Tang Dynasty - Non-Western Blog

For the Non-Western blog I knew I had to go to China. No other country has been politically, culturally, or economically relevant as China throughout history. For thousands of years China has been a hub for trade and a nation with the richest history on Earth. I wanted to find a snippet of that history where artistic influence was at a high point. 

The Tang Dynasty was a time of political innovation and artistic expression in China. During the rise of Tang rule they were successful at conquering China beginning in the far East. The early success of the Empire was attributed to its military strength and competent bureaucracy and leadership. There was a limited number of estates and many men where given small plots of land in which they must pay tax upon generating large wealth for the empire and bringing economic prosperity to the region. During the Tang Dynasty the empire spread far West after the defeat of the Eastern Turks and led to the expansion of China into Central Asia as it is known today. There was a standardization of reading material and a creation of high quality schools in the capital and surrounding regions established for the aristocracy creating a more highly educated upper class. 

The first piece I have chosen for this post is Imperial Sedan Chair created by Yan Liben finished in 634CE. Yan Liben was among the first generation of aristocrats born into the Tang Dynasty. His talent for portrait painting led him to be Prime Minister of literature and the arts. He was one of the most notable figures during the early dynasty in recording important historical events through his artwork. The piece itself depicts Emperor Taizong receiving an envoy from the Tibetan people representing increased relations between the two peoples. The painting was created on silk which required extremely light brushwork. There was a limited use of color due to the cost of obtaining certain colors. The use of red represented wealth, prosperity, and happiness in Chinese culture. Green represents health and harmony. Liben was a devout Taoist which believed deeply in harmony and balance. This is depicted in his work as you two fans symmetrical to each other and five women on each side of the emperor to create this balance. There is minimal shading used in the painting due to the difficulty to remove ink from the silk leaving little room for error. 

The next piece I have chosen is Seated Court Lady created in the 8th century the golden age of the Tang Dynasty. There is no artist attributed to the ceramic sculpture but there is a lot of meaning in its creation. The Tang Dynasty in some ways was a time of progressiveness for the Eastern World. Wu Zeitan became the first and only female ruler of China. She rose to power as the first Empress of the Tang dynasty and the importance of women grew throughout the empire. The round face of the woman depicted was considered the beauty standard at the time. Skinny women were considered less desirable and the hairstyle depicted was one of thirty different woman hairstyles considered fashionable at the time. Individualistic expression for women grew during this time period considerably. The use of green for her dress was to signify the use of bright colors popularized during the time. In the bottom left there is a lap dog depicted. During the Tang Dynasty the Pekingese dog breed showed up. They were very popular among the rulers of the Tang Dynasty and subjects were expected to bow before the dog. Other dogs like the Chow Chow were also popular during this time and it was rumored that a certain emperor had 2500 of them. The use of clear-toned glaze was also a somewhat recent invention creating the shiny reflective look on her dress which furthers the symbolization of the importance of fashion in the Dynasty. 

The final piece I have chosen is Horse and Female Rider created in the 7th Century. The artist is unknown but the region it was created in was the far Northwest. This further solidifies the expansion of the empire into Central Asia. The ceramic figure depicts a rather large brown horse. Horses were critically important to the Tang as they were used in military operations, transportation long distances, status symbols for the aristocracy, and as riding was also a popular leisurely activity. The woman is depicted in more modest clothing and a large sun hat. Knowing that this sculpture was created in the far West, a poorer less developed region of the Dynasty, signifies the widespread use of small land plots to create opportunity for the subjects of the region. It is likely this woman was a farmer from the recently conquered Eastern Turkish lands. It is interesting the comparison between this ceramic piece and the previous. This piece does not have the same clear-toned glaze which alludes to the fact that the technique may have not yet reached the West. The investment in education and artistic endeavors was reserved only to the aristocratic ruling class in the fart East leaving the Central and Western regions of the Empire to be more rugged, less developed, and much less educated than the Eastern regions. 

Works Cited 

Guide to Tang Dynasty Horses. Antique Collecting Magazine.

https://antique-collecting.co.uk/2021/12/09/tang-dynasty-horses-the-essential-guide/

Horse and Female Rider. The Met Fifth Ave.

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/42124

Seated Court Lady. The Met Fifth Ave.

