Guggenheim Museum by Frank Gehry

Bilbao, Spain, 1997
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Opinion: The Guggenheim Museum is Spain is striking. I have found that many buildings in the world are beautiful, but they don’t necessarily stand out. The Guggenheim is a shining, futuristic, dramatic, curving, colossal building that draws the eye. When I first saw it, I was reminded of the Disney Concert Hall, not realizing that Gehry had designed both. My dad used to work for Disney, so the Disney Concert Hall is a part of my childhood and thus that positive association was another reason I picked the Guggenheim. 

Theory: The Guggenheim Museum is made out of limestone and titanium, which serve to emphasize the asymmetrical, irregular, and imbalanced forms. There are certain organic forms, that Gehry refers to as the "metallic flower". This is offbeat by the structure being futuristic and reminding the onlooker of a cold, mechanical, industrialized world. “In disorder, it seeming randomness of design, and the disequilibrium it prompts in viewers fit nicely into postmodern and deconstructivist agendas” (Gardner, Page 1113). 

Backs by Magdalena Abakanowicz

Musee d'Art Modern de la Ville de Paris, Paris, 1982
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Opinion: Based only on looks, I initially chose Backs because I thought it had an anti-war message, which was very powerful to me. I think there's always a better way to solve problems. However, when i researched Backs, I discovered that it was actually about conformity- a topic much more relevant to my life. 

Theory: Abakanowicz is a leader in the innovation of weaving sculpture. She said "I see fiber as the basic element constructing the organic world on our planet" (Gardner, Page 1126). In Backs, each piece was made by pressing organic fibers into a paster mold the sculpture represents the average person as indistinct in the vastness of society. Each sculpture is asexual and has slumped shoulders, communicating calmness and conformity. Although made form the same mold, there is an odd sense of individuality and distinction between the figures: each has a somewhat different posture and the textures have different patterns (Gardner, Page 1127). 

Surrounded Islands by Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Biscayne Bay, Greater Miami, Florida, 1980
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Opinion: I have always been an environmentalist of sorts- I am a diligent recycler, I use solar light instead of electricity, and I believe in global warming. When I first saw this picture, I thought it was a stupid idea. However, the more I thought about, the more I realized the genius of it. People react to what they can see with their own two eyes and so much of the destruction on our environment is not visible to the naked eye. Christo and Jeanne-Claud found a way to visibly show people the effect that their actions have on our environment and I think that is awesome.

Theory: The Surrounded Islands were part of the environmentalist art that came out of the environmentalist movement. For two weeks, eleven islands in Biscayne Bay in Miami, Florida were surrounded with specially fabricated pink polypropylene fabric.The purpose was to bring about the awareness of people as to what we do to our environment. The whole concept is that it doesn’t take much to destroy the environment, but to create awareness, it takes years. They are making a political statement. 

Cumul I by Louise Bourgeois

Exhibited at Musee national d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, 1969
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Opinion: I was initially attracted to the smoothness of this piece. I thought it was strange that although Bourgeois created abstract shapes, the shapes seem to have almost human characteristics. Additionally, I like the organicness of the piece with the round shapes and white marble. 

Theory: Louise Bourgeois is a post modernist. She once described her sculptural objects as “groups of object relating to each other...the drama of one among many” (Gardner, Page 1087). This sculpture is a collection of organic- rounded headed units huddled with heads protruding out of a cloak. They are abstract, but remind us of humans and have a certain sensuality about them that is magnified by the high gloss next to the matte finish (Gardner, Page 1088).

Kaufmann House by Frank Lloyd Wright

Bear Run, Pennsylvania, 1936- 1939
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Opinion: To be honest, I’m not one for architecture, but I really like the Kaufmann House. I admire its closeness with nature, especially the waterfall. It has a certain unassuming air   about it as it blends in with the surrounding area. I could see myself living in a house like the Kaufmann House one day. 

