Paintings by Lorenzo DI Credi and Rafael - Assignment Example

Visual Analysis: Lorenzo di Credi Pictures The first painting by Lorenzo di Credi is a Madonna, and the Child done in the 16th Century. The style was a popular one around that period and was widely emulated by many other artists. Madonna in Christian art was a representation of Virgin Mary and the child depicts baby Jesus. In this painting, all the elements have been arranged very well. The painting is well-balanced in almost every aspect and therefore it has a successful composition. For instance, it is symmetrical as the images are placed in the middle (centrally) of the painting. Then it has a sense of movement that represents the river in the background and one can easily locate the focal point in the painting that is Madonna and the child. In addition to this, the place where Madonna and the child seat have a dark shade contrasted to the brightly colored background. The painting has a good proportion, and both large and small sections, far and nearby objects have intermarried well. The inclusion of all these details gives the paint harmony and helps Lorenzo communicate his message to his targeted audience. Picture 1: Lorenzo di credi Madonna and child. Picture retruieved from < http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/costa_lorenzo.html > The painting has five parts, and the first one which captures the attention is Madonna and the child at the centre. Therefore shows that Lorenzo’s intention was to make the audience pay attention to them as the main subject of the paint. Madonna’s eyes gently look down to the child perhaps signifying the hope she has on Jesus. However, the child has a merciful look at the audience and, therefore, it could be signifying Jesus’ love for the world. The second part is a solid rock on the right side which could be a representative of God as it towers above the every other object in the painting. The other side of the shows rock a castle that seems far much smaller than the rock in size. The castle signifies the river connects the world leadership and it. The river symbolizes transformation from darkness to righteousness. From the picture, Madonna and the child are at the center to signify their role in uniting the people and God. The painting by Lorenzo exemplifies reality in many ways. For instance, in the painting, there is a castle shown from a distance. Madonna is wearing fine attire and seems peaceful. It will be in line with real life expectations as the fine clothing depicts a good lifestyle. In addition, the middle ground of the picture shows a blue river calm river. The surrounding other parts of the middle ground shows lively green scenery which shows a peaceful and productive environment. The paint has different contrasting colors, which bring about different feelings to the audience. The most dominant and bold ones are red and yellow which are part of the clothing Madonna is wearing. The two colors show warmth, peace and hope. The place near where Madonna sits with the child is darkly shaded, and this shows mystery. Lorenzo utilizes light tactfully by painting Madonna and the child with more vibrant and dark colors thus emphasizing the focus on them. Lorenzo uses a deep blue shawl, which represents peace, serenity and underlying purity. Picture 2: 1133553 Raphael Madonna of the meadow. Picture retrieved from < http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/costa_lorenzo.html > The second painting by Raphael is a Madonna of the Meadow shows three images. The images represent the Mary, mother of Jesus, John the Baptist and baby Jesus just like the first painting, the second painting has a very successful composition. The painting has all the elements in place like Lorenzo’s painting. For instance, the images of Jesus, Mary and John the Baptist are placed at the centre of the painting. The technique arouses the attention of the audience to direct its focus on the images. In addition, all the images in the painting show shadows on the ground that helps create space between them that in turn shows some mass. The different lines show movement and flow of events between the different elements of the story. Madonna’s eyes are looking at John the Baptist, who is shown to be handing the cross to baby Jesus. However, unlike in Lorenzo’s painting where she shows a gentle and relaxed look, she is painted having a worried face. The worried look may be representative of her fear of what lies in waiting for Baby Jesus. The sky in the background is brown, golden, and it is not clear. It is unlike in the first picture whereby the sky is clear settled thus showing peace. Raphael as an artist managed to fuse earlier styles with the modern styles and still maintain relevance. On the other hand, Lorenzo purely adopts one style throughout the whole paint. The painting of Madonna of the meadow by Raphael seems to be out of touch with reality. For instance, it shows Madonna dressed in a fine dress depicting a lady coming from a peaceful and well off background. However, the opposite is true considering the location she is seated. The place the painting represents seems dark and less productive compared to Lorenzo’s painting. The ground around her is dry and does not show a sign of a peaceful and a happy environment. In Raphael’s painting, the middle ground’s depth has been created through the use of the small trees. The background has many smooth curves, which have been connected to the images of Madonna, John the Baptist and Baby Jesus. Madonna’s neck also has been curved smoothly to connect with other curves in the background of the painting. Another aspect to note is the repetition of three different images including even the subtle parts. First are the images of Madonna and the two children. Then, there is the image of the large curved stones, which amount to three in number. The other items in the painting representing number three are roses that are three in number. The appearance of the number three several times in the painting could have a religious meaning representing the Holy Trinity. In this same painting, the child John the Baptist seems to be looking to Baby Jesus with a lot of confidence in his eyes. On the other hand, Baby Jesus only seems to be focused on the cross-alone. Another main contrasting point to note in the two paintings is that in Lorenzo’s picture, Baby Jesus is younger than when he is in the painting of Madonna in the meadow. One similarity between Raphael and Lorenzo’s painting is the use of light. Light is shed mainly at the centre of the images, and the surrounding has dark shades. The technique helps the audience to focus mainly on the centered images. The images also reveal Madonna’s politeness, gentleness and loving character. Another difference between Lorenzo and Raphael’s picture is that in Raphael’s picture Baby Jesus is not wearing any clothing at all. The image symbolizes his readiness to come to the world for a better course and share the gospel to the world. The lighting is more focused on the images and the middle grounds of both pictures. Another effect of the lighting it illuminates the color of Madonna’s clothing that quickly attract the eyes of the audience. In Raphael’s painting, Mary is shown to have a large figure. The red dress and dark blue shawl put emphasis on the triangular base of the images. Then, the shades and tone Raphael uses are deep in the middle ground and beyond. Brown and golden color is used to show appreciation for nature, and they show harmony. The usage of lines in Raphael’s painting is different from that of Lorenzo’s. In his painting, he uses light and faint lines with curves that have taken the circular shape. Another outstanding feature is the use of spherical round shapes, which bring out the gentleness in the painting. The other differentiating feature of the two images is that Lorenzo’s image seems to be having an indoor setting, which extends through to the outdoors. On the other hand, Raphael’s photo has a completely outdoor setting. In conclusion, the first painting by Lorenzo is a Madonna and the Child painting which was done in the 16th Century. Madonna and the child were artist style representing the renaissance art period. The style was a popular and was widely adopted by many other artists of that time. Madonna in Christian art was a representation of Virgin Mary and the child-depicted baby Jesus. In this painting, all the elements of art were arranged very well. The painting is well balanced in almost every aspect and therefore it has a successful composition. Raphael, on the other hand, has totally taken into consideration the elements of art. A good example is the use of deep color, detailed brush strokes among others. The other aspects are the use of soft light as well as scale of light to bring about peace, harmony and balance throughout the entire picture. The two pictures are both masterpieces in their right and the artists totally managed to communicate their messages to their audiences. Works Cited ARTCYCLOPEDIA. Lorenzo di Credi. 2011. 04 October 2014 http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/lorenzo_di_credi.html>. Read More