In its vast timeline, the history of fashion in art reveals a complex socio-economic system influenced by a culture of valuing individual collectives in a world of dynamic change. It is a unique system in that which its influences are found in close quarters; a grapevine of cultural impact showing people influencing people. The ensembles worn by subjects in various paintings and sculptures present us with a glimpse into the socio-economic conditions under which fashion became a commodification of social status and a symbol of societal and cultural value. As cultural events and new political climates rise, causing shifts in values and general rules of fashionable appearance tastes in fashion appears to change. Yet the relatively stable constant in notions towards fashion is a prescribed label of class, and therefore, your worth and position in society, associated with the clothing you wore. In a series of six costumes inspired by the Early Renaissance, the High Renaissance, the High Renaissance in Europe, Baroque art, Rococo to Neoclassicism, and Romanticism, I will break down the fashion trends of each period, focusing on iconic features of each fashion period and briefly explaining the cultural context of each garment.
The Early Renaissance
This costume is based on the ensemble worn by Giovanni Arnolfini’s wife in the painting Giovanni Arnolfini and His Wife by early Renaissance painter Jan Van Eyck. A popular staple piece in early Renaissance fashion was the houppelande which was carried over from the fashion of the middle ages. In The Concise History of Costume and Fashion by James Laver, he describes the general appearance of the houppelande as a garment that fitted the shoulders and was loose below, with a belt at the waist; the houppelande is what will later be known as ‘gown’.[2] This replication of a typical houppelande has a high collar and extremely long sleeves, fur trimming and fur lining, and hanging tippets from the edge of the sleeve to the back of the gown. The gown itself is extremely long, ballooning outward from the waist. The houppelande could be made in a selection of fabrics such as wool, silk, and velvet[3], and were could be dyed a rich, vibrant colour as seen in Jan Van Eyck’s painting. Since the middle ages, the use of fur in fashion had become symbolic of wealth and importance and was oft worn by nobility.[4] Since fur was difficult to come by, it was an elitist luxury used in excess by middle and higher class people, establishing a social distinction between them and the lower-class through their clothing. As for the headdress, at this point, not much has changed since the middle ages in terms of style. However, the custom of covering mature and married women’s hair was becoming less strict, and we see more women revealing their hairstyle beneath their headdress.[5]
The High Renaissance
This High renaissance costume is based on the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. The During the High renaissance, many cultural trends such as the rise and spread of books, the expansion of trade and exploration, and the increase in power and wealth of national monarchies in France, England, and Spain influenced tastes in fashion and the dynamic changes fashion underwent, as well as the idea of the modern ‘trendsetter’.[6] The essential garment for the High Renaissance woman was the gown. Its general features were the bodice, a skirt, and sleeves. The complex ensemble of the gown during this period can be seen in da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. The gown could be made from luxurious materials such as silk, velvet, and lace, worn with lavish jewelry, and decorated with intricate patterns of stitching and embroidery.[7] While the gown silhouette was common across social classes, the distinction lies within the materials used. Although the wealthy and powerful used expensive textiles for their gowns, the lower-class was still capable of emulating the gown with the materials they had access to such as wool and cotton.
The High Renaissance in Northern Europe
My iteration of Northern European High Renaissance fashion is based on Hans Holbein the Younger’s Portrait of Christina of Denmark. This portrait demonstrates the conservative side of fashion that was flourishing alongside a bold, vibrant movement that was challenging established trends. The model adorns a dark, velvet gown with a high collar; underneath we see a glimpse of the ruffs from her high collared undershirt. The ruffs were a common feature of the late fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, typically characterized as an upright, stiff collar that ruffles around the neck; ruffs were commonly adorned by noblemen and noblewomen.[8] Now, Holbein’s Portrait of Christina of Denmark does not show the typical extravagant ruffled collar, which could have been a stylistic choice by Holbein to allow the fur lining and trim of the subject’s outer gown to stand out, and remain the statement feature representing her wealth in the painting. The large size of the outer gown appears to further imply how much fur the gown is made of.