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/75765

Tang Dynasty. Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tang-dynasty

The Art of Chinese Silk Painting. China Art Lover.

https://www.chinaartlover.com/the-art-of-chinese-silk-painting 

The Year of the Dog: Celebrating Six Fascinating Chinese Breeds. American Kennel Club.

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/year-of-dog-perfect-time-celebrate-fascinating-breeds/

Yan Liben. Chinese Fine Art Gallery.

https://www.chinesefineartgallery.org/master/detail?id=95

The Age of Consumption - Mid Modern

 The post-WWII landscape of the Western world, in particular the United States, was a time of great prosperity, increased liberties, and of course increased consumption. Americans were ready to spread their wings and dip their toes into any and everything this new Era had to offer them. Post WWII America saw rapid growth in the major cultural hubs America is known for today. Cities like Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco experienced rapid population growth due to the invention of air-conditioning and the influx of middle Americans to the newfound sunbelt region. The cities of the past also saw even greater growth and prosperity including New York, Chicago, Detroit, and Boston to list a few. 

When reflecting on the 1950s and 1960s America we see a change in perception of how life was to be lived. To this day the glamour and extravagance of the time period is highlighted in our modern culture. Think of a classic car and it's likely you think of Cadillac or Buick from the 60s. Imagine a diner or a drive-in movie, 'classic America', and you're likely picturing this time period. Even amidst the Cold War many people today don't think of this time period as scary or dark as the 1930s and 40s were perceived. This is largely due to the lifestyle changes the country underwent during this time. In this blog post I intend to explore how the substantive wealth of America during this Era was reflected in the lives of Americans and their cities and how these new ideals permeated upon the art of the time period.

This first piece is "monument" 1 for V. Tatlin by American artist David Flavin finished in 1964. I found this minimalist piece created by fluorescent lights to be highly representative of the cultural sentiment of America during this Era. The use of staggering lengths of lights creates an imitation skyscraper. New York City post WWII was seen as the shining star of the country that emitted affluence and new beginnings. The use of fluorescent lighting is a visual representation of the increased productivity, business ventures, and the creation of the white collar job market for the middle class. The choice of an orange and brown background highlights the hazy tumultuous past of the city. The Great Depression was only finally extinguished at the beginning of the war. Decades of sorrow and heartbreak couldn't feel farther away after a few short years of recovery. 

This next piece is a pop art painting by Belgian painter Evelyne Axell completed in 1965. Axell was known for her depictions of femininity. Immediately I was drawn to this painting due to some of the abstract concepts portrayed. The use of squares and rectangles under and next to the subject's right foot appear to be pedals to a car. At least in my interpretation it can be seen as her foot on the gas pedal with her left resting to the side while the brake and clutch lay to the left of her right foot. The representation reveal the new found civil liberties of women. They had been the major workforce during the war while the men were off fighting. Many had gained their own personal wealth for the first time in their lives. The car with a woman driver highlights the success many women had found during the Mid Modern Era. Another aspect of this painting is the use of color to portray wealth. We see bright red to depict the woman's heels. This reveals another aspect of womanhood during this era, consumption. The American woman was a major consumer during this time. Many wives and mother's did the family shopping, TV ads were targeted towards women from cleaning supplies, TV dinners, appliances, clothes, and even the car she is seen driving were now being targeted at the modern woman. Whether from her own pocketbook or her husbands she had a much higher access to cash to spend then her mother or grandmother did. 

Two Cheeseburgers with Everything by Claes Oldenburg completed in 1962 is a sculpture made up out of plaster and enamel. This Pop Art sculpture is the most obvious example of American consumerism we saw at the time. The cheeseburgers themselves highlight the invention of fast food, the luxury of convenience. This is the first time an American can spend their money on more than just a product. They are buying a lifestyle. Fast food, department stores, the television, and the modern kitchen exploded during this time period. Oldenburg creates another commentary on the life of new American consumer in this painting, excess. Two Cheeseburgers with Everything is a straightforward but very targeted title choice. Why purchase just one when you can have it all? The lettuce and cheese are spilling over the bun in this sculpture portraying the large pockets of the middle class consumer. 

