Read Chapter 20 up to the section on Mannerism. Choose a work of art or architecture from the Chapter. You may use the book as a source or you may explore somewhere else not listed in the book if you are feeling curious. Do some research on a search engine and write a paragraph about that place. Feel free to use descriptive language. You may include links to images if you would like. You may write about the meaning of architecture, art, or symbols from these sites.
41 comments:
Coatlicue,Aztec,15th century.
The Coatlicue statue is a 2.7 meter (8.9 ft) tall. The statue was discovered in the main plaza of Mexico City on the 13th of August 1790. It is currently located in the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.
Coatlicue, whose name means "Serpent Skirt," was the Earth goddess of life and death in the Aztec mythology. Coatlicue had a horrible appearance. She was depicted as a woman wearing a skirt of snakes and a necklace of hearts torn from victims.
She also had sharp claws in her hands and feet. Coatlicue was a goddess thirsty of human sacrifices. Her husband was Mixcoatl, the cloud serpent and god of the chase.
Coatlicue gave birth to Huitzilopochtli after a ball of feathers fell into the temple where she was sweeping and touched her. This weird pregnancy greatly offended her existing four hundred children who were encouraged by Coyolxauhqui to kill their dishonored mother.
However, Huitzilopochtli emerged from the womb of his mother fully armed and saved her. Huitzilopochtli cut off the head of his sister, Coyolxauhqui and threw it into the sky to become the Moon.
Derrica Hawkins
The Birth of Venus, 1482, is one on the most famous paintings in the history of art. The artist, Sandro Botticelli, is a Renaissance master who is renowned for his exquiste Sistine Chapel frescoes. Botticelli used mythological themes to transform pagan imagery into a source of Christian inspiration and love. Venus is the brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon, so it has played a role in many human mythologies. The name Venus was used by the Romans, to whom she was the goddess of vegetation, gardens and vineyards.
The Birth of Venus is the myth of how Venus was born out of the waves of the sea, after Uranus was castrated by his son, Cornus. His severed genitals falling into the sea, fertilized the water. Venus is born from the waves as a fully grown woman. Having been conveyed by the shell, she lands on Paphos in Cypus. Venus represents innocence. She is a divine beauty free of the physical and the sensual. This was the kind of beauty one's soul was to achieve when aspiring for salvation.
We spoke in class about Donatatello's David. We also mentioned Michelangelo's David and some of the differences. There are two other statues of David that I find to be interesting as well: Verrochio's David and Bernini's David. When I look at Michelangelo's David I see a very idealistic approach to sculpting the Former King.His David is larger than life with very large and powerful limbs and an out of proportioned head. Donatello's depiction is also somewhat idealistic (for him) in that David appears overly feminine, hinting at a possible homosexuality of Donatello. Bernini's David is portrayed as a feirce young man of equal proportions. Verrocchio's David is also of realistic proportions and seems closer to the age of David as described in the stories. All of the David's are excellent peices of art and I enjoy comparing the differences in each artists work.
In Mexico there is a city that was built around religion called Teotihuacan. This was a well developed till about the seventh century when it suddenly began to fall. In this city they had a huge enclosure that could easy hold bout 100 people. This structure was called The Ciudadela. Also in the middle of the town was the main road that ran from north to south and it was named The Avenue of the Dead. Two of the most remarkable things in this town of worship the enormous pyramids. They were complete opposites in name and symbolism but almost identical in structure. These pyramids were called the Sun and Moon pyramids. In my research about this town I realized that this isn’t the only community that based everything on worship. There are several places not only in North America but all over the world that are centered on a religion. This particular city based every structure around their religion and ideas they had about worship and rituals.
