Comparison of the Starry Night and Ma Jolie - Coursework Example

Thesis This article shows a comparison of two famous artworks present in the Museum of Modern Art. The first one is the Ma Jolie by artist Pablo Picasso. It depicts his Cubist approach to expressing thoughts by means of the basic lines, shape and color. The second painting is also oil on canvas the Starry Night. It is an artwork by Post-Impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh. The painting expresses Van Goghs thoughts through vivid colors and brush strokes. Introduction Ma Jolie is one of the famous paintings by Cubist Pablo Picasso. Picasso is an artist who is more focused on the creation of meaning, rather than just using colors (Herbert 173). Ma Jolie, too, has immense meaning behind it. Ma Jolie means “my pretty girl”; it was the nickname of Picasso’s lover Marcelle Humbert (Suckale et al. 570). It is she who has been depicted within the planes of the painting. Looking at the planes closely we can make out the shape of a head and perhaps the strings of a guitar-like instrument that she is strumming. Ma Jolie is, undoubtedly, very eye-catching, but is very difficult to interpret—especially without knowing something about Picasso. The Starry Night (1889) is also oil on canvas; it is one of the most beloved paintings at the Museum of Modern Art. This painting was created in a mental hospital in Saint Remy during the warm summer nights of June by Van Gogh (Crispino 50). During this time Van Gogh was undergoing depression, as he was missing his home and attempting to understand religion. The painting shows a view of the village with the small houses and hills in the backdrop. The sky in the painting is covered with moonlight and stars. In this painting Picasso has attempted to share his thoughts through his use of color and brush strokes. The Starry Night is a complex painting, but in comparison to Ma Jolie it is relatively easier to interpret. Comparison of Cubism and Impressionism in the Paintings Ma Jolie is oil on canvas and a typical case of Analytical Cubism (The Museum of Modern Art). As a classic analytical cubism painting, this one involves depicting several different views of the same object in order to project the idea of the object, rather than a single one-dimensional image. Thus, this ability of cubist art enables it to deliver many different views, even a whole story which a flat one-dimensional image cannot do. Ma Jolie has been done in monochrome of brown, there is a variation in the tones and shades of the color, but primarily it is just one color. Ma Jolie is Pablo Picasso’s expression of thought using the purest form of art. It uses the basic art symbols of shapes, color and lines (Meighan). The over-all effect results in overlapping pieces of the images those give a two-dimensional feeling. The Starry Night has elements of post-impressionism. The painting does use thick paint and real-life subjects, as is done in impressionism, but that is where similarity ends. The colors in the painting are more vividly unreal and there is some use of geometry, rather than muted shapes. The colors in the painting are very bold and vivid, almost unnatural. Unlike his other famous artwork the Sunflowers, the cypress tree in this painting is not close to nature but almost has a haunting beauty about it. Comparison of Treatment Ma Jolie painting was created during winter; the color selection, in my opinion, depicts that too. Picasso appears to have used a stipple brushing technique along the panes of the surfaces. This has helped permeate the shadows from the light (Suckale 570). It is also relatively easier to depict these differences in shadow and light when one is using multi colors. In case of Ma Jolie, Picasso has done a fantastic job of depicting light and shadows in monochrome. Another very unique thing about this painting is that, aside from depictions in the form of shapes and lines, Picasso has presented Ma Jolie very visibly in the painting, which, in my opinion, is a huge statement for his lover. Not only was “Ma Jolie” his nickname for Marcelle Humbert, but also a very popular song title (Suckale et al. 570). The lightness and shadows depicted in the painting are very effective. In fact, Picasso has managed through his brush strokes to give a feeling of two-dimensional images, almost as if the painting were a sculpture. Picasso has also outdone himself in using linear structures in this picture. Unlike its cubic predecessor Les Demoiselles dAvignon, this painting of cubic art uses very straight lines and blocks to depict and image. It is a clear shift of Picasso from blatantly communicating the subject of his art, for Ma Jolie requires a great deal of interpretation. The painting itself is not a collage because it does not use different colors and textures, but it did lay some ground work towards the idea of collages. This painting does contain some elements of abstraction because the idea it not blatantly communicated, as it was in Renaissance art. The Starry Night painting was created in the summer nights, as depicted in the picture. Van Gogh has used relatively thick brush strokes that are distinguishable even from a distance. He has not attempted to blend the colors to give a subtle look, but let the brush strokes stand out independently to give a bold and powerful look. Unlike Picasso’s painting, which depicts two-dimensions, this painting attempts to depict motion. Van Gogh has used thick brush strokes in large swirls all over the canvas (Crispino 50). The circular motion of these brush strokes depicts wind, turmoil and motion. The swirling of the orange and yellow stars is frequently quoted as an example of motion and movement in art (Carrol 22). It can be observed that along these swirls, the color shades are also changing and merging. This blending in of colors within the strokes gives a feeling of motion. Van Gogh has also created swirls around the stars to give a feeling of them spreading starlight in the sky. According to Carrol, the movement in art is actually an illusion created by means of repetition (22). In case of The Starry Night, Van Gogh probably accomplished this by means of repeatedly applying thick strokes of paint in circular motion. This, in my opinion is the visual appeal of this painting. The feeling of so much energy and movement when actually none is there shows that The Starry Night is truly the work of a very accomplished artist. The feeling of movement is so strong that it appears, as if the whole sky is moving. Yet, on the other hand, the village in the picture is very still, and even the tree appears to be stationary. In terms of composition, the sky comprises majority of the painting and appears to be dominant. There are hills in the background that seem to merge in with the sky. In my opinion, Van Gogh has used simplification in this painting. He wants the audience to focus on the starry night, for which he has created a sense of motion. The village is just a small portion of the painting, but is stationary and unchanging. Conclusion Both the paintings are completely different in terms of the message they want to convey and the context in which they were put on canvas. Picasso’s paintings have the ability to tell a story. But in order to truly appreciate his artwork, one needs to know and understand Picasso. Ma Jolie is one such painting. The objects of his paintings become immortal when he puts them on canvas, because they become a part of a story. As a cubist art work, this painting show several dimensions of a single subject. Ma Jolie uses monochromatic colors, sharp lines and geometric shapes to depict the ideas. This painting speaks to the audience that is capable of understanding the message in light of the context. The painting is an abstract, so it cannot be fully understood without empathizing its creator. The Starry Night, on the other hand, is a classic Post-Impressionist piece of artwork. The scene depicted is from real-life, but the colors and form used are unnatural. The colors of the painting are bold and the brush strokes are thick. Van Gogh has attempted to craft a feeling of motion by creating swirls in the sky. In my opinion, this capability of Van Gogh to create a feeling of motion in a still landscape is the one which makes it a master-piece. This painting is simplistic in nature. It reaches out to the audience; one does not need to know the painter to know what the painting is about or to feel the energy emanating from it. It is simple—yet beautiful. Works Cited Carroll, Colleen. "Movement In Art." Arts & Activities 150.1 (2011): 22. Print. Crispino, Enrica. “Van Gogh. Starry Night”. Art Masters, (2008): 50. Print. Harrison, Charles et al. Primitivism, Cubism, Abstraction: The Early Twentieth Century. Yale University Press, 1993. First Edition. Print. Herbert, James D. “What Matters”. Word & Image 20.3, (2004), 165-173. Print. Meighan, Megan. Presentation Analytical Cubism. Web. 16 December 2011. Suckale, Robert et al. Masterpieces of Western Art: A History of Art in 900 Individual Studies from the Gothic to the Present Day (From Gothic to Neoclassicism: Part 1). Taschen, 2002. Print. Read More