Ming Art

The Ming Dynasty in China spans the years 1368-1644 and was a time of revival for the arts. Well-known for their elaborate pottery, the Ming artists also created beautiful ink paintings. Typically about nature subjects, they appear at first rather simple until you look at all the individual brushstrokes that make them up. There were many different art styles during this time, pitting traditional court painters against emotive scholars, but I will concentrate on ink painting in general. The art subjects often symbolize a spiritual message, and require the viewer to think.

Dragon Pine is an ink painting done by Wu Boli  circa 1400. Wu Boli was a Daoist priest, so it is no surprise that the tree represents a moral message. The pine represents strong moral character, growing tall and strong. Here, nature is a stand-in for man. Although the painting is not colorful and is simple in its subject matter, I really like it. Using only varying shades of black, the artist manages to convey a sense of light and shadow. The tree itself looks very magnificent, like a man with good moral character is supposed to look like. 

Two Hawks in a Thicket is estimated to have been completed mid-1400s by Lin Liang, a court painter who specialized in bird paintings. Hawks represent heroism and these hawks manage to look grand even though they are simply sitting in a tree. Again, this is a pretty painting. The subject matter is not that interesting to me, but I admit that the work is very realistic and no doubt took a lot of technical skill.

Lastly, we have Bamboo in Wind by Xia Chiang, completed ca. 1460. Like many scholars and court officials of the time, Chiang dabbled in art. Bamboo is a common theme in Chinese art not only because it is plentiful in the country but also because it represents strength. Here, the bamboo stays strong in the wind. This relays a message to the viewer that they should remain strong even in the face of adversity. Although the bamboo leaves are simple, the way the varying shades gives depth to the painting is nice. Artists like Chiang prove that art does not need to be complex or emotional to be beautiful and meaningful.

Conclusion

The ink art of the Ming dynasty showcases a long tradition of Chinese art. Instead of showing stories to teach moral lessons, the Ming artists relied on nature to showcase wisdom. The beauty of the art is why it has survived over the years and remains popular.

“Bamboo in Wind.” Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed 23 Nov. 2016.http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1989.235.1/

“Dragon Pine.” Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed 23 Nov. 2016.http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1984.475.3/

"Ming dynasty 1368–1644." Princeton University Art Museum. Accessed 23 Nov. 2016. https://etcweb.princeton.edu/asianart/timeperiod_china.jsp?ctry=China&pd=Ming

“Two hawks in a thicket.” Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed 23 Nov. 2016.http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1993.385/

Postmodern Art and Feminism

For most of the history of art the field was dominated by men. However,during the Postmodern movement many women artists have emerged to showcase their ideas and values. One of the themes these women have tackled is feminism, the idea that women should be treated the same as men. They have used art to critique the media and the ways that women have been painted in the past. Whether or not you agree with their views, through their art,we can see a generation of female artists not afraid to make a political statement and stand up for a cause they believe in.

Judy Chicago

Judy Chicago is an artist who is not afraid to criticize the ways women have been portrayed in art in the past. She mocks what she sees as sexist art and introduces art that represents women.

Her most famous work is The Dinner Party, which was completed in 1979 in her New Mexico art studio and resides in the Brooklyn Museum. The idea of the piece is that women have often been forgotten about in art history and just history in general.This work has 39 settings for important women in history so as to bring attention to their contributions. I think it is a beautifully crafted work. Very visually interesting, the shape alone adds drama to the work. The way each place setting is different just brings your attention to how much work went into this piece.

Above we have Hatching the Universal Egg, finished in 1984 in her studio. It is not a painting, but rather embroidery on silk. Chicago believed that while Western art had plenty of scenes of marriage, death, and other life events the fact that it did not have many paintings about giving birth was sad. The embroidery depicts women as strong and powerful. the muscles and stance just radiate strength.The color red does, as well. It is not my favorite work, because it is just so plain, but I can appreciate the simple strength of it.

Finally from Chicago, we have Driving the World to Destruction, painted in 1985 in her New Mexico art studio. Chicago took the image of a muscular male figure out of the Renaissance sculptures and put put him in a less heroic setting. She shows her belief that men have done harm to the world, despite how the art of the Renaissance would portray them, as being blessed by God. I do not enjoy this piece of art because the colors seem rather garish, though I think that is intentional. The man also looks freakish, though that is because he is meant to be a caricature of Renaissance men and their exaggerated physical beauty.

Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman used art to expose the ways that popular culture and media portrayed women. Her art criticizes the way that art and film portrays women in a limited way and only shows a limited idea of female beauty. I should warn you that the last picture of the three is very sexually risque and may be disturbing to some readers. Sometimes art is meant to shock and disturb us, so as to make us think.

The first work from Sherman is Untitled Film Still #13, part of a series completed in 1978 and shot in New York. Here Sherman shows one of the stereotypes portrayed in the films of the day, that of the innocent young schoolgirl. She brings awareness to the limited ways that films and art show women. I really like this series. The pictures are simply composed but make their point without any words. The way we are looking slightly up and from the side at the women makes it seem as if we have just happened upon her in the library. They do indeed evoke old school films, which were often very sexist.

Untitled #92, done in 1985 in New York, does the same thing by showing the vulnerable girl trope common in horror movies. The picture looks exactly like a still from a movie. The way Sherman looks in the photo, with the wet hair and scared look, makes it immediately evident what she is trying to make you think of. It is an aesthetically interesting piece, the lighting focusing on Sherman and dimming in the background is a nice theatrical touch. It makes you aware of how horror movies and other media show women as being vulnerable and weak.

In art we are used to seeing beautiful women nudes, so Sherman shocks us with her Sex Pictures, completed in 1992 in New York. They are meant to show how women are dehumanized and treated as sex subjects in art. By making these pictures scary, Sherman sort of tests how far we will go to sexualize women. The pictures are very shocking, and this is one of the tamest of the lot. I wouldn’t say they are beautiful, no, they are not supposed to be. The way the people are posed and the weird objects around them are not meant to be nice to look at but rather to make it seem ridiculous. I appreciate the thought that went into posing them a certain way.

Conclusion

Women like Judy Chicago and Cindy Sherman are using art to make a statement and draw attention to the ways art and our culture treat women. These pieces are often very extreme and controversial so as to make their point and drum up conversation. Whether or not you agree with the artists, the point is to make you think about women and feminism and in that I think they are successful.

“Cindy Sherman.” The Art Story. Accessed 9 Nov. 2016. http://www.theartstory.org/artist-sherman-cindy-artworks.htm#pnt_1

"Components of The Dinner Party." Brooklyn Museum. Accessed 9 Nov. 2016. https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/dinner_party/home/

“Judy Chicago.” The Art Story. Accessed 9 Nov. 2016. http://www.theartstory.org/artist-chicago-judy-artworks.htm#pnt_4

Great Depression Art

The Great Depression affected every facet of life in the 1930s, including art. Unfortunately, this was not always good as art is a luxury that many could not afford during this time. While some art did suffer, the government funded art through Roosevelt’s New Deal programs such as the Works of Art Project. This brought art to everyday Americans. Art during this time seemed to do two things: either show people the struggles of everyday Americans or distract everyday Americans from their struggles.

The most famous photograph to come out of the Great Depression was certainly Migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange, photographed in Nipomo, California in 1936. Lange was employed by the Farm Security Administration who wanted to capture the plight of migrant workers. Photos like this showed that the Depression was not only bad in cities, but in rural settings, too. The mother is a symbol for all Americans who struggled during the Depression. Without photos such as this one, the scale of the Depression would be hard to visualize today. It is both a very sad and very beautiful photograph. The children’s faces are all hidden so our focus is shifted to the mother, whose face shows both the struggle she is going through and her strength.

The Great Depression shows us that art can come from previously unexpected places, such as the government. Government sponsored programs such as the Works of Art Project or the Section of Fine Arts  payed artists to paint murals in public places. This brought art to the public in a way unlike before.This one was painted at the post office of Mount Ayr, Iowa and not completed until 1941. It is entitled Corn Parade and is by Orr C. Fisher. The fantasy nature of it perhaps reflects the desire to forget the economic hardships of the Depression and get away for a while. Also, the focus on corn promises that Iowans will be able to make money of their crop. The post office murals all have similar art styles, as this is what the administration wanted, and were not Abstract or Cubist. The ensuing paintings seem very flat, idealized, and boring to me.

