NON-WESTERN ART: ANCIENT EGYPT

    Ancient Egyptian art is very interesting because they didn't view art as a method of individual expression and much of their art was never even intended to be seen! The Ancient Egyptians' art was actually meant for their God and Pharaoh figures. A number of their art pieces were meant to be enjoyed by the dead and divine beings that they worshipped. Ancient Egyptian art was mostly created from stone, sometimes involving or entirely being of precious jewels and metals, like gold. Another thing to note about Ancient Egyptian art is that it's surprisingly well done in my opinion for what they had access to in that period. 

The Book of the Dead

Copy: The Papyrus of Hunefer

About 1550 BCE to 50 BCE, Egypt

    The Book of the Dead was intended as a manual for the dead. This was regularly written and illustrated by scribes for a large sum of currency (estimated to be about half of the common laborer's yearly pay) and was thought to help the dead in the afterlife. The idea was that the book would contain various spells that the dead could use to form and live in the afterlife. Each spell was its own chapter, of which 192 spells are known, but no copy has been found to have all of them. Among the spells were things like attaching the soul to the body, and remembering their name in the afterlife. Egyptians believed that knowing the name of something gave you power over it, so the book also often contained the names of various beings one might encounter in the afterlife, giving one power over them.

    The image above comes from the Papyrus of Hunefer. In this illustration, Hunefer's heart is being weighed against the feather of truth, by Anubis. Thoth, the scribe of the gods, writes the results down. If Hunefer's heart is the same weight as the feather, he may proceed into the afterlife. If not, he is consumed by Ammit, the creature that is a combination of crocodile, lion, and hippo. Drawings like these were somewhat common in copies of the book and are even included in the Papyrus of Ani, which is in the best condition a copy of the book has been found in.

    I think this is a fascinating work, it features many Ancient Egyptian beliefs wrapped up into one piece. It was abused a bit by scholars and many were written as a template with spaces to just be filled in for the specific person. The Ancient Egyptians held to their beliefs so tightly that the common laborer would pay large sums of currency for the idea that they were helping a relative or friend in the afterlife. I may not have the same beliefs they do, but it's pretty inspiring the connection they had to their beliefs.

Temple of Ramesses, beloved by Amun

Abu Simbel Village, Egypt

Construction started circa 1264 BCE and lasted about 20 years

    This huge temple was constructed for Ramesses II, the most famous Pharaoh in the New Kingdom era during Egypt's most powerful reign. Way off to the side of this temple is a smaller temple dedicated to his wife, Queen Nefertari. This temple was actually moved in the 1960s because the construction of a dam would have caused it to flood. $40 million (worth $300 million in 2017) was spent from 1964 to 1968 to move the temple upwards and away from the Nile. All four of the large statues are Ramesses II, but down by his feet are small statues of his relatives, including his mother, wife, and children. The statue that appears broken was apparently broken in an earthquake not long after the temple was finished, but was left how it was found during the relocation. I find it amazing how powerful Ramesses II was way back around 1250 BCE! Many temples were built by Egyptians during this period in a show of wealth and power. I think it'd certainly be interesting to see in person. 

Lintel of Amenemhat I and Deities

Painted around 1981 BCE - 1952 BCE

From The Pyramid Temple of Amenemhat I, Egypt

    The Pharaohs of Egypt were rulers, but they were believed to be mediators between men and the gods. Egyptians believed their Pharaohs became divine after death and took the place and powers of their father, Osiris, god of the dead. The Pharaoh then became an all-powerful being that could control nature and destroy entire armies. On this limestone, is a painting of Amenemhat I who is joining the gods as a divine entity in his death. This is a good example of art that was not meant to be seen. The Egyptians started creating art for their dead Pharaohs, then moved on to ordinary citizens. This art shows the strong beliefs that the people had in their Pharaohs after death. The idea that the written word and paintings could help their Pharaoh, as they moved on to become divine, is a great representation of Egyptian culture and how much the Egyptian people believed in their rulers. It's amazing the condition that this piece is in and the detail you can still see on it to this day. It looks like some of the colors have faded, but you can still understand the meaning behind the painting. I think it's pretty amazing how much work was put into each Pharaoh to protect them and help them move on to the afterlife. 

