Jackson Pallok

Week 12

Jackson Pallock

Number 1, 1949

Enamel and metallic paint

5’3” by 8’6” inches

Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles

This painting is depicting a feeling that Jackson Pallock had. He wasn’t trying to paint any particular shapes or images. It is more about emotion. Pallock has used several different colors. The types of colors he uses are more cool colors. There are no really bright colors that stick out. Each color used compliments one another. The lines created from the paint are very organic. They are created by just splattered paint there are no brush strokes being used. He uses up most every space on the canvas.

The purpose of this art piece is for Pallock to demonstrate his feelings and express them onto the canvas. I think he also is just trying to demonstrate a different type of painting. Each paint splatter is purposely put in that particular spot even though it may not look that way. The social issue I chose to go along with this painting is the media. When Pallock first began his paintings they were so unlike all the other paintings. So as a result he didn’t get the credit he deserved from the media. His paintings are a lot about feelings and his reactions towards something. He doesn’t paint to reflect an object or situation in life. It’s about his daily feelings.

            This painting has changed the way people views paintings as a whole. The way he painted this was so unique. He created a whole new way to paint and to look at paintings. His paintings weren’t just about objects but about emotions. He painted his emotions on the canvas. And it really came through with his splatters and colors.

The Persistence of Memory

Week 11

The Persistence of Memory

Salvador Dali

Oil on Canvas, 1931

91/2 by 13 inches

The Museum of Modern Art, New York

            This painting is depicting a lot of movement. All of the clocks in the painting are melting as if time is not stable. The clocks are the only thing melting in this painting. Everything else is stable and in its place. However in the bottom corner there is a pocket watch that looks like it isn’t melting. There are different types of lines in this painting. There are contours and outlines which are creating shapes. The clocks are depicting a lot of direction and movement to create the look of not being still or melting. The shapes in this painting are both organic and geometric. There are a lot of primary colors and warmer colors. There is a lot of wasted space in this painting. But it makes your eye look towards a certain part immediately.

            I think the purpose of this artwork is to demonstrate life and how people take the time they have for granted. The clocks are melting as if time doesn’t matter at all. This painting could be representing life and how people don’t use every minute of their life to the fullest. The social issue if chose to go along with this is the environment. The painting is representing clocks being outside in a deserted looking place. I think that this painting is representing how we take time and our world around us for granted. And we need to learn to take care of it. I think that this painting is just representing life in general.

            This painting really makes you think. People probably have all different perceptions of what it is trying to say. But I think that it changed how people think of their own lives in general. And it maybe even makes you think about how precious each day is and how precious the time is that you have to live. I think that this is a really neat painting. It depicts time in such a unique way.

Buddha Preaching the First Sermon

Week 10

Buddha Preaching the First Sermon

From Sarnath, 465-485

Sandstone

Height of 5’3 inches

Archaeological Museum, Sarnath

            This piece of artwork is depicting a sculpture of a religious artifact, or of a religious figure in the religion of Buddhism. It is a sandstone sculpture. It looks very smooth. The figure that is sculpted looks calm and at peace. It looks like a young boy trying to meditate. The texture of this particular art piece looks incredibly smooth. This is piece is very detailed in some areas, such as the top plate around the figures head. This artwork doesn’t look like it’s been painted at all.

            I think the purpose of this sculpture is to represent a holy figure in Buddhism. This sculpture could be for people to pray to or maybe to just use as remembrance for this holy figure. The social issue I chose to go along with this is religion. This is clearly a special figure for the Buddhist religion and they want it to be remembered.

            This helped change how we understand the Buddhist religion and what godly figure they pray to.  This sculpture gives us an idea of what Buddha might actually have looked like. And the position that he is sitting in also gives us an idea of how they pray and worship. They look like they are would be a very peaceful group of people. This statue gives us an understanding of how simple and peaceful their religion might be.

Jupiter and Thetis

Week 9

Jupiter and Thetis

Jean-Auguste-Dominque Ingres

Oil on canvas, 1811

10’85/8 inches by 8’65/16 inches

Musee Granet, Aix-en-Provence

           

            This painting is depicting what looks like a god in the heavens sitting on his thrown. And there is a woman admiring him. Also there is an eagle in the painting along with another women admiring from afar. Some of the clouds in this painting also look very dark like there is a storm. The lines in this painting are organic and geometric. Warm and cool colors are being used. The man is dressed in a very warm pink. Cooler colors are also being used in the background. This makes the people in the front of the painting really stick out. The man is placed right in the center of the painting. Everything is surrounding him. He is the center of attention.