 

Jazz took a hit at the beginning of the Depression as people did not have money for  dancing anymore. This changed midway through the decade, and a type of music known as “swing”  developed as a fun distraction from everyday life. Swing music is a lively form of jazz, meant for dancing. Benny Goodman was the most famous swing musician and his work 1937 song Sing Sing Sing is a good example of the genre. I was surprised to find it because I have heard this song in so many places and now I have a name for it! I really enjoy it, it is simple but lively and I feel as if I could dance to it. I love the way it starts out with the drums and builds up to the main melody.

Art during the Great Depression, in America at least, was a bit boring thanks to the crisis and more reluctant to embrace the Abstract, Cubist and other styles that came out of Europe. Most art was either government sponsored or a fun distraction. That is not to say it is unimportant. Swing music lead into the music we listen to today and many works from the Great Depression are still famous.

 

“Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California.” Museum of Modern Art. Accessed 26 Oct. 2016. https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/dorothea-lange-migrant-mother-nipomo-california-1936

Peretti, Burton W. Jazz in American Culture. Rowman and Littlefield, 1998.

Raynor, Patricia. "New Deal Post Office Murals." Enroute, October-December 1997.
http://postalmuseum.si.edu/research/articles-from-enroute/off-the-wall.html

Impressionism

Not everyone knows about Baroque art or Cubism but most know about Impressionism. Love it or hate it, it is a very well-known style. I, personally, have always loved the style of Impressionism as well as the idea of an art movement going against the conventions of the time and shocking some people. The reason I love the style is the loose brushstrokes and the way the colors blend together seems so carefree. The subject matter is nice too, just people doing ordinary things, not engaging in battles or biblical scenes.

People in Motion

Here is a Impressionist painting that I love, The Star by Edgar Degas, completed in Paris in 1876. The loose brushstrokes convey a sense of movement, and the impression that this a moment caught in time and in the next second her position will be different. The light also helps with the impression of movement. The subject does not look posed, but rather spontaneous. Interestingly, Degas despised the label “Impressionist” and thought of himself as more of a realist. However, when we compare this painting to a Realist painting you can see why he was an Impressionist and also why I prefer Impressionism more.

Here we have The Stone Breakers Gustave Courbet, a Realist painting completed circa 1850 in France. The brushstrokes are not visible giving the scene a, well, realistic quality. This also makes the scene look frozen in place, even though the stone breakers are in the middle of their tasks. The colors blend into each other less. It just does not seem as exciting as Impressionist paintings. The subject itself is more grim, the clothing of the stone breakers is tattered and they are not like the middle class subjects of Impressionism.

Landscapes

One tradition that Impressionists continued was the landscape painting. In fact, Impressionists loved nature. We can see differences in the landscapes of the Impressionist movement and the Rococo era below. Just because Impressionist paintings were not part of the Realist movement does not mean they could not be realistic.

To the left we have the Rococo painting “Idyllic Landscape With Woman Fishing” painted by the French artist Francois Boucher in 1761. Although beautiful, the trees do not look real but rather like fantasy. The painting is also rather busy, with the clouds competing with the trees competing with the people. On the other hand, on the right is Claude Monet’s Banks of the Seine, Vetheuil, completed 1880 in France. The focus is more on the simple serenity of nature. The way the colors blend together in the water and flowers looks more natural. While not as dramatic, it is still quietly impressive.

Parting Thoughts

I love Impressionism because of the way it conveys movement and the transitory way of real life. It manages to still be realistic but also beautiful. It does not rely, unlike art like Baroque art,  on subject matter to be dramatic but rather on light and movement.

"Important Art and Artists of Realism." The Art Story, The Art Story Foundation, 2016. Accessed 18

Oct. 2016. http://www.theartstory.org/movement-realism-artworks.htm

"The Evolution of Rococo." Indianapolis Museum of Art, 5 Apr. 2014. Accessed 18 Oct. 2016.

 http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2014/04/05/the-evolution-of-rococo/

Walton, Kimberley. "Contrasting the Work of Cézanne and Monet: Two Unique Paths To Modernism."

     Empty Easel. Accessed 18 Oct. 2016. http://emptyeasel.com/2007/11/08/contrasting-the-work-of-cezanne-and-monet-two-unique-paths-to-modernism/

Revolution and Art

Societal goings-on influence the subject matter and style of art, and this is (often violently) obvious in the art of the late 1700s when the topic of revolution took over many paintings. France and America were going through major changes that were immortalized by the artists of the day. Revolution is a serious topic, and this is reflected by the shift from the fanciful Rococo style to the Classical style. The straight lines and austerity of  art stood in direct opposition to the ornateness and light colors of the aristocracy. The art of this period was  meant to provoke patriotism and promote the revolutionary cause.

