I saw this painting when I visited the Museum of Modern Art with my best friend who came to New York City. The painting is ”Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh. It is said that van Gogh painted this work of art while he was in a hospital. He painted it from his room but it reflects a memory of when he used to see through his window at nightfall. This work of art is clearly part of Modern Art since it ultimately does not represent anything related to religion. Modern Art is also appreciated through the experimentation of the form and the use of colors to express emotions, as it can be seen in this painting. The shortage of recognizable figures is also part of Modern Art. However, unlike other artistic works of the modern period, such as ”Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” by Pablo Picasso, this painting does not have multiple perspectives.
Disclaimer: this picture is not very high quality, and some color may be misrepresented. In person, the mountains in the back are a lighter shade than the trees in front, and the red is not actually a gradient.
This is a painting I made in my art class in 2010-11. When we learned about Matisse’s piece The Red Studio, it reminded me of my own work because as you can see, this painting is also mainly red. Matisse used the ubiquity of the bold red to flatten his canvas and destroy the illusion of three-dimensional space that had been so sought after in previous artworks. He wanted to play around with the viewer’s perception of the depth of the image, and so he contrasted the solid background with the objects in the foreground–except that he also reversed the figure-ground relationship by painting using reserve lines. He painted red until only the white lines remained, rather than paint white over red.
In my painting shown here, I did not use reserve lines like Matisse. I painted the background red and then added the silhouettes of the trees, mountains, and islands in black over that. The effect is therefore different. However, the use of a single solid color with little exception is similar to Matisse; only the sun and its reflection in the water break the two-toned look of the scene. This method lessens the effect of depth created by the faded look of the mountains (which the brain interprets as being due to atmospheric interference, and therefore means they are further away).
Just as Matisse did in his studio, I left out a line that would define the space. Matisse’s wall is missing an edge over the painting on the left, and my scene lacks a horizon line on the right. Both paintings assume that the viewer’s brain will automatically extend the line suggested by the rest of the painting and fill in the gap. In this case, the bottom of the mountains defines the horizon without my needing to draw a line between the sky and the water. In fact, were it not for the sun’s reflection, it would be difficult if not impossible to tell that the lower half of the scene is water. Matisse’s studio’s missing line means that it is tricky to explain where one wall ends and the next begins. The corner lacks definition, deliberately. Both his and my works experiment with depth perception and the ability to see lines where there are none.
The Red Studio was an oil painting, and this is acrylic, but both were made on canvas. Matisse created his painting to make a statement about the change in art forms, but seven years ago I was not interested in such a grand scope: I just thought this contrast looked pretty cool.
While researching for the museum paper at the MET, I was trying to find a good example of non-academic art. In the 19th and early 20th century European paintings exhibits, I found a few examples of modernist art that reminded me of what we learned in Unit 5. While I used the Rocks in the Forest by Paul Cézanne, I was close to using another painting that was shunned by the Academy: The Dead Christ with Angels by Édouard Manet. In the painting, Christ’s body is depicted through realism and shows the body as “dirty” by casting dark shadows like dirt, in addition to the angels having more emphasis and lighting than Christ. The painting reminded me of Manet’s own Olympia painting; both paintings use draw the subject as “flat” and “dirty”. According to the text label, critics took aim at Manet’s form of artistic expression with his flatness and making Christ’s body look “cadaverous” and “mortally” deceased through realism instead of making him look heavenly and spiritually alive. In terms of differences, Olympia focuses about the prostitute’s realism with her tense expression more than the background with the maid in darker shading (not the skin color, the shading around her), while the Dead Christ with Angels focuses more on the background with the angels, bringing out the colors of the wings and their emotions, than Christ’s cadaverous body. While both paintings by Manet focus on different subject matters (Olympia on the nature of the prostitute and Dead Christ with Angels on the death of Christ), they both contain similar and distinctive features that Manet focused on in subtle and vivid ways with realism, the shading and lighting to make the subject appear dirty, and the flatness of the subject.
During a visit to the MoMA, I recognized this painting by Henri Matisse, “Dance”. It is one of the featured works on the Past in Present Tense website! Another work hanging in the MoMA is Picasso’s “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon”. These works are very different, but they do have many similarities.
They start out with the same subject, five women. Both use the medium of oil paint on a canvas. Each of these artworks also was influenced by Matisse’s “Bonheur de Vivre”. Picasso was so competitive he created “Les Demoiselles D’Avignon” to outdue his rival artist, while Matisse took inspiration from his own work to create a whole new one. As Marcus Aurelius says in The Meditations, “The wonder of its art is that, keeping within its own limits, it changes back into itself all inside those limits that seems to decay, grow old and useless, that it makes these very things the source of new creations” (Aurelius, 8.50). Clearly “Bonheur de Vivre” was not old and useless, but Matisse still was able to transform it into a whole new creation. Finally, these are both very modern paintings, breaking from the old norms and breaking the illusion of being real.
On to the differences between these works, the subjects are not actually all that similar. Matisse creates a flowing, relaxed party-like feel that is inviting you to join in with the break between the hands. Picasso, in contrast, creates very harsh, angular figures; these women stare you down, clearly not happy that you are disrupting their time. Lastly, the perspective of both of these changes. Picasso’s women can be seen from straight on positions as well as laying down, while Matisse’s is much less obvious. You can see all the women dancing, almost as if you were above them, but at the same time you can jump right into the dancing with them, so you must be on the same plane as them. People can interpret these works very differently, but that is something that makes modern artwork so interesting, almost more lifelike and realistic than the lifelike creations of realism.
Pablo Picasso: Les Demoiselles d’Avignon v Dr. He Qi Around the Hood: The Art
The artwork I chose for my blog on Unit 5 was “Around the Hood: The Art” by Dr. He Qi. I got it from Trinity Church’s First Sunday of Advent bulletin on December 3rd, 2017. I remember in Unit 5 we discussed modern art and all its styles and techniques. We learned about the turning of the century and how artists during that time period went against traditional conventions in efforts to create their own movement. One technique we learned about and resonated with me was cubism. Cubism is an early 20th-century style and movement in art, in which perspective with a single viewpoint was abandoned and the use of geometric shapes, interlocking planes, created what should be three dimensional, two dimensional.
