Art History Lessons

The Seated Statue of Gudea and Sahura

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:36:50 +0000

The Seated Statue of Gudea and Sahura and a Deity are excellent examples of Mesopotamian and Egyptian statues and Mesopotamian Ar. Each Egyptian Statue depicts a ruler within the respective society featured in a sitting position. Each of these two Egyptian Statues is staged in a manner that has a religious connotation. Neither figure is meant to be a realistic representation of what the individual looked like, but more of a generalized (and idealized) form. They are both excellent examples of Egyptian Art History. Although quite similar, the forms can be differentiated due to a few stark contrasts. Sahura and Deity has two figures, the poses of Sahura and Gudea are slightly different, and the modeling of the characters within each piece is stylistically distinct because they are from slightly different eras of Ancient Egyptian Art History.

The most obvious difference between the Seated Statue of Gudea and Sahura and Deity is the existence of two figures within the statue of Sahura and Deity of History Egyptian Art Ancient Times and Mesopotamian Ar. This difference can be largely accredited to the varying roles that deities played in Egyptian and Mesopotamian Art and societies and the interaction between those deities and the rulers. In Mesopotamian Art and cultures, the rulers were very much mortal beings who interacted with the deities in the same manner as everyone else. History Egyptian Art society had much different standards. The Pharaohs of Egypt were also gods. The dualistic nature of the Pharaohs’ human form and divinity breaks down the hierarchy of religious figures prevailing over secular figures because the Pharaohs served in both the secular roles of Egyptian government and the religious roles. This allows for Sahura to be viewed as being on the same level as the deity with whom he is pictured. The Egyptians used hierarchy or proportions, but due the divinity of Sahura, the deity depicted alongside him is pictured in a smaller form.

The poses of Gudea and Sahura may be similar at first appearance, but the differences in poses creates a vastly different feel in how each statue is viewed. Gudea has very humble pose. He is seated in a manner that is representative of how he would have been seated while in prayer. His legs are together and his hands are resting in his lap. Sahura, on the other hand is in a very different position. He is also seated, but the staging presents Sahura in a very strong seated position. In contrast to Guea’s praying hands, Sahura has his right hand clenched in a fist. His left arm protrudes onto his lap, but is chipped, however it was most likely in a positions where his fingers were outstretched resting upon his lap, which was a common pose for Egyptian pharaohs in Ancient Egyptian Art History at the time the statue was created.

The forms of Gudea and Sahura are very different in the level of realism depicted. Both sculptures present their respective character(s) in a form which is not meant to be purely representational of the individual(s) featured. The modeling of Sahura and a Deity is quit boxy in feel. The arms and legs become almost cylindrical, and chests are oversized. The form of Gudea, due to his seated position, hides more of these inadequacies, however much can be read from what body parts do show. Gudea’s arms, and specifically his right, are very well modeled. The head is way too large for the body, however the depiction of a facial expression is much more successful then the image of Sahura. Both statues have oversized hands and feet. Neither uses perfect modeling, and both have aspects which are much more successful then the other.

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Spatial Archetype

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:34:49 +0000

An archetype is a “pattern or model from which all things of the same kind are copied or on which they are based.” (dictionary.com) Spatial archetypes are shapes that have been repeated throughout history. Spatial archetypes often bring about a psychological association. Much can be learned about a monument, city, piece of art, or just about any object based solely upon the spatial archetypes that are present in they specific item. Two cities that serve as perfect examples of spatial archetypes are New York City and Rome.

“All roads lead to Rome,” is a classic and famous phrase. In ancient times, the phrase was quite accurate. Rome utilized the spatial archetype of the radiant axes, which involves “rays emanating from a central point.” (Lobell) In the case of Rome, the roads lead towards the center of the city.

Not only does Rome fit the physical aspect of the spatial archetype, it also matches a number of the traits that are usually associated with radiant axes. The largest similarity with the archetype is the empirical drive of Rome. Rome was the largest and greatest superpower in the world at the height of the empire. Rome was also the capital city or the empire. Rome’s empire was able to grow largely due to their military expansion, which is another major trait of radiant axes archetypes. The Roman empire also hosted grand games involving gladiators and wild animals in a massive display of wealth. This trait is also on par with the radial archetype.

