Is She or Isn't She?

When I first looked at Jan van Eyck's painting Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride in my art history textbook, I was shocked by the scandal. A woman is pregnant before marriage in fifteenth century Flanders? The bride doesn't have one of those "is she or isn't she" stomachs; her stomach is clearly protruding. As I looked for an explanation, the book thankfully provided me with one. Giovanni's betrothed is actually not pregnant, but she is wearing a fashionable costume that makes it appear so. For some reason this trend has not come back into fashion, but van Eyck did spark other trends.

Jan van Eyck was the first Netherlandish painter to achieve international fame. He was also one of the Dutch masters who made oil painting popular. Oils allowed van Eyck to paint with incredible detail. Looking closely at Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride, his eye for detail can be seen. He carefully distinguished textures and depicted the effects of the light from the window. The convex mirror on the back wall is another important detail. The mirror not only shows Giovanni and his bride, but also two other figures. One of the figures is thought to be van Eyck himself.

The painting is also full of symbols. On the surface, it is a purely secular painting, but certain objects with religious undertones are also included. A pair of cast-aside clogs signify the event taking place on holy ground. The small dog represents fidelity (we get the common canine name Fido from the Latin "fido" meaning to trust). The finial (crowning ornament) on the bedpost is a small stature of Saint Margaret, the patron saint of childbirth. The single candle burning and the mirror symbolize God's all-seeing eye. All of the symbols convey the sanctity of the event and the holiness of matrimony.

With incredible detail and precision, Jan van Eyck revolutionized painting with the use of oils and the secular subject matter.

What is a pig's favorite ballet?

Answer: Swine Lake

When I think of ballet, I think of pink, tutus, and grace, but then I saw a preview for Black Swan. My previously positive views of ballet are now clouded by the creepy eyes and suspenseful music from the short 30 second trailer for the Golden Globe nominated movie. After watching the trailer, my mind was flooded with the horrors of my own ballerina days.

I was four years and doing a tap dance at the annual Christmas dance recital for Dotty's Dance Company. Everything was going smoothly until my kick ball change resulted in a stumble. Just as the cameraman zoomed in on me, I slipped onto my knee. With fierce determination, I got up off that floor and kept dancing while holding my injured knee. Flash-forward to third grade and I was struck by yet another dance catastrophe. While dancing to "We Got the Beat," I was on cloud nine. I was front row center and couldn't wait to show off my toe touch. Then, it happened. I didn't do my toe touch; I just jumped straight up. Tears welled in my eyes as I finished the dance with a look of sheer hatred on my face. It's a wonder that I made it through that.

Looking past the horrid memories of my life as a ballerina, I remember some happier memories. In second grade, my art class was given the assignment of drawing a ballerina imitating the Impressionist painter Edgar Degas. To do so, the class needed a model, and I was honored to be chosen as the model for my class. Standing on the table frozen in a tendu, I became obsessed with Degas and his paintings of ballerinas.

Ten years later, I was able to view one of Degas' ballerina paintings in person. A few dedicated Art History students and I ventured to the Frist Center to hear a lecture and to view their latest exhibit, The Birth of Impressionism. One of Degas' famous paintings of his beloved ballerinas is "Ballet Rehearsal on the Set." The ballerinas are not posed or at the center of the composition; Degas arranged them in a seemingly random manner. The center is in fact void of any figures. The informal composition shows Degas' interest in capturing fleeting moments. Like other Impressionist painters, Degas did not focus on depicting minute details--the faces of the ballerinas are painted with little detail--, but rather on the effects of light and reproducing a single moment. The different poses of the ballerinas show that Degas was also intrigued by showing the moving human body in different positions.

Even with blurred lines, the random positioning of the dancers makes the painting look realistic. I recall many Tuesday nights at the barre practicing for hours, though we weren't allowed to wear big fun tutus in our rehearsals. Degas will always hold a special place in my heart for giving me the chance to be the center of attention in my second grade art class.

