Art: Historical Practice Josh P
Tonal In this exam unit I intend to explore how artists have used oil paint to create 3D forms within their paintings. These studies will form the basis for my exhibition design. I plan to include approximately 8-10 works in my exhibition. I will also design the space and I will develop the poster and booklet design too.
th th Northern Renaissance (15 -16 century) The Northern Renaissance was the Renaissance that occurred in Europe north of the Alps. Before 1497, Italian Renaissance humanism had little influence outside Italy. From the late 15th century, its ideas spread around Europe. This influenced the German Renaissance, French Renaissance, English Renaissance, Renaissance in the Low Countries, Polish Renaissance and other national and localized movements, each with different characteristics and strengths. The northern renaissance lasted from the end of the 14th century to the end of the 16th century. Many scholars look to the flourishing of the arts under the French king Charles V and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV as the start of the Northern Renaissance. Artistic inspiration also came from Italy. There were extensive trading contacts between northern Europe and Italy – Giovanni Arnolfini, the subject of Van Eyck’s portrait was an Italian merchant working in Bruges, a city in modern day Belgium. Albrecht Dürer worked for German merchants when in Venice. Also French king Francis I brought many Italian artists, including Leonardo da Vinci, to France. Jan van Eyck (before c. 1390 – 9 July 1441) was a Flemish/Netherlandish painter active in Bruges. He is often considered one of the founders of Early Netherlandish painting school and one of the most significant representatives of Northern Renaissance art. Other artists from the Northern Renaissance include Hans Holbein the younger and Viet Stoss.
The Arnolfini Portrait (1434) The Arnolfini Portrait is a 1434 oil painting on oak panel by the Early Netherlandish painter Jan van Eyck. It forms a full-length double portrait, believed to depict the Italian merchant Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife from Lucca, Italy, presumably in their home in the Flemish city of Bruges. It is considered one of the most original and complex paintings in Western art, because of its beauty, complex iconography, geometric orthogonal perspective, and expansion of the picture space with the use of a mirror.
• • •
Jan Van Eyck National Gallery, London Oil on Oak panel 3 vertical boards
In order to create tone, Van Eyck used the technique of applying layer after layer of thin translucent glazes to create a painting with an intensity of both tone and colour. The glowing colours also help to highlight the realism, and to show the material wealth and opulence of Arnolfini's world. Van Eyck took advantage of the longer drying time of oil paint, compared to tempera, to blend colours by painting wet-in-wet to achieve subtle variations in light and shade to heighten the illusion of threedimensional forms.
The Arnolfini Portrait (1434) In the left centre of the painting are some oranges near the window. Oranges in these days were quite expensive and it is showing that the people must be wealthy to have a luxury of the time such as oranges.
The Chandelier that hangs above the two figures in this painting is shown to have only one candle lit being above the man, possibly suggesting that he is the only one alive out of the two people seen and that the women, (presumably his wife) could be dead.
Near the top centre Van Eyck has cleverly singed the painting just above the mirror which again shows the great lengths he went to, to showcase the detail he puts in his paintings.
The mirror that is situated just above the centre of the painting is a very significant part of this painting as it expands the space and shows how inventive Van Eyck really was. In the mirror can be seen the backs of the two figures in the background and if you look closely you can also just about make out two more people who are standing facing the couple and also gives an opposite perspective of the room. Van Eyck truly illustrates his genius with this mirror because as you study it closely you realise how much detail has been put in this small space.
In the bottom left corner and just below the centre are two pairs of shoes/sandals. Which is what the two people would have worn.
Chiaroscuro Chiaroscuro is an oil painting technique, developed during the Renaissance, that uses strong tonal contrasts between light and dark to model three-dimensional forms, often to dramatic effect. The underlying principle is that solidity of form is best achieved by the light falling against it. Artists known for developing the technique include Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, and Rembrandt.
Baroque (1590-1725) Baroque is the name given to the vigorous style that dominated art and architecture in the 17th century. This style originated in Rome, from where it spread throughout Europe. It flourished mainly in Catholic countries and has strong ties with the counter-reformation movement in religion.