Baroque Art
The Baroque artwork I’ve based this costume design on is Vermeer’s, Girl with a Pearl Earring. The Baroque period introduced innovations to the popular sixteenth-century gown. At the time Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring was composed, seventeenth-century fashion had already gone through several evolutions. Stomachers, which was either a v-shape or u-shape panel meant for decoration and structure, had become stiffer and flatter and elongated past the line of the waist.[9] Replacing the trend of using wired hoops, or farthingales, to give body to the skirt was the petticoat. The petticoat was a practical solution to the everyday issues of functionality women faced with farthingales. Petticoats made of cotton or wool were perfect for warmth, while more fashionable petticoats were made of taffeta, satin, linen, or a combination of starched fabrics.[10]
Rococo and Neoclassicism
This costume was inspired by Vigee Le Brun and her artistic style which can be described as being a mix of rococo colours with elements of the Neoclassic style. As a prolific French portrait painter, one of her prominent subjects for portraits was Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France who despite her tumultuous life in the public eye, was a fashion icon. The genius in Le Brun’s craft lies in her vast knowledge of current fashion and her awareness of the power of appearance.
I based this costume on Vigee Le Brun’s, Self Portrait in a Straw Hat. In the painting, Le Brun is wearing a variation of the robe en chemise which emerged during the late eighteenth-century period as tastes in fashion moved away from the early period’s penchant for fuller-bodied skirts.[11] While its design echoes elements of early Rococo style, the robe en chemise was a gown made simple. These dresses were usually made of sheer, white cotton, with high waists and wrapped with a decorative satin sash; its slender silhouette was inspired by the fashion of ancient Greece and ancient Rome.[12] These dresses could also come in various colours, such as the rose-gold coloured dress Le Brun is wearing in her self-portrait. With its sheer material and low-cut neckline, the robe en chemise gained widespread attention because of its revealing nature; until this point, the gowns we’ve seen have been voluminous and covered much of the female body. Yet, this scandalous fashion found its way into the wardrobe of royalty, and most likely, the wardrobe of some upper-class women who wanted to be revered for wearing the latest fashion. This portrait of Marie Antoinette wearing a robe en chemise was painted by Le Brun.
Romanticism
Based on Delacroix’s, Liberty Leading the People, this costume is an iteration of the symbolic fashion of the woman in his painting. She is Liberty; she represents freedom, in an image that evokes a triumphant revolution as she leads people on the battlefield. The Romantic movement differed vastly from the current situation in early nineteenth-century France, which was characterized by social unrest and civil war between the bourgeoisie and the working class.[13] Romanticism was mostly a reaction to the modern realities brought on by the industrial revolution; the romantic movement in art reveals a desire to escape these modern realities, a theme which Delacroix’s painting emulates perfectly.
Liberty Leading the People encapsulates the transitional period between Neoclassicism and Romantic sensibilities.[14] There are neoclassical elements in Liberty’s appearance, but most prominent is her dress. The painting feels reminiscent of the time of unrest during the French Revolution, which Liberty embodies in her wearing a robe en chemise, referred to simply at this point as ‘a dress’. In general, dresses of any kind were lighter and much sheerer than garments from the eighteenth-century but the general features of the dress were kept the same: made from any selection of fabrics and usually white or light in colour, short sleeves, high waists and long, straight skirts.[15]
From this brief overview of women’s fashion over time, it is evident that notions towards dress and appearance, and how we tend to associate certain styles of fashion to specific groups of people and/or cultures have not changed. Although fashion continues to evolve, the same old fashion trends appear and disappear, then reappear; reinvented or inspiring a consequent fashion movement. There is a romantic sensibility in the way we often tend to return to past fashion trends. It begs the question if there will ever be a completely fresh fashion movement, or will our futile attempts remain the shells of historic innovations in fashion from the past. Nevertheless, as one of few primary resources for contemporary fashion designers, these artworks reveal the true impact of fashion and art as they continue to influence fashion and social cultures in our modern world.
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Footnotes
[1] Ibid. 600.
[2] Laver, "The Concise History of Costume and Fashion: Laver, James, 1899-1975: Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming." Internet Archive. January 01, 1969. Accessed July 17, 2020. https://archive.org/details/concisehistoryof00lave/mode/2up, 64.
[3] Pendergast, Sara, Tom Pendergast, and Sarah Hermsen. Fashion, Costume and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations, and Footwear through the Ages. Vol. 3. Detroit: U.X.L, 2004, 450.
[4] Ibid. 624.
[5] Ibid. 488.