I thought it was interesting how really we noticed all the backrounds in all the paintings that we discussed. How there is actually more meaning to these peices of art. The one I chose to look into more about its means in the backround in Titains- Venus of Urbino. In class the maids in the backround were pointed out but really there was no one who knew what exactly they were doing. I looked it up- and this painting being painted during the high renaissance nudity in pictures was a bit out of hand. This peice of art work not so much focuses this on a "sexual" nude painting but Venus the woman in the picture is showing how she doesn't really care what anyone around her thinks. In the backround the two maids are looking in a cassone- an italian chest that was usually given in Italy as a wedding present and they are actually going crazy looking for Venus' clothes for her to put on. They are not liking the fact that is she is just laying across a bed nude. the dog is just meaning fidelity. I thought it was pretty funny cause if you really look into the backround the maids really are going a little crazy meanwhile venus is in the front just chilling naked.
Today I chose to write about Rogier van der Weyden, Deposition. I chose this piece of because of the artist’s use of color. I love the use of bright colors and the shading. This piece is 7 ft. 1 5/8 in. x 8 ft. 7 1/8 in. and is oil on wood, is very large by the usual standards of Early Netherlandish pictures. It is on display at Museo del Prado in Madrid. It was the earliest painting that created by Rogier van der Weyden. It was painted in 1443. The Deposition was an altarpiece, intended for the chapel of the Confraternity of the Archers of Leuven, who commissioned it. Mary of Hungary, Regent of the Netherlands, acquired the painting from the Archers of Leuven in 1548. Later her nephew King Philip II of Spain placed it in the monastery fortress of the Escorial he had founded near Madrid. At that time the Deposition formed the centre of a triptych, but there is no indication that the side wings were originally part of the work, it is more likely that the Deposition was originally a single panel. Ten people cover the painting’s surface, with their heads close to the upper edge of the panel. The body of Jesus has already been removed from the Cross, and is be held by two elderly men, the bearded Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus and is surrounded by Jesus’ mourning friends. Mary is sinking to the ground almost about to faint beside her son, and is supported by John, a disciple of Jesus, and by one of the holy women. On the extreme right, Mary Magdalene seems on the brink of collapse.
I decided to look at some of Donatello's work. I found online, not in the book a piece of his that caught my eye for some reason. It is called Donatello's equestrian statue of Gattamelata. This work was set over the burial place of Erasmo da Narni. It is a bronze statue of him on a horse. This was completed in 1450. This just seemed really cool to me. I loved the detail he used. This was just something I found interesting, and now makes me want to look into more of his work.
My interest was piqued by Titian's painting, Venus of Urbino because of the symbolism it includes and because of the painting's controversial sexuality. My discoveries are all theories since there is no absolute proof to any.
I found some possibilities of who the girl in the painting could have been. There were wide-spread rumours that the girl was the mother of Guidubaldo II della Rovere, the Duke of Urbino who commissioned the work. Before Guidubaldo became Duke, his father who was then the Duke, had commissioned Titian to paint several paintings including some of himself and his wife, Eleonora Gonzaga. Eleonora was greatly admired for her beauty, grace, and intellect. In comparing her portrait to the painting of Venus of Urbino, there are similarities that indicate she might be "Venus". Also, the curled up dog sleeping on the bed in the Venus of Urbino portrait is also depicted in the portrait of Eleonora. Another theory is that the girl might have been the mistress of Titian because she appears in at least two of his other paintings. The most obvious theory is that she is the mistress of Guidobaldo.
Theories as to the purpose of the painting have been derived from interpretations of the symbolism in it which seem to link it to marriage. Most notable is the placement of the dog which symbolizes fidelity. The girl holds roses which are the symbol of venus and of love. In the window is a pot of myrtle which is a symbol of constancy. Paintings were often given as wedding gifts as were the kind of chest included in the painting which may alude to the wedding gift theory. The two servants rummaging through the chest have commonly been thought to be searching for clothing for the girl on the bed, possibly looking for the clothes she should wear for her wedding night. The purpose of the painting could even be meant as an instructive "model" for Giulia Varano, the Duke's extremely young bride.