Theory: Kaufmann House, also known as Fallingwater, is a product of early twentieth century architecture. Wright’s vision in architecture was to create buildings that were part of the natural area.  He developed Fallingwater after studying a chair without front legs. We call this support system a cantilever system (as opposed to post and lintel for normal chairs with four legs). He suggested that what you could do with a chair could be done with a building.There are areas which are completely unsupported next to supported areas. Characteristic of Wright are his continuous roof planes and cross-axial plan. The building contains a variety of different textures, including metal, natural stone, and concrete. His use of full strip windows serve to connect the interior with the exterior. Wright truly created a building became one with nature (Gardner, Page 1059, Madame Oyler). 

Migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange

Exhibited at The Oakland Museum of California, City of Oakland, 1935
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Opinion: Upon first seeing this picture on a poster in a mall when I was in elementary school I thought it was my best friend’s mother. I knew Mrs. Nelson had done modeling and I believed the picture to be staged. Now, of course, I know it was a chance shot by Dorothea Lange taken in 1935, many years before Mrs. Nelson was even born. However, I still see her every time I look at this photograph.  

Theory: Migrant Mother was taken by Dorothea Lange in 1935 as she attempted to document the lives of migratory pea pickers in California. The woman holds a baby on her lap with two younger children clinging to her and raises her hand. Both worry and strength show in her face. Lange’s piece became a propaganda of sorts for the Great Depression because it drew upon values of the time, such as family and stability. It is an example of the influence of photography. People see a picture like this and view it as reality. However, “they must acknowledge that people always read visual images through the lens of cultural conditioning” (Gardner, Page 1066). Rather than focusing on the central economic problem, the picture calls on pathos and sympathy of the viewer. 

The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali

Exhibited at Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1931
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Opinion: I remember seeing this picture by Dali everyday for two years in Mr. Hyne’s class. During out unit on art, he always covered the surrealist movement and showed us this picture. Initially, the Persistence of Memory is what interested me in art history. 

Theory: The Persistence of Memory was a product of the surrealist movement. It is a dreamscape of sorts with recognizable shapes that have metamorphosed into a dream or a nightmare. Dali created a barren space where time has ended. An amorphous creature sleeps in the foreground and is draped with one of the limp watches (another hangs on a tree). A time- keeping piece is swarming with ants while a fly alights on one of the limp pocket watches. It seems to suggest that time is dead or has gone bad and is therefore decaying (Gardner, Page 1040). 

Der Krieg By Otto Dix

Exhibited at Staatliche Kuntsammlugen, Gemaldegalerie Neue Meister, Dresden, 1929
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Opinion: Der Krieg reminded me of several different movies. It seemed to be a cross between I am Legend and War of the Worlds. It has a certain futuristic vibe, which I found interesting. However, this is not especially surprising, considering it shows the annihilation of mankind, which is a premiss upon which many sci-fi movies are based. I felt guilty after coming to this conclusion because this painting was created to depict a horrible war and immediately I jumped away from reality and into the world of film. I think it says something about our society that its difficult for us to recognize reality and violence because we are exposed to so much on the media. 

Theory: Der Krieg is an Expressionist piece created in the wake of World War I.It depicts the horror of war on both man and the surrounding nature. In the first panel, soldiers march off to war, while in the center and right panel, the viewers sees the terribly awesome aftermath. There are mangled bodies and debris everywhere. To make his piece more personally powerful, Dix actually painted himself in on the right hand panel as a ghostly figure who helps a fallen comrade to safety. The piece is nihilistic- it is the complete destruction of life and communicates Dix’s view of the war. It is also reminiscent of the Isenheim Altarpiece, except there is no resurrection of Christ and therefore no hope. Dix wanted to show the reality before him (Gardner, Page 1035). 

Unique Forms of Continuity in Space by Umberto Boccioini

Exhibited at Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1913
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Opinion: I was surprised I liked Boccioni’s piece because it is abstract and I do not usually like abstract art. However, I think what I appreciated was the idea of it- of Boccioni representing movement. I look at his sculpture and with its planes, shining surface, and twists, I can understand his purpose and think its a cool idea. 