Italian At the beginning of the 17th century Italy led Europe in the visual arts, just as it had done during the renaissance. Rome was the main artistic centre, and it was there in the years around 1600 – that Caravaggio and Carracci laid the foundations of the Baroque style in painting.
Dutch and Flemish Art in Flanders (modern day Belgium) and the Dutch republic (Netherlands) shared a common heritage, as the two countries had been united in the 16th century. However while the Dutch broke away from Spanish rule to create an independent, largely protestant state, Flanders remained loyal to Spain and to the Catholic Church.
Spanish
French
English
During the 17th century France became the most powerful state in Europe and began to rival Italy for artistic leadership. Whereas in Italy the most characteristics Baroque art was religious, in France it was used in the service of the state – specifically to glorify King Louis XIV.
England had only modest native-born talent in painting and sculpture during the 17th century and imported most of its best artists, the art-loving Charles I attracted both Rubens and Anthony van Dyck to work for him – the latter was a chief court painter – as well as numerous lesser lights.
Although it declined greatly in power, Spain had a glorious flowering of art in the 17th century and the baroque style was well suited to the religious fervour of the country. Religion dominated its art, although the greatest Spanish artist of all time – Diego Velázquez – was primarily a portraitist.
Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610) was an Italian painter active in Rome, Naples, Malta, and Sicily between 1592 and 1610. His paintings, which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on Baroque painting. Famous while he lived, Caravaggio was forgotten almost immediately after his death, and it was only in the 20th century that his importance to the development of Western art was rediscovered. Despite this, his influence on the new Baroque style that eventually emerged from the ruins of Mannerism was profound. It can be seen directly or indirectly in the work of Peter Paul Rubens, Jusepe de Ribera, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and Rembrandt, and artists in the following generation heavily under his influence were called the "Caravaggisti" as well as tenebrists ("shadowists"). The 20th-century art historian AndrÊ Berne-Joffroy claimed: "What begins in the work of Caravaggio is, quite simply, modern painting
The Taking of Christ, 1602
The beheading of Holofernes, 1599
Judith Beheading Holofernes (1598-1599) • • •
Caravaggio Oil on canvas Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica at Palazzo Barberini, Rome
Judith Beheading Holofernes is a painting of Judith beheading Assyrian general Holofernes by Caravaggio, painted in 1598–99. The widow Judith first charms the Assyrian general Holofernes, then decapitates him in his tent. The painting was rediscovered in 1950 and is part of the collection of the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica in Rome.
Judith Beheading Holofernes (1598-1599) The painting is taking place in a tent as Holofernes and his army were on their way to a battle and had set up camp. The only source of light in this tent seems to be coming from above as it is shining down on the three characters with the red cloth behind the rest of the background is pitch black and not much can be seen. Caravaggio has shown a brilliant use of chiaroscuro with the red cloth as the light and dark has been very cleverly illustrated. As it can be seen here Holofernes is still alive and is in total shock as he is being brutally murdered, he is halfway between life and death as this would have been a very quick death. Caravaggio is illustrating the shock and quickness of Holofernes’ death by creating a scene of panic.
Caravaggio is showing the idea that although Judith was considered beautiful her youthfulness wont last forever, and by putting an older women next to her it is a constant reminder of human immortality.
Here It is seen that the older women has a bag in her hands or some sort of cloth, it is clear that this is obviously for the head of Holofernes’ and that it will be carried away in this when Judith has committed the murder.
th Enlightenment (18 century) The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement which dominated the world of ideas in Europe in the 18th century. The Enlightenment included a range of ideas centered on reason as the primary source of authority and legitimacy, and came to advance ideals like liberty, progress, tolerance, fraternity, constitutional government, and separation of church and state. The Enlightenment was marked by an emphasis on the scientific method and reductionism along with increased questioning of religious orthodoxy. French historians traditionally place the Enlightenment between 1715, the year that Louis XIV died, and 1789, the beginning of the French Revolution. Some recent historians begin the period in the 1620s, with the start of the scientific revolution. The ideas of the Enlightenment undermined the authority of the monarchy and the Church, and paved the way for the political revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries. A variety of 19th-century movements, including liberalism and neo-classicism, trace their intellectual heritage back to the Enlightenment.