One last interesting note about the symbol of the dog on the bed which corrupts the wedding gift theory; remember the dog is a symbol of fidelity? Does the dog being asleep hint at infidelity and the "mistress of Guidubaldo" theory?
Sandro Botticelli painted the birth of venus in 1482. It is a painting of The goddess of love and beauty Venus. in the painting Venus emerges from the sea after Cronus cuts off Ouranos' Genitals and throws them in the sea. This is how she is born in Greek and Roman mythtology. An interesting topic that arises while discussing this painting is the topic of beauty. What is beautiful? Most people today would look at Sandro Botticellis depiction of the Goddess and critisize her. She's too heavy they might say. Or she's not pretty enough. Sandro Botticelli supposedly took the perfect features of many women at the time and made a supermodel to fit the times. This goes to show that ideals of beauty change with the times we are in.
One aspect of art that really seems to peak my interest is the detail master artisans back in the day were able to put into statues. The huge amount of time and effort put into these astounding pieces is why they are still standing today and available to be admired by the public. One fine representation would have to be Donatello's David. This bronze statue carved during the Renaissance period is noted as one of the first unsupported bronze works and freestanding nude male sculptures. The depiction is of a young David standing on the head of Goliath who he had just called. Created sometime in the 1440s, David is only wearing a hat and boots and holding the sword of Goliath. His contrapposto pose seems to suggest that Goliath posed no threat to him. With its amazing detail and special attention to all features, this work remained the only of its kind for about a century.
The Mona Lisa is without a doubt the most famous work in the entire forty-thousand-year history of the visual arts. Currently over 6 million people visit the Louvre every year and the "Mona Lisa" is viewed by nearly all of them.
In all her grandeur The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows, eye lashes or color in her cheeks or lips, and has a receding hairline. Such details may have faded or been retouched, but according to some historians, Mona plucked her eye brows and hairline, as did fashionable women in other parts of Europe. Although an engineer, Pascal Cotte, using special digital scans says he detected a partial eyebrow in the under painting. There is also some doubt about the identity of the woman in the painting. The earliest answer, from 1517, is that she was merely a "certain Florentine lady," and some say she was simply Mona Lisa, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo. Over the centuries, a number of other women have been suggested, including that Leonardo used himself, looking in a mirror, as well as the notion that she was painted from Leonardo's imagination, with no particular model in mind. However the consensus today is pretty much in favor of Mrs. Giocondo.
Fig. 656 Titan, Venus of Urbino, 1538
According to, Answers.com Venus of Urbino is an oil painting by the Italian master Titan. It portrays a nude woman reclining on a couch in luxurious surroundings of a Renaissance palace. The nude body symbolized truth, beauty, friendship, and love. However, Venus of Urbino does not depict demure beauty nor idealistic remoteness. In contrast, Urbino is intentionally sensual. For instance, the canvas is split in half by the vertical line of the dark drape behind Venus, so the drape ends just at Venus’s hand thus leading the viewer’s eye to her loins. In addition, a pet dog is lying next to Urbino indicating faithfulness and a pot of myrtle: a symbol of constancy. As a result, Venus of Urbino is a flesh-and-blood beauty, awake and fully aware of the viewer’s presence. Although, Mark Twain called the Venus of Urbino, “The foulest, the vilest, the obscenest picture the world possesses.”
Today the painting hangs in the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence, Italy.
I chose to research Albrecht Durer's Self Portrait."The final painted self-portrait, dated 1500, is inscribed: 'Thus I, Albrecht Duerer from Nuremburg, painted myself with indelible colors at the age of 28 years.' Although the artist has depicted himself in a Christ-like pose, this was no gesture of blasphemy. It was an acknowledgement that God had made Christ and Man in his own image. Artistic talent therefore ultimately derives from God. After this work, no other painted self-portraits survive, although he is known to have given one to the great Italian artist Raphael .What I found to be interesting was the way in which his fingers were placed on his coat. It appears to make the ichthus, the Christian sign for Jesus.After researching other paintings of his I saw that his hands where in the paintings. One painting noted that he was pointing to "where it hurt". Duerer was very much an innovator. He is, for example, the first artist who is known to have painted a self-portrait and to have done a landscape painting of a specific scene.
