rothko uses a large canvas to envelope
the viewer and create a personal connection while still communicating in a very loud
manner.
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Art Rogues