ART 172/Quiz #6 - Examples of sound answers:

ESSAY 1. Describe the main characteristics of early 19th century Romanticism staring with this painting but also naming two other works of the period. Include a definition of the Sublime.

   The main characteristics of romanticism, including loose/painterly brushstrokes, dramatic use of light and dark, dramatic gestures and poses, all work to emphasize and realize the sublime, profound emotional impact that was the goal of romantic work.

   Gericault’s The Raft of the Medusa brings about this extreme emotional “awe-full” response in typical romantic fashion. The complex pyramidal composition not only adds visual interest, but can also represent the social and political hierarchy criticized by the painting. Gericault’s use of Caravaggio’s tenebrism enhances the dramatic theatrical aspect of the work, in addition to eliciting a more profound emotional response. The contorted gestures and poses of the figures also enhance the extreme quality of this contemporary event. Thus, Gericault exists as an obvious representative of the romantic style, highly emotionalized scenes, and achievement of the sublime viewers’ emotional response.

   Other romantic work, such as that of Delacroix, is more painterly, and focuses more on the exotic appeal of faraway destinations/cultures – most notably in his work The Women of Algiers. The work of Casper David Frederick, Monk by the Sea, captures this “sublime” aspect of romantic art through more internal, introspective, and quiet psychological appeal through his use of expansive space surrounding the solitary, diminutive figure. Overall, the goal of romantic art was to elicit an extreme emotional response from the viewer. This was done in different ways by different artists.

ESSAY 2. How does this royal portrait differ from other portraits of absolutist rulers such as Velasquez’ Las Meninas, Rigaud’s Louis XIV or David’s Napoleon? What does this suggest about changing societal and political attitudes?

   Goya’s portrait of Family of Charles the fourth is distinguishably a work of this artist of dissent, who painted the Third of May 1808 so that the people would know his position. With the relative laxness of power at the time when France occupied Goya’s Spain, the artist could make statements depending upon on his/her subject. With the depiction of the royal family, Goya is surprisingly bold, while the family approved of it, whereas Velaquez’ subjects likely would not have, and certainly not David’s.

   David’s portrait of Napoleon is the least comparable to Goya’s. David has Napoleon on a horse where he was known to have been on a donkey, and he directs his hand to where the wind is tugging at his cape, as if he, Napoleon, were actually controlling the wind, while rearing up on a horse. He is the only character in a desolate landscape. David’s exaggerated zeal over Napolean is dizzying.

   Velazquez adores his subjects as well, though not quite as regally. Velazquez may be closer to Goya here, as both are attentive to the mysterious, even in “simple” portraits like Velazquez’s figures in the mirror, the drama of the scene of kids, etc.

   Goya’s mystery is what’s going on with his dopey subjects. None look too dignified or have attractive, intelligent, faces, their clothes stand out more than their faces. Only Goya could get away with this. His subjects seem to just mill around. There is no triangulation, no ….(cut off in photocopy, sorry)

ESSAY 3.  Is there anything “realistic” about early photography? Why or why not? Refer to this and at least two other examples of your choice.

   Early photography produced some pretty unique and interesting works of art. However, in these early stages of photography, there was nothing real about them.

   Starting here with Reijlander’s Two Paths of Life, we see a scene which is not in the least bit natural. On one side are the clean and righteous, while the dirty sinners sit on the opposite side of the room. What Reijlander did to make this work was do a sketch and then take individual photos of people and place them in the scene as part of a collage. Daguerre’s Artist’s Studio is also not realistic. What we see in that photo is a nicely set out variety of random things. It is really difficult to believe that everything just happened to be sitting out in the neat manner they were in. Talbot’s Open Door is the greatest example of unreal. What we see is an open door with a broom that is leaning against it. The shadows of the broom and the door are perfectly parallel and it is really hard to believe that the broom fell so that the shadow and the door line up perfectly.

   The new art of photography was quite fascinating, but the works produced were anything but real. They were all merely set up rather than trying to catch those special, unexpected moments in life.

ESSAY 4.  Discuss the Realist stage of mid-19th century painting in form and content:

   One of the periods that emerges from the romantic period is the realist period. During the mid 19th century, realism became a very popular form of art. However, it is important not to assume what realism is because it is actually a very complex and diverse period.

   Realism includes aspects of both form and content. Generally, the form shows meticulous attention to the surfaces of subjects, creating a “licked” effect. The content generally reflected common scenes from everyday life. The Realist period looked toward contemporary events instead of relics of the past. However, realist works did not always have the same characteristics. While some showed both aspects of form and content, such as Bonheur’s Plowing in the Nivemais (everyday content and meticulous attention to surfaces), some showed one or the other.

   For example, Bouguereau’s Nymph and Satyr definitely doesn’t appear realist in content. However, it is still realist because of its form and “licked”, meticulous surfaces. Courbet’s A Burial at Ornans does comply with realism standards of content:

the scene is everyday, normal and ordinary. However, the form does not. People were appalled because it looked like Courbet “painted with a broom”. Actually, he used a palette knife.

   There were also variations of realism. Some, like Nymph and Satyr were romantic. Others, like Barge Haulers on the Volga were political. Some like Thomas Le Clear’s Interior with Portraits were academic. The categories were numerous, but all were considered realist.

   The realism period differed with the previous romantic period in that realism looked at ordinary everyday experiences whereas Romanticism ….sublime…(sorry, cut off)

   The Realism period was a very complex period in the mid 19th century. It did not record reality, although its name might lead you to believe so. Instead, there were many forms of Realism that looked at painting in a new way.

ESSAY 5.  Discuss three categories of 19th century architecture using the projected slide and two examples of your choice.

   There are three main categories, which encapsulate 19th century architecture. They are the styles of the Grand Manner, Revival style, and Progressive - or what is sometimes referred to as Engineering style.

   The Grand Manner style is evident in the style of the Paris Opera House. The style is basically a mishmash of numerous Renaissance and Baroque styles.

   The houses of Parliament in London, England, are a prime example of the Gothic Revival style. This style relies on purely imitation of a certain style from the past, but can still be recognized as being built in the 19th century. Buildings that used this style are highly romanticized.

   The Eiffel Tower by Gustav Eiffel and the Brooklyn Bridge by John and Washington Roebling are both progressive. They both consist of new materials and the engineering of the day. Interestingly, they include subtle, decorative characteristics found in older architecture. For instance, the Brooklyn Bridge has Gothic style arches and a rather Romanesque mortar structure.

ESSAY 6.  What was controversial about this painting? How did it fit the definition of Grand Manner, yet still go astray? Refer to two other works by the same painter.

   Manet’s Olympia, although using the reclining nude subject matter that had been popular for some time was a very controversial piece in the 19th century.

   Olympia is the same exact content as Ingres’ Odalisque; however, while Ingres’ painting depicted a seductive piece of flesh, Manet painted a prostitute with a business-like attitude. She stares directly at the viewer, and this made many people uncomfortable, as though they had been caught in their sexual schemes. Even though the reclining nude pose was derived from the Grand Manner, people called the painting a bad example of art. They gave reasons such as the fact that Manet pushes the shadows back onto the figure, but in reality they were probably just upset with the idea of the woman taking charge of her sexuality.

