Art History - Assignment Example

Art History Questions One image that is considered Baroque is “Saint Peter’s Basilica” by Michaelangelo. Michaelangelo used exaggeration in the movement in order to create a painting that produced one of drama and splendor in the painting. Because it is located on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City, it is one that displays such grandeur. Also because if this, there is use of ornamentation that makes it another common piece that represents the Baroque art time frame in Europe. It also is one that is a grand vision and while it is brightly lit, the characters overlap and there is much going on in the painting that has an intense emotional appeal. “Third-Class Carriage” by Honore Daumier as an oil on canvas also used dramatization. There are overlapping characters and a dramatic use of color and intensity of light because it is such a darkly ‘lit’ painting. There is a dramatic contrast of what is light and dark in the painting. As an image of low-class citizens riding in a carriage, the painting appears so real and yet the expressions on the faces of those riding also hit a viewer with drama that uses psychological intensity. It was one of the paintings that also started a movement of realism. 2. As for Honore Daumier, he lived during a time in France where there was a lot of upheaval. In his lifetime, five key events of the government occurred and it was just part of the French Revolution coming to an end. There were many changes politically, economically and socially in France during the time frame. This was a time when industrial workers became a much different class of people. As for Michaelangelo, he was very well known as an artist as a sculptor, architect and painter. Some of the work he did as an artist made a significant influence on the revolution of western art and how it came to be with the change between the Renaissance into the Baroque period. He lived a long life and the scenes he painted in the Sistine Chapel in Rome were some of his finest as he was commissioned to do the work, hanging upside down and working for several hours at a time just in order to get it completed. 3. Honore Daumier’s “Third-Class Carriage” was precisely a demonstration of social commentary. It was one thing that he just happened to accomplish with this painting. It was very common of Daumier as a trained lithographer to create paintings that were generally biting at social commentary. It is because of his experiences during which the classes were divided. The culture that helped produce this was France because of the chaotic mess in the country that occurred politically, socially and in many other aspects of a French culture. He had the ability to use art to literally do just that. Michaelangelo who did most of his work in Italy was working in the Vatican City, the headquarters of the Catholic people during a time when Protestantism was on the rise. It was a method of providing an elite painting on the dome of a building in ways that had never before been accomplished. It suggests that the Catholic religion is also one of elitism. 4. Girodet was a student of David’s and he went on to create the “Burial of Atalia,” which was a painting from the Romantic time frame. Another student of his was Antoine Jean Gros who painted “Napoleon at the Pest House of Jaffa.” During this time in Europe while using neo-classicism, there was a use of harmony, proportion and simplicity in order to create the paintings. Romanticism had a slightly different aesthetic theme but both artists were able to use the methods that they had learned under David and transition them to the work that was typical of the Romantic art period. 5. There was a transition that was occurring in Europe and it was a time of new leaders in Europe and changes throughout society in the various countries. There were times of Industrial Revolutions and the use of modernity was using art, for example, as a means to represent the particular social period. The paintings represent what was a part of the socio-cultural norms. They were also examples of the practices and attitudes of the people with in society. 6. There were many designers that contributed and went into the elaborate design of the St. Peter’s church. There were many uses of archways and one of the most significant pieces of architecture reflective of the Renaissance time period. It is also one of the largest churches, serving as the head church for the Catholic sector of Christianity. According to the traditions of the Catholic Church, St. Peter Church is located on the burial site of Peter, who was one of Jesus’ Desciples and was also to be considered one of the first Popes. It is believed that the burial site is directly below the altar within the church. It is considered a Basilica and is one of four churches in Rome that holds that title. Because of the papacy being located in the Vatican, it is the predominant church and has numerous associations to history and even the Reformation and counter-reformation periods in Christianity. The church is right west of the Tiber River and close to hadrian’s Mausoleum and Janiculum Hill. There are a number of columns and is the focus of St. Peter’s Square. The dome of the church is a significant part of the skyline in Rome. The dome was one of the world’s largest and there is many elaborate ornamentations that are within the building and chapel that cause a Holy feeling to the church because it is so significant and amazing. There are bronze doors and the structure itself is absolutely enormous. There are many vaults, bays and wide aisles. There are also may altars within the church that pay tribute to many of the Saints within the belief of the Catholic religion. 7. There were many times when response was part of what an artist was going for. Though a painter, sculptor, architecturist, or some other person who was in the means of creating art, many times they used that to explain their era. They looked for things that were going on in their time frame. The Baroque period was a time frame after the Middle Ages in Europe. People realized that they could create pieces of art in order to create history. Renaissance itself was a time of rebirth. This became a distinct time period and the art was reflective of what was occurring in society. Any problems or social distinctions or issues that were going on due to the government all were created from the perspective of the artist. It was through that artwork that they were able to create satire or to cause a reaction based on their perception. Often times, many artists came from the lower class, and while many were commissioned to do work by major rulers, typically it was portraits of that ruler, but for the most part, represented the lower class. Because of this representation and outlook, artists were able to cause a social reaction and response much different than others. People could accept the work and enjoy it. Oftentimes, it became a reflection of history and the work is accepted much more now because it is a portion in history that cannot be just read about in books. Since there was not the technology of photography, this is the closest people can come to in order to truly have a comprehensive understanding of that time frame. Read More