Abstract This three-page undergraduate paper discusses Renoir's painting, "Two Sisters on the Terrace" and evaluates the artist's masterful use of line, color, light and dark, texture, area, perspective and volume.
Abstract This paper provides a thorough comparison of two pieces of art. It compares and contrasts them ,not only on their aesthetic properties, but also their historic and symbolic value.
From the Paper "Of all of the ancient cultures, few are as compelling as the Greeks. Their relatively short lived culture has had a larger influence on its modern counterparts than any before or after it. They gave us grounding in our architecture; very few of our government buildings don?t borrow something from Greek architecture, especially in the use of columns, and the golden ratio, developed by Eucliud, is still a common fall back for many designers. The political philosophy of Greece also continues to inspire us. As the first truly successful democracy, their ideas on court and jury systems, as well as the fundamental "on man, one vote" practice, can be seen in our everyday lives. Most importantly, Greek art transformed all art in the world forever after. Though we don?t encounter many examples of it in our everyday lives, current art is owed much credit to the Athenians and their kin. Greek art took leaps and bounds in just a couple hundred years, especially in the area of sculpture. Huge changes in the way cloth and drapery was represented as well as the change to more natural poses of human figures took place at this time. Two wonderful examples of these modernizations were the Three Seated Goddesses of the Parthenon and the Nike of Samothrace, which are so alike at first glace, yet are such opposites on any deeper level. They are practically identical in technique, yet their themes and other subtle qualities differ in many ways."
Abstract This paper is based on how surrealism came into existence and how it revolutionized the form of art in the 20th and 21st centuries. It also highlights the contributions of many noteworthy figures in this arena by looking at the works of Antonin Artaud, Man Ray, and Salvador Dali.
From the Paper "Surrealism is the by-product of the defunct dada movement, which
is termed as an inhuman artistic reaction against the inhuman world created during world war one. This is because all movements were characterized by rage, extinguishing the age of dada, and many of its leaders, especially Andre Breton took up the new surrealist movement. Surrealism emerged at the beginning of the 1920's, a period characterized by the confused and inert perplexity of a collective bourgeois dedicated to nothing less than the mustiness of the balance sheet."
Abstract This is an African art history paper discussing the elaborately decorated costumes worn by the Yoruba tribes of Nigeria. These costumes are worn during Egungun festivals, which honor death and ancestors. The religious beliefs and traditions behind the costumes & ceremonies are discussed. Additionally, detail is given to describing these costumes, which offer a great example of an ancient, African artistic tradition still surviving today.
From the Paper "Egungun masquerader costumes are worn by the Yoruba people during Egungun festivals and hold great cultural importance. These costumes and the festival they are worn during are both fascinating and interesting to learn about. The costumes are multicolored and detailed, with an intricate pattern that a viewer can study and enjoy for long periods of time. When worn during a performance, the fabric of the costume flies out, appearing lively and vibrant. This makes the Egungun masquerade costumes both visually appealing and intriguing to learn about."
A review of the paintings ?The Third of May 1808? by Francisco Goya, Eugene Delacroix's ?Liberty Leading the People 1830?, and Ernest Meissonier's ?Memory of the Civil War (the Barricades) 1849? .
Abstract This paper discusses how revolution and social turmoil have always been accompanied by artistic creation. It examines Francisco Goya's ?The Third of May 1808,? Eugene Delacroix's ?Liberty Leading the People 1830,? and Ernest Meissonier's ?Memory of the Civil War (the Barricades) 1849? and shows how they are three great pieces, which portray the glory and atrocity, the tragedy and humanity, of three revolutions.
From the Paper "Francisco Goya's "The Third of May, 1808? tells the story of an execution in the aftermath of the Spanish insurrections that protested Napoleon's invasion of Spain. In this famous painting, a line of soldiers take aim at a single prisoner. To his left a pile of bleeding corpses demonstrate his inevitable fate. To his right a line of frightened, sobbing prisoners illustrate the immediate backstory for this moment. He is caught in the spotlight between anticipation and culmination, at the very second before death. Yet unlike the living he is not portrayed as frightened or even defeated, but as a gloriously triumphant figure. The scene is painted in dark earth tones, and all the figures have shadowed faces and dark clothes. The only light in the entire picture radiates from the prisoner's central figure (strictly speaking, he is illuminated by a spotlight, but the still shines brighter than the light itself)."
