ARTH #3
Emil Nolde, The last Supper, 1909, oil on canvas
Religious subject matter appeared after recovering from food poisoning that nearly killed him // appearance of Christ led some to speculate that Nolde identified with Him, painting different from traditional representations //no depth or spatial context, no sprawling table, just 13 men mostly surrounding the central figure. light seems to come from Christ himself at the center of the canvas. //Christ is almost crowded by darker figures, looking on as he holds a wine glass Nolde's concern was to capture emotion of the event. The colors, composition, and loose brushstrokes, work together to express used the subjects of his local community to depict Jesus and Apostles.
Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917, porcelain urinal
This work pushes idea of art and its function in culture.//working with ideas that were circulating during the Renaissance and helps define art as when an object is selected and then designated in some way (ready made) purchased urinal and submitted to Society of Independent Artists that Duchamp helped found - accepted all members' submissions, took exception to Fountain, believing it was not art and was indecent never commented on why he tested the principles of board members -may have sprung from experience in which he was asked to withdraw piece a few days before the show opened (extraordinary betrayal) Took it to be photographed by Stieglitz -photograph became a key document in recording the work didn't make identity known: response might have been different, could test openness of society to art that didn't conform to conventional aesthetic/ standards fascinated by representing spatially a fourth dimension-rotation linked to interest in seeing things in a new perspective. intimate nature of the urinal, and its highly gendered character, resonated with psycho-physical themes of the masterpiece he was working on at the time, Fountain tested beliefs about art and the role of taste in the art world- chose urinal in part because he thought it had the least chance of being liked -drawing attention to art as a mirage.
Paul Gauguin, Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?, 1897, oil on canvas
all the existential questions that brought him to Tahiti - range of former paintings relating to Adam and Eve to address vision of Tahiti being a Garden of Eden. three sections contains a stage of evolving relationship with Eve: first represents Eve as an old woman-symbolizes past and assumes guilt/shame of humanity. centre: figure picking fruit- reference to Tree of Knowledge-ambiguity regarding sexuality of fruit picker represents attraction to hermaphroditism - related to how Eve was created from Adam. highlights Eve's role as source of life and knowledge: posture displays her acquiring knowledge and distributing it right: baby, the expression of the new beginning-represents Gauguin//continued to reach towards Eve as last grasp at inspiration //planned to take his own life when the painting was finished. Thus coming to the end of his artistic usefulness, Gauguin resolved to kill himself. However, before doing so, he was determined to focus all his efforts on creating one last masterpiece. complicated composition tied together by tonalities in green and blue-'language of the dream'. - atmosphere of despair and sadness, feeling of the unknown and of the surroundings closing in
Peter Paul Rubens, Arrival of Marie de Medici at Marseilles, 1621, oil on canvas
approach celebrated splendor in royal courts to reinforce authority composition united by decorative splendor -manifested in idealized figures, diagonal composition, convincing textures, energetic brushstrokes; Henry assassinated. law forbade succession through female line-Marie unable to rule- held power as regent //disliked as a foreigner and a woman, seen as ambitious //commission reveals attempt to establish right to rule. depicted at arrival after voyage-focus on her as she disembarks, flanked by ladies-in-waiting. //welcomed by personifications of France, cape decorated with floral symbol of royalty, city of Marseilles, wears hat. Neptune and daughters of sea salute, Fame flies overhead, trumpeting news of arrival. // Fame painted on slant left to right, creating sense of depth. rich colors accentuate scene. (reds and gold emphasize royal status)// Gold used for boat- tones and deep shadows define // Reds shown in drapery as it seeps on the plank// white with gold used for central characters Light blues and grays dominate skies and wispy clouds create shadow and depth. //bold, dark green for emblem as well as mixing it with rich yellow ochres for landscape switches his method of a dark top half and instead places the light to the top of the image.
Claude Monet, Interior of le Gare Saint Lazare, 1877, oil on canvas, 30" x 40", Musee d'Orsay, Paris
asked for permission to work in the Gare Saint-Lazare,an ideal setting for someone who sought the changing effects of light, movement, clouds of steam and a radically modern motif. In spite of geometry of the metallic frame, what prevails is effects of colour and light rather than concern for describing machines or travellers in detail. overwhelms the viewer not though its scale, but through sea of steam and smoke that envelops the canvas. depicts passenger platform, at one of Paris's largest and busiest train terminals//not so much a single view rather a component in larger project which attempts to portray all facets of the Gare Saint-Lazare. Light— dominant formal element given particularly close attention (shows a bright day and closely observed effects of pure sunlight- billowing clouds of steam add to the effect, creating layers of light). Against the bright background, represents station's vast iron roof in copper and tan tones that stand out The trains—are shown as both the source of the steam and distinct from it. many locomotives—all of which peak through, and dematerialize into a thick industrial haze shows them unapologetically, in their natural element, among the steam, workers and activity of the bustling train station.
Pablo Picasso, Still Life with Chair Caning, 1912, oil, paper, oilcloth on canvas with rope, 10⅝" x 14⅝
can understand the image - and other like it - by breaking down Cubist pictorial language into parts. upper right: the handle of a knife, follow it to left to find the blade. that cuts a piece of fruit. You can make out segments of the slice at the right of the blade. Below the fruit, is edge of a napkin. To the left and standing vertically in the top center is a wine glass. at top edge of chair caning is the glass's base, above it is stem, and then the bowl of the glass (difficult to find the forms because its depicted from more than one angle) famous "JOU," which means "game", but also first letters of word for newspaper (can make out the folded paper clearly)
Jan Steen, The Feast of Saint Nicholas, c. 1660-1665, oil on canvas
captures joys of family gathering to celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas, one of most important holidays on the Dutch calendar. especially devoted to children. on the night before the feast, St. Nicholas travels over rooftops accompanied by his helper, "Black Peter", name comes from being covered in soot from the chimneys Children place shoes on hearth and hope to find them filled with presents incorporates traditions while representing the actions and expressions of the children in this middle class family as they react to events. smiling mother reaches out to her daughter who clings to the gift she has received: a doll, which represents St. John the Baptist. On the child's arm, a pail hangs full of goodies The girl's brother, seems pleased with his gift, a kolf club and ball. The boy laughs and points to a shoe held by a young maidservant. The shoe contains birch switches that were used to punish naughty children. His grandmother, however, beckons him toward the bed, where she discovered a better gift hidden three additional children gaze with wide-eyed amazement The Christian Saint Nicholas, continues to be shown wearing his customary bishop's garb: tall, pointed red hat and long red robes. scene of family fine example of the type of painting that Jan Steen is best known for:fills scenes of everyday life with engaging details, presenting them in a direct and amusing way. finds inspiration in theater, but relies on his keen wit and ability to capture, human nature seventeenth century.
