Roark Skemp

[antonianaab-blog1]

Week 11 - Ch. 31

In the beginning of chapter 31, I was very shocked by how real Duane Hanson’s, The Cowboy, looked. He made a life size figure of a man, looking like a cowboy. The figure was made out of flesh-colored polyester resin and reinforced with fiberglass. The figure was then painted and dressed in real clothes. At first glance, I thought that this was a photograph of a man. The hair and chest hair, along with a sweaty gloss makes it look extremely real. I can also see veins on the arms. I would have never known this was a figurine until I read about it. This definitely shows the realist concept.

Another sculpture appeared, looking just as real as The Cowboy. Ron Mueck created Mask II, it is just a head laying sideways. The head looks like it is alive. The eyes are closed, and the mouth is partially open like it is breathing, in the form of about to drool from sleeping. I think that this sculpture is creepy. It looks like a living head, without a neck or body. If it looked like it was decapitated, I would have completely thought it was real as well.

I love this style of art, because it looks extremely real. Hence the given name of realism. I would love to create figures that look real just for the fun of it. I could see these being used majorly at a haunted house. Could you imagine one of these figures running at you, then finding out that it is made out of a product instead of being real? I would completely fall for it.

I am not really into looking at images of architecture simply because I cannot see all of the detail or the real beauty of the place. I would rather visit the place and explore it. Along with having the beauty being fully taken in. My favorite image of a location from the book was done by Frank Gehry. The location pictured is the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Bilbao, Spain. I would like to visit a place like this because the building is oddly shaped and put together, said to be referred to as a “metallic flower”. But being on the water gives it a breathtaking look.

Unlike looking at building architecture, I absolutely love environmental art. This is art created in the outdoors. I love being outdoors and looking at things in the nature simply because nature is beautiful in its own sense. The Spiral Jetty is a form of earthwork. It was done by Robert Smithson. It is absolutely gorgeous. Eventually this will not exist due to natural elements. Another reason why I love environmental art, nature can make it change.

Race and gender, along with feminism, are both topics near the end of the chapter. Art can be used for social and political developments, not just for personal creations. Art that has meaning behind it can create a movement. These movements can be created through protest art, what was used as a discussion topic today.

[skempr-blog]

I agree that the realism in this chapter is pretty amazing. I also didn't realize The Cowboy was a sculpture at first. It really goes to show how skilled some of these artists are. Its weird how different the objectives of artists are when it comes to creating unique pieces. Some art isn't realistic, and that only adds to the aesthetic and sometimes message of the piece. The realism of this art very much adds to this style as well. 

[skempr-blog]

Week 11 Chapter 31

As the modern day approaches art was continuing to change in many ways. In the 1960’s, with the development of photography, Super Realism began to gain popularity among artists. Artist Chuck Close is a well known artists of this style. He used grids to transform pictures into paintings.I think that his style of art is very creative. He blends photography and painting together by using aspects from both. This style is very cool as it combines the things that make each interesting. It has the realism of photography while also using the color and creativity of painting. Another Super-Realist artist was Richard Estes. Estes was a prominent oil painter whose works almost seem identical to actual photographs. His painting, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, is a great example of this. His attention to detail is amazing. The sidewalk wear and damage almost makes this seem like it can't be a painting. He also does a great job in showing shadow. I also like this painting a lot because I've been to the Guggenheim Museum before, so it is interesting to me on a personal level.

While Super-Realism painters were getting a lot of credit for their work, sculptors were also still a prominent part of the art style. Sculptor Duane Hanson made many sculptures that are often taken for real people. Hanson’s sculptures are very impressive. His sculpture Cowboy of 1995 shows just how good he really was. His sculptures almost feel like live photography if that makes sense. It feels like you're actually able to explore and truly observe something in its natural being. Overall, Super-Realism made sense at this point in time. Photography provided a very real picture to compete with, while also providing some help to artists who use models. Super-Realism gave art a real look while also maintaining  the creativity that was there in the past.

Around this time, other forms of art were also being produced. Gilbert and George were performers who made themselves into “living sculptures”. They did this by doing the average fake statue tricks that are commonly seen in big cities, except they were the first to do it, along with many other original ideas that were implemented. I think it's really cool that they began to become their art. Performance art is always interesting as it is very diverse in its possibilities. It can implement different artistic values like music, painting, dance, etc.. Due to this variety, the messages were also varied as there were many possibilities. While Gilbert and George didn't have to many serious themes to their act, artists like Laurie Anderson did. Many of the messages included political and social themes. Architecture of the time was also changing. Postmodern architecture was gaining popularity at the time. Postmodern architecture combined styles of the past with new styles to create a unique vision. Charles Moore was a postmodern architecture who created Piazza d’Italia. This build is very unique as it is lit up by many different neon colors that highlight different architectural styles. Overall, this time period provided many new themes while also taking heed of those of the past. As it did with history, art did with technology. When technology advanced, art was right with it changing along side.

[wand23-blog]

Blog 10 Chapters 29 and 30

           Abstract Expressionism was a term used around the Great Depression, but mainly used after World War II and this put the United States on the world map for art.  It was generally used to categorize the New York School of Painters, which despite its name, actually comprised artists from many parts of the United States and Europe. (519)  This era was a lot like the Surrealism movement.  There were a few different phases such as: action painting, sand painting, color field painting and sculptures.

           There were two teachers that came from Germany and taught in a couple different schools together in the United States. Their names were Hans Hoffmann and Josef Albers and they really liked four corner shapes from the Cubism era. Their art and teaching influenced many students for at least a decade.  Hoffman’s painting; “The Gate” was very colorful squares.  For me, this almost looks like how artists would paint old rough looking brick in Galena, IL after many touch-ups on the brick and mortar. Brick would be a gate between the walls inside and the outdoors.  I think he painted every size of square a different color to symbolize how big that gate is.  Albers painting: “Study for Homage to the Square” almost looked how a large area rug would look with multiple different red shaped squares inside one another.  This painting would have been a prime example from last week’s short video “I could do that.”