Family Ties

In the world of art, artists tend to run in clans. Will Smith's family is full of rising actors and singers, the Cyrus's all enjoy to be in the spotlight, and there is even an art to the Kardashian family. Back in 13th-century Italy, there was another family full of artistic talent--the Pisano family. Nicola Pisano was a famous sculpture whose work shows a clear interest in classical forms. Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II encouraged a revival of the past glory of Rome, which inspired artists. Nicola Pisano was one of these artists. He studied in Sicily or southern Italy before moving north and settling into Pisa--an excellent profitable commissions.

The pulpit of Pisa Cathedral baptistery is perhaps one of Nicola Pisano's most famous works. The pulpit shows lingering of medieval traditions: the trilobed arches and the lions that support some of the columns. Rather than employ only medieval elements, Nicola also integrated many classical components too. He added Gothic variations of the Corinthian capital, rounded arches, and large rectangular panels of relief.

In one panel, titled The Annunciation and the Nativity, densely packed large-scale figures resemble the composition of panels on Roman sarcophagi. The way that Mary is reclined is similar to the lid figures on both Etruscan and Roman sarcophagi. The faces, the beards, the hair styles, and the drapery are all clearly inspired by Roman relief sculpture. The bulk and weight of the figures also connect Nicola Pisano's representation to classical reliefs.

Nicola Pisano's son also happened to be a sculptor, and he created a relief panel of the same name--The Annunciation and the Nativity. Giovanni Pisano's panel was part of the pulpit of Sant'Andrea at Pistoia and was completed about 40 years after his father's. Giovanni's figures differ from the weighty, tranquil figures of his father. His figures are loose and dynamic with an excited energy that provides a sense of motion. The characters react to the action in the scene, and they all share a sense of spiritual passion from the miraculous events. Unlike his father's, Giovanni's figures are slender, enfolded by twisting draperies, and full of emotions.

Though they share family ties, there representations of the same scene differ greatly. As Nicola Pisano is an excellent example of the revived interest in classical works, Giovanni Pisano represents the developing movement of naturalism. Perhaps, Giovanni wanted to rebel against his father or not be classed alongside him, but either way he helped in the movement towards naturalistic representation.

Sadly, Daffy has no artistic talents, and Tommy is a more athletic than artistic type. Without any trace or hint of art in my genes, I have to take Art History as my art in order to graduate (not complaining Mr. Lovell...just saying).

Memory Lane

I hate my 8th grade self. During spring break of my 8th grade, I went on a trip to France with my school, but I cannot for the life of me remember where we went. Yes, I recall the obvious ones: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triumphe, and Notre Dame. To add to my hatred of my 8th grade alter ego, I didn't even go in Notre Dame. I had seen it on a France trip a couple years earlier, so my friends and I took pictures of the outside and went shopping. As I scrolled through my pictures from the trip trying to recall the names of the unknown places, my disappointment grew. Here is about what I found: self-pics, guy from the Real World, Eiffel Tower,omg bff's, Arc de Triumphe, Louis Vuitton, more self-pics, more Eiffel Tower, let's take a picture of our feet, kissy face, Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower at night, and so on. It seems that the drama of the trip and securing a boyfriend were more important than taking in the historic sites I was seeing. Luckily, there were some pictures that helped me identify one mystery location.

My elation as I stumbled upon pictures of Chartres Cathedral was unprecedented. Not only did I take a picture of the westwork, but I actually went inside to take pictures of the stained glass. Though my textbook offers much better quality pictures, I cannot help but be sentimental and post my own pictures.

Chartres is actually the French Gothic cathedral that bothers me. The two differing towers on the west facade do not sit well with my OCD-ness. What makes Chartres unique is the mixture of Early and High French Gothic elements. The west facade still has several Romanesque qualities. The decoration of the "Royal Portal" has a theme similar to the Romanesque Throne of Wisdom. However, Mary was given an unprecedented positio

n of prominence on the Chartres portal. The jamb statues of the Royal Portal display the Early Gothic emergence of naturalism.