Self-Portrait at 28
1500
Oil on panel
67 x 49 cm
Alte Pinakothek, Munich
Michele
I loved Venus of Urbino from the moment I saw it. I was actally drawn into it, so researching its' history and secrets was fun. This painting is screaming with sex and eroticism. Titian used amazing lines here, and the most drastic one is directly in the center, vertical. It is the line of the curtain that separates the two rooms-and it coincidentally ends at her genital area; bringing the focal point of the painting here. In addition, she is not covering or hiding herself, so much as fondling. She also could have attempted to shield her right breast from view, but instead she casually holds a bouquet of roses. The way that she is posed in the bed, her erect niples and her blatent stare are are organiclly sexual. Titian also made a point to make her eyes the only ones visible (head-on), so as not to distract from her presence. (Like that's possible!)
She is confidant and assertive while addressing her own sexual power--very risque' for the 1500's.
I chose to go outside of the book and discuss a Renaissance piece called "The Garden of Earthly Delights" painted in oil on wood on three panels by Hieronymus Bosh in either 1503 or 1504. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/GardenED_edit1.jpg
I am always spellbound by the unique style of Bosch's work because he painted in a surrealistic style hundreds of years before that style was defined in the mainstream by artists like Salvidor Dali. In this particular painting Bosch first depicts Adam and a recently created Eve being introduced by the Lord in a fairly simplistic Eden landscape. The body language of Adam and Eve is natural , naive and innocent. The simplicity of the the left panel also gives a sense of innocence and purity, the simple gift of life.
Moving to the middle panel, Bosh now depicts humanity long after the banishment of Adam and Eve from the Garden. The people in this scene are naked and group in sexual playful groups. The buildings in the background are grand and fantastical. Everything in this panel is an example of excess. Simplicity has given way to pride and grand pageantry. Even the beasts of the Earth are larger and more numerous. This panel shows in exciting movement and composition the effects of temptation and sin on humanity. Which leads us to the final panel and my personal favorite. The right panel depicts the punishment reigned down about those who sin. Here Bosh has unleashed truly disturbing and frightening images of Hell and what awaits the wicked. The background has now turned black in dramatic contrast to the other two panels. The greens of the other two panels are now browns and grays. To the left of the final panel you seen sinners being strapped and crushed by large musical instruments, punishment for pleasurable use of song and dance. The bodies of the sinners are more twisted and turned, unnatural, creating an sense of uneasiness in the viewer.
The purpose of this piece, I believe, is to show the fall of humanity to sin and to instill fear in the punishment, the wrath that awaits those who do not redeem themselves. This piece is highly emotional, detailed and personally I think it is one of the most brilliant pieces of the Renaissance period.
The colors used in Rogier van der Weyden's, Deposition are striking and beautiful. The colors are what caught my attention. I love the deep rich colors because I feel it adds something unforgettable to the piece. I can safely say that tell detail was quite important to this artist. The way the clothes fall upon the people in the picture makes it look real. Almost to the point where you could touch it. I would love to see Deposition up close because I feel the piece is unique. When, researching Rogier van der Weyden I noticed an emotional theme of grief, heartache, ill health, and sorrow. During, his lifetime his paintings where sent all over Europe because he had a pretty strong following. He was appointed city painter of Brussels.