           I remember putting different paint colors in separate cups in grade school and then using a brush to throw the paint on an old bed sheet lying on the floor.  I just thought this was a way to pass time in class and never thought that this was a way to create art.  This is the only type of art I have ever liked growing up.  I guess it lets out any frustration or stress when the paint hits the sheet.  I never paid attention to what the art teacher called this because of how much fun it was.  This was called action painting, and Jackson Pollock was the most known artist.  Pollock used his whole body to create a drip technique. His arm and body controlled where the paint would end up.  His painting; White Light” is creative with the different textures, lines, colors and objects he has in the painting.  My first glance at the painting was “Where is Waldo”.  He brought Abstract Expressionism with his imagination to all of his paintings.

           Pop art originated in London and England but really didn’t become big until it made its way to New York.  It was pretty much artwork based on the country’s media, values, needs, and the pop stars.  I never heard of Andy Warhol, but I have seen many of his labels from advertising products. The Campbell’s Soup label I would think is what made him famous.  I grew up in the 1980’s, so there were only a couple of soup options, but Campbell’s was always in my parents’ house.  It’s kind of funny seeing that labels on food is a form of art.

           Chapter 30 also had Conceptualism.  The artists wanted to extend Minimalism so that even the materials of art would be eliminated, leaving only the idea, or concept, of the art. (546) Sol LeWitt was the perfect example with his Wall Drawing.  There were four equal squares that were framed in with blank bands.  Each diagonal line was a different color or texture.  Chapter 29 I enjoyed more than chapter 30 mainly because of the action painting and I could relate more to that chapter.

 Adams, Laurie. A history of Western Art 5th Ed.  McGraw-Hill 2011

[skempr-blog]

I though what you said about action painting to be really interesting. I also remember doing some form of action painting while younger. I think that is why some people say that these type of paintings dont require skill. They associate them with children and how they would paint. People dont usually look beyond what they would normally see, and this causes a sort of disconnection. That is why I think this style of art is so interesting. Its understandable why people like it and why people dont. 

[skempr-blog]

Chapters 29 + 30 Week10

In the 1940’s the world was going through some big events. World War II was going on and the landscape of the world was shifting. This shift affected art as well. When the Nazis took over Paris, New York became the artistic center of the World. This was the first time where Europe was not necessarily the main stage for art anymore. While European artists continued to maintain their contribution and influence on art, a shift was definitely still happening. The style that the United States became artistically known for was abstract expressionism. The artist who was most responsible for this was Arshile Gorky. Gorky was able to combine techniques from the many styles of the past to create his works. He used aspects from cubism and fauvism in his painting, The Artist and His Mother. While this is one of his most well known works, I personally do not like this piece. There is nothing that really keeps me interested as there isn't anything too unique about it. I do recognize the combination of styles though, which seems like a difficult task for any experienced artist. One piece of Gorky’s that I like a lot is Garden in Sochi. I'm not sure if I like it more due to the colors being more vibrant, or because it is unique. Something about it though draws me in and leaves me more curious than before.

New painting techniques were also arising at the time with action painting. Artists began to splatter, spray and drip paint in their own ways to give their pieces their touch. Of the “action painters” Jackson Pollock was one of the most well known. Pollock was an American who used his drip technique. He would use his body to “control” where the paint would drip. I think that Pollock’s method is very cool. Hes creating his art in his own way. There is something special in that he was able to create art in a unique and interesting way that was effective in creating his works. His painting White Light is very interesting to me. Focusing on it closely, it seems very chaotic, whereas if you look at it as a whole, it doesn't feel as random as you can understand the colors. It feels like orderly chaos to me. While there is a lot going on and it is still chaotic, there is a feeling of order and purpose to everything. Another action painter was Willem de Kooning. On his work, Woman and Bicycle, his strokes are very aggressive and brash. You can almost tell the speed and intensity he must have used when creating them. While I don't dislike this piece, for some reason I don't like it near as much as Pollock’s White Light, although I can understand the theme in this one better. There is a big difference in the way action painters used their paint. Pollock’s use of it created a graceful and colorful piece, while Kooning’s use of it created the feelings of anger and aggression.

[skempr-blog]

Week 9 Chapters 27 + 28

In the twentieth century, art wasa continuing to grow faster than ever. With this quick growth, came more diversity in art where many new styles were able to thrive. The first and most influential style was cubism. Cubism is a very unique style that can look very fragmented and abstract due to the use of multiple perspectives. This style of art seems very nostalgic to me, especially analytic cubism. I might be mistaken, but I think a lot of art in the early 2000’s was influenced by this style as I can remember seeing art like this all of the time as a kid. The painting that made me realize this the most was Georges Braque’s Violin and Pitcher. The way the dulled colors blend together gives me feelings of the late 90’s to the early 2000’s. Braque was one of the most influential and important artists of cubism, along with Pablo Picasso. These two made up the category of cubism called analytic cubism. Analytic cubism was the catalyst of the creation of many new styles and techniques in the 20th century. Many new windows opened up in the world of art thanks to the emergence of cubism. The other type of cubism that was created was synthetic cubism. Synthetic cubism brought together bright colors and flat shapes. I feel that although synthetic cubism looks more abstract and flashy, it's definitely more clear and precise on where and what things are. I can't really say which one I prefer more, as they both have things I like a lot that the other doesn't. I like the mellowness and blend that analytic brings, while I like the colorful and preciseness of synthetic. Picasso’s Guernica is perfect example of what I'm trying to say. In this work, he combines the two styles of cubism. This work uses a similar color palate as many pieces of the analytic style, while also being more clear and precise like synthetic style.