Similarities
“Around the Hood: The Art” by Dr. He Qi is similar to the Pablo Picasso’s painting we discussed in class: Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. Both pieces look almost identical. They both have three-dimensional objects and shapes incorporated as two-dimensional. Both artists were inspired by African art. They both have the mask-like faces in their artworks. This also emphasizes the use of cubism both artists used. I did further research on He Qi and found that most of his work follows this cubist movement. I wouldn’t be surprised if Picasso was his inspiration. Qi and Picasso’s works shared the same cubist structure: bright colors, sharp edges and larger than life images. Both pieces have the tribal African feel to it. From both pieces having bare feet to them both incorporating something of African culture. Pablo (mask, cloths) Qi (mask, both instruments). One could say these two are the same artist from different time periods.
Dr. He Qi’s Other Cubist Works:
Pablo Picassos Other Cubist Works:
Differences
The paintings differ in their objects and message. In Picasso’s painting, he shows five prostitute women in a French brothel. He Qi’s piece is more angelic and beautiful. It depicts two ladies that could be angels. They give off a soothing and appealing vibe, unlike Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. Neither piece expresses the same kind of imagery or dimensions. Picasso paints the five prostitute women with distorted or unappealing faces with more confusing body angles and placement. He Qi’s use of cubism is all in your face. His painting has a more intimate feel; the focus is on the figures and what they represent alone. Whereas Picasso’s use of cubism is a little subtler. Picasso’s painting focuses on distorted images of nude women and the message the setting collectively depicts.
This photo is of Pablo Picasso’s 1911 “Pipe Rack and Still Life on a Table,” at the Metropolitan Museum. The painting is located in the “Modern and Contemporary Art” gallery, and is one of the early works that explored and redefined art. Dating back to the early half of the 1900s, many artists began to move away from the traditional techniques and features of academic art. The classical traditions of religious, historical, and mythological images were rigid. Therefore, artists like Picasso began experimenting with different ideas of style.
In this painting, Picasso begins to form what we call today cubism. Although the title and text label mentions that this painting is of a still life, it’s hard to distinguish. The simple lines and geometric shapes almost create a puzzle of broken glass fragments. The shapes overlap, but do not evoke a sense of depth or dimension. Despite the shadows of the shapes, the image is mostly viewed as two-dimensional. There is no particular subject to the image, besides the supposed pipe rack at the top left of the painting. Picasso also uses words in this painting to make reference to literature and his patron, something that is not used to express ideas in most artworks. Overall, the painting is taking the typical idea of still life paintings, and making it more abstract. There is no definite shape to be able to identify the still lifes, so the viewer’s consciousness does not overpower their initial emotions. Instead, the viewers must interpret the painting without their preexisting connotations of the still life.
I chose this image titled “Oath of the Horatii” by Jacques-Louis David painted in 1784. It tells the story of the dispute of two cities, which must be solved through battle by the champions of each group. One group is called the Horatii brothers and the others are the Curiatii brothers, and one of the sisters of the Curiatii is married to the Horatii which invokes anger between both groups. A fight is ensues, at the expense of the women involved. This piece has asymmetry, naturalism, pastel colors, and a delicate like feel and a watery form. It can be classified as neoclassicism also, which is how it can be compared to another art piece, “The Death of a Marat.” Both pieces, may have been indirectly influenced, or influenced by the French Revolution, in regards to the violent nature portrayed in each scene, which speaks volumes. Also, the time period in which both works were created, was during a time of war. The Oath of the Horatti, was created during the time of the wars between Rome and Alba, while “The Death of a Marat” was created and influenced during the course of The french Revolution.
I have this piece of clothing from the brand Off-White by Virgil Abloh. Found it very relatable because his brand rose to fame because of the shirts and hoodies he made with the caravaggio in the middle. I had only one piece with the design which is this shirt. It is a brand thats been trending everywhere and the piece actually is named Caravaggio Tee. I thought it was his own design and seemed really cool but realized after the lesson that he isn’t actually the original creator of this type of art. It is unclear if this is actual Caravaggio paintings or if its inspired by his works of art. Either way I find it to be a really nice piece of clothing. It is different and shows much correlation within the aspects of his actual paintings. The colors are very realistic and show over dramatization.
This synagogue can be found along Ocean Avenue, between Avenues K and L. It caught my eye because it really encapsulates a lot of formal elements we’ve covered in class. You can see the arcade of arches at the top of the stairs, with emphasized keystones, as well as arched windows framed by column/pilaster motifs with Corinthian capitals. The center of the building has a row of large Corinthian columns beneath a frieze that goes across the entire façade. Above that on either side are structures that appear similar to miniature temples, with a row of Tuscan columns supporting another arcade. On the roof, visible from the ground when standing across the street like I was, is a pair of giant green domes.
Certain details also reminded me of particular examples of Baroque architecture. For example, the Tuscan colonnade at the top was reminiscent of the piazza of St. Peter’s, although admittedly a lot smaller.
It’s not necessarily clear what the building here is made of, but it could be marble, like the works of old. The motifs mentioned could have been chosen in order to embellish the face of the building with architectural forms that are established as distinguished. Everything about this picture shows the grandeur of the place. The picture is not perfect because there was a car in front of me when I took the picture, so the base level is a little cut off, but you can see a set of doors next to the tree that give you a sense of the scale of this building. That’s what seems Baroque about this architecture: the size and flair. It’s elaborate and decorative, and very BIG – all very Baroque traits. The Baroque period is marked by drama, and this synagogue certainly has that. The building has a presence that demands attention; it’s impossible to walk past it without giving it a second look.
John 20:24-29 tells the story of Doubting Thomas, one of the biblical disciples of Jesus Christ that alone refused to believe that the resurrected Jesus had appeared to the ten other apostles. Thomas, in the book of John is described as a skeptic who refuses to believe without direct personal experience. Caravaggio’s depiction of “Doubting Thomas” gives a visual aid to the story and the two don’t differ. They tell the same story through different ways of art: visual and textual. Combined this biblical depiction of Thomas both visually and in text closely relate to the well-known characteristics of a modern day atheist. So this begs the question: Was Doubting Thomas an atheist?
Similarities
According to the Oxford Dictionary the word atheist is best described as “a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods: one who subscribes to or advocates atheism” and the definition of a Doubting Thomas are almost one in the same in it being defined as a person who is skeptical and refuses to believe something without proof.
