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/.