Arienne Hofstetter

Art History 

[ariee-xoxo]

William Blake, Pity (1795) 

 One of William Blake's most color filled paintings, known as Pity consist of using watercolors and ink, it is one of a large group of paintings known as "Large Colour Prints". The artist inventively mixed relief etching with colors printed from millboard to produce the image. Blake draws on popularly-held relations between a fair complexion and moral purity. This painting was completed in 1795, but the painting relates more to the characteristics of renaissance style drawing although it was during the romanticism era. “Blake's watercolor illustrates a passage from the beginning of Act I, scene vii of Macbeth, where Macbeth in a soliloquy debates the contemplated murder of Duncan, who, he says,

Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been So clear in his great office, that his virtues Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued against The deep damnation of his taking-off; And pity, like a naked new-born babe Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubin horsed Upon the sightless couriers of the air, Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye That tears shall drown the wind.”

Blake’s painting is of a women figure lying on the ground looks as if she is dead. Meanwhile two figures riding horses fly above her with a young baby in hand. She lies there gazing up into nowhere with a solid glare. Instead of the angel figure giving life to the figure lying down; it seems as if the angel figure is taking the life of a baby from her, as she is now dead and the angels are taking care of the baby. The angel figure from the horse reaches her arms out to grasp the baby. All of the figures have the same hair color, blonde with slight curls. Along with the curls we notice that the front angel figure's hair is being blown straight up. Each of the horses are centered and facing horizontally with very few vertical lines. The majority of the painting is smooth flowing without jagged, sharp or straight lines. In Pity there is darkness surrounding the characters, forcing the figures to stand out with great measure in the light. The colors in the background do not convey meaning to the picture. The background is dark and solemn, resembling blank space. In this painting the horses are painted grey. Grey is more of a monotone color resembling peace.

The figures in Pity seem to carry the meaning, as opposed to the background. Because there is darkness surrounding the figures, there does not seem to be a source of the light, yet light does outline each figure. It seems that Blake did this to focus on the figures and not the background, which was very appealing to me. In my option this was a very appealing romantism painting and I connected with the symbolization.

 Sources

http://english.emory.edu/classes/Shakespeare_Illustrated/Blake.Pity.html

[ariee-xoxo]

For my first time learning about Ai Weiwei’s work, I would have to say that his artwork is very powerful and innovative. I think he finds a way to make activism his art. I believe there is art in how it is made, how it is presented, and how it is able to fulfill its purpose. All of his works are with intentions of making a statement and many of the things he promotes are consistent and understandable. Ai Weiwei’s art raises awareness for the refuge’s crisis in Europe. Which was his attempt to bring these luxuries to the people that don’t have them. After the harsh punishment put upon him by China, Ai continues to fight for the basic rights, express himself and speak for his fellow citizens using the creativity of an artist. He's an integral part of China's human rights movement, supporting not only well-known activists but also ordinary people petitioning for their legal rights.

“People thought Ai Weiwei could have gotten his passport sooner if he would have written a letter saying it was for medical reasons.” I think he used the opportunity to fuel his creativity because he wanted to make a statement as they took a basic human right away from him. To me, this is a major thing that should be continued to be shown today. More people are supposed to make a point and make people take action more than be admired as a piece of artwork. These ideas are within the items he uses, the reasons they are made and the way he interprets them based on him being actively involved in the community. He is very original in his use of materials and with the layout and structure of his pieces, large or small. I hope to one day see it for myself as it intrigues me very much. I appreciate learning about artist within my lifetime and that was a very interesting topic. Ai Weiwei’s bravery to go against a government that ultimately punishes him for talking out was inspirational.

[sharacota]

Week 8 Blog Post

The artist I decided to go with was Caravaggio whose full name is Michelangelo Merisi de Caravaggio. The artist I was intrigued by was Caravaggio because of the way his art turned out into the end. I feel Caravaggio used many dark colors and covered deep topic through his art. Another thing I noticed if he was not painting dark and gloomy he was painting portraits of people of the time. The image I chose is called Narcissus. Caravaggio painted it in 1599 and it is being displayed in Galleria Borghese.