Proof has always been a starting baseline in the argument of atheist and similarly it is an argument in the book of John concerning Doubting Thomas. Both definitions of these words are similar in that they both share a lack of belief in something as a cause of insufficient or non-existing evidence. The way that the textual and visual evidence from biblical references and Caravaggio’s artwork relate to that of an atheist are in the lack of belief sans evidence: Caravaggio’s painting shows Jesus and Thomas during their encounter after Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. You can see Thomas with his fingers between Christ’s wounded abdomen. This is a crucial moment in history, because only then did Thomas believe.
It is made evident through the bible that in the moments leading to this event depicted by Caravaggio or told in the bible, Thomas stated “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Similarly as an atheist, the principal reason you do not believe in God is the lack of physical evidence. The observed facts simply do not support the existence of such a being. Whether it was that Thomas was a past figure of an atheist or that Doubting Thomas is a figurative representation of atheism (non-believers) the facts are irrefutable.
Differences
The differences the symbolism/representation Caravaggio’s “Doubting Thomas” and atheism differ in are vast dependent on your perspective of the issue. The word doubt according to the Oxford Dictionary means, “to waver, hesitate, be uncertain.” Doubt is not rejection of belief, but holding a belief with hesitation and uncertainty. Doubt involves believing something with questions about whether it is really true or not. Atheism however differs in that it’s a disbelief or lack of belied in the existence of God or gods. – Oxford Dictionary
A difference in these two works and why people may say Doubting Thomas doesn’t or wasn’t the representation of an atheist is through all the other biblical narrations of the twin disciple. They are many biblical claims that support the fact that Thomas may have even been the boldest disciple of the twelve! John 11:16 speaks of a moment in which Jesus announced to his disciples that he was going to Judea, to which all but Thomas advised him not to. In the scripture, Thomas boldly proclaimed: “Let us also go, that we may die with him” This scripture shows an opposite contrast in the character of Thomas. It shows him as a believer. Thomas was the first evangelized India and to have died there as a martyr.
In the photo above is my friend Julia (on the left) and I at the foot of the Manhattan bridge. We’re sitting at a small steps at the bottom of the arch. We’re on the Manhattan side of the the bridge, and this photo shows an architectural piece that divides the incoming and outgoing traffic of the bridge. Similar to St. Peter’s square, the archway shares unique characteristics. In the photo, the sides of the arch has colonnades that extends outwards. The colonnades only contain two closely lined columns used as decoration, rather than the church’s incentive to direct traffic of pilgrims and carriages. The column’s simplistic and smooth unfluted shaft also follows the tuscan order that can be identified around St. Peter’s square. The colonnades that line either sides of the triumphal arch creates a wide semicircle shape. The shape can be compared to St. Peter’s square where people describe it to be the open arms of the church. In this case, the archway can be the welcoming arms for people coming into Manhattan. However, the entrance of the archway does not create the same sense of movement as to the piazza. St. Peter’s basilica’s columns display Baroque qualities of invoking movement in the way that the columns are unevenly spaced and are not freestanding. The colonnades of the archway are tightly lined, and are elevated so people are unable to interact with the architectural piece. Unless the steps are climbed, people are only able to approach the columns; Whereas, the columns of the piazza are much larger in scale and are spaced out for people to walk through. Another characteristic that both places share are the tops of the colonnades. It seems like fence-like structures that resemble crenellations of castles.
I met Julia (left of photo) in high school, and I found out that her grandmother chose her name. When her grandmother was pregnant with her father, her grandmother chose the name “Julia” if the baby was a girl. Instead, her grandmother named her father “Julio” when she found out he was a boy. Before hearing this story about Julia’s name, I thought that Julia was a common name in Hispanic culture. This story does support my speculations somewhat, and is related to what we have learned in class. The similarities of family names are passed down to different generations. I can relate this influential factor of naming choices to modern day culture, because I noticed that a lot of siblings share the same first letter of their names. For example, my cousins are named Ada, Anna, and Andy. I think that many parents find it easier to remember names if they match the first letters. Though the names “Julia” and “Julius” were separated according to gender, there was a similarity between the way a family names their relatives.
In relation to Julius Caesar, he has been described in Catullus’ poem where the poet questions “what is this but perverse generosity? Has he not achieved enough gluttony?” Catallus’ syntax interestingly juxtaposes the connotations of someone that is perverse and generous. Someone that is generous is seen as selfless and willing, whereas, perverse describes someone that is corrupted and improper. Thus, Catullus implies that Caesar’s actions may seem like they’re positively improving the community, however, his intentions may be corrupt and out of self interest. Cassius Dio also explores the same idea that Julius Caesar is not a respectable public figure by stating that “most men suspected him of being inflated with pride and hated him for his haughtiness” in his book. The quote creates the image that the public may interpret Caesar’s ego as a negative influence on his popularity and favorability towards his followers. I chose these quotes because both writers elaborate on a common theme that runs through history and culture. Leaders become examples of how their high self-esteem leads to their downfall, or hubris. This idea can be identified in how Julius Caesar was killed by his closest peers. In addition, current events display how celebrities, politicians, and fictional characters in movies are exploited by their own flaws.
This work titled “The Hippopotamus Hunt”, by Peter Paul Rubens in 1615, Munich, Germany. It can be described as a prime example of Baroque art, due to the drama and tension, and also it being created during the 16th century. In this scene, a group of men who are on horses, appear to be in the midst of battle with a crocodile, and a hippopotamus.There are strong diagonal lines, which catch the audience’s attention from one part of the scene to the next. Also, it seems to appear as though there is strong emotions connecting from the people, horses, and animals, through there being a sense of danger, and tension. It gives an uncertainty of the outcome of this battle, between the men, and the animals. There is also a representation of an inner conflict between man and beast. Also, hunting during this time period was illegal, so this painting could be considered a status symbol, as only the wealthy could hunt legally. This work could also bring about shock due to its graphic images, and it being violent, and the killing of animals. This work is essentially a Baroque piece, due to it’s ability to appeal to the senses in a dramatic way, and also keep the viewer’s attention at hand, with the rich and deep color. It can also be compared to contemporary works of today, as those were influenced by past Baroque works in terms of structure, and emotion. Marisa, -Team Ares
I really enjoy spending my time inside of parks, what I’ve had the opportunity to notice more are the statues that are scattered all over them. I have seen so many different types of statues, but the most common ones have taken influence from ancient Greek and Roman societies. From using marble to the similarity in form.
