Canova And Rodin Essay
Short Paper. Both work are from the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. The paper can also be used for Collage. Good, But needs to be a little more specific in some areas.
Canova
Even though both Canova and Rodin were from completely different stylistic periods, they both shared somewhat similar views and influences. "Canova and Rodin are probably the only two sculptors of the nineteenth century who escaped the strictures of an epoch that looked on human life as a succession of events whose banality overwhelms all that is potentially beautiful in existence". Both artist seem to have a deep admiration towards the human body especially the nude body.
The Italian Neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova was born in 1757. He was born into a family of stonemasons near …show more content…
Venice. He traveled to Naples, Pompeii and Herculaneum where he got a chance to study the Greco-Roman art. His international fame allowed him commissions by such people as Emperor Francis II of Austria, Napoleon and a great many others. Despite his fame aboard, most of Canova 's work was commissioned by the Pope. He served as a representative of the Pope in France. He was task with persuading the French government to give back many of the works that had been stolen from the Vatican during the war. He successfully completed his job and even got back Apollo Belvedere, which the Vatican had replaced with Canova 's Perseus with Head of Medusa.
Peseus with Head of Medusa is derived from ancient Greek mythology. The classical subject deals with the young hero Perseus who beheaded Medusa a evil Gorgon who 's powers could turn any man that looked at her into stone. The Sculpture was commissioned by the Pope and executed between 1804 and 1806. It shows Perseus standing holding up Medusa 's bodiless head on his left hand and his sword on his right. The larger than life Marble has a very smooth polished finish (unlike the unpolished finish of Rodin 's work). Also it is only really meant so be seen from the front or back making it a very frontal relief like sculpture typical of the NeoClassical style. Perseus himself has a open relax posse, and unlike most other Greco-Roman and NeoClassical sculptures it lacks the contraposto pose. Instead Perseus has a much more relax leaning pose with leaves little tension in the legs and torso giving the sculpture it 's relaxed feeling. The pose is also emphasized by the drapery which also has a strong lateral sweep. The polished finish, and the frontal view point give the sculpture a formal feel. We get the feeling we are at the theater and we are seeing this sculpture play out it 's role. Naturally it would have to face the audience. Another factor that makes it formal is it 's placement on the podium which bring the sculpture way over our head, given us a dogs eye view. Also the placement of the sculpture on the podium add a dominating feel to Perseus it also adds nobility to Canova 's already heroic subject.
Perseus with Head of Medusa is typical of the NeoClassical because not only does Canova deal with a Greco-Roman subject matter and style, but he also tries to bring together the views and ideas brought forth by the writer and critic Winckelmann. Licht writes, "He was attempting-successfully-to give sculptural form to Winckelmann 's hymnal and downright intoxicated enthusiasm for corporeal beauty and for the realization of such beauty in stone". By following his own influences such as Michelangelo and trying to move away from just making a copy, Conova comes up with a unique and truly Neoclassical sculpture.
Rodin
The French Post-Impressionist sculptor Aguste Rodin was born in 1840. Like Canova before him, Rodin was influenced by the Greco-Roman style and Michelangelo 's work. Rodin 's fame did not come until much later in his career. In fact early in his career he tried to apply to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. He was rejected on three consecutive counts. Rodin abandoned sculpture for a short while after his sister 's death. During this time he entered the religious order of the Fathers of the Holy Sacrament. His talent was recognized by one of the Father 's who presuaded Rodin to leave the Order and return to sculpture.
Rodin worked on the Age of Bronze for nearly 18 months. His finished product of the male nude was so realistic than many acussed him of casting from life. Originaly the work was called The Conquered and was a tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives during the Franco-Prussian War. Also, it orginally had a lance which was held on left arm. During 1877 the sculpture was shown in the Salon without the Lance and was renaimed Age of Bronze. Unlike Canova, Rodin worked from observation. He hired a young soldier to model. Also unlike Canova who imagined calm, idealized heroes. Rodin presented a ordinary looking man with a natural reaslistic poses.
Like Canova he has chosen a young warrior as his subject.