Theory: Unique Forms of Continuity in Space was made during the Futurists movement. As the word expresses it, the futurists believed in any mechanical thing that brought forward new inventions and they were primarily interested in technology and movement. This piece depicts the movement of a man running. His sculpture the sensation of movement, not fixed movement in space. The figure is so “broken in plane and contour that it disappears, as it were, behind the blur of its movement” (Gardner, Page 1021).

A Bar at the Folies-Bergere by Edouard Manet

Exhibited at The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1882
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Opinion: I was attracted to this painting because it puzzled me. I like when things force me to think and the more I look at this painting, the more I think. I keep musing over what exactly is going and of course, still have absolutely no idea. 

Theory: This is an Impressionist masterpiece created by Manet. It shows the basic Impressionist characteristics: a blurred painterly style depicting a moment in time. However, unlike many other Impressionist pieces, it caused quite a stir among art historians. Manet’s Impressionist style calls attention to the surface and pushes viewers to try to make sense of the scene. When the viewer does so, visual discrepancies emerge. If the background is a mirror, everything else should be shown in the mirror, but its not. “It is impossible to reconcile the spatial relationship between the barmaid, the mirror, the bar’s frontal horizontality, and the barmaid’s seemingly displaced reflection” (Gardner, Page 910). Additionally, who is the woman behind the barmaid? Is it her reflection, although it looks like an older women. The main figure is recognizable. The people who go to the bar have paid money to be entertained and she is the only who we can recognize. The man who she is waiting on could be any Frenchman of the time. She, on the other hand is giving us her inner feeling: she is not a happy woman. In conclusion, Manet produced an extremely thought- provoking painting which called on us to examine the medium’s basic premises. 

Degas

The Rehearsal, The Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, 1873credit here

Ballet Rehearsal, Exhibited at Glasgow Museum, Glasgow, 1876credit here

L'etoile, Exhibited at Musee d'Orsay, Paris, 1878credit here

Opinion: I chose Degas as an artist and not merely one piece because I found myself drawn to too many of his paintings of ballerinas and dancers. I have always admired the art of ballet and like how the movement and grace of the ballerinas is not just communicated through the figures themselves but through Degas’s very brush strokes and style of painting. 

Theory: Degas was an impressionist painter whose fascination with movement and light led him to the ballet school. He had several methods of bringing the viewer into his pictorial space. These methods included, cutting the cutting off the space (as by a staircase) and arranging the figures in a random manner. “By seeming to stand on the same surface with them, viewers are drawn into their space” (Gardner, Page 910). Loving the way the light shimmered on the tutu, Degas used this to create patterns of light splotches that communicated the Impressionist notion of depicting a moment in time. The moment theme is also shown by the painterly style that contributes to the movement of the piece. 

Draped Model by Eugene Durieu

Exhibited at Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles,  1854
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Opinion: The word that comes to mind when I look at this photograph is beautiful. The Draped Model has a quiet and simple beauty that comes from a variety of factors. These factors include the anonymity of the model,the lack color, the classic folds, the simplistic background, and the sinuous s curve of her back. Though at first glance it appeared to be a modest photograph, the understated grace and artistry left me unable to look away. 

Theory: The Draped Model is a photograph taken in 1854 during the Romantic period during advent of photography by Eugene Durieu and Delacroix. It represents the symbiotic relationship between painters and photographers. Between Delacroix’s artistic sense and Durier’s engineering skills, they were able to produce beautiful pictures such as this one. The lighting and careful draping of the cloth creates a specific mood that is reminiscent of Grand Odalisque (Madame Oyler). 

The Burial of Atala by Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson

Exhibited at Louvre, Paris, 1808
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Opinion: The Burial of Atala pulls on my heartstrings. It’s sweetly tragic how Atala’s lover hugs her legs as she’s lowered into her grave. On a side note, the whole scene seems to be fanciful Strangely, I was again reminded of something out of Lord of the Rings with a wizard (the old man), an elf (Atala), and a human (her lover). 