Henri Matisse, The Joy of Life, 1905, oil on canvas
constructs landscape so it functions as stage. trees planted at the sides and in distance, and upper boughs are spread apart like curtains, highlighting the figures lounging beneath. unifies figures and the landscape. arabesques that define the contours of the women are heavily emphasized, and then reiterated in the curvilinear lines of the trees. broad swathes of colour and linear figures were a clear rejection of Pointillism style Portraying an Arcadian landscape adorned with brilliantly coloured forest, meadow, sea, and sky populated with dancing and relaxing nude figures purpose of colour was to directly express emotions and for the formal needs of the canvas, rather than to realistically represent //an expression of pure pleasure- a fantastical place full of life and love and free from negativity//Matisse has returned to mythic paradise.
Pablo Picasso, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, May-July 1907, oil on canvas, 8' x 7'8"
cubism painting distortion of female's body and geometric forms challenge idealized female beauty -shows influence of African art on Picasso. When it first exhibited regarded as immoral. renamed it to reduce its outrageous effect five ladies concentrate on viewer // self-possessed woman, no longer there solely for the pleasure of the male gaze omission of perspective//no vanishing point, nowhere for the eye to move beyond the women and their glances. reducing figures to a geometric shapes, counter to tradition in which human form is deified, and/or romanticized. masks in the painting reflect Picasso's obsession with primitive art- simple forms, angular planes and bold shapes "Avignon" refers to name of street in district known for prostitution.
Vincent van Gogh, Starry Night, 1889, oil on canvas
cut off his own ear- marked beginning of the depression that plagued him until the end // window was in the asylum in France, where he sought respite while continuing to make art. nature, and people living closely to it, that stirred van Gogh's artistic inclinations. -particularly taken with peasants he saw working the countryside; dominated by a moon and star filled night that appears turbulent, with swirling patterns that roll like waves - bright orbs—including the crescent moon and Venus, morning star, surrounded by circles of radiant white and yellow hushed village of humble houses surrounding a church, whose steeple rises sharply above the mountains // village is peaceful in comparison to the dramatic night sky and the silence of the night can almost be felt based on direct observations and imagination, memories, and emotions. steeple of church resembles those common in Holland, not in France. whirling forms in sky, match observations of clouds of dust and gas known as nebulae. //steeple dominates the village and symbolizes unity in the town. In terms of composition, the church steeple gives an impression of size and isolation. cypress tree sits at foreground: Flame-like, it reaches almost to the top edge, serving as link b/n land and sky.-bridge between life, and death, Cypresses were also regarded as trees of the graveyard and mourning. countless short brushstrokes and thickly applied paint set its surface in rolling motion (impasto) - consistency to his technique that adds even more depth as well as a rich texture to this work of art.
Vincent van Gogh, Night Cafe, Sept. 1888, oil on canvas
depicts interior of cafe, with half-curtained doorway leading to private quarters. Five customers sit at tables along walls to left and right, a waiter in a light coat, to one side of a billiard table faces the viewer. cafe was an all-night haunt of local down-and-outs who are depicted slouched and drinking together at far end of the room. In wildly contrasting, vivid colours, the ceiling is green, the upper walls red, the glowing, gas ceiling lamps and floor largely yellow: paint applied thickly, with many lines leading toward the back -perspective looks downward toward the floor. "one of the ugliest pictures I have done", Van Gogh wrote at one point. Unlike typical Impressionist works, painter does not project neutral stance towards the world or an attitude of enjoyment -artist infused his works with his emotions, typical of Expressionism. perspective which draws past empty chairs and tables into hidden depths behind a distant doorway colors were meant to express the "terrible passions of humanity" found in this all-night haunt // colors took on an intriguing quality at night, especially by gaslight: in this painting, wanted to show "white clothing of owner, becoming yellow, pale and green."
Paul Guguin, Yellow Christ, Sept. 1889, oil on canvas
distilling essence of subject to render it as forcibly as possible, relying on use of colour to symbolic ends// theme of naivety of peasants, who by faith transform statue of Christ into living embodiment of suffering. figure on cross derived from a Crucifixion in the church - goes beyond observation to emotional expression //original for statue borrowed from a 17th century crucifix a triple portrait, in which the artist reveals different facets of his personality //central figure- expresses burden of his problems and determination to struggle on //left- the image of sublimated suffering, painted in his own likeness. flat planes, intense colors, and bold circumscribing outlines //plane of canvas held by foreground figure, strong upright of crucifix, and terminating horizontal bar. swinging curves of the women and trees (closed forms that contrast movement of straight lines) play a graceful counterpoint, whole drawn together by simple pattern. observed with care: the costumes are accurate, light is the cold light of Brittany, field contains harmonies of green, rust, and yellow.
Henry Fuseli, The Nightmare, 1781, oil on canvas, 40" x 50"
during "Age of Reason," chose to depict darker forces // woman stretches across a bed, her extremities hanging off //figure crouches on her chest while horse emerges // frightened viewers product of imagination//figures demonstrate knowledge of art history //yielded many interpretations and seen as prefiguring theories regarding dreams and the unconscious (Sigmund Freud kept reproduction on wall apartment). figure on chest is an imp -type of spirit said to lie atop people or to have intercourse with women. painting suggestive but not explicit, possibility she's dreaming. Yet, dream takes physical form in shapes of incubus and horse (added later) tempting to understand painting's title as a reference to the horse, "nightmare" does not refer to horses. Rather, mare is an evil spirit that tortures humans in sleep. shows the futility of light to penetrate or explain the darker realms of the unconscious shown w/ chiaroscuro single light source, curtains and tassels, and shortened, stage-like foreground add to work's theatricality. red drapery falling off the bed suggests river of blood as it might be symbolically enacted on stage in a play or an opera became an icon of Romanticism and a defining image of Gothic horror, inspiring Mary Shelley and Edgar Allan Poe simultaneously offers the image of a dream—by indicating effect of nightmare on woman—and a dream image—in symbolically portraying the sleeping vision.
Georges Braque, The Portuguese, fall 1911-winter 1912, oil on canvas, 46" x 32"
everything fractured: guitar player and the dock pieces of broken form, almost broken glass. By breaking these objects into smaller elements, able to overcome the unified singularity of an object and instead transform it into an object of vision. In the top right hand corner, he stenciled the letters "D BAL" and under them, roman numerals-purely compositional addition added to make the viewer aware of the canvas itself. In representational paintings, the canvas is there only as a surface to hold whatever image the painter desires. By adding numbers, out of context elements, and surface textures, the viewer becomes aware of the fact that the canvas can also hold outside elements, making the surface of the painting just as important as what is put on top of it. "devoid of iconological commentary," and was concerned purely with pictorial space and composition. sought balance and harmony stenciled letters onto paintings, blended pigments with sand, and copied wood grain and marble to achieve great levels of dimension in his paintings. depictions of still lifes are so abstract that they border on becoming patterns that express an essence of the objects viewed rather than direct representations.
