A Mountainous landscape with a Waterfall and The Forest Stream

                                      A Mountainous Landscape with a Waterfall by Kerstiaen de Keuninck

                                                   

                                                      The Forest Stream by Jacob van Ruisdael

                                   

                                      

review #1

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          The two works of art I chose are paintings and they both are oil on wood. The similarity of the two is that they both are landscapes and incorporate animals. The first painting is called Roelandt Savery painted by Flemish, Kortrijk. This painting was painted on 1616. The second painting is called Kerstiaen de Keuninck also by Flemish, Kortrijk this painting was painted on 1600. The similarities between both paintings are that they are both painted by the same painter. Another similarity is the color plait for example the way the painter mostly uses vivid colors to set the mood of relaxation. Both painting also have the same concept they are both about nature and the beauty nature has to share with us. Both paintings also have a light source which helps create shadows. The both focal points of the paintings are located on the corners. I believe that the painter wants the viewer’s eyes to travel throughout both painting in a smooth way.

        Although both paintings have similar qualities they also have differences. In painting 1) the painter involves animals and also makes the sky look dark as if it’s going to rain but it also has certain areas that the light is able to show such as in the background. The use of animals make the painting feel more relatable towards nature because when you usually think of nature you think of wild free animals and a sense of freshness. The way the painter made the animal’s together and not really apart shows unity and one with nature. In painting 2) there isn't any animals it’s just a landscape with a waterfall. The color plait in painting 2) is more vivid than painting 1). The sky in painting 2) is brighter which sets the mood of happiness and positivity. The focal point in paint 2) is mostly cool colors because of the water of the waterfall, and the focal point in painting 1) is mostly warm colors because of the colors of most of the animals. To me painting one is more beautiful because it looks more harmonious and peaceful it looks like a utopia. Although both paints are beautiful not everyone is going to develop the same aesthetic emotion toward them so that’s why that I believe that art is based on ones opinion.

Modernism M.R. #1

Art and Society

Museum Review #1

John Ray Canete

04/1/2014    



    The Metropolitan museum was a historical and social experience! In the gallery walls of the museum were different cultures of paintings that were exhibited in separate time periods. Each time periods had its own room and space, showing sets of different paintings, sculptures, antique items, depending on the relative culture of each galleries. The task of picking out 2 paintings out of thousands of collections was somewhat limited to my freedom of choosing 2 particular art works, as a person who is aesthetically intrigued by forms of art. Georges Braque's Candlestick and playing cards on a table is very different from Amedeo Modigliani's Reclining Nude in terms of style, connotation and the contrast of art elements such as color, shape, texture usage, techniques, and material rendering.
   

     Braque's style is an abstract painting done in an oval canvas which dimensions are, 25-5/8 x 21-3/8 in. (65.1 x 54.3 cm) that represents 3 objects, Candlestick and playing cards on a table as the title represents itself. The cafe like painting expresses its representation of style very abstract and influenced by Picasso's cubism movement. Oval represents a table that supports the two rested, randomly arranged objects, candlestick and playing cards. Using short horizontal texture like strokes throughout the canvass, signifies the grain patterns of the table. While the geometric shapes portray the 2 objects, the cylinder shape on the center of the canvas, is the candlestick, the square and rectangle shapes patterns like playing cards. Noticing that most of the visual elements are concentrated in the center of the oval canvas leaving the side of emptiness. 
     

    Modigliani's depiction of Venus is portrayed as Reclining Nude, considering it very erotic, thus can convey a vast array of aesthetic emotions, from feeling challenged, insulted, outraged, or inspired caused by the provocativeness of his painting. The female model's elongated face portrays the generic icon of a female figure. The reclined positioning and the position pose of his female model signifies the beauty of female curves. Using bold black lines, painting the outline of "Venus'" emphasizes the contours of her body. In addition, the use of his color shows the natural contours from her upper body's bosom, the view of her side abs, down to her bottom, showing a sense of shadow tones. Laying down on a red reclining chair gives more passion to the erotic representational image of Venus, and the red walls in the background. The white pillow and white bed sheet on the opposite side of the canvass, sets the neutral balance from the notion of the scene being to erotic.
    