There are many theories about the oil painting Venus of Urbino. One is that the picture contains a courtesan and servants. Another is that the picture is of a young bride and her servants. Whatever the case, the main focus of the painting is the woman laying on her bed with a dramatic stare. The two maids in the background are rummaging through a chest, which to some is a sign that the woman on the bed is newly married. Some have even speculated that this is actulally the same woman three times preforming different duties. Nevertheless, the picture is highly erotic in the fact that the vanishing point is actually the woman’s hand which is covering her genitals. The dark wall behind her also leads a person’s eyes to that region of her body.
I chose the Teotihuacan which is located in the Basin of Mexico. It is known for it's religion which is said to be similar to that of Mesoamerican cultures.These two cultures have been known to worship many of the same gods.Two of which they commonly worshipped were,The Rain God,and Feathered Serpent.Human sacrifice seemed to be another common between the Teotihuacanos and the Mesoamericans.Human remains have been found during excavations of the pyramids, it is believed that when the building was expanded that sacrifices were made to the new building.It is believed that the victims were probably enemy warriors captured in battle and then brought to the city to be ritually sacrificed so that the city could prosper.
I chose to research Titian’s Venus of Urbino. Most websites explained the painting as having to do with marriage. The chest in the background was a common wedding gift, usually it came in a set. The dog on the bed could symbolize friendship and fidelity. The flowers in her hand representing love. Most websites descried the two in the background as servants searching for her clothes. I did find one website that described Venus as the mistress in one room and the Wife in the other room with her servant handing her clothes. I also read that it could have been a model for the Duke of Urbino’s young wife. There is no definite conclusion on who the ladies in the background are and what they are doing.
-Bridget Raimondo
After looking at Rapheal's painting "The School of Athens" it sparked some curiosity in me about who Rapheal was, besides the ninja turtle that carried the sai's. According to the website http://arthistory.heindorffhus.dk/frame-Raphael.htm, that is titled Art History on Stamps, Rapheal's real name was Raffaello Sanzio. It goes on to talk about his life. Born in Urbino in 1483, his father was an artist, and rapheal's first teacher. He did many large altar pieces in his hometown for his earlier works before moving on to study other with artists such as Perugino. In 1508, Rapheal's artistic ability was requested by Pope Julius II to decorate a suite of official rooms in the Vatican known as the Stanza. After he bagan this enormous job his fame grew and he began getting tasked out for many other jobs. Alot of the Stanza was actually completed by his assistants, in particular Giulio Romano who actually finished the last painting Rapheal was working on when he died on 6 april (good friday) 1520, at 37 years old, known as The Transfiguration." The painting is hung still in the Vatican today, where his funeral was held before he was buried in his final resting place in pantheon Rome According to the web gallery of art.
I chose to write about Leonardo da Vinci's armoured car. It amazes me how many of his mechanical ideas seem so far ahead of their time. Even though the name appears to give this design a defensive posture, it was not only for a vehicle made for defense such as a modern day armored car. It carried a heavy offensive arsenal of cannons which surrounded the vehicle. At the time, a vehicle of this magnitude was not feasible to actually build, and the design did have a flaw that made the wheels rotate opposite of each other. However, it is said that this could be considered the precursor to the modern tank. Considering that this was drawn sometime around 1485, it's amazing to see such a design exist.
William Palmes
Rafael's School of Athens is considered his greatest masterpiece as well as the ideal depiction of the High Renaissance style.
This work depicts the theme of philosophy. While Aristotle is the central igure in the painting, the bulk of the philosophers predate Aristotle, only about a third of the philosophers pictured are greek, and the architecture is in the Roman style.
Most interesting to me is that these early philosophers were often held in low regards by the church. Often times they were the first ones to develop new scientific theorums, and the first people in Europe to really dabble in Physics and more theoretical sciences. And here this is a Vatican piece.
I have chosen the annointing oil on wood painting by Rogier van der Weyden, The Deposition. This work is linked to John 19:39.
This is the oldest work of Rogier van der Weyden; he never signed his work. As an altarpiece it was intended for a chapel in Leuven, but fell into Spanish hands in the 16th century. Today, it is on display in the Prado in Madrid.