Pop art piece Girl with Ball by Roy Lichtenstein finished in 1961 highlights the rise of vacations and the influx to the sunbelt region of the country. Lichtenstein was inspired by a hotel advertisement he had seen and created this comic strip version depicting a woman enjoying the beach. What first catches my eye with this piece is the use of color. The woman's hair is a glossy black with white highlights and her lips and tongue are created using two different shades of red. The choice of color feminizes her and creates an appeal that draws the viewer in. I find she is a great representation of the new Era of advertisement. We see a use of sex appeal to convey a lifestyle that is obtainable through spending. The main concept of the painting is supposed to be the activity of vacationing but through the curvature in the lines of her body it pulls the woman to the foreground. Lichtenstein has effectively taken the advertisement he based his painting off of and transformed it into an advertisement for makeup, and hairstylists, and swimsuits. It has become an advertisement of a lifestyle and sex appeal further highlighting how this Era targeted the new market of female consumers. 

At first I felt Woman by Willem de Kooning completed in 1952 was out of place amongst the rest of my chosen pieces. However the Abstract Expressionism fills the gap that made the Mid Modern Era feel empty without it. The idea of an Age of Consumption and the rise of the consumer lacks substance and drive. Surely we as a nation didn't experience two decades of meaningless expansion and overconsumption due to our new found prosperity? It is deeper than that though and Woman conveys those concepts well. Immediately the viewer is drawn towards the face depicted in this painting. Kooning uses these abstract simple shapes to very quickly trick our pattern recognizing brain into seeing the face and with it make out the other limbs in lesser detail. The longer the viewer stares at the painting, the more detail is revealed. The use of bright pastel oranges, yellows, and dark reds, and blues and an exuberance to the painting. Still being abstract the entire picture is up to interpretation and seemingly incomplete. That's how this Mid Modern Era comes across. The use of consumption fuels the American dream. An immediate gratification for the work that is put in by each working class citizen to enjoy. It is also a distraction from the horrors the country has endured the decades prior with the Great Depression and second World War. Consumerism was the bandaid that hid the ugly scar of the past and brought forth new hope for the future. Unfortunately it has its drawbacks. There is a lack of meaningfulness to consumerism, what really is the point other than to make us feel good? Kooning shows us that consumerism is the identity crisis of the nation. The blonde highlights you get after a breakup when you're trying to remember who you are. America was as strong as it ever has been during the Mid Modern Era it just wasn't sure how to continue to move forward. 

The final piece I have chosen is A Bigger Splash by David Hockney completed in 1967. This painting is a Pop Art painting representative of 1960s Los Angeles. The city we know today as LA, home of Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and the Kardashians was truly born during the Mid Modern Era. As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, the invention of air conditioning allowed for millions of Americans to move to the Southwest. Los Angeles already known for its budding movie scene in since the 1930s was transformed. Investment in the nationwide freeway system under President Eisenhower began in Los Angeles referred to as the Pasadena freeway. Hockney creates a world that only exists in this grand city with his use of bright blues, greens, and yellows to saturate the landscape and create artificial feelings of glamour. The use of squares and rectangles accurately depicts the architecture of the time period. The main subject of this painting is of course the above ground pool. Together the elements of this painting almost serve as a targeted advertisement for Los Angeles. It not so subtly tells the viewer, come to LA your dream life awaits. Hockney created a painting that was honest to the sentiment of the period. The American consumer wants a well manicured lawn, palm trees, comfortability, and class that represents their personal triumph and wealth without going against the status quo. Inoffensive while conveying the prosperity they are desperately trying to obtain. 

Works Cited

David Hockney. The Met Fifth Avenue

https://www.metmuseum.org/press/exhibitions/2017/david-hockney

Dan Flavin. Museum of Modern Art

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/81337?

Evelyne Axell. Museum of Modern Art

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/425478

Remembering Claes Oldenburg, 1929-2022. Museum of Modern Art

https://www.moma.org/magazine/articles/757

Roy Lichtenstein. Museum of Modern Art

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/79665 

Woman Willem de Kooning. The Met Fifth Avenue

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/483877

 

Early Modern Exhibit

 

For the Early Modern Era I was drawn towards the Great Depression. Nearly one-hundred years later the Great Depression is a time in American history that everyone is aware of. The stock market crash of 1929 that preceded the worst economic downturn in our nation's history is still feared to this day. Knowing this I wanted to explore the art of the depression and how it was impacted, and actually thrived, during this otherwise dark time period. 

