Fine Art - Social Class as Seen Through Art from the Renaissance and the Great Depression - Research Paper Example

?Fine Art - Social as Seen Through Art from the Renaissance and the Great Depression Introduction Renaissance period and the era of Great Depression were two junctures in history where works of art underwent a cultural shift, and also were created with a new vigor. The art of both these periods was defined and determined by existing and evolving class relations, along with many other factors, though in different ways. The renaissance art carried the political and ideological messages of an emerging capitalist society while the art of the great depression showed a dissillusionment with capitalism and moved towards leftist ideology in hope of building a better world. But as both these periods introduced sea changes in the existing social patterns, the works of art of both these peiods were also a balancing act between hope and despair. Morover, they were a balancing act between the tastes of the dominant and the oppressed classes- more so the art of the great depression era. This is evident when the works of art of thes periods, as against the socio-economic backgrounds, are examined. During the renaissance art period, a fuedal social system was just about to transform into a capitalist society. But during the great depression, capitalism was already the norm though people were realizing for the first time in history, that all the hopes ensued by capitalism were after all not that real. The audience-Renaissance Art It has been observed that, “the art public of the Renaissance consists of the urban middle class and the court society of the residences” (Hauser, 6). This was because these groups in the society were the ones who had a say in matters of power. The working class consisted mainly of agricultural laborers and craftsmen who had no role in the political processes of the society. Art was unaffordable luxury for them. And the consequence of this situation has been that the renaissance art mostly catered to the elite and urban middle class tastes. On the one hand, the renaissance art assimilated elements of Gothic style which was the preferred style of the courtly elite and on the other it also partially reflected the “realism and rationalism of the (urban) middle class” (Hauser, 6). Starting from aristocratic premises, and evolving into middle class representations, the art of this period also developed itself into a preamble to capitalist views on life and creative expression. Renaissance art mainly decorated the mansions of kings and elites and also the wealthy churches (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou). For example, Jean Hey was entrusted with the task of decorating the Bourbon Court of France (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou, 14). The other side of this social phenomenon was that there was always a “level of material wealth that might afford one work of art but not another” (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou, 14). And what naturally followed was that artists were prompted to create an elite class art under the aegis of their patrons. The audience-Great Depression Art When it comes to the art of the great depression period, the situation was totally opposite to what has been said above. It can be seen that “many artists became disillusioned with capitalism- the U.S. economic system- and turned to left-wing politics” (Damon, 14). And above all, many artists even used their art to support the proletariat class (Damon, 14). For example, Guglielmi, who was a renowned painter, was very much vocal in his support of the working class and his painting, ‘The Relief Blues’, showed a an urban family signing up to get relief funds from the government (Guglielmi). By following the path of realism, art could thus win a big audience including the working class and art became more appealing to the masses in this period. Murals, photographs and posters became popular and they created an interface between art and craftsmanship (Doss). The Artist- Renaissance Period In renaissance art, artists showed a tendency to revive the feudal values through rejuvenating classical art from history. The sculpture, ‘David’, by Michelangelo has been an example to this attraction to classicism (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou, 82). Also, the artists were highly patronized by the elite classes. Art was used by these patrons to highlight their class prestige and this was why it was observed that “for a king like Charles VIII, the choice of art form- and the use to which that art was put- was a matter of what was deemed appropriate for rulers in comparison with other social classes” (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou, 14). Similarly, “art such as tapestries and goldsmiths’ work was essential to (King) Philip’s display of magnificence” (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou, 14). In totality, the impression was that “artists … could play an essential part in the creation of a royal image of wealth and power” and hence art was made the servant-maid of the dominant class (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou, 14). Towards the end of the renaissance period, art began to cater to the urban middle class as well. For example, it has been viewed that the art of painters like