I enjoyed researching the characters in this art piece. The details of each is so spiritual. In the center, Jesus is taken down from the cross by his earthly father, Joseph and a well-dressed Nicodemus. Mary Magdalene helps form Christ’s pale body into an arch by holding his upper arm.
Christ’s body still appears to be perfect and holy apart from his wounds; the crucified holes in his hands and feet, the blood on his forehead from the inflicting crown of thorns, and the deep wound by a Roman spear.
Virgin Mary, Jesus' mother immense grief causes her to faint. In her fall, her body takes on the same shape as Christ, implying that her suffering is close to his.
There is a skull on the bottom left corner that reminds us that we are looking at Golgotha, the Mount of Skulls.
Rogier Van der Weyden manages to create an intimate picture with colors that depict the beauty of the crucification and what it means to our lives here on Earth.
-Hailey Faria
The Birth of Venus was the first nude painting since the ancient times. The painting depicts Venus emerging from the ocean on a sea shell that is being blown to shore by Zephyrs, the god of spiritual passion. When Venus reaches the banks of the shore she is greeted by Horae, the goddesses of the seasons. In the painting Horae is draping Venus with a beautiful flowered cloak. The scene that has been painted is almost theatrical. The more you look at the painting the more it tells a story. It as if the gods and goddesses come to life before your eyes. Venus is suddenly modest, and we should note the stance, which Botticelli borrowed directly from the beautiful examples of the antique Venus Pudicae that were being discovered at that time. Her skin tone is opaque and almost translucent which I find truly beautiful in this painting. I also found it interesting that Venus was painted with an abnormally long neck as well as her left shoulder that slopes at an unlikely angle.
-Jennifer Bentson
I choose to do mine on the Coatlicue Statue.It comes from the literal meaning "the serpent lady"
She was the Aztec Earth Goddess. Coatlicue was magically impregnated with Huitzilopochtli.While she was sweeping one day a feathery ball fell to her, and she took it and put it in her bosom.She became pregnant without sin.Her diet was the corpses of human beings.She was known by many different greek names for example the Epithets "Mother Goddess of the Earth who gives birth to all celestial things", "Goddess of Fire and Fertility", "Goddess of Life, Death and Rebirth", and "Mother of the Southern Stars". When she was killed, the god Huitzilopochtli suddenly emerged from her womb fully grown and armed for battle.
Albrecht Durer (pronounced albrect dyre) was born on May 21, 1471 in Nuremberg, Germany. He was the third child born to parents of 14-18 children. His father was a goldsmith from Hungary and he began working for his father early in his life. This may account for the varied mediums Durer used in his artwork.
His work includes altarpieces, religious works, wood cuts (or engravings), watercolors, portraits, and copper engravings. Durer painted three self portraits: at 22 in 1493; at 26 in 1498; and at 28 in 1500 which is the painting in our text on page 469.
I like the self portrait in the book because it looks as though he is looking at me. His eyes draw me into the portrait and I feel as though he will speak at any moment. My research said that he painted this portrait much like Jesus to point out that the talents and gifts we have are from God.
Many of us have seen the portrait of the praying hands, also painted by Durer. He also had a unique way that he signed all of his work. A link to see his work and his signature is www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/durer/
Titian painted the Venus of Urbino in 1538 for Guidobaldo della Rovere, Duke of Urbino. At the time this painting was simply known as La Donna Nuda; The Naked Lady. It is said that simply because it belonged to the Duke of Urbino it later became known as the Venus of Urbino.
I found some interesting takes on symbols in the painting... For instance, one of the reasons she was named Venus may have been because of the roses she has in her hand, a symbol of Venus and of love. One source said the two women in the background of the painting are the girl’s servants that are assembling clothes to dress her. Some of the more out of the ordinary takes on what the painting means is that it is an metaphor of marital love. Lying next to her is her pet dog, a symbol of faithfulness which could be correlated to the bond of marital love. In the window is said to be a pot of myrtle: a symbol of constancy.