New York City veers away from the archetype of radiant axes and moves towards an orthogonal grid. The majority of New York City is a grid pattern. The streets increase in numbers as your move North, and the avenues increase as you go west. The presents a very logical and well conceived urban planning.

New York also fits quite well into the traits associated with the spatial archetype of the orthogonal grid. New Yorks economy is based primarily on trade and mass production. Jobs often are highly specialized. Also, the political system is try to move away from a central figure. There has also been quite a large movement towards an increased standardization or nearly everything we do. These traits are distinctive to the orthogonal radiant.

New York City and Rome are perfect representations of the radiant axes and orthogonal grid archetypes, however spatial archetypes exist all over. Often recognition of each archetype is merely a subconscious recognition. Many of these archetypes can be viewed all over the world in a variety of time periods and cultures. Their existence alone can often provide quite a bit of information about the specific monument

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Fertility Fetish

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:32:53 +0000

An initial reaction to the usage of the phrase “fertility fetish” in Helen Gardner’s Art Through the Ages is a reaction of unease. History is undoubtedly presented with a bias, but reminders of that bias are never pleasant. Phrases such as “fertility fetish” demonstrate this slant. “Fertility Fetish” has been used to describe the Venus of Willendorf statue.

“Fertility fetish” can be broken down for further analyzation. “Fertility” is defined as the ability to produce offspring; power of reproduction, while “fetish” can be defined as an object regarded with awe as being the embodiment of habitation of a potent spirit or as having magical potency. The power to produce offspring is obviously associated with women and the term fetish is generally a term that has negative connotations. This implies that an object that is defined as a fertility fetish is not an object that only pays great respect to fertility, but an object with an unhealthy reverence for fertility.

The phrase “fertility fetish” is an inherently sexist phrase. It carries an implication that fertility and therefore females, is an idea that is not deserving of any type of praise. It is surprising that Gardner honored the usage of the phrase by including it in her work especially considering that in all likelihood it was a phrase first used by men who did not think the idea of a female with power was likely.

Attaching fetish to the word fertility is also anti-sex. The only way in which a state of fertility is to be obtained at the time when the phrase was first used, was through a sexual encounter. By attaching fetish onto fertility, the phrase is basically degrading the idea of pregnancy achieved through sex.

Perhaps the worst bias that is placed on the Venus of Willendorf or other “fertility fetishes” is the bias of western cultures, specifically those where Christianity is common. The reason why the Woman of Willendorf is referred to as a fertility fetish instead of an ancient Austrian religious artifact is due to the spin of modern religion. If it was an ancient Christian artifact, it would be regarded as a religious artifact, but since it’s a Pagan religion, it’s a fetish.

History and religion walk a very tight rope. Much of human history is based around religious figures, ceremonies, and places. However, it is critical that history, despite its religious involvement remain as objective as possible. False reporting writes false history. This is why terms like “fertility fetish” are so destructive. It pays injustice to not only a work of art, but an entire civilization.

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Painting and 19th century Photography

admin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:46:32 +0000

anchers are hearding cattle. The level of detail and accuracy within the painting is astounding. Rosa Bonheur was a large fan of writing and poetry and it is said that the inspiration for Plowing in the Nivernais: The Dressing of the Vines derived from a written piece.

Snowstorm: Hannibal and His Army Crossing the Alps, Portrait of Thomas Carlyle, Plowing in the Nivernais: The Dressing of the Vines are three wonderful works of art from the nineteenth century. Although two of the works were painting and one was photography, it is easy to see how one work influenced the next. Although painting and photography are significantly different mediums, th

The advent of the nineteenth century brought considerable changes to the art world. Paintings were becoming much less figurative and much more expressionist. At the same time, the medium of photography was in development. The style of photography was largely influenced by painting and in return painting was influenced by the new medium of photography.

Snowstorm: Hannibal and His Army Crossing the Alps is a painting by Joseph Mallord William Turner. It was completed in 1812 and is a work in the medium of oil on canvas. It is currently housed in the Tate Galeery in London, England. The piece itself is quite large, measuring at four feeet, nine inches by seven feet, nine inches in size.