[6] Ibid. 469.
[7] Ibid. 477.
[8] Ibid. 482-483.
[9] Ibid. 521; 525.
[10] Ibid. 523.
[11] Ibid. 570.
[12] Ibid. 570
[13] Hurley, Clare. "French Romantic Painter Eugène Delacroix at the Metropolitan Museum in New York." French Romantic Painter Eugène Delacroix at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. December 20, 2018. Accessed July 22, 2020. https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/12/20/dela-d20.html.
[14] Ibid.
[15] Pendergast, Sara, Tom Pendergast, and Sarah Hermsen. Fashion, Costume and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations, and Footwear through the Ages. Vol. 3. Detroit: U.X.L, 2004, 622.
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Bibliography
Hurley, Clare. "French Romantic Painter Eugène Delacroix at the Metropolitan Museum in New York." French Romantic Painter Eugène Delacroix at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. December 20, 2018. Accessed July 22, 2020. https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/12/20/dela-d20.html.
Laver, James. "The Concise History of Costume and Fashion: Laver, James, 1899-1975: Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming." Internet Archive. January 01, 1969. Accessed July 22, 2020. https://archive.org/details/concisehistoryof00lave/mode/2up.
Pendergast, Sara, Tom Pendergast, and Sarah Hermsen. Fashion, Costume and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations, and Footwear through the Ages. Vol. 3. Detroit: U.X.L, 2004.
A Deep Dive into the Political Affiliations of the Roman Catholic Church During the Gothic Period
The Gothic Age of Architecture: An Elevation of European Style and Influence
If we are meant to comprehend art as a mode of expression, whether it be a thought or opinion, it is nevertheless a way to send a message. Architecture, much like the typical idea of art that comes to mind, can be an expression of a message which itself can relate to an abstract or certain identity. For instance, the transformation between Early Medieval and Romanesque architecture, and Gothic and Late Medieval architecture in Europe is defined by a transitional period of profound change and experimentation happening across various cultural sectors in Northern Europe. As vessels of historical knowledge providing insight into systemic practices and advancements in constructing, we can look at the emergence of Gothic and Late Medieval architecture in France as a tangible model of the cultural shifts in European politics and society that altered the everyday life of its citizens when the Gothic era began. While we know historically that progress was certainly on its way, there was a rather apprehensive grasp on a traditional system of power which gothic architecture appears to conform to, figuratively speaking, if we look at the concept of replication of the gothic elements introduced in the Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis, a formidable example of religion and politics, two institutions of great power, converging.
The Gothic Period
The Gothic period arrives in three waves: Early Gothic, High Gothic, and Late Gothic, with the next wave building upon the foundations of its predecessor as architectural styles, evolved to accommodate the changing times. Looking at several Cathedrals from each Gothic period, it is easy to understand the influence of gothic architectural elements as they present themselves. Beyond representing a newfound aesthetic-driven appreciation for the soon-to-be Gothic style and how it provided accommodations for a physically growing society, the way the Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis became a figurehead for gothic architecture and inspired the plans for Gothic cathedrals that followed, lead me to want to look at the connections between politics and religion, and how this relationship, modelled by gothic architecture such as the Basilica of Saint-Denis, was helping to push the Catholic agenda forward.
Early Gothic Architecture
Fig 1. Ninara, The Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis, January 11, 2016, Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/ninara/24619543142/
Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis: A New Standard of Beauty
Contrary to its perceived connotation of everything dark and sublime, the Gothic architectural style in Medieval Europe appears to embrace the freedom of large spaces, though this was not an entirely new concept. The Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis was originally constructed during the Romanesque era thus retained much of its exterior Romanesque architecture even after Abbot Suger’s remodelling project.[1] An era of increasing prosperity and peace seemingly provided a convenient reason for architectural styles to evolve as a period of relative stability allowed for prevailing issues to be addressed such as spurts in population growth. As population numbers increased, the need for larger places of worship for citizens to congregate became apparent. In response to this need for more space, Abbot Suger redesigned the composition of various sections of the Cathedral, keeping in mind that to accommodate more people he would need to somehow create more space. His major contribution was introducing the pointed arch in his design, which became a notable characteristic of gothic architecture. The pointed arch, likely borrowed from Islamic architecture and likely seen in Spain during this time, relieved some of the thrust, subsequently relieving the stress on other structural elements, and made it possible to reduce the size of columns that supported the arch– which was slenderer compared to Romanesque pillars[2]. Suger’s design also introduced improved ribbed vaulting which was where the pointed arch, when seen in three dimensions was where the ribbed vaulting met in the centre of the ceiling of each bay[3]. We can see this design at work in the ambulatory and chapel of the Saint-Denis Cathedral (fig 3, 4).