The 20th century continues to be an important century with the first World War. This time in history completely changed society and everything in it, including art. The effects of the first World War changed art by creating Dada. Dada was an artistic movement that challenged traditional assumptions about art. This had a great impact on art moving forward. This style brought a sense of defiance. Marcel Duchamp, who was a proponent of Dada, makes this clear in his piece L.H.O.O.Q.. He pencils in a mustache and beard onto the Mona Lisa. I can only imagine the outrage caused by this piece, as it isn't the nicest things to do to one of the world's most famous paintings. Art was beginning to become a lot more informal during this period. Things were changing and so was the meaning of art. One of my favorite artists of this time was Salvidor Dali, who used a Surrealism style. His painting, The Persistence of Memory, is one of my favorite paintings. Everything about it leaves me with questions, yet I can't stop looking at it. It has a very unique and interesting style to it.

I thought that the video about saying “I could do that” in terms of art was very interesting. While I very much agree that people don't understand the intricacies of the work, I feel that it is applicable to a lot of other things such as music, athletic feats, and common jobs. Many people are quick to say “I would have written that song”, or “I could've made that shot”, when in reality they don't realize how difficult it  really is. As for art specifically, I don't think it matters if someone else could do it, or if anyone else could do it for that matter. People think that if art is not realistic it isn't good, which just isn't true. The reason people like art to look realistic, is because real life has meaning. The more real something looks, the more meaning it must have. While this isn't a bad thing, it does cause people to think that “unrealistic” art doesn't have meaning. Just because something looks easy or possibly is easy, doesn't make it insignificant.

[captainamandapierce-blog]

Ch 25/26: Post-Impressionism, Symbolism & Expressionism

The late nineteenth century brought forth my personal favorite style of art: Post-Impressionism. Post-Impressionism was inspired by the Impressionist movement.  Artists during this time were primarily creating artwork that was distinctly different in style than artwork created in earlier years.  Post-Impressionist artwork featured vibrant colors and visible and distinct brush strokes.  Earlier artwork, such as Realism, can be summarized to have non-visible brush strokes.  I think it can be said with some certainty that, prior to this movement, many artists prided themselves on their ability to mask their individual sweeps with their paintbrush.  This style of artwork stands out from the rest because the shapes and edges had outlines that were intentionally enhanced.  

My absolute favorite artist from this time period was the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh.  Historically, van Gogh is known to have been “mentally disturbed,” a fact which is interpreted to have been represented by some of his most famous paintings.  One of his most infamous works, The Starry Night, pictures a vividly colored night sky composed of swirling shapes that convey the movement of a gentle night’s breeze. Vincent van Gogh created this stunning masterpiece while confined in a mental asylum; because of this fact, this beautiful piece of art has been forever labeled as an artistic representation that reflects a deeply disturbed mind.  While there is some truth to this, the finality of the criticism is absurd and inaccurate.  It reminds me of another situation that has had a similar result.  Everyone is familiar with the Swastika.  This symbol was brazenly worn by Nazi soldiers during the first World War; the mere sight of the Swastika invokes a feeling of disgust in most people.  However, most people are unaware of the true meaning of the Swastika.  This symbol was actually an ancient religious icon from Eurasia; in that culture, it has forever been a symbol of divinity and spirituality.  So, like the Swastika, van Gogh’s beautiful mark has forever been branded with a negative connotation.  It is a horrible pity.

Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to visit the Minneapolis Institute of Art during a time when the museum was featuring an exhibit of artwork that is normally housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.  Much to my surprise, on display in the exhibit was an original painting by none other than Vincent van Gogh.  I was rendered completely speechless by its beauty; of all the pictures that I have seen of his work, the pictures and prints never came close to accurately showing the astounding beauty of his art.  The “visible brush strokes” that are described as a distinctive feature of his style fail to mention the texture. In real life, van Gogh’s brush strokes are composed of mounds upon mounds of oil paint.  The absolute beauty of it is really indescribable.  I could do nothing more than simply stare at his painting for the better part of an hour.  The child in me wanted desperately to be able to touch it, to feel the brush strokes.  It was amazing.

Post-Impressionism then gave way to Symbolism.  Symbolists aimed to create artwork that pictured images from the imagination.  Mythology was a major theme during this time because of its correlation to dreams.  Edvard Munch was a Norwegian artist who created the famous painting, The Scream.  Munch painted in a style that was a combination of both Post-Impressionism and Symbolism, and similar to van Gogh, Munch was known for being mentally disturbed.  His paintings, I feel, were a more accurate representation of that fact.  

The early twentieth century gave way to a new style of art and a whole new brand of artists. Expressionism and Fauvism dominated the turn of the century.  These styles to me represent what I would call “abstract” artwork.  Pablo Picasso also emerged as a painter during this time period, shifting his own painting style frequently, as he saw fit.  

[skempr-blog]

I found what you said about people misrepresenting things very interesting. Its very saddening to see how vilified the swastika has become in society. On one hand, the Nazis had such a large impact that its impossible to view the swastika in any other context. On the other hand though, we shouldn't let hateful and despicable groups rewrite meanings of important symbols just because they chose to. At the end of the day, its impossible to control the way people will perceive things. Its sad that so many powerful pieces of art/symbols can lose their original meaning due to events after the fact.

[skempr-blog]

Ch 25 and 26, Week 8

Post-Impressionism was a style of art that was popular in the late 19th century. It was a very diverse style that was obviously influenced by impressionism. One of the painters of Post-Impressionism was Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Lautrec based most of his work on the Paris nightlife of the time, and the atmosphere around it. Lautrec’s ability to capture an atmosphere without having an extremely realistic portrayal is very cool to me. Even though you won't mistake his art for reality, it still gives off very strong vibes. Another post-impressionist artist that did this very well was Cezanne. Cezanne had the biggest impact on post-impressionist, and even on Western Art as a whole. Cezanne’s Mont Sainte-Victoire is a great example of his ability. I like this painting especially because although the strokes seem very long and not detailed, the picture is still very clear. If you focused only on a small part of the painting, it doesn't seem too impressive, but when you see it as a whole, you realize how amazing it is. Another important artist of post-impressionism was Georges Seurat. He is most well known for his painting of Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. This painting is one of my favorites an I was very surprised to see it in this chapter. This really shows how diverse the style was considering how different it is from Cezanne and Lautrec’s work. I like this painting so much because of the detail and the intricacy of the piece as a whole. His process of building color through dots is something I've always found fascinating. I remember an art class I had in elementary school where we had to use this technique. I was very frustrated that my attempt looked more like random colorful dots instead of a visible object. Another artist from this time that is very well known is Vincent Van Gogh. I am very surprised to see all of these artists together. I would have never thought that they belonged to the same “style” as their works are so different from each other. Van Gogh’s Starry Night might be one of the most well known paintings ever. Overall, my perception of Post-Impressionism is very different from what it was before reading this chapter. I didn’t expect it to have such a deep history of modernly well known artists and works.