Snowstorm: Hannibal and His Army Crossing the Alps is an excellent example of Joseph Mallord William Turner’s work, which was significantly less figurative then previous generations of artists. Joseph Mallord William Turner painted in such a free manner, that some of his paintings look like abstract works. In the case of Snowstorm: Hannibal and His Army Crossing the Alps, you first notice the color, movement, and emotion of the piece prior to noticing any figurative elements.

Joseph Mallord William Turner intentionally created such expressionist works. He really rejected underpaintings and accuracy of the landscape. Snowstorm: Hannibal and His Army Crossing the Alps was meant to add a romantic mood to the story of Hannibal crossing the Alps. It is believe that he intended the painting to be a commentary on the Napoleonic Wars, which were happening during his time.

While Joseph Mallord William Turner was taking liberties with painting in a more expressionist style, other mediums were developing. One of those new mediums for the nineteenth century was the advent of photography. On photographer in particular, Julia Margaret Cameron, created a photo title Portrait of Thomas Carlyle that in many ways mimicked the expressionist style of Joseph Mallord William Turner.

Portrait of Thomas Carlyle was taken in 1863. It is a silver print that is ten inches by eight inches. It is housed at the Royal Photographic Society in London, England. The subject of the photo is Thomas Carlyle, as the title alludes to. The photo is in black and white, which was standard for the time. In the photo, Thomas has a very stern, serious look on his face. He is an older gentleman and has light grey hair and a beard and mustache in a similar tone. He is wearing clothes that were considered more dressy for the time.

Portrait of Thomas Carlyle in many ways echoes Snowstorm: Hannibal and His Army Crossing the Alps due to the style the photo was taken in. The photo is slightly blurry and the rendering of the image is not the best. This is largely due to the camera technology that was present at the time, however stylistically it adds a fun twist that makes it more similar to a painting by Joseph Mallord William Turner.

While painting undoubtedly influenced photography, photography certainly influenced painting. This is evident with the advent of much more highly realistic works in painting. One such piece, Plowing in the Nivernais: The Dressing of the Vines is a work by Rosa Bonheur. It was created in the medium of oil paint over stretched canvas. It was completed in 1849. It is a very large piece, measuring at five feet, nine inches by eight feet, eight inches in size. It is housed at the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, France.

Plowing in the Nivernais: The Dressing of the Vines is a highly realistic piece that was undoubtedly influence by photography. The painting depicts a scene where a few ranchers are hearding cattle. The level of detail and accuracy within the painting is astounding. Rosa Bonheur was a large fan of writing and poetry and it is said that the inspiration for Plowing in the Nivernais: The Dressing of the Vines derived from a written piece.

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Impressionism

admin — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:58:29 +0000

The early 20th century art scene is arguably one of the most exciting periods of art. The artists of the time were beginning to have liberties that they had never previously had. There was a newfound freedom and ability to work in ways that had never before been accepted in the art world. Sometimes this new sense of freedom created a lot controversy. This controversy was certainly evident in the works of Matisse, Klimt, and Picasso.

The Woman with the Hat is an oil painting done on stretched canvas. It was painted by Henri Matisse in the year 1905. It is thirty one inches tall and 23 inches wide. It is currently at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

The style of Matisse used in The Woman with the Hat would later cause Matisse to react against his earlier fauvist style. Fauvism, is a style that is characterized by large brush movements and very bold color uses. The word fauves literally translates to mean “wild beasts.” In The Woman with the Hat, Matisse created a piece where the colors were very aggressively applied to the canvas.

Matisse brought The Woman with the Hat to 1905 Salon d’Automne. At the Salon, Matisse’s work created a large controversy. The subject matter, a clothed lady was by no means controversial. Instead it was the manner in which Matisse painted the woman. The Woman with the Hat uses very crude drawing, sketchy buswork, and colors that seem extremely arbitrary towards the final composition. Overall, it creates a lot of dissonance in piece and this dissonance was largely what people were reacting against.

The Kiss is a painting by the artist Gustav Klimt. It is a work done on stretched canvas in the medium of oil paint. It was painted between the years 1907 and 1908. It is an extremely large piece measuring at five feet, ten inches by six feet in size. It is currently located at Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek in Vienna.