Rembrandt, The Return of the Prodigal Son, 1669, oil on canvas
evocation of religious mood and human sympathy -realism not diminished, but increased by spirituality: Expressive lighting and colouring and suggestiveness of his technique, with simplicity of setting, help us to feel the full impact of the event. father and son stand out in light against an enormous dark surface: vivid are the ragged garment of the son, and old man's sleeves, - son returns to father's house after long wanderings (wasted his inheritance in foreign lands) -His old father hurried to meet him and receives the long-lost son with fatherly love. a calm that lends to figures some qualities of statues and gives emotions of lasting character, not subject to time. represents a symbol of all homecoming, darkness of human existence illuminated by tenderness, of sinful mankind taking refuge in the shelter of God's mercy. young man, younger of two, asks father to give him his share of the estate, travels to a distant country and wastes money in wild living. When he reaches the point of envying the pigs, he comes to his senses broad, sketchy brushstrokes of the artist's late style accentuate the emotion and intensity
Rembrandt, The Militia Company of Franz Banning Cocq / "The Night Watch," 1642, oil on canvas, 12'2" x 14'7
famous for: size, light/shadow, motion in traditionally static portrait. //completed at peak of Dutch Golden Age-depicts company moving out, led by Captain and lieutenant, light/shadow lead eye to important characters: two men in centre, woman in background carrying a chicken. Behind them, company's colours carried//figures are almost life-size. painting originally coated with dark varnish/gave the impression it depicted night scene, leading to the name //trimmed to fit between two columns-loss of characters, top of arch, and edge of step- tools to give painting motion. commissioned to hang in banquet hall of Musketeers' Meeting Hall -for visit of Marie de Medici great deal of energy as citizens spring to respond to captain's command. -appearance of historical event although it is creative Men arm themselves before archway that acts as symbol of city gate to be defended //most prominent is musket, official weapon //Three of five musketeers carry out in sequential order basic steps in properly handling a musket. left foreground- boy carrying powder horn dashes to collect powder// drummer taps out a cadence while a dog barks mysterious girl emerges behind musketeer in red// draws attention - white chicken that hangs from her waistband -significance lies in reference to the Kloveniers. (emblem a golden claw on a blue field) -acts as personification of the company.
Edgar Degas, The Rehearsal, 1874, oil on canvas
feel that we happened upon scene, it isn't realistic. Degas, rarely worked from life-worked from sketches, memory,imagination. //managed to capture a feeling of immediacy - dancer almost hidden by staircase, ankles descending staircase and woman on right nearly cut in two. intrigued by human figure, and in his images of women he strove to capture the body in unusual positions. -shaped by his academic training, but he approached it in innovative ways//captured strange postures from unusual angles under artificial light. rejected academic ideal of mythical or historical subject, and sought his figures in modern situations, such as at the ballet. academic training encouraged classical tendency in his art, which conflicted with the approach of the Impressionists. valued line as means to describe contours and to lend solid compositional structure to a picture, they favored color, and more concentration on surface texture.
Gerrit van Honthorst, The Supper Party, 1620, oil on canvas, 56" x 72"
genre picture of light-hearted gatherings painted during his last months in Italy, set a precedent for favouring the erotic as well as the ascetic side of Baroque art. the person who covers the light has the effect of 'repoussoir': the large dark figure in the foreground causes, by contrast, the merrymakers behind him to recede in space, and thus enhances the illusion of depth. -Lighting comes from candles on table, emphasizing the subjects and their faces -No outside light source giving it a very enclosed, 'cosy' feeling -Everything is done in warm colors and almost monochrome- warm colors lead to a happy feeling -No deep meaning or hidden symbolism- this painting is just meant to be happy and inviting Renaissance Influences -Portrays realism and a tangible light source emphasizing the people -Subjects are portrayed realistically and with real emotion- they are not unrealistic yet they don't represent a 'mighty' form of beauty such as Michaelangelo's stuff, etc. -Picture celebrates the human spirit and secular happiness, rather than a religious one -Humble yet beautiful Tone of Painting Background -Painted by Gerrit Van Honthorst -Honthorst was from the Netherlands -Baroque artist, born in 1590 -Supper party painted in 1620- earlier painting
Paul Cezanne, Mont Saint-Victaire, 1904, oil on canvas, Philadelphia Museum of Art
peak exercises a commanding presence -would return mtn throughout career- shows in relationship to changing elements (greenery, buildings, bridges, fields). composition in three horizontal sections, extend across canvas. adjustments included to avoid too simple a scheme: peak is pushed to right of center, horizon line inclines upwards. complicated counterpoint of diagonals can be found in each bands, roofs, lines of mountain, and patches in the plain, which connect foreground to background Flatness/depth evokes panoramic scene and atmosphere that unifies space. -aware of painting as a worked surface-landscape is within our reach, yet far away. left side of mtn - gains volume. becomes less an triangle and more complicated pyramid. our point-of-view is actually a little misleading. the left peak is not the highest point, but merely appears to be so
Eugène Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People, 1830, oil on canvas, 8'7" x 10'8"
portrayal of the recent explosion of rage on the streets of Paris. //felt a personal involvement through his friendship with protagonists of the conflict//depended on commissions from institutions and his personal ambiguity probably confined him to a bystander he helped protect the Louvre's collections from the rioters and, nostalgic for the Napoleonic Empire, was moved to see the tricolor hoisted to the top of Notre-Dame by the insurgents. focusing on the dramatic and visual impact of the scene: the crowd breaking through the barricades to make its final assault on the enemy camp. //peak of fervor occasioned by victory represented in pyramidal composition; (base- strewn corpses, resembles a pedestal supporting the image of the victors.) personified by a young woman of the people wearing -Vibrant, fiery, rebellious, and victorious, she evokes the Revolution// In her hand is the flag, a symbol of struggle She stands noble and resolute, her body illuminated as she turns her head to spur them on to final victory// The infantry gun with bayonet gives her a certain credibility. Two urchins joined the fight: one on left clings to cobblestones; more famous figure to right of Liberty a symbol of youthful revolt against injustice and sacrifice for a noble cause (sports black velvet beret worn by students, as a symbol of rebellion) kneeling figure with top hat of a bourgeois may be Delacroix or one of his friends. towers of Notre Dame represent liberty and situate the action in Paris sunset glow, creates an aura around Liberty, the young boy, and the tricolor flag. Differentiating between the people was important to emphasize that all classes and creeds combined in this revolution to achieve a common goal. emotional rhythm of brushstroke central in his originality- in its diversity are long and large, continuous strokes as well as small, divided, independent ones.
