Pro Impressionism

          

 

 

 

 

 

 

In general, I do find Impressionistic style to be aesthetically pleasing. I appreciate that Impressionism is focused on largely pleasant moments, rather than traditional subject matter, i.e. history, religion, and classical antiquities. The purpose of Impressionism is to depict a fleeting moment in time or to present an impression, hence the name, Impressionism. I find this goal to be both grand and beautiful.  My favorite piece of work that possesses an Impressionistic style is, Impression Sunrise created in 1873, by Claude Monet. This piece truly embodies this style of art. After all, this was the work that coined the name Impressionism. I prefer the objective of the Impressionistic style to all other works because I think it is a beautiful thing to conjure. It is remarkable that these painters set out to create an actual point in time and depict the moment’s reality. I find Impressionism to be a more in depth art form than say, still work. Take for example, Still Life With Hen Onion and Pot created in the 1750s by Giacomo Ceruti. Although, this piece contains a great amount of detail it lacks significance. Granted, still work was composed to possess symbolic features, the subject matter is basic and ordinary. I do not find it to be as interesting as the Impressionistic style because it lacks a certain depth. For that reason, I find Impressionism to be a fascinating art form and appreciate that it attempts to present the viewer with an impression.

Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi, Pointing to Her Children as Her Treasures

Angelica Kauffman was a Swiss born Neoclassical painter. She is known for her historical paintings, as well as for helping to develop the British Royal Academy, alongside Sir Joshua Reynolds.  One of her most popular pieces is Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi, Pointing to Her Children as Her Treasures, circa 1785.

I was immediately drawn to this work because of the title. As a mother, myself, I found the concept to be relatable. My daughter is my most beloved treasure. She is incomparable to all material things. After seeing the image I found it to be aesthetically pleasing, as well. I appreciate the gracefulness of the painter’s style, as well as the painting’s symbolic meaning.

The woman in red is showing Cornelia (the woman in white) all of the material possessions that she has accumulated from her husband’s worldly travels. After the woman in red finishes boasting about her worldly possessions she questions Cornelia on what treasures she might hold. Cornelia responds by beckoning her three children and exclaiming that they are her most beloved treasures. Her response draws attention to the woman in red’s foolish ideals of vanity and materialism.

The colors within this piece are used symbolically. Cornelia is shown in white, symbolizing purity. The red dress depicts a feeling of passion. The little girl is adorned in pink, a color in between red and white. She is still innocent and pure, but her age causes her infatuation with shiny things. She is still too young to develop a wisdom that has value beyond material possessions.

Cornelia and her children were historical Roman figures. She was a widow who lived to train and educate her children and was thought of very highly, as a wise and noble matron. Therefore, she had many suitors, but refused to marry because she enjoyed the freedom of watching over her children. She trained her children to be moral and righteous, and to develop a great love for their country. She became known as, “The mother of the Gracchi” because her boys grew to be honored by their country, in which they sought to serve. Her daughter, not to be forgotten, married a man of great stature, the younger Scipio of Scipio Africanus.

This painting is of historical value. Which compliments the ideals of the Neoclassical style. The Neoclassical style developed as a result of the rise of the middle class. The behavior and taste of the royal classes, as well as the Rococo style of art appalled the middle class. The Rococo style embodied the moral decline of French leadership. Neoclassical art was a trend that expressed an anti Rococo style. By the mid 1700s art critics were publically stating the lack of art history paintings. Therefore, historical/Neoclassical paintings held a broader popular appeal.

Work Cited:

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=macgregor&book=rome&story=cornelia

http://uncgartgrads.blogspot.com/2008/04/cornelia-mother-of-gracchi-pointing-to.html

Angelica Kauffman’s Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi, Pointing to Her Children as Her Treasures

Angelica Kauffman was a Swiss born Neoclassical painter. She is known for her historical paintings, as well as helping to develop the British Royal Academy, alongside Sir Joshua Reynolds.  One of her most popular pieces is Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi, Pointing to Her Children as Her Treasures, circa 1785.

I was immediately drawn to this work because of the title. As a mother, myself, I found the concept to be relatable. My daughter is my most beloved treasure. She is incomparable to all material things. After seeing the image I found it to be aesthetically pleasing, as well. I appreciate the gracefulness of the painter’s style, as well as the painting’s symbolic meaning.