The Kiss is a painting done in the style of Art Noveau. Art Noveau was also sometimes referred to as Sezessionstil because it was largely associated with the succession of Viena. Art Noveau was a group of artists that was started in the late nineteenth century. It was an extremely progressive group of artists who seceded from conservative academics in and attempt to form dramatically more liberal associations.

Gustav Kilmt is one of the artists who was heavily involved in the sucession movement. Between 1907 and 1908 he worked in what has become known as his golden style. This style is represented In The Kiss. This style became known as his golden style to his usage of the color gold. The main figurative element of The Kiss is two couples embracing in a kiss. This couple is surrounding in an aura of gold.

The couple represented in The Kiss are in a state of tension. The body language of the woman especially does not point to the relationship being completely desired by both parties. This was largely intended as a political message. The Secession was a revolt against the political powers of the time. In Klimt’s work, The Kiss, the woman in the figure is meant to be representative of Vienna; not entirely into the relationship and wanting to break apart.

Les Demoiselles d’Avignon is work of oil on canvas. It was created by Pablo Picasso in 1907. It’s a very large work and is eight feet by seven feet, eight inches. It is housed in The Museum of Modern Art, in New York City.

Pablo Picasso is one of the most famous cubist painters and sculptors. His work, Les Demoiselles d’Avignon is a cubist works. One of his influences was Iberian figurative works. This Iberian influence is largely apparent in Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, especially in the facial configurations of the thre three woman on the left side of the piece. The figures in Les Demoiselles d’Avignon are somewhat simplified. They have very paired down features with wide eyes that are shaped like almonds.

The two women on the right hand side of Les Demoiselles d’Avignon are painted in a dramatically different style then the women on the left. These woman were painted in a style that was inspired by African masks that Picasso had seen in a show in Paris. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon was intended as a response to Matisse’s work Le Bonheur de Vivre, which was done in a style more similar to the French classical tradition.

Les Demoiselles d’Avignon was certainly not a tradition piece. The title is somewhat misleading. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon literally translates to “The Woman of Avignon,” however the Avignon that Picasso was referring to was the Avignon which is the red light district of Barcelona. While “demoiselles” literally translates to mean “young woman,” it is also a euphemism for prostitutes. Many in the art world, including Picassos friends were horrified by the subject matter of the piece.

Matisse, Klimt, and Picasso were all controversial artists. Often their work was not purely about their work. It was about politics, about society, and about the culture of the time. Their works were sometimes intended to be controversial. They were always meant to incite an emotional and/or intellectual reaction by the viewer. In this regards, these works from the early twentieth century are extremely exciting.

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Renaissance Art History

admin — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:55:18 +0000

One of the most important times in the history of art was the renaissance. The term renaissance is derived from the French word, renaitre, which translates to to be born again. Renaissance also relates to the Italian word, rinascimento, which means rebirth. During the time period, the world was changing in ways it had never seen before. Aft was not let out of these new developments. In fact, art flourished during the renaissance due to the new found interest in intellectualism and an increasingly high value placed on education.

Of all the Italian Renaissance art history in the middle ages, few mediums were as highly prized as works of tapestry. Tapestries are a medium which really fascinate me due to how distinctive they are to the time period. In modern times, tapestries are easy to come by and often relatively inexpensive. In the renaissance, only the most wealthy individuals could afford to own a tapestry in Italian Renaissance Art History. A number of factors contributed to their rarity. Many tapestries were created with lavish materials. Fine silk, gold, and silver were all frequently used. Tapestries also took much longer to produce then a painting and took a number of people to produce.

In some instances, painters created images for skilled weavers to turn into tapestries. Raphael Sanzio is one example of a famous painter who had a few pieces turned into tapestries. Sanzio Raphael was one of the best painters for tapestries by raphael Sanzio. Raphael Paintings were highly valuable. Some people would then take Raphael Paintings and make tapestries. Rafael art was some of the most praised works around. Rafael art is really excellent. Sanzio Raphael was a really excellent artist. Works by Raphael Sanzio are still some of my favorite today.