One of the reasons for revolution in France was the excess of the aristocracy and royals. This can be seen in paintings such as this one, Marie Antoinette and her Children by  Élisabeth Lousie Vigée Le Brun, set in the opulent palace of Versailles during 1787. Here we still have a Rococo painting, that is softly lit, with doll-like people. The queen is dressed in a fur lined, rich dress, which did not help her image with people in France who were poor and hungry. The whole purpose for this painting was to combat the unpopularity of the monarchs that would eventually lead to revolution. The queen is posed with her children in an attempt to make her seem likable and benevolent. This did not help, as this was the last ever portrait of her before she was guillotined. Revolution signaled an end to the Rococo style in France which was associated with frivolous paintings and ushered in the Classical style.

Here we have The Death of Merat painted in 1793 by the French artist Jacques-Louis David. Merat was a leader of the French Revolution who was killed by rivals. Here we see him made into a martyr for the cause of freedom. He is surrounded by white cloth, symbolizing his purity. He is a portrayed as a hardworking man, holding his quill even though he is in the bath. This also indicates his vulnerability and unfair death, he had no time to fight back. The austerity of the painting emphasizes his figure, and the lights reflects on him dramatically. His face is realistic, not doll-like, which only brings the viewer more sadness and makes the scene more realistic and emotional.

Of course, France was not the only place to have a revolution. America was first and this inspired painting such as the descriptively titled The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker’s Hill, 17 June, 1775 completed by John Trumbull in 1786. Warren was a patriot who was killed on Bunker Hill. Here the revolutionaries are depicted sympathetically, while the British are aggressively rushing them, stepping on the bodies of their dead comrades. The body of Warren is lit by a soft light, turning him into another martyr for the cause of revolution. Portraits such as this made the revolutionaries heroic and immortalized their legacy for generations to come.

“Jacques-Louis David: The Death of Marat.” Boston College. Accessed 4 Oct. 2016. http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/his/CoreArt/art/neocl_dav_marat.html

Stauble, Katherine. "Marie Antoinette and her Children: An Icon of French Painting." National 

     Gallery of Canada Magazine, 19 Apr. 2016. Accessed 4 Oct. 2016.http://www.ngcmagazine.ca/features/marie-antoinette-and-her-children-an-icon-of-french-painting

"The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker's Hill, 17 June, 1775." Museum of Fine Arts 

     Boston. Accessed 4 Oct. 2016. http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/the-death-of-general-warren-at-the-battle-of-bunkers-hill-17-june-1775-34260

Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez

Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez was completed in 1656. This painting is particularly interesting because the setting is in the artist’s own studio in the palace of King Philip IV of Spain. The title means “the ladies-in-waiting” and the painting depicts the daughter of the king, Infanta Margarita Theresa, being attended to by the eponymous ladies-in-waiting. To the right are two dwarfs. Behind them is the princesses’ nurse and a body guard. The artist himself is at the far left. And lurking in the background is Don Jose Nieto Velázquez, an attendant to the queen. The king and queen themselves can be seen reflected in the mirror.

This painting is a good example of the influence of royalty on arts that persisted into the Baroque period. Velázquez stayed at the royal palace in Spain and painted many portraits of the royal family. Although the power of the merchant class and their demand for art was growing, royalty was still very important for the arts. Because Velázquez was patronized by the king he was secure enough to focus on honing his art skills, resulting in him becoming known as the greatest Spanish painter of the Baroque era. His skill can be seen in the portrait. The reflection of the king and queen is faint enough to be realistic but skillfully painted enough that it seems like a real reflection. The fact that he included the king and queen shows how important they were. Even though the main subject of the painting is not them, they still hold a presence in the art, because it is  their support of him that enabled this portrait to exist in the first place. By painting himself into the painting, Velázquez makes himself a symbol of the relationship between royalty and art. The princess is in the center of the painting and dressed and white and lit by  light, making her a symbol of purity and goodness. Through such symbolism, Velázquez portrays the royals as good people because they support the arts.

I like this painting because it seems very realistic, as if we have just stumbled in the room and the scene is enfolding in front of us. Some of the subjects look right at us, inviting us to join in while others look away, maintaining the feel that this a real event. I also love the small details, like the mirror reflecting the king and queen, the mysterious man in the back,and the disgruntled look on the dog’s face as the dwarfs prod it. The way that light is used in the picture, coming from several directions and drawing our attention to the princess, is interesting.