Abstract This paper compares the style, subject matter, and treatment of two 15th-century art pieces, "The Holy Trinity" and "The Annunciation". It looks at the style of art that was popular at the time the objects were painted, the similarities and the differences in the artworks, and the concept of time present in both works.
From the Paper "But a look inside the central panel reveals that although the figures are supposed to be the historic Mary and the angel, the clothing, furniture, pottery, windowpanes, fireplace?all these are of the period in which the painting was created. That suggests that the apparently 15th century figures in the left panel are as historical as Mary and the angel, and the artist has simply chosen to portray them all in "current time" with current props. Still, the possibility that the artist was playing with time while presenting a miraculous event is seductive, and cannot be ruled out. After all, it was the age of alchemy, and many believed in things far stranger than that a 15th century priest could be "viewing" an event that happened 9 months BC."
Abstract This research paper discusses art therapy in a well-rounded explanation of the nature of this form of treatment, its usefulness, history, and how important it is considered to be. It looks at how it has been found that art therapy is useful in a variety of physical and mental health conditions. It also examines how the therapists are all professionally trained and how the client is facilitated to explore his innermost thoughts with this form of therapy.
From the Paper "Art therapy can relieve addicts of their afflictions. I shall discuss art therapy the most here out of all creative arts therapies because this is the form of therapy I am most suited to and comfortable about. All my life I have held interest in the visual arts very much so in painting. This is my preferred genre of creative art therapy. Why? it is rather accessible if we look at it as a field that allows free membership. Anybody can paint even if he is not trained for the job. And art therapy is not done on a novice basis alone. Skilled therapists deal with their clients to help them release unconscious matter (where culture also is ingrained) in their minds; see it clearly by representation in order to resolve conflicts among themselves and with their fellow beings."
Abstract This paper considers the origins of the 18th century Rococo style of art. It also considers the similarities and the differences in French and Italian Rococo styles, the changes that occurred as the style spread to Germany and Austria, and the end of the Rococo form of artwork.
From the Paper "As is true of so much of artistic enterprise, Rococo art began as a reaction to what had come before it, and so it is impossible either to appreciate or to understand Rococo art without understanding at least in some measure the Baroque aesthetics that Rococo artists set themselves up against. While the Baroque covers a range of different sub-styles and competing schools, Baroque art (especially painting and sculpture) as well as architecture was distinguished by a general sense of vitality and an emphasis on creating the illusion of movement."
Abstract Discusses the Geometric period, the Early Classical period, and the Hellenistic period in relation to Greek art. The paper looks at art based on the idea of changeless absolutes and ideals and the "Geometric Krater" as an example of the style of the Geometric period.
From the Paper "The artworks of a given era reflect the formalist, social, and economic realities of the period, exemplifying the prevailing artistic styles and the social and economic structures which influence the arts. Artworks from three periods of Greek art- ..."
Abstract This paper analyzes and reviews the work of Austrian artist, Gustav Klimt, who is considered a leading exponent of Art Nouveau and one of the greatest decorative painters of the 20th century. The paper describes several of Klimt's more famous works of art, explains his artistic style and the themes exhibited in his work, and explains what makes Klimt one of the most prominent artists in the history of erotic art.
From the Paper "The Austrian painter Gustav Klimt (1862-1918), has long been considered the leading exponent of Art Nouveau and one of the greatest decorative painters of the 20th century. His artistic renderings of the female figure and his drawings that pertain to the theme of female sexuality have assured him a place in the history of erotic art. According to George Fliedel, "There is no denying that the erotic represented one of Klimt's most important sources of inspiration" (167), for in his later paintings, sexual subject matter is often concealed beneath a gossamer web of ornament, but in his drawings, the explicitly erotic is constantly evident. Seldom have the themes of sexual coupling and female masturbation been more frequently or more exquisitely portrayed than in a number of Klimt's most famous works of art. Contemporary critics, as well as earlier commentators, have observed that explicitly sexual subjects incited Klimt to produce some of his finest paintings."