One set of tapestries that I have been lucky enough to see, is the Hunt of the Unicorn series at the Metropolitan Museum of art. I saw it on display in 2007 for a special tapestry show, then again this past fall at the Cloisters. The Hunt of the Unicorn is a series of tapestries produced between 1498 and 1500 and each one is a little over 12ft by 12ft in size. They were created using silk, wool, and metal thread.

The tapestries tell a story about a hunt of unicorn. At the time, unicorns were believed to be animals that had special powers and their horns had healing power. Only virgin girls were able to kill unicorns. The story was laced with Christian metaphors. The series is in very good condition and is a lovely example of Italian Renaissance Art History tapestry.

Another area of art that was rapidly developing in the Italian Renaissance Art History was architecture in Renaissance. One of the greatest Architecture of Renaissance feats of the time was the creation of the Dome of the Florence Cathedral. The Dome was designed by a sculptor turned architect Filippo Brunelleschi and was built in 1417-1436 and is a fine work of Renaissance art and architecture. In 1471 a lantern was completed on the top of the dome but not designed by Brunelleschi Filippo. It is an excellent representation of Renaissance Architecture.

At the time of the construction of the Dome of Florence Cathedral, the dome itself was a major architecture of Renaissance achievement. Brunelleschi Filippo s father had actually helped design the drum that the domes stands on. The Filippo took over the plans for the dome, he designer a new hybrid of Gothic and Renaissance architecture that was an entirely new architecture of Renaissance. The dome itself is slightly pointed and uses ribs to support itself. There is an occulus at the top, which made the construction of the dome much more difficult. In order to construct the dome, Brunelleschi Filippo had to design a who new construction technique for Renaissance Architecture. The Dome of Florence truly ended up as an architectural masterpiece of Renaissance Architecture. Renaissance art and architecture was never the same after the contributions Filippo Brunelleschi made to Architecture in Renaissance.

Another art masterpiece of the Renaissance is Masaccio’s fresco of The Expulsion from Paradise. In the fresco, Masaccio manages to capture the emotions of Adam and Eve in a manor which was very bold for the time period. Masaccio paints in very Florentine style where the individuals portrayed, in this case Adam and Eve, look like their skin rests upon their bodies.

The Expulsion from Paradise was created in 1427 in the Brancacci Chapel. During the cleaning of the frescos it was discovered that Masaccio painted the piece only four days. The level at which the paintings were done is incredible. The modeling is highly realistic, the emotions are beautifully depicted, and the light adds drama to the piece. It really is amazing the Masaccio completed the work in only four days.

The Hunt of the Unicorn, The Dome of Florence Cathedral by Filippo Brunelleschi, and The Expulsion from Paradise are all beautiful examples of Renaissance art. They each are representative of a new view on the world. The usage of engineering, materials, and skill make each piece a masterpiece. Each piece demonstrates the new ideals of the time. Each piece shows the rapid growth and development of society during the Renaissance. The Renaissance would have been a magical time to be an artist.

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Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and the Taj Mahal

admin — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:50:08 +0000

Indian quite often intended as a means of religious expression. Both Buddhism and Islam are common religions in India and because of this, art is often found that represents both of these religions. I am particularly enamored with the sculptural pieces in Indian art. The Bodhisattva Avaolokiteshvara is an example of Indian sculpture originating from the Buddhist religion and the Taj Mahal is a and example of Indian architecture that originates more from the Islamic tradition. These two pieces are dramatically different in size and scale, however the forms have many similarities.

The Taj Mahal is located in Agra, India. It was created in the Mughal period under the reign of Shah Jahan. It was constructed around 1632-1648 A.D. It is located on the bank of the Yamuna River, which is located on the Northern side of India. It was origianally created to be a mausoleum for the wife of Shah Jahan, who ruled between 1628 and 1658. Shah Jahan himself was said to have been apart of some of the decisions behind the construction of the Taj Mahal.

To get to the TaJ Mahal, you first arrive at a grand gate to the complex. As you enter the gate, the tomb stands before the viewer. There is a large garden and a reflecting pool. The garden is 1000 feet by 1900 feet and it is divided in to four sections, each of them filled with plantings of trees and flowers. Around each garden are walkways that are maid up of inlaid stone that forms geometric patterns.

