Printmaking, photography and film make it possible for works of art to be mechanically reproduced. It is available to everyone. But does the original piece not matter anymore? Is the mechanical reproduction taking away the value of the artwork? Does reproducing the artwork countless times make it less impressive? Is the original worth more than its reproductions?
Just because a piece is easily reproduced does not mean that the original does not have an impact anymore. Walter Benjamin argues that technology is changing art and our perceptions. He says that the original artwork is independent of the copy, yet through the act of reproduction something is taken from the original by changing its context. “Even the most perfect reproduction of a
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An example is the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. The Mona Lisa has been available for years in all forms. It is among the most replicated works of art. (Wikipedia, 2015) The actual painting in the Musée du Louvre in Paris is not really impressive, but every year six million people visit the museum to see it. They wait hours to be able to see it. Everyone has seen reproductions, may it be paintings or pictures of it. However, there is a certain uniqueness to the original piece which cannot be found in copies. The original painting was always displayed in important places, like at Palace of Fontainebleau in 1519 or in Napoleon’s bedroom in 1800, for example. And that is one of the things that make it more valuable. A work of art is a representation of the time and situation it was made …show more content…
They do have many advantages as well. One of the benefits is that it allows more people to have access to a piece. Not everyone has the money or time to travel to the other side of the world to see a piece of art. Also, reproductions are very helpful in a lot of ways. If artwork could not be reproduced, and if it was only described with words, without a visual image, we would not know how all the pieces of art looked like. We could not study them and go into detail. We could not tell the difference between different pieces. Words alone would lead to imagination and imagination differs for
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Show MoreA certain emotion or an “aura” is said to be present when an artist creates an art work. However, some of the reproduction pieces inside Kinkade’s signature gallery are highlighted by his specially trained assistant; I believe these paintings are no longer evoking this so-called “aura” of the original work. Aura is something that cannot be duplicated. Reproductions of art pieces are simply tangible and concrete object. They are digital imitations that “could be soaked in water, peeled off the paper, and affixed to a stretched canvas, so that it showed the texture of the canvas the way a real painting would.” As Benjamin stated, “… the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: its presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to be.” The original paintings have their own unique characters and history, and these are not the things that art reproductions can generate. "The presence of the original is the prerequisite to the concept of authenticity."
When you are looking at a painting or sculpture, you are not only looking at a work of art, you are looking at the soul and story of the artist. I was able to really see that when I went to the St. Louis Art Museum. The new sector that was added to the museum, in my opinion, was a fantastic addition to the overall museum. Looking at all the art periods and all the ways that artist conveyed their feelings with their works was a great experience. If someone were to ask me if it was worth coming to the St. Louis Art Museum, I would highly recommend it. This is an outstanding museum, from the building itself to the collections it houses. Going to it always reminds me how fortunate I am to have the Saint Louis Art Museum right here in my own backyard.
If it wasn’t for the internet and people spreading art all over it, I personally wouldn’t know of any art at all. I’m not one to go out to an art museum for fun, don’t get me wrong I enjoy art just not that much. I wouldn’t go out of my way to go see a piece of art, that’s where the internet and social media come in. While cruising the interne...
Andy Warhol 's most notable work made him explode onto the art scene, this being his Campbell’s Soup Cans. This piece of art consisted of 32 images of Campbell 's soup each being a different flavor. Warhol used his advertising skills when making this masterpiece, he used it to convey a sense of mass production and conformity. As well as the message the work conveys there is also another key point to the piece, that being unlike most of his other works that were done in his signature silk-screening process Warhol hand painted all 32 cans. Alas even Warhol 's best could not hold a candle to Da Vinci 's undeniable masterpiece. The piece in question is the undeniable Mona Lisa, Da Vinci 's master piece is the most recognizable piece of art on the planet. The mere mention of the Mona Lisa and the mind instantly snaps to the great masterpiece in question "painted for Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo, who commissioned it for his wife Lisa Gherandini, Mona (Madame) Lisa del Giocondo (La Gioconda), to mark the birth of their second son". citation This undeniable piece of art is so highly regarded that it has been in the Louvre since 1797 and before that in the palace 's of Fontainebleau and Versailles, and even did a short stay in Napoleon Bonaparte 's Bedroom. Now Forever entombed in its climate
Benjamin stressed the Marxist democratization of art through digital reproduction, a media which allows for de-emphasizing the original work of art. Throughout the history of arts, particularly visual arts, we have revered the individual paintings created by artists, locating them in exclusive galleries and museums which are subject to the tastes and privilege of the upper class philanthropic elite. The value of a work is based in part by which wealthy patrons have owned or commissioned it, and the history of a canvas often becomes more important than the actual formal representation on it.
This statement reminded me of Chapter 17 which discusses disegno/colore. The Italian Renaissance book stated Vasari caused quite a controversy with his statements. As we know today beautiful art can be made using different techniques, mediums, and
What does the work consist of? Who authored it, and how? What is it based on, and how does it relate? What is it, and what will become of it? The answers to these questions, collectively, form an important response to a bigger question: What is art? What does it mean to describe a piece as “a work of art”?
most famous is because it was stolen! It was never a popular painting until it was taken in
where people decided to reproduce art as a picture of what was going on. Instead, this artistic
A lot of people might be doubtful that art has much power to make the world a better place. If you asked they would probably summarize art as scribbles or
Benjamin argues that reproduction devalues art because it no longer has an aura. The aura of an art piece ties it to a specific location and time. He believes that only the original hold a history that cannot be reproduced: “In even the most perfect reproduction, one thing is lacking: the here and now of the work of art-its unique existence in a particular place. It is this unique existence-and nothing else-that bears the ... ...
We encounter art everyday. Art is paintings and sculptures, music and dance, film and photography. It is also fashion designing and architecture, novels and magazines. These seemingly different things have one thing in common – they are all ways in which humans convey themselves. For thousands of years, humans have used symbols to tell a story or describe a struggle. Art is the use of these symbols, symbols that represent us in some distinct way.
...ns something when it imitates nature and delivers facts of history or culture. Art is the exploration of what it is to be alive, to be human and struggling to understand one’s role within society and identity in general. By stretching the limits of what is acceptable, the artist questions preconceived ideas of what is ugly and beautiful, important and unimportant. These ideas in art and society are influenced by the emergence of new technologies that expand human understanding. Since technology improves and human understanding is bolstered by these theories (both philosophical and scientific), then art will always have a place. The artist’s place is to criticize and express the tendencies and attitudes of himself and of society. Even if those feelings are marginalized, their expression makes the audience aware of them, and begs them to ask questions of themselves.
If someone where to ask you to name a famous painting, what would you say? I would answer The Mona Lisa, possibly the most prominent painting there is today. For my research project, I will be analyzing, retelling, and exploring the Mona Lisa. I chose this piece of artwork because I love art and was just interested in why the Mona Lisa is such a well-known painting.
Throughout the ages art has played a crucial role in life. Art is universal and because art is everywhere, we experience it on a daily basis. From the houses we live in (architecture) to the movies we see (theatre) to the books that we read (literature). Even in ancient culture art has played a crucial role. In prehistoric times cave dwellers drew on the wall of caves to record history. In biblical times paintings recorded the life and death of Christ. Throughout time art has recorded history. Most art is created for a specific reason or purpose, it has a way of expressing ideas and beliefs, and it can record the experiences of all people.