Joseph Wright of Derby, was an English landscape and portrait painter. He has been acclaimed as "the first professional painter to express the spirit of the Industrial Revolution“. Wright is notable for his use of chiaroscuro effect, which emphasises the contrast of light and dark, and for his paintings of candle-lit subjects. His paintings of the birth of science often based on the meetings of the Lunar Society, a group of scientists and industrialists living in the English Midlands, are a significant record of the struggle of science against religious values in the period known as the Age of Enlightenment.
An Experiment on a Bird in an air pump (1768 ) Joseph Wright of Derby Oil-on-canvas National gallery, London An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump is a oil-on-canvas painting by Joseph Wright of Derby, one of a number of candlelit scenes that Wright painted during the 1760s. The painting departed from convention of the time by depicting a natural philosopher with a scientific subject different to before scenes of historical or religious significance. Wright was involved in depicting the Industrial Revolution and the scientific advances of the Enlightenment, but while his paintings were recognised as something out of the ordinary, his provincial status and choice of subjects meant the style was never widely imitated.
Here it can be seen that a bird (a white cockatoo) is inside this glass bowl and seems to be exhausted of oxygen. The mans fingers can be seen at the very top squeezing the air pump slowly decreasing the amount of air going into the bowl. Wright could be implying that the philosopher has taken over religion, that he is closing the door on religion because now science has the power and following to change the beliefs of people. On the left of the picture are what appears to be two lovers who are totally distracted by each other and seem oblivious to the experiment going on in front of them.
In the top right portion of the painting is what appears to be a young man who looks back mysteriously as he closes the curtains, to obstruct the view of people outside, as at the time it would have been illegal to perform scientific Experiments, with an audience as well. A full moon can also be seen shining through the window.
Seen here is what seems to be the only people here who are actually interested with what's going on, unlike everyone else who is distracted.
Around the time this was painted, Science started to take prominence as people drifted away from religion and were drawn closer to science as it was what could be seen as opposed to religion.
Wright shows a girl in the right centre who clearly is not amused by the experiment and does not want to see what is happening as the idea of this experiment is to see what will happen to the bird when it is starved of oxygen by the air pump.
Neoclassical Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome. Neoclassicism was born in Rome in the mid-18th century, but its popularity spread all over Europe, as a generation of European art students finished their Grand Tour and returned from Italy to their home countries with newly rediscovered Greco-Roman ideals. The main Neoclassical movement coincided with the 18th-century Age of Enlightenment, and continued into the early 19th century, laterally competing with Romanticism. In architecture, the style continued throughout the 19th, 20th and up to the 21st century. European Neoclassicism in the visual arts began c. 1760 in opposition to the then-dominant Baroque and Rococo styles.
The execution of Lady Jane Grey, 1833
The Death of Marat, 1793
The Death Of Marat (1793) This painting by French painter Jacques-Louis David is the portrayal of the death of his close friend JeanPaul Marat, a French radical journalist and politician during the French Revolution of 1789-1799. The events of this painting are after the killing of the French royal family. The painting is showing a single figure slumped in a bath tub, it appears to be in a dark room with light coming from the top left corner. In the foreground there is a writing block with appropriate equipment and the background seems to be a dark empty space. The painting shows the last moments of Marat as he slips from life into death, this gives the painting a sad tone but then Marat was not a greatly liked person in France as he wrote a list of people to be put on the guillotine even though most did not approve of this.
The dominant colours in this piece are black and brown in the background, in the foreground some yellows, whites and greens are more prominent. The paint has been applied smoothly and has given a very detailed depiction of Marat's murder. The light highlights show up on his arms and head as well as the bath covers. The Chiaroscuro (Italian for light-dark) in this picture illustrates the good deed he was doing and the dark scene showed (his murder) and how the two come together to make this historical painting. Jean-Paul Marat was writing a cheque for charity when Charlotte Corday came into his home and stabbed him, which resulted in his very quick death. Painted by David a close friend of Marat who painted his deceased friend for all to see and for this was put in jail. In Marat’s left hand is a letter from Corday telling him how she does not agree with what he does and that he needs to stop. This picture was painted during the French revolution, in which Marat was a key figure.
