Abstract The paper studies the Harlem Renaissance - the term given to a period in American history where a new focus on the African-American experience emerged. The writer of this paper shows how it was a time when African-American artists began to express their culture and at this time in history there came a new focus on the African-American artist and African-American Art. The writer introduces artist, Aaron Douglas, as someone who emerged from this time period and went on to create works which reflected the Harlem Renaissance. Some of Douglas' works are also discussed.
From the Paper "From this we see how Douglas's paintings represented modern life for African-Americans. Rather than their African life, his paintings reflect the life of African-Americans within America. While the subject of the works was modern, Douglas also incorporated his African culture by his focus on African forms, with his style being described as "flat with hard edges and repetitive designs... heavily influenced by African sculptures, jazz music, dance and geometric forms" (Schomburg Center)."
Abstract The paper studies photographs taken by Walker Evans - a photographer hired by the Farm Security Administration (FSA) during the Great Depression to document the farmers? condition. Evans found visions of farming life that stirred his social conscience, and that is what he recorded with his camera. By looking at four of his photographs the author of this paper examines Evans' ability to make statements about the economy of the time through a camera lens.
From the Paper "In the picture "City Lunch Counter"(1929), Walker captured the economic disparity of the early Depression. He photographed a lunch counter from the waitress's side and showed three men eating. The men on either end were well-dressed, in pressed suits, looking well groomed and fresh. In the center is a man smaller in stature, visually communicating his lessened power. He is shabbily dressed and looks around warily. Walker said that photographs should not need explanations (Rubifien, 2000), and this picture illustrates it well. Walker has captured the human effects of an impersonal economy out of control."
Tags: Hale County Alabama, Graveyard Houses and Steel Mill, ?Roadside, Stand, Near, Birmingham, Alabama?, 1936, photos
Abstract A paper which introduces and discusses how Michelangelo takes the humanistic and natural beauty from the Greeks concerning perfect physical humans and nudity and transforms his work for the Christian era. A brief overview of Michelangelo's childhood is also included.
From the Paper "Consistently, his work began to show more and more influences from more ancient works. While he was often ridiculed because he was not following current trends, he persisted in his own views. He memorized certain classic poses, and used them for most of his works. The David is an example of one of his works that uses a classic pose to make it seem more strong and powerful. "He no longer considered the work of art as an imitation of visible reality, nor as the image of a dream world, nor as a means of arriving at knowledge of the universe, but as an embodiment of the very essence of human life and destiny. In this vision of the cosmic law of life in man, he relates himself to the wisdom of ancient Italy" (De Tolnay 64)."
Abstract A summary of Diego Rivera's work and style, followed by an interview with the artist himself. The painter answers questions regarding his shifts in style, mural art in Mexican history, his atheism and his inspirations. It is apparent how his paintings emphasize the power of art as a medium to bring about social reforms.
From the Paper "Diego Rivera was one of the leading artists of the 20th century. He was born in 1886 in Leon, Guanajuato. He had an inherent talent for painting (arts), which was evident when he started to draw even as he was just 3 years old. He went on to become one of Mexico's leading painters. In the early part of his career he was a traditional artist but later on, he was influenced by Cezanne and the Cubist approach to paintings. This is clearly reflected in his works such Zapatista Landscape, Woman at the well, etc. However it was Picasso who made a great influence upon him and Diego produced many of his works predominantly reflecting Cubical style, which gives more freedom for the artist. His artwork "Sailor at lunch" is typical of Cubism."
Abstract The Greeks honored the gods through sculptures. This paper examines the triumphs and advances of Classical Greek sculpture during the different periods in Greek history.
Outline
Introduction to Classical Greek Sculpture in Historical Perspective
Transition from Archaic Period to Early Classical (ca. 480 BCE) favoring Contrapposto over Koroi.
High Classical Period (450-430 BCE) Symbolized by Athenian Acropolis.
