The Serious Expression in Western Art - Essay Example

The Serious Expression in Western Art ic Western art encompasses a variety of s and themes including religion, mythology, and culture. Despite the variety, portraits were a popular subject of sculpture and painting. Nearly every classic artist produced a portrait of a prominent figure in society or religion. Commonly, these portraits bear a common expression: the serious, stern look that reflects the role they portray in life. Western portraits usually display a serious look in the face of the models despite the personality they portray. In particular, there is no single portrait that presents the model showing his/her teeth or grinning at something. The sculpture of Augustus of Prima Porta by an anonymous artist, Michelangelo’s David, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, the Madonna with Her Child from the Byzantine Empire, Holbein‘s Portrait of Henry VII, and Raphael’s Portrait of Castiglione are works that project a serious expression. The common expression in the faces of the models suggests the sombreness of life of the subject and common expression predominant in the earlier times. The sculpture of Augustus Caesar of Prima Porta, which is presently located in Braccio Nuovo in the Vatican Museum, is a 2.04-meter statue made of pure marble. It was found in 1863 at the place of Augustus’s wife, Villa of Livia, who stayed in Porta, Rome after the death of her husband. The artist is unknown, but speculators claim that it must be Greek. Augustus Caesar is akin to Julius Caesar, and was one of those who avenged the death of the other. Dressed in Roman military clothing, the sculpture reflects the role of Augustus as the first Roman emperor. Raising his arm, as if gesturing instructions to his troops, the sculpture emphasizes the role he played. The facial expression is not totally sombre, but the absence of smile on his face still reflects the serious personality. Fig. 1. Statue of Augustus Caesar located in Braccio Nuovo in Rome. The serious facial expression of Augustus’s sculpture helps to convey the serious role he played as a Roman emperor. Viewing the sculpture, the audience will feel the difficulty of the role of a Roman emperor. The same serious facial expression can be seen in the sculptures of the great American presidents in Mt. Rushmore, hence confirming that the serious look that the sculptor made in Augustus may have been due to the position of the subject in society. In other words, leaders such as Augustus can be expected to have a serious look in visual arts. Nevertheless, comparison with other sculptures of great leaders will further help shed light on the issue. Michelangelo’s sculpture of David also bears the same serious look. This 5.17 meter masterpiece made of marble was created between 1501 and 1504. The sculpture features the biblical hero, David, standing in nudity. Originally, the work was positioned in Palazzo della Signoria in Florence, Italy. The head of David is tilted to the side, with the eyes gazing towards Rome from its original position. Later, it was transferred to its present location in the Gallery of the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence. The original was replaced by a replica in its original location. The sculpture is said to symbolize the liberty of Florentine Republic to ward off threats from the neighboring states (Seymour 3). Fig. 2. The statue of David by Michelangelo located in the Gallery of the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, Italy. The serious look in David’s eyes reflects the seriousness of the artist and possibly, the people at the start of the 16th century. Deep in thought, the subject shows a stern expression with a curious look casted towards the left. This facial gesture implies curiosity and search for meaning, which were predominant during the Renaissance time. Today, replicas of David can be found in different places including New York and Pennsylvania. Sandro Boticelli’s Birth of Venus is another work of art that presents a serious look in the face of the subject. This tempera on canvass of 1486 shows the nude goddess Venus arising from a large sea shell. The look in her face is also serious but neither stern nor sceptical. Rather, it presents a blank expression. This blank expression helps to create an innocent look, which is expected of a “newly born” individual. In addition, the three other characters in the painting also present a serious look, despite the supposedly grand celebration of the goddess’s birth. Although the three may be said to be preoccupied with their own tasks to give birth or baptize Venus, it is a wonder to note that no one of them can smile at the given occasion. This idea further leads us to inquire why characters in Western art are not depicted smiling. What is wrong with showing their teeth in a grand celebration such as the birth of Venus? A further examination