The 1900’s continued to be a very important time. With that, art continued to follow and document the feelings of the people who lived during that time. In the early 20th century, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse were the most well known artists of the time. These artists developed through many stages of their careers. Picasso had a blue period of his career, where the color blue was a constant in all of his works. Blue represented the poor and unfortunate. I think it really cool that his “Blue Period” had a meaningful theme along with the visual theme.

Another style that became popular during this time was Expressionism. This has to be one of my favorite art styles due to their use of color to create mood and emotion. One of my favorite pieces of this period was Panel for Edwin R. Campbell No. 4 by Kandinsky. This painting, while not looking like anything specific, really draws me in. Although it's supposed to represent the season of Winter, I don't really see it as that. All of the colors involved in this painting are very strong and prevalent. While there are many colors, they all feel very necessary to me. These last two chapters might have covered my favorite pieces of art so far. Everything is very fun and eye catching, while also maintaining the meaning and importance that art has always had.

[skempr-blog]

Chapters 23 +24 Week 7

The nineteenth century was a time of exponential growth in the world. Things were changing and developing faster than they ever had up to that point. The industrial revolution was a pivotal point in history that changed the way life was lived. As with a majority of other major events in humanity to this point, art was there to capture this change and present it in new and unique ways.

This new sense of social awareness gave us the art style known as realism. Jean Francois Millet was a well known Realism artist. His painting of The Gleaners, is an example of his ability to blend romanticism with realism. While still including the unity with nature that is prevalent in romanticism, he also uses new techniques of realism to give the painting more meaning. This paintings emphasis is on the different classes of society and how different they are from each other. He shows the poor during hard physical labor, while showing the comfortability of the wealthy. I think this painting is very special because it can still be applied to society today. Most wealthy people rarely have to experience some of the adversities that lower class citizens have to go through everyday. This causes a great disconnect in our society that leads to a lack of empathy and understanding for others. Even though many poor citizens in our society may not have to do such hard and physically demanding work, the point stands true. This also embodies the meaning of money is power. Especially in today’s society, the more money you have, the more control you have.

Another form of art that was beginning to break through at this time was photography. New advancements in the technology allowed for a more artistic approach that photographers could take to give their photos new meaning. One of the most famous photographers was Nadar. Nadar was a French photographer that opened new doors for the art form with his innovative methods. He even had a balloon for which he could take aerial pictures from. With Nadar’s popularity rising, the debate on if photography was art also arose. While both sides have great points, I believe that photography is an art form. I don't think that all pictures taken should be considered art by any means, but many serious photographers have great artistic visions which provide us with many perspectives and meanings that are unique to that photo.

One painting that I found very interesting for this time was Henry Ossawa Tanner’s Annunciation. The detail he portrays in this painting is almost unmatched by all. Mary’s dress and the blanket next to her almost look real given the amount of detail and natural feel they provide. After reading about Tanner’s life, you realize how amazing it truly is. He had to fight through many adversities in his life and was still able to accomplish great things and leave his mark on art in America.

Around the 1860’s, the Impressionist style also began to arise. Unlike the realism style, impressionist style was more laid back and focused on activities that were more leisurely.  One of my favorite pieces shown in this chapter was Absinthe by Edgar Degas. I felt that although this painting wasn't as lighthearted as the ones shown before it, it does a great job of capturing the emotion and atmosphere of the event. The woman in the painting has a look of loneliness or disappointment. It's a feeling that is familiar to us all that is hard to describe in a painting. I feel that Degas does a great job in showing this emotion while also showing the scene in a unique way. Another artist from this time that was able to capture a scene was Claude Monet. He embodied the technical prinicals of Impressionism. My favorite piece from Monet was Terrace at Sainte-Adresse. This painting does a great job of capturing the scene especially. Everything from the people, to the flowers, to the water that surrounds the city, is covered in great detail and amazing colors. The thing that caught me the most was the way he was able to capture the atmosphere of the time with this painting. It's very cool to see the steamboats on the horizon that were also given a lot of detail. Overall his work has a laid back approach while also capturing a scene through great detail and color. To me, this is why Impressionism is so unique and amazing.

[onlyhereforthemonet-blog]

Week 6

Neoclassism was averse to the style of Rococo. Neoclassism was trying to show stabilization and strength. Politics were a strong player during this period. The art style of this period had less involvement from the church and was meant more to shape the public perception of the political and social environment.

The painting “Oath of the Horatii” improved moral tendencies in France while appearing to enforce a revolutionary demeanor. I find it interesting how much art has been used to shape public perception and motivations. It relates well to how the media plays such a huge role today in the same ways. The media shapes what we know and how we feel about the world around us. Art works and literature were the biggest forms of main stream media during the 19th century and of course anytime before it. Revolutionary paintings were being produced to sway public opinion in that manner as well. I would never guess that something elegant would have such a sub context. Today we are less elegant with our persuasion. Politicians were able to paint themselves however they wanted. They deception to the public was rather easy. Now with social media and other information streams, we can profile a person whoever we want.

Contrary to the seriousness of Neoclassism, Romanticism glorified fiction. I enjoy the step away from real life that romanticism portrays. It is much like the way religion is enjoyed. Things are let go and you can believe in something that may or may not be real. This takes the mind away from real world problems. It lowers the stress level. Maybe the 19th century was a stressful time, and Romanticism was trying to look at the glass half full. The paintings of this style tell so many stories. Some of these stories seem dreadful but so full of emotion. When I look at some of these paintings, I imagine the agony and desperation apparent on their faces. It makes me appreciative of my life. The paintings of war really captured the history. It shows a time of revolution in France. The people were taking back their country.

