Megan Mendiola/Paper #1
The artwork I chose in my home is a copied image of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, ‘The Last Supper’. This picture is currently hanging up on the wall in my dining room. It is the largest decoration that stood out in my house so I decided to describe it. This picture measures 42 inches wide and 27 inches long, covered with glass and a dark brown, wooden frame. Similar to Chapter 1, I greatly utilized symbolism and iconography to describe this religious portrait. The overall design features a number of elements and expressive mastery, such as line, space, color, linear perspective and realism.
In this image, Jesus Christ is at the center of a long, rectangular-shaped table spread out across the room. All the items laid
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Forming an outline from Christ’s head to his two outstretched arms, forms a triangular shape representing three parts of the Holy Trinity, also creating a contour line. Second is the four sets of three Apostles that are gathered behind the table, and third will be the three windows behind them. The mountains in the background could be seen through the windows which appears dull and grayish from its horizon. Like in Sayre’s text, this describes the aerial or atmospheric perspective where it represents an illusion of depth in its scenery and the mountains behind the windows appear to be further away becoming misty and …show more content…
The bodies of the twelve Apostles are overlapping, except for Jesus Christ, thus creating a crowded space and dramatic atmosphere in the room. The first three Apostles at the far left of the table seem surprised and the three men at the far right side look upset and curious while talking seriously amongst each other. The men’s facial expressions on the left side of Jesus look like they’re in disbelief. Now on the right side of Jesus, Peter seems angry while he holds up a knife on his left hand right behind Judas. John, who looks female-like in this picture, tilts his head against Peter while listening closely to him. Then in between them is Judas, where he appears to swoon with his face shadowed facing in Christ’s direction and looking withdrawn. His right hand clutches tightly onto a bag while his left hand reaches for the bread at the same time as Jesus. Christ’s face here seems calm, whereas the facial expressions of the Apostles look astonished and outraged. The hand gestures of the Apostles exhibits implied lines, for instance when Thomas lifts his pointer
which cover his waist and some of his torso. He is holding a very tall, slender cross in his left hand, while looking with a diffused look to the right. Also, to the left of him (to the right from the viewer’s perspective) there is a sheep lying upon a rock.
At the top of the artwork the upper part of the cross extends beyond the altarpiece. The edge of John the Evangelist’s red robe on the left of the altarpiece and the edge of Mary Magdalene’s pale blue skirt on the right are cut off when the panel ends, giving the viewer the feeling that, rather than looking in on the scene, the viewer is actually taking part in the scene. This, added to the empathy invoked through the delicate, heart-wrenching rendering of the figures in the artwork, let the observer directly interact with the painting and places him/her within the narrative.
During the 15th century, Europe started to have different cultural traditions that impacted the type artwork of artwork that was produced. There are several elements that have evolved during this time. Two artworks will be compared so that we will be able to evaluate how various techniques that are used can be used to portray the meaning of the painting as well as how the audience views the scene as well. One of the paintings that we will compare is a Annunciation panel (from the Merode Triptych), which was painted by Robert Campin in 1426. This painting will be compared to Holy Trinity, which was created by Masaccio in 1425. By comparing these two paintings, we will get a sense of what themes and ideals were valued during this time period.
Another key factor in the overall story represented has faded, which is one of the lamps or incense holders beneath Christ. The positions of the stories in the apse show the importance of the figures represented in the images. Christ's placement at the center of the apse holding a book with his left hand provides a direct relationship to the Bible. His right hand held up in blessing illustrates his divine power towards the people, who receive the sacrament on the altar below him. Christ is also surrounded by stars, which represent the heavens and his own divine nature....
In the two different depictions of the scene Betrayal of Christ, Duccio and Giotto show their different styles on how they compose their paintings. The first decision into the composure of the painting would be the comparison of the size of surface they chose to paint on. Duccio in comparison to Giotto chooses to work on a wooden panel no wider than a foot, and Giotto went with a plaster surface with a width of ten feet. This detail alone lets the viewer know that Giotto’s artwork is embedded in detail and visual consumption. The size difference is the factor between who see’s it and what they see; the fine details and symbolism of the narrative will be better understood if the viewer can see every detail.