   Olympia differs from other works of Manet’s, such as Le Dejeuner sur L’Herbe but it has more in common with the nude female content of that painting than with Bar at the Folies Bergeres. Both Dejeuner and Bar appear to have quicker, more visible brush strokes, but Bar has many more people and uses the less traditional subject matter of a woman in a crowded place serving drinks.

   Olympia symbolizes the recognition of the fact that the reclining female is not glamorous, and is in fact, simply a business deal to get over with.

ESSAY 7.  Discuss Impressionism: How can it be understood as the logical conclusion of realism in a subjective world? Refer to two other Impressionist works.

   Impressionism is the logical conclusion of realism in a subjective world. Impressionism shows the individual perspective of an artist; the artist is “imprinting” his/her view of the world.

   In order to understand how Impressioniam is the logical conclusion of realism in a subjective world, we need to take a look at two artists from France during this time: Renoir and Monet. Both of these French artists were some of the most famous of the impressionist era. A work that both of them did is entitled, The Frog Pond. When we take a look at these two paintings we can tell that they are from the same place, yet they still show differences.

   In Renoir’s paintings we notice that he pays closer attention to people. Renoir was a people person and in his paintings he tried to capture the spirituality of a person, Two Sisters is an example of this. While Renoir was a people person, Monet paid closer attention to the way light reacted off surfaces and the patterns in surfaces (scenery). Monet’s Haystacks are an example of this and how he painted a haystack in all the different seasons and at different times during the day.

   Through Monet and Renoir came to the logical conclusion of realism in a subjective world and left their imprints on the world. They recorded things as they saw them and turned realism subjective.

ART 172/Quiz #5 - Examples of sound answers:

ESSAY 1. Discuss the major components of this artist’s painting style. How did this example fulfill Counter-Reformation aims as a small-scale Gesamtkunstwerk?

Name at least one artist influenced by this style.

   The work of Caravaggio was a very unique style of artwork where he brought to the art world the use of what is called the dark manner. He used his artistic style to help call people back to the church. He was revolutionary for his style and his works were considered Gesamtkunstwerk.

   Caravaggio’s style was unique for he used people off of the street for his art. While others hired models and the like, he took his figures from everyday life.

   His use of a single light source created a feeling in his art that inspired others of his day. A female artist by the name of Artemisia Gentileschi was inspired by Caravaggio and she made works that explored the dark manner and the single light source. Her works were even the same subject matter such as the decapitation of the Assyrian King for Israel.

   He himself was rather wild in his behavior, but he succeeded in bringing people back to the church. He was able to use his artistic talent for the church to make religious scenes, such as Doubting Thomas feeling the side of Jesus. His work succeeded in this goal because of its quality.

   Caravaggio’s work is Gesamtkunstwerk because it has all the senses used in it. He had the amazing ability to make scenes so real that you can feel them, smell them, and experience them as if you were really there. He has figures like the head jutting out into our space, or the horse butt that you can almost smell. The way he did his art is very three dimensional and exquisite. His use of light, physical poses, emotion, and design all make his work Gesamtkunstwerk.

   He was truly a marvelous artist not only for his subject matter, but also for his revolutionary style and his ability to make mini Gesamtkunstwerk that brought people back to the church.

ESSAY 2. Discuss this structure as a secular Gesamtkunstwerk. What components are involved? What was the clear political message?

   This is a slide of the palace of Versailles. The palace is really a Gesamtkunstwerk. It is a secular work, which means it is not affiliated with religion. Louis XIV had it built. He was known as the Sun King, because he believed he was a divine ruler. In other words, he believed he was chosen by God to rule France. Everything that Louis had was either large or elaborate or both. Louis had Versailles built to show his wealth and power.

   It is a true Gesamtkunstwerk because of everything that has gone into it. An example that makes it a Gesamtkunstwerk is the incredibly elaborate and beautiful “hall of mirrors”. The hall itself is one great work of art. Another example would be the gardens of Versailles. They are incredibly large and elaborate. One could spend vast quantities of time in the gardens and still not see everything.

   The clear political message that Louis was trying to send with Versailles is that he was better than everyone else. He was the wealthiest person around, he was chosen by God to rule France, and no one was better than him or was going to tell him what to do.

ESSAY 3.  Discuss at least three different levels on which this painting operates. Conclude with your own reading.

   Velasquez’s Las Meninas is a very unique piece of art. No one really knows what the painting is about.

   One opinion of this painting is that it is perhaps a self-portrait of Velázquez. He appears in the left corner of the room in front of a giant canvas. Another opinion is that the little girl (believed to be a princess) has just been treated by a physician. The man in the rear of the room appears to be a doctor leaving with his bag.

   Another idea is that the princess is getting her portrait painted by Velasquez. It appears as though she is taking a break and being entertained by the little people (one of which is about to kick the dog which would change the whole scene. Young children have less patience, so this is in my opinion, one of the better ideas.

  What I believe though is that Velasquez is painting a portrait of the king and queen. He appears to be looking directly into our space, which is where the king and queen would be standing. Also, if you look just to the left of the doorway, a mirror is hanging in which the king and queen appear (some say it is a painting, but I say a mirror). I don’t know who the man in the door is or how he fits in, but I believe this is a scene of the king and queen having their portrait done by the highly regarded Velasquez.

   There are many interpretations of this painting, but we will never know the real meaning, which makes this work all the more intriguing.

ESSAY 4.  Compare, but mostly contrast these two works. What is the point of the comparison?

   In Vermeer’s Women Holding a Balance is Dutch Baroque (Holland) and the left is Rueben’s, Henry the IV Receiving the Portrait of Maria d’Medici in Flemish Baroque (Flanders). These paintings were both done around the same time in the seventeenth century. They have a lot of the same principles in that they both seem painterly with the up-close brush strokes instead of contours.

   There is a big difference between the Dutch and Flemish Baroque. In Flemish Baroque, the paintings are loud, big, sensuous, religious, Catholic, imperial, hierarchical, controlled economically. In Dutch Baroque, paintings are smaller, quieter, middle class, Republican, Protestant, secular art, capitalist. I noticed there are religious and secular differences. In Rueben’s’ painting, they are usually religious like in the Raising of the Cross, where in Rembrandt’s and Ruysch’s works, they are all secular and non-religious. At the museum you could see Dutch paintings were smaller and then you would have huge paintings and you knew they had to be Flemish.

   The point of the comparison is these works are so close in geography and around the same time, you need to see how different works of art appear according to what people believe in. They both have their own beliefs in government and religion and it probably wouldn’t be good to get them mixed up when you see them at museums.

ESSAY 5.  Discuss this period style and the politics involved. Name a second example of the same style.

   This work is Fragonard’s The Meeting, a Rococo 18th century piece. This piece shows the artistic styles of the Rococo: “fluffy” foliage, ruffled drapery and somewhat erotic.