Theory: The Burial of Atala was created by Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson in 1808 during the transition from Neo-classical to Romanticism. Based on a popular novel, Atala is buried in the shadow of a cross by her lover and a priest. Now, there is Romantic despair being paired with religion. Little by little, religion is no longer considered something intellectual, but emotional. The appeal here is to the viewer’s private world of fantasy and emotion (Madame Oyler). 

Ancient of Days by William Blake

Exhibited at The Whitworth Art Gallery, The University of Manchester, 1794
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Opinion: Ancient of Days- Ancient of Days is probably my favorite piece that we have studied. The figure’s stance combined with the wind and the bright rays on the darkness elicits the power of creation.

Theory: Ancient of Days was created by William Blake during the Romantic period. The work is not realistic at all- it is all emotion. Blake is showing us a picture of creation- God creating the world with a protractor. Such a scene is reminiscent of God as the Architect of the World during the Gothic period. The picture from Blake has a lot of movement as the wind blows, emphasizing the strength of the figure. The sun is painted behind God and rays of light (similar to the Ecstasy of Saint Theresa) pierce outward. In this period we are now beginning to see works of art that are based on the subconscious. Thus, this work is what Blake would think- as in this is his personal interpretation of God (Madame Oyler). 

The Swing by Jean-Honore Fragonard

Exhibited at The Wallace Collection, London, 1766
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Opinion: I chose this famous Rococo painting because sophomore year one my close friends, Suzanne, re-created a parody of it. In her replica, the girl was actually falling off the swing. Made out of colored pencils, I thought Suzanne’s copy of a masterpiece was absolutely brilliant.

Theory: The Swing was painted by Jean-Honore Fragonard and is largely representative of the Rococo art in France. It has pastel colors,  a frivolous theme, wealthy subjects, is placed outside in nature, and has an abundance of light without contrast. “The glowing pastel colors and soft light convey, almost by themselves, the theme’s sensuality” (Gardner, Page 786). The death of Louis XIV in 1715 marked a movement away from classical Baroque and into Rococo, which ended with the French Revolution. During this period there was a surge for happiness and indulging in pleasures. The Renaissance triangle showing solidity is gone and the triangle between the figures here is to show the lack of cohesiveness of marriage. There are live figures as well as stone figures. The statue on the left is the god of love. He is shushing the two immoral lovers so they do not give themselves away. The two figures below the swing have a helmet to suggest Mars, the god of jealousy, war, and messages. The inclusion of the old and new is characteristic of Rococo- pairing mythological gods with contemporary figures. The main subjects slipper is flying off and contributes to the frivolity of the theme while the dark clouds in the background suggest that people at the time were becoming unhappy with the French aristocracy (Madame Oyler). 

Girl With A Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer

Exhibited at Mauritshuis, the Hague, 1665
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Opinion: The Girl With the Pearl Earring is such a mysterious painting. I had actually researched it prior to enrolling in Art History. I saw the movie and read the book and can say that both rank among my favorite films and novels. The familiarity helped me identify with the painting. 

Theory: The Girl With A Pearl Earring was created during the Baroque period. Vermeer was especially known for his domestic scenes and use of the colors blue and yellow, as evident in this painting. The focal point of the painting, as the name suggests, is the pearl earring. A strength of the painting is its use of light, illuminating the girls face and highlighting the earring. Vermeer was ahead of his time in terms of his understanding of colors and light. The background is dark, which is uncharacteristic for Vermeer and demonstrating that his focus was only on the girl (credit here).

The Arrival of Marie de' Medici at Marseilles by Peter Paul Rubens

Exhibited at Louvre, Paris, 1622-1625
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Opinion: I have always loved fantasy and Ruben’s piece has a certain whimsicalness that draws me in. Looking at the individuals in the water, I am reminded of mermaids and sea creatures. The grandeur of the arrival makes me think of kings and queens in a faraway land.