Fig 3. Beckstet, The Ambulatory, Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis, Saint-Denis, France, April 2005, Wikimedia Commons accessed June 20, 2020, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Basilica_Saint_Denis_ambulatory.JPG
Fig 4. Chabe01, Autel des Corps saints, Basilique Saint-Denis, Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, December 2, 2017, Wikimedia Commons accessed June 20, 2020, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Autel_Corps_saints_Basilique_St_Denis_St_Denis_Seine_St_Denis_5.jpg
The impact of the remodelling of Saint-Denis is felt in the Saint-Ètienne Cathedral, also located in France which was the first cathedral built entirely in the gothic style[4] (fig 2). This is an acute example of how influential gothic architecture became as it inevitably spread throughout Europe.
While relatively harmonious times allowed Early Gothic architecture to flourish, progress and change continued to run the underbelly of European culture.
High Gothic
Fig 5. Garitan. View from north-east of Reims Cathedral (High Gothic), June 7, 2015, Wikimedia Commons accessed June 20, 2020, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ReimsCathedral0116.jpg
The stylistic evolutions of Gothic cathedrals are one way of looking at how the general composition and stylistic approaches of Gothic Cathedrals mirror the cultural shifts within European society. The exterior build of the Reims Cathedral reveals a much more ornate and decorative High Gothic style compared to the Early Gothic style (fig 5), yet the interior retains the early gothic style of pointed arches and ribbed faults as seen in the nave (fig 6).
Fig 6. Interior of the Reims Cathedral, Reims, France. https://www.pxfuel.com/en/free-photo-qmtdr
Late Gothic
Fig 7. Flamboyant Gothic east end, Prague Cathedral (1344–), By Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=80006695
Late Gothic architecture accurately regards its style as ‘flamboyant’. Much of the architecture during this time reflects the geometric achievements engineers and designers accomplished over time. Revelling at the intricate tracings of the exterior of the Prague Cathedral one can appreciate the technical mastery embossed in these buildings.
Although architectural achievement seems to favour the bold I want to look more into the confounding political nature of cathedrals during the gothic period. The presence of royal and noble authority figures within the roots of gothic architecture is exemplified by the construction and eventual remodelling of the Basilica Cathedral in Saint-Denis.
Where Politics and Religion Converge
The consensus between architectural historians attests to the origins of Gothic architecture to be found in the Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis in Saint-Denis, France.[5] Historically, Gothic art is exclusively religious, reflecting the growing power of the church in Rome[6]. As the final resting place for Monarchs, the cathedral of Saint-Denis is one such example where politics and religion converge; a symbol of the substantial influence of two prominent institutions.
The Abbot Suger, who pioneered the ascension of Gothic architecture with his remodelling of the Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis (Fig 1), was also a statesman. As an advisor to Kings Louis VI and VII[7], the construction of the Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis was under Abbot Suger’s supervision. However, it is not hard to imagine, how this collaboration justified the strength of the union of the church and the state at the time, and what message Abbot Suger’s architectural style helped spread.
Various members of the church, such as the abbot, archbishop, friar, and clergy were interested in secular life and began valuing material wealth and a desire for power.[8] Synonymous with the renewed vitality of Christianity, members of the church amassed a sense of pride as they became powerful figures in European society. This collective pride lead to the promotion of building larger churches, not only as a place of worship but a robust symbol of their newfound pride.[9] Abbot Suger’s Gothic style allowed for a revitalized sense of grandeur from the way his addition of pointed arches, slender pillars and ribbed vaults allowed the interior of the cathedral to appear and feel more expansive and filled with light. One area in the Basilica of Saint-Denis where this heavenly space can be felt is in the new choir (fig 8). Symbolically, this grandiose awareness of space and light represents the presence of divine power, which the church adopts to project their feeling of empowerment during this changing time.