While I was in Central Park, I saw this statue of Alexander Hamilton. The first thing that I noticed was his stance, I immediately shouted “Contrapposto!!” and my friends looked at me with confusion. I was thinking about Michelangelo’s David and how striking the similarities are between the two sculptures. I read the plaque near it and saw that it was designed by Carl Conrads in 1880. It is the first ever outside sculpture of Alexander Hamilton, and it is larger than life. I wish that I could see Michelangelo’s David in person and next to this statue of Alexander Hamilton because even with images, the similarities are striking. One of the main differences is the fact that Hamilton is clothed, which shows a difference in cultural ideals.
David is shown as a hero, and Alexander Hamilton is definitely an American hero for all that he has accomplished. They both symbolize the importance of the person and you can see it in their stance, their posture and the size of the statues. Everything about it just feels powerful. They use the same material of marble and the detail in each are great, especially in the faces. I loved seeing how the clothes was created, as opposed to David’s bare skin. Both have a hand bent but Alezander’s posture with his hands feels more powerful and poetic.
Washington Sqaure Park is my favorite park in New York City. It’s filled with so much art, musicians, dancers, scholars, painters and just people going about their everyday lives. I love to walk with my tapestry and just sit on the grass on a warm day and just feel the mist that comes from the middle of the fountain, just soaking up the culture and the beauty of it all.
I’ve always known that the arch was there, but for the first time, I really noticed the arch. It was standing so tall and beautiful surrounded by the silhouettes of the building behind it and I was able to see Rome, thinking about the Arch
of Constantine and how long it took for the Roman empire to spread. And here it was, the remnants of the history of Rome, staring me right in the face in the middle of New York City.
I’ve learnt so much about Rome through my Art History class and now I can look at different elements of design and see the history and the importance. It made me think about why this was there, and why was the symbol of Washington Square Park, dedicated to George Washington and the start of America, such a powerful Roman structure? George Washington’s figure is etched into the marble of the arch. I liked the choice of using marble instead of concrete like the Arch of Constantine because it gives it a more modern feel. My guess is that it’s used to show the power of America at the start and its expansion, like the expansion of Rome and the dominance that Constantine displayed over Rome’s counterparts.
Gothic architecture was popularized during the late Renissance around 16th century. The purpose of this architechture was to evolk feeling , which is not to surprising since it was during a period of humanism and focusing on the individual . Today we often see gothic architecture in many churches and buildings around NYC and the world. But, hidden inside our neighbourhoods there are many houses that exhibit this form of architecture. In fact, as I walked on East 17th street right by our very own Brooklyn College I stumbled across these little gems below.
These both exhibit an important feature , the spiel. It is a common feature used to elongate gothic structures.The spiel is the cone shaped piece on the cylindrical base. This is an iconic feature due to its feeling of excess height that it illuminates.
If you are a New York and take the subway, then during your commute it is inevitable to avoid stained glass. As far as historians can go, stained glass has been around since 686 AD. It’s an ancient form of art from Europe and is commonly found in churches. One church known for its stained glass art is the Chartres in France (shown below).
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres
The Chartres was built before Christianity and was a devotional to the fertility Goddess. However, when Catholicism changed the art of the time period, the temple was the Virgin Mary. The art was for more than just gazing upon but told Christian stories in a colorful manner that would appear to the illiterate.
Legend has it that in the 800s the church acquired the Sancta Camisa, the tunic said to have been worn by Mary at the time of Jesus’s birth. Because of this holy relic, the church became a popular pilgrimage site. When a new and larger church was to be built in the 1100s, local trade guilds and the nobility donated large amounts of money for its decoration.
Fisher, Tom, and Jane Fisher. “ Stained Glass Windows, Chartres.” France Travel Planner, Travel Info Exchange Inc, francetravelplanner.com/go/chartres/see/windows.html.
So just in case no one remember where they saw stained art here’s a subway station I frequented as a child:
While doing some research online I found the St. Jean Baptiste Church in the Upper East Side of New York. The church stands out from the neighborhood its located in. It looks as if it doesn’t belong in the Upper East Side. However, this is the beauty of art as it brings a piece of the past into the present. I found this church to be very similar to the Cathedral of Florence by Filippo Brunelleschi. You can see the resemblance between the domes of both structures. Both feature similar barrel hoops around the domes. There are lanterns on top of both domes as well. From the interior, both domes are painted with biblical art. I tried to research the structure of the St. Jean Baptiste Church but could not find out if the inside of the dome was hallow with an interior structure to support the dome like the Cathedral of Florence. Both structures also feature tower-like structures around the dome. While the tower from the Cathedral looks like something out of a Disney movie, the tower from the Baptiste Church is used to hold and ring bells. While both structures have similarities, they carry their own distinct features which help connect the past to the present.
1 Samuel 17 tells the story of Goliath of Gath the biblical warrior defeated by the young David in the Book of Samuel. David, a young man, who never fought in a war in his life, defeats not only a champion, but also a giant who everyone fears. It’s a true show of mental and spiritual strength. The biblical story of David closely relates to Donatello’s David in the Bargello, Florence and Michelangelo’s David in Galleria dell’Accademia, Florence that we both covered in class.
Donatello’s bronze statue of David (late 1420s – 1460s) showed him sword in hand, with one foot on Goliath’s head, while Michelangelo’s David (1501 – 04) a marble more heroic nude stand-alone sculpture showed him as victorious and mighty leader and warrior. Michelangelo’s David was a depiction of the biblical hero was unlike that of earlier Renaissance depictions of David, however Donatello’s depiction of his David best represented that of the David in biblical terms. Donatello’s statue was bare and so much more intimate. It was simple and told the true biblical story of David, the young shepherd.
Both of these sculptures were similar. Both Michelangelo and Donatello’s David’s represented war victories: the victory of the Israelites. Both sculptures were made to highlight an accomplishment in history. They are both nude and contrapposto statues. In Donatello and Michelangelo’s artwork, both David’s represents Florence however there is a difference in each Goliath, In Donatello’s, Goliath represents Milan. Michelangelo’s represents Rome during Medici power.