The first piece I chose is Newsboy finished in 1938 By Carl G. Hill an African American artist. This piece was created during the later half of the Great Depression which is a theme all of the pieces I chose share. This is likely due to the nature of art during this time period. The most likely reason I could find was due Works Progress Administration which was created in 1935 under President Roosevelt that created millions of jobs in the arts. 

This piece was created by Carl G. Hill when he was a teenager at the Harlem Community Art Center which was funded through the WPA. The piece itself was a lithograph print. This piece beautifully encapsulates the Great Depression. The shading of this work highlights the main subject with his shirt and body more opaque than the background. We see the main subject is a young boy likely working to help support his family. Selling newspapers which were the backbone of the American Household at the time. One of the cheap amenities alongside radio that were afforded in order to stay informed about the happenings of the nation. The use of large rectangular shapes creates an almost engulfing backdrop around the boy. The cars are stacked upon each other and buildings are stacked upon the cars while the skyscrapers are stacked upon the buildings. They highlight the industrialization of the nation and the urbanization. At this point more Americans lived in urban areas than rural ones. 

The next piece I have chosen is Miners by American artist Elizabeth Olds completed in 1937.

I chose this piece due to its juxtaposition of technological advancement of the era with the death of industry. Shortly preceding the Great Depression America enjoyed the greatest advancements in technology that had been seen up until this point. Electricity and the headlamp were less than half a century old technology by this point. We see use of bright gold and yellow used to show the light pouring towards an unknown subject we cannot see. This ambiguity is heightened when viewing the miners' faces. Dark lines are used to over accentuate their facial expressions. On the left we see a deep scowl almost of disgust. The middle miner appears to be that of curiosity mixed with disappointment and anxiety with his nostrils flared and piercing eyes and eyebrows. The man on the right appears pleased drawn towards the light. 

During the Great Depression natural resource extraction dropped significantly. There was no new construction being created and a drop in consumption of jewelry products. There was no need to maintain the mining extraction of the past. During this era conservationists advocated for the conservation of natural resources and Theodore Roosevelt was in favor putting forth many protections and limitations of what could be extracted. This all came together to prevent the rebounding of the natural resource extraction sector of the economy. It also creates a symbolism that possibly the miners are actually one miner experiencing the destruction of his livelihood. This is supported in the lack of clear definition of lines between each miner. They almost morph into on subject.

The final piece I have chosen is Brooklyn Bridge by Louis Lozowick finished in 1930. 

This piece conveys the sentiment of America during the Great Depression. The Brooklyn Bridge was completed during the height of the industrial era in 1869. By the Great Depression New York City had surpassed London to become the most populous city in the world. The rapid urbanization was fueled by the country's unique advantage to produce steel, concrete, and other industrial goods but more importantly the millions of Americans hustling and striving to create this urban scape through their own personal achievement. Drawings of architecture was very popular during the early modern era. Lozowick had a unique way of using this popular subject to convey the feelings of the entire nation. We see a singular biker in on the bridge meant to move hundreds at a time. The dark shading of the sky above the bridge conveys the uncertainty of the time, was recovery possible. My favorite aspect of this drawing though is the linear perspective we see of the structural wire of the bridge. They pull the viewers eye to the darkly shaded bridge and its resilience during a tense time. The structural wire also represent the strength of the nation. Like bone scaffolding meant to provide shape and a place for new muscle to attach, the structural wire is meant to support the nation. The background of this drawing depicts the buildings of the city but they do not surpass the bridge. It is a representation of hope and of the gate of America is still the greatest pathway to success even if it is emptier than before. 

Works Cited 

Brooklyn Bridge. Art Institute of Chicago

https://www.artic.edu/artworks/8130/brooklyn-bridge

Carl G. Hill Newsboy. The Met Museum 

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/491482

Conservation in the Progressive Era. The Library of Congress

https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/progressive-era-to-new-era-1900-1929/conservation-in-progressive-era/#:~:text=In%20the%20mid%20to%20late,achievements%20of%20the%20Roosevelt%20era.