    Candlestick and playing cards on a table in 1910, as suppose to Modigliani painted Reclining Nude 1917 are different from in their translated connotation, however they are the same in the resources of material such as oil paint on canvas. The interesting part of this trip to the MET Museum is looking and dreaming with the painting. Walking into different exhibitions and seeing different forms of art intrigues me to how artist uses the same materials, a variety of techniques, and significant forms, but produces a peculiar creation of art, made distinctively by the original artist.       
"Time and culture influenced both of these modern artist" (Goodman), both artists Braque and Modigliani are modern painters that uses the same medium oil paint and canvass, yet their works of art are opposite styles and techniques that evokes aesthetic emotions. 
    

Museum Review Post #1

       During our trip to the Metropolitan Museum, many paintings in the European section captured my attention. One painting that captured my attention was "The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist" by Bernard van Orley. "The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist" is a representational oil painting, painted in 1514-15. In  this remarkable oil painting, Orley objectively displays the beheading of Saint John the Baptist. The graphic scene displays a man with a long sword placing the severed head on a platter and presents it to a group of people. This outstanding work of art stood out to me with its bold use of contrasting primary colors such as red and blue, and its mellow use of light and dark brown tones. Orley uses the illusion of three-dimensional space to show an active town in the background and another dramatic scene taking place in another room.

     Another painting that I was drawn towards during my visit to the Metropolitan Museum was "Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist", by Andrea Solario. "Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist" is a representational oil painting completed in 1507. The oil painting objectively displays a woman receiving the graphic severed head of Saint John the Baptist.

    I was instantly captivated by the similarities displayed in "The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist", and "Salome with the Head of saint John  the Baptist". Bernard van Orley and Andrea Solario both present their oil paintings on a wooden canvas making their work much sharper and fascinating. Another similarity is that they both convey the same event. Orley and Solario both display the severed head of Saint John the Baptist dripping blood in a graphic manner. There is also a resemblance between the two woman receiving  the head on the platter. Both artist display bold primary colors contrasting each other, such as blue and red.


    Despite the obvious similarities in these two oil paintings, they are also different in numerous ways. For instance, Solario only paints John the Baptist's head, the woman receiving it on the platter, and only the arm of the person placing the head on the platter, while Orley displays many full bodied people in the background. Also Solario used black negative space, giving subjective meaning to the oil painting. The black dark tone used as negative space represents a dark time where the graphic scene took place. Orley filled his background with many people subjectively showing both positive and negative emotion. Orley displays people weeping in another room, showing that they are disturbed and upset with the beheading. Lastly, Bernard van Orley's painting was completed 8 years before Andrea Solario's. It is apparent that Orley had a better recollection of the events that took place on that day. This has subjective meaning because Orley's painting displayed a much more precise and detailed scene than Solario's,

Musuem Essay #1

The painting on the left is titled, Virgin and Child with Saints by a Netherlandish (Ghent) Painter. It's oil on wood and was made in 1472. The figures of the Virgin and Child and Saint John the Baptist were scraped off and repainted to produce another piece of art work titled The Marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. I find this piece interesting because even though the part of the artwork has been scraped off, you can still see how much detail the artist put in the sketching out and preparing the outline before the paint. This amazing artistic craftsmanship really shows how the netherlandish painters really caught the imagery similar to that of an actual photograph. The painter is still unknown, but it has been ascribed to both Hugo van der Goes and Jean Hey.

 The painting on the right is titled Rembrandt by Herman Doomer in 1640. It is oil on wood also. Doomer was born in 1595 and died 1650. This painting is a self portrait of Herman Doomer himself. He was known for making fine cabinets and chests. This painting struck me with the marvelous use of portrayed lighting and shadowing. The use of color is limited, but it does evoke an eerie feeling and has sort of a dark tone to it because of the lack of color.There is a certain feel to it that makes you think that his eyes are following you and watching your every step, adding a creepy effect to an already spectral painting.

Both paintings grasp the viewers attention quite well. It's as if you can step inside both of these paintings and actually feel the tone and live in their presence. Both paintings are, what is considered to us, realistic. The detailed folds and implied texture on both paintings' clothing makes it so we can actually feel them. Both have a good amount of depth perception, making it not just a flat painting, but sort of like 3-dimensional. Both paintings have that eerie feel to it. Like in the left one, when the people were scraped off, it makes them look very ghost-like. And not to mention the creepy eyes that watch you on the right one. These two paintings struck me the most in the museum because I feel the mysterious and uncanny presence of the people in it, making my curious thoughts ponder through what's going on in their lifestyle.