Like other churches of the time, Chartres could not fend off fires. In 1194, a disastrous fire destroyed the majority of the cathedral--only the western facade and masonry of the crypt remained. A rebuilding

effort started immediately and took a short

27 years. The new plan of Chartres is High Gothic. Rectangular bays replaced the old square bays, and four part vaults took the place of the Early Gothic sexpartite vaults. The result of the changes was a huge, continuous hall.

The stained glass of Chartres limits the amount of light that is let in. Their purpose was to transform natural light into a mystical lux nova, rather than to illuminate the church. My pictures really are not very good, so I cannot decipher what is depicted in the stained glass.

Lastly, the new sculptures on the south transept of Chartres show the transformation from Early to HighGothic in sculpture. The individuals that are depicted have distinct personalities are not as rigid as their Early Gothic predecessors. Signs of Classical influence are seen in the use of contrappos

to in some of the figures.

What memories do I have of Chartres? I remember taking a picture with my friends and looking at brochures. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am thankful that I no longer take a ridiculous amount of self-pics or pictures of my feet, and that at least I now appreciate the sights that I saw while in France, even if it took 4 years.

Proof.

The Wedding of the Century

The royal engagement of England's Prince William to Kate Middleton has been all over the news. It was recently announced that their wedding will take place on April 29, 2011--3 days after my half birthday--in Westminster Abbey. Their chosen venue is full of history in itself. Famous burials and royal coronations make it a popular tourist spot, but it was also where the funeral of Prince William's mother, Princess Diana, was held. If the ceremony is held in the adjoining chapel of Henry VII, they will wed under a canopy of fan vaults.

Constructed in the English Gothic Perpendicular style by Robert and William Vertue, the fan vaults that cover the ceiling of the chapel of Henry VII were made solely for ornamentation. They are a series of vaults with radiating ribs that develop their own unique pattern. At the center of each fan vault is a pendant that resembles a stalactite. The rib vault was a vital part of French Gothic architecture, but the English architects characteristically saw its use for decoration rather than for structural purposes. The goal was not to help take on weight, but it was to create a disguise for the structural aspects. The overall effect is a ceiling that resembles a lace-like material.

Though I am not positive that this is the exact spot of the "wedding of the century," the fan vaults do produce a beautiful venue. Growing up idealizing the Disney princesses, I cannot help but envy the future princess, Kate. She gets the prince and the happily ever after, and I'll sit at home with the small satisfaction of studying her wedding venue in art history.

OMG It's Harry Potter

In case you don't know, the latest movie of the Harry Potter series hits theaters next Friday. Last week, we were given an AP Art History project to create a tympanum. The goal was to create something similar to the arch over Romanesque church portals but with a modern theme. My partner Riley and I went against our teacher's suggestions and chose a Harry Potter theme. Rather go the obvious route of putting Harry in Christ's position, we went a little bit darker. Voldermort--the villain--is at the center of our arch. Like Christ, he is enthroned in a mandorla that is marked by a snake--his emblem. To his right (left of the picture) are his faithful followers, the Death Eaters. From left to right, Fenrir Greyback, Bellatrix LeStrange, Severus Snape, and Lucius Malfoy flank their "Dark Lord." As you can see, Riley drew Fenrir in a position that echoes the Etruscan sarcophagus figures.

To Voldermort's left are the people that fight against him, Harry, Dumbledore, Mad-Eyed Moody, and Arthur Weasley. By placing the "good" on Voldermort's right and the "bad" on his left models the saved and the damned of the Last Judgment tympanums.
The archivolts that surround the arch represent Voldermort's seven Horcruxes. These Horcruxes each possess a piece of his soul. The lintel that runs across the bottom has people that Voldermort has killed and other dark symbols on his right and other people that fought against him on his left. In the spare spaces, we attempted to draw snakes that are intertwining, much like they did with other animal forms during the Romanesque era.