Michelangelo’s David was High Renaissance whereas Donatello David was Early Renaissance. Both statues differed in height: Donatello’s David stands at 5 ‘ 2 and Michelangelo’s stands more than three times that at 17’. The material used by Donatello: bronze differed from the marble Michelangelo used for his. Donatello’s David’s shows humility whereas Michelangelo’s does not.
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David and Goliath: Old Stories Made New – Classics Unit 2
The story of David and Goliath can be related to our Classics class in that it’s a story of many retellings. An old story made new with relatively similar social and/or economic issues. In the article that I read “David and Goliath, A Modern Retelling” by Bryan Allain, the writer was able to capture the story in such an interesting way – Football: American that is. He took the story to a more analytical perspective with the use of a sportscaster. He managed to tell the story using todays understanding. He used football terms that weren’t known then (I doubt “American” football was even known then) such as “David sprinting towards the 50-yard line to meet Goliath, … looks like, umm, an iPhone case?” He incorporated objects and narrative that weren’t used then with ones used now and made the story flow nonetheless. It connected with the original biblical story and brought a new perspective on the social issue.
In the play, Medea the main protagonist of the story has many social issues: passion and rage: revenge and pride. Her husband is leaving her and marrying King Creon’s daughter. She is in misery and doesn’t know what to do. Her social issue is that she shall now be alone and further cast out as a barbarian (foreigner) of the land. – Her social conflict.
The story of David and Goliath speaks of different social issues but social issues nonetheless. Faced with the charge of the Philistines in the Valley of Elah, Saul and the Israelites faced the issue of regaining their land. In the biblical story, “Goliath, the champion of the Philistines comes out between the lines and challenges the Israelites to send out a champion of their own to decide the outcome in single combat, however Saul and his people are afraid of him – their social conflict.
This story of David “Old Made New” comments on the social issues of religion and the capacity at to what it can do. Although the social issues in “David and Goliath” and “Medea” are different, they’re both social issues in everyday lives. King Saul has to deal with burden of Goliath and the Philistines. Medea has to deal with the conflict of being an outcast and being shunned from her community and husband. The search and overcome for solitude best reflects the similarities both pieces have in modern day society.
This is the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, it is a Russian orthodox church in Brooklyn. It’s located on 2016 Voorhies avenue in Brooklyn, New York. I always pass this church while driving and never thought much of it but it really reminds me more of a gothic style church. From other churches that we have previously seen this church gives off more of a gothic look. This is because of its roof and how it is pointed. As we discussed in class the gothic style was all about this space and lighting. The pointed roof makes a illusion that the church has more space and the huge window with a similar pointed shape in the front for light to shine through. This church St. John reminds me of st. Denis’ ambulatory at east end and Amiens cathedral because those church’s has similar designs and how they have very elegant exterior designs and how their roofs looked pointed. Which is similar to Filippo Brunelleschi, dome of Florence cathedral, it’s dome is stretches upwards making it look less of a dome but more pointed and elongated.
This is a sculpture by Michelangelo, which is called “The Madonna of Bruges.” This image relates to Unit 3, because it includes a work from the Renaissance, and is also part of a belief system. Its is made out of marble, and was built from 1501 to 1504 in Italy. Because of Italy’s accumulation of wealth during this time, which is why the Renaissance began there. The sculpture itself depicted Mary with Jesus as an infant, and this work differs slightly from other representations on the subject. This includes Mary often holding an infant in her arms and smiling down, but in this depiction, Jesus stands upright, without any support. He is only slightly held by Mary’s left hand, and seems to represent an image of him stepping away from her, perhaps reaching out in the world. This sculpture can be related to Masaccio’s “The Holy Trinity”, due to them both depiction Jesus in different forms, and stages in his life. These works were built to send a message, and also be a form of adoration. The details of the work are very specific, as there is texture added to Mary’s cloak, and the curls in Jesus’ hair. Also there seems to be a sense of movement, as if a moment in time was captured, through the detailing of her dress.
Everyone has been saying my obsession with this Korean boy band is unhealthy, but I can prove otherwise. While its true that especially American singers don’t have much meaning to their songs, I could argue that BTS (방탄소년단) is different. The more songs they release the more I realize there is a connected story between all of them and that they are trying to tell us something other than just the song. In this blog I will be discussing their hit song of 2016- Blood, Sweat, and Tears (피 땀 눈물) While its true that it is aesthetically pleasing to look at, we shall focus and dig deeper.
To begin with, they are in a museum. Aside the fact that there are several sculptures that were inspired by Hellenistic and Classical periods, there is a big painting that caught my attention.This painting is ‘The Fall of the Rebel Angels’ by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. There is a certain theme of Fallen angels and temptations throughout the Music Video.
The painting this person (Jin) is looking at is very intense. The way I see it is a battle of hell and heaven. Its intensity and emotion reminded me of a painting by Giulio Quaglio, located in Ljubljana Cathedral in Slovenia.
Both of these paintings give a feeling of darkness, as if there is a battle. They are both very intense. Furthermore, this painting by Guilio Quaglio is painted on the ceiling, just like what? You guessed it. Just like the painting in Sistine Chapel, by Michelangelo.
We are not only a minute into the video, but I already found so many things that come from early Renaissance period that started in Florence. This is all about revival, old things made new. I really appreciate how they [BTS] are able to incorporate so many complex things into their music video.
Additionally, fast forward to 3:46, the music video shows someone blindfolding one of the members, and the lyrics go:
Kill me gently,
Close my eyes with your hands,
Cant resist it anyway
Cant even run away anymore
You just too sweet too sweet too sweet
As I previously mentioned the painting of Sistine Chapel, I think there is one fragment about the painting that can be applied here. It would be the fragment of temptation of Eve wanting to bite on the forbidden fruit.
Also, the very beginning of the music video, to tie into the theme of temptations we encounter this fragment:
Behind the neon lights, we see the painting which shows ‘The lament for Icarus’ by H. J. Draper. As we know, Icarus was warned by his father to not fly neither too low, because the humidity of the sea will melt the wax, neither too high as the hot sun will do the same. However, he disobeyed and listened to his temptations and did as he pleased which caused his death as his wings melted and he crashed into the sea. Similarly, both Adam and Eve knew they shall not eat this apple, as it was prohibited by God. Again, they just like Icarus disobeyed and followed their temptations and ate the fruit of knowledge.
