Massacre of the Innocents (1611-1612) was painted during the Renaissance, an ostentatious and high-ly authentic art period that spanned approximately from the 14th to the 17th century. During this epoch, artists were reinterpreting biblical and mythological narratives and reviving antiquity. Massa-cre of the Innocents stands at 55.9 inches by 71.7 inches, and depicts a hyper realistic image of a mas-sacre taken directly from the bible. The foreground consists of a mass of bodies that are fighting. One woman kneels, cradling her dead son and tearing her hair in grief, as next to her two others plead with an executioner holding a baby aloft before dashing it to death on an altar. Babies with a bluish hue litter the ground. There is what seems to be a mother holding a baby being pulled backwards by a soldier. There is a lady adorned in a red ground clutching a baby with one hand; her other hand claw-ing at a mans face. An old lady resting against the maiden in the red robe appears to be about to be stabbed by another naked man – with his hand in her mouth. Buildings in background have roman like architecture, indicating the time period in which this painting is based. The background also consists of figures pleading to more soldiers about to commit the heinous crime of more child-slaughter. Bond (2013) describes the painting as “it is at once beautiful and horrific with images of the tearing of flesh, the cutting of skin and the crushing of bone, tempered by exquisite artistry.” Massacre of the Innocents has become one of Rubens most influential pieces, as the message behind the precise brushstrokes in expressed in such a significant fashion that the message and story of the painting is clear and obvious to interpret. Using oils on ... ... middle of paper ... ...itioning the majority of the male figures in the upper triangle; implying their dominance over the females in the lower region of the painting. Rubens has also used angular lines to express the painting’s violent and chaotic message. Such line-based constructions are designed to affect the audi-ence on a subconscious level, and are capable of telling a visual narrative in themselves. The composi-tion and amalgamation of muscle, cloth and expressions also emphasises the message of the artwork – creating an almost elegant atmosphere, despite its brutal theme (Deborah, 2013). The title, Massa-cre of the Innocents, is a direct statement, positioning the audience to see this cruel depiction of this scene as inhumane and heinous. Everything about this painting contributes to shining a negative light on the theme of imbalance of power, and how it is abused within society.
Museums are usually filled with paintings which feature beautiful figures and stunning landscapes, because of this I wanted to create an exhibition which will take museum goers by surprise and create a different experience not usually found in a typical Renaissance exhibition by only featuring paintings that are out of the ordinary in a single room. My exhibition The Holy and the Gory: Martyrdoms of the Renaissance will display paintings from the Renaissance time period which depicts some of the most famous Martyrdom scenes from Christendom history. Those who are Christians will not be the only ones who can enjoy the exhibition however. Martyrdom stories are some of the most interesting ones for a person to learn about, whether they believe in Christianity or not. Also, I plan to hold this exhibition from October to November in 2014. I decided on these months because with October being the month known for Halloween and November first being All Saints Day, the day where Christians take the time to remember the saints in Christianity, both months go together with the theme of this exhibition. Though this exhibition is not meant to scare the museum goers who come to see the paintings that will be displayed, it will appeal to those visitors who will enjoy the ‘creepy’ vibe this exhibition will hold during the month of October. This exhibition is not one that is typical for the National Gallery to hold, but I feel it will be one that can be enjoyed by many museum goers of multiple faiths.
The Interpretation/Meaning (III) will be written without any guideline points, the aim of this part will be to determine what the painter wanted to express with his piece of work and what it tells us in a symbolic or not instantly clear way. This part will also handle why the artist drew the painting the way he did it and why he chose various techniques or tools.
The Raising of the Cross is an amazing piece of art and the depth of meaning contained in it is, likely, beyond my grasp. There appear to be many symbolisms in this painting and I have surely overlooked some. The style of this painting is clearly inspired by the Baroque masters of Rubens day and Ruben took the style to a new level that the world had not seen at that time. The other pieces in the series of Ruben’s paintings based around the crucifixion of Christ help to give this painting clarity and to give hints to the figures in the paintings.
One of the most prominent features of the painting is the use of repetition. In the forefront of the picture plane we see a three-pronged pitchfork. That sam...
Because Masaccio uses artistic license in his painting he escalates the Biblical story. This intensifies the outcome of Adam and Eve eating the fruit from the tree of life in the painting. Before Adam and Eve eat the fruit of knowledge, God advises them not to do so, or the consequence will be severe.The direct point after this is, when they are expelled form the Garden, is when Masaccio stops the story, takes a picture, and frames it. Through subtle colors and biblical references, Masaccio elevates the story of Adam and Eve, which kindles the viewer of The Expulsion of Eden with a feeling of tenderness and compassion. As Adam and Eve’s feet touch the floor, and as the shadows of their past leave them, their destiny, with a true understanding of judgment, await them.