Edouard Manet, Olympia, 1863, oil on canvas
presents what society is not yet ready to face // marginalized figures that existed on outskirts of middle class nude woman reclining, cat at her feet, female servant behind w/ bouquet failed to retrieve//reinvent ideals -failed to elevate nakedness to ideals of antiquity. source the Venus of Urbino -no homage to masterpiece; offered an impoverished copy. // flatly painted, poorly contoured, lacked depth, inhabited contemporary world of Parisian prostitution. artist re-invented painting to speak to its condition of being a representation.(expressive brushwork) // first truly modernist works inclusion of a black woman tapped into the colonialist mindset while providing contrast to whiteness of Olympia. // emblem of "primitive" sexuality, aimed to justify colonial views . inclusion created a binary b/n black and white, good and bad, clean and dirty paints women of his time in his own manner: painted quickly, rough brushstrokes clearly visible prostitute: orchid, bracelet, pearl earrings and shawl, symbols of wealth and sensuality.
Peter Paul Rubens, Allegory of the Outbreak of War, 1618, oil on canvas
response to Thirty Years' War animosity b/n Protestants and Catholics and struggles for political power // Nearly all European states fought at some point led to destruction of large areas and outbreaks of pestilence and famine- took place in Germany The god of war, Mars marches from Temple of Janus encouraged by Fury of War - Venus attempts to restrain him. woman on left personifies unhappy Europe; Fury of War, accompanied by two monsters who symbolise Plague and Famine;personifications of Harmony, Fecundity, Maternity and Charity-thrive under peace. Mars left open the temple of Janus (which in time of peace remained closed) and rushes forth threatening the people . a mother with her child in her arms, indicating that procreation is thwarted by War, which corrupts and destroys everything. architect with his instruments in hand, show that what is constructed for ornamentation falls to ruin. grief-stricken woman clothed in black, with torn veil, robbed of all her jewels and other ornaments, is Europe who, suffered plunder, outrage, and misery, // Europe's attribute is the globe, borne by a small angel , and surmounted by the cross
Claude Monet, Rouen Cathedral, SUnlight, 1892, oil on canvas
rich surfaces imitate the textural fabric of the cathedral's carved stone. rented rooms across from Rouen and painted its façade many times, concerned w/ the envelope that surrounded the building - light, color, mood Historically, series was well-timed. France was seeing a revival of Catholicism and the subject of cathedrals was well received. Monet concentrated on recording changing visual sensations - changing conditions of light - permanent, solid structure and changing light that changes perception of it. used thick layers of richly textured paint, expressive of the intricate nature of the subject. -canvases encrusted with paint that built up layer upon layer like the masonry of the façade itself
Peter Paul Rubens, The Elevation of the Cross, 1610, oil on canvas, Belgium
saints associated with church on exterior of wings- action/emotion meant to inspire faithful - Council of Trent called for accuracy in representation of sacred events cross is being raised upright - diagonal emphasis — Christ's body the focal point - event unfolding, as men struggle to lift weight St. John/ Virgin look-group of women stark contrast of emotion -Virgin maintains strength// diagonal along the women set John and Mary apart to focus on their reaction. soldiers prepare thieves for fate -One nailed to cross foreshortened // other with hands bound led away-opposing diagonals create tension, heightening drama and action. unified through landscape/sky: share rocks covered w/ greenery -figures stand on same ground-line. // sky, moving to eclipse of sun Italian influences: color (blues/reds), technique of Titian, chiaroscuro , foreshortening, diagonals connection to nude males on Sistine Chapel ceiling- antiquity// strong physical presence- blood spilling, elegant positioning of raised arms During Mass, wafer is elevated - saw the elevation of cross and of wafer - reinforced Christ's sacrifice muscles strain as they lift Christ whose diagonal position creates line of movement -physical exertion/weight is palpable.
Honore Daumier, Rue Transnonain, Avril 15, 1834, 1834, lithograph, 13⅜" x 20½"
shaped French satire with wit and keen observations-Drawing from current events, his caricatures and satirical images critique social and political life of France at the time. created in response to political unrest, presents a dramatic imagining of a massacre of innocents- there is an unnerving sense of silence and anger depicts an event following the violent repression of a riot in Paris during which French troops massacred a family in the working-class //The scene unfolds around central figure as more bodies become visible in the shadows. Shortly after publication, the government passed censorship laws forbidding any political caricature critical of the monarchy. draw their emotional power from the vulnerability of the exposed human form- private scenes of tragedy, tenderness, and horror, as artists intruded upon such previously forbidden settings desire to bring social injustice to the attention of the masses. part of a wave of protests that had taken place that month due to the passage of a new law designed to restrict the formation of unions//government gave out business contracts to their friends which allowed for exploitative working conditions//during the protests, a police officer was shot and police retaliated by massacring with abandon. praised for his "economy of means" - lithographs are often sparse, but potent//shows he is more than capable of adopting serious tone viewer's gaze drawn to center-confronted with image of a man tangled up in linen-the dead man lies atop a dead baby. two bodies which lie on either side complement each other while the bed fills up the rest of the composition// The bed provides the illusion of tranquility where in fact, there is none. foreground is dominated by blank space as if viewer were on the threshold of the room. the shadows draw the viewer in, the stark black warns of what is underneath the bed, its calm strokes denote stillness. central figure doesn't look dead, but peacefully at rest, an image reinforced by the fact whiteness of the sheet that covers him
Jacques-Louis David, The Death of Marat, 1794, oil on canvas, 63" x 49"
shows radical journalist dead in his bath after his murder by Charlotte Corday -first modernist painting, for the way it took politics, and did not transmute it // one of most famous images of French Revolution Marat a leader of radical faction in French politics during Reign of Terror // killed by political enemy who blamed him for September Massacre -gained entrance with a note promising details of a counter-revolutionary ring skin condition caused him to spend time in tub. //fatally stabbed him, didn't attempt to flee, tried and executed // showing paper held in Marat's hand - Given that I am unhappy, I have a right to your help" figure idealized: contains no sign of skin problems, appears clean and unblemished)//promised peers that he would depict their friend as writing for the good of the people //designed to commemorate a personable hero. last breath, when others were still nearby//intended to record more than the martyrdom -the painting, focuses on the victim painted in a style reminiscent of a Christian martyr, the face and body bathed in glowing light// multileveled references to classical art (elongated arm similar to Pieta)
Piet Mondrian, Composition with Yellow, Red, and Blue, 1927
small canvas and simplest of colors-composition reduced to simplest of forms, squares and rectangles defined by lines. depicts underlying structure of reality-called his style Neo-Plasticism or "The New Plastic Painting," - title of essay promoting abstraction for the expression of modern life. // "plastic." art-media that renders 3D forms in believable spaces—creating convincing illusions of reality. wanted to move beyond naturalistic depiction to focus on paints ability to express ideas abstractly using formal elements believed abstraction could be universal language representing forces that govern nature/human experience. - believed abstraction provides truer reality than illusionistic depictions of objects // characterized his style as "abstract real" painting. asymmetrical arrangements of geometric (rather than organic) shapes in primary (rather than secondary) colors best represent universal forces//combined with interest in philosophy, spirituality, and his belief that the evolution of abstraction was a sign of humanity's progress. viewed painting expression of dialectical relationships, // progress by tension and reconciliation b/n oppositional forces. //composing with opposites suggest an modern progression of humankind //opposites as expression of hidden unity- formal elements symbolize unity of spiritual/natural forces. eradicates notion of illusionistic depth predicated on a figure in front of a background. achieves a harmonious tension by asymmetrical placement of primary colors that balance the blocks of white paint. large red square, which might dominate the composition, is balanced by small blue square //variety of values and textures create a surprising harmony of contrasts. visible traces of the artist's brushwork counter rigid geometric composition and balance the desire for universal truth with intimately personal experience of the artist.
