Analysis Of The Third Estate By Europe Pellizza Da Volpedo

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Working for the class. The monumental painting of The Fourth Estate (1899-1901) by Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo is a result of a planning procedure constructed of three previous stages; Ambassadors of Hunger (1892), Overflowing River (1895-96) and The Workers ' Path (1989). However, those are not only artistic phases and visual adaptations but, fundamentally socio-political changes that the artist depicted in the form of paintings. The work engages the viewer in a careful reconsideration of the aesthetics and composition which thus emphasise this scene of social phenomenon - a strike of the working class. In this essay I shall discuss the representation of the working class struggle exposed in The Fourth Estate painting, through the prism …show more content…

However, in this army there is no hierarchy, and the workers are marching united against the struggle with the bourgeoisie. The unification of all the individuals is evidently illustrated by Pellizza, through incorporation of female and children figures into the composition. The passage from Marx 's Manifesto of the Communist Party, may serve as a point of reference to a remark I shall make in a moment; "Differences in age and sex have no longer any distinctive social validity for the working class. All are instruments of labour (…) ' '2. Pellizza, of course was not aware of this Marxist thought, however, the very core of its idea is demonstrated to the beholder. The industrial system exploited all the individuals equally and equally enslaved them, simultaneously creating a 'mass '. However, the 'mass ' as presented in the painting, acknowledged that their potential and power does not lay in rebellion against the lack of individuality but in celebration of being one and undivided

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