Theory: The Arrival of Marie de’Medici at Marseilles was painted by Rubens during the Baroque period. A friend of the court, Rubens made many portraits and often used mythological themes. This particular painting is actually considered a historical document- the arrival of Marie de’Medici in southern France to marry a French king. Characteristic of the Baroque period, Rubens loved pomp and drama, which is shown by: depicting her arriving in elegant/ flamboyant clothing, the extravagance of the golden vessel, and his marrying of real figures with mythological figures. He is showing that heaven and below the ocean are celebrating her arrival. His distortion of the women creates movement and theatricality. Additionally, the classical building in the background adds prestige to the piece (Madame Oyler). 

Battle of Issus by Albrecht Altdorfer

Exhibited at Alte Pinakothek, Munich, 1529
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Opinion: The Battle of Issus reminds me of one of my favorite films- Lord of the Rings. The massive number of soldiers resembles the ork army with their torches and flags. In the background, the sun looks like the Eye of Syron and the mountains the land of Mordor. The entire setting of the painting seems to be more like Middle Earth than an actual historical place.  

Theory: The Battle of Issus was made during the Reformation by Albrecht Altdorfer and depicts the historical defeat of Darius in 333 B.C. by Alexander the Great at a town called Issus on the Pinarus River. There is an ulterior motive to paint the scene because it became a northern piece of propaganda that the German leader could use as a symbol of victor. Particularly interesting is that the movement of the soldiers is mirrored in the sky, insinuating that the soldiers are so powerful, they’re a force of nature. The minute detail in the army, the landscape, and the sky are characteristic of northern european (Gardner, Page 703). 

School of Athens by Raphael

Exhibited in Vatican Palace, Rome, Italy, 1509-1511
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Opinion: The School of Athens appealed to me because of it’s depth. I like how the viewer seems to be looking in on this meeting of the minds. It’s subject matter seems to have an almost cartoon basis. I could imagine a similar picture of a congregation of United States presidents appearing in a newspaper. Without, of course, the artistic talent of Raphael.  

Theory: The School of Athens was created by Raphael in 1508 for the Papal apartments. It depicts a congregation of classical thinkers and is typical of the Renaissance in terms of its use of perspective, reference to the classics, and subject matter. The piece uses linear perspective, an innovation of the Renaissance which appealed to many artists because of its ability to rationally portray the world. The preeminence of classics is also obvious- classic architecture, including barrel vaults and columns, as well as mythological statues, contribute to the overall intellectual mood of the piece. The central figures are Plato and Aristotle. Thinkers that are concerned with matters beyond this world stand on Plato’s side while those concerned with matters of this world stand on Aristotle’s side. This sort of artistic gathering demonstrates the influence of the classics on Renaissance society, specifically art. 

David by Michelangelo

Exhibited at Galleria dell'Accadmia, Florence, 1501-1504
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Opinion: I saw the David when I was in Florence, Italy with my nana the summer before freshmen year. I was in awe of its magnificence and considered it to be the high light of my trip. In all honesty, I didn’t understand how a human being could create something so massive and perfect out of stone.

Theory: The David was created by the High Renaissance master sculpture Michelangelo in the early sixteenth century. David is shown in the moments before he slung the rock at his foe. His whole muscular body, as well as his face is tense with gathering power and conveys the psychological tension. The physique of David and the fact that he is nude is a reference to the classical style. Michelangelo not only captured the psychological insight of the Hellenistic, but moved beyond it by having David emotionally and compositionally connected to an unseen presence. 

Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli

Exhibited at Galleria degli Uffitzi, Florence, 1482
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Opinion: I love the Botticelli women. In this work, Venus is an ideal, serene, fluid goddess. Her copper hair ripples with the wind as her sinuously curved body stands on a shell. Botticelli’s ability to make art into poetry is what distinguishes him from other artists. 