Revolution is something that comes back into style occasionally. While it may not be a trend, it is a part of history that rears its face when needed. Revolution happened often in Europe. It may have been trendy during the period there. There comes a time in most countries where the leadership is not satisfying the citizens. I do not think this develops simply from people disliking the leadership or how things are currently going, but from a long-standing decrease in living standards. Over time it is easy for the powerful to slowing boil the water on the public. Most people don’t even realize that they are being taken advantage of. It is not until it becomes too far and too bad that people become aware and motivated to solve the problem. A revolution occurred in Great Britain that gave birth to this country. I foresee a second revolution in this country. I do not blame the reasons for this to any particular administration, but throughout the last century powerful people have been able to squeeze Americans. I think that bubble is about ready to pop.

[skempr-blog]

I found what you said about art swaying public opinion very interesting. Looking at art from the past now, you could never guess that there was a another motive or meaning to it. After learning about the history behind certain pieces, they start to make a lot more sense. A lot of media nowadays, whether art or music, can have multiple motives that we can all see without confusion. It makes you wonder if people in the future will be able to identify these messages or meanings, or if it will just be something that is ignored. 

[skempr-blog]

Week 6 Chapters 21 +22

In the early 19th century, a lot was going on in the world. Revolutions were changing society from the inside out. Along with other big moments in the world’s history, art was there to describe and be apart of the moment. The art style most closely associated with the French Revolution was the Neoclassical style. Neoclassical style was known for its heroic subject matter, its clarity, and representation of stability. It's interesting how art has been involved with most of history up to this point. When an important event happens, there is almost certainly going to be a specific art style surrounding it. One of the most well known Neoclassical painters was Jacques-Louis David. His painting, Oath of the Horatii, is a great example of Neoclassical painting. It shows a moment of heroic sacrifice that represents honor. Neoclassical style always had a great political connection. Napoleon hired David, where he painted some very well known portraits such as, Napoleon at St. Bernard’s Pass. This is a painting I have seen every time Napoleon has been brought up. It painted Napoleon in a very heroic way. He looks very powerful and courageous in this painting. I feel that this painting had a great positive effect on Napoleon. It was very important for leaders to be looked at as heroes by their people. One painting I found very interesting was Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres’ painting of Napoleon. This painting shows the characteristics of Neoclassical style, while also blending some older styles in with it, such as Mannerism and Rococo. This painting puts Napoleon in almost a god like setting. Every quality is exaggerated to the max, which really shows the influence of mannerism.

Politics in America also affected art and architecture in society. As America was moving toward independence, architectural style moved more toward Roman styles than the “Colonial Georgian” style that was prevalent while under British control. The connection between politics and art at the time didn't end there. James Madison hired John Trumbull to paint a very important moment in US history, when the Declaration of Independence was signed. This painting is special because it was one of the most important historical moments in the history of the US. The painting is also in great detail as all members who signed the declaration are present.

Overall Neoclassical style highlighted many important and historical moments in the worlds history. With the style shifting art to a more serious and intellectual approach, it was changed forever. A modern comparison to this sort of great revival of past influences, is hip hop music and rock and roll. Hip hop now a days is classified as a younger genre of music. Many older people have a strong dislike for it due to it being inappropriate compared to what they are used to. Hip hop has many themes of partying, recklessness, and the artists lifestyles in general. This reminds me a lot of rock and roll for many of the same reasons. Rock and Roll was not well received by the older generations at the time. They thought that the messages in Rock music were inappropriate and disrespectful, like how many view hip hop today. Hip hop is also similar in the sense that its evolved into the sound of a generation. They are essentially rebellions to the norms of the time, changing the sound regardless of who dislikes it.  While the rock of the 60’s and hip hop of the 90’s were important times, the rock of the 70’s and hip hop of modern day have peaked in popularity in terms of the younger generations. They are two types of music that are certainly different, but yet they represent similar purposes. I imagine that this trend will continue as well. Years from now there will be a genre of music that the current generation will dislike due to its message and theme.

[davisl15]

Week 5-chapters 19 and 20

Chapter 19 talks about the baroque style in western europe. The baroque style was during the late 16th century to about 1750 in some places. The world was starting to have doubts about absolute rule from religion. Religious figures were starting to lose their power and less works of art were centered around religion. The seventeenth century was a huge time period for science. There were many strides in science during this time period. Baroque art is filled with dramatized events, deep rich colors, and very strong shadows. The paintings are also very smooth and the figures flow together. Baroque style was very prevalent in architecture. The baroque style was defined by two major architectural feats that were produced during this time.  The first is the completion of St. Peters in Rome. The building was being rebuilt during this time. The interior of the building is very heavily influenced by the baroque style. There is very strong contrast between dark and light. The building is also heavily adorned with metals that are very designed which show the skill of the artists. The second is the sumptuous court of Louis XIV. That building shows the tremendous amount of resources that were put into the arts at that time. The palace was intended to show the immense power of the french monarch. It was a gigantic palace that boasted hundreds of rooms and could hold more than twenty thousand people.The building was split into separate sections that were completed at different times by different people. The different people had different styles so some rooms look completely different from others.

Baroque styles played a gigantic role in paintings at this time. One of the most prevalent painters in Italy was Caravaggio. He had trouble with the law multiple times and that reduced the time that he spent making art. His style of painting was distinct because his themes were meant to appeal to the average person. He also differed from other artists by the fact that he didn’t make early drawings. Most painters at this time made a beginning sketch of what they were going to paint before they made the final piece of art. Caravaggio didn’t and that makes his paintings less planned and it shows in his works. He still payed very close attention to the miniscule details in his paintings. In his piece Boy with a Basket of Fruit he shows very close attention to making the fruit look as realistic as possible. He does this in numerous ways with hows he shapes the light and the shading on the fruit. The piece also shows the very common style of lighting in the background. The background is shaded very smoothly were there isn’t a sharp line splitting the light.