- Amanda Young
The Olmec were one of the first Pre-Columbian cultures who thrived in Mexico near the Gulf coast during 1500 and 800 BCE. They created Colossal Heads sculpted from basalt which were placed around a ceremonial center at a place called " La Venta." The faces of the heads are turned away from the ceremonial center as a warning to those who may enter. The heads serve as protectors of the ceremonial structure. Scholars speculate that the Colossal Heads may be ancient rulers of the city. The basalt material used to construct these massive monuments was brought from the Tuxtla Mountains over 100km away across swamplands. That is approximately 60 miles from the site where the masses now rest. How did they get there? One hypothesis is that Olmec people built large rafts made from balsa wood, which is very buoyant. Then they floated the stones along slow moving rivers near the Gulf coast in order to reach their destination. This explains how the culture expedited and relocated the material over such a vast distance. The Olmec people were very creative in conjuring and constructing the Colossal Heads.
I would like to speak in detail about one of the most beautiful works of FRESCO that can be observed in The Vatican Museum in Rome. When I first observed the work of art in Rome, I was truly awestruck by the grandeur, and how vivid the painting is. It almost appears to be in 3D.
The painting is actually done in a technique called FRESCO, which is made by painting pigmented water onto a layer of wet plaster. As the plaster dries, the pigments are absorbed into the material, thus increasing the painting's life. Artist would often make a charcoal sketch of the painting on the wall before the plaster was applied, as the pigments had to be painted on quickly, leaving little time for change or correction.
The painting portrays Jesus seated in the middle with his mother Mary at his side. The two large figures are Paul (left) and Peter (right, with keys in hand). The angels in the middle blow their horns to raise the dead. One of them holds the Book in which all has been written down and upon which Jesus will base his judgment. To the left, the chosen are escorted to Heaven by angels. To the right, the damned are going to Hell. Above in the lunettes are symbols of the Passion - the cross, the crown of thorns, the pillar of flagellation, the spear, and the sponge dipped in vinegar.
In the sixteen century, artistic leadership spread from Florence to Rome and Venice, where giants like Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael created sculptures and paintings with total mastery. Even though Leonardo Da Vinci is primarly considered the "renaissance man" it is Michelangelo who impresses me the most. Michelangelo did more than anyone to elevate the status of the artist. He believed that creativity was divinely inspired and he broke all the rules. Admirers often addressed him as the "divine Michelangelo," but the price he had to pay for his gift was solitude. An architect, sculptor, painter, poet,and engineer, Michelangelo acknowledged no limitations. He lived for nearly 90 years, carving until he died. Michelangelo felt that sculpting was the most godlike thing anyone could do. God created life from clay and the sculptor unlocked beauty from stone. He described it as "liberating the figure from the marble that imprisons it." At the early age of 23 Michelangelo carved his magnificant piece, the "Pieta" which means pity. The work was what put him on the map. The pyramidal configuration derived from Leonardo, with a classic composure of the Virgin's face reflecting the calm, idealized expression of Greek sculpture. The accurate anatomy of Christ's body is due to Michelangelo's dissection of corpses. Michelangelo carved his name on a ribbon across the Virgin's breast. It is the only work he ever signed.
http://conferences-international.com/Michelangelo%20Pieta.jpg
The statue of Coalticue is from the Aztec, 15th century. It stands almost 9ft tall and is known as the mother of gods. The Aztecs believed this statue was a goddess who gave birth to the stars, moons, and the god of sun and war. The word Coalticue means the one with the skirt of serpents. This statue was discovered in Mexico City in 1790. She is represented as a woman wearing a skirt of writhing snakes and a necklace made of human hearts, hands and skulls. Her feet and hands are adorned with claws (for digging graves) and her breasts are depicted as hanging flaccid from nursing. Coatlicue keeps on her chest the hands, hearts and skulls of her children so they can be purified in their mother's chest.