Later in the music video, we see one of the members uncovering his eyes, and he walks to a giant statue.. And kisses it. I believe that is him making a pact with the fallen angel, from that point he was able to see everything as it is. Similarly, after Adam and Eve ate the forbiden fruit, they were able to see truly, they recognized their nudity and felt ashamed. Not to sound too cliche, but they were finally able to truly see.
I would like to use this great opportunity and tie in my classics post here. As we learned, ancient Greek theater was always religious, and they would tell stories already known by everyone. As you can see, this music video contains many religious aspects. Just like the ancient Greeks, the producers of this music video in a way retold a story that many of us read in a Bible. They presented it to us in a new way, yet were able to deliver same meaning. Another very interesting scene that I would like to mention is the “Last Supper” scene.
Here we see them gathered by the table, with all sitting but one. That one that was contemplating through out the entire music video. He has been seen looking at the painting in the beginning, he is also the one to start seeing things as they are, and now he is the one looking into distance. Why is looking into distance significant you may think, well it is significant because he seem to either know or anticipate something. Similar to the “Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci.
This is a painting of Jesus eating his last supper before crucifixion. Jesus was aware of his fate, upcoming betrayals and what is awaiting him. Just like this member he knew something was going to happen.
So, this is the end of my analysis. This video contains a lot of symbolism, and it is just impossible for me to thoroughly go over all of them. I gave brief points that I found interesting and similar to our both art and classics classes. It is very complicated, and I advise all of you to watch the video and make your own conclusions. Do you see the similarities I see? You have different theories and analysis? Whether we share similar opinion on this topic or not, the truth. I tried my best explaining, and I hope you’re not confused.
Red Line = Orthogonals. Yellow line = Horizontal Line, Green Dot = Vanishing Point
While listening to one of Ed Sheeran’s popular song, “Give Me Love,” I noticed that the song’s music video incorporates many elements from our Art and Classics course.
One incredible development during the Renaissance was Brunelleschi’s system of linear perspective. His formation of lines and diagonals enabled artists and architects to manipulate images into the illusion of reality. Space, shape, and size furthered Brunelleschi’s success of recreating life’s visual experiences into a still image. When looking from any individual’s eyes, our surroundings are examples of linear perspective itself.
In the screenshot above, there are qualities of linear perspective that can be identified with the understanding of how the objects and subjects of the video are seen. At a close observation, the overhead lights form orthogonal lines (red lines) of the image. The light beams move towards the middle of the photo, and direct the viewer’s eyes to the vanishing point (green dot) of the picture. The tunnel walls also acts as orthogonal lines. As the bricks of the walls move towards down the tunnel, the lines become more condensed, and create the illusion of space and depth. The light’s reflections and shadows also add a subtle sense of distance, because the light and shadows seem to merge together when approaching the vanishing point. The outline of the concrete ground also acts as an orthogonal line that points to the vanishing point. Though the horizon line (yellow line) is not obvious to the eye, it meets the middle of the image as the plane where it meets the viewer’s eye level. Touching back onto how the still image depicts distance, the figure in the foreground is proportionally smaller in scale due to the distance between the camera and the subject.
When directing your focus to the subject, the woman has a pair of cupid wings that is explored through the music video’s plot. The story unravels references to Aphrodite in which we have discussed in Classics class.
In the music video, the main subject is dressed with a pair of wings and holds a bow and arrow. The video’s plot reveals how she takes on the roll as a cupid and shoots others to fall in love with each other. The subject’s act as a cupid relates to Aphrodite’s abilities to cause people to fall in love due to her title of being the Goddess of Love and procreation. The video’s subject’s actions can be compared to the Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite where William Blake Tyrrell translates that Aphrodite’s:
clothed in a dress more gleaming than bright fire. Like the moon, it shimmered around her soft breasts, a wonder to behold. She wore coiled bracelets and shining earrings, and beautiful necklaces were about her tender neck, beautiful, golden, glittering (86-90).
Aphrodite’s presence attracts and seduces those around her, and is reflected in Ed Sheeran’s song. In the homeric hymn, Aphrodite is known to be a elegant, lustful, beautiful, and graceful Goddess that is ineffable. Her powers become a strong influence over other people’s actions and emotions, which can overrule their thoughts and morals. The homeric hymn discusses the consequences of love, lies, and sex that Aphrodite is responsible for. However, most references to Aphrodite are usually the immaculate ideals of falling in love and being loved.
Similar to Ed Sheeran’s music video, the presence of the woman shows her duties as a cupid. She travels around the city and uses her power of love to counteract the dark and bleak night. Those alone begin to fall in love with the people around them, however, it juxtaposes the song’s lyrics. The cupid’s inner conflict and idea of love is enhanced by Sheeran’s song, and convey a more obvious result of love that the Homeric Hymn does not quite relate to modern love. Though the central theme of love is carried out by the woman with the white wings, her job as a cupid is not as fantastical as it seems. The subject of the video struggles with finding love herself, and has a inner conflict while she watches her actions help others fall in love. In the last scene of the video, it’s seen that she has stabbed herself with her cupid’s bow in attempt to make her fall in love. Ed Sheeran’s music video and the Homeric hymn portray a large difference in the society of today and the past. Sappho reveals the struggles of being in love, whereas, Ed Sheeran expresses the struggles of finding love.
The Quran whose literal meaning is “the recitation” is the central religious text for the religion of islam who believe that it is the word and will of god (allah). This quran is believed to be gods revelation. Which literally means the revealing or disclosing of some form of truth or knowledge through communication with a deity or other supernatural entities. As the title cleary states, the quran is widely regarded as the finest piece of arabic literature. The Quran is divided into chapters (surah) which are then divided into verses (ayah). The image of the koran above has no figures but contains geometric and floral patterns
I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art last Saturday with my family. When you walk inside, the very first thing you see is this giant, magnificent Athena sculpture. And when you look around, you can find yourself in a Roman churches like building. In art class, I have learn about the Roman architecture: the Christian Basilica. When I look up the picture of the Basilica and compare to the museum interior, I’m able to find out the similarity immediately. They both have columns contracted inside the building, and they have a significant vast interior. When the Basilica was contracted, and because Christianity was a mystery religion, people will put greater emphasis in the interior of the architecture. The major function of the basilica was being used as a law court, and its builded for visually meaningful. The museum interior gives me the same feeling of the Christian authority and holiness.