Chapter 20 is about the rococo style which was around from about 1700 to 1775. Rococo style is sometimes called a refinement of baroque style. I agree with this because rococo pieces share some very similar characteristics. Rococo style shows a world of fantasy and exoticism. The 18th century was heavily influenced by the enlightenment. There were multiple works that were made to depict the secrets of the enlightenment leaders.Some of the works depicted the experiments that enlightenment leaders were participating in. Rococo stylized works were similar in some ways to the baroque styled works. There was a major difference though. Rococo works didn’t have an emphasis on shadows. They were usually lighter and not very much darkness. This is different from baroque works because they usually had a strong emphasis on the shadowy part of those works.

[skempr-blog]

I found what you said on religion at the time to be very interesting. The shift away from religion in art was very impactful given how much art was influenced by religion throughout its history.Considering that society was starting to focus on science as well, this seemed to be the turning point for a lot of important factors than affected everyday living. The art of the time did a great job showing that through the baroque and rococo styles that changed how art was looked at. 

[skempr-blog]

Chapters 19 and 20

The seventeenth century was a time of great accomplishment and development. A lot was going on in the world at the time involving exploration, scientific development, and philosophy. The world was growing faster than it ever had before. Along with the growth of the rest of the world, art was also continuing to develop alongside it. It really shows just how connected and involved everything is. The changes that went on in the world seem to always be reflected in the art of that time. I feel like modernly, music has taken over the role of showing the changes in society. It is something that every person relates with and feels connected to, much like how art was throughout most of history. The Baroque style became the prominent art style during the time. This style was very unique due to its diversity. This style is very interesting to me because it seems like it was a huge step forward for art at the time. The amount of freedom in baroque style was unmatched in art. There was less guidelines and “rules” to follow, which allowed a larger variety of art to be produced. This style also had more of a focus on naturalism, which I personally enjoy most. By the end of the baroque period, Paris became the artistic center of Europe.

Architecture was also making new strides in the seventeenth century. With the rebuilding of St. Peter’s, a lot of architectural focus’ shifted. You could really tell with St. Peters that a lot of effort was put towards the resources used to construct and decorate it. A lot of bronze is used, which gives it a very strong and rich feel to it.This was my favorite piece of architecture shown from this period. It is such a unique and interesting style that is hard to replicate given the resources and time required to complete it.

Painting during the baroque period was very diverse. Artists from all over Europe were continuing to add their mark on the time with their unique creations. My favorite painter I noticed in this chapter was Jan Vermeer. Vermeer was known for his ability to create a lot of detail in very large spaces. His painting, View of Delft, perfectly whos this skill. The attention to detail is what really makes this painting special. He was also known for his ability to show lighting very well. This is also shown well in the View of Delft. The thing that I liked most about this painting was the balance between the natural world and the man made world. Right between the river and the clouds is the port into the town, all of it shown in fine detail.

At the beginning of the 1700’s, the Rococo style emerged. Rococo style is more focused on wit and lightheartedness than the styles that preceded it. Many paintings that belonged to this style includes gods and goddesses along with the aristocracy and nature. While art was continuing its growth, so was society. The age of enlightenment brought political movements out of new philosophical ideas. This was a very important time for the growth of philosophy. I feel that the age of enlightenment is very similar to the beginning of the Renaissance. At that time, people were starting to look deeper into humanism and who we are as people. The age of enlightenment is similar in that more and more people were beginning to understand and care about these philosophical ideas. While these ideas were expanding, art was still there to help capture the atmosphere of the time. The painting by Joseph Wright, An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump, is very familiar to me. I'm pretty sure it was in almost every textbook that taught about the age of enlightenment. It goes to show how well these pieces translate the feeling and ideas being talked about at the time. The piece I found most interesting from the Rococo style was The Swing, painted by Jean-Honore Fragonard. While this painting used common themes from Rococo style, such as the cupids, it is very unique. The use of color is what sticks out most to me.

[onlyhereforthemonet-blog]

Chapters 17 and 18

The 16th century was an interesting time for the world. As with previous post I could not help but focus on the politics that were driving the culture. Power and politics continue to be a motivation for the style and contents of art at the time. It is interesting to analyze how art shapes the history that we know today. Much of what we know about the 16th century is derived from art in one form or another. I am lead to believe that some people were aware that their legacy would be remembered by not only the manuscripts, but the art they left behind as well. As we get into chapters 17 and 18 we see a motivation division between power and religion once again.

We see a change of style with the birth of the protestant church. It is unclear if the death of Raphael motivated the new era of Mannerism or if it was established in part by parts of Europe breaking off from the Catholic Church. Either way it is interesting to see the change in style. The Renaissance featured many works based on the religion, while mannerism seemed to document real people in their time of existence. Mannerism featured many paintings and sculptures of people. They were a very opened minded civilization. You can tell this by how clad the works were. Clothing in some works of mannerism was very minimal if there at all. The Catholic church could not have been a fan of this. They continued to resist a change in style. The church wanted to keep the focus on themselves. I think this relates heavily to my earlier posts that described art being driven by religion and power. The church had the capital to fund “retaliation” against different art styles. They continued to allure to the minds of the public through religious pieces. They may also have realized this was necessary to secure their part in the future.

Humanism continued to blossom in the north. The spread of Protestantism seemed to encourage humanistic views. This makes me think that the Protestant religion was less demanding and controlling, and more down to earth. Personally, I believe that is how religion should be. They encourage magnificent documentations of real life in the form of beautiful murals and paintings. Landscapes and human populated pieces were popular. I enjoy this kind of art more because I believe it gave the artist more freedom to work in ways that they wanted. They did not have to create pieces that displayed what their employers wanted, but rather what they wanted. They had control of the making of history that was to be left behind for future generations.