Masaccio and Donatello, was really “the art of a new heroic period in the development of capitalism, of a new epoch of conquest” (Hauser, 6). The manifestation of this new era can be seen in the confident, realistic and optimistic naturalism of the paintings of this period (Hauser, 6). This was in contrast to the prevalent “sentimentalism,” “playful exuberance of the forms” and the “calligraphic” influence that were very much visible in the mideaval art (Hauser, 6). The Artist-Great Depression Period During the years of Great Depression, a change in the art scene was that private patronage for artists became a thing of the past (Doss, 98). As a result, the market of paintings became almost non-existent (Doss, 98). This brought about a major shift in the class preferences of artist as a creator as well as a worker. But soon, with the onset of the the New Deal, government became the greatest patron of art (Doss, 98). One result of this change was manifested in the use of murals and graphical posters created by artists to promote government welfare schemes (Doss, 98). One such poster was about the rural electrification depicting a bright light bulb lighting up a small home (Doss, 98). Such posters reflected a socialist ideology envisaging the equal distribution of wealth and facilities to the masses. The mural, ‘Jersey Homesteads’, painted by Ben Shahn was also thematically the same (Doss, 99). By “employing more than 12,000 artists”, the government during the Great Depression, changed the very demography of the artists by giving opportunities to artists from working class and ethnic minorities (Doss, 99). In the art of renaissance, a recurring theme has been the magnificence of wealth and power. For example, in the painting, ‘The Wedding Banquet of Nastagio Degli Onesti’, by Sandro Boticelli, the upper class feasting has been made into a visual spectacle (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou, 23). The fresco decorations of the Sassetti Chapel in Florence, is another example of the display of wealth in art (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou, 39). Here, even at a casual viewing, the observer will be aware of the wealth that made possible such a fabulous work of art (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou, 39). Similarly, the fresco, ‘The Confirmation of the Rule of Saint Francis’, has gives undue importance to the family lineage of the donor, Francesco Sassetti and his wealth (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou, 39-40). But in the art of great depression, a working class criticism of the values hitherto held sacred by the society can be seen. For example, The most famous painting of great depression, the ‘American Gothic’ painted by Grant Wood mocked the much celebrated Iowan simplicity (Mamon, 25). In this painting, by visualizing a midwestern farmer and his daughter, Wood presented a criticism of the colonial culture itself which was the foundation stone of America (Damon, 25). The artists were inspired by the imagery of the masses and the working class and the existing American icons like sky-scrapers and big industrial chimneys faded away (Doss, 97). The ordinary lives of the people became the greatest theme for art. The mural, ‘Harvest’, painted by Louise Ronnebeck was a typical example of this new trend (as cited by Doss, 97). Isabel Bishop painted the working class people in a very realist manner, in the painting, ‘On The Street.’ (as cited by Doss, 104). Dorothea Lange’s ‘Migrant Mother’, was yet another depiction of the oppressed class (as cited by Doss, 106). Hope and despair were common themes in both renaissance art and the art of great depression but the nature of that hope and despair was different in these two historical situations. The religious paintings and frescos of renaissance showed “the hope of a … glorious afterlife” while, the secular ones showed a Florentine hope in the powers of the new republic (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou, 214, 82). For example, ‘The Tabernacle of Fonticine’, by Giovanni Della Robbia, is a solid expression of hope in the salvation of man” (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou, 87). The sculpture, ‘David’, by Michelangelo, for example has been celebrated as an icon of the “republican identity” of Florence (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou, 82). It can be inferred that this kind of hope (and despair on the opposite end) is a typical expression of an emerging bourgeois middle class. In the depression era also hope and despair prevailed in art. For example, The film, ‘Gold Diggers’, was an artistic work that reflected the hopes of the ‘Great Depression’ society. The painting, ‘Tornado Over Cansas’, was yet another work of art that reflected both hope and despair that accompanied these times (as cited by Damon, 24). It was the picturization of a family trying to escape the gathering tornado on the horizon (as cited by Damon, 25). The painting showed the magnitude of the forthcoming danger and the fear-filled faces of the victims, but also expressed the human determination to surpass dangers and challenges (as cited by Damon, 25). Another painting that was filled with the general despair that infested the entire society was ‘The Park Bench’, by Reginald Marsh, which showed the great leveling done by the depression- upper class