Abstract The paper discusses Picasso's most renowned works, " Guernica" and "Les Demoiselles d? Avignon?, by interpreting the symbolic representation of these magnificent pieces of art, as well as their imaginative abstraction
From the Paper "Pablo Ruiz Picasso, the most renowned painter of the twentieth century, was first famous for his pioneering role in the area of cubism. This special construction of paintings perfectly explained the concept of how a depth can be "faked" to create a three dimensional effect when in fact painting is a two-dimensional work."
Abstract This paper discusses the works of famous American artist, Georgia O'Keefe, and Renaissance artist, Artemisia Gentileschi. The paper looks at the styles, techniques, and subjects of each artist, as well as their influence in the art world.
From the Paper "Compared to their more famous male counterparts, women artists have always been relegated to the ephemeral areas of art history. As a whole, this area of study has been grossly unrecognized and under-appreciated for a number of years, mostly due to the absence of solid documentation on the lives of those women who contributed to the long history of art in Western Civilization. Nonetheless, two prominent female painters deserve closer examination; one of these artists is Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653) and the other Georgia O'Keefe (1887-1986). Both artists represent the pinnacle of artistic achievement in painting, with Gentileschi firmly established as a master of the Renaissance and O'Keefe as one of the truly great American painters of the 20th century."
Abstract This paper presents an analysis of a mosaic from the early Christian era called "Justinian and Attendants". The paper looks at the mosaic's significance in terms of how it represents the the church, the state, and those who were in power during the early years of Christianity. The paper looks at Greek influence on the mosaic, its artistic and historical attributes, and the symbols and ideas it expresses.
From the Paper "As part of what is called the Early Christian era, the mosaic of "Justinian and Attendants," located at San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy, represents many things associated with the church, the state and those who were in power during the early years of Christianity. This era is commonly divided into two sections, being the Period of Persecution in the first century A.D., and the Period of Recognition, when the Roman emperor Justinian recognized Christianity as a major religion and ended up being converted to Christianity himself which led to the establishment of the official church of the Roman Empire. In this early period of the church, the Christians were, as far as Rome was concerned, nothing more than rebels and outlaws that posed a serious threat to the security of the empire."
Abstract The purpose of this essay is to show how Frida Kahlo was ahead of her time in the women's movement, how she was politically active when most women had little to no voice in men's politics, and how her role as a woman helped shape the history of Mexican art, while at the same time having a strong influence on the Communist movement in the struggling nation.
From the Paper "When she was eighteen, Frida Kahlo was a victim in a very serious bus accident which left her bedridden because of a series of broken bones including her spinal column, collarbone, ribs, pelvis and more than ten separate fractures throughout her right leg. Her right foot had been completely crushed and her shoulders both were severely dislocated. For more than a month she had to be confined by wearing a heavy plaster casing to aid her body's healing. To stem off boredom, her family placed a large mirror at the top of her bed and provided her with her first paints."
Abstract Photography has become an important tool in documenting child casualties of war. Since its invention in 1839, photography has been used to record the horrors of the battlefield. Photographic documentation of war first focused largely on the men involved in the conflict: generals meeting with their troops and horrific images of battlefield carnage. That focus changed with the Vietnam War, as photographic documentation of the civilian casualties of war became well-known. The most famous of these photographs, a striking image of a young girl fleeing a Napalm strike in terror, likely changed the face of the documentation of child casualties in war for all time. This paper shows that, today, documentation of children in war is an important part of the photographic record. Photographs of child casualties in the Gulf war and the recent Iraqi conflict have had an important role in humanizing the conflicts and bringing to light the sad reality of war: that the innocent suffer the most.
From the Paper "There are important implications that can follow the photographic documentation of children in war. Like all photographs, those of child casualties in war are simply a stolen moment, a snapshot of time. The impact of such photographs can be unexpected, especially on the lives of the subjects of the photographs. For example, media attention from Nick Ut's famous photograph changed the course of Kim Phuc's life forever. The Vietnamese government considered her a valuable symbol of the war, and took her out of medical school. Kim tried to evade the government, but foreign journalists inevitably tracked her down and exposed her to the government. She eventually received asylum in Canada, and acts as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador (Saywell) ".