[skempr-blog]

I found it interesting how you focused on the politics of the era and how it affected the culture at the time. Politics are something that you don’t necessarily  think about right away when you're looking at art. Its especially prevalent though when looking at how the church affected art at the time. It also goes to show just what art provides to a society. While the Church was able to control a majority of societal aspects, art was something that was never fully in their control. 

[skempr-blog]

Chapter 17 and 18

In the 16th century, things began to change quickly. The Protestant Reformation split the church which had many impacts on society. Artists were affected by this as it changed the society they were demonstrating in their paintings. With all the changes in the 16th century, art began to develop new styles such as Mannerisms. This style focuses on the human body which is usually elongated or in a twisted pose. These paintings also did not follow any sort of symmetry which caused a sense of instability in figures. I think it's very interesting that this was the new trend in painting at the time. The oddities of this style made paintings look more unique and realistic. Not everything in life is perfectly aligned and calculated. It gave paintings a more natural feel as they were not following as many rules of painting. Pontormo and Parmigianino are great examples of painters whose work had the odd traits of Mannerism.

The Counter-Reformation also inspired a lot of art. Tintoretto painted the Last Supper according to counter reformation requirements. This painting is very interesting to me because it was painted where the table is at a diagonal angle. It is not parallel with the picture plane. This is one of the first times where a the perspective of a commonly known event had changed so much. While it conformed to the counter reformation requirements, it is still a very creative and unique perspective in the Last Supper.

The greatest architect of the late 1500’s was Andrea Palladio. His style consisted of a combination of Mannerism and High Renaissance. Palladio made the Villa Rotonda, which consisted of large columns and a square plan to it.  His style was so prominent and well received that it was later revived in America and England in the 18th century. Its really cool that a lot of older American buildings were greatly influenced by Palladio and his unique style. Being able to trace back traits of these buildings to those in Italy is very unique and special.

In the 16th century, Northern Europe was also going through many changes. Like the South, many were greatly affected by humanism. Many of the important artists for Northern Europe traveled to Italy and were very influenced by humanism. I think this shows just how important humanism was to the world as a whole. Not only was it affecting certain societies, but it was changing almost every society that was exposed to it. The changes in art and the overall perspective of people really show that well. Of the artists of Northern Europe, the one that is most interesting to me is Caterina van Hemessen. Her work is very unique as it uses many laid back colors while including impressive texture. It gives her work a very serious feel that many are unsuccessful at capturing. Another artist of Northern Europe that I enjoyed was Hans Holbein. His portrait of Henry VIII is very iconic. I know for a fact I have seen it a few times in history classes. His style includes a lot of detail which is very impressive. The pattern on Henry’s shirt in his portrait is a great example of the detail Holbein was able to produce. He also did a great job in showing Henry’s power and wealth through this portrait.

Overall, The humanist movement stayed prevalent throughout the 16th century, again showing its continued effects on society and art. Its spread throughout Europe shows the overall impact that it had and how exactly it was changing society. Art during this time was very interesting due to the variety of it. Many artists continued to be influenced by past styles, while others continued to add their own style into the mix.

[captainamandapierce-blog]

Week 3-Chapters 15 & 16

During the early Renaissance in the fifteenth century, the humanist movement was under way.  It really struck me how advanced this movement was, especially because it was so long ago in history.  Girls were educated in the same subjects as boys were, and were even taught to ride horse and play sports.  Women were very knowledgeable and respected at that time; they were capable of “running the state” while their husbands were off to war, and some were even important patrons of the arts.  To be honest, before reading the textbook, I had no idea that the Renaissance was more than just an important time period for art.  I think it is amazing that during that time, women were accepted and respected important and valued members of society, while even to this day, women struggle for equal wages and opportunity for advancement in the workplace.

I really enjoyed reading about the competition for the Florence Baptistery doors.  At first glance, the two pieces appeared to be very similar to me; without reading the text, I would have guessed that they were two complimentary pieces created by the same artist.  They were similar in some ways: for example, they both depicted the same scene from Genesis 22, the Sacrifice of Isaac.  Both pieces seemed to be forged from the same metal, and both had the same shape.  However, after reading about the two pieces, I was then able to see the differences stated in the text.  I thought it was kind of neat that one of the deciding factors on the winning piece was the type and cost of the metal that was used.  I always thought of the Renaissance as a very extravagant time period; it seemed a little surprising that, even during that lavish time, money was still a primary concern to people.  But, I also appreciate the extent that the Baptistery was willing to go to in order to have such beautiful doors.  Such beautiful artwork being featured in establishments is a concept that seems to have been lost to society, these days.

The chapter goes on to follow the life of Brunelleschi, who lost the competition for the Florence Baptistery doors.  After losing the competition, Brunelleschi all but gave up on sculptures and instead turned his attention towards architecture.  He used circles and round arches in his building plans to give the buildings a more “modern” look.  In addition to architecture, Brunelleschi created the artistic illusion of linear, or one-point perspective.  I thought that fact was fascinating; one-point perspective is a huge concept in artwork, one that I learned back in high school art class.  The fact that such a talented, artistic, and innovative individual actually lost an art competition really shows just how many amazing artists were active during that time period.  I would absolutely love to visit Italy, just to see all the amazing artwork and architecture.  I bet it is truly amazing.

The rest of the chapter goes on to discuss painting during the early fifteenth century, as well as sculpture.  I was really surprised at all the different pieces of art that I am actually familiar with. It is truly amazing that so many famous works of art all came from the same time period.  Chapter 16 discusses some of the major names of that time, and their most famous artwork: Leonardo da Vinci’s creation of The Last Supper and The Mona Lisa.  Michelangelo and his amazing work on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, as well as The Creation of Adam and The Last Judgement.  The textbook does an excellent job of highlighting the high points of the early and high Renaissance.  

[skempr-blog]

I was also surprised to see how advanced the humanist movement was at the time. It was amazing to find out how many innovations were being made not just in art, but in society. The schools that allowed girls and boys to learn together were making some amazing advancements for its time. They even educated people belonging to different social classes together. It makes me wonder how these practices weren’t adopted sooner into other societies and cultures. If anything it shows how stubborn societies can be in terms of changing their ways even if it is for the better. 