Miners. Smithsonian American Art Museum

https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/miners-18996

Today in History - April 8. The Library of Congress 

https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/april-08/

Romantic Era Blog

I have known about Realism for a long time even before I realized it was Realism. Some of my favorite literature and authors have been heavily influenced by Realism including The Stranger by Albert Camus and East of Eden by John Steinbeck. Additionally 19th Century Europe and the political tyranny, conquest, unification, and discovery makes this time period my absolute favorite to learn about. It's a derailing train I get to watch in slow motion with the understanding of how the events that occurred then impacted 20th and 21st century western civilization to create the world we live in now. I went into this unit believing that Realism would be my favorite unit in this course and I was correct. 

The Third-Class Carriage by Honoré Daumier was finished in 1864 France. This painting alone shows the deep empathy that is seen throughout the Realism movement. Daumier himself was born in Marseille but grew up in Paris forced to work by age twelve. His work reflects the understanding of the low class workers in France who had to endure the brute of poor working conditions and long hours of the industrial era while facing varying levels of oppression during the seemingly constant change in governmental power during 19th century France. Invasion, war, and censorship were explored throughout the Realism era. Daumier's thoughts on the treatment of the lower classes are evident in their depiction. We see the faces of the elderly woman and nursing mother most clearly. Their faces are illuminated through the window light revealing the dark lines on the elderly woman's face showing how decades of labor has broken her down. These dark lines are not only seen on her however, the young child resting on her shoulder can even be seen with these lines starting to form telling as to how Daumier views the evolution that will ensue throughout his life. The landscape is also much larger than foreground of this painting. It appears as though the richer middle and upper classes can be seen behind them. The linear perspective reveals a large separation between them even though physical distance doesn't appear to be very large. Those sitting behind them don't appear to be plagued with the same deep dark lines throughout their face and the shading of their skin gives them a much less pale complexion. 

 

Young-Ladies of the Village by Gustave Courbet is my favorite Realism painting I have found. Finished in 1852 in Paris it is another French painting that depicts a very different lifestyle of that time period, middle class rural France. What I most enjoy in regards to this painting is the exposure of rural life in France. Courbet himself is from a village in France that he chose to depict in this painting. When he first displayed the work in Paris he was ridiculed for the small scale of the cattle and the perceived ugliness of the woman. I am not sure what makes these women particularly ugly but I am enamored with the use of accurate shading. The shadows under the foot of the younger girl and how the umbrella and bonnets perfectly cover the faces of the other woman. The use of color in their dresses blends perfectly with the landscape creating balanced subjects between them, the animals, and the landscape. The jutting edges of the hills surrounding them juxtaposed to the much softer rolling hills the women stand on reveals Courbet's sentiment towards rural France. Protected and safe from the turmoil Paris has be subjected to the last fifty years. These women appear to be prospering and the less concerned with the mixing of different classes that we see in the Daumier painting before it. 

It is hard to have a preference in art style during the Romantic Era because Impressionist art has been so incredibly beautiful. My preference for Realism is much less in the stylistic choices and much more due to the story told among those pieces. 

I chose Poppy field by Edouard Manet due to its similarities to Young-Ladies of the Village. Finished in 1873 France the painting has many immediate similarities in landscape, subject matter, and time period and yet the painting lacks the commentary of Courbet's work. Frivolous is how I would best describe this Impressionist painting. Manet was born to a rich family in Paris and was deeply inspired by Courbet and Realism. The vast landscape of this work feels empty and dull to me. The use of rich oranges, greens, blues, and white fail to invoke emotion. The lines and brushwork are much looser than the hills in Courbet's work. France in the final quarter of the 19th Century is finally enjoying stability and a return to peace and prosperity. This impressionist work depicts that gracefully. There is little attention or detail on the face's of the subjects allowing their sentiment to be up for interpretation. Like the realist paintings this impressionist work is a fleeting moment in time but it is capturing the good times. It makes me think of our society today. Those who take a picture of their meal before they eat it or capturing the beautiful December Alaskan sunset. There is an understanding that this moment won't last forever but the underlying sentiment and important aspects of our lives are not captured in these pictures, it's simply for our own self indulgence. 

The final piece is another impressionist painting. The Dance Class by Edgar Degas was finished in France in 1874. 