This piece also exemplifies the preoccupation of the idea of the carefree aristocracy. This comes at the forefront of the French revolution.

   The idea of a carefree aristocracy is shown here. The girl and boy are looking out as if they are about to be caught. Unlike Gentileschi’s Judith with the Head of Holofernes, if these two kids are caught their lives are not at stake.

   Another example of a carefree aristocracy is Watteau’s Pilgrimage to the Island of Cynthia, we see a carefree aristocracy using their day away to go see a statue of Venus.

   This obsession with the lives of the aristocracy comes at the forefront of the French revolution in which the frivolous lifestyles of earlier monarchs like Marie Antoinette and King Louis XIV are criticized. It was probably works like these that fueled the dissatisfaction with the aristocracy.

ESSAY 6.  Contrast these works using Wölfflin’s principles and then explain how they function as “book ends” to the century they represent.

   The Meeting by Fragonard and The Oath of the Horatti by David are very different, because Fragonard’s work fulfilled Wölfflin’s principles for Baroque art and David’s work fulfills the principles for Renaissance art, it being neoclassical.

   The Meeting is very painterly with the fluffy looking trees and the pastel colors. It has depth where you can see it coming in from a diagonal. The form is open where you can see the painting flow over the picture from and into our space. It has unity with every element coming together to flow and create one single element. This also has relative clarity where you can’t completely tell what’s going on.

   David’s work is very linear with the sharp, straight outlines and clear shapes. It all lies on a plane that is parallel with the picture frame. The form is closed with everything fitting nicely inside the frame. It has multiplicity where different things are going on but they all float together. It is clear what is going on in the painting – these men are obviously swearing an oath.

   They represent the period because Fragonard shows the aristocratic frivolous life that was so important at the time. David shows that there is a revolution-taking place. Both show what is going on politically at the time so they should be “book ends”.

ART 172/Quiz #4 - Examples of sound answers:

ESSAY 1. How does this work deviate from the standards of the Classical Renaissance style c? What is this alled? Name a classical work of your choice as a basis of comparison and then describe the characteristics of the style in detail.

   The Madonna with the Long Neck deviates from standard Classical Renaissance style in many ways. To show this, I will compare the Mannerist painting with Michelangelo’s Pieta.

   The Madonna with the Long Neck first deviates from Classical Renaissance style in that there is no form or at least a very warped form of her and Jesus’ body. Her lap, for instance, is insanely out of proportion compared to Mike’s Madonna who has a large lap, but the way he constructed it made it appear believable.

   Another difference is that the content changed from the Classical Renaissance style to the Mannerist. Most Classical Renaissance art had a religious meaning or depicted art that was beautiful and earthly. In this picture the Madonna has perky breasts and looks down upon her child with haughtiness rather than love. The Pieta shows a very young and beautiful Madonna looking down upon her child with tenderness, sadness and love.

   I think the Madonna with Long Neck is disturbing and ugly to be blunt. I much preferred Michelangelo’s Pieta because of its softness and beauty compared to the Mannerist change in style.

ESSAY 2. First discuss the artistic ambitions of this artist. Then analyze this image in terms of northern and southern characteristics. Which win out, in your opinion?

   Dürer was a very ambitious painter. He tried to bring the southern European standards to the north.

   When Dürer was thirteen he drew a self-portrait. When he was older, a picture of him looking like an Italian prince was painted. His ambitions in this painting are to combine the northern and southern European techniques. He wanted to do surface and structure.

   This engraving or woodcut is very northern because it has a tilted background. The trees are precisely rendered and there is veiled symbolism. The background goes from trees to a cliff. It has a middle ground – it is tilted. The picture is full of small shapes. The leaves and bark are rendered so that you can see the knobs on the tree. The painting has veiled symbolism. It has a moose/cow a goat, a snake and a bird which all stand for something.

   This painting is southern. It has the ??? and the nudes. The nudes usually look gummy in the… (sorry, this got cut off here because we neglected to photocopy the next page)

ESSAY 3.  Contrast these artworks systemically using the terminology of Wolfflin’s Prinicples of Art History.

   Both Michelangelo’s Sistine Ceiling and Gaulli’s Triumph of the Name of the Christ are spectacular ceiling paintings. These two works differ greatly however seeing as they are from two different periods. Wölfflin’s Principles allow us contrast them.

   Michelangelo’s Sistine is an example of linear art with long flowing crisp lines. Gaulli’s Triumph however is very painterly. There are no clear lines, which make up the figure; it is more of different colors blending to make the shapes.

  Also, Mike’s work is planer. All of the figures line up straight with the surrounding frame. Gaulli’s work on the other hand, is more diagonal which gives the figures more depth.

  The next difference is that Mike’s painting is closed. Every figure is contained within the frame whereas Gaulli’s is open and the characters seem to be falling out of the frame.

  Each figure in the Sistine Chapel has a sense of individuality. What I mean is that you could take a figure out of the painting and lose nothing. Gaulli’s work, on the other hand, is very unified. It seems like if you would remove a figure the whole work would fall apart.

  Lastly, Mike’s work is much more clear. The colors are simple and easy to see each figure. The work of Gaulli however is relatively uinclear; it is very difficult to look at and see what is going on in the work.

   These are two astounding works of art by two great men. I personally like Mike’s work more because it is easy to look at and understand. Gaulli’s is just too wild and blurred.

ESSAY 4.  Discuss this painting by calling attention to the artist’s diverse background and to the stylistic variations within the image.

   A major theme of the seventeenth century was the idea of a Gesamtkunstuwerk. A Gesamtkunstwerk is a complete work of art including the merging of architecture, painting, sculpture, and non art forms (people, natural light, pigeons, and fountains, for example).

   The idea of Gesamtkunstwerk was to give the viewer a complete sensory experience and make the viewer feel like he or she is physically, emotionally, or spiritually involved in something big occurring right then. This technique was used to “call people back to the church” during the counter-reformation by involving them in the art.

   One example of a Gesamtkunstwerk is Bernini’s Ecstacy of St. Theresa in the Cornaro Chapel. The main part is sculpture, which seems to be levitating. This sculpture is built into the architecture to make it seem like a theatre. Sculptures of people are made on walls to make it look like they are watching a theatre. Metal rods are behind the figure with a natural light source. The change in the light creates the illusion of movement, causing the viewer to believe they are seeing something happening at that moment.

   Another example is Gaulli’s Triumph of the Name of Jesus in Il Gesu. Sculptures on the bottom point up to other sculptures, which then point to the ceiling. Your eye is then drawn to the ceiling painting, which is very unified as well. The painting itself is a Gesamtkunstwerk within another Gesamtkunstwerk. Manipulation of color makes your eye move around and take it all in.

   One last example of Bernini is many aspects of St. Peter’s. The whole thing is Gesamtkunstwerk starting with the Colonnades that are “the arms to bring back people to the church,” to the Baldachin with its spiraling columns and larger-than-life angels. The Baldachin is a multimedia form combining architecture, painting, sculpture, and other aspects. Behind this Baldachin is the main altarpiece, The Choir Of St. Peters.