The image I thought was very interesting. This image how I preserve it is a young boy looking into a puddle and what is looking back at him is what he looks like as an older version of himself. I think that this painting is one of his lighter pieces of work that is not of someone decapitating someone else. I noticed a lot of his work involved the death of someone. I enjoyed this image because it was very different than most of his other work that he painted.

I believe the story that he was telling through this work was that you have to look and see the bigger picture of what life truly has in store. That you have to see the bigger picture that even though your young you will grow into the person that you want to be. On the other side of this, it could be a man looking in on his past. He could be reminiscing on his youth; maybe what he could have done different with his life, or remembering past memories about life. This artist is very talented in all of his artwork. If you are ever in Rome, Italy and are around the Galleria of Borghese, you can look at this image and see it in person!

[ariee-xoxo]

Even though I prefer Bosh’s artwork, I admire some of Caravaggio’s well-known pieces. One thing that always stood out to me was his use of very light colors against a dark background to achieve maximum effect and contrast. It created a bold, naturalistic style. Caravaggio perfected this style and is considered one of the best and most well-known artists in using it to create a strong atmosphere in his paintings. Not to mention, the way he emphasized common roles of the humankind in his works created an unforgettable story. Which is why he was both highly admired and highly controversial among his contemporaries.

I have a very similar view of the painting as you did. I also want to add a thought that maybe he does not know who he wants to be yet.

[ariee-xoxo]

I found it interesting on the amount of art history critics projects containing many conflicting theories when referring to the Artemisia Gentileschi’s artwork. However, one theme that always sticks with her style was rebelliousness. She is now considered one of the most accomplished seventeenth-century artists working in the dramatic style of Caravaggio. In an era when women had few opportunities to pursue artistic training or work as professional artists and had an international clientele. Within many of her pieces that centered around, Mary Garrard, points to unjust disregard for her work only because she was a woman, and that, as such, the attention she received was not so much for her work, but more due to the fact that she achieved more than could be expected, considering her gender. It was only in the 20th century that art history began to recognize the significance of this artist and to characterize her as one of the Carravaggistas, making her an iconic representative of one of the greatest, historically neglected genius female artists, during the rise of feminist art history. Gentileschi paintings stand as proof of her ability to apply new trends of the period and her capacity to depict different themes instead of the usual Judith, Susanna, and other well-known biblical themes. Her defiance and freedom were admirable especially in the biblical figure Judith, who took it upon herself to seduce the besieging general Holofernes and decapitate him in his bed. That is something we expect of a male hero, so it is a very powerful representation; there is drama and she's got it. It's just a masterful treatment. I truly think Gentileschi outlook was much wider than the limited selection of feminist themes for her time. Overall, I admired her work. The way she paints women is fierce and colorful, even through the pain of their pasts.

[ariee-xoxo]

In a bold move, Bosch attempted to depict the whole of human experience from life to the afterlife in three related canvases. The first on the left is meant to represent Paradise; the last on the right is hell. And in the center lies the earthly delights. Bosh dedicates an entire panel of a triptych to the first human couple, of God’s handiwork, Adam and Eve. The introduction of a woman to man is clearly intended to highlight not only God’s creativity but human conceptive accomplishment.  Which, in itself, is a rather rare subject that Bosh captured in the left panel of his piece The Garden of Earthly Delights. Just as important to point out is the other creatures in this Biblical garden such as an elephant, a giraffe (straight out of Piero de’ Cosimo) a unicorn and other more hybrid and less recognizable animals, along with birds, fish, other aquatic creations, snakes and insects. Each one of these beings is just as important as Adam and Eve. Out of all that God created, mankind was his masterpiece. Almost leaving a mark of his signature on the world in which he could recognize himself. Then in the right panel, Bosh emphases on nude figures, some of which are engaged in amorous activities. This central scene has often been interpreted as a warning against lust, located within the third panel, depicting Hell. Bosch’s depiction of humans mucking around in the elemental world of God’s creation. Many more figures appear in all sorts of chrysalis states, or inside eggs or shells, and are fed ripe berries by birds or strange hybrid creatures; in the middle-ground some kind of procession of men, riding on various animals and accompanied by birds, circles a small lake of bathing maidens. Both the left and the right panel intrigued me because I find Bosh’s perspective of humankind as rather dark and realistic. Not only that, but it was as if he was telling a story.