Museum Review#1

Naturalistic representations in painting and art as a whole are, as Emile Zola contends, but “a corner of nature seen through a temperament.” An artists rendering of nature is subject to the many limitations of man and his perspective, therefore any representation of nature is not an accurate representation of the natural world but how one receives and interprets the natural world. This is painstakingly evident in Vincent van Gogh’s “Cypresses” and Henri Rousseau’s “The Repast of the Lion”. Both contain naturalistic representations, but are asserted in strikingly different styles.

Vincent van Gogh’s “Cypresses” was completed in 1899 using oil paint on canvas and stands 36.75 x 29.125 inches. “Cypresses” lacks warm color, van Gogh instead chose to utilize multiple shades of green and blue that give the painting a sense of serenity, as if it were a late spring afternoon. The paint is visibly applied very thickly, the viewer can see the differences in texture throughout the canvas. The mountain in the background sits under billowing, grey clouds and a crescent sun, providing a basis for perspective and in turn gives the scene depth. The tree is likely a great distance from the mountain, possibly on the apex of a hill. “Cypresses” is a naturalistic representational, but lacks an attempt at imitating the intricacies of nature.

“The Repast of the Lion” painted by Henri Rousseau was completed in 1907 with oil on canvas and it’s dimensions are 44.75 x 63 inches. “The Repast of the Lion” is a representational painting containing much value, shadows come across the growth as the sun has almost completed it’s descent into the horizon. The flowers accentuate a predominantly green forest with warm oranges, deep blues, and pure whites. The lion and his repast lay in the center of the canvas in all it’s savagery. The blood lines it’s mouth as it engulfs it’s prey as the fall of the night shade prepares its entrance. The sky is a cool blue wrapped around a white light source that could be a sun or moon. Rousseau’s interpretation of nature tries, to some degree, faithfully represent nature as seen in real life. 

The manner in which “The Repast of the Lion” contrasts “Cypresses” is emblematic of the unique perception of each artist. Both represent scenes in nature but the styles of van Gogh and Rousseau violently clash. van Gogh’s brush strokes are deliberate and swirling, as if his intention was to inform the viewer of the limitations of a two dimensional canvas as opposed to Rousseau who employs a much more precision based style that attempts to give the viewer a three dimensional perspective. “The Repast of the Lion” shows the barbaric side of nature, the lion engulfing his repast in the thick of the growth in anonymity. This is the part of nature man tends to forget, the ferocious and unforgiving reality that violence occurs in the seemingly sublime and serene wilderness as well as the human inhabited cities and towns. “Cypresses” comes across as having being created with very little detail, almost lackadaisical in it’s depictions of a curving cypress surrounded by grass and mountain sides. It lacks any elements that would give it a three dimensional consciousness, which then begs the questioning of van Gogh’s intentions when painting “Cypresses”. He may have been attempting to recreate how nature makes him feel, rather than recreating nature itself. 

Vincent van Gogh’s “Cypresses” and Henri Rousseau’s “The Repast of the Lion” offer several interpretations of the the infinity of nature, and succeed in capturing an infinitesimal of what nature is in reality. Each scene although similar in idea, differ in their rendering, and in doing so display the potency and freedom of painting and art as a whole.

"Cypresses" by Vincent van Gogh & "The Repast of the Lion" by Henri Rousseau

  

The first piece of art I choose spoke to me;  I was completely drawn to stele with bodhisattva Tang Dynasty (618-907) mid to late 7th century and it has this historical look to it.the reason why i chose this sculpture is amazing because i feel like if you just stare it speeches to you in a wired way what i mean is if you just were to look at this sculpture  and kinda take in how long it took to build it an how carefully detailed it. i mean even though the sculpture  does have much color to it and does really have that many details its still breath taking and it has so much meaning behind it such as these sculptures were made to honor thesis warriors and they were also kinda to honor gods.

The secound pieces of rt work i chose was  rosary bead South Netherlandish, 1490-1525 
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan,11717.190.473. This perticual peices of art spoke to me was because of how little it was but was so deatlied and so beatufil it was so amazing to look at this pieces of wood so delicatly done and master crafted into ths little secene of art it was so beath taking . The rosary, a fifteen-part grew in popularrity during the fiftheen cenatury. Chains of beads called chaplets or rosaries helped devotees keep track of the sequence during praying. this work of art is so breath taking and amzng  and i love every single deatil in this pieces of art like you can see each part of the faces and see little stone an you can see how deatiled it is. 