ESSAY 5.  What’s typically northern about this altarpiece? What’s unusual about it? How does this artist’s interpretation of life contrast with that of his Italian contemporary, Michelangelo?

   Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights shows some qualities of northern art while also being quite unique in many ways to other works of the time, such as Michelangelo’s Last Judgement.

   The figures depicted are very northern. They have no real structure or defined anatomy. They are nude, which is unusual for a northern work, but if they were clothed one would imagine them to seem to have no anatomy at all.

   Bosch’s work is also northern in the way he tilts up his landscape to give the viewer a better view of what is farther away.

   Bosch also does the “hedge technique” in just putting a line to move from the foreground to the background.

   Bosch also used veiled symbolism a lot. However, it is so veiled that no one can really understand what much of any of the symbols mean.

   Bosch’s work is very unique in its subject matter. While depicting Creation and Last Judgment scenes like Mike, they are so odd, that one has a hard time viewing them in that traditional way.

   Mike’s Last Judement takes a much more traditional approach to the religious subject matter. Bosch, while observing some northern sensibilities really develops his style that is all his own and is hard to compare to any other work because of its uniqueness.

ART 172/Quiz #3 - Examples of sound answers:

ESSAY 1. Identify, and then compare these two paintings. What is the point of the comparison?

    The Portinari Altarpiece by Hugo Van der Goes and Perugino’s Christ Delivering the Keys to St. Peter really show the great differences between the northern work of the 15th century and that of the southern work.

    In Northern work, the artists are more focused on surface area, which tends to mean that they focus on one section at a time trying to put the small finishing touches on every last detail. A great example of this use of specifics is the fact that we can see every strand of hair on Mary’s head and, by doing that, we are able to notice the different lines and strands in her hair. Another great example of this is Robert Campion’s Merode Altarpiece in which he puts great emphasis on working in sections and allowing us to focus on every hair on Joseph’s head.

    In the Southern work, like Perugino's they are more focused on structure area and trying to get their paintings across as being more spatially open and by putting more focus on the scenery rather than anatomy. Here in Perugino’s work there is a great amount of open space unlike that of Hugo van der Goes. The fascinating thing about this piece is that if you look at the main figures like Christ and St. Peter, the characters are hard to identify, whereas non-important figures have portrait-like quality and that had been prevalent with others of the time like Massaccio. These artists don’t paint section by section.

   The point of the comparison was to show the differences in structure, characterization, space, and emphasis on individual detail between north and south.

ESSAY 2. How does this artist’s work reflect the spiritual conflict of its period?

   Surprisingly, one of the most famous artists of the fifteenth century is an artist whose work does not really fit into the century. Botticelli’s work is famous because it reflects the spiritual conflict of the time by being intentionally archaic while also ahead of its time in some aspects.

   The spiritual conflict of the time was the conflict between the beauty of the human form and the guilt of portraying too much life in art. Artists at the time began to feel guilty for portraying scenes so “holy” in a way that made them look like an extension of real life. Christian artists also felt guilty for reveling in the eroticism and beauty of the human form.

  Although Botticelli was perfectly capable of using artistic tools of the century, he intentionally chose to regress to archaic practices. He did this to speak about the spiritual conflict and to justify his use of the naked human form. For example, in Birth of Venus, the atmospheric perspective is not right. It seems solid and unconvincing. The woman’s weight shift is awkward and the scale is not consistent. Even the water is archaic, just V’s. Botticelli had the knowledge to improve these qualities, but chose not to.

   Botticelli was also ahead of his time in many ways. For example, his subject matter in the Birth of Venus and Primavera takes pagan concepts and puts them into Christian compositions. His work is also very ambiguous, like modern work.  In Primavera, there are many different possible interpretations of what is occurring.

   Although Botticelli was different from most in the fifteenth century, his work is famous because it reflected the spiritual conflict of the time. It proves to be both intentionally archaic and modern at the same time. This is why Botticelli is remembered.

ESSAY 3.  Discuss in depth the characteristics of Italian Classical Renaissance painting and sculpture. Refer to these and other examples of your choice.

   The goal of classical Renaissance art was to illustrate the ideal world and bring the viewer into that higher reality by making their artwork an extension of their reality. This idea is seen in Michelangelo’s Pieta, Raphael’s School of Athens and Leonardo’s Mona Lisa.

   Michaelangelo’s Pieta epitomizes classical Renaissance sculpture. He releases the spirit of the young virgin holding the dead body of Christ and renders the textures of the fabrics, the anatomy of the figures, and the expression of the virgin with breathtaking clarity and emotive energy. The sense of calm, order, and expressive nature of Michelangelo’s work champions him as the ideal sculptor of the Renaissance.

   Raphael’s School of Athens exemplifies the use of illusionistic architecture, natural light, one point perspective, and integrated space in creating a believable and accessible high plane of intellectual grandeur. The illusionistic beckons the viewer into this ideal reality of the great ancient philosophers while the order of the space and the individual character of the figures makes this reality a more believable extension of one’s own.

   Leonardo’s use of sfumato modeling gives movement and expressive power to his Mona Lisa, adding to her intriguing character. The pyramidal composition of her body promotes a calm grandeur that is typical of the classical Renaissance style.

   Each of these artists attempts to use illusionistic devices and rational composition to bring the viewer into a higher realm of intellectual reality.

ESSAY 4.  Describe Michelangelo’s paintings in the Sistine Chapel as you would if you were tour guide. How are they organized? What are the most important subjects? Which scenes or sections would you focus on? How would you characterize Mike’s expressive style?

   As a tour guide, I would briefly give an introduction to the Sistine Chapel of Michelangelo (I would need to do this before entering because you’re not supposed to talk before going inside). In order to give the best preparation for how to see and appreciate the work, I would explain the arrangement of the painting.

   Michelangelo’s work displays scenes that span from the creation to the flood of Noah. For whatever reason, Michelangelo decided to go in reverse chronological order.  The set up shows the major scenes arranged in the center. To the side appear prophets and sibyls. Each scene is framed by artificial (painted) architecture and male nude figures.

   If you were to look at the flood scene, you would notice that the place is crammed with many figures. The space is very busy. Michelangelo did not enjoy how it appeared, so in the next scenes, there are less figures and more space. This worked out quite well by enabling him to place more expression in his work. The most well known of the works of the Sistine Chapel is the Creation of Adam. The figures are sparse and the majority of the focus is on the fingers of the men as they are about to touch. It is filled with such emotion and anticipation. It sets the stage for all that is about to occur.

   Michelangelo’s art is very distinct in that he didn’t actually think that he was a good painter. He did not want to paint the Sistine Chapel, he wanted to build a monument for Pope Julius.  Nevertheless, the bulky heroic nude figures are very distinct and endearing. He might not have appreciated his own work, but the rest of the world did.

ESSAY 5.  What is distinctive about Michelangelo’s approach to sculpture? Discuss Mike’s treatment of the figure in reference to at least three examples.