Also like Canova his subject is in the nude. Rodin 's bronze sclupture is on our ground level. Also unlike Canova 's Pereus Rodin 's work interacts more with it 's space and the viewer. In fact this sculpture was modeled in the round, Rodin said the following about it, "When I begin a figure, I first look at the front, the back, the two profiles of right and left, that is, their countours from four angles; then, with clay, I arrange the large mass as see it and as exactly as posible. Then I do the intermediate perpectives, giving the three-quarter profiles; successively turning my clay and my model, I compare and refine them." We defenetly feel the need to walk around. The placement on the sculptureo n our ground level and the realistic rendering gives a intimate fealing of interaction with the scupture. Also Rodin 's work has a unfinished quality. This quality gives the the sculpture a informal feel.
Rodin 's work was typical of the Post-impressionistic era becouse it deals with realism. Rodin said the fallowing about his work: "I obey Nature in everything, and I never pretend to command her. My only ambition is to be servilely faithful to
her."
Both Canova and Rodin where influenced by the art of Michelangelo and the Greco-Roman. Canova and Rodin traveled and in Conova 's case lived in Italy where surely they must have come in contact with both the art of Michelangelo and the Greco-Roman. In Rodin 's case works like Michelangelo 's Dying Slave Rodin claimed to "..have freed himself from academicism."
1. Fred Licht, Canova, (New York: Abbville Press, 1983,) p.12.
2. Fred Licht, Canova, (New York: Abbville Press, 1983,) p.11
.
3. Fred Licht, Canova, (New York: Abbville Press, 1983,) p.11.
4. John L. Tancock, The Sculptures of Auguste Rodin. (Philadelphia: Phila. Museum of Art, 1976) p.20.
5.John L. Tancock, The Sculptures of Auguste Rodin, (Philadelphia: Phila. Museum of Art, 1976) p.348.
Bibliography
1. Elsen, Albert, Rodin rediscovered, New York: New York Graphics Society, 1981.
2. Golwater, Robert, Symbolism, New York: Harper & Row, 1979.
3. Gowing, Lawrence, A Biographical Dictionary of Artist, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc, 1983.
4. Janson, H.W. , History of Art, New York: Prentice Hall, 1995.
5. Licht, Fred, Canova, New York: Abbeville Press, 1983.
6. Stokstad, Marilyn, Art History, New Jersey: prentice Hall, 1995.
7. Tancock, John The Sculptures of Auguste Rodin, Philadelphia: Phila. Museum of Art, 1976.
.
Canova
Even though both Canova and Rodin were from completely different stylistic periods, they both shared somewhat similar views and influences. "Canova and Rodin are probably the only two sculptors of the nineteenth century who escaped the strictures of an epoch that looked on human life as a succession of events whose banality overwhelms all that is potentially beautiful in existence". Both artist seem to have a deep admiration towards the human body especially the nude body.
The Italian Neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova was born in 1757. He was born into a family of stonemasons near …show more content…
Venice. He traveled to Naples, Pompeii and Herculaneum where he got a chance to study the Greco-Roman art. His international fame allowed him commissions by such people as Emperor Francis II of Austria, Napoleon and a great many others. Despite his fame aboard, most of Canova 's work was commissioned by the Pope. He served as a representative of the Pope in France. He was task with persuading the French government to give back many of the works that had been stolen from the Vatican during the war. He successfully completed his job and even got back Apollo Belvedere, which the Vatican had replaced with Canova 's Perseus with Head of Medusa.
Peseus with Head of Medusa is derived from ancient Greek mythology. The classical subject deals with the young hero Perseus who beheaded Medusa a evil Gorgon who 's powers could turn any man that looked at her into stone. The Sculpture was commissioned by the Pope and executed between 1804 and 1806. It shows Perseus standing holding up Medusa 's bodiless head on his left hand and his sword on his right. The larger than life Marble has a very smooth polished finish (unlike the unpolished finish of Rodin 's work). Also it is only really meant so be seen from the front or back making it a very frontal relief like sculpture typical of the NeoClassical style. Perseus himself has a open relax posse, and unlike most other Greco-Roman and NeoClassical sculptures it lacks the contraposto pose. Instead Perseus has a much more relax leaning pose with leaves little tension in the legs and torso giving the sculpture it 's relaxed feeling. The pose is also emphasized by the drapery which also has a strong lateral sweep. The polished finish, and the frontal view point give the sculpture a formal feel. We get the feeling we are at the theater and we are seeing this sculpture play out it 's role. Naturally it would have to face the audience. Another factor that makes it formal is it 's placement on the podium which bring the sculpture way over our head, given us a dogs eye view. Also the placement of the sculpture on the podium add a dominating feel to Perseus it also adds nobility to Canova 's already heroic subject.
