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How religion is expressed in art
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Mary, Queen of Heaven, by the Master of the Saint Lucy Legend, is a striking example of Marian art. The work, when first viewed, might seem straightforward-a typical, albeit large, representation of the Virgin Mary's ascension to heaven- an event represented countless times in religious art. However, this is no ordinary Christian painting. Every inch contains symbolism, intricate details, movement, or religious iconography. Rather than simply being a piece to be viewed, Mary, Queen of Heaven offers an experience, and prompts in its viewers consideration and reflection of the imagery, as well as the greater message.
The Virgin Mary is depicted as the largest figure shown, taking up a large part of the composition, particularly vertically. She is placed almost directly in the center- making it very clear that she is the subject of the work. The work, measuring 78 7/16 x 63 11/16 in, seems to dwarf the viewer, while the subtle details prompt the viewer to take a closer look. The result is the illusion of being engulfed by the image- the viewer is very nearly in the scene along with the Virgin. The grand size serves to mirror the importance of The Virgin Mary in Christian belief, while at the same time making it easily viewable from greater distances. The size, subject matter, and iconography of the work suggest that this piece was created as a devotional panel, for display in a church, shrine, or oratory.
The work contains imagery that suggests three different events in the bible: the coronation of the Virgin as queen of heaven, the assumption of the Virgin to heaven, and the apocalypse. Mary is shown surrounded by angels that reach out to her, guiding her up to Heaven- where the holy trinity are waiting to crown her. This de...
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...le as Queen of Heaven. She is dressed in a fine velvet robe edged with gems, and wearing a crown of jewels. Even the colors of her robes- rich blues and reds- convey her noble status in heaven. Her eyes are partially closed, and her hands together in prayer, giving her a serene and holy appearance, despite the flurry of activity around her. The Virgin appears as if she is brightly illuminated, implying that she is an enlightened figure and accentuating her holiness.
Mary, Queen of Heaven, by the Master of the Saint Lucy Legend is not only grand in size, but also in message. There is a great deal of symbolism, delicate details, and religious imagery. However, the Artist is successful in drawing the viewer in to the work, prompting them to carefully consider the skillfully rendered details and imagery, as well as the greater story and ideas that the piece represents.
I found the photography piece “From the Road to Tepeyac,” by Alinka Echeverria intriguing. This photography piece was a man kneeling down with a sculpture tied to his back. The woman in the statue had a green flag with multiple stars draped around her. This woman appeared to be the Virgin Mary. Underneath the Virgin Mary was an angel with green, white and red wings. The colors on the flag around the Virgin Mary and the angel’s wings represent Mexico. Also, the stars on the flag present the repetition constructed in this photography piece. There is no physical line for the foreground; however, this piece directs the eye from one point to another by implication. When I first saw this photography piece, I questioned why the statue of the Virgin Mary and an angel were on the man’s back. I realized the Virgin Mary and ...
The Merode Altarpiece is a triptych painting that represents the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. This work displays the main characteristics of the Northern Late Gothic period. There is so much detail in this work of art. Campin utilizes many symbols in this altarpiec. The setting of the painting is in a Flemish middle class house. The Annunciation theme is being depicted in the central panel. A scene of Saint Joseph at work as a carpenter occupies the right-hand panel. The portraits of the donors are depicted in the left hand panel. Campin failed to understand the scientific perspective. To illustrate, there is no focal point in the painting and the table looks tilted. Campin used no aerial perspective. To illustrate, the background is still very crisp when seen from a distance. The most important aspect of the painting is the symbolism. For example, the lilies represent Mary's purity, the candle represents the Holy Spirit, even the mouse traps represent trapping evil. Campin also made use of bright, rich colors. In the central panel, the drapery of the figures are filled with colors of red and white. Campin has also made a good use of illusion of the space by making the town seem to be far away by distance by making them appear blurry. Furthermore, Campin has created figures that are not in proper proportion. To illustrate, the figure’s head is small and the bodies are big and it seems that if they get will hit their head if they get up. They look very unrealistic. Although they are not in proportion, the figures seem to have very sharp edges. The figures also look very stiff and rigid. In Merode Altarpiece, the light is arbitrary and the figures do not cast any...
A Comparison of Barna di Siena’s Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine and Rogier van der Weyden’s Saint Luke Drawing the Virgin and Child
Her choices of metaphors are simplistic explanations providing the backdrop for the emotional and spiritual connection we seek in following Christ. The symbolic comparisons of Mary Magdalene, her relationship to Jesus, mirrors some of Julian of Norwich’s personal spiritual journey of prayerful contemplation while seeking intimacy in her relationship to God.