Fig 8. MOSSOT. Choeur, Basilique de Saint Denis, Saint-Denis, France, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saint-Denis_-_Basilique_-2.JPG
The success of the Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis is fundamentally carried by the opportune rise of power of the Roman Catholic church. This rise was due in part to what seems to be the commodification of salvation[10], ergo, indicating a sort of industry built on the faith of people; specifically, their beliefs relating to the soul. With a monopoly on existing religions, Christianity and the medieval church helmed had a wide outreach, supplying a monopoly input referred to as “the conditions of salvation” which was carried by the Pope’s position as the exclusive authority for the Holy scripture.[11] As people of strong faith would turn to the Basilica of Saint-Denis in times of need and spiritual consolidation, one of the images people would see when entering through the north portal is the sculptural interpretation of Saint-Denis’ beheading (fig 9).
Fig 9. Myrabella, Basilica of St Denis, France, tympanum of the portal of the north transept: the beheading of Saint-Denis and his companions Rustique and Eleutherius, March 1, 2012, Wikimedia commons accessed June 23, 2020, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Basilique_Saint-Denis_portail_nord_tympan.jpg
As it appears, gothic architecture often represents much more than aesthetically satisfying, architectural iconicity and demonstrations of virtuosic technical skill. Christianity maintains its robust presence in Europe during the medieval ages, arguably through their affiliation with the royal family and other members of the nobility. As Christianity underwent a process of vitalization it fundamentally altered the stature of Northern Europe, creating centres of culture out of France, and eventually England, Holland, Germany and Austria.[12] Clergymen maintained political authority, and were in frequent communication with monarchies and other influential bodies of power which placed cathedrals in an interesting position; not just as a symbol of faith, but as well as a symbol of overwhelming power and influence of the state.
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Footnotes
[1] "Basilica of St. Denis: Architecture & History." Study.com. July 14, 2017. https://study.com/academy/lesson/basilica-of-st-denis-architecture-history.html.
[2] Spanswick, Valerie. “Gothic Architecture: an Introduction (Article),” Khan Academy (Khan Academy), accessed June 23, 2020, https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/gothic-art/beginners-guide-gothic-art/a/gothic-architecture-an-introduction.
[3] ibid
[4] “Gothic Art (C.1150-1375),” Gothic Art: History, Characteristics. (Encyclopedia of Art History), accessed June 23, 2020, http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/gothic.htm.
[5] Fred S. Kleiner and Helen Gardner, “Gothic and Late Medieval Europe,” in Gardner's Art Through The Ages: A Concise Western History, Fourth (Australia: Cengage Learning, 2017), pp. 189.
[6] “Gothic Art (C.1150-1375),” (n 4)
[7] Anne F. Rockwell, “Suger,” Encyclopædia Britannica (Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., April 30, 2020), https://www.britannica.com/biography/Suger.
[8] Wang, Z. (2010). The Reconciliation of Reason and Faith in the Gothic Period of Medieval Europe. Journal of Cambridge Studies, 5 (4), pp. 94. https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.1373
[9] ibid 94.
[10] Ekelund, Robert B., Robert F. Hébert, and Robert D. Tollison. "An Economic Model of the Medieval Church: Usury as a Form of Rent Seeking." Journal of Law, Economics, & Organization 5, no. 2 (1989): 309. Accessed June 23, 2020. www.jstor.org/stable/765028.
[11] Ibid 311
[12] Robert Chazan, “Medieval Northern Europe,” Refugees or Migrants, 2018, pp. 158-184, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv8jp09p.11.
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Bibliography
"Basilica of St. Denis: Architecture & History." Study.com. July 14, 2017. https://study.com/academy/lesson/basilica-of-st-denis-architecture-history.html.
CHAZAN, ROBERT. "Medieval Northern Europe." In Refugees or Migrants: Pre-Modern Jewish Population Movement, 158-84. NEW HAVEN; LONDON: Yale University Press, 2018. Accessed June 23, 2020. www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv8jp09p.11.
Ekelund, Robert B., Robert F. Hébert, and Robert D. Tollison. "An Economic Model of the Medieval Church: Usury as a Form of Rent-Seeking." Journal of Law, Economics, & Organization 5, no. 2 (1989): 307-31. Accessed June 23, 2020. www.jstor.org/stable/765028.