162 x 128cm
Oil on canvas
The Death Of Marat (1793) Marat (24 May 1743 – 13 July 1793) was one of the leaders of the, Montagnards and Jacobins, the main radical group in French politics during the Reign of Terror until the Thermidorian Reaction. Charlotte Corday was a Girondin from a minor aristocratic family and a political enemy of Marat who blamed him for the September Massacre. She gained entrance to Marat's rooms with a note promising details of a counterrevolutionary ring in Caen.
This painting (1793) show that Marat's figure is idealized. For example, the painting contains no sign of his skin problems. David, however, drew other details from his visit to Marat's residence the day before the assassination: the green rug, the papers, and the pen. Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome. Neoclassicism was born in Rome in the mid-18th century, but its popularity spread all over Europe, as a generation of European art students finished their Grand Tour and returned from Italy to their home countries with newly rediscovered GrecoRoman ideals. The main Neoclassical movement coincided with the 18thcenturyand the early 19th century, latterly competing with Romanticism. In architecture, the style continued throughout the 19th, 20th and up to the 21st century.
Marat suffered from a skin condition that caused him to spend much of his time in his bathtub; he would often work there. Corday fatally stabbed Marat, though she did not attempt to flee. She was later tried and executed for the murder. 162 x 128cm
Oil on canvas
Neo means new • A return to Classicism • A return to order and balanced compositions • Large scale
The Death Of Marat (1793) Here is a detailed view of the paper held in Marat's left hand. The letter reads (in French) "Il suffit que je sois bien malheureuse pour avoir droit a votre bienveillance" or in English, "Given that I am unhappy, I have a right to your help�
The Death of Marat has often been compared to Michelangelo's PietĂ . With the elongated arm hanging down in both works. David admired Caravaggio's works, especially Entombment of Christ, which mirrors The Death of Marat's drama and light.
The Coronation of Napoleon, (1806) another work by David depicts the coronation of Napoleon I, Emperor of France 162 x 128cm
Oil on canvas
Location - Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
The Execution Of Lady Jane Grey (1833)
246Ă—297 cm
Oil on canvas
Location - National Gallery, London
This painting by French artist Paul Delaroche is of the execution of Lady Jane Grey in 1554. Lady Jane reigned as Queen of England from the 10th July 1553 - 19th July after succeeding her cousin King Edward VI when he died. She was proclaimed as Queen of England, France and Ireland but her reign did not last long, as 9 days later it was stripped from her. Edward who was just 15 when he died of Tuberculosis (TB) nominated Lady Jane for Queen as he lay dying, surpassing his half sisters Mary and Elizabeth. The high council changed their minds and proclaimed Mary as Queen on the 19th July. Lady Jane was imprisoned and charged with high treason in November 1553 even though she was completely innocent. She was kept in the Tower of London until February 1554 when she was executed. Lady Janes successor became Mary 1st and ruled from 1553-1558 which even than was only a 3 year reign.
The Execution Of Lady Jane Grey (1833) Here on the left of the painting are two well dressed women who seem distressed. Their actions clearly show their emotion as they both cant look at what's going on in front of them. The women are most probably attendants for Lady Jane and are grieving for what's about to happen. The women sitting on the floor appears to have a pearl necklace in her hand and other various jewellery on person. Delaroche has mastered the use of chiaroscuro so well that Lady Jane stands out strikingly from her dark surroundings. It is unknown whether or not she was dressed like this but as she was married at the time of her death so this is unlikely. Delaroche chooses to paint her like this to showcase her innocence in the situation as she was crowned Queen by the public and then killed only 9 days later.
On the right side is the executioner who watches on as the lieutenant of the tower settles Lady Jane on the block she is to rest her head on. He has his axe in hand and what appears to be a dagger and rope on his belt. It is unclear what his emotions are but he doesn’t seem to be happy about the situation. He knows what he needs to do and how to do it and nothing will stop him as he would probably have been given money for the deed. Here in the centre right is Sir John Brydges, Lieutenant of the Tower. He is next to Lady Jane helping her find the block as she is blindfolded, he wears a very large fury coat/robe which shows his importance in the Tower of London. He's assuring her as she goes to put her head on the block which is atop a pile of hay that would have soaked up the blood of the victim. He is also the oldest figure in the scene and the fact that he is right next to Lady Jane might be Delaroche's way of showing the youthfulness of Lady Jane as she was only 16 at the time of her death.