In conclusion, Ancient Egyptian art was centered around their religious beliefs and favored their powerful rulers. Their artwork was meant to help protect their decreased rulers and guide them safely through the transition of becoming a deity. I commend their ability to construct such large temples and tombs for their powerful rulers, given the period they lived in with not a lot of modern technology as we see today. I can imagine the great effort it took the slaves to build these monuments and how dangerous it must have been for them. I hope one day I can view these various monuments in person and really take in their vastness. 

Works Cited:

• "Ancient Egyptian Art (Article) | Khan Academy". Khan Academy, 2022, https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/egypt-art/beginners-guide-egypt/a/egyptian-art.
• "Art Of Ancient Egypt - Wikipedia". En.Wikipedia.Org, 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_of_ancient_Egypt.
• "Book Of The Dead | Ancient Egyptian Text". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2022, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Book-of-the-Dead-ancient-Egyptian-text.
• "Pharaoh | Definition, History, & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2022, https://www.britannica.com/topic/pharaoh.
• "Ramesses II - Wikipedia". En.Wikipedia.Org, 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramesses_II.

   

Post Modern Exhibit- Deconstruction

     Deconstruction is mainly a symbolic theme. The idea of fractured deconstruction also exists where artwork is made with pieces to create a whole picture. Deconstruction art isn’t related to any major events or wars but became popular around the 1980s. I perceive this new art style as an idea that we are breaking away from the wars and prejudices from the past and creating something new. Not all of these works represent that idea, but that is my opinion of this style of work.

    This first piece called "Cause and Effect" by Do Ho Suh was created in 2007. His work relates to deconstructionism because it is very symbolic and can be interpreted in many ways. For example, when you first look at this piece, it looks like glass pieces put together intricately in a spiral design. When you look closer, you can tell that the little glass pieces are actually one person stacked upon another, holding them on their shoulders. After seeing a closeup you start to understand why it was named “Cause and Effect” because if one person at the bottom falls, the whole structure would then collapse. Each person is relying on the one below them to stay together. I enjoy the symbolic nature of this piece and the vibrant warm colors add so much intrigue to this piece. I love the red and yellow tones blending into each other from far away. You’ll even notice that in the closeup picture, the figures are actually one solid color so it probably took a lot of time blending these perfectly.

    Also created by Do Ho Suh, titled “Karma” is another symbolic piece that can be interpreted in many different ways. When examining this piece, it comes off as strange because you see two giant shoes walking and little figures underneath them that look to be running away. I believe one might interpret this piece as the man has been "stepping on people" his whole life to get ahead in his profession but karma will make things right and free those cursed by his actions. I like the use of greys and blacks against a white background. I think it really highlights the figures underneath the shoes and the business attire of the man. I think the stark white highlights the interpretation of this man's actions coming to light and exposing him.

   

The next artist Micaela Lattanzio, created this sculpture collection named “Fragmenta” in 2015. These pieces represent what once was a whole person but they are now spread out all over the place in an abstract manner. In this specific series, she uses these pieces as political propaganda for women’s issues. Lattanzio mentions, “the series is not a criticism, but rather a reflection on understanding the world, the human being is an integral part of a complex system that is facing an evolutionary process in which it is imperative to find new identities and a social equality” (Micaela). She is using her art pieces to send a message of coming changes towards women that are needed for progression as a society. I enjoy all the shapes and lines she utilizes to piece together these sculptures. Lattanzio took photographs and cut them into tiny pieces to then reassemble them in a fragmented fashion. The colors with the lines and shapes created a dramatic appearance and draw the viewers in.  

    This next piece titled "Where have the flowers gone" by Micaela Lattanzio is done in the same style as her “Fragmenta” series but it instead is created out of a bunch of small flowers. I couldn’t find any backstory behind this intriguing piece but I find it interesting that paper flowers were used instead of paper hexagons because that is her go-to shape. This piece represents Lattanzio's style of art perfectly, where she spends hours cutting up pieces of paper into tiny shapes and then reassembling them into artwork. You can see her take on deconstruction-style art by looking at all of her creations. I believe this abstract piece is meant for viewers to just enjoy and gaze upon, rather than have a deep meaning behind it. I enjoy the variations of color used throughout this piece because I think they create a pattern that puts the piece in motion. The clumped and not clumped areas of flowers make the circles feel like they are actually rotating. Like this is a group of gears rotating in a machine.