In stark contrast to the naturalistic, photorealism of “Judith and Holofernes,” O’Keeffe’s painting favors colors over humanity, and darkness over warm lighting. Not to say this takes away from the beauty portrayed in the piece; quite the opposite in fact. The portrait, similar to its title, provides an atmosphere of perplexing mystery and oppressive claustrophobia. While both works feature an underlying theme of horror, “Dark Abstraction” goes about relaying this emotion by employing a far subtler method. O’Keeffe’s painting is nightmarish due to the dreamlike logic featured within the canvas. It’s frightening in a way one cannot express easily. For example, when one awakens from a nightmare, any attempt to decipher the thoughts running through one’s mind and varied emotions enclosed in one’s chest is often met with failure. This is why “Dark Abstraction” perfectly accompanies “Judith and Holofernes”; Gentileschi’s painting is a narrative speaking to one’s eyes, while O’Keeffe’s painting speaks to one’s emotions. Both are equally memorable, however different they appear on first
The painting is organized simply. The background of the painting is painted in an Impressionist style. The blurring of edges, however, starkly contrasts with the sharp and hard contours of the figure in the foreground. The female figure is very sharp and clear compared to the background. The background paint is thick compared to the thin lines used to paint the figures in the foreground. The thick paint adds to the reduction of detail for the background. The colors used to paint the foreground figures are vibrant, as opposed to the whitened colors of the Impressionist background. The painting is mostly comprised of cool colors but there is a range of dark and light colors. The light colors are predominantly in the background and the darker colors are in the foreground. The vivid color of the robe contrasts with the muted colors of the background, resulting in an emphasis of the robe color. This emphasis leads the viewer's gaze to the focal part of the painting: the figures in the foreground. The female and baby in the foreground take up most of the canvas. The background was not painted as the artist saw it, but rather the impression t...
The piece of art “The Execution of the Innocent Count” is an example of bystander from art. The painting was created in 1460 by the Dutch artist Dieric Bouts, it shows the beheading of a man in front of a castle. There are many people looking and watching the execution of the man. We see that the man head had been cut off and obviously, the people did not do anything to help him because they are still watching. A bystander from art means that the people are looking and doing nothing to save other people from certain threat, that is completely true for the “The Execution of the Innocent Count”
Mendieta conveys the death of innocent and portraying the figure as a canonized saint with the use of color symbolism. In the Mutilated Body on Landscape, the most striking
“I had seen paintings before, but never so many” thinks Griet as she first enters (Chevalier 17). This is the first step in her awakening of artistic expression. Of course, Griet’s father was a tile painter so she has seen her fair share of paintings but not the amount or kind that is in this home. She sees a “picture of Christ on the Cross […] Christ had thrown his head back in pain, and Mary Magdalene’s eyes were rolling. I lay in bed gingerly […] every detail was fixed in my mind” (Chevalier 30). Griet is not used to seeing works of this intensity, especially religious ones, and is made uncomfortable by it. It depicts Jesus as he is being crucified, which disturbs her. As Brieber explains in his article, “context affects the experience of art, the amount of time people spend on art, and, in turn, that viewing time is related to art experience” (Brieber 7). Art experience is more than just first impressions; it is the amount of time one spends with the artwork and the context one comes from. Griet is at first shocked by the piece because of her background, adding to her art experience. Over time she may develop entirely different perceptions about the art around her, changing her artistic experience and
The history of the Jews in Russia has been in a state of despair. As critical historians, the value and worth of an article can only work by assessing the article in relation to the overall subject/topic. By analyzing the primary source document as a critical historian, “The Massacre of Jews at Kishinev” by N. Tchaykovsky, the value and worth of the article can be achieved.
The ability to create a picture of The Annunciation in one’s mind is a key factor in understanding the analysis of the work. Francisco de Zurbaran approaches the painting with a naturalistic style. The painting features a room in which a woman – like angel is seen at the left kneeling on the ground before the Virgin Mary. The figure of Mary is placed between a chair and a small wooden table draped with a green cloth. Mary disregards an open Bible on the table, as she appears solemn while staring at the floor. Floating above the two main figures in the upper left side of the painting are cherubs resting on a bed of clouds. They happily gaze down at Mary with eyes from Heaven.
Peter Paul Ruben’s art is a combination of the traditional Flemish realism with the classicizing tendencies of the Italian Renaissance style. Peter Paul Rubens had the cunning ability to infuse his own incredible vigor into a potent and extravagant style that came to define Baroque art movement of the 17th century. “Baroque art characterized by violent movement, strong emotion, and dramatic lighting and coloring.” The figures in his paintings create a permeating sense of kinetic lifelike movement, while maintaining the appearance of being grand in stature yet composed.
For this formal analysis paper I would like to talk about a painting done by the artist named Peter Paul Reubens. The piece itself is entitled, "The Apotheosis of Henry IV and the Proclamation of the Regency of Marie de Medicis on May 14, 1610." The painting was completed in the year 1610, and today it is on display at the Louvre in Paris, France. This painting was one of many that I had to choose from when I was deciding on what to write about. Many internet sites across the world had so many pieces from which to look at, but when it really came down to it, I wanted to write a paper over a topic on which I have held great interest in, that which of course is the Baroque style of painting. Peter Paul Reubens (1577-1640) exemplifies the Baroque style in painting, as did another type of artist from that period who excelled in the art of sculpting. That artist which I speak of, is of course Bernini. Both men were very prolific workers, and according to the text, were the favorites of very powerful rulers. Yet aside from his artistic prowess, I find Reubens' usage of religious themes in his paintings to be very appealing, and I think that is why I liked his work entitled, "The Apotheosis of Henry IV and the Proclamation of the Regency of Marie de Medicis on May 14, 1610," so much. In addition, I was amazed at his mastery of implying the elements and principles of art, which in essence made this work achievable. Therefore, f...
...s work The 3rd of May, 1808 is a very detailed and dramatic narrative within a collection of war themed works by the artist. I believe that by using the formal elements of color, texture, shape, lines, space, and the value I was able to sufficiently provide evidence that Goya offers a sequential order of direction for the audience to comprehend from their personal viewing. The twisted and grief stricken work creates a massive emotional connection and the artist plans for the viewers’ to grow and understand this message. The subject highlighted is obvious that Goya is passionate on his stance and outlook on war is suggested in the work. It’s obvious that Goya’s formal organization of his color palette, variation of brushes, repeating shapes, and play with lighting all correspond to depict man’s savage and at times monstrous actions are justified during war.