Formal Analysis for Art History Class - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages (55.4 x 37.78 cm) (Plate) 25 3/4 x 18 5/8 inches. (65.41 x 47.31 cm) (sheet, irregular) (Artnet Worldwide Corporation, 2013). As a result, the painting is clear and visible to the naked eye where the audience enjoys its artistic perfection. Most notable is the color engraving, soft-ground etching, and scorper that define the texture, boundary, and coloration of the painting. Andre Racz who was an artist and professor of painting and sculpture made the painting in North America, United States in 1945 (Artnet Worldwide Corporation, 2013) (20th Century) with an adoption of the North America culture although he was born in Romania. Notably, there is a pencil inscription depicting the sign and date of signing on the painting, Perseus Beheading Medusa (ARCADJA, 2013). The painting received credit from the Credit?Gift of funds from the Print and Drawing Council with an accession Number?P.99.12.1. The painting, Perseus Beheading Medusa depicts the image of Perseus cutting the head off the Medusa. Medusa also refers to the guardian protectress (Wallace, 2003). More so, the media terms Medusa as a Gorgon or a monster who was conversely a very beautiful maiden (Wallace, 2003). Nevertheless, Medusa desecrated the goddess Athena's temple by sleeping there with Poseidon prompting Poseidon to turn her into a monster with live snakes covering her head (Wallace, 2003). As such, the media refers to the Medusa as a monster with a face of a hideous human female with living venomous snakes on her head. Although, Medusa had three beautiful sisters, Medusa was the only moral one and her beauty mesmerized Poseidon. On the contrary, Medusa did not care about Poseidon and hence he turned her and her sisters into monsters (Wallace, 2003). Because of the aspect of being a monster, any person looking directly at the Medusa would immediately turn into stone (Wallace, 2003). In the same kingdom, Perseus was the son of Danae who later fell in love with Polydectes (Wallace, 2003). Subject to the love affair between Perseus mother and Polydectes, Polydectes hatched a plot to kill Perseus by sending him to fetch the head of Medusa the monster (Wallace, 2003). However, the gods loved Perseus and helped him to succeed in cutting Medusa’s head. Indeed, they gave Perseus winged sandals, a curved sword, a helmet that made Perseus invisible, and a mirror like shield which allowed him to see a reflection of Medusa’s face and to avoid being turned into stone (Wallace, 2003). With these materials, Perseus was able to cut the head of Medusa and hence the painting according to the media. In addition, the media asserts that later on, the hero Perseus used the head of Medusa as a weapon before handing over the head to the goddess of Athena (Wallace, 2003). The painting, Perseus Beheading Medusa is a bronze sculpture and has been one of the most famous statues in modern art. At the time of producing this painting, Hayter and other artists were working at Atelier 17 where they were actively experimenting in color printing techniques. The painting has a dull look and depicts the sketchy image of a person holding a head. The person is also holding a sword on the right hand. The painting has artist's proof, signed, dated, titled, and inscribed "A/A" in pencil at the lower margin (ARCADJA, 2013). It has a very good, dark impression, a warm plate tone, and inky edges (ARCADJA, 2013). The black lines ...Download file to see next pagesRead More