The Slight Variations in the Sculptures from Baroque to Rococo - Coursework Example

Axiomatically, since time immemorial, human beings have been using arts as a way of communication. Art was initiated during the Stone Age period where people who lived in caves candidly expressed their visions, cultures and overall expectations by drawing and painting various images of the animals they hunted and other activities that they engaged themselves in. As it evolved, art incorporated various aspects and themes that bourgeoned in the context of humanity. Modernism mushroomed and completely changed people’s perception of the world, where through arts, political, sociological and economic themes were ostensibly illuminated. Rococo or late Baroque style later came in the 18th century and impacted on art’s sculpture, painting, decoration and interior design. Giotto di Bondone’s “Madonna Enthroned” created in 1300 by an Italy using the Rococo technique and Garofalos "Madonna and Child in Glory" created in 1935 in Pinacoteca Capitolina are two distinct but closely related masterworks whose exploration can be quite enthralling. This paper shall candidly and comprehensively analyze the two artworks with the predominant aim of determining how similar or different they are in terms of style and the thematic implications or the messages that the artists envisioned to deliver to the audience. Giotto’s “Madonna Enthroned”, drawn on tempera on panel, patently indicates that the art was painted by an iconic painter, probably cultured and trained in Greek but working in Italy or for a western promoter. This can be derived from the way the artist blends byzantine with western elements in the entire masterpiece. The folds of the cloths are defined by a byzantine concord and the image’s composition is modeled on the Hodegetria, the virgin, who points at the child to show that he is the way, the truth and the light. Additionally, the son, Jesus, gives the Western signs of blessings. The halos on the side of the child are decorated with floral patterns that are popular in Italy. Moreover, the image has a 3-D view, particularly in the virgin’s thrown, to indicate western influence. The artist intentionally uses a virgin with archangels’ majestic regalia and red shoes in the elaborate throne to accentuate Mary’s role as the crowned head of Heaven. In the artwork, the golden background connotes the heavenly kingdom implying that the artist knew quite well how gold was treasured in the then community due to its economic value and its imperative role in determining one’s social and economic status. At the bottom, it has a horizontal gaudy line that inexorably clutches the attention of the viewer at first sight. The image’s front view and the angels depicted in the art further indicate the blissful atmosphere and the respect that subsists in such settings. Intrinsically, the artist’s intention was to signpost how heaven is and possibly tries to sway the west towards following baby Jesus, the light of the world. The fraternization of different colors including silver, black, light-green and brown depicts the artist’s aptitude and proficiency of mixing diverse colors to generate an outstanding image. The smooth texture in front of the image vividly indicates the overlapping between the front and back view. Moreover, the background and the real images diverge in color, a factor that led to the creation of an image that is totally complete and fallaciously tangible. From a wider perspective, the image also indicates the predominant male chauvinism although the question that lingers is whether the angles were bowing to the baby or the woman, Mary. This was fundamental in fueling modernization and barricading the social inequity that was predominant in the then worshiping places. Noteworthy, the artist used a naturalistic figure and hierarchical scale to indicate the changes that were being embraced in the field of arts. The schematic network of lines, where both thick and thin lines are used, indicates a new era in arts where artists were starting to syndicate innumerable styles that would enable them produce remarkable artworks without compromising or losing the intentioned message (Karouzos 207). The light shadow that is evenly distributed indicates the artist ability to effectively use light for producing images that would appeal to a new generation of audience. Western civilization solely influenced the artist’s perception of the world and life in general. Unlike “Madonna Enthroned” that is tempera on panel image; "Madonna and Child in Glory" is a tempera & oil image on wood. The stunning lapis lazuli, porcelain-like fleshtones and huge folds of the clouds creates an image that straightforwardly captures an audience’s attention. Garofalo, whose style was remarkably different, painted the image in 1535. His art depicts the late gothic taste, nervous tension and the oblique perspective of figures in wobbly scenes. "Madonna and Child in Glory" is a painting of Virgin Mary in holding her son Jesus in heaven, and the six angels surrounding the virgin are seen adoring the virgin and her child. The plane characteristics of the late gothic style are apparently maintained with the purpose of drawing attention to the mother and child, who are the subject matter in the masterpiece. In the painting, there are six angels but two of them, who are playing musical instruments, are comparatively animated. In the pinnacle of the frame, half-figures of the Father, God, are evident. The composition of this image is rather firm and formal, a technique common in gothic designs. Moreover, just like “Madonna Enthroned”, this image uses some traces of golden color and evenly disseminated light. In the quest to depict the virgin being glorified, the artist displays a sharp, bright image that has a high degree of color accuracy. The high quality image depicts the good of integrating Rococo and Baroque which then leads to production of images that are of high quality and affordable . In both images, furniture, a special feature of the Rococo period, is used to decorate the image and highly versatile images emerged. Although the artist grew up in Ferrara, an intense court of resurgence Italy, Garofalo manages to utilize the Rococo technique to indicate Mary’s glorification; she is in an elevated position in heaven. The unknown land beneath her is the mysterious land that she should protect and the land in turn venerates her. The intense colourism in the image makes it brighter and attractive than Bondone’s “Madonna Enthroned” and cordially much better in delivering the message. Significantly, the land beneath might be a town in Italy as the image indicates various structures that are apparently common in Italy. Noteworthy, the blue color is overly used to depict the heaven atmosphere and make the 3-D image more representative and convincing. The integration of rough and smooth textures throughout the image further connotes the artist’s aptitude to adapt to the changes that were sweeping across the world of arts at the time he was painting the sculpture. The artist intentionally uses various colors to distinguish the two worlds; heaven and earth. While heaven is apparently bright and pleasurable, the land beneath it is desolate, calm and peaceful. The black color, dominant in the bottom half, indicates the deprived conditions of the earth and the suffering that probably exists. In the image, the artist uses the various colors to create a figurative and expressionistic portrait, which can potentially play with one’s perception. As candidly elucidated above, Bondone’s “Madonna Enthroned” and Garofalos "Madonna and Child in Glory” share many characteristics. The history of art is quite fascinating, educative, and resourceful. Artists used their creative skills to expose the needs, feelings and their overall discernment about life. Evidently, the artists were striving to produce better images that would help them deliver their intended messages with easy and convenience (Karouzos 197). The images indicate a move from Baroque to Rococo as ostensibly indicated by the designing (3-D nature) of the images, the numerous folds and the intense color mishmash in the images. The slight variations in the sculptures can wholly be attributed to the difference in the artist’s perception, of the world, the messages therein and the quick with which the artist embraced Rococo. Furniture and porcelain, as evident in the frames of the images, are used in decorating the sculptures and make them more appealing while maintaining the envisioned message. Marble statutes that were common in the eras preceding Rococo were no longer prevalent and the new awakening in art was vigorously taking its toll on artists. Remarkably, art continue evolving and its significance in the contemporary society is becoming farfetched. Karouzos, Chrēstos I. Rhodos, History, Monuments, Art. Athens: "Esperos" Editions, 1973. Print. Read More