The picture I’ve posted is of the church that I grew up with but no longer attend. It’s called St. Mark’s, a Roman Catholic church that is very heavily and intricately decorated both on it’s interior and exterior. I found this particular church interesting because it has features that resemble those that we mentioned in class. For instance, an apse can be found towards the back, east side. Another connection between class and this church, is that there are multiple Corinthian inspired columns located near the alter. As well as this , there is a slight resemblance to the basilica we noted in class- which is a Christian based church. In terms of difference, the exterior is easily one of the most examined. While the basilica and be considered simple, my local church is far more simple.There’s less columns, no arches and no statues found other than that of the Virgin Mary.
Whenever I walk home on this route I would always see this tall, and structured church. The church in this picture is called Grace Church, it is located near Union Square and it takes up a whole block, this is just a picture of one of its columns.
This is a picture from google and if I were to compare it to an architecture I learned in class it would be most similar to the Basilica of Santa Sabina, except without all the arches, and with more benches. Both buildings have a long nave that leads to the main centerpiece, and both have clerestory windows that provide lighting in the building. I have been in the church once and I remember how blue the interior was because of the tinted windows, it was really cool. It was clear that there is a difference between the exterior of Grace Church and Basilica of Santa Sabina. The church is much more dramatic compared to the simple Basilica.
I grabbed this picture from a neighborhood where every house on either side of the street had the same front door engravings with corinthian capitals with fake visual pillars, and a intricate flower molding. These are of course iconic marks of archetecture that have survived the ages and have spread to every reach of the first world. However the fact that such a simple few peice of engravement was copied so many times in such a small concentrated area.
On the walls of the Delancey St/Essex St station is an enormous mosaic of a fish in a wave. The mosaic is composed of a vibrant array of blue, green, yellow, red, white, and purple stones. The colors compliment each other to create a depth in shadow and detail to the fish. The bright mosaic brings life into the daily routines of many New Yorkers. Though the fish is 2-dimensional and does not invoke any sense of movement, the waves of water that surround the fish imitates the crashing of waves and the upward movement of spraying water.
Similar to the Byzantine style buildings, such as the Justinian mosaic in St. Vitale, I also noticed how the mosaic is blended into the clean canvas of the white tiles around it. The colors The use of the mosaic and white tiles on the walls dematerialized the concrete material that can be seen at the bottom of the picture. The images are also unproportional and unrealistic as a method to emphasize certain characteristics. Unlike the Dome of the Rock, this mosaic uses figurative images of animals.
When taking account of the location of the station, I inferred that the mosaic must be referring to one of the most iconic and historical building of the neighborhood. The subway station lies beneath the Essex Street Market, the current market continues to house multiple vendors, grocers, butchers, and stores. The market thrived around the 1950s in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and served as a station that sold fresh produce and goods. The Lower East Side is also known for it’s cultural diversity and diffusion due to the prolific amount of immigrants that live in nearby tenements. In fact, the artist Ming Fay used the fish as a way to symbolize the “crossing” of the paths of people. The metaphor is used to compare the immigrants who have traveled across water to reach the city. The fish creates a subtle reminder of the neighborhood’s history, and representation of it’s importance to New York City.
This is a mosaic at the subway station at the 36th street station on 4th avenue. This mosaic reminded me of the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. The Justinian Mosaic was a mosaic in the Church of San Vitale. The similarity between the Justinian Mosaic and this mosaic is obviously the fact that both are mosaics containing people. The people in the mosaic at this subway station have various facial expressions and movements whereas in the Justinian Mosaic, the figures look more serious. There’s not much expression in them. Another thing I had noticed was how this mosaic utilizes a lot of space. You can see action happening in the foreground, middle ground, as well as the background too. The Justinian Mosaic, on the other hand, only focuses on the foreground. In fact, you can’t even see the middle ground and background.
Overall, I found it interesting how modern art still incorporates aspects of ancient art like the mosaic tiles.
I was exploring and looking around the library when I stumbled upon this book titled “Great Ages of Man: Early Islam” by Desmond Stewart. The cover of this book relates to Unit 2 of our class. The figures on the cover can be compared to the Justinian Mosaic. Both pieces feature figures which appear similar, but have their own distinct traits. The figures on the book appear the same, just with different colored clothing and wings. In comparison, the figures in Justinian Mosaic all appear the same but with different clothing and pieces they’re holding. In contrast, most Islamic art at the time did not have figures displayed. The mihrab in the Great Mosque of Cordoba features a similar design to the center of the book’s cover. The horseshoe arch in the Great Mosque of Cordoba is visually similar to the shape on the center of the book. However, as a whole piece, they are complete opposites in the utilization of figures. It’s very interesting to be able to find pieces of art related to our Art1010 class in the Brooklyn College Library. It really helps us connect to the material in class and definitely makes me appreciate the class more.
-Ahmed, Team Mars
#1010Unit2
References
Stewart, D. (1974). Great Ages of Man Early Islam. New York: Time Life.
I chose an image of Capitol Hill, which is in Washington D.C, and is the seat of the U.S government. It was built in 1793, and serves as an important function in our government today. The building has been renovated over the years, and the last one was made in 2008, to create a visitor center. The architecture also relates to that of Greek and Roman ideologies, as we discussed in Unit 2. The architecture of Capitol Hill, can be described as neoclassical, meaning it was built to resemble classic styles used by the Greeks, and Romans. Tall columns, symmetry in the shapes used, pediments shaped like triangles, and domed roofs. Many buildings for the United States government were built during the time of the Greek Revival, which influenced the style of the architecture. The Capitol Hill building, was also meant to be a replica of an ancient Roman temple, as Thomas Jefferson suggested. Marisa -Team Ares
This Fasces was found on the City Bank-Farmers Trust Company Building on 40 exchange place. It contains a symbol of a Roman man, who seems to be of high status. There is also writing on the coin, which I was not able to read clearly due to the height at which it was place, but it further adds to it’s significance.