When I first saw this piece I knew it would be a perfect comparison to the Realist The Third-Class Carriage painting. Both paintings capture this communal space showing them intermingled together. The main difference that is incredibly telling for Impressionism to me is the lack of structured classes. A dance class where everyone is subjected to wear the same attire and perform the same choreography side by side is starkly different from what occurs in a carriage. A carriage is a mode of transportation of people forcing people of different economic backgrounds together. Daumier highlights in his painting the voluntary separation between those middle class, upper class, and lower class people within the confined space. Impressionism lacks that awareness purposefully. The linear perspective in this painting with the long lines that create the room walls give the impression that there is no true foreground or background. Instead there is a long hallway room that fails to separate the subjects in anyway. The dabs of color pull each subject into the other which prevents the viewer's attention from being pulled into any certain direction. In Daumier's work the use of detailed lines was most used on the subject's faces unlike what is seen here where the most detail is seen in the instruments and the accessories in the girl's hair. These stylistic choices are intentional in capturing the beauty of collectiveness. The viewer should not be concerned with the lives the characters live outside this room but instead how they create a beautiful performance together. 

Works Cited

Edouard Manet and his Paintings Manet

https://www.manet.org/#google_vignette

Gustave Courbet The Met Museum.

https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/gust/hd_gust.htm

Honoré Daumier The National Gallery of Art. 

https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.1209.html

The Dance Class The Met Museum

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/438817

The Monet Family in Their Garden at Argenteuil The Met Museum.

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436965 

The Third-Class Carriage The Met Museum

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436095

Young Ladies of the Village The Met Museum

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/438820

Young Ladies of the Village Artvee

https://artvee.com/dl/young-ladies-of-the-village/ 

Classical Exhibit

The first painting I have chosen for this blog post is The American School by Matthew Pratt created in 1765. Matthew Pratt was an American artist from Philadelphia in the 18th Century. He like many artists at that time came from a middle class background and was fortunate enough to attend an apprenticeship under his uncle. He went on to gain prominence mainly painting portraits. 

This piece immediately stood out to me as the art style reminded me of the Baroque style. The dark background and muted colors stood out to me as traditional Baroque stylistic techniques. As this painting was completed only fifteen years after the end of the Baroque period I originally wasn't quite sure if this would be considered Neoclassical or not. However, there are many Neoclassical aspects in this painting. There is an unstrained appearance upon the subjects faces and in the positioning of their bodies that create a harmonious scene. The use of straight lines and subtle curvature are revealing signs of Neoclassical influence. Another realization I had upon further investigation was that the dark muted colors found in the painting were less to do with Baroque influence but instead, in protest to the pastel and bright color found in Rococo paintings at the time. 

The painting depicts subjects creating their own works. It appears they are at work, collaborating together on a larger piece. This is revealing of the role of artists during this era. Artists were commonly middle class. Many were wealthy enough to be educated and trained while still working for the upper classes often commissioned to create portraits. The painter Matthew Pratt is his own subject in this work, sat at the easel with famous painter Benjamin West depicted at the far left. This further creates the scene of Neoclassical art as Matthew combines the ideals of artist as a profession while revealing he himself has finally reached a status of being able to create his own self portrait. 

Paintings such as The American School create a sense of political commentary that I can't fully understand as someone who did not experience living through the time of rising middle class and the creation of professions similar to what we see today in America. Without that political context the painting comes off lifeless and somewhat dull especially after spending time indulging in Baroque and Rococo art that feels much more full of life. 

The next piece I have chosen is Mademoiselle de Carmargo Dancing by Nicolas Lancret finished in 1730 in Paris.  

Mademoiselle de Carmargo Dancing was an early Rococo painting. The Rococo style was an evolution of the Italian Baroque style and its influences can be seen in this painting. The theatrics of the woman is captured in her movements. The distinct differences are seen in the choice of its depiction of this woman who is clearly an aristocrat. The pastels in the florals of her dress to convey innocence and wealth. Another Rococo stylistic technique can be seen in the light brushwork throughout the painting and it helps create the shallow background seen in many Rococo pieces. 

As previously stated this piece is an earlier Rococo painting. Rococo having been influenced by the Baroque era is something I find fascinating and a revelation of the changing political landscape of Europe at the time. France was not an early adopter of the the Baroque art style and that may be due to the turmoil and instability of France at the time. By the 1730s and the creation of the Rococo period we see France as a world power with colonial aspirations and it having become a leader of scientific discovery and cultural influence. Rococo was created in Paris and is a reflection of the sheer wealth the nation had accumulated. It also is very telling of the political landscape. France's largest enemy was no longer the Hapsburgs but instead itself. Paintings such as Mademoiselle de Carmargo Dancing commonly depicted lower class servants and entertainers such as those seen in this piece. The ruling class viewed their subjects as wealth to be collected as their greed continued inflate. The Rococo era is truly the precursor and the subtle foreshadowing of what is to come to France before the end of the century; revolution. 