Delaroche painted the subject of Lady Jane's execution in 1833, nearly 300 years after the event, drawing upon contemporary historical sources to help him portray it accurately. Delaroche had built his reputation in the Paris salon with large, realistic portrayals of famous events from the previous few centuries. Despite the artist's familiarity with the painting of historical narratives, there are aspects of the painting which are inaccurate.
Delaroche Paul Delaroche (Paris, 17 July 1797 – 4 November 1856) was a French painter who achieved his greater successes painting history. He became famous in Europe for his melodramatic scenes that often portrayed subjects from English and French history. The emotions emphasised in Delaroche's paintings appeal to Romanticism while the detail of his work along with the deglorified portrayal of historic figures follow the trends of Academicism and Neoclassicism. Delaroche aimed to depict his subjects and history with pragmatic realism. He did not consider popular ideals and norms in his creations, but rather painted all his subjects in the same light whether they were historical figures, founders of Christianity, or real people of his time like Napoleon Bonaparte and Marie-Antoinette.
Bonaparte crossing the alps, 1848-1850
Delaroche’s works completed in the early 1830s most reflected the position he took between the two movements and were admired by contemporary artists of the time—the Execution of Lady Jane Grey (1833; National Gallery, London) was the most acclaimed of Delaroche’s paintings in its day. Later in the 1830s, Delaroche exhibited the first of his major religious works. The execution of Lady Jane Grey, 1833
Romanticism Romanticism (also the Romantic era or the Romantic period) was an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate period from 1800 to 1850. Romanticism was characterized by its emphasis on emotion and individualism as well as glorification of all the past and nature, preferring the medieval rather than the classical. It was partly a reaction to the Industrial Revolution.
The Raft of the Medusa, 1818-1819 Third of May 1808, 1814
The Raft Of Medusa (1818-19)
Oil on canvas
491Ă—716 cm
This painting The Raft Of Medusa by French artist Theodore Gericault painted 1818-1819, is a depiction of French Naval vessel that ran aground off the coast of what is today’s Mauritania (West Africa), the captain instructed the carpenter to construct a raft and he did so with then 147 people boarding as the ship sank. This painting shows the remaining survivors of the 147 as only 15 survived with the captain taking a lifeboat and stranding his passengers out at sea. He was later sanctioned for his actions. The figures in this painting are obviously striving for something and appear to be forming a pyramid shape, a ship can be seen in the distance and they are trying to signal it to come and rescue them.
Location - Louvre, Paris
The Raft Of Medusa (1818-19) In this painting there are two pyramidal structures that form the basis of the work.
Location - Louvre, Paris
The event fascinated Gericault, and before he began work on the final painting, he undertook extensive research and produced many sketches. He interviewed two of the survivors and constructed a detailed scale model of the raft. He visited hospitals and morgues where he could view, first-hand, the colour and texture of the flesh of the dying and dead. As he had anticipated, the painting proved highly controversial at its first appearance in the 1819 Paris Salon. As it can be seen the colours nearest to the figures used by Gericault are very dark and gloomy giving the viewer the idea that there are very stormy conditions but light is on the horizon meaning help is on its way, which is the boat that can just about be seen in the distance.
The Raft Of Medusa (1818-19)
Gericault was captivated by accounts of the widely publicised 1816 shipwreck, and realised that a depiction of the event might be an opportunity to establish his reputation as a painter. Having decided to proceed, he undertook extensive research before he began the painting. In early 1818, he met with 2 survivors: Henri Savigny, a surgeon, and Alexandre CorrĂŠard, an engineer. Their emotional descriptions of their experiences largely inspired the tone of the final painting.
This Picture is a detailed diagram of the raft that was built for the 147 people. Gericault had a life size replica built to assist him in making his work even more realistic.