The goal of or tympanum is to inspire fear, like the Last Judgment tympanums of the time. With Christ centered in his mandorla, he was often flanked by those saved to his right and those damned to his left. For the record, Riley and I both are definitely Team Potter, but we tried to do the not obvious Harry Potter choice to satisfy our teacher.

"Vita Contemplativa"

Flipping through my Art History textbook trying to find something blog-worthy, I stop on the page of the cloister in the abbey of Saint-Pierre, located in Moissac, France. The light shining in the courtyard illuminates the arches and columns of the courtyard. Subconsciously, the opening of Taylor Swift's song "Love Story" begins to play in my head. What would have been a great spot of her music video is actually the space where monks worked on their "vita contemplativa" or their spiritual life. Strolling through the timber-roofed columnar, monks were able to read their devotions, pray and meditate. The cloister enabled them to be secluded from the outside temptations and distractions of the real world.

The Moissac cloister, like others, was designed to be a taste of Paradise. The tranquil atmosphere allowed the monks the focus directly on God. The serenity was a result of the actual silence of the cloister and complimented the vow of silence taken by the monks.

Along with its peaceful air and Taylor Swift-ness, the Moissac cloister also holds the most extensive ensemble of early Romanesque sculpture. The sculpture is seen on the columns and their capitals. Their capitals are "historiated," meaning adorned with figures. The large reliefs on the piers represent the 12 apostles. The columns alternate between single and paired column shafts. Their capitals are decorated with abstract patterns. biblical scenes, and the lives of crazy monsters. The monsters, which were soon to become a popular trend, represented the chaos and deformity of a God-less world. These elaborate reliefs and capitals were added thanks to rich benefactors and donations of pilgrims.

The Original Man Purse

Back in the day, great lords were buried in ships and sent off to sea. Filled with luxuries, these burials have provided insight into the art of the "Warrior Kings." The nomadic people of ancient Northern Europe did not create huge statues or colossal monuments. Their art was limited to what they could carry with them. In 1939, a burial ship filled with treasures was uncovered in a burial mound at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk, England. Though the ship was not put out to sea, it exemplifies the tradition of the time. Filled with gold and silver goods, the burial was clearly that of a king. One of the many treasures from the ship is a decorated purse cover. The design and cloisonné technique are characteristic of the time period. Cloisonné jewelry and decoration are produced by small metal strips being soldered, and by filling the compartments with semiprecious stones, colored glass, or other materials that resemble brilliant gems. The Sutton Hoo purse cover there are a variety of designs. The bottom row has 4 groups in a symmetrically organized row. The outer image is that of a man flanked by two beasts - a powerful image of the time. The inner image is an eagle overarching a duck. They are cleverly composed together to create a unified figure. The figures are stylized, rather than realistic. Above the row of 4 are three geometric designs. The outer two are linear lines creating a unique pattern with contrasting colors. The inner design is something that is echoed throughout the time period - interlacing metalwork with animal figures. This design is a precursor of similar designs that would be seen in early medieval art of western Europe.

The overall composition looks like a purse cover that I desire. Gold and jewels on a purse? Obviously, I'm envious. The gold strips that outline the figures contrast beautifully with the garnet, colored glass, and the white background. Although the original color of the background is a topic of much discussion, it is ultimately unknown.

Without a doubt, this purse cover was surely the most stylish man purse of its time.

The Harding Art Show

After eight years of school at Harding Academy, we all knew when it was time for the annual art show. While moms bustled trying to prepare the arts building for the annual show, my classmates and I still had to go to classes. Sculptures appeared outside on our walk to science, and we were told to avoid the arts building if at all possible. My experience with the Harding Art Show developed with my time at Harding. When I was younger, I searched the booths for paintings with bright colors and flowers. But as I matured, I no longer looked for these things. My friends and I would talk to the artists - many stay at their booths - and learned about how they produced their art. Each year, I would find some piece and beg my parents to buy it for me. Most of the time I was unsuccessful, but the art show first sparked my appreciation for art.