My final painting I chose another Rococo piece. Anne Fairfax as a Shepherdess by Philippe Mercier. This is a French and German Rococo piece created in 1750. The distinction of French and German is important the artist Philippe Mercier is of French descent but hails from Brandenburg, Prussia. Prussia is a lifeline of monarchial rule throughout the French revolution. Of course as this painting was finished decades prior it helps create the image of the influence of France on other European powers at this time. 

This piece bares its Rococo style starkly. The pastel pink, yellows, blues and greens saturate most of the painting. Fair skinned and rosy cheek Anne Fairfax is American born and married to George Washington's brother Lawerence. The use of sheep is an interesting twist on the common Rococo theme of painting  subject's pets. This twist is a bit deeper than the light hearted, humorous, depiction that I believe it was meant to portray but instead a satire of religious art. Aristocrat Anne Fairfax depicted as a shepherd is meant to convey her infinite wisdom leading those lower class colonial subjects along with her as if they themselves are the sheep. These not so subtle ideas of how to aristocracy viewed and portrayed themselves reveals why there was the push back in the rise of the Neoclassical era. A return of morality and seriousness to art and its depictions of scenes was to come swiftly and denounce the mockery of religious ideals. 

 

One of my favorite aspects of this piece is the political juxtaposition between all those involved. The subject is an American aristocrat being painted by a Prussian artist who was classically trained in Paris using a French art style. Each of these three nations have come together to create a somewhat of an odd take of Rococo art. Prussia, a militaristic force, heightens my conclusion of the ruling class that differentiates Anne from just a mere shepherdess to that of a powerful political figure. The French Rococo influence is lost in someways as their is a lack of eloquence that can be seen in paintings like Mademoiselle de Carmago Dancing due to the American colony's ruggedness. 

Personally I enjoy the humorous lightheartedness of this painting. The use of curvature in the dress to create such flow and elegance while being somewhat racy in how the dress holds to Fairfax's body connects me to her youthfulness. It feels as though Anne Fairfax will be young, beautiful, and rich forever. That is a feeling we might have all experienced or wished to have experienced at some point in our lives. 

Works Cited 

Anne Fairfax as a Shepherdess Art UK. Fairfax House

https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/anne-fairfax-as-a-shepherdess-9885/search/2024--style_title:rococo/page/1/view_as/grid

France, 1600-1800 The Met Museum.

https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/09/euwf.html

Mademoiselle de Carmargo Dancing Art UK. The Wallace Collection

https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/mademoiselle-de-camargo-dancing-209414

Matthew Pratt National Gallery of Art. 

https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.1803.html#biography

Mrs. Anne Fairfax Washington Lee Find-A-Grave Memorial.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20747086/anne-washington_lee

Philippe Mercier Art UK.

https://artuk.org/discover/artists/mercier-philippe-16891760

The American School The Met Museum.

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/11797

Baroque: The Abduction of The Sabine Women

 

The Abduction of The Sabine Women by Nicolas Poussin is a French oil on canvas painting finished 1634. The painting was created for Charles 1 de Crequy the marshal of the French army at the time. He was a prominent figure during the Thirty Years War and contributed greatly to the defeat of the Spanish Hapsburgs in the Piedmontese Campaign of 1624. 

The Baroque influences of this painting are an evident from the high renaissance that had ended a century prior. The background of the painting is much more muted in color than a traditional renaissance painting. The use of these darker more muted colors was the intention of the artist to bring attention more so to the foreground of the painting in comparison to that of the bright detailed landscapes more commonly scene before the Baroque era. Another common theme of the Baroque era that can be seen in this painting is the theatrical positioning of each subject. Each person depicted is frozen in a state of movement that only appears it can be held for a brief second in time. The use of lines on the calf and thigh muscles portray the strain and energy propelling each subject into motion. 