The woman in red is showing Cornelia (the woman in white) all of the material possessions that she has accumulated from her husband’s worldly travels. After the woman in red finishes boasting about her worldly possessions she questions Cornelia on what treasures she might hold. Cornelia responds by beckoning her three children and exclaiming that they are her most beloved treasures. Her response draws attention to the woman in red’s foolish ideals of vanity and materialism.

The colors within this piece are used symbolically. Cornelia is shown in white, symbolizing purity. The red dress depicts a feeling of passion. The little girl is adorned in pink, a color in between red and white. She is still innocent and pure, but her age causes her infatuation with shiny things. She is still too young to develop a wisdom that has value beyond material possessions.

Cornelia and her children were historical Roman figures. She was a widow who lived to train and educate her children and was thought of very highly, as a wise and noble matron. Therefore, she had many suitors, but refused to marry because she enjoyed the freedom of watching over her children. She trained her children to be moral and righteous, and to develop a great love for their country. She became known as, “The mother of the Gracchi” because her boys grew to be honored by their country, in which they sought to serve. Her daughter, not to be forgotten, married a man of great stature, the younger Scipio of Scipio Africanus.

This painting is of historical value. Which compliments the ideals of the Neoclassical style. The Neoclassical style developed as a result of the rise of the middle class. The behavior and taste of the royal classes, as well as the Rococo style of art appalled the middle class. The Rococo style embodied the moral decline of French leadership. Neoclassical art was a trend that expressed an anti Rococo style. By the mid 1700s art critics were publically stating the lack of art history paintings. Therefore, historical/Neoclassical paintings held a broader popular appeal.

Work Cited:

http://uncgartgrads.blogspot.com/2008/04/cornelia-mother-of-gracchi-pointing-to.html

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=macgregor&book=rome&story=cornelia

Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights

The Garden of Earthly Delights is Bosch’s most ambitious and well-known piece. It depicts Bosch’s prime artistic state; no other paintings of his achieve such vivid imagery or such complexity of meaning. The dating of The Garden of Earthly Delights is uncertain, but is thought to have been created between 1503 and 1504, if not later. The Garden of Earthly Delights was first documented in Brussels, a year after Bosch’s death.

The Garden of Earthly Delights was created as a triptych, a work of art divided into three sections, or three carved panels that are connected and can be folded. The three panels are designed to reveal a sequence of events from left to right, in chronological order.

The first panel, located on the far left, is dedicated to Paradise, it portrays the Garden of Eden, from the Bible. It is the moment when God presents Eve to Adam.

The central panel presents an “expansive” garden landscape. It is a representation of the garden of life’s delights and pleasures. These pleasures are strongly represented by erotic representations of lust and arousal. The central panel is purposely placed between the panels of heaven and hell. Its setting does not equal the paradise depicted within the first panel, but it is also not based in a terrestrial realm. There are many symbolic characteristics of happiness, pleasure, and enjoyment within the middle region. A specific joyful example is portrayed through the couple enclosed in the glass ball. This could possibly allude to the Flemish saying, “happiness is like a glass, it soon breaks.”

The final panel, located on the far right is where the true message is brought to light. Hell is depicted. The idea is that the punishment for sinners is that their original vice will be their ending torture. The last panel’s scene is opposite to that of the first panel.

It seems to me that many aspects of The Garden of Earthly Delights are influenced by the Humanistic philosophy. As Eyecon Art states, “…the birth of a whole new way of thinking, one which centered on the world of mankind as much as a concern for the hereafter (which was the sole concern of medieval man). This new way of thinking is called humanism…” The Garden of Earthly Delights focuses on mankind and how the actions of mankind will affect their hereafter. Humanism believes that it is man’s privilege to choose his/her nature. This is also visibly depicted in The Garden of Earthly Delights.

I was first attracted to this piece while I was working on the written assignment for the Northern Renaissance. I find it beautiful and complex. I am in awe of the intricate detailing and appreciate that this piece has a story, in which it is intended to tell.

 

Works Cited:

http://robinurton.com/history/Renaissance/early_ren.htm

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