When the Taj Mahal was first constructed, the walkways were lined with fruit trees and cypresses, which were meant to symbolize life and death. There were also fountains in the shallow pools. Court musicians would have filled the space, making it a very magical space.

At the back of the garden is the tomb. On the sides of the tomb is a mosque and a building which looks identical to the mosque and is used as a resting hall. Both of these buildings sit on the same base as the tomb and seem to visually balance out the mass of the tomb itself. The buildings themselves are made up primarily of red sandstone. The large central tomb, on the other hand, is made up of white marble, which really shines next to the red sandstone buildings that flank it.

The tomb sits on its own base. Like the tomb, the base of the tomb is made of white marble. The whole structures of the tomb is raised higher then the other buildings on its marble platform. There are four minarets, which look like slender towers, at each corner of the surrounding space of the Taj Mahal. The three various levels of the minarets correspond with the tombs, symbolically creating a bond between them

At the top of each minaret sits a chattri, or pavilion. In traditional Indian palaces, Chattri were a common architectural feature. Chattri have their roots in the Islamic religion. Minarets also originate from the Islamic tradition. They were meant to be such a great height that they caused all the Islamic people to be called to prayer. The overall structure of the Taj Mahal is very curvilinear and has a certain fluidity about it. Another work of Indian art that mimics the curvilinear lines of the Taj Mahal is the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara

The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara is from Kurkihar, Bihar, in Central India. It is a piece from the late medieval period. It originates from the Pala dynasty, in the 12th century AD. It is crafted in gilt-bronze and sits approximately 10 inches high. It is currently housed in the Patna Museum in Patna.

A Bodhisattva is an individual who is advanced on the path to enlightenment in the beliefs of the Buddhism. The goal of Mahayana Buddhists was to help anyone they encountered achieve the path to enlightenment. Avalokiteshvara is the bodhisattva of the greatest compassion. Avolokiteshvara vowed to forgo buddahood until everyone else became buddhas. He was one of the most populat bodhisattvas because of this.

In the statue of Avolokiteshvara, he is shown by his princely garments, instead of being dressed like Buddha who is always depicted wearing a standard monk‚Äôs robe. Avolokiteshvara is specifically recognized by the lotus flower he holds and by the crown of his parent Buddha. The parent Buddha of Avolokiteshvara is Amitabha Buddha, from the Western Pure Land, which was the Buddhist version of paradise.

Avolokiteshvara is also depicted with three eyes, which is meant to say that he had the ability to see in miraculous ways. In the pose that Avolokiteshvara takes in this statue, he is shown in a relaxed posture known as the royal pose. One leg is slightly outstretched and points downwards and the other leg is folded into his lap and rests on the lotus seat, which is considered an emblem of spiritual purity. His torso creates a curved fluid line and his arms are somewhat bent and also have a certain fluidity about them

Both The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and The Taj Mahal are examples of Indian sculptural pieces. The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara is a Buddhist statue, while the Taj Mahal is an Islamic tomb. Despite this, the two pieces have much in common in in the way in which the lines of the piece are handled.

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Dada Quick Facts

admin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:27:19 +0000

Dada Quick Facts:

Dada Quick Facts: What is Dada?
Dada is an art movement involving visual arts, art theory, theater, graphic design, literary works, manifestoes, poetry, and design. It was largely an anti-war movement. It was a rejection of the existing standards in art of the time. Dada works were not meant to be art, but anti-art. Dada was supposed to represent the opposite of everything art stood for and often attempted to offend the art world.

Dada Quick Facts: When Did Dada Begin?
Dada is credited with having started in 1916 by a group of artists working out of Zurich, Switzerland. The movement was in its peak from 1916 to 1922.

Dada Quick Facts: Who were some of the artists involved in Dada?
Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, Kurt Schwitters, Otto Dix, Theo Van Doesburg, Hannah Hoch, and Hans Richter – just to name a few.

Dada Quick Facts: What later art movements did Dada influence?
Dada influenced the avant-garde movement, surrealism, Nouveau Realisme, pop art, fluxus, and punk rock movements.

