Analysis of Salome Dancing before Herod by Gustave Moreau - Term Paper Example

Museum Project Starting September 16th to December 9th, the Hammer Museum will showcase an exhibition dedicated to Gustave Moreau’s Salome, Dancing before Herod. Dancing before Herod is one of the most outstanding and best-known artistic works in the museum’s gallery (Moreau 1). The showcasing will comprise of about 50 works taking in related paintings, drawings, and preparatory studies, adapted totally from the paintings of the Moreau Museum in France. Many of the artistic works have never before been showcased in the United States, and the Hammer Museum will be the only American venue. This paper will talk about Salome Dancing before Herod by Gustave Moreau. Salome, the young girl in the painting, is the daughter of Herod, and his wife Herodias. She falls in love with John the Baptist. However, John the Baptist does not feel attracted to Salome and she gets upset. She, therefore, goes to the father to plead for the head of John the Baptist on a plate (Nermeena 1). Herod, on the other hand, is in love with his own daughter, but of course, Salome does not love Herod in that fashion. Hence, to enforce her father to get John’s head, Salome dances for Herod in a way of seducing him (Nermeena 1). This painting by Gustave Moreau came out quite differently from the facts in the Bible. Critics found the astonishing, superhuman Salome to be an overpowering fascination portrayed from that canvas painting. Also, the watercolor known as the Apparition was fairly screaming. This was how Huysmans, a French novelist, wrote about Moreau's Salome in his book, A Rebours (1884). The theme was tremendously popular in the figurative arts, music, as well as literature, towards the end of the century. The theme concurred with the misogynous attitude of the Symbolists. In the interpretation given in Huysmans’ text, people can view Salome as a vicious female who seduces Herod, her own father, in order to get John’s head. Moreau had applied this subject, several times in his paintings, among which was the well-known canvas exhibited at the Salon in 1876. The painting depicts a dancer whose entire body is tattooed in bold, whirling designs, a technique that contributes to the sensuality of the dancer. In contrast to Salome Dancing before Herod, Salome is the subtle female dancer, reclining contentedly on the grass in the work of art. The unicorns are symbols of purity, as well as chastity. The work also suggests a feeling of serenity, as well as comfort, in the mythological subject matter. The painting was completed on 1875, and it adapted the style of symbolism (Moreau 1). Also, it is classified under the religious genre. The painting used oil technique on canvas material, and its dimensions are 61cm by 92cm. The room the painting is placed in is extremely spacious with regards to the size of the painting (Moreau 1). The room’s dimensions were 870 by 700 cm. This is an adequate space for the painting. A painting, in its showcase, needs adequate room, as well as lighting. The room is also painted white (Moreau 1). Hence, the dark color of the painting makes it stand out. The artificial lighting is, hence, not needed. Other two paintings that caught the eyes of many viewers were the “Jupiter and Semele”, as well as the Dream. The latter work was done by Gustave Moreau and the first work by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. The dream’s theme was contemporary with Gustave Moreau and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes (A world history of art 1). The two artists are often linked with one another due to their diverse interpretations of the same ideas of symbolism. In his stay, in Italy, Pierre was inspired to take on classical models for a large series of figurative works that celebrated civic, as well as personal virtues. On a clear night, a young man, most likely a traveler, with bags at his side show, had fallen fast asleep by a tree. Three young women appear to him in a vision, flying in the bright sky. The first woman, with flowers in her hands, portrays love. The second woman is waving the laurel garland of glory. The third, on the other hand, is strewing the coins of luck. Jupiter and Semele, on the other hand, depicts a time from the classical allegory of the mortal woman Semele. Semele is the mother of the god Dionysus. Her lover, Jupiter, on the other hand, is the king of the gods. Semele was falsely advised by the goddess Juno to ask Jupiter to welcome her in his entire divine splendor (A world history of art 1). Juno is Jupiter’s wife. Jupiter obliged, but this led to her violent death through his divine thunder, as well as lightning. The work of art is a symbol of “divinized physical love” plus the uncontrollable experience that consumes Semele. The painting was completed on 1894. The painting was done by oil on canvas material, and its dimensions are 213 by 118 cm, 83.8 by 46.5 inches (Moreau 1). The two paintings that will be contrasted in this section are: The Starry Night by Van Gogh and Persistence of Time by Salvador Dali. The Starry Night depicts the view outside Van Gogh’s sanitorium room at Saint-Remy-de-Provence in southern France at night (Tailored Essays 1). The painting was, however, painted during the day. The painting has been in the lasting gallery of the Modern Art Museum in New York City. It has been part of the Lillie Bliss Bequest, as from 1941. It is one of Van Gogh's most famous pieces. The Starry Night is widely hailed as his masterwork. The Persistence of Memory, on the other hand, was painted by Salvador Dali in 1931. It is one of Dali’s most famous works. It is also currently being housed in the Modern Art Museum. It has an enormous fan following to date and is often referred to as a form of trendy culture (Tailored Essays 1). The Starry Night was painted in 1889. The painting uses oil on canvas material and its dimensions are 73.7cm by 92.1cm, 29 by 36 inches. The Persistence of Memory is also an oil painting mounted on canvas material. Its dimensions, however, are 24 cm by 33 cm, 9.5 by 13 inches (Tailored Essays 1). In conclusion, The Starry Night portrays the imaginative theme of Van Gogh. However, Dali in his classic era focused more on a historical theme. Gogh was particularly expressionist. Dali was not restricted to any precise style or media. The painting, contrary to Van Gogh, had early themes that ranged from the period of impressionist paintings through Dali’s surrealist works, as well as into his classical period shows. Works Cited A World History of Art. Symbolism in France. NP, 2010. Web. Moreau, Gustave. A Strange Magic: Gustave Moreau's Salome, Hammer Museum. New York: Hello Design, 2012. Web. Nermeena. Salome Dancing Before Herod (Gustave Moreau). New York: WordPress, 2006. Tailored Essays. Compare and Contrast Essay: Van Gogh's 'The Starry Night' and Salvador Dali's 'Persistence of Time'. NP, 2011. Web. Read More