    Michelangelo’s approach to sculpture is very distinctive. Before Michelangelo created his sculpture he would study the marble from which it was to be carved in order to get a sense of what it was. Michelangelo believed that there were figures that were trapped inside the marble dying to get out, and by carving them loose, he “set free their spirits”. One example of this would be his sculpture of the slave. This shows the soul leaving the body and the body right before its fall.

   Michelangelo was also very good at showing the figure in an action pose; meaning right before the figure was about to do something, i.e. spring into action. Michelangelo’s David and Moses both portray this. David portrays his movement right before he is about to kill Goliath. Moses portrays his anger toward his people turning back to worshipping the golden calf and he is about to leave up in anger.

   Michelangelo also paid great attention to the use of the veins to show the “life” running through the figure and the expressions of the face. David and Moses are both examples of this.

   Michelangelo’s sculptures are used as references to other up and coming sculptors. His portrayal of life and movement is undoubtedly his most well known aspect.

ESSAY 6.  Cite the three examples of architecture designed by Michelangelo that were presented in class, and then explain why they deserve to be placed in three, separate stylistic categories.

   Michelangelo’s architecture was just as innovative as his painting as his painting and sculpture. Three of Michelangelo’s architectural designs are so innovative that they all take on different periods of art.

   For example, Michelangelo designed plans for St. Peter’s Basilica in Italy. The plans for St. Peter’s were classical Renaissance because his design was very symmetrical and simple - a characteristic of classical Renaissance architecture.

   Another example of Michelangelo’s architecture is that of vestibule of the Laurentian Library. The innovative qualities of the vestibule mainly pertain to the stairs, which flowed downward contrary to normal stair designs. Also, the vestibule was undersized and cramped, not designed for spaciousness. Another unique trait of the vestibule is that of the consoles, which typically appeared to support something, however, Michelangelo places them in a spot in the vestibule where there is no need for structural support. Also, the columns of the vestibule are cut into the walls giving the appearance of support. All of these characteristics give the vestibule the label of Mannerist architecture.

   The last example of Michelangelo’s architecture is that of Capitoline Hill. The design is proto-Baroque because of its emphasis on lines and oval shapes. The oval shaped square is the defining proto Baroque characteristic. The buildings are also an example of proto Baroque architecture because of their simple facades.

   These three examples of Michelangelo’s architecture exemplify his innovative style and ideas.

Video Summary #1

The Medieval World and the Early Renaissance

              The Medieval World was during the late 14th century to the 15th century.  During this time there was a great change in how artists viewed the world.  They were changing from an idea of a God’s eye perspective to a man’s eye perspective view, in other words, this was the beginning of Humanism.  Humanism was a worldview that focused on human beings; an education that perfected individuals through the study of past models of civic and personal virtue; a value system that emphasized personal effort and responsibility; and a physically or intellectually active life that was directed at common good as well as individual nobility.

              Giotto di Bondone was one of the most famous artists during this time.  One of his most famous pieces of work is the “Lamentation of Christ”.  What makes his works special is that since the fall of the Roman Empire, all figures in sculpture and paintings have lost expression in their faces and have lost a sense of naturalism.  Giotto’s faces in his paintings have expression, and the space around the painting allows you to lead your attention to focus on the dead Christ in the center of the painting.  Another unique thing about Giotto’s paintings is that his figures are in the round, which was the starting point of European Art in the West. During this period, there was a great famine, which almost 80% of the people died in this area of Europe; because of this the Gothic period developed.

              Another famous artist during this century was Filippo Brunelleschi.  He is credited for creating the “Dome of Florence Cathedral”.  Before Brunelleschi became an aspiring architect, he was a goldsmith.  Brunelleschi was studying roman architecture in Rome and came up with the idea of building the Dome of Florence Cathedral by making it out of self supporting rings made out of bricks.  He devised an advanced construction technique that was more efficient, less costly, and safer than earlier systems.  To this day the dome is the second largest masonry dome in the world.  Brunelleschi is also known for his creation of the Foundling Hospital in Florence, Italy.  He uses proportions from classical architecture, and unified design.  He also discovered the laws of perspective, one point perspective which many artists after his time still use even today.

              A third famous artist from this time is Jan van Eyck.  One of his famous paintings is the “Arnolfini Wedding Portrait”.  He is the first artist of his time to master oil painting, which he used to create a naturalistic affect.  He used the glossiness of the paint to help him show the effectiveness of light.  He also used great detail in all the backgrounds of his paintings.  Some believe that the Arnolfini painting is a self portrait of Jan van Eyck and his wife on their wedding day.  Jan van Eyck is also credited for using a catalog of textures and all of his paintings are full of symbolism.  For instance, the fruit on the windowsill in the Arnolfini painting represents man before the fall, showing innocence lost.

              Some other founding artists of the Medieval Era are Botticelli, Verrocchio, Van der Weyden, Limbourg brothers, Donatello, and Masaccio.  These artists’ are credited with creating the illusion of space, uses of background and rich colors, dramatic movement of animals and humans, dynamisms, made the woman figure an elegant and acceptable status in the art world, and linked the contemporary world with the divine world. 

Video Summary #2

The Renaissance

              The Renaissance was during the end of the 15th Century through the 16th Century.  It was a time of “re-birth”, where Rome and Greece are reborn.  During this time the artists were known as geniuses because of their divine frenzy for art.  Also during this time, art for the first time was seen through the eyes of man; man was in control of his own world.  Artist’s learned to idealize the figure and they studied nature.  They also looked at the world and played with it, or the idea of it.  Florence is where the Renaissance started, and Giotto was one of the first in the early Renaissance.

              Leonardo Da Vinci was one of the most famous artists of this time.  His paintings were fluid and through his studies it shows that man is in control.  Leonardo was an inventor, and engineer, not just a painter.  He studied anatomy, geography, science, math, and architecture.  He also placed his figures in a pyramid design, which was a new composition during the Renaissance Era.  Two of his most famous works are the “Last Supper” and “The Mona Lisa”.  The Last Supper portrays Christ and his twelve apostles.  He arranged the twelve apostles in groups of threes around the Christ figure.  Each of the figures was individualized and his painting now has a mystic quality because the painting is falling apart.  This is due to the fact that Leonardo wasn’t very good with painting frescos.  The Mona Lisa is Leonardo’s most famous pieces of work.  Most people are intrigued by the woman’s mysterious smile and wonder who she is.  This painting shows Leonardo’s skills in sfumato and chiaroscuro.  Sfumato is a technique in which the painting looks like it is in a smoke filled screen (a blurry background), and chiaroscuro is the modeling of forms (shadowing effects, variations of light to dark).