of other Western paintings will surely lead to a conclusion. Fig. 3. The face of Venus in Botticelli’s Birth of Venus The serious and blank look is also depicted in religious images such as the Madonna with Child from the Byzantine Empire. This painting of Mary and Jesus adds to the long list of portraits with serious and blank expression. Although some images of Our Mother of Perpetual Help show the little Christ with a sneer on his face, most portraits would present a serious expression, which is illustrative of the personalities that are being portrayed. The poor life and destiny of the Mother and Child may be the main reasons why artists portrayed them in a serious manner. Fig. 4. Byzantine version of Madonna with her Child Another Western artefact that reveals the serious attitude of earlier people is the painting of Henry VIII by Hans Holbein the Younger in 1540. This oil on oak is currently located in Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica in Rome. This painting shows the king in his royal clothing, standing with his whole figure and head facing front or the artist. The same serious look on his face implies the stern and even morbid character of the king, whose two wives were beheaded because of their infidelity. Additionally, Henry VIII commissioned the artist to do the painting, thus it can be assumed that he approved of Holbein’s rendition of his image. Fig. 5. Portrait of Henry VIII by Holbein the Younger The serious and stern look on Henry VIII’s face adds to the evidence of serious thought and character that the earlier Western people had, especially those in the 16th century. The life lived by Henry VIII, adorned by both pleasure and pain, thirst for power and separation from the Roman Catholic Church, is implied in the stern look in his portrait. Raphael’s painting of Baldassare Castiglione in 1515 provides another proof of the serious look in the models of classic Western art. This painting is well acclaimed for the thoughtful portrayal of the gentleman (Gardner and Kleiner 465). The painting was done in winter of 1514 to 1515 in Rome when Castiglione was away from his family (Jones and Penny 43). Castiglione was a diplomat, soldier and author who gained the friendship of Raphael and the favor of his contemporaries. The portrait was presumed to be a souvenir for Castiglione’s family as he left for Rome to see the Pope. Fig. 6. Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione by Raphael Unlike the serious and stern look in the face of Henry VIII, Castiglione carries a serious but gloomy expression, one that seems to express longing or sympathy. Although the lips are curled to a near-smile, the eyes of the subject imply mystery and sadness, which are a possible expression of his situation and the character of the subject. The serious look in the faces of models in Western art is commonly found in many portraits of great artists. This serious look could be indicative of the emotional state at the time of their production, but such thesis needs an in-depth research. Nevertheless, from the analysis, the serious, curious, blank, stern, and gloomy look is displayed by subjects because such is reflective of the roles and character they played in society. For instance, Augustus is seen with a serious expression that is fit for a Roman emperor. The same is true with Henry VIII who was feared by his subjects, and with David, who was also a king during his time. Moreover, the serious look is also found in Venus and Mary the Virgin because of the purity and innocence they are known for. Furthermore, Castiglione also carries a serious look in Raphael’s portrait because such expression reflects his mood and attitude. Furthermore, the serious look in mythological and biblical subjects may be attributed to the artists who depicted their subjects in such a serious manner. Given this thought, it can also be assumed that the serious expression in the face of subjects is a common characteristic of Western art in the earlier times. Works Cited Augustus Caesar of Prima Porta. N.d. Braccio Nuovo, Vatican Museums. Sculpture. Botticelli, Sandro. Birth of Venus. 1486. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. Tempera on oak. Gardner, Helen, and Fred Kleiner. Gardner’s Art through the Ages: The Western Perspective. CA: Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. Holbein, Hans the Younger. Portrait of Henry VIII. c.1540. Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, Rome. Oil on oak. Jones, Roger, and Nicholas Penny. Raphael. New Haven and London, Yale University Press, 1983. Print. Michelangelo. David. c.1501. The Gallery of the Accademia di Belle Arti, Florence, Italy. Sculpture. Raphael. Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione. 1515. Louvre, Paris. Oil on canvass. Seymour, Charles, Jr. Michelangelo's David: a Search for Identity. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1967. Print. Read More