Henri Matisse, Woman with a Hat/ Portrait of Madame Matisse, 1905, oil on canvas
stylistic change from regulated brushstrokes to expressive individual style. //non-naturalistic colors and loose brushwork, contributed to "unfinished" quality, seemed shocking The artist's wife posed for half-length portrait // in an elaborate outfit with attributes of middle class: gloved arm holding a fan, elaborate hat vibrant hues are purely expressive (was really wearing black) pose and dress are typical for the day, but Matisse roughly applied color across her and even the background. -"the nastiest smear of paint I had ever seen,"
Francisco Goya, Los Caprichos, No. 43: The Sleep of Reason Produces Nightmares, 1799, engraving, 8¼" x 6"
symbolizes overall meaning of series, what happens when reason is absent. -dark portrayal of humanity Various animals fly above sleeping artist, and lynx watches vigilantly alerting us to rise of monstrous forces we are able to control when sleep // Another creature sits at center of the composition, staring at us //forces viewer to be active participant-monsters of dreams even threaten us. prints in the series express disdain for the pre-Enlightenment practices still popular ( powerful clergy, arranged marriages, superstition, etc.) //uses series to critique contemporary society. // seen as Goya's manifesto and it should be noted that many observers believe he intended it as a self-portrait. believed that imagination should never be completely renounced in favor of the strictly rational. For Goya, art is the child of reason in combination with imagination. exploited the atmospheric quality of media -creates the grainy, dream-like tonality visible in the background
Paul Gauguin, Vision After the Serman (Jacob Wrestling with the Angel), summer 1888, oil on canvas
synthetism Jacob wrestling with angel interpreted as struggle with faith-had to wrestle angel all night, wasn't until sunrise that angel blessed Jacob- able to continue his journey, crossing into Promised Land - in the distance //red field differentiating between lands of struggle and the land of peace. combines reality both real and dream fused into one //unmodulated areas startle eye by contrast; middle ground omitted to separate peasants and vision. //peasant women, their backs turned to us, departure from the naturalism //ignored the rules of perspective // figures too large in relation to Jacob and Angel (almost block view who should have been central elements) Everything painted in flat colors separated by clearly drawn contours //no color modeling, no blurred edges, no softening of form or hue by an intervening, unifying atmosphere. shows river in upper right-hand corner, tree, field and wrestling figures. //tree of knowledge symbolizes man's fall from grace -green foliation symbolizes man's redemption tried to present as a gift to local church but was rejected b/c it would scare the parishioners.
Jacques-Louis David, The Oath of the Horatii, 1784, oil on canvas, 14' x 11'
to put end to war between Rome and Alba, cities designated champions: Horatii and Curiatii -two families linked by marriage. //presents this episode as an example of patriotism and stoicism.//the victor in that fight will be the victorious city. right: grief-stricken women fear the worst, while behind them, mother hugs grandchildren. composition broad and simple, life-size figures arranged in a frieze in the foreground /figures separated by empty spaces in stage-like area shown head-on. //emphasizes the room's geometry. harsh light gives figures their relief, and contrasting characters conveyed using different forms (men have energetic bodies, straight lines and vivid colors// women are curves and muted colors) became the model throughout Europe for neoclassicism. three brothers, willing to sacrifice their lives ,shown saluting father who holds swords out .Of the brothers, only one shall survive// resolute gaze and taut, outstretched limbs, they are citadels of patriotism. clarity of purpose, mirrored by simple yet powerful use of tonal contrasts, lends the painting, and its message an electric intensity in contrast to tender-hearted women who lie weeping
Pierre Auguste Renoir, Le Moulin de la Galette, 1876, oil on canvas
"The world knew how to laugh in those days!" canvas rich in attractions, full of enchanting details, it becomes nothing less than an affirmation of the goodness of living. celebrates triumph of youth: women radiantly beautiful, men as dashing as young blades ought to be// animated figures with amazing variety of postures and activities - bold, relaxed, eager, withdrawn, flirtatious - all graceful and natural. bits of still life, shimmering patterns of light fixtures, children - Despite its apparent crowding and turbulence, it reveals a studied organization. //triangular foreground group related through silhouette and color to the group at the trees; and this group, through yellow and gold-brown tones, becomes part of a vertical unit that provides stability to the right of the canvas. By emphasizing the vertically of the dancing figures through sharp color contrasts, Renoir echoes verticality again, and repeats it playfully in the background. Moulin de la Galette was an open-air dancehall and café frequented by many artists living in Paris. Renoir attended Sunday afternoon dances and enjoyed watching the happy couples. For him, it provided the perfect setting for a painting. Most figures were Renoir's friends, but used a few professional models. Thus, the scene he depicts is not a realistic representation , but organized set of portraits.. By cutting off figures in the piece, Renoir suggests that the scene continued beyond the frame. brightly colored brushstrokes to add movement to the figures as well as depth to this piece. bathes the figures in sun and shadow, breaking up the composition with patches of light and capturing the vibrancy of the scene. While many critics praised Renoirs technique of fluid brush strokes and flickered light, others felt that this canvas was a somewhat blurred impression of the scene.
Wassily Kandinsky, Improvisation, no. 28, 1912, oil on canvas
"a largely unconscious, spontaneous expression of inner character, non-material nature." amorphous shapes and colorful washes of paint in may at first appear entirely abstract, they form a number of recognizable images the artist invented to represent his often biblical subject matter. not title of something being represented, but of something composed// associating painting w/ music - just like music, painting can signify and take us places w/o concrete synethsia - crossing of the senses (would sound like cacophany and chaos brilliant color, hazy atmmosphere through which color pops black diagonal lines that criss cross with eachother through space verge of abstraction - looks entirely abstract abstracted - can recognize elements of the natural world // worried that if we recognized the forms to quickly our logical brain would take over and inhibit our emotional ability to respond to the painting's color and form mountain w/ buildings or church on hill/battle field and forces w/ war// representation of an apocolypse, a moment when the sins of the world are going to be washed away// flood a reference to when God wiped everyone but Noah and his family off the face of the Earth // haze seems like haze from canons manes and necks of horses: horses of the apocalypse, or redemption
Gustave Courbet, The Stonebreakers, 1848, oil on canvas, 63" x 102"
(painted one year after Marx and Engels wrote The Communist Manifesto) artist's concern for the plight of the poor is evident-two figures labor to break and remove stone from a road depicts figures who wear ripped and tattered clothing set against a low hill in the rural French town of Ornans, where the artist had been raised and continued to spend a much of his time. hill reaches to the top but in upper right, tiny patch of bright blue sky appears-effect is to isolate laborers, and to suggest that they are physically and economically trapped. wants to show what is "real," and so he has depicted a man that seems too old and a boy that seems still too young for such back-breaking labor//meant to be account of abuse and deprivation that was common brushwork is rough—more so than might be expected -suggests that canvas was a conscious rejection of Neoclassicist style refusal to focus on the parts of the image that would usually receive the most attention. (hands, faces, and foregrounds)-he attempts to be even-handed, attending to faces and rock equally. The Stonebreakers seems to lack the basics of art (things like a composition that selects and organizes, aerial perspective and finish) and as a result, it feels more "real."
