The two sculptures I chose were The Statue of the Goddess Sakhmet and Monumental Figure. The Sakhmet statue is from the New Kingdom era, 18th Dynasty. Dated all the way back to ca. 1390-1352 B.C. in Egypt. It is made out of granodiorite. There are two identical at the museum in New York. The Monumental Figure is from the 9th century. It was found in Mexico, it is from the Mayan culture. The statue is classified as a stone-sculpture. You can find the Monumental figure in gallery 358 and the Goddess Sakhmet you can find in gallery 135 at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.…
The Silver plate of the Battle of David and Goliath is from the Byzantine art period. The Byzantine plate was created in 629 to 630. Within the Byzantine Empire, it shared Roman legal and political traditions, customary Greek culture, and Christianity. This stunning plate is the major plate of the set of nine; it displays the scene of the King David’s life in the Old Testament. The artist interpretation will be examined. This study of plate will trace the subject matter of iconography, function and composition of the work and style.…
The counterpoised stance adds an air of nobility to the “man” the great sculpture. Although from another viewing point, the sculpture looks like a monumental architecture, and you find them mostly in…
This work of art was a bit of propaganda for Napoleon. David painted Napoleon front and center to depict Napoleon’s power and importance. Dressed in the colors of the French flag to illustrate his work is in the interest of the French people. By utilizing darker and less vibrant coloring in the background, Napoleon is cast in a divine light worthy of an emperor. The scenery additionally illustrates this divinity as the wind blows his cape and the horse’s mane and tail as well as the clouds in the sky in the same direction of his gesturing. Furthermore, Napoleon asked David to paint him calmly on a spirited horse, and thus, Napoleon’s face is fearless, relaxed, and nonchalant as he orders his troops to charge onward. While forced to use models in Napoleon’s place and an old portrait as reference, David successfully painted Napoleon in a stance of power and…
This investigative essay is a draft copy of the two selection of visual arts from the Classical and the Renaissance period. The two art works are: (1) the Cathedral of Reims an architectural work and (2) The Sculpture of Slavery in Zanzibar. Both selection represents fine art work from two different time periods.…
In 1794 Jacques-Louis David barely escapes death, due to his connections in the revolutionary war. He stood trial and went to prison. After his release he worked hard to reconstitute his career. The highlight of his career is when Napoleon asked Jacques-Louis David to work for him. Of course David accepted. Napoleon knew that David was a very accomplished artist, whom style was Neoclassical-Idealist painter. Napoleon favored painting of the classical times and of the Roman renaissance masters (Kleiner 2006). In reading, we will compare paintings by David, The Oath of Horatti and the Coronation of Napoleon. He also conquered enlightenment, so each subject matter to be of a moral, noble standing and conflict.…
Painting in the 16th Century Venice was still caught up in a regional debate which pitted the idea of colore against the much more formal emphasis on disegno. This held sway in the rival Florence. By exploring this philosophical and provincial debate, I have drawn contrasts between the use of colour and outline in selected works by Michelangelo and Titian. I have also looked at to what extent are these attitudes to materials reflective of the social and spatial conditions in the two cities.…
After the civil wars, Augustus created a new, united ruling class and portrayed their solidarity to the public in a meaningful and easily understandable way. Diana Kleiner demonstrates how portraiture played a major role in this feat. The new elite, although typically related by marriage only, began to look alike in their statuary. So much so, in fact, that it is difficult to even distinguish one from another. In their “indivisible concord,” the imperial family guaranteed stability for Rome.1 Borrowing from the Greeks, Augustan semblance “eschewed individuality in favor of a communal ideal.”2…
As the humanist scholar and literary historian Paolo Cortesi argued, “attractively designed and sumptuously executed” palaces served to bring “the ignorant mob” into submission to the Church’s authority and might. The fresco of Sixtus IV illustrates these aspirations. The room in which he and his retinue gather is richly appointed. Column capitals are trimmed in gold, the ceiling is coffered, marble covers almost every surface, and an elaborate Corinthian capital supporting a large, arched space in the background sits at the vanishing point of the painting’s carefully conceived perspective.…