    The last artist I am going to highlight for the Deconstruction style is Frank Gehry. These sculptures he created in 2021 were titled "Spinning Tales". Gehry used polyvinyl pieces and copper pieces to reconstruct these fish sculptures. These sculptures represent deconstructionism because they were created out of pieces of material and shrewdly placed back together to create art. I enjoy these sculptures because they are fun to look at. The different jagged lines create texture and the use of lights and metal create the shiny scales that one would see on an actual fish. The technique of suspending his creations, lets the viewers follow his work from one room to the next creating a harmonious flow when observing his work.

              

    This last piece created by Frank Gehry is the Jay Pritzker Pavilion located at Millennium Park in Chicago, Illinois. I am a little biased because I grew up two hours away from Chicago, but it is my favorite city in the United States. I have visited this pavilion many times and it truly is stunning to take in. This pavilion is a sculpture consisting of ribbons of steel twisting up to form a "headdress". This structure houses many outdoor events with the orchestra and musical guests. There are steel pipes that bend across the spectator's lawn that extends the sculpture to the viewer. I enjoy this sculpture because of the movement that the twisting steel pieces created. It really brings the sculpture to life and is enhanced further when the lights cascade off it during a concert. The steel pipes that extend across the viewer's lawn are multifunctional because speakers can be hung from them to enhance the reach of the bands' harmonies. In conclusion, I think post-modern deconstructionism art is a really fun style and it has been used for so many different messages; whether political or just to enhance the experience of something or the viewer.      

References:

Micaelalattanzio.Com, 2022, https://www.micaelalattanzio.com/where-are-the-flower-gone.

"Do Ho Suh's 'Cause & Effect': A Vortex Of Little Orange Men". Colossal, 2022, https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2012/02/do-ho-suhs-cause-effect-a-vortex-of-little-orange-men/.

"Frank Gehry | Biography, Architecture, Buildings, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Pritzker Pavilion, Style, & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Frank-Gehry.

"Jay Pritzker Pavilion | Millennium Park Foundation". Millennium Park Foundation, 2022, https://millenniumparkfoundation.org/art-architecture/pritzker-pavilion/.

"Micaela Lattanzio | Art UPON | Arte Pubblica, Artisti, Arte". Pinterest, 2022, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/321163017182315148/.

"What Is Deconstruction In Art? Movement & Characteristics". ATX Fine Arts, 2022, https://www.atxfinearts.com/blogs/news/deconstruction-in-art.

Suh, Do. "Karma | All Works | The MFAH Collections". Emuseum.Mfah.Org, 2022, https://emuseum.mfah.org/objects/85463/karma?idx=2.

Early Modern Exhibit- Influence of the Great Depression.

     The Great Depression is a great epoch in American history.  It was when the economy in the United States, Europe, and other industrialized countries in the world collapsed. From 1929 to 1939, the world was at a standstill economically. After World War I the United States aided many countries financially to help recover from the war and when the stock market crashed, millions of people lost their savings and livelihood.  The Great Depression resulted in the election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932.  President Roosevelt developed programs to help boost the American economy and decrease the high unemployment rate. Roosevelt implemented what was called the “New Deal” where several programs were created to help people find jobs.  One of the many programs created in the New Deal was the cultural projects.  American Modernism was one of the many art movements created during this period. American Modernism continues with the fad of breaking away from traditional techniques and finds its home between WWI and WWII and continues into the 21st century

George Biddle, Sand!, 1936, lithograph

    This work of art was created by George Biddle in 1936 titled “Sand”.  There is the idea of abandonment and delipidated scenery. When looking at this piece you may notice that the “horizon line, gathering storm or dust clouds, and the use of the wagon wheel motif, which may symbolize the halt of progress and inability to move on from difficulties.” In addition, the livestock shown as dead gives the idea that they were left and abandoned. You can see the texture as well as contrast throughout this piece as well as the different shading present with the grayscale gradient. These bring the work to life as well as create an intense mood. This piece is not one of my favorites because it is sad and tragic, but the Great Depression was sad and tragic so it represents the period perfectly.