“Gothic Art (C.1150-1375).” Gothic Art: History, Characteristics. Encyclopedia of Art History. Accessed June 23, 2020. http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/gothic.htm.
Kleiner, Fred S., and Helen Gardner. “Gothic and Late Medieval Europe.” Essay. In Gardner's Art Through The Ages: A Concise Western History, 4thed., 186–215. Australia: Cengage Learning, 2017.
Rockwell, Anne F. “Suger.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., April 30, 2020. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Suger.
Spanswick, Valerie. “Gothic Architecture: an Introduction (Article).” Khan Academy. Khan Academy. Accessed June 23, 2020. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/gothic-art/beginners-guide-gothic-art/a/gothic-architecture-an-introduction.
Wang, Z. (2010). The Reconciliation of Reason and Faith in the Gothic Period of Medieval Europe. Journal of Cambridge Studies, 5 (4), pp. 93-109. https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.1373
A Sly Squirrel – Inspired by the Chauvet Cave Paintings
The subject of my cave painting is an adult squirrel that often visits my window, chewing apart the thin screen that separates him and the glass and the frame which holds it in place. I attempted to draw him in the moments when I hear his little teeth gnawing at my window screen and the blank expression he has when he makes eye contact with me.
Using different grades of charcoal, I attempted to draw the squirrel over bumpy, raised ridges of my ‘cave wall’ to give the impression of a three-dimensional animal, as per the ancient technique. I emphasized intensity on the hairs of its bushy tail because it stands out to me the most every time I see it. I also emphasized a strip of dark hair on the crown of its head because it’s how I identify it as the same squirrel every time it appears on my window sill.
Thompson, Cephas Giovanni. Spring. 1838. Oil on canvas, 36 x 28 3/4 in. Source: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/12799
Introduction – Spring
Hello, my name is Abigail Tamayo. I graduated from Ryerson a year ago this June with a BA in English, and fuelled by the situation the world is currently in, I placed my year-long dormancy of being in the safe, yet impractical reverie of sleeping my anxieties away on hold to truly think about what I wanted to do. As I reflected on my journey thus far behind the enforced comfort of my chipped desk, I found myself periodically gazing out my window into my backyard, wondering if it smells like spring yet.
My musings eventually led to me deciding on this painting by Cephas Giovanni Thompson called Spring, to represent me.
For me, the springtime reminds me of the opening lines of The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot:
“April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.”
1-4
This is an arguably dark representation of the springtime but a reminder for me of a time when spring marked the end of a series of haphazard attempts to navigate through difficult months, poisoned by seasonal-depressions and stress. For this reason, my love for spring had a very different connotation compared to my feelings now. A year on I’ve fallen in love with the springtime again, viewing it with a cleaner lens, in brighter light, but much like a tragic play, I’m unable to fully immerse myself in nature as I’ve placed greater importance in practicing social distancing which involves limiting my time spent outdoors. Yet, even though I’m separated from nature, the feel of a soft breeze blowing softly through the trees and the soft, wet feel of grass, covered by morning dew, is still tangible through my bedroom window, much like the composition of this painting. The artist’s light-handed strokes and use of light colours, edging on pastel, golden yellows, cremes, beige, red, and greens in both the subject and the landscape behind her evoke a mystified snapshot of the springtime. The way the subject is poised so informally, donning a large-brimmed white hat within this natural setting reminds me of photos I’ve taken of myself whenever I spot a well-groomed bush of flowers that would look lovely on Instagram.
I have always found solace in art, treating time I’ve put aside to paint as a form of art therapy, but this will be my first art history course and I’m more than eager to be more educated in how I can better appreciate art while also learning more about the cultural and historical contexts of artwork. I also enjoy writing stories and poetry, music, books, movies, and video games; anything with a good story or visual presentation earns my interest immediately. When I’m not focused on school or engaged in some type of creative activity, I’m probably deep in a subspace of my mind, daydreaming about random scenarios that are like a film reel in my head.
Alongside this course, I am also taking Visual Studies I this spring/summer and I’m strangely looking forward to baring my soul in the art I create even if the idea makes me anxious. I look forward to growing and evolving as I learn about art history and creating art.
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Bibliography
Eliot, T. S. “The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot.” Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation. Accessed May 4, 2020. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47311/the-waste-land.