The 36th Harding Academy Art Show will be held in May of 2011. The show goes from Thursday, May 5 through Saturday, May 7. Last year, seventy artists from the Southeast were featured. The 2011 Featured Artist is Charlotte Terrell. The art show serves a main fundraiser for the Parent's Auxiliary of Harding Academy. Throughout its history, it has become a Nashville tradition and an example for other schools.


(Image: Charlotte Terrell, Featured Piece for 2011)

And so it begins...

With only 30 minutes to analyze and describe a piece of art, I have to admit that I am a little overwhelmed. As I sit staring at Clare Coyle Taylor's colored pencil piece titled "November 11, 2006," I am first attracted to the colors. Shades of blues, yellows, reds, oranges, purples, they're all there. Simplicity and madness mix to create this abstract piece. The simplicity comes from the geometric shapes that are drawn throughout. Squares, triangles, and other geometric figures that fill the paper add to a dynamic feeling.
Even though the shapes do add a simplicity, the piece is overwhelmingly energetic. There is not one place that is simply one color. A blue right color is a dark blue with light blue on top. Below that there is a parallelogram that seem to have almost every color that is featured in the piece. Coyle also adds spirit to sketch with her energetic lines that make it up.The colored pencil lines go outside of the box, making the color leap towards the viewer.
After looking at the piece for 30 minutes, hoping that some message will jump out to me, I can only grasp the happiness and energy that this sketch brings. There is something wonderfully childlike about the simple shapes and myriad of color. What Coyle had in mind upon creating this, I cannot say, but I do not think it is necessary. The abstractness speaks to each viewer differently, and for me it exudes a vibrant energy.

The Scream - Formal Anaylsis attempt

The Scream by Edward Munch uses his lines and brushstrokes to lead the viewer’s eyes throughout the painting. It is composed of tempera and pastels on cardboard. The onlooker is first drawn to the man in the foreground. The contrast between his dark attire and the lightness of his face make him appear skeletal. Munch drew the man with simplicity adding to this emaciated appearance. The curving of the man’s body is reflected throughout the painting, as are the blended yet visible lines.

The viewer’s eyes are drawn next into a series of these blended lines to the right of the figure. Mixed with blues, greens, reds, and yellows this section is a melting pot of all the colors present in the painting. The lines curving to the right act as transition to the next portion of the painting. The eyes quickly move up to the diluted landscapes. Here, the lines are in no particular direction. Instead, the curves form the landscape in itself. Blue water is painted with strokes of lighter blue clear to the viewer on top of a darker shade. The arching strokes enfold an area resembling an island with a color of similar shade to the face of the screaming man. The difference between light and dark is once again visible. The curvilinear strokes and the similar colors create remind the viewer of the man in the foreground.
The landscape is concluded with dark blue rolling hills in the background. The rolls of the hills are mirrored in the fiery sky. The stripes appear to be a continuation of the hills that continue to the top of the painting. The blazing orange and yellow stripes of the sky give it a glow that is only seen in the sky.

Finally, the viewer’s eyes are directed to two muted silhouettes and a boardwalk that lead back to the man in the foreground. The figures in the background are painted in muted colors with blended forms, showing that they are not the focus in this painting. The boardwalk is a series of lines all directed towards the main figure in the foreground that leads the eyes back to the beginning. The straight lines of the promenade are disparate from the sweeping lines elsewhere in the painting.

Going from the man in the foreground and then in a counterclockwise direction around the work of art, the eyes end on their beginning with the man in anguish. Taking a step back, the contrasting colors and curvilinear lines are the most striking. The lines allow the eyes to flow with ease throughout the painting, but still put the most importance on the man in the foreground. After viewing this painting, the viewer is left with an eerie feeling of anxiety from the contrasting colors, swirling nature, and utter agony of the twisted individual that is the focus of the piece.