The reason why i chose thesse two part of art is because there beautful and have so much meaning behind them and there so deatailed and i feel like they have so much hisorty and so much of a back round that its truely amazing 

Ricardo Castro

Art and Society

03/28/14

Museum Review #1

         There is a strong relationship between life and death. They both share a bond, because one can't exist without the other. Melchior d’ Hondecoeter painted Peacocks in 1683. Its form is a 3d painting made with oil on canvas. The painting depicts a beautiful peacock that has other animals gathered around it such as a monkey, a squirrel, a turkey, and another type of bird with a long neck. To the right of the peacock, which is in the center of the painting, are fruits. The peacock is in the form of a diagonal line and is a large piece in the painting so it automatically catches the viewers’ attention. There is no negative space, every piece of the canvas contains an object or setting. You can see trees, a flying bird, and a turkey in the distance. The painting has a lot of cool colors, with very little warm such as the fruits and the neck of the bird. Jan Weenix painted Gamepiece With a Dead Heron (“Foloner’s Bag”) in 1695. It’s a 3-D oil on canvas painting. This painting depicts a group of different types of birds all dead close by each other. In the horizon there are trees and water it seems. It also looks as if there are a few people in the background as well. This painting has no negative space as well and contains more warm colors then cool. The warm colors on the flowers make the painting more vibrant near the biggest bird that is dead.

          Peacocks and Gamepiece With a Dead Heron (“Foloner’s Bag”) both hold a strong differentially. Hondecoeter’s Peacocks portrays the beauty of life. How serene nature and life can be. Whereas Weenix’s Gamepiece With a Dead Heron (Foloner’s Bag”) portrays the horrid sight of death. The dark and dreary painting fills the viewer with sadness as they are left to witness a group of birds that have died due to the hands of mankind. Peacocks fills the viewer with bliss and peace as they observe the beauty of the peacock and the other small animals that have gathered together. I strongly believe the purpose of Peacocks was to show the world the beauty of a peacock since its  one of the most colorful and beautiful feathered birds. Perhaps even the beauty of the peacock’s feathers brought the animals together. Whereas Gamepiece With a Dead Heron (“Foloner’s Bag”) purpose is to sadden the viewers and show the world how we kill a lot of animals. These two paintings also hold some similarities, they both contain animals in the paintings. The main theme of both paintings center around birds. They both demonstrate the beauty of birds in their own way. Both these paintings use birds in order to send a greater message to its viewers and society.

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Museum Essay #1

Streaming through the Metropolitan Museum, l had come across these two oil on wood. These two paintings caught my eyes not only because of its dramatic background but of what l take as a Christian with many beliefs that judgement day will come.
 The first oil on wood "The Last Judgment" was made by Joos Van Cleve, Netherlandish, in 1520-25. When l started to view this painting in the museum, what had drawn me was the vibrant colors and the way it falls very heavy on the painting. It’s a very dramatic because you are talking about the last day of judgment which if you are into the religious seen you will feel as if that is a sign and comes off very strong to the viewers eyes. This work of art is representational because it shows realism and its naturalistic view. The message this painting gives is that you must not fear the lord and let him take judgment, because only god can judge what you do at the end.
  The second painting "The Last Judgment" by Jan Van Eyck made in 1435-40 in Netherlandish. Maaseik. This oil on canvas, transferred from wood. This painting has a different set of emotions because this shows much more details into the judgment day and much more happening in between the background. The value of the lights and dark's in this painting comes strong with very dark colors coming into the light. The style of this art is representational because of its realism in the religion.
These paintings are similar because they are both talking about the last Day of Judgment. As you can see on both painting they have sides that are dark which is hells area and the light is where Christ is picking and judging you and putting them either with him or the devil. People are either fully clothe or not. You have in both the greatest power in the middle of the painting which is Christ and on the lower level you have the bad guys that didn't make it pass judgment with Christ. The differences between the two is that in the first painting you have three sections that split up and the second you have sections that go from beginning, middle, and end.
The purpose of this kind of art is to give the viewers an eye opener and to show them what can happen on a day of judgment. We may not all feel the same way about this painting because not everyone in the world is religious but have a background of family members that do believe. We live in the world where we have good and bad people and the pictures shows that no matter the power you have doesn't mean you get to make it into being the good guy. Only you know where you stand.

Museum review #1

Gabriela Caceres

Art and Society Creativity Cluster

3/31/14

Museum Review #1

While visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the first time last week, I observed many stunning artworks and quite a few caught my attention. I was exposed to paintings by famous artists such as, Kerstiaen de Keuninck and Jacob van Ruisdael. Both paintings that greatly impressed the most were “The Forest Stream” by Jacob van Reisdael and ”A Mountainous Landscape with a waterfall” by Kerstian de Keuninck. I spent the day looking at paintings of landscapes because that’s what intrigues me the most.