The piece of art I will look at of the Neoclassical style is The Death of Socrates as painted by Jacques-Louis David. It signifies the aftermath of the trial of the philosopher of ancient Athens Socrates. The trial of Socrates represented the harsh crack-down of the political changes that were taking place at the time; the philosophes were being attacked for their liberal ideals as being the cause of the decline in Athenian Imperial power. This event parallels closely with what was taking place at the time in France. The French masses were going through political changes at the time of the painting, in 1787. The King was still in power, but he was seeking help in trying to handle the debt of his nation. He called for advice by calling up the Three Estates, The Estates…
The expression on the faces of each character in this painting drew me in even more. I wanted to know more: Why? Who? What was about to happen? At first glance, it seemed as though the woman in the background, Clytemnestra the mother, is being disturbed. King Agamemnon, the man portrayed in the foreground, appears to be directing the soldier, Achilles, as he is about to strike. After reading the history behind the painting, I better understand the expressions shown and see how they enhance the story that David is portraying.…
Michael Angelo’s David was reminiscent of Greek classical sculpture. His David has a look of contemplation, almost like he was in deep though about to contemplate his near future. Michael Angelo’s sculpture was probably meant to depict David before he killed goliath and the fear he felt before he fought the giant. His David is Reminiscent of Greek sculpture and their practice of idealism. Idealism was the expression of what the artist thought to be perfection of human the human form. David stands in the Greek contropostal standing position in which his weight is shifted opposite of his shoulder, this makes sculpture look more naturalistic.…
Therefore, “David,” is a fit symbol of courage and civic duty to guard the city. Standing 13’5″ tall, the double life-sized David is depicted patiently waiting for battle, prepped with slingshot in one hand and stone in the other. Michelangelo, in his mid twenties, carved the David after he had already carved the Pieta in Rome. He carved this sculpture from a huge block of marble that had been abandoned decades earlier by another sculptor: Michelangelo took on the challenge of living up to Donatello and other precursors who had sculpted the same heroic figure. Instead of creating David to look relaxed and confident after his victory, Michelangelo's David looks tense and ready for combat. His brow is furrowed, the tendons in his neck are taut, as are the muscles in his nose and lips, and his eyes are focused on something in the distance. Despite this mental concentration, he stands in a relaxed “contrapposto” position, with his sling casually thrown over his left shoulder. This combination of intense expression and calm pose is intended to capture the short period between the decision to fight and the fight itself. The statues hands and head appear to be disproportionally large for his body, possibly because they were deemed more visually important for viewers who would see the statue high up…
The Neoclassic era of art reflected resurgence in the interest of the Greek and Roman Eras. People of this time were interested in seeing woman as more upstanding. They were also going back to a high moral tone, recognizing civic duty and virtue in people and society as a whole. The art piece The Emperor Napoleon and His Study at the Tuileries by Jacques Louis David is a reflection of this time and the art. The artist, David, was active in the French Revolution of the time and saw Napoleon as a savior of France. The artwork displays the virtue and civic of a Neoclassical piece. It displays Napoleon as a soldier, emperor and administrator, with the highest regards. There is a lot of symbolic symbols and iconography in this work; the uniform, the clock, a sword, campaign maps and rolled papers or the Code of Napoleon. All of these things recall moral rights, since he was regarded so highly by the artist. The Line is classical, simple and ordered. There is linear perspective through spatial depth. The piece is represential. The light in this painting has great contrast and controls what we see. Napoleon and the pieces of iconography are a focal point while being well balanced in the picture.…
The painting itself with its dark dramatic lighting, earthly tones and realistic characters, is strikingly similar to the same scene paint by Caravaggio. The two paintings almost scream for a comparison. The expression of Vignon’s David seems to be one of intense contemplation. As if David is in deep thought and/or shock over the event that had just occurred. David’s facial expression gives the painting a somber and almost remorseful tone; rather than a victorious mood one would expect. Another aspect of Vignon’s painting is the way David is dressed. Draped in fabric obviously not true to the time, David appears both royal as well as somewhat feminine. However David’s feminine appearance could be a highlight of how amazing his accomplishment really was. The depiction of Vignon’s David conquering such a beast is more impressive than if David was portrayed in a more manly fashion. One of the most effective techniques is Vignon’s usage of light. The artist’s choice of lighting immediately draws the viewer’s eye towards David. The eye then follows the beam of light down to the massive visage of the lifeless Goliath; giving the work of art “flow.”…