an lower class people sitting crammed together on a park bench without knowing what to do or how to survive (as cited by Doss, 104). The mural, ‘City Building’, was a visualization that celebrated “the energy and vitality of American workers” with great hope and confidence in the future (as cited by Doss, 110). Conclusion From the above discussion, it can be seen that art has fulfilled its class functions in whatever the historic situation. In the renaissance era, art prompted the artist to fill the audience with the awe for the past and hope of a new future. This social position could easily be attributed to the value system of the emerging capitalist class which celebrates the past and gives false hopes about the future. In contrast to this, the art of the Great Depression period, was more aware of social realities and tried to show reality in its purity. It became a catalyst to the evolving working class politics. The hope that was promoted by this art was more rooted in the hopes of the masses. Abstract The renaissance art and the art of the Great Depression era have been diametrically opposite to each other as far as their class affinities and expressions were concernced. Renaissance art promoted the feudal and emerging capitalist values while depression era art stood for the working class aspirations. During renaissance, the audience of art was elite and urban middle class, the artist was patronized by the elite, and art depicted wealth, power, dominant class ideology, and hopes which had no roots in history. On the contrary, the depression era art had a considerable working class audience, the artists of that period was patronized by the federal government and the art of that times reflected working class ethos and hope for a more equal society. Outline I. Thesis statement- The renaissance art carried the political and ideological messages of an emerging capitalist society while the art of the great depression showed a dissillusionment with capitalism and moved towards leftist ideology in hope of building a better world. II. First argument in support of thesis- The renaissance audience were upper class while a great portion of depression era audience were working class. Discussion for A- During the renaissance art period, fuedal social system was about to transform into a capitalist society. Only elite and urban middle class had a say in matters of power. The working class consisted mainly of agricultural laborers and craftsmen who had no role in the political processes of the society. Art was unaffordable luxury for them. Example: Renaissance art mainly decorated the mansions of kings and elites and also the wealthy churches Example: Art always needed rich patrons because of its fabulous depiction style. Discussion for B- During great depression, working class was emerging as a political force. Artists were “disillusioned with capitalism” and attracted to working class politics (Damon, 14). Example: Guglielmi, painted ‘The Relief Blues’, showing urban family signing up to get relief from the government. Example: Murals, photographs and posters became popular and they created an interface between art and craftsmanship. III. Renaissance art rejuvenated classicism and showed a taste for wealth and wealth-induced magnificence while depression era art celebrated working class values and life. In the art of renaissance, a recurring theme has been the magnificence of wealth and power. Example: ‘The Wedding Banquet of Nastagio Degli Onesti’, by Sandro Boticelli, the upper class feasting made into a visual spectacle Example: The fresco, ‘The Confirmation of the Rule of Saint Francis’, has gives undue importance to the family lineage of the donor, Francesco Sassetti and his wealth But in the art of great depression, a working class criticism of the values hitherto held sacred by the society can be seen. the ‘American Gothic’ painted by Grant Wood Dorothea Lange’s ‘Migrant Mother’ IV. Hope and despair were common themes in both renaissance art and the art of great depression but the nature of that hope and despair was different in these two historical situations. The religious paintings and frescos of renaissance showed “the hope of a … glorious afterlife” while, the secular ones showed a Florentine hope in the powers of the new republic Example: ‘The Tabernacle of Fonticine’, by Giovanni Della Robbia Example: The sculpture, ‘David’, by Michelangelo In the depression era also hope and despair prevailed in art. Example: The film, ‘Gold Diggers’ Example: ‘The Park Bench’, by Reginald Marsh V. Conclusion : Renaissance art became a catalyst to the building of a capitalist class while depression era art helped working class politics to evolve. Works Cited Damon, Duane, “Headin' for Better Times: The Arts of the Great Depression”, Colorado: Twenty-First Century Books, 2002. Print. Doss, Erica Lee, “Twentieth-century American Art”, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. Print. Guglielmi, Louis, The Relief Blues, 1938, Smithsonian American Art Museum. Gold Diggers, LeRoy, Mervyn (Dir.), Robert Lord and Jack.L.Warner (Prod), Warner Bros., 1933, Internet. Hauser, Arnold, “The Social History of Art: Renaissance, Mannerism, Baroque”, London: Routledge, 1999. Print. Woods, Kim, Richardson, Carol.M. and Lymberopoulou, Angeliki, “Viewing Renaissance Art”, Yale: Yale University Press, 2007. Print. Read More