By most accounts, the year 1500 was in the midst of the height of the Italian Renaissance. In that year, Flemmish artist Jean Hey, known as the “Master of Moulins,” painted “The Annunciation” to adorn a section of an alter piece for his royal French patrons. The painting tells the story of the angel Gabriel’s visit to the Virgin Mary to deliver the news that she will give birth to the son of God. As the story goes, Mary, an unwed woman, was initially terrified about the prospects of pregnancy, but eventually accepts her fate as God’s servant. “The Annunciation” is an oil painting on a modest canvas, three feet tall and half as wide. The setting of the painting is a study, Mary sitting at a desk in the bottom right hand corner reading, and the angel Gabriel behind her holding a golden scepter, perhaps floating and slightly off the canvas’s center to the left. Both figures are making distinct hand gestures, and a single white dove, in a glowing sphere of gold, floats directly above Mary’s head. The rest of the study is artistic but uncluttered: a tiled floor, a bed with red sheets, and Italian-style architecture. “The Annunciation” was painted at a momentous time, at what is now considered the end of the Early Renaissance (the majority of the 15th Century) and the beginning of the High Renaissance (roughly, 1495 – 1520). Because of its appropriate placement in the Renaissance’s timeline and its distinctly High Renaissance characteristics, Jean Hey’s “Annunciation” represents the culmination of the transition from the trial-and-error process of the Early Renaissance, to the technical perfection that embodied the High Renaissance. Specifically, “Annunciation” demonstrates technical advancements in the portrayal of the huma...
The immediate background consists of natural mounds of dirt and a brick wall that enclose the Virgin, Child, and St. John, amplifying the protective effect that Mary’s figure has. The dirt mounds roll inward with a brick wall bordering them on the right, drawing the viewer’s attention towards the three figures. The background is painted in broad terms, with a simple, uniform depiction of tree leaves and smooth rock faces on the horizon. This contrasts with the fine-lined detail and texture of Mary’s hair, facial features, and veil, which further contribute to her elegance and highlight her
...ic meanings that still are puzzling art historians today. Some of the key symbols that Stokstad points out in the text is the dove, representing the Holy Spirit; the white lilies as a symbol of the Virgin Mary. She also points out, two rather unknown symbols to the sacrilegious, the date of the Annunciation in signs of the zodiac on the floor, as well as the lone stained glass window that is symbolizing God rising above the three windows that are placed in the background behind Mary. These three windows represent the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The ability to create a picture of The Annunciation in one’s mind is a key factor in understanding the analysis of the work. Francisco de Zurbaran approaches the painting with a naturalistic style. The painting features a room in which a woman – like angel is seen at the left kneeling on the ground before the Virgin Mary. The figure of Mary is placed between a chair and a small wooden table draped with a green cloth. Mary disregards an open Bible on the table, as she appears solemn while staring at the floor. Floating above the two main figures in the upper left side of the painting are cherubs resting on a bed of clouds. They happily gaze down at Mary with eyes from Heaven.
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)
Knowing full well that her heart belonged in Europe, Mary longed to be back in France and working full time as an artist. Eventually, through commissioned paintings, she was able to save enough money to move to move to Paris. She studied all the famous paintings of the old masters and learned their how to paint with their old style techniques. Mary Cassatt eventually tried submitting her works into the prestigious Paris Salon, only to be rejected. She did not let that stop her however, and tried many times to get into the Salon. She eventually was accepted and had work shown and seen by many people. Being able to show work at such a highly honored place gave Mary the publicity she ne...
The Virgin Mary symbol in “The Virgin Suicides” foreshadows events that will play out later in the novel. In the very beginning of the novel we learn of the attempted suicide of the youngest Libson girl Cecilia. While the fact that Cecilia had tried to kill herself was astounding itself what was also interesting is wh...
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.
Religious strife dominated the 16th and 17th centuries. Religion was the number one subject of discord. There were numerous civil wars and conflicts between the Catholics and the Huguenots (French Protestants). This political and religious struggle spilled over into the world of art (Cothren & Stokstad, 2011, p.679). Artists needed to work within the specific guidelines of the Church, an example being the color of the Virgin Mary’s clothing. In the three paintings showcased, religion changed the perception of the artist.
The Luminous Mysteries: The Baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17), The Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11), Jesus Proclaiming the Kingdom (Matthew 4:23), Jesus’ Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2), the Institution of the Eucharist (Mark 14:22-26). In this set I felt like I was walking with Jesus through Galilee, a deep feeling through imagery of our God as friend but at the same time Master and
Upon first looking at this painting it is apparent that the colors exhibited in the artist's palette deviate from the quintessential Renaissance painting. The flesh tones of the artwork appear pallid and not as the rich realistic flesh tones seen throughout the Met gallery in other High Renaissance paintings. The skin is rendered with a pigment that includes a yellow and green tint. This color is not due to age, but rather a distinct decision by the artist to deviate from a realism of depicting the human body. The flesh tones seen in the angel's bare back, the neck of the Madonna, and in the Christ child exhibit this pallid hue. In the case of the Christ child this appears appropriate considering the scene was before the time of birth approximating a “divine fetus”. However, the flesh tones of the angel and the Madonna do not appear lifelike.