Jacob Kainen, Federal Art Project (New York City), Drought, 1935, lithograph

    My second piece was created by Jacob Kainen in 1935 and titled “Drought”. This work of art illustrates the environmental devastation that occurred during the Great Depression. A few signs you can see in this piece that indicate the farm is struggling include the twisted tree, the farmer's body language of being heavy and beat down, and the overall emptiness of the farm. I feel that this one is my personal favorite of the others because I like the details you can see throughout this entire piece. The texture and shading throughout this piece gave it life. You can see the bark texture on the tree and the wood texture in the structure behind the man. The man's clothes look dirty but soft as if you were actually seeing the shirt in real life. 

“Abandoned” – Millard Sheets. 1933. Oil on canvas.

    The final piece was created by Millard Sheets around 1933 and titled “Abandoned”. This piece is a painting of an abandoned farm that symbolizes the Great Depression. Throughout this work of art, you see contrasting colors of bright white and dark blues and greens being used creating the scene of chaos. I like how this painting is split, the top of the painting is the above-ground level where everything looks to be normal and fine and at the bottom, there is chaos and loneliness. The sweeping brush strokes add to the chaos and disorder and make the painting seem like a bad dream someone is having. You also have the lone wolf howling for his pack to be reunited which adds to the abandonment and loneliness sensation coming from this painting. I like the colors used because they bring life to the painting and unlike the other two, I think color adds more to the effect that the artist is trying to portray. Black and white paintings usually come off a little dull for me compared to something with actual color.  

Works Cited:

• "George Biddle - Artist". Macdowell, 2022, https://www.macdowell.org/artists/george-biddle.
• "Great Depression". Nga.Gov, 2022, http://www.nga.gov/education/teachers/lessons-activities/uncovering-america/great-depression.html.
• "Political Unrest And Artists: The Great Depression". Anart4life, 2022, https://www.anart4life.com/the-great-depression-and-american-painters/.
• "» Millard Sheets: The Early Years". Art-For-A-Change.Com, 2022, http://art-for-a-change.com/blog/2010/02/millard-sheets-the-early-years.html.

Preferences and Perspectives - The Romantic Era

Introduction

    The 1800s are referred to as the Romantic Era, but there were actually many styles of art being produced during this era: Romantic, Realism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Naturalist, and Nationalist. So much was happening around the world such as politics, technology, the sciences, communication, and transportation. The rapid changes in art were influenced by all of these new discoveries and conflicts. Of the many styles that emerged, the two that I find to be quite contrasting are Realism and Post-Impressionism. Although both are eye-catching, they are clearly created differently.

Realism

    Paintings and sculptures that featured classical gods and biblical stories didn’t seem as relatable to a society that was amid such amazing progression. This way of thinking brought about the new art style called Realism. Realism is defined as “the precise, detailed, and accurate representation in art of the visual appearance of scenes and objects i.e., it is drawn in photographic precision (Realism, Impressionism, and Post-Impressionism).”  Or, more simply put history painting about real life. Realist art has a finished appearance, with much-defined detail. Most importantly, though, it featured everyday subjects doing everyday things.

Gustave Courbet, A Burial at Ornans, 1849-50

    In 1851, an artist by the name of Gustave Courbet presented his painting A Burial at Ornans, at the government-sponsored exhibit, the Paris Salon. A Burial at Ornans is a massive 10- foot x 20-foot painting that features the funeral of Courbet’s great-uncle. This piece was unique, as it was an ordinary funeral honoring the life of an ordinary man. This enormous piece brought about a lot of discord amongst the viewers and critics. Many found it to be quite radical that such a large piece would only feature everyday, middle-class people and not of those nobler, since paintings of the middle class were usually done on a much smaller medium. However, this piece earned him great notoriety in the art world and he went on to produce many more Realist pieces.