              Michelangelo was another famous artist of this time, even though he was much more difficult to work with than Leonardo.  He as well, studied mathematical proportions and worked with marble.  He felt that working with marble freed the spirit from within (the marble).  He revolutionized the art of sculpture.  His work was done in high renaissance form.  The “Statue of David” is one of his most famous sculptures.  It is a symbol of the Florentine Republic.  What makes the statue special is that it has both action and reflection at the same time.  Leonardo’s work was self sufficient.  The “Statue of Pieta” was another famous statue from this time.  Another famous art work of Michelangelo’s was the “Sistine Chapel Ceiling and the altar wall of the Last Judgment”.  He painted in fresco technique and sent across the affirmative image of god and the universe.  The Last Judgment however, was very emotional and full of life and movement.  It showed the frailty of man kind.

              The third great artist of this time was Raphael.  He was greatly influenced by Michelangelo and Leonardo, and later Raphael became many artists’ aspirations. The “School of Athens” was one of his works and it showed particular thoughts and expressions.  The “Madonna and the Gold Finch” is one of his most famous paintings.  It is painted in triangular composition and is very sympathetic.  Showed a made up scene from the bible, it portrays Christ and St. John as babies.  It represents the historic figures that died for Christianity.  Raphael was also the chief architect of St. Peter’s Basilica.

              After this time there was a shift in relationship with God.  The artists after this shift were Albrecht Duer, Hans Holbein, Titian, and Giorgione.  These artists’s created a sense of roundness, a greater sense of depth and space, had forbidden idolatry, captured the attitude of individuals, has deeper meanings in their paintings, had great detail, and portrayed the meaning that life itself is in transit.  They also used bright colors (reds and blues), paintings that looked like Baroque paintings way before their time, and they tried different compositions, developed a new paint that was easier to work with, placed man at the center of concerns, and made the female figure something to be admired.  The Renaissance as a whole made more human and superhuman images of man and showed the world as perfect, and as a world of grace and harmony filled with life.

Video Summary #3

The Baroque Era

              The Baroque Era was from 1600 to 1715 (17th century).  Baroque was a term used to describe the opposite of the renaissance era.  The Baroque era involved the love of diagonals, curves, and had passion.  Baroque art overwhelmed the senses, and encompassed the idea that the paintings were viewed as a whole.  Image mattered and was very dynamic and the paintings were very diverse.  As in most eras, the Baroque Era came from a rich and complex history.

              The Baroque Era started in Rome, and one of the first artists of this time was Carracci.  Carracci is known for his works on the “Farnese Palace Ceiling”.  It took him seven years to complete, and the figures in his work rekindled the classical style.  Carracci was anti-mannerism and his work shows great use of light and shadowing.  His landscapes also became influential.

              Poussin was another great artist from this time, and he was obsessed with emotion.  His greatest work was the painting of “Christ Leading the Blind”.  The hands are idealized, the picture as a whole is balanced and harmonious.  His works also portray idealization and perfection.  Most of his works convey the intensity of experience.

              Claude Lorrain was another artist from this time and his work focused on landscape format with color and atmosphere (blue haze background).  His works are best known as a poetic of a classical antiquity.  His works sum up the ideal world of the past.

              The third great artist from this time was Caravaggio, who was very violent.  He believed that the people around him were his models and he created the naturalism revolution.  I felt that painting was about looking at life and painting directly from life.  He added very astounding lights and darks.  Some of his famous works are the “Flagellation of Christ” and “St. Paul Conversion”.  These works were showed very dramatic gesture, and were very stark.  It showed people in their harshest aspect.  He used dark shadows and very bright light to create a theatrical image.  Work had a profound effect and his enthusiasm for his works was admired by later Baroque artists.

              Bernini was a great sculptor from this time and his greatest work of art was “Four Rivers Fountain”.  It showed great emotion and motion at the same time.  He was interested in the use of volume, and twists and turns which heightened movement.

              During this age, the opera developed due to the theatrical artwork being produced at this time.  Some other great artists during this time period were Velazquez, Rubens, Hals, Rembrandt, and Vermeer.  These artists are responsible for portraying scenes from everyday life and took a look at a more realistic appeal.  They wanted to paint what they saw and to create tension and a sense of drama.  Also during this time, the Catholic image became forbidden forcing artists to look for new focuses such as portraits, landscapes, and seascapes.  The artists also brought a sense of celebration to the canvas and captured the individual’s movements in time.  Etching was also developed during this time, which creates black and white images that have been pressed through the use of hot wax and carving.  Still-life portraits also began to grow with popularity as the time period went on.  Artists from the Baroque period were obsessed with the material world and wanted to give a sense of drama and magnitude to everyday life.  They also created a visible and non-visible world to the viewer.  Naturalism and realism were the visible world and Idealism was the invisible world.

Video Summary #4

Rococo to Revolution

              The Rococo Era to the Revolution was during the 18th Century.  This era was about love; it involved delicate swirls, feathery patterns, and it showed an enjoyable life style.  The Rococo Era celebrated life, and the images were frivolous.

              Jean Antoine Walteau was one of the artists from this era.  His paintings portray couples entertaining each other and trying to pair off.  The statues in his paintings symbolized that love is progressive if they were “awake”, and something was wrong if the statue was “sleeping”.  His figures were painted in the round and his paintings appeared to portray a perfect life.  One of his most famous pieces of work was “Departure from the Island of Cithera”.  This painting captured a sense of melancholy.

              Francois Boucher was another artist from this time and his paintings were warm and sensuous, they idealized curves of the flesh and portrayed voluptuous figures; his paintings were about love and sensuous pleasures. Jean-Honore Fragonard was another artist from this time and he is known for his painting entitled, “The Swing”.  What is special about this painting is that he focused on the flow of the skirt of the women on the swing. His paintings showed inner emotion, and small attentions of pleasure. Chardin was another artist from this time.  His two most famous paintings are, “The Kitchen Maid” and “Saying Grace”.  His paintings emphasis on goods and surface details, they portray humble domestic scenes.  He also painted his paintings with feeling and his paintings express his principles, which were moral teachings (seriousness).  Jean-Baptiste Greuze was another artist that portrayed moral messages with his paintings. Hogarth is another artist from this time, and his most famous works are “The Beggars Opera” and “The Marriage Contract”.  His paintings tell stories, made satires, developed a stage space, and had a soft edge.  The Marriage Contract is a narrative scene from a series of six paintings and they are concerned with teaching people a lesson.  He wanted to reach a wide range of people.  He showed the negative sides of life such as gambling, bedlam, rape, etc; contemporary issues.  At this time there was no sympathetic treatment for the male figure.  In the painting, the man’s fiancé stayed faithful to him throughout all the scenes. Hogarth invented the Copy Right Act because so many people tried to copy his works. His paintings captured the life of 18th Century England. Thomas Gainsborough was another artist from this time period, and he was known for his portraits.  He painted his works for his own use.  His paintings showed fine clothes, and he used very long brushes to paint; his marks were meaningless, but showed a supremely decorative effect. He produced images that were unique, and he used the Ariel perspective (colors recede into the distance); foreground colors were warm colors and background colors were cool. Gainsborough most famous painting, “The Blue Boy” was painted in reverse, foreground colors were cool and the background colors were warm.