Theory: The Birth of Venus was painted by Botticelli during 15th century Italy at the start of the Renaissance. It shows a stunning nude Venus standing on a shell and a god trying to keep her beauty from being covered up. Botticelli’s figures are ideally perfect and show little emotion. The background is unimportant with no perspective- everything takes place in the foreground. He seems to have ignored all of the mathematical and scientific knowledge artists had gained in their pursuit to comprehend the rational world favor of a poet, elegant, and beautiful style all his own. (Gardner, Page 615)

Madonna and Child with Angels by Fra Filippo Lippi

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Exhibited at Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, ca. 1455
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Opinion: I was drawn to this painting when we first studied it. The gentle softness of the Madonna moved me and I found the representation of her as a beautiful new mother to be unparalleled. The mood Lippi creates as she looks down upon the Christ child is both tender and delicate. 

Theory: The Madonna and Child with Angels was painted by Fra Filippo Lippi in 1455 during the Renaissance. The painting depicts a humanized madonna and Christ child with a realistic background. A wonderfully fluid line unifies the composition and contributes to the precise and smooth delineation of forms. “Whatever ideals of spiritual perfection may have meant to artists in past centuries, Renaissance artists realized such ideals in terms of the sensuous beauty of this world” (Gardner Page 623). 

Hagia Sophia

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            Located in Istanbul, Turkey, 523- 537
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Opinion: Hagia Sofia is one of the supreme accomplishments of world architecture. I hope to one day travel to Istanbul and see in person its floating dome and be awed by the halo of light that appears to support it. Just looking at the pictures sparked my interest in visiting Turkey- a country that had never been on my radar before. 

Theory: Hagia Sofia was built in Constantinople for Justinian by Anthemus of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus between 532 and 537. It has a huge dome that is one hundred and eighty feet in diameter. The minarets were actually added later. Although the outside is modest, the interior is spectacular with walls and floors covered with colored stones from all over the world. What distinguishes Hagia Sophia from similar Roman buildings, such as the Pantheon, is the canopy-like dome. With windows at the dome's base, light floods into Hagia Sophia, seeming as if the halo of light is supporting the dome itself and giving the monument a mystical quality. Two feats of the Byzantines allowed for such innovations: pendentives and squinches. Both pendentives and squniches solved the problem of setting a round dome over a square space and allowed for an even higher dome. (Gardner, Pages 331-332) 

Nike of Samothrace

Exhibited Louvre, Paris, ca. 190 B.C.

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Opinion: The Nike of Samothrace is an incredible piece. It almost seems to be in movement- flying into the wind. At first I lamented the lack of a head, but then I realized the piece itself is more powerful because it has no face. With no facial humanizing features, the Nike of Samothrace is an all-powerful goddess who is very much alive. 

Theory: The Nike of Samothrace is from is from the Hellenistic period of Ancient Greece. Nike has just landed on a warships prow- her wings are spread as the winds sweep her drapery. The theatricality of the statue was originally amplified by its being displayed in a two-tiered fountain. The statue’s reflection was shown in the water and the sound added to the drama. Characteristic of the Hellenistic was the rejection of the ideal self-contained statue on a pedestol. “The Hellenistic statues interact with their environment and appear s living, breathing, and intensely emotive human (or divine) presences" (Gardner, Page 154).  

Terracotta Warriors

Located at Shaanxi Province, China, ca. 210 B.C.

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Opinion: I first learned about the terracotta warriors when I did a report on the tomb of emperor Shi Huangdi- the first emperor of China in the third grace. I was fascinated by the individuality of the warriors and their purpose in guarding the tomb. This summer I am fortunate enough to have the opportunity of seeing the terracotta warriors in Xian on my trip to China with my nana. 

Theory: In 1974 excavations uncovered the burial mound of Emperor Shi Huangdi. Pits that are part of the burial site contain more than six thousand life-size terracotta figures of soldiers and horses. They served as immortal bodyguards to what is believed to be a massive underground funerary palace. Originally in color, every solder is unique with subtle face distinctions. “The style of the Qin warriors blends formalism- simplicity of volume and contour, rigidity, and frontality- with sharp realism of detail” (Gardner, Page 194).