Francisco Goya Francisco Goya (1746 –1828) was a Spanish painter and printmaker. He is considered the most important Spanish artist of late 18th and early 19th centuries and throughout his long career was a commentator and chronicler of his era. Immensely successful in his lifetime, Goya is often referred to as both the last of the Old Masters and the first of the moderns. French forces invaded Spain in 1808, leading to the Peninsular War of 1808–1814. After the restoration of the Spanish king, Ferdinand VII, in 1814, Goya denied any involvement with the French. When his wife Josefa died in 1812, he was mentally and emotionally processing the war by painting The Second of May 1808 and The Third of May 1808, and preparing the series of prints later known as The Disasters of War (Los desastres de la guerra). Goya was a guarded man and although letters and writings survive, we know comparatively little about his thoughts. He suffered a severe and undiagnosed illness in 1793 which left him completely deaf. After 1793 his work became progressively darker and pessimistic. His later easel and mural paintings, prints and drawings appear to reflect a bleak outlook on personal, social and political levels, and contrast with his social life. He remained in Madrid during the Peninsular War, which seems to have affected him deeply. Although he did not vocalise his thoughts in public, they can be inferred from his "Disasters of War" series of prints (although published 35 years after his death).
The second of may 1808, 1814
The third of may 1808, 1814
The Third Of May 1808 (1814) The Third of May 1808 is a painting by Spanish painter Francisco Goya, painted in 1814 some 6 years after the events, (Peninsula War), of the painting. The Image depicts an execution of Spanish people who rebelled against French forces during the French occupation of Spain lead by Napoleon Bonaparte. This painting is a very dark scene as many Spanish people who where considered rebels by the French were executed in cold blood, as this picture depicts outside Madrid.
Detail of the victim's right hand which shows a stigmata—a wound such as Christ suffered when nailed to the cross. The painting is structurally and thematically tied to traditions of martyrdom in Christian art, as illustrated in the dramatic use of chiaroscuro.
Oil on canvas
268 Ă— 347 cm
The Third Of May 1808 (1814) Here in the picture is a city which is believed to be Madrid, it appears to be very dark which may have been done to add to the whole mood of the painting. In the centre left is the men who are awaiting there fate as they are about to be executed. One man who is wearing white is shining and looks like the only person who is ready to die, who isn’t afraid of death with his hands up in the air. As the others around him pray and beg for their lives, they have looks of despair as they know what is about to happen.
From the centre to the right is the soldiers which have been ordered to execute the people that stand awaiting their doom on the left, they all have there guns and bayonets pointing right at the so called rebels, as this scene is taking place just before those still standing are killed.
Here in the bottom left corner lie the dead, those who have already been executed lie with pools of blood around them as those still with the little time they have left look at them and see how they will end up not long after this scene.
Near the bottom right is what seems to be the only light source in the picture which is a large illuminated box, which must be a lantern of some sort. It light up a large area around it lighting up the painting, which makes what is going on a lot more visible.
Delacroix Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix (26 April 1798 – 13 August 1863) was a French Romantic artist regarded from the outset of his career as the leader of the French Romantic school. As a painter and muralist, Delacroix's use of expressive brushstrokes and his study of the optical effects of colour profoundly shaped the work of the Impressionists, while his passion for the exotic inspired the artists of the Symbolist movement. A fine lithographer, Delacroix illustrated various works of William Shakespeare, the Scottish author Walter Scott and the German author Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. In contrast to the Neoclassical perfectionism of his chief rival Ingres, Delacroix took for his inspiration the art of Rubens and painters of the Venetian Renaissance, with an attendant emphasis on colour and movement rather than clarity of outline and carefully modelled form. Dramatic and romantic content characterized the central themes of his maturity, and led him not to the classical models of Greek and Roman art, but to travel in North Africa, in search of the exotic. Friend and spiritual heir to Théodore Géricault, Delacroix was also inspired by Lord Byron, with whom he shared a strong identification with the "forces of the sublime", of nature in often violent action.
The massacre at Chios, 1824
Liberty leading the people, 1830
Liberty leading the people (1830) Liberty Leading the People (French: La Liberté guidant le peuple) is a painting by Eugène Delacroix commemorating the July Revolution of 1830, which toppled King Charles X of France. A woman personifying the concept and the Goddess of Liberty leads the people forward over the bodies of the fallen, holding the flag of the French Revolution – the tricolour flag, which remains France's national flag – in one hand and brandishing a bayonetted musket with the other. The figure of Liberty is also viewed as a symbol of France and the French Republic known as Marianne.