    One element that is interesting to observe in this painting is Courbet’s use of space. The crowd of people attending the funeral follows the same horizontal path as the ridges and horizon behind them. The only thing that extends upward is the cross with Christ on the top of it. The picture is quite dark, with a lot of grays and blacks. The occasional white clothing piece and the white dog are the only bright spots in the painting that stand out the most. One interpretation of Courbet’s use of light was that “by emphasizing the temporal nature of life, Courbet intentionally did not let the light in the painting express the eternal. While sunset could have expressed the great transition of the soul from the temporal to the eternal, Courbet covered the evening sky with clouds so the passage of day into night is just a simple echo of the coffin passing from light into the dark of the ground (Courbet).” Additionally, Courbet created an interesting perspective for the viewer by having the gravesite hole in the very foreground of the picture. I can only imagine that if one was viewing this enormous picture in person, it might give one the feeling that they are a part of the funeral progression themselves. Although I can appreciate all the work, detail, and time that went into this piece, I would not want to own it. It lacks color and gives a depressing mood.

Rosa Bonheur, Plowing the Nivernais, 1849

    This painting, titled Plowing the Nivernais, was done by Rosa Bonheur, a female artist. She made the painting by the commission of the French government for 3000 francs and it was shown in the 1849 Paris Salon. Bonheur was known for depicting animals and the natural world in her art. This realistic piece is an excellent portrayal of the farming lifestyle. The French Revolution ended a year before she painted this piece and many saw her depiction of the French countryside as a wonderful contrast to the chaos that still existed in the post-war cities. 

    What caught my eye at first glance, was that I thought it was a photograph. The colors she used are so realistic, with the blue hues of the sky, the browns used to create the rich soil, and the common color patterns we see with steer. The daylight and brightness she incorporates into the painting make the viewer feel as if they are too, working in the heat of a sunny day. Bonheur also created a lot of texture in this piece. The tilled soil looks solid enough that you could reach into the painting and pick one up. The strength in the steer is shown through the muscular stature presented to us. The visual space contains a lot of depth, as the oxen appear to be moving in a diagonal motion across the picture and moving closer to the viewer. The steers are the centerpieces of this artwork, as the farmers are barely recognizable. This piece is something that I would enjoy owning. It has a rustic feel and the bright colors would go perfect in a farmhouse-style kitchen or even the dining area. 

Post- Impressionism

    Post- Impressionism represents a wide variety of artistic styles. They range from Neo-Impressionism to Symbolism. Most Post-Impressionists used their memories and emotions to connect to viewers instead of depicting the observed world, as the other styles focused on. Many post-impressionists like to do abstract paintings and this early application paved the way for the radical modernist exploration of abstraction in the early 20th century. 

  Paul Cezanne, View of Auvers sur Oise,1873-75

    I chose View of Auvers sur Oise for my first representation of Post-Impressionism. View of Auvers sur Oise is an oil painting created between 1873-1875 by French artist Paul Cezanne. When Cezanne was living with one of his good friends, he was inspired by the nature surrounding the home. Cezanne was known to be a very slow painter and in fact, View of Auvers sur Oise was technically never finished (Artble).

    When looking at View of Auvers sur Oise, the brushstrokes stand out more than anything. Cezanne uses thick and quick strokes which in return makes this piece look rushed and almost sloppy. Consequently, the trees and the grass look almost indistinguishable. Luckily, Cezanne used beautiful shades of green and yellow to complement the nature represented. The lighter scenic colors give the painting a positive and somewhat peaceful feeling. The beautiful white homes have a pop of red and blue color to give added life to the painting. I enjoy the light colors and airiness of Auvers sur Oise, so I would own it. I would probably display this piece in the living room or even one of the bedrooms to have a sense of calm added to the space. 

Vincent Van Gogh, Starry Night, 1889

    My next painting is my all-time favorite, Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. This painting was created in 1889 when Van Gogh was staying in the asylum of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. He was diagnosed with epileptic fits and forced to stay in the asylum. When he relapsed, Van Gogh started to incorporate darker tones into his paintings again like in his early pieces of work, which were influenced by his suicidal and depressive state. Starry Night is considered to be one of his hallucinations.

    What catches my attention with this painting are the brush strokes and varying blues with pops of yellow and white. The sweeping brush strokes create movement in the sky and feel as if a gust of wind was blowing over the village. The large tree-looking figure reminds me of the poisonous tentacles of intrusive thoughts. It's like the tentacles are in the beginning stages of taking over the little peaceful village. The bright yellow of the moon gives a play-on color contrast and creates the actual glow around the moon. You can also see the color contrast in the stars and the creation of the glowing hue around them to make them almost sparkle. To me, this painting represents Vincent Van Gogh's mind when it is peaceful and then his disease starts to take over and casts itself into his peaceful mind, making it dark and depressed. Since this is my favorite painting, I would most definitely own this piece. I almost bought a wallet with this painting on it from the immersive exhibit for his artwork, but they had sold out of them. 