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/northern/hieronymus-bosch/a/bosch-the-garden-of-earthly-delights

[berendsr-blog]

week 4

While reading, I honestly did not realize how much the grafitti like art influenced their protests. I know it causes a lot of tension, but I think that having the art done by anonymous groups is a good thing. It keeps certain people out of the light, yet expresses how they feel, and what they support. This is a way to shed light on the growing crisis over there, and something for them to show the world. It allows expression, without giving up the identiy of the individual. Chen stated perfectly in her article, the severity of the need to protest wit the art. There are many problems goin on right now, and this seems to be the only way to get the attention. Expressing the need for certain demands, art is the way to do so, according to her. I will say that the art is big enough to grab the attention of just about anyone. If I were in an area that was not getting their point through, this would for sure be one way that I could see making an expression. Not only would this be very bold, but it would touch hundreds, if not thousands of people. It allows one or groups at that, to share their hopes, dreams, and demands. They do this in hopes to create a movement to change the today, and shape the future.

[ariee-xoxo]

 I completely agree that I also had no idea the significance art had on movements such as this one. The art impacted not only its’ people but the awareness reached worldwide in a timely manner. Not to mention, anonymous advocacy expresses their point effectively and efficiently. I think it gives a positive outlet and it leaves more of an impression. If people could use this form of self-expression more, I think it would change the way we communicate as citizens and groups.

[ariee-xoxo]

Protesters’ mini Stonehenge rockblock in Hong Kong. Photo: Vivienne Chow.

In Vivienne Chow’s article, I found her perspective very captivating and truthful. I was not aware of the current internal conflict occurring in Hong Kong. In the face of those living in a world so corrupt, many artists used their creativity to protest.

When artists come together to confront a situation, they spark interest and form visual content to extend awareness of their cause. “These creative outputs transformed public spaces into a living gallery of visual culture” (Chow). The art is a power within itself to show the fears, hopes, and dreams of the people living these day-to-day nightmares. The post-its, graffiti, and posters spelling out protest slogans all create an important role in keeping the movement vital and engaging.

Abby Chen, the head of contemporary art at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, once said “This is about being human, and the kind of resistance and resilience that we are seeing … Hong Kong artists are at the forefront in terms of thinking about their global identity in this rapidly shifting world,” she said.

In my opinion, she meant through all of the pain and trauma that the government has caused it never once held back the artists from being a continuous light throughout the protest. Even if it is a never-ending battle, they are always putting their lives in jeopardy to be the voice for everybody.

[hannahmtrimble]

Blog Post Week 3

The work I have chosen to analyze would be the amazing “Ascent of the Blessed”, made by Hieronymus Bosch from about 1500 to 1504 in an arrangement of four panels, titled “Visions of the Hereafter”. This painting stands out to me for many reasons. Within the entirety of the four paneled work, this is the painting that I think has the most interpretation value; the other paintings have more of a straightforward message in their visuals and moods.

This work is also very intriguing to me because of the stark amount of contrast, movement, and unity. Initially the eye is drawn to the tunnel of light, assumed to be leading to the heavens, where we see a women accompanied by an angel to the beyond. The tunnel provides us with the contrast that this painting stands out for. Below, we see a dark environment representing a world of sin and mortality, and above we see a contrastingly light plain that expresses the diving aspect of heaven. Once we take our eyes off the light portal, we start to see the movement and rhythm of the piece. In the foreground, we see many souls in different stages of their ascent to heaven. This creates a sort of path or guideline as to where our eyes are supposed to travel, and with this outline we are told the overall story of the piece. In the words of our second reading, we can “follow the rhymes from one body to another”. However, we can only interpret this story due to the great amount of unity the work possesses. These different stages and interactions between angel and man tell us that the process to ascend to heaven may be complicated and long, but the heavenly tunnel tells us that this journey might be worth it.