Radicalizing the traditional way of depicting the Chinese landscape. This was a style seen predominantly in areas of sourthern China. Unlike the other major artists besides Shen Zhou, 'realism' is not as important as the imaginative mind. this sort of style that emerged was seen as inventive but unusual. Self expression is what is valued when creating an artwork.
This style seen in the south undertakes three qualities such as poetry, painting, and calligraphy.
This such example of such a creative ability seen in the late fifteenth century is best exemplified with the artwork created by Shen Zhou, Poet on a Mountain Top which has the 'poet' over;looking out on top of a cliff.
Source: A World of Art, Henry M. Sayre, 2007.
The "School of Athens" by Raphael, is one of his greatest works. It is located inside the Vatican city in Rome. This painting represented he four domains of knowledge which are: Theology, Law, Poetry, and Philosophy. He received the highest paid commission by the church in his day. It resembles alittle bit the painting of "the last supper", but the difference here is tht this painting did not have Jesus and his disciples, but it contained some of the best scientists and thinkers of the time. It was painted between 1510-1511 in the renaissance period. It was painted in one of the most important rooms of the vatican called the : "Stanza della segnatura". These piece of art is regarded as Raphael's masterpiece among all his other beautiful paintings.
The painting that I chose for my paragraph was Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo da Vinci painted this of the wife of Francesco del Giocondo. The way that da Vinci painted this painting, he gave it a sense of depth with an almost blurry effect to it to give her a bit of mystery. The way that this was painted is normal of the Italian Renaissance time period. The painting is located at the Musee du Louvre in Paris, France, and is the property of the French government. Over time, there has been a lot of speculation about the sitter, her identity, who she was married to, etc. This painting has brought about a lot of fascination and study. Leonardo da Vinci started to paint the Mona Lisa around 1503 and was believed to have finished it shortly before he died in 1519. This painting moved around a bit in the beginning but now it rests safely in Paris, France, where it is impeccably cared for to help it last as long as possible.
In Chapter 20, we learned about different types of art from the pre-Colombian art in Mexico. What fascinated me were the gigantic heads in the Mesoamerican civilization of the Olmecs. The Olmecs were the first civilization of Mesoamerica. The large heads that were found in a place called San Lorenzo. Most people speculate that the large heads were rulers at one time of the civilization. I will be talking about one of the specific head. The colossal heads vary in styles from headbands to how the heads are portrayed. In monument one the head is displayed as a warrior looking figure. He shows his seniority by the type of headgear he is wearing. How his ears are sculpted out. The head was sculpted out of basalt rock, and is truly a remarkable piece of work from this period of time in history.
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/venta-park/venta-park-108.jpg
I love Agnolo Bronzino's piece Portrait of Bia. I love the way the colors in this piece pop out at you even though primary colors aren't used. It's a very bold piece while at the same time capturing the softness and daintiness of the little girl. It reminds you almost of a little girl playing dress up in her mother's clothes. The little girl's nickname was La Bia which is short for Bambina. This portrait was done after she passed away from a fever at 6 years old.
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/uploads/images/Bia%20de%20Medici_T13%231%23.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Venus_and_Mars.jpg
I chose the painting Venus and Mars by Botticelli. THe painting dates to about 1483 and was believed to be commissioned by the Vespucci family , the wasps buzzing beside Mars are part of the family crest, possably as a wedding gift due to its amorous subject. In the painting Venus watches over a naked, sleeping Mars (god of war) whilst mischiveous little satyrs paly with his armour. This is to send the overall message that love concurs war and violence. The painting was also possably modeled after a classical painting entitled "Wedding of Alexander the Great to the Persian princess Roxane" which describes the satyrs carrying alexanders armour in much the same fashion. It is quiet common for artists of this time period to try to recreate great classical works that were destroyed.
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