The realism of the painting is another important aspect of the Baroque influence on this piece. In Renaissance art before the Baroque era depictions of the Roman empire were dramatized and idealized to portray unrealistic depictions of  historical events. In this painting we see realistic depiction of the chaos that would ensue. Shadowing is used on the faces of assailants in order to create a separation between them and their victims. The use of color is chosen meticulously. The use of royal blue and light green in the women's clothing conveys their innocence. The white horse portrays overwhelming strength of the invaders while the white on the child's cloak symbolizes survival or a hope for a beginning once the attack has ended. 

These aspects have come together to create deep feelings of uncertainty and towards the balance of power. The perilous moment captured in this piece conveys the feelings of helplessness and impending destruction. With the knowledge of how this painting was created for the marshal of the French army during Thirty Years War it reveals the sentiment at the time. Uncertainty of the Catholic power France fighting on the side of the Protestants, the glory of the rise of Roman rule and the opportunity of France to become the next great power, and the risk of defeat and what it would mean for the people of France. 

The Baroque art style is far superior in the depiction of the story it is able to convey in this painting when compared to the art styles used during the Renaissance. The goals of the counter-reformation and Council of Trent were to create less ambiguity amongst the Catholic faith and its followers. This was shown through its more realistic painting and sculptures like in The Abduction of The Sabine Women in order to convey a Catholic message to its followers. 

For comparison this painting is Christ Healing the Blind by El Greco painted in 1570. Here the pre-Baroque Renaissance methods highlight the evidence of change between the two eras. The subjects faces are at rest and their bodies are unstrained. The background is vast, highlighted, and takes attention away from the foreground. The use of bright blue in the background color is a stark difference from the muted background colors used in the Baroque painting. Lastly it is important to mention the balance that is prevalent in Renaissance art. Both paintings have large crowds formed but in The Abduction of the Sabine Women we see a more random, natural, distribution of bodies and subjects. In Christ Healing the Blind we see three groups one lower middle group, and two elevated groups separated between left and right creating a balanced frame. 

Works Cited 

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Charles I de Blanchefort, marquis de Créquy". Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-I-de-Blanchefort-marquis-de-Crequy. Accessed 10 October 2024.

Christ Healing the Blind. The Met Museum, New York 

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436572 Accessed 10 October 2024

The Abduction of The Sabine Women. The Met Museum, New York 

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437329 Accessed 8 October 2024.

Italian Renaissance: Federico Gonzaga (1500-1540)

 

Federico Gonzaga (1500-1540) was commissioned by Isabella d'Este Gonzaga. The portrait was of her son who had only a few weeks earlier been abducted and taken to the papal court in Rome. The piece was painted by Francesco Francia a renowned artist of the Renaissance who created many famous pieces including Madonna and Child. d'Este herself was a powerful political figure who was related to most rulers throughout Italy. The painting was of Federico Gonzaga one of her seven children. He was abducted as an exchange for the release of his father. The grief of losing her child, d'Este provided Francesco Francia with sketches of her son in order for him to create the piece. 

The painting was created in just twelve days, completed in 1510. Interestingly the piece itself has quite a tumultuous history having been stolen by order of Pope Julius II, later being returned to d'Este. She then gifted it to a friend in 1512. 

The painting was created using tempera paint first painted on wood and then later transferred to canvas and then transferred back to wood. 

The use of linear perspective makes Federico feel close to the viewer while the vastness of the background creates distance and feelings of loss. Francia uses color to portray innocence through the pink cheeks an lips. This helps create an imagine of security as he conveys strength in the use of browns when painting the eyes and hair. Finally the use of color is most powerfully used to create a sense of mourning through the use of black in Federico's clothing. Shape is used in the humanism characteristics of the painting that can be best seen through the details in the hand and sweeping curves on the face. The use of the shape of the wall in front of Federico hints at the separation between him and his mother. 

Personally when I first found this painting I was very drawn to the longing on Federico's face and the striking nature of his hair as well as the details on his berretta. However after researching his story and the nature of the painting it seems like a bad omen to own a print of this piece. If I ever was given the chance to visit the MET I would love to find this piece to appreciate in its physical glory. 

Works Cited:

"Francesco Francia"  National Gallery of Art https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.1319.html 

"Francesco Gonzaga" The Met Fifth Avenue https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436333

"Isabella d'Este" Brooklyn Museum https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/dinner_party/place_settings/isabella_d_este