Now that the painting itself has been interpreted, one must look at it’s historical context. This work encompasses many traits of a typical Northern Renaissance painting. First, the obvious religious concentration was a common trait in the Netherlands at the time. Not to mention that the painting is oil upon an oak panel which, according to the readings, was a contrast from the use of temperas in Italy. Other traits that make this a trademark Northern Renaissance work is the great attention to detail we see in each of the unique angels, the texture in the panel, and the intricate nature of the highlights and shadows. This painting is truly intriguing to me, and I can see why it is highly acclaimed for the era.

[ariee-xoxo]

This is a very lovely piece! I enjoy Bosch’s perspective and imagination. His realism presents a vision of celestial joy. Shedding the last vestige of their corporeality, the blessed souls float upwards through the night, scarcely supported by their angelic guides. As you mentioned, Northern Renaissance work is the great attention to detail in which made his work fruitful. This piece specifically is remarkable for the funnel-shaped radiance, with its distinct segments, probably owes much to contemporary prophetic diagrams, but in Bosch's hands it become a shining corridor through which the blessed approach that final and everlasting union of the soul with God which is experienced on earth only in rare moments of spiritual exaltation. Thank you for an intriguing post.

[ariee-xoxo]

In 1981, an American artist Mark Tansey finished and showed his piece “The Innocent Eye Test”. The painting is merely a psychological test on the viewer’s interpretation of the painting. Tansey displayed an ironic scene, which presents a cow that stands before a painting “The Young Bull” by Paulus Potter. Coincidentally, Monet’s “Grainstack” (Snow Effect) was hanging adjacent from the scene. His work offers a critique of representation in modern art used as a method to revitalize the tradition of painting. Tansey’s technique consisted of an academic painting tradition that uses grisaille, or grey mono chrome. This was a very common practice for artists in his location at that time and it also made sense as his profession was being an illustrator for The New York Times. It creates a blend of antique photo and classical painting in the piece, further diverging from styles that have come before it, not by creating something new, but blending old and new forms.

I chose this painting because it honestly made me giggle at the peculiar perspective Mark Tansey created. Originally, this piece emphasized on modern art rather than an image of a cow looking at a cow on another painting. The two cows in the painting, resting beneath a couple tree trunks in a field, one reclined and the other standing, are looking out of the painting, and thanks to the large canvas size are nearly as large as the cow staring at them. Not only that, but by showing human experts expecting a reaction from a cow, which raises many questions. I found that leaving mystery for viewers was a very inspirational approach. Tansey wants you to be aware that it’s a representation, and the sketchy outlines and shadows pool together to create something immediately recognizable but also clearly manufactured. Similarly, the way he utilizes space in this painting to his advantage to give a dramatic look harmonized with his preferred method, monochrome. Tansey’s work is incredibly rich in detail, and the longer you look at it, the more you notice is hiding in the less obvious areas. For example, the man with a mop waiting at the edge, seemingly ready to clean up any mess the cow makes in the gallery. The overall message surely goes much further than the painting.

In the end, the piece may not be in everyone’s taste, but the piece isn’t concerned with taste, it’s concerned with questioning, investigating, and making viewers aware of the functions his art utilizes. In this aspect it succeeds brilliantly.

 Sources

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Mark-Tanseys-The-Innocent-Eye-Test-The-painting-illustrates-the-fundamental_fig1_252068301

https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/dutch-painters-love-cows/

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/484972

[gomezla98]

This is my favorite work of art because of the colors that were used in the painting are very bright and compliment one another.

[ariee-xoxo]

This painting captures a beautiful moment, colors, and angle. Thank you for sharing this piece!

[ariee-xoxo]

“Bellerophon Taming Pegasus” was designed by Bertoldo di Giovanni, but casted by Adriano Fiorentino.