            The purpose of this work is to represent a godly figure. This man looks very strong and powerful a lot like we think of a godly figure. The social issue I chose to go along with this is religion. When I think about God I think about a mighty man like the one represented in this painting. This painting makes him look like he is glowing like an angle from heaven. Everything looks like it is perfect.

            Paintings of gods such as this one have given us an understanding of how our true God might look like. Because there have been so many paintings of gods such as this one now we think of our God to look like this. They make him look so mighty and powerful. He is the leader of everyone and we look up to him like the other women in this painting are doing.

Portrait of Amilcare, Minerva, and Asdrubale Anguissola

Week 8

Portrait of Amilcare, Minerva, and Asdrubale Anguissola

Sofonisba Anguissola

1558

Oil on canvas, 61 ¾ by 48 inches

Nivaagaards Malerisamling, Niva

            This oil painting is depicting a father and his children poising for a portrait. The son is looking up to the father as if he is admiring him. And the daughter is observing this. They also have their pet dog poising in this portrait. This painting is very dark. There are not a lot of bright colors being used. In the background you can see what looks like the outside. The mountains and country are in the background. There are a lot of primary colors being used. Foreshortening perspective is being used to demon straight people.

            The purpose of this art piece was probably created for that family. This family that the artist painted probably wanted it for a decoration in the house. Rich and noble families would often do this.  Another reason this might have been painted because this was a royal family and they are represented to be remembered in history. The social issue I chose was family. This is a family all together. The father seems proud of his two children that are standing beside him.

            This artwork gives us an idea of people during the renaissance era. And what kinds of art work they created. The people began to look much more three dimensional and life like.  During this renaissance time people began to portray certain people on what they actually look liked. They concentrated on each little detail which added character to these paintings. These types of paintings almost look like a photograph had been taken. It is so lifelike and detailed.

Icon with the Crucifixion

Week 7

Icon with the Crucifixion

Byzantine

1100

11 1/8 by 8 ½ inches

Tempera on Wood

The Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine, Sinai, Egypt

            This art work depicts the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In this painting that is believed to be Jesus Christ placed on the cross with what looks like saints surrounding him. This is an incredibly old painting. This painting shows two people standing below him. And these people look as if they are worshiping him. The space in this painting is divided equally. Each person on the outside has the same amount of space they are separated evenly. The background color is a very bright gold, so each of the people stands out.

            The social issue I chose for this art piece is religion. This painting depicts the scene of Jesus Christ being crucified. This is an art work of a religiously Christian person. This scene was believed by many to be a true piece of history. This is supposed to represent for Christians and everyone what Jesus went through.

            Icons such as this have helped many people grow in their faith. These types of icons are also used for people to pray to as a way to get closer to God. They are beautiful representations of Christ and all he did. Many of these icons are creative and beautifully made. There are several hundred of these icons but this particular one is incredible with the color and detail developed throughout it.

Kouros

Week 6

Kouros

580 B.C.

Unknown Artist

Marble statue

Height of 6’4 inches

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

            This marble statue is of a man in the ancient world. This was created in the archaic people of Greek art. The term Kouros means youth. There are many statues like the one above that were created in ancient Greece. These statues are depicting the body of a young man. It was believed that some of these statues were created to depict godly figures. The Greeks thought of their gods in human forms. The Greeks made their statues as realistic as they could. The facial features on this statue are created in great detail. These statues were made out of marble as a result the texture of them would be very soft and shimmery almost.

            This statue was created to depict the youth of Greece. They believed in gods in human form and created many statues to demonstrate what kind of person that might be. The social issue I chose that relates to this is religion. The Greeks believed in many gods like a lot of the ancient worlds did. They also believed that the gods looked like the humans in the ancient world. As a result they would create sculptures of mighty men.

            This statue and many others like it have given us a better understanding of the types of art they created in ancient Greece and it even gives us an understanding of their spiritual beliefs. Their artwork has helped us understand the techniques they used. And the recourses they were available to in order to create this type of art work.