 

Kahr, Madlyn Millner. “Velázquez and Las Meninas.” The Art Bulletin, vol. 57, no. 2,June 1975, pp. 225-46. JSTOR, doi:10.2307/3049372. Accessed 26 Sept. 2016. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3049372

“Las Meninas.” Museo del Prado. Accessed 26 Sept. 2016. https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/las-meninas/9fdc7800-9ade-48b0-ab8b-edee94ea877f

David by Michelangelo

 

         Although Michelangelo is well known for his paintings, he was also an accomplished sculptor. He finished his marble sculpture, David, in 1504 and it was displayed in a public square in the city of Florence. It was originally meant to be placed on the roof of the Florence Cathedral but at several tons it was too heavy.

         David is a good example of the concept of humanism that became popular during the Renaissance. Humanism believes in the worth of the individual person, rationalism,physical beauty, and Greek and Roman influences.David is a prime example of rationalism. In the Bible, David does not use brute strength to defeat the much larger Goliath but rather thinks and comes up with a plan to use a well placed stone. If we look at his expression we see that he looks thoughtful and slightly scared rather than aggressive. Also, David is physically beautiful. In humanism it was believed that physical beauty indicated moral goodness and was a blessing from God and this is evident on the statue. David is muscular and has a classically handsome face. When we look at him it is immediately evident that he is a hero.

Humanism was derived from the theories of Greek and Roman philosophers and this esteem of Greek and Roman ideals extends to art as well. Many Greek statues featured a standing male nude. In the Middle Ages, statues were not depicted nude so Michelangelo took inspiration from ancient times. Despite previous Davids being displayed with Goliath’s head, Michelangelo chose to keep David alone in following with Greek tradition. His pose also mirrors ancient statues. Also, by depicting David alone Michelangelo places importance on the worth of the person. Despite being a story from the Bible there are no religious symbols in the sculpture to suggest that David was helped by divine intervention. Instead, the emphasis is placed on the solitary, strong David who was able to defeat Goliath by his own will.

Personally, I think David is a very beautiful work. I love how David looks like he is ready to spring into action at any moment. His tense muscles and the way his body is twisted achieve this impression. If you take a closer look at the statue, you can see the veins bulging on his hands that show you how tense he is. It is easy to forget that this is made out of stone because he looks like he could easily become a real person. Another close up detail that I enjoy is the expression on his face. It is a very subtle expression, suggesting he is scared. All these details add up to a lifelike, beautiful sculpture.

McClinton, Brian. “Michelangelo’s David.” Humanism Ireland, vol. 117, July-Aug. 2009, pp. 12-13. http://www.humanistni.org/filestore/file/david%20michelangelo.pdf

“Michelangelo’s David.” Accademia.org.http://www.accademia.org/explore-museum/artworks/michelangelos-david/

Wallace, William E. "How Michelangelo Made David into a Giant." Art New, 14 Apr. 2014, 
www.artnews.com/2014/04/14/how-michelangelo-made-david-into-a-giant/. Accessed 13 Sept. 2016.

Introduction Post

Hello, welcome to my blog, my name is Emily and I am glad you are here. I am currently attending UAF and pursuing a Bachelor’s in Social Work. When I am not busy with school you can find me running, gardening, and reading. I have lived in Fairbanks, Alaska for almost my entire life. Despite my aversion to cold I really do love it here. In the winter I am able to ski, ice skate, and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate afterwards.  In general my favorite subjects are history and psychology but I am excited to learn more about art because I have always admired it from afar.

My masterpiece

             The purpose of the above photo is to showcase why I have mostly admired it from a distance. My relationship with art is not a hands on one. I took one art class in high school, Ceramics, and the above bowl is one of my better pieces. It is more than a bit lopsided and lumpy. I have never had the patience, nor the talent, to make art. My interactions with art are all as an observer. I love reading and watching plays. Like many, I love music. It would be great to learn piano someday. I traveled to France last summer and saw everything from ancient cave paintings to strange modern conceptual art sculptures. Despite my ineptness at creating it, I love art because it is not only beautiful but can tell us so much about its creator and the society they lived in.

         If you are like me and do not know much about the history of art but would love to know more, The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a nice timeline of art here.