Perseus with Head of Medusa is typical of the NeoClassical because not only does Canova deal with a Greco-Roman subject matter and style, but he also tries to bring together the views and ideas brought forth by the writer and critic Winckelmann. Licht writes, "He was attempting-successfully-to give sculptural form to Winckelmann 's hymnal and downright intoxicated enthusiasm for corporeal beauty and for the realization of such beauty in stone". By following his own influences such as Michelangelo and trying to move away from just making a copy, Conova comes up with a unique and truly Neoclassical sculpture.
Rodin
The French Post-Impressionist sculptor Aguste Rodin was born in 1840. Like Canova before him, Rodin was influenced by the Greco-Roman style and Michelangelo 's work. Rodin 's fame did not come until much later in his career. In fact early in his career he tried to apply to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. He was rejected on three consecutive counts. Rodin abandoned sculpture for a short while after his sister 's death. During this time he entered the religious order of the Fathers of the Holy Sacrament. His talent was recognized by one of the Father 's who presuaded Rodin to leave the Order and return to sculpture.
Rodin worked on the Age of Bronze for nearly 18 months. His finished product of the male nude was so realistic than many acussed him of casting from life. Originaly the work was called The Conquered and was a tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives during the Franco-Prussian War. Also, it orginally had a lance which was held on left arm. During 1877 the sculpture was shown in the Salon without the Lance and was renaimed Age of Bronze. Unlike Canova, Rodin worked from observation. He hired a young soldier to model. Also unlike Canova who imagined calm, idealized heroes. Rodin presented a ordinary looking man with a natural reaslistic poses.
Like Canova he has chosen a young warrior as his subject.
Also like Canova his subject is in the nude. Rodin 's bronze sclupture is on our ground level. Also unlike Canova 's Pereus Rodin 's work interacts more with it 's space and the viewer. In fact this sculpture was modeled in the round, Rodin said the following about it, "When I begin a figure, I first look at the front, the back, the two profiles of right and left, that is, their countours from four angles; then, with clay, I arrange the large mass as see it and as exactly as posible. Then I do the intermediate perpectives, giving the three-quarter profiles; successively turning my clay and my model, I compare and refine them." We defenetly feel the need to walk around. The placement on the sculptureo n our ground level and the realistic rendering gives a intimate fealing of interaction with the scupture. Also Rodin 's work has a unfinished quality. This quality gives the the sculpture a informal feel.
Rodin 's work was typical of the Post-impressionistic era becouse it deals with realism. Rodin said the fallowing about his work: "I obey Nature in everything, and I never pretend to command her. My only ambition is to be servilely faithful to
her."
Both Canova and Rodin where influenced by the art of Michelangelo and the Greco-Roman. Canova and Rodin traveled and in Conova 's case lived in Italy where surely they must have come in contact with both the art of Michelangelo and the Greco-Roman. In Rodin 's case works like Michelangelo 's Dying Slave Rodin claimed to "..have freed himself from academicism."
1. Fred Licht, Canova, (New York: Abbville Press, 1983,) p.12.
2. Fred Licht, Canova, (New York: Abbville Press, 1983,) p.11
.
3. Fred Licht, Canova, (New York: Abbville Press, 1983,) p.11.
4. John L. Tancock, The Sculptures of Auguste Rodin. (Philadelphia: Phila. Museum of Art, 1976) p.20.
5.John L. Tancock, The Sculptures of Auguste Rodin, (Philadelphia: Phila. Museum of Art, 1976) p.348.
Bibliography
1. Elsen, Albert, Rodin rediscovered, New York: New York Graphics Society, 1981.
2. Golwater, Robert, Symbolism, New York: Harper & Row, 1979.
3. Gowing, Lawrence, A Biographical Dictionary of Artist, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc, 1983.
4. Janson, H.W. , History of Art, New York: Prentice Hall, 1995.
5. Licht, Fred, Canova, New York: Abbeville Press, 1983.
6. Stokstad, Marilyn, Art History, New Jersey: prentice Hall, 1995.
7. Tancock, John The Sculptures of Auguste Rodin, Philadelphia: Phila. Museum of Art, 1976.
.