Delacroix depicted Liberty as both an allegorical goddessfigure and a robust woman of the people. The mound of corpses acts as a kind of pedestal from which Liberty strides, barefoot and barebreasted, out of the canvas and into the space of the viewer. The Phrygian cap she wears had come to symbolize liberty during the first French Revolution, of 1789–94. The painting has been seen as a marker to the end of the Age of Enlightenment, as many scholars see the end of the French Revolution as the start of the romantic era.
Liberty leading the people (1830) Here the central figure, with a bayonetted musket in one hand and the tricolour in the other, is a symbolic representation of liberty. She wears a Phrygian cap, which was a symbol of liberty during the French revolution. Women played a leading role in the street fighting of the 1830 revolution.
This figure shows that it wasn’t people of the lower class involved in the fighting, all classes supported the revolt, Delacroix conveys this by the variety of hats worn by the streetfighters including top hats, berets and cloth caps which are all represented.
This boy here just to the left of liberty is known as the young patriot, he represents a popular hero named Arcole, who was killed in fighting around the HĂ´tel de Ville. He also prefigures the character Gavroche in Hugo's Les MisĂŠrables. In this painting there is one pyramidal structure that forms the basis of the work.
In the left centre is some wooden planks and Delacroix has very cleverly hidden his name and the year on these, as it reads Eug Delacroix 1830. Light shines on the dead patriot in the foreground, one of Delacroix's brothers fought with napoleon and died at the battle of Friedland.
Here lies a fallen soldier who is one of two included in this painting. Many soldiers refused to fire on their fellow citizens-some even joined the rebel ranks.
Picasso Pablo Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973), was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, stage designer, poet and playwright who spent most of his adult life in France. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century, he is known for co-founding the Cubist movement, the invention of constructed sculpture, the co-invention of collage, and for the wide variety of styles that he helped develop and explore. Much of Picasso's work of the late 1910s and early 1920s is in a neoclassical style, and his work in the mid-1920s often has characteristics of Surrealism. His later work often combines elements of his earlier styles.
The weeping women, 1937
Among his most famous works are the proto-Cubist Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907), and Guernica (1937), a portrayal of the bombing of Guernica by the German and Italian airforces at the behest of the Spanish nationalist government during the Spanish Civil War. Guernica, 1937
Guernica (1937)
Location - Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain
Oil on canvas
Guernica is a mural-sized oil painting on canvas by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso completed in June 1937. The painting, which uses a palette of grey, black, and white, is regarded by many art critics as one of the most moving and powerful anti-war paintings in history. The large mural shows the suffering of people wrenched by violence and chaos. Prominent in the piece are a gored horse, a bull, and flames. The painting was created in response to the bombing of Guernica, a Basque Country village in northern Spain, by Nazi German and Fascist Italian warplanes at the request of the Spanish Nationalists, during the Spanish civil war 1937. The painting became famous and widely acclaimed, and it helped bring worldwide attention to the Spanish Civil War.
349 cm Ă— 776 cm
Guernica (1937)
The ghostly figure holding the lamp, who appears to float through a window, illuminates the chaotic scene. This iconic image – the most famous of which is the Statue of Liberty in New York – was a symbol of enlightenment.
Picasso originally painted a sun before converting it into an eye with a lightbulb. The Spanish word for lightbulb is bombilla, which is similar to bomba, the Spanish word for bomb. This shows the connections Picasso made with his painting and the event he recorded. The bull/minotaur figure obsessed Picasso and was a regular theme in his work. Here, the visible presence of a faded third eye shows how Picasso continuously reworked this painting. The final version shows the helpless bull confronting the viewer with two human eyes.
This image of a grief stricken mother holding her dead child echoes a familiar pose of Michelangelo's pieta. Picasso distorts the mothers body – splayed fingers, arched neck, and gaping mouth – to heighten the emotional impact.
Originally, Picasso drew a boldly raised arm with a clenched fist (the familiar salute of the Spanish republican forces) as the paintings focal point. However, unhappy with its obvious symbolism, Picasso replaced the raised arm with the twisted features of the horse, whose spiked tongue evokes the scream of pain of the innocent victims of war.
