I started this quarter knowing a little bit like some artists and some different time period, but not too much. Each section we learned about had things I liked and didn't like. As a whole there was no section I liked more it was more of just different artists or paintings. For example, one artist I enjoyed studying this quarter was Albrecht Durer, he had so many different self portraits and each one was completely different than the others. This made me very curious as to why he would portray himself so different and so many times, I really didn't get that answer. Though the idea that he saw himself being many different people is entertaining because it's like a child with their imagination they can be anyone they want and in his paintings so can he.
I really enjoy specific paintings the most and I have a lot more I really like then I thought I would. There are a couple I like more though, which the first one is Jan van Eyck's "Double Portrait of a Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife"(560). At first I did not think much of it, but the more I looked and learned about it the more I liked it. He used a good mix of colors that gives the painting the natural look, then on her he puts a bright green that makes her stand out and draws your eye to her. The main reason I love this painting is for the details he has in it, the details brings my mind to think I'm looking at a photo even if I know I am not. I enjoy the fabrics because his paintings show the stitching and the fur trimmed bottom with some on the inside. It is amazing to me every time, I know I can say that a lot though every time it surprises me that that can be done even though I've seen it before. The greatest detail he has is the mirror in the background that shows the entire painting from the back including Jan van Eyck painting it. I also find this painting to be interesting because of the hidden messages he has like the candles over him being lit and the candles over her not. Which brought art historians to think of the painting in a different way with a different meaning then they originally had.
When I first looked at this prompt I had a different painting in mind but after reading the book and watching the lecture I found Joseph Mallord William Turner's "Slavers throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying..."(954) to be one of my new favorites! At first I just saw the colors which made this painting stand out to me. I didn't even see the ship or the people because I was in awe with the colors. I feel the title describes this well because the colors show the waves in different looks that make them look like a storm. Even though this painting doesn't have detailed work, it makes you live in that moment. The warm colors make you feel the emotions of the situation happening and the anger of the storm with the yellows and blues of the distress their having. This is a really strong painting even if it doesn't look like all the other paintings.
All in all, we studied a lot of different of art eras, and styles and I liked a lot of different works but there was never one specific time period or style it was different works from each of them. Also I enjoyed learning about the different art works this quarter.
That painting by Turner is amazing. I'm glad you like it! When you consider that Turner is creating this type of art a few decades before the Impressionists, you can see how Turner was really a revolutionary artist for his time.
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I didn't know anything about the history of art before i took this class, especially Renaissance. One of my personal favorites was also Jan van Eyck's Double portrait painting. Aside from how well the portrait was painted, it was the symbolism behind the painting that interest me most, and the detail in the mirror reflecting the patrons.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed studying the works of Jan van Eyck and Albrecht Durer, and the thought process that must have occurred as they created their art. It's amazing how an artist can recreate the textures of fabric with brushstrokes, and have their art appear as realistic as a present-day photograph.
ReplyDeleteI too enjoyed the work of Albrecht Durer. I feel like he really took the initiative to learn new techniques and incorporate his talents in various ways. It was interesting how he did depict himself in so many ways. As for your analysis of the painting you pointed out some very interesting objects in the painting like the mirror in the background. It’s interesting how you can see Eyck in the reflection. It’s cool how you were able to choose a different artist and painting to represent what you enjoyed from this quarter.
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