Antoine Watteau, Visit to the Island of Cythera, 1717, oil on canvas, 51" x 76¼"
Cythera was thought to have a claim to be birthplace of Aphrodite, goddess of love. - became sacred to Aphrodite and love. //allegory of courtship and falling in love- theme of this piece cannot help but bring about a happy, peaceful mood- no sign of anguish, broken hearts or turmoil in any capacity. lovers are going down to the shore, laughing as they head towards the ship; men no longer need to beseech the maidens, who cling to their arms. figures are climbing aboard a ship with cherubs hovering overhead. first couple sitting absorbed in flirtatious conversation //second pair standing up, //third pair heading for ship -young woman looking back at where she spent time rhythmical structure of painting, sense of continuity between groups of figures, vibrancy of the brushstrokes, and the beautiful colors. mysterious hazy landscape one of most innovative features reflecting influence of Rubens and Leonardo da Vinci. group composed of a maiden and her admirer. man wearing cape embroidered with pierced heart -symbol of the voyage that he wishes to embark upon-her indifference to his entreaties is feigned All elements in a head-on perspective-employs certain techniques to ensure that the viewer looks at his entire composition:progression of the pilgrims returning to boat draws attention to main couples in center, who lost track of time. Viewers glance upward as canvas filled with hazy sky and is enamored by landscape-clouds bring focus downward. //known for light and airy brushstroke to create hazy dream-like atmospheres.// lighting plays up bright colors of clothing. center of canvas lights up main couples and shadows retreat to trees so less attention is paid to other characters.
Marcel Duchamp, L.H.O.O.Q.,1919, color reproduction of Mona Lisa with pencil drawing, 7½" x 4¾"
Duchamp performed a seemingly adolescent prank using a postcard that represented the ideal of feminine beauty//drew a mustache and goatee added the letters "L.H.O.O.Q." letters in French sounds like, "there is a fire down below" trespasses traditional boundaries of appropriation by presenting a reproduction, however tarted up, as an original work of art. masculinized female introduces gender reversal, popular with Duchamp, who adopted his own female pseudonym, rebelled against everything that art represented, particularly the appeal to tradition and beauty. if you read the letters aloud, it would sound like French "her ass hot".
Francisco Goya, The Third of May, 1808, 1814, oil on canvas, 8'9" x 11'4"
Napoleon put brother on throne of Spain //brought Spain's king into alliance with him //Napoleon's troops supposedly just passed through. But became clear: alliance was a trick. The French were taking over. The 3rd of May, hundreds of Spaniards rebelled//Spanish freedom fighters were rounded up and massacred by the French- blood ran through the streets of Madrid//made a profound impression on the artist. row of French soldiers aiming guns at Spanish man, who stretches out his arms in submission -country hill behind takes the place of an executioner's wall //pile of dead bodies lies at his feet, streaming blood // line of rebels stretches endlessly.They cover their eyes to avoid watching the death that awaits them. transformation of Christian iconography and its poignant portrayal of man's inhumanity to man. // central figure a poor laborer, takes the place of the crucified Christ; sacrificing himself for the good of his nation. // lantern bathes him in spiritual light. His expressive face, which shows anguish, echoes Christ's prayer on the cross//Close inspection of victim's hand shows stigmata, man's pose an assertion of his humanity-French soldiers become mechanical like. Nothing is going to stop them. The deep recession into space this will never end. //presents us with an anti-hero, imbued with true pathos that had not been mood s very bleak and somber -earth tones, and contrast of dark and light//implied lines of gun lead the viewers eye to focal point-line in sand differentiates the good from the harsher We do not know what they look like, but we see faces of the Spanish (fear, pain, defiance, and belief) Texturally Spanish countrymen are softer. This in contrast to the shiner surface of the soldier.
Louis le Nain Peasant Family, 1640, oil on canvas
Nine members of a peasant family are shown grouped by the fire. Some of them are sitting aroung a little table, looking outwards at the viewer as if he has disturbed them in their routine. Four of the children are absorbed in their own activities: in the center a boy accompanies the crackling of the fire with a tune on the flute, while two other children warm themselves at the hearth. Here the painter transcends a stark - but in no way cruel - reality by investing it with a moral, not to say religious dignity his clients doubtless found most appealing. The work's relative chromatic restraint is an opportunity for the painter to demonstrate his considerable talent for handling light, whether coming from inside (the fire) or outside: there may be a window to the left. The fullness and presence of the figures, the size of the picture - as big as a history painting - and the nobly poetic gravity of the scene make this one of the Le Nains' greatest masterpieces. Genre painting in the 17th century Genre painting - portraits of everyday life - came to the fore in the 17th century, especially in Holland, where it became a national specialty. Originated in the second half of the 16th century by painters like Lucas van Leyden, the style swept through Europe under the impetus of dealers in the works of the Northern school, and found ready buyers at events like the Saint-Germain art fair in Paris. Much prized and frequently vectors for contemporary religious values and concepts of virtue, these small canvases soon gained a following among artists in both Italy and France. In the second quarter of the 17th century the manner found its leading French representatives in the Le Nain brothers, especially Antoine and Louis, whose works still pose problems of individual identification. What we see in this painting is not so much a meal as an evocation of food - bread, wine, salt - uniting three generations of a family. The room and its furnishings appear in other paintings, suggesting that the figures are in a building that does not belong to them. Such pictures are among the earliest to depict members of the lower class sympathetically rather than held up for ridicule. What constituted the appeal of these pictures for collectors in seventeenth-century Paris remains uncertain, though not the attention they attracted in the nineteenth century, with the advent of the realist movement. somber and serious image scene from everyday life // seen a lot in Holland in 17th century took a middle class to develop a taste for the low class // sense of virtue and morality in the family, that even in their poverty there is something intrensically good about them brown and beiges, w/ grey and white reduced palette// used tone to show modulation of light // contrast of light and dark figures close to the foreground repeated lines from folds of drapery enliven the surface and bring eye across surface simplicity of interior, food, dress
Salvador Dali, The Persistence of Memory, 1931, oil on canvas, 9½" x 13"
giving representations of dreams tangible and credible appearance. "hand painted dream photographs": hard objects become inexplicably limp, time bends, and metal attracts ants like rotting flesh. monstrous creature draped across center resembles artist's own face in profile; long eyelashes seem insectlike or sexual, as does what may be a tongue oozing from its nose painted at the height of the Surrealist Movement: artists explored ideas of automatism and the self-conscious in their work//experimental approach culminated in tendency toward peculiar subject matter that evokes dreams and challenges perceptions. Though set in a realistically-rendered landscape, features bizarre subject matter evocative of a dream. // the actual inspiration behind the scene is up for debate set of melting clocks—or "soft watches," are scattered across the composition. These timepieces appear to have lost their integrity. A single pocket watch, which remains closed, retains its structure, though an army of ants cover its case. "The soft watches are an unconscious symbol of the relativity of space and time, a Surrealist meditation on the collapse of our notions of a fixed cosmic order". possible to recognize a human figure in the middle, in the "monster" (with a lot of texture near its face, and lots of contrast and tone in the picture) that Dalí used to represent himself - the form becoming a self-portrait, reappearing frequently in his work. can be read as "fading", often appears in dreams where dreamer cannot pinpoint the creature's exact form and composition.// creature has one closed eye with several eyelashes, suggesting that the creature is also in a dream state. often used ants in his paintings as a symbol of decay//fly appears to be casting a human shadow
Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1893, tempera and casein on cardboard
how we see our age - with anxiety and uncertainty //based on experience while on a walk, after companions had left him. simple work, utilized a minimum of forms to achieve maximum expressiveness //various renditions show experimenting across media- subject matter fits with interest in relationships, life, death, and dread. main areas: bridge; a landscape; and the sky//Foreground and background blend into one another; human figures separated from this landscape by the bridge. -provides a contrast with the shapes of the landscape and the sky. androgynous, skull-shaped head, elongated hands, wide eyes, flaring nostrils and ovoid mouth; swirling blue landscape and fiery sky figure on bridge—may be symbolic of Munch —feels cry of nature, sensed internally - confronted questions regarding nature of subjectivity and its visual depiction // express internal emotions through external forms and provide visual for a human experience.
Georges Seurat, Sunday Afternoon on the Island of la Grande Jatte, 1884, oil on canvas, MET
juxtaposed tiny dabs of colors that, through blending, form luminous hue. // vibrant sun bathes scene in a afternoon glow //pointillism where light from left comes in contact with people and objects immobility of figures and shadows makes them forever silent //defines shadows by color they come in contact with in its proximity -skirts of women tree line at top: white becomes less white until it blends seamlessly with greens (tiny dots of white placed next to dots of green until actualized) 'Big Bowl Island' - high class get away wealthy Parisian life in 19th century. //wide range of characters: boaters, soldiers, young and old and people of varying classes of dress. //wide range of characters: boaters, soldiers, young and old and people of varying classes of dress. planning complex - sketched drafts before final plan -required extra attention and pre-planning studies balance so entire work interesting to look at. - river of boats balanced by large figures to right. // In center is activity, makes center as appealing - placing figures lends degree of formality and static figures at front close to viewer, making woman's dress enlarged. Her and man walking are biggest figures and size balances this work.
Eugène Delacroix, The Death of Sardanapalus, 1827, oil on canvas, 13' x 16'3"
main focus a large bed draped in red fabric. On a man is overseeing chaos with a disinterested eye (dressed in flowing fabrics and gold around neck and head.) A woman lies dead at his feet.She is one of five or six in the scene, all in assorted throes of death by the hands of the men in the scene. several people being stabbed and one man is dying from a self-inflicted wound A young man by the king's elbow standing behind side table which has an elaborate golden decanter and a cup. golden elephant heads at base of bed, and valuable trinkets scattered amongst the carnage painterly brushstroke, which allows for a strong sense of movement //scene is chaotic and violent, as showcased by weapons and the colors (quickly pulls eye around the painting) asymmetry in the work, but composition remains balanced woman reclined by an elephant head on end of the bed is only figure to engage with viewer. Everyone else is focused on the task at hand: death. The story of Assyrian ruler, Sardanapalus, is a tragic one: was the last king of Nineveh //decided to take matters into his own hands after learning his city was under attack by enemy group. Instead of facing humiliating defeat, he himself destroyed his possessions.// knowing he would be burned makes his apathetic reaction more alarming. adds more people to the scene increasing the magnitude of disaster//He intended to evoke confusion. The disarray of this oriental scene was a direct contrast to the orderly world of the Europeans. composition executed in vignette style-created focus in the center of canvas, painting light and bright colors in the same spot. //brushstroke ensures that the painting is very detailed //becomes less defined at the edges. Brushstrokes: Classically trained, Delacroix was accustomed to paying close attention to the detail of the line. As his style evolved his brushstrokes got thicker and quicker, but in Sardanapalus they remain for the most part tight and precise. seems to be a foggy haze over the corpses and they recede into the background. Even the king is slightly hidden in shadows.
Jean-Francois Millet, The Gleaners, 1857, oil on canvas, 33" x 34"
man with bag of seeds strides across canvas as scatters seed. Crows circle behind him and a man behind a plow drives oxen, preparing for planting. What Millet's apart is that, he emphasized the human figure, often a rural laborer isolated in the fields. painting was both praised and attacked. //saw in it the prototype of Creative Man, sowing the seeds of a new age. muscular and heroic as Michelangelo's figures, and looming over the landscape like Goya's giants, figure dominates the canvas //elongated his proportions reinforced by low viewpoint- menacing appearance to Parisian bourgeoisie readily explicable." Despite liberal use of shadow,use of primary colors allows the figure to stand in stark relief against a field of earth tones sense of vigorous movement underscored by dynamic angles that radiate outward from its central figure placement of light behind sower emphasizes shadowiness of foreground. eyes obscured by hat, dirty clothes, and crows undoing his efforts all create the sense that he is 'everyman' trying to outrun the gathering darkness. women incarnate the rural working-class authorised to go through fields at sunset to pick up ears of corn missed by harvesters. // juxtaposes phases of the back-breaking repetitive movement imposed by this task: bending over, picking up and straightening up again//contrasts abundant harvest in the distance: haystacks, wheat, a cart and crowd of harvesters. brightly lit bustle distanced by the abrupt change of scale. light accentuates the volumes in the foreground and gives the gleaners a sculptural look smudges distance into a golden haze, man on horseback, probably a steward in charge of supervising, making sure that the gleaners respect the rules- adds social distance by bringing a reminder of the landlords he represents
Edgar Degas, The Tub, 1886, pastel on board
minute observation of intimate, everyday gestures far cry from typical women at their toilet poses//young woman's pose, derived from that of the Crouching Aphrodite of antiquity. still life of toilet articles, with a distorted Japanese-style perspective, and its plunging view, brought to the workshop tubs and pots- model's came here: standing, washed, dried, yawned, dressed and undressed// simply observes instead of being surrounded by the symbolic attributes of ancient goddesses. (floating cupids, clouds, sea foam), Degas gives them a washcloth and a comb. It's not provocative it is the most natural, casual and boring environment in which a woman can be naked. woman does not look the viewer in the eye. //"Until now, the Nude model was always depicted in poses suggesting the presence of an audience"- his task was to create the feeling of peeping Critics praised Degas in his quest - say he's only an ardent admirer Ingres in the impressionistic camp, could in the bath a series of pastels to commit another act of reconciliation. Woman bathing Degas finally reconciled Ingres and Delacroix, reconciled line and color.