Well it’s no doubt the New York state is home of some of the most historic landmarks. One of which is the New York State Supreme Court Building. It’s structure correlates with some structures of the ancient greek. It has similar vertical columns with 5 on each side. Although it doesn’t go all around, it does include sculptures engraved on the pediment. This isn’t the only building in the area that share these aspects. Some such as the New York City Comptroller has similar front. Rather this building shows roman numerals and has Manhattan engraved at the top. The Supreme Court does reminisce the great buildings built by romans and greek and the pillars live up to the buildings name as it brings great intimacy and shows dominion as this landmark is also a civil court.
I took this photo in front of Borough Hall in Brooklyn. I saw the columns and I immediately thought about Greek architecture. There were six columns at the front of the hall and the column design specifically reminds me of the Parthenon in Greece especially because of the even number of columns going across the building. The first and most notable difference for me was the fact that Borough Hall is not open, like the Parthenon. You can see straight through the sides of the Parthenon while Borough Hall was extremely closed off and private. It has a different function as well, the Borough Hall is used . It is described as a Greek Revival styled building. It is Brooklyn’s oldest public building, built between 1846 and 1851. It was once a city hall, a jail and a courthouse. It is now where the Borough President’s Administrative Offices are and serves as a public space and backdrop for film shoots and press conferences. The courtroom also serves as the set for some scenes in ‘Law and Order.’
The Parthenon however, was dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena and was used for worshiping purposes. These buildings are both historical monuments and both needed to be renovated at one point due to damages. They are both in doric order with pediments at the top. Borough Hall took its influences from the Parthenon and Ancient Greece and it is absolutely noticeable.
I was walking around campus and thinking about this assignment when I noticed that pretty much every building on Brooklyn College’s campus has elements of Greek and/or Roman architectural design. In the 4 pictures above, you can see an arcade of arches (Ingersoll), arches with column designs between them and a pediment above (Roosevelt), an arch-shaped window and columns setting off the windows (library), and arches supporting a structure topped by a dome (library tower).
Greek temples used columns very often, since they relied on post-lintel architecture. The Romans began using arches (and, by extension, domes) because they allowed more stability and more open indoor space. Modern day architecture doesn’t need to rely on domes or columns to hold up our ceilings, but we still use elements like this in specific contexts.
Classical architecture is very popular for inspiration when it comes to buildings that need to have a certain gravitas. The structure of columns and arches lends that kind of weight, a way of hinting that this too is old and respectable. College campuses and governmental facilities often have similar features to the temples of old because it subtly implies importance. The design elements are no longer strictly functional; we use them because we like how they look and what they mean. By recreating these ideas in brick instead of marble or concrete, we prove that we don’t need them but choose to include them for the aesthetic benefits.
This is a picture of famous Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, which is often called “the Met”. It was founded in 1870 and opened on February 20, 1872. This museum is the largest museum in the United States and one of the most popular attraction to visit in New York. I walk next to the Met very often and I took this picture 3 weeks ago. On May 24, 2017, I had a pleasure of attending 108th Annual Awards Ceremony at Metropolitan Museum of Art and received The St. Gaudens Medal which was awarded to me as a graduating senior who has completed a major art program with excellence in drawing.
The building of the museum reminds me of the Greek template, especially columns which were one of the characteristics. The function of the column is to provide support for the building. Especially in this particular building, columns are huge, tall and strong because the entire place is huge so it needs really good support. Every time I see this building I feel like it was built as a copy of the greek template. In my opinion, it looks great, because the minute you come in, you feel like in the different world – in a positive meaning. I was inside the museum twice and I hope I will have a chance to be there again. Of course, columns of the Greek template is a popular sculpture so I haven’t made a mistake by comparing this museum to the template.
When I talk of Ancient Greece, I can confidently speak about the Alexander the Great who was a king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. By the age of 30, he conquered many places which made him famous and known as a powerful leader. However, he died very young – at age 32 – in Babylon.
This sculpture is sculpted by a material that draws comparisons to the visual stimulation of marble. The lady is holding a bible with one hand along with a bouquet of flowers in the other. Also, like most sculpted ladies that relate to religion in any sense, she is clothed in a veil of sorts that covers her head but leaves her face wide open. She has a gentle yet somber expression on her face which can certainly be attributed to the tragedies that relate to religion induced art and the ignored messages they attempt to conceive.
Moreover, this sculpture reminds me of Unit 1 Foundations and more specifically, the Parthenon.
On my way home from school a couple of weeks ago, I got lost for about two hours. The walk was grueling and agonizing but I thankfully ran into a church which was housing this sculpture outside its front door. It was raining at the time but it thankfully seems as if the precipitation wasn’t caught in this photo. The gentle aura this sculpture radiates gravely reminds me of the the broken sculptures we’ve seen that have been ravaged by war. The Parthenon for instance has headless sculptures which aside from the disturbing scenery also implies that there was an aggressive force at work that tore apart those statues willfully. This image here seems like one that could be headless in a couple of centuries or so. After all, its place of founding was at a church and the book it’s holding seems to be a holy scripture. If a war against Christianity spawns then this will likely be torn apart if the severity is as horrifying as it was in the past. Just like several sculptures in the past, this was definitely made for religious purposes and its workings seem to be similar to marble. Most of the sculptures we’ve viewed in class have this sort of classical aura with seemingly pure white marble. This sculpture definitely encapsulates religion just as ones of the past did but its sheer presence is kind of unsettling as the possibility of it being broken seems almost too real. The headless sculptures of the Parthenon just emit this feeling at a stronger rate. However, even with the function and overall material being the same, the overall audience is certainly not as grand as the Parthenon’s was. This was in fairly small neighborhood that would most likely only attract hundreds a month.
This sculpture reminds me of Alexander the Great and the despair of war that has been brought up in Classics. The connection is incredibly obvious as war has agonized these sculptures and Alexander’r men may have very well committed grave acts like those. He was a king after all and combat was no stranger to him. Defacing of sculptures like this was most likely done by men of his which is a rather outputting but depressingly gravely real connection between these two classes. Power breeds creativity and creativity breeds power.
The Quran whose literal meaning is “the recitation” is the central religious text for the religion of islam who believe that it is the word and will of god (allah). This quran is believed to be gods revelation. Which literally means the revealing or disclosing of some form of truth or knowledge through communication with a deity or other supernatural entities. As the title cleary states, the quran is widely regarded as the finest piece of arabic literature. The Quran is divided into chapters (surah) which are then divided into verses (ayah). The image of the koran above has no figures but contains geometric and floral patterns
The Past in Present Tense 