“The Forest Stream” by Jacob van Reisdael created in 1660 was the first painting that attracted me instantaneously. This beautiful painting consists of oil on canvas and includes organic shapes considering that it depicts a landscape. The shapes in the painting give it a deep flowing and curving appearance. The plants, trees and the stream render a very natural and romantic look. This representational painting contains light blue, navy blue, dark green, beige, brown and white colors. The monochromatic and neutral colors suggest nature and tranquility. When I look at the painting, I feel very calm and at peace considering that it’s in a forest. The use of shadows below the trees and rocks create depth and produce a three dimensional realistic appearance. Reisdael incorporated many horizontal curvy lines that imply calmness and serenity.

Another brilliant representational painting that attracted me was “A Mountainous Landscape with a Waterfall” by Kerstian de Keuninck. The painting was established in 1600 and it consists of oil on wood. This painting illustrates a massive green hill with plants and rocks situated over it. Towards the left side of it, exists the large mountain that is the most significant element of the landscape. The mountain invites the viewer to look deeply within the painting and to interpret why the artist placed it there. Paintings of landscapes regularly attract me but this specific one moves me in a strange and sentimental sort of way. A way that is difficult to explain and clarify. When looking at the light blue sky at the upper center of the painting, I feel as if I’m lost and stranded in the forest viewing the sky to see if any sort of aircraft passes by to rescue me. This painting has an extremely realistic appearance perhaps that’s the reason why it provokes the strange emotions and thoughts in me. Keuninck incorporated various dark and neutral colors such as light blue, dark green, brown, beige and white. It creates a very natural and pleasing appearance. The organic shapes and the horizontal lines within the painting also affect the sentimental feeling I get by looking at it.

Both paintings are similar in several ways but also different in a few ways. They’re both highly impressive and have a realistic appearance, considering they both depict an attractive landscape. Both paintings include plants, flowers, rocks and trees. “The Forest Stream” by Jacob van Reisdael appears to have more depth and look more realistic because the shadows are placed in different parts of the painting. They’re placed below the trees and in between the rocks, giving it a three dimensional look. In “A Mountainous Landscape with a Waterfall” by Kerstian de Keuninck, the painting looks flat and two-dimensional. Both paintings are representational and consist of the same neutral dark tone monochromatic colors. Despite the differences, they are both beautiful works of art and practically give the same emotion by looking at them.

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http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Jan_van_Eyck_-_Diptych_-_WGA07587.jpg


On our journey inside The Metropolitan Museum of Art we were presented with amazing artworks. I came across two paitnings that caught my attention. The crucifixion; The Last Judgement by Jan Van Eyck and his Workshop assistant.  Both oil on canvass, transferred on to wood, 1390-1451.The style of these two paintings is idealistic, they are just an idea of what the moment could have looked like.The two paintings where very eye catching because of their lively warm and dark colors.  Both paintings  where placed right next to each other so you couldn't  look at one without looking at the other one. Once I took a closer look at the paintings i was amazed by both and a bit creeped out by one of them. They are both very detailed. It almost takes you back to that very moment. I felt like I lived the moment when I looked at the paintings.
These two paintings are similar  because they are both paintings representing a religious belief/event. They both portray and image of Christ, his worshipers , and his enemies.  Also the colors used where similar, they are both very detailed paintings. The differences between the two painting is that they were both place together to contrast Christ's sacrifice for human kind in the last judgement. Also that  "The Last Judgment"  goes further in explaining the story, or demonstrates what came after  "The Crucifixion". Christ is painted differently in both paintings. In the   "The Crucifixion" people are crying his death and suffering from watching him suffer. In "The Last Judgment" people are worshiping him and are happy. Also it shows another side the dark side where people are being punished and paying for their sins very cruelly.
 These two paintings caught my attention I believe because of my religious background. I have heard many stories about Christ's, angels, people suffering and sinning , and hell. These two paintings just summed up all of what I know and believe. They are just paintings but they make you feel something. From what I red about it it's suppose to juxtapose Christ sacrifice for mankind.  If you where to take a look at both of them it would really shock you it was as if the painting spoke for it self and told you a really sad, tragic, also dark story. Many others that saw "The Last Judgment" said "it's so cool but it creeps me out."  I think the purpose of these to paintings where to depict  a religious event that would speak to the viewer when he/she saw it.