Rembrandt The Blinding of Samson Oil on Canvas
most gruesome and violent work - represents the bloody climax of the story. Samson overwhelmed by Philistines- right hand fettered and a sword is plunged into his eye-frame writhes with pain. This large painting originally was even larger. Delilah seduces Samson into telling her his secret and calls for the Philistines. Delilah flees the tent after looking back at her conquest. Samson appears defenseless as he has been wrestled to the ground. The light entering the darkened tent is blinding as well revealing the gruesome scene.(adds drama) chiaroscuro adds an element of mystery and excitement. scale of light, from the shadows to bright light pouring into the tent, gained in power and gradations
Francisco Goya, Saturn Devouring One of His Children, 1819-1823, oil on canvas, 58" x 33"
mural paintings that decorated house where Goya lived-allowed the artist to express himself//painted directly on wall Black Paintings, b/c he used many dark pigments and blacks and b/c of somber subject matter. mythological god could be personification of the fear of losing one´s power. His child's head and arm have been consumed. The titan is taking another bite from the left arm; as he looms from the darkness, his mouth gapes and eyes bulge The only brightness comes from white flesh, red blood of corpse, white knuckles of Saturn. Various interpretations : conflict between youth and old age, time as the devourer of all things, wrath of God and an allegory of the situation in Spain, where the fatherland consumed its own children in wars and revolution (understanding of human condition) classical iconography associated with Saturn are absent
Edouard Manet, Luncheon on the Grass, 1863, oil on canvas
obscene scene rejected by salon - suggested that women were prostitutes //tribute to artistic heritage but classical balanced by boldness. painted figures with a flatness resembling a playing card ordinary situation: sharing a picnic—represented as still life. Features peculiar detail: one of women is nude. Nudes throughout history represented figures from mythology or allegory. // redefined fine art no transition between light and dark, abandoned gradations for brutal contrasts characters fit uncomfortably in background of woods (excluded both depth and perspective) scale of bathing woman too large in comparison to figures in foreground. brush strokes rough and unhidden, appearance that its unfinished man on right based on brothers. man on left based on brother-in-law -figures don't acknowledge except two men. woman engages by looking directly out beyond the painting. contrasts naked with clothed, masculine with feminine, white palette with dark of the clothes
Paul Cezanne, Still Life with Basket of Apples, 1890-94, oil on canvas
passage Objects assembled on a kitchen table -nods to tradition of still-life, but subject is painting itself. reduced forms, and reassembling them in complex combinations to represent painted truth -each object demands their space, painted from above, or front-on, as the composition requires. loop of the ginger-pot is repeated in the basket handle, handle of coffee-pot, shapes of the fruit. -circular forms cascade diagonally down the canvas, through the two white cloths unify the composition. the demand attention like no static still-life ('dead nature', as the French call it) ever could. recognized that artist is not bound to represent real objects in real space: contains tilted tables, impossible rectangle with no right angles. heavy modeling, solid brushstrokes, and glowing colors give a dynamism that realistic still life never possess. captured complexity of how eyes take in sights before us -never aimed for mere illusionism. left some areas of canvas bare. Other areas, appear unfinished.
Gustave Courbet, Burial at Ornans, 1849, oil on canvas, 10'3" x 21'9"
took inspiration from group portraits of Dutch civic guards nuances of colour in the dark greens and dull greys produces an austere tone, the thick, robust technique gives the people and the natural elements density and weight. The rigorous frieze-like composition and the gaping grave strewn with bones invite us to think about the human condition. approach innovative at the time: canvas of dimensions usually reserved for history painting, to present an ordinary subject, with no trace of idealisation, decried "the ugliness" of the people, and the ordinariness of the whole scene. depicts funeral of great-uncle which took place in the family's birthplace of Ornans, a small town. Rather than use professional models, normal practice, chose to paint townspeople who had been present, emphasizing 'truthful' character of Realism. radical idea of treating the common people with a new sense of grandeur, This alone drew a torrent of criticism. defiantly mundane burial reinforced by the painting's title in which there is no mention of the name of the deceased, merely the location of the ceremony. life-sized mourners do not indulge in any dramatic gestures of grief, or other emotion which suggests any nobility of character - indeed, several mourners appear more like caricatures includes a number of traditional features: picture plane narrow and crowded to accentuate monumentality and solidarity of the occasion// silhoutte of mourners follows horizon, nothing is allowed to project into sky, except crucifix. (emphasizes that everyone is equal before God and earthly nature of humanity)// use of muted colours (set off by the white) and evening gloom, underlines dignity of an ordinary life and death.
Diego Velazquez, The little Maidens, 1656, oil on canvas, madrid
witnessing painter who paints us or the royal couple, who look at him, reflected in mirror -Margarita (5) visits her parents, who are being painted infant occupies foreground, light from window ceremoniously falls on her - light plays an important role b/c of confusion,casualness, contrasts of proportion becomes a genre-painting complex composition conveys a sense of life and reality while enclosing meanings -figures inhabit space that is modelled through laws of scientific perspective and through aerial perspective.
Jan Vermeer, Woman Weighing Gold, 1660, oil on canvs
woman stands serenely in corner of room-scales in her hand are at equilibrium, suggestive of inner state of mind. - quiet moment of contemplation // Soft light illuminates the scene. juxtaposition of woman and Last Judgment reinforced by parallels: to judge is to weigh - religious implications related to instructions, that faithful, prior to meditating, examine their conscience and weigh their sins as if facing Judgment Day. -introspection could lead to virtuous choices along the path of life. blue cloth, open boxes, two strands of pearls, and a gold chain lie on the sturdy table. // urges us to conduct our lives with moderation-woman b/n earthly treasures and reminder of eternal consequences of actions. known until recently as "The Goldweigher" or "Girl Weighing Pearls" - analysis, revealed the pans of the balance to be empty. emphasized through refined composition and lighting//hand holding balance in front of frame's dark corner, scales are set off against plaster wall—created through spatial manipulation. //bottom of the Last Judgment's frame slightly higher to left of woman than behind her creating room for the balance. designed to focus attention on balance -woman's arms act as a frame, finger extended echoes horizontal of the balance. // play between verticals and horizontals, objects and negative space, light and shadow results balanced, yet still active composition. The scales are balanced, but dynamically asymmetrical.