              Some other artists from this era were Reynolds, David, and Copley.  These artists were towards the end of this era, and they portrayed classical ideals and fighting for the common good. They portrayed the French Revolution as a thing of terror.  This was also known as the Neo-Classicism Era, which was a more serious style of history painting, more relaxed style, private and seductive. Neo-Classicism showed noble simplicity and calm grandeur.

Video Week (February 12-16, 2007)

Monday, February 12, 2007

Period: Late Medieval to Early Renaissance

Major Works highlighted in video:

Major Points from the video:

• As the style of art transitioned from gothic style to the early renaissance style, there was a change in the way people saw the world.  The artwork shows the change of seeing God’s idea of the world to seeing man’s idea of the world.  Architecture changes from a vertical orientation where buildings are higher than they are wide and “point to heaven” to a horizontal orientation where buildings are wider than they are tall and relate to human beings.  The architecture changes from pointy, extremely complex, jagged and pointed shapes in the gothic style to round, simple, and constant arches in the early renaissance style.
• Art changes from being exclusively religious works to encompassing secular aspects as well.  The artists of the early renaissance struggled to find a balance of classical thinking and Christian thinking in their works.  Although most work was still inspired by religion during the early renaissance, the religious scenes were often found in secular environments.
• Giotto was revolutionary in his time.  He made figures look much more anatomically correct than previous works and created an illusion of depth and space that was absolutely innovative at the time.
• Brunelleschi discovered for the first time the laws of perspective and devised mathematical rules of perspective to create the illusion of space.  This led to and enhanced the window concept of painting (painting with the illusion of continuance of the real world).  Artists of the time, especially Masaccio, used techniques like this to create the illusion that the painting was a continuance of the architecture.  For example in “The Trinity” Masaccio painted it as to appear that there was a second chapel opening through the wall. 
• Jan Van Eyck was also revolutionary.  He was the premier expert on the new technique of oil painting and the treatment and handling of light.  He deserved his nickname as the “king of painters.”

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Period: Renaissance

Major Works highlighted in video:

Major Points from the video:

• Artists of the time were beginning to be seen as geniuses and had power in the community.
• The renaissance was the re-birth of the classical world.  The idea that the world could be seen through the man’s world developed.  People of the time began to believe that they could understand the world through man’s perspective instead of only God’s.
• During the renaissance, artists began to study nature and the human body.  Leonardo was one of the premier artists to prove he was in control of his environment and the world around him and understood it.  Leonardo shows skills in the grading of colors into each other.  He developed a style of soft lines with no hard edges and used modeling of form using light and shade.
• The idealization of the human figure is brought to a peak.  Many nudes are being made during this time.  In David, Michelangelo shows the male nude as a strong, heroic sculpture without using a weapon. 
• Dürer uses a blend of Northern and Italian art styles.  He was a great artist of the Protestant Reformation.  The Protestant Reformation makes the lives of artists turbulent as there is less religious work available.  To take place of this work, portraits became more and more popular.
• Revolutionary to the time, landscapes and female nudes became more prevalent during the period.  Heroic strength and beauty are shown with the dignity of humans.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Period: Baroque

Major Works highlighted in video:

Major Points from the video:

• The Baroque period describes the opposite style of the classical renaissance.  Baroque work is dynamic and passionate and is concerned with curves, diagonals, and excess drama.
• The Catholic Reformation, answering to the Protestant Reformation, begins to make Christian artwork popular again.
• Baroque work emphasizes a wholeness of the picture.  The whole image is what matters as opposed to the miniaturist techniques of the renaissance.  Work is much more dynamic than renaissance work.
• Poussin idealized classical landscapes and showed an idealization of nature.  Landscapes become very important and the subjects came second; the subjects became smaller in proportion to the landscape. 
• Artists begin to portray humans as non-idealized.  They began to use the people around them as models.  The artists portray people in a way that invites the audience into the mood of the painting.  Figures are full of natural human emotion and often very dramatized.
• The strong use of light in many works shows intense emotion and gives works a theatrical atmosphere.  Many artists encompassed actual, natural light in to their pieces to show divine experiences.
• As time passes in the period, many artists remove themselves from the Christian world and begin painting secular things around them.  It begins to be thought that it is ok to draw, paint, and sculpture what is seen by the human eye in everyday life.  Since Protestants thought it was unnecessary and un-Christian to use visual means at presenting the Bible, other types of artwork were done more often.  Portraitures became increasingly popular as well as landscapes and still-life paintings.
• Rembrandt was the pioneer of a technique called “etching.”  Etching uses a process of etching away wax on top of copper with a sharp tool to produce black and white images.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Period: Rococo to Revolution  

Major Works highlighted in video:

Major Points from the video:

• The Rococo style borrowed many ideas of form from the Baroque period, such as soft lines.  However, the Rococo period looked for happier subjects.  The early Rococo style encompassed scenes with sensuous delight and emotional excitement.  Delicate swirls and curling designs were used to show an enjoyable lifestyle that celebrated the world and life around them. 
• The style was very idealized and feminized, showing an unreal world of pleasure and joy.  Figures were shown as if they had no care in the world.  The world of Rococo paintings was colorful and indulgent.   
• There was great fluidity of movement and light, showing the expression of love and life.  Love is a big part of the Rococo style.  Lots of couples were shown as well as cupids and fluff.
• The emphasis during the period was on private, inner emotions.
• A shift can be seen during the period from the joyous, carefree, aristocratic fantasy to a moral approach.  Suddenly, the middle class was able to purchase paintings and thus, paintings were made for them.  These paintings for middle class families showcased moral lessons. 
• Also during this time, satire started to be used in visual arts.  William Hogarth was one of the first artists to show the contradictions of the day in the visual world.  These satires also had moral tones.  Hogarth showed the story of a marriage to teach viewers a lesson.  So many people were interested in works like this that Hogarth made engravings of his works for the public.  Artists of the time began to mix rococo style with high moral purpose with satire.
• During this time, the notion of aerial perspective was key.  This meant that colors should recede into the distance from warm colors in the foreground to cool colors in the background.  “The Blue Boy” is the exact opposite.  This could possibly be the result of a rivalry with Joshua Reynolds where Reynolds claimed that blue should never be the primary color.
• Reynolds believed there should be and is no separation between art and intellect.  He believed that a work of art was not just art but a work of intellect.  Everything must come back to the ideal; there is no space for individuality or fluff if this fluff takes away from the intellect.
• Rococo’s ideals of quiet and sensuous paintings would change with the arrival of the French Revolution.  The French Revolution brought a much more serious style of art: neo-classicism.  This style brought back crisp, linear, intellectual, non-emotional, art.  These paintings had well-defined form on bland backgrounds.  Jacques- Louis David was one of the forerunners of neo-classicism.  Neo-classicism was supposed to bring the “noble simplicity and calm grandeur” of ancient art.  The period returned to the classical ideals in terms of both style and subject matter.  For instance, “Oath of the Horatii” resembles neo-classicism in style as well as showing the political struggles going on in France at the time.

