colossus
Logan Price
English 1101
Professor Ryan Tullis
September 24, 2014
The Colossus
Francisco De Goya was an extremely talented artist who is the author of The Colossus. This is a famous painting created in the timeline of 1808-1812. In this particular piece, De Goya used oil on canvas. The creature in the background is powerful and ready for battle. Meanwhile, people and animals are scrambling in all directions. Also, De Goya uses the contrast of light and dark colors to emphasize the sky, along with the mood the colors bring. The Colossus illustrates the panic and fear of war.
This piece was crafted right around the time of a Spanish invasion, so war is not a far-off assumption of what the painting represents. To start, the giant in the background is naked, giving off a barbaric feel. He also has his fists clenched, ready for battle or protection. It is assumed that the giant is protecting the people from whatever is to come. Whether it be war, or some other harmful force, is not known. Also, the giant figure is facing away from the panic in the foreground, confirming that the people are not running from him. The clenched fists could also be a symbol for power, as he is already oversized. However, whether he is standing behind a mountain or is buried up to his knees is not obvious. This means he is trapped, or is the last line of defense. One can tell by the scene that the travelers are instantaneously terrified by the beast's presence. Although, the beast doesn't notice or care about the people, thus turning his back on them. This does not necessarily mean that the people are running from him.
One of the most confusing parts of this piece is the foreground. It makes one wonder if the artist wanted the giant or the people to be the focal point. The panic of the people raises many questions, like what are they running from and what are they running to? An interesting fact to consider is the people panicking to the lower left corner. But on the flip side, there is a
English 1101
Professor Ryan Tullis
September 24, 2014
The Colossus
Francisco De Goya was an extremely talented artist who is the author of The Colossus. This is a famous painting created in the timeline of 1808-1812. In this particular piece, De Goya used oil on canvas. The creature in the background is powerful and ready for battle. Meanwhile, people and animals are scrambling in all directions. Also, De Goya uses the contrast of light and dark colors to emphasize the sky, along with the mood the colors bring. The Colossus illustrates the panic and fear of war.
This piece was crafted right around the time of a Spanish invasion, so war is not a far-off assumption of what the painting represents. To start, the giant in the background is naked, giving off a barbaric feel. He also has his fists clenched, ready for battle or protection. It is assumed that the giant is protecting the people from whatever is to come. Whether it be war, or some other harmful force, is not known. Also, the giant figure is facing away from the panic in the foreground, confirming that the people are not running from him. The clenched fists could also be a symbol for power, as he is already oversized. However, whether he is standing behind a mountain or is buried up to his knees is not obvious. This means he is trapped, or is the last line of defense. One can tell by the scene that the travelers are instantaneously terrified by the beast's presence. Although, the beast doesn't notice or care about the people, thus turning his back on them. This does not necessarily mean that the people are running from him.
One of the most confusing parts of this piece is the foreground. It makes one wonder if the artist wanted the giant or the people to be the focal point. The panic of the people raises many questions, like what are they running from and what are they running to? An interesting fact to consider is the people panicking to the lower left corner. But on the flip side, there is a