[skempr-blog]

Chapter 15 and 16- Week 3

In the 15th century, Italy’s culture was still very much centered around humanism. The wealthiest banking family, the Medici family, was a very big advocate of humanism. They encouraged the study of philosophers such as Plato and also gave artists access to older sculptures. It’s interesting to see a family, with as much influence and power as the Medici family, having such an impact on the culture at the time. While many who were powerful were more interested in their self interests, the Medici family made many efforts to improve the society they were living in. The courts also became a place where the humanist perspective was able to thrive. Innovative schools were also created in these courts. Students who were less fortunate were taught alongside the wealthier students. Girls were also able to learn alongside their male peers. I never realized that schools like this existed at the time. It's cool to see the impact people were able to have on their community by changing it for the better through schools, libraries, and art.

Art was still growing and changing just as it had before. Filippo Brunelleschi was a very important artist during the 15th century. He competed for the Florence Baptistry Doors and was very involved in creating the Dome of Florence's Cathedral through his artistic and architectural skills. Brunelleschi was also credited with inventing linear perspective. I think it's really amazing that there are people like Brunelleschi, who seem to be made for a certain profession. He had such a large impact of art in his time, while also having an impact on art throughout the rest of history. Doing work on something as prominent as the Dome of Florence’s Cathedral cements your impact on history. It was an accomplishment that all could see.

Painting and sculpting were also growing with artists like Masaccio and Donatello, who innovated their fields respectively. Both artists were known for their innovative styles while also using innovations from their predecessors. Donatello especially innovated his field when he sculpted David. It was innovative because of its meaning at the time. These artists continued the trend of changing the landscape of their fields. David became a symbol for Florence itself. It's amazing that art can have such an impact on a society.

Another place where things were growing at a rapid rate was the Netherlands. Painting in the Netherlands. Instead of the usual tempera style used in Italy, Netherlandish painters used oil painting instead. This gave Northern paintings their own unique look that would separate them from those in Italy. Its really cool to see how it wasn't just in the heart of the Renaissance where art was flourishing. People from all over were making their own innovations and unique pieces. It isn't easy to make your own lane, especially when painting in Italy was already so prominent at the time.

The late 15th century and early 16th century continued the theme of growth. The High Renaissance was a time where a lot was happening. Rome took over for Florence as the artistic center of the High Renaissance. New leaders and artists were leaving their mark on history. One person who completely changed society was Leonardo Di Vinci. Leonardo accomplished a lot in his time. From groundbreaking scientific illustrations, to iconic paintings of The Last Supper and The Mona Lisa , to his many inventions that have benefited many across the world. Personally, Leonardo reminds me of Brunelleschi, in the sense that their skill set was made to do the things that they did. Nobody in history can imitate the skills and accomplishments of these two icons of their time. I also believe that Michelangelo can be put in the same boat. Making amazing accomplishments is one thing, but influencing and changing your craft for the better is on its own level.

Throughout the 15th century, the world was changing faster than it ever had up to that point. Along with it art and the culture surrounding it flourished. It was a time when people were really discovering the capabilities of humans and what we could accomplish. Art played a big part in illustrating the thoughts and ideas of the time. The Renaissance provided a necessary growth period, not just for art, but for people as a whole.   

[antonianaab-blog1]

Chapter 14 - Week 2

I would absolutely love to visit Italy just to view the art that was made during the Renaissance. Renaissance is the French word for “rebirth”. During this time period, the artists started to express themselves and made it known who they were. For example, artists would sign their work when finished, which was uncommon in the previous generations. This shows that confidence was building within themselves as an artist and person. Along with the forms of government that prevailed, more choices and expressions were able to be made. During the renaissance, in the fourteenth-century, it was based around a humanistic perspective and movement. The type of art that was pursued was human nature and human form, which I find to be extremely interesting. The reason that I find the humanistic approach interesting is because I am in school for social work and law. I am extremely interested in the faces, figures, and body language that is in the art because I feel that I can read the expression, whether its pain or happiness. It was said that the literacy also increased, and literature dealt more and more with art and the personalities of artists (Adams, 223). Which to me, the art shows an explanation of who they are, their beliefs, and feelings. An artist by the name, Giotto di Bondone, painted walls in the Arena Chapel. The most compelling piece of art I recognized was the “Last Judgment”. In this image, it was representing Christ’s Second Coming. It is said and shown that Christ is in the middle and his right hand summons the saved souls while the left hand rejects the damned (Adams, 228). While looking at this painting, I noticed it is very detailed and there is a lot going on. While it shows Christ choosing who goes to where, it also shows heaven and hell. I liked the representation of both heaven and hell because this is usually not seen, at least I have not seen it, in a Chapel.  I found it to be compelling because you can tell by the colors and details of hell, that the people were being tortured. While in heaven, the people seem to be peaceful. I think that this representation is great because it puts in perspective on heaven and hell, and that Christ is the ultimate decider of where the deceased move on. The virtue of justice was talked and thought about with the painting of the Last Judgment. In social work and law, justice is extremely relevant, which is one of the reasons I think I liked the painting as much as I did. Those that have done wrong are damned and are being put in hell. While those that are saved are peacefully sitting in heaven. This is the type of justice that Christ gives for the way that individuals live their lives. I also learned that there were two forms of government that appeared in the renaissance; popes and princes (authoritarian) and republics and communes (democratic). Republics and communes, being that it was a democratic government, was preferred by the humanists (Adams, 231). Since I am completely for the humanistic perspective and justice, this makes sense to me that I love living in a democratic government and having justice be served.

[skempr-blog]

The Renaissance was definitely a new and interesting time. I agree with what you said about artist confidence and the overall increase in expression. This is one of the first times people began to create art based on themselves and the world surrounding them. I found what you said about the virtue of justice very interesting also. Art became the speaking grounds for many subjects, even sensitive topics that could cause controversy. This showcases arts overall influence and power at the time. It also proved that you didn't have to be a government or religious official to have a voice.