ART 172/Quiz #2 - Examples of sound answers:

ESSAY 1. Explain the period style represented by this example. Discuss form first, then content. Conclude with your reaction to this style: do you love this degree of attention to detail or are you a big-picture kind of person?

Jan Van Eyck’s Arnolfini Wedding Portrait is a northern European Early Renaissance 15th century painting. You can easily tell when you first look at it that it is a northern European Early Renaissance painting. There is both a lot of form and content in this painting.

The different kinds of form in the painting are very northern style. One way is the drapery on the people. The artist never showed too much of the person’s anatomy and used lots of drapery. Another way is the detail or texture of the painting. There is so much detail in this painting. You can see every little strand of the broom in the back. You can see details of the dress and faces of the people that are so crisp and clear. Another thing is the use of modeling and all the highlighting done as well as the use of light coming through the window. The last thing is the jewel-like colors used to really express the painting more. Space is also very crowded in this painting (distorted).

The content of the painting is that has veiled symbolism. Every object in the room has some meaning. For example, the mirror in the back deals with Stations of the Cross. The one candle lit means or shows God’s presence. The dog represents fertility in their marriage. Them holding hands also shows their union. Most of the detail in this painting has some sort of meaning behind it.

I do love this degree of detail and hidden symbolism. I love paintings that are very detailed and with a little reason behind why the artist painted it.

ESSAY 2. Discuss this artist’s place in sculptural history. Refer to at least three works. Which example of his art strikes you most deeply and why?

Donatello’s sculptures really captured the feeling of the Renaissance. Donatello had a different way of thinking when it came to his sculptures, which made him a man of firsts.

The sculpture Il Zucchone is revolutionary because Donatello made him as he thought a real prophet would look like after years of a hard life. The sculpture is life like and shows an ugly ragged man who looks a little crazy. Before this, no one made many sculptures of ugly people.

Donatello’s David was amazing work because for the first time since the ancient times an artist made a sculpture of a heroic male nude model. Also, this is the first sculpture to use weight shift.

Another revolutionary work by Donatello was the sculpture Mary Magdalene. This was great because it portrayed Mary as haggard old woman that looked like she was suffering in the desert for a long time. The tradional way to show Mary Magdalene was as a beautiful young woman with flowing long hair.

This sculpture of Mary Magdalene struck me most deeply because he made a sculpture of a woman that was ugly but in that way sort of made her beautiful. It is not traditional beauty that he is portraying, but it is still wonderful because it shows her suffering. I also love the detail of the hair and the sense of pain in her face. It moved me very deeply.

Donatello was a revolutionary artist that really showed the sculpture style of the Renaissance.

ESSAY 3. How can this be dome BE an early Renaissance work of architecture when it LOOKS Gothic?

The dome of the Florence cathedral seems to be from the Gothic style of architecture. However, the dome is considered to be early Renaissance style because of the way it was conceptualized and built.

The cathedral was actually begun during the Gothic period. The plans for the dome were more complicated than people of the time period knew how to create, so the dome was left unfinished. Brunelleschi of the early Renaissance period created the dome.

Although its appearance suggests the Gothic period, the dome is early Renaissance because of the way it was conceptualized. The architecture signifies a new way of thinking about building. Instead of using scaffolding like in Gothic periods, which would have proved impossible, an inner and outer shell with a walkway between were created. This allowed the dome to be more lightweight and easier to work on.

To solve the problem of scaffolding, which would have deforested more area than available, a complex system of pulleys was invented that hoisted workers up to the cathedral. The scaffolding was then built on top of itself without the use of large amounts of wood. Some people actually paid money to be hoisted to the top and walk between the shells during off work periods.

Although at first glance the cathedral looks Gothic, the amount and type of thinking that went into it symbolizes the transition to the early Renaissance period. It is then not in appearance, but in thought and process that the dome of the Florence cathedral represents the early Renaissance period of architecture.

ESSAY 4. Compare and contrast these two examples of architecture. What is the point of the comparison?

The Milan cathedral and Brunelleschi’s Foundling Hospital are both extraordinary pieces of architecture. They have many comparisons.

The Milan cathedral was built in the Gothic period which is displayed by the pointed arches and intricate designs. While looking at it, your eyes don’t know where to rest because of its complexity. The Foundling Hospital was built in the early Renaissance and displays characteristics of the time period. First, there are the rounded archways and the more simplistic design. Also, the lines separate the parts of the building so a person seems to know exactly where he is.

Another difference between the Milan cathedral and the Foundling Hospital is the way they are built. Milan cathedral reaches toward the heavens, as was a part of the Gothic era.

Brunolleschi’s work is more horizontal going with the “down to earth” model of the early Renaissance period.
The point of the comparison is to show how different views of people change as time passes. 

The early Renaissance period started bringing back the Roman ideals in architecture.

ESSAY 5. Compare and contrast these two paintings. What is the point of the comparison?

Gentile Fabrioano’s Adoration of the Magi and Masaccio’s Tribute Money are great examples of the differences between Gothic and early Renaissance styles.

Fabriano’s Adoration shows distinct characteristics of the Gothic style. The figures are very cluttered and on an inconsistent scale. The transition from foreground to background is awkward which gives the illusion of the work being tilted toward the front.

Massacio’s Tribute Money, on the other hand, is directly in the early Renaissance style. One point perspective is used with Jesus’ head being the vanishing point. The figures are on a consistent scale, are three-dimensional, have weight shift, and are distinct in their characterization and facial expressions. Also, there is lots of open space between the figures.

Though Fabriano’s work is in the Gothic style, there are hints that the artist is trying to use some of the early Renaissance. There is foreshortening used with a horse and a man unfastening the harnesses on one of the kings which gives a “window” concept view to the viewer.

Though Fabriano’s work showed some hints of early Renaissance aspects, when compared to Massacio’s Tribute Money, it is clear that Fabriano’s work is in Gothic style and Massacio’s is in the early Renaissance style.

ESSAY 6. From the Early Renaissance point of view, what’s “right” with this picture? What’s wrong with it?

Uccello’s Battle of San Romano tries to be “up with the times” of the early Renaissance. While some of the elements do fall into the category of “rightness”, many other elements are far from right.

Uccello tries to work with linear perspective. He has the lines of spears and bodies placed in a way that creates a grid of sorts going into the background. However, already Uccelo’s work is flawed. The body lying at the front left of the picture is far too small for where it is placed into the painting.

Uccello also attempts modeling with the horses especially, while they do show a natural quality, the light surrounding the horses seems to be coming from them rather than shining on them.

The real place that Uccelo gets it wrong however, is the background. The whole scene is tilted up at an impossible angle so that we can see it. The figures are far too large to be that far away. And finally, instead of transitioning from front to back, Uccello simply puts up a hedge. In front of the hedge is the foreground. Behind the hedge is the background. He eliminated s the middle ground altogether.

While Uccelo tries very hared to make a work that has linear perspective and modeling, he fails rather badly overall in capturing the early Renaissance style.

ART 172/Quiz #1 - Examples of sound answers:

ESSAY 1. Identify, compare and contrast thes