Conclusion

As you can see from these various pieces of artwork, Realism and Post-Impressionism are very different. Realism depicts scenes from every day and tries to be as accurate as possible, with figure detail and colors. Post- Impressionism plays with abstract beings and figures and I feel, creates a more interesting piece to admire. While both styles were created from the same era, they represent very different subjects.             

References

"Culture Shock: Flashpoints: Visual Arts: Gustave Courbet's A Burial At Ornans". Pbs.Org, 2022, https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/cultureshock/flashpoints/visualarts/courbet_a.html.

"Paul Cezanne". Artble, 2022, https://www.artble.com/artists/paul_cezanne.

"Realism, Impressionism, And Post-Impressionism | Khan Academy". Khan Academy, 2022, https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/becoming-modern/avant-garde-france.

"The Art History Archive - Art Resources For Students And Academics". Arthistoryarchive.Com, 2022, http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/.

"You Are Being Redirected...". Vangoghgallery.Com, 2022, https://vangoghgallery.com/painting/starry-night.html/.

Classical

 Art and Scientific Discovery in the 1700s

    During the Enlightenment, artists of the 18th century were heavily influenced by scientific discoveries. The Classical era contributed to free-thinking, rationalism, and progress through learning. The three paintings I chose for my classical art exhibition show a strong and clear influence of scientific discovery in the 1700s.

    This first piece of art was created by scientific illustrator, Maria Sibylla Merian. German-born, Maria Merian is considered one of the earliest European naturalists to observe insects directly. Merian published her first book of naturalist illustrations in 1675. Her detailed drawings of insects helped the advancement of scientific discovery because her observations and documentation gave a new understanding of the different parts and life cycles of various insects. Most famously, her book called Metamorphosis gave a very detailed look at the metamorphosis of a butterfly. Along with insects, Merian was a botanist artist. She had many works and books published illustrations of various flowers. The difference between Merian and other naturalist artists was that her illustrations were of the life cycles of the insects she observed. 

    I was drawn to this piece and this artist because of her use of bright colors and the accuracy of the insects. Personally, I enjoy works of art that are realistic and colorful. I find the flower illustrations very appealing and would most definitely have them displayed in my home. The emotions I experience when looking at these illustrations are those of appreciation of the life portrayed and the accuracy that the artist was able to accomplish.    

    “An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump”, is a 1768 painting by Joseph Wright of Derby, England. This piece depicts a scientist recreating one of Robert Boyle’s air pump experiments which involved depriving a bird of air in front of an audience. The air pump, known today as a vacuum pump, was first constructed by Boyle in 1658. Boyle used the air pump to conduct a variety of experiments focusing on the property of air. Many of his experiments included depriving air of animals to show the necessity of air for survival.

    Joseph Wright was very well known for his paintings of the industrial revolution and the scientific advances of the enlightenment.  The details of this painting are so vivid from the play of light with the stark black background and light skin tones of the subjects.  Not only is there an illusion of a candlelit room, but the expressions on the faces in the painting pull emotions of shock and discomfort for witnessing the struggle of the bird to breathe. The scientist conducting the experiment looks as though he is peering out of the painting waiting for the viewers' reaction. The frightened look on the little girl as she watches the bird struggle for air is what connected me to this painting because I would have the same reaction if witnessing such experiments as well.

    My last piece that represents art and scientific discovery are: “Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky”, an 1816 piece by American painter Benjamin West. Originally from Pennsylvania, Benjamin West caught the eye of King George III and was appointed as the historical painter for the court in 1772. 

    “Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky” is a quirky representation of actual science during the classical era with mythological representation. The painting symbolizes Ben Franklin’s 1752 experiment showing that lightning was a form of electricity. Ben Franklin is depicted as almost god-like with angelic figures surrounding him and assisting him with the experiment. It is a very dramatic piece that could be seen as resembling the Baroque era artistic style. I believe this piece is an excellent example of the influence that science had on art during this time.