The painting is divided into three parts united by a triangular structure. The two diagonals (from the table on the left and the women's head on the right) meet at the lamp. This also brings the viewers attention to the screaming horse.
From the start, Picasso conceived his painting in shades of grey, drawing inspiration from both the possibility of Goya's disasters of war etchings, and the distressing photographs he had seen in newspaper reports. The absence of colour, irregular perspectives, and use of dark and light areas unrelated to any source of light all serve to heighten the scenes nightmarish and chaotic qualities.
Poster Research and analysis
Poster Research Displayed here are different poster designs for exhibitions. Showcasing all sorts of styles and topics. This shows the huge variety that can be explored when designing a poster
Poster Analysis This poster can be seen to have very vibrant colours that would be very eye-catching, and especially ideal when looking to entice observers.
There is a large title that gives the reader a good idea of what the subject matter is, in this case its focusing on the work of British artist David Hockney, famous for his iPad art. It is essential that a large, clear title is on the front of the poster as that gives the first bit of information to the reader.
The logo of the art gallery is in the top right corner, this makes the poster look very professional and gives it a good finish. This poster is displaying a piece of the artists work which gives an idea beforehand to the observer what to expect when viewing this exhibition, and what type of work will be involved.
The poster will always need vital information such as when the exhibition is taking place and this one in particular displays the sponsor of the exhibition, information such as this will need to be on the poster as it gives a guide for readers if their interested in viewing the exhibition.
This poster is for a science-fiction film, The signal. This poster has a design that is inspiring to me because of the effects used to create the image as they could be of great help to my poster design. These effects are definitely something I will consider when making my poster. The effects used here also really fit in with the sci-fi theme, with the font for the title having some sort of design on the ‘L’ giving the poster an extra-terrestrial feel, which I expect is what the designers were trying to create. When I make my poster I will be including one of my own drawings and will use an effect similar to this one used here on this film poster. I am hoping that these designs will be more exciting than the traditional art exhibition posters.
I am going to try to recreate this dissolving effect in my poster as I think it can be very affective in the final outcome.
Poster Design
Title (Fonts) I used an online source to generate a number of different fonts that could be used for my poster, they are displayed here.
Exhibition guide analysis This front cover doesn’t really display a lot of information and is quite basic in terms of giving the reader vital information such as times and dates although these would most probably be inside the guide.
Below the large title which is the artists name is a subtitle that is the actual name given to the exhibition this is also in bold yellow writing to attract the reader to it.
Displayed here is the name of the art gallery that the exhibition is taking place, it informs the reader of the location of the exhibition.
The title is the name of the artist whom the exhibition is based on, it is very clear as it is in a large bold font. It can be easily known by the reader who this exhibition is based on.
Exhibition guide analysis As it can be found in the top left corner of the first page the date should be the first thing that the reader sees when they open the guide. Although not eye catching it is situated in a good place and not hidden amongst other text. Below the date and other information is a list of foundations who have supported this particular exhibition, additional information such as this makes the guide look more sophisticated. This is information that should not be ignored by the reader and is in bold to draw their attention to what is being said here.
The introduction is located on the second page and can be easily found as it is the first large text in the guide and gives a factual introduction to the exhibition. It provides information on the artists past and gives the reader an understanding on the artists background.
Exhibition guide analysis Here displayed is information on the artist this exhibition is about, it tells of the different events in Paul Klee's life such what happened and the year it took place which shows the in depth analysis that is displayed here.
In this guide they have included a lot of pictures which is vital in showing the readers who the exhibition is actually about. With a good example shown here with a picture of the artist around of the dates on this page. Here again is more information about the artist which basically gives the reader a detailed history of the artist and helps a lot when looking at their work, so they can see what inspired him to do certain works at certain times.
Virtual Gallery Design 3 2 1
2
4
The way I have designed this is by using a website that enables me to create rooms and customize them. I have 4 pictures illustrating the different views you can get, the first one shows the plan view of the gallery, the second shows inside the first room on the right. The third picture is of the large room at the back of the gallery followed by the forth which is the room opposite the first one. Various paintings will be displayed on the walls in the gallery.
3
4