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Titian Pieta

admin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:21:55 +0000

Materials always effect an artists work. When new materials are discovered, new advances are able to be made. One advance that greatly affected the world of painting is the advent of oil paint. When oil paint was discovered, it allowed for artists to layer colors in a much more complicated and rich manner. Because of this it allowed for a much more deep saturated color then artists previously could achieve. This allowed the artists to be able to paint light in a manor that could not be replicated with older technology.

Titian's Pieta

One of the first great depictions of light in oil paintings was Titians Pieta. Titian was also known as Tiziano Vecellio. La Pieta by Tiziano Vecellio was a painting which Titian worked on for his own tomb, however by Titian’s death in 1576 the painting Peita was still left unfinished. The painting itself is done using faster, more bold brushstrokes, which visually provide the piece with a great of deal of movement. Titian wanted to capture the essence of the person in Peita, and wasn’t as interested in a completely perfect rendering as long as the idea that he intended was expressed. Peita is a large piece, measuring over eleven feet by eleven fit in size. It is oil paint over stretched canvas.

The imagery itself by Tiziano Vecellio shows a number of people in front of a large architectural niche that has an arc. In Titians La Pieta each person depicted has dramatic shadows and lighting on their figures. The figures represented are Virgin Mary holding the body of Jesus in her arms. To Mary’s right, on his knees, is a depiction of Nicodemus, who was a said to help prepare Jesus’s corpse for burial. Some people believe the Nicodemus depicted in La Pieta is actually a self-portrait of Tiziano Vecellio.

Another individual who mastered the use of oil paint on canvas was Michelangelo Mersi Caravaggio. Michelangelo Mersi ad Caravaggio’s painting, Calling of Saint Matthew, was painted in 1599-1600. It measures at eleven feet, one inch by eleven feet, five inches in size. Like Titians Pieta, Calling of Saint Matthew uses the dramatic effect of light in the painting. Caravaggio’s light usage, however, comes from a a technique known as tenebrism. Tenebrism is a specific type of painting in which all the characters are coming out of the dark and are brightly lit by one individual source of light. The technique tenebrism has been likened to the modern day usage of a spotlight. Tenebrism was a popular technique of Michelangelo Mersi Caravaggio.

The subjects depicted in Michelangelo Mersi Caravaggio’s painting are a group of people sitting around a table. Light is brightly sweeping from right to left across the painting fro what looks like a single source of light. The attention of everyone at the table is directed towards the right, and thus at the source of the light. The scene depicts a section of the Gospel of Matthew in the Bible. In the story, Jesus tells Matthew to follow him and Matthew does. The painting makes the scene come alive and simulates the tension and emotion in an extremely realistic sense.

One painter that proceeded Michelangelo Mersi ad Caravaggio’s time and had many of his paintings’ characteristics is Georges de La Tour. George de La Tour was the court painter to King Louis XIII in 1639. He had spent time in both Italy and the Netherlands where Michelangelo Mersi ad Caravaggio’s work was popular and undoubtedly would have come in contact with it. George de La Tour was actually considered a follower of Michelangelo da Caravaggio and the similarities are often apparent.

George de la Tour's Magdalen with the Smoking Flame

Like Caravaggio, the subject of George de La Tour’s paintings were often largely consistent of a strong central figure. Instead of Michelangelo da Caravaggio’s use of light, George de La Tour depicts the light source within the overall pictures. It becomes so bright that is becomes the main focal point within the piece. In the paintings Magdalen with the Smoking Flame, George de La Tour shows a candle that is shining onto a woman who is seated at a desk. She is mostly in the dark and looks somewhat somber. Her right hand is resting on a human skull, which is resting upon her lap.

The woman depicted in George de la tour’s Magdalen with the Smoking Flame is Mary Magdalen. Her pose is shown as leaning forward in a way which is supposed to make the painting feel more intimate. The idea behind the piece by George de la Tour is that Mary Magdalen has given up a rich and lavish lifestyle in order to meditate upon human life. The pice was painted in 1640 on oil on canvas and was forty-six and fourth by thirty-six and an eighth inches in size.

Titians Pieta, Michelangelo Mersi Caravaggio’s Calling of Saint Matthew and Georges de La Tour’s Magdalen with the Smoking Flame are three amazing paintings by threes masters of painting. Using oil paint over stretched canvas, a new material of the time, all three artists were able to show life and depict light in a method that had been previously done.