In addition, scenes from the lives of the Virgin Mary and St. Blaise, a fourth century martyr, are also present. All the characters in the panels more or less have halos and therefore are holy figures. The twelve apostles line the bottom of the panels, perhaps suggesting that they were the foundation of the Catholic religion. Basically, the painting is designed for a church altar, it has religious figures in it, and it is filled with Bibles and images of Christ's crucifixion. All of this relays a strong message to the viewer that this is what is important in life; one should pay close attention to religion and have respect for
The table placed like a long horizontal line through the whole painting, both the formatted of a stable atmosphere. Plus, the image of Jesus' calmness, majesty, and the composition of the twelve disciples on both sides of the composition, forming both static and dynamic. At the same time, the table put against the audiences while adopted a completely open art approach, so that audiences could to be immersive. Leonardo da Vinci combined thirteen characters with full expression of both different and closely
The depiction of Madonna and Christ is among the most ancient and common in Christian iconography and has an extensive number of variations because apart from its symbolic religious functions, it allows one to interpret the link between mother and child in many aspects. (8)
The Middle Ages, contrary to its name, was a dynamic period of innovations. Throughout this period, visual arts were employed to communicate important messages to the public as well as private wealthy patrons. A variety of mediums were used to disseminate ideas. Though, the sense of decorum shifted, the purpose of these moralizing images of religious figures remained the same. Art was, as it still is an extremely useful and powerful tool for both religious and political advancements. The two pieces to be considered in this paper were created using scenes from the life of Christ. Themes from the old and new testaments were frequently used in art of the Middle Ages to convey important messages to a largely illiterate populous, display the wealth of few individuals, and create feelings of patriotism and support for the Monarch by relating them to divinity. Both pieces are from different mediums and likely different forms of patronage. To be analyzed in this paper is an illuminated manuscript page (fig 1) and an ivory diptych (fig 2). There are several similarities, as well as differences throughout the works. I will describe each piece then continue to compare and contrast them, this will work to facilitate a greater understanding of the Middle Ages through works of art.
The Last Supper by Leonardo is very different to Tintoretto’s representation of the same incident. The last supper is one of the most important occurrences which took place in the Christian religion such an important event that many have seen the need for the event visually recorded through art the two most famous of these representations are by far Tintoretto’s and Leonardo’s works. The Last Supper by Leonardo was created during the renaissance period and is a simple symbolic work with little emotion. Tintoretto however chose to represent the event in a surrealistic manner to give full impact; A way in which was typical of the art period in which he painted the work, the Mannerist period. The two works although essentially containing the same subject differ immensely. This difference is strongly evident through the artists contrasting use of colour, light, realism, technique perception and focal point/s.
As I walked into the first gallery, I saw a wood sculpture that stood in the center of the room. This carving depicted “the crucified Christ, flanked by the Virgin Mary and St. John the Evangelist with Angels holding instruments of the Passion”. It was painted oak and very appealing to the eye. It stood approximately 15 feet in the air. The origin of this sculpture is unknown, but it was found in a Belgium church. This kind of sculpture usually stood at the entrance or at the center of the alter in the church facing the congregation. This image of the suffering Christ relates to the Christian ideas of suffering and Christ’s salvation of all mankind.
Art, by definition, is “something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings”. Throughout history, one way that art has been used is to reflect a multitude of ideas and beliefs. Christian beliefs and ideas have been portrayed in artwork since the beginning of Christianity, although, it was not always acceptable to do so. The idea of the final judgement is a Christian idea that has been displayed in art repeatedly in a variety of ways. Michelangelo’s fresco the Last Judgment (1536-1541) is a piece that visualizes this idea. Since the time it was finished, this significant piece found in the Sistine Chapel has been continuously critiqued and analyzed. Many Christians struggle to interpret the event of a final judgment after reading it through Scripture. In analyzing Michelangelo’s piece, it is similar difficult to determine what he exactly meant to portray and what the various part of his masterpiece represent exactly. Many have examined this piece and made different regarding what exactly the various figures and objects are supposed to represent. The diverse interpretations of this work further shows the idea that when Christian ideas are reflected through artwork, it is hard to ascertain exactly what an artist intended to demonstrate. In addition, the controversies surrounding this piece represent the idea that when Christian ideas are revealed through art, there is potential for disagreement regarding what should and should not be included in Christian art. Michelangelo’s Last Judgment is just an example of what results when Christianity is brought into art.
Leonardo da Vinci used flawless subject matter, form, content, and iconography to create his painting The Last Supper. Leonardo da Vinci painted his interpretation of what the Last Supper looked like through his work of art. In the center of his painting he painted Jesus Christ, the son of God, in the middle of all of his disciples. On each side of him there are an even number of six disciples sitting at a table pointing to themselves and to each other. Da Vinci painted this scene inside of a dark room with three windows, eight doors, and a beautiful outside environment. In order to paint this scene da Vinci used flawless form.
In this painting da Vinci places Christ at the center of the table with his Apostles surrounding him in four groups of three unified by postu...
The two paintings and artists I am going to compare and contrast are "The Last Supper" by Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) and "The Last Supper" by Jacopo Tintoretto (1518-1594). Although I am not a religious person, the sight of the painting by Tintoretto amazed me for the simple fact that it is so different from "The Last Supper" I grew up with.