Works Cited: 

"Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity From The Sky". Philamuseum.Org, 2022, https://www.philamuseum.org/collection/object/57044

"Benjamin West - Wikipedia". En.Wikipedia.Org, 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_West

"Joseph Wright | English Painter". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Wright-English-painter

"Maria Sibylla Merian - Wikipedia". En.Wikipedia.Org, 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Sibylla_Merian

The National Gallery, London. "Joseph Wright 'Of Derby' | An Experiment On A Bird In The Air Pump | NG725 | National Gallery, London". Nationalgallery.Org.Uk, 2022, https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/joseph-wright-of-derby-an-experiment-on-a-bird-in-the-air-pump

Baroque Era -

...https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty_Years'_War

Nicolas Poussin: Landscape with Saint John on Patmos

    I chose this artwork by French artist Nicolas Poussin because I was drawn to the landscape. I like the different greens and blues that portray this place as paradise and the architecture in the background. The emotion I get when I look at this painting is peacefulness from a paradise scenery and curiosity from the man sitting and working on something. 

    The man in this painting is Saint John portrayed as writing his Book of Revelation and the architecture throughout this painting are ruins of ancient Greek buildings which symbolize the old ways of religion being replaced by Christianity. Nicolas Poussin is known for his work involving mass ive landscape scenery’s throughout his works and was well known for the classical movement of the 17th century. The play of light with the dark shades of green in the foliage and the light blue sea and white clouds in the background makes this piece a Baroque style painting. The play on Saint John writing the Bookof Revelation also makes this piece Baroque because this scene did not actually happen. It is a play on symbolism with the change in church and religion from the Thirty Year War. 

Citation:

"Baroque Art And Architecture - Architecture, Painting, And Sculpture". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2022, https://www.britannica.com/art/Baroque-art-and-architecture/Architecture-painting-and-sculpture

"Landscape With Saint John On Patmos - Wikipedia". En.M.Wikipedia.Org, 2022, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landscape_with_Saint_John_on_Patmos.

"Thirty Years' War - Wikipedia". En.M.Wikipedia.Org, 2022, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty_Years'_War. "Thirty Years' War - Wikipedia". En.M.Wikipedia.Org, 2022, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty_Years'_War

Renaissance

 

Jan Van Eyck, The Arnolfini Portrait, 1434

    

    The artwork I chose from the northern renaissance is The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan Van Eyck. This particular piece of work has dark contrasting shades giving it the medieval feel. The girl has bright colors surrounding her, from her clothes to the bright red bedding behind her. These bright colors gives the girl an innocent feel or femininity and the man with the dark clothes and background has a more darker feel and represents his masculinity. The emotion that this painting evokes is more of a spiritualistic sense. The subjects in this painting seem to be conducting a prayer or ritual of some sort.

    The background of this painting is that many people say the girl is pregnant. However, according to Dr. Lane Eagles from Smarthistory, the girl is not pregnant. She states that "in the Renaissance this gesture (hand on abdomen) would have been understood instead as a sign of adherence to female decorum"(The Question of Pregnancy in Jan Van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait). She also states that there is excess fabric around the girls abdomen that can be mistaken for a pregnant belly (The Question of Pregnancy in Jan Van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait). Dr. Eagles also states that the woman in the painting is the merchant, Giovanni di Nicolao di Arnolfini wife (The Question of Pregnancy in Jan Van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait). So perhaps this was his way of praying for a baby by having Jan Van Eyck paint his wife to seemingly look like she is pregnant. As the phrase goes, "speaking it into the universe".   

    This painting was influenced by royalty because the Arnolfini family were very wealthy from their trade business of luxury fabrics (The Arnolfini Portrait). It also represents humanism because it portrays the higher status of these two individuals with the expensive looking objects throughout the background and the clothes that the two figures wear.   

1. "The Question Of Pregnancy In Jan Van Eyck’S Arnolfini Portrait – Smarthistory". Smarthistory.Org, 2022, https://smarthistory.org/arnolfini-pregnancy/.

2. "The Arnolfini Portrait: Theories, Interpretations, And Analysis". Thecollector, 2022, https://www.thecollector.com/arnolfini-portrait-theories-analysis/.