Late Classical Period (430-323 BCE), between Peloponnesian War and the Death of Alexander the Great,
Conclusion: Hellenism Marked by Influence of Alexander the Great's Travels.
From the Paper "Rigid kouroi and kourai softened into the marble marvels of the works of Phidias and Polycletius. The pursuit of perfection was itself honed like the artists? bronze and stone palettes as larger-than-life statues graced majestic monuments and temples. Increasingly realistic bodies, viewable from all possible angles, epitomize Classical Greek sculpture. The Archaic period preceding it demonstrated the Greek values of perfection and symmetry; these qualities were held under scrutiny during the following centuries. Close scrutiny of the human form in action and as a stationary body yielded tremendous improvements in the effectiveness and accessibility of sculpture during the Classical Age of Greece. "
Abstract This paper examines art that is produced for a specific site, thereby taking advantage of the unique qualities of that site. The paper provides various examples of works of site-specific art, such as, from the internet, video arena, land, interior, and other genres. The writer also discusses the issue of preserving this type of art.
From the Paper "Site-specific art must therefore be commodified, due to the significance of its location. Commodification is the process in which a work of art is bought and sold as a commodity. Some artists believe that calling a work of art a commodity, or a unit of trade, is demeaning and reduces its artistic, aesthetic qualities. Site-specific art still retains these qualities, however, such as expression of the artist's feelings."
Tags: environmental, installation, internet, network, video, land, earth, museum
From the Paper "Andy Warhol's Mao Tse Tung (1972) is a silk-screen portrait of the Chinese leader that was made in many versions. It is one of the series of silk-screens that he made on the subject of fame. They began in the early 1960s with his many portraits of Marilyn Monroe whose sad death in 1962 led him to contemplation of what it meant to be famous and what it could possibly be worth. The fame of the individuals in these portraits was usually of the Hollywood variety and various representations of Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis Presley, and others are among the best known. Usually the different versions employed the same image--sometimes repeatedly within the same piece. In every instance, however, Warhol's method was to use appropriated images. They were usually taken from the press or from Hollywood promotional materials and adapted for the artist's purposes."
Abstract The paper outlines a short biography of Leonardo Da Vinci. The paper portrays some of his works and describes the time period in which he lived. The paper describes Leonardo Da Vinci the man, and his contributions to art, science and humanity.
From the Paper "Leonardo Da Vinci is one of the greatest and most ingenious men that history has produced. His contributions to art, science, and humanity are still among the most important that a single man has put forth. Da Vinci, born on April 15, 1452, is credited with being a master painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, and scientist."
From the Paper "As painters in reaction against the bourgeois and fascinated by the exotic and colorful, Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) and Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) repeatedly centered their art on the representation of the other. Their interest was in foregrounding what had been deemed unimportant or catapulted into the background by earlier artists. Whether travelling to Tahiti or Provencal Arles, Gauguin and Van Gogh actively sought out what was not part of the dominant bourgeois urban scene of their day. In understanding their art as a social practice, Gauguin and Van Gogh's paintings are marked with a revolutionary zeal. By choosing to give status where it had previously been denied and challenging traditional arrangements of form upon the canvas, Gauguin and Van Gogh contributed to aesthetic and social..."
Life & career of French painter, focusing on evolution of his style, subject matter, use of color, background, Synthetism, primitivism and cultural influences.
2,700 words (approx. 10.8 pages), 3 sources, 1999, $ 95.95
From the Paper "Paul Gauguin: Counter-Impressionist
Pool presents a concise introduction to this remarkable man who would be scorned, labeled and finally vindicated as one of the most provocative and controversial artists of the time (195-202).
Born in Paris, 1848, he lived with his mother, traveling with her to Peru and elsewhere from 1851-1855. On his return to France, he became a sailor at age seventeen, completing voyages to Valparaiso and Rio de Janeiro. By 1871, he was employed as a stockbroker at a Paris firm, commanding an income good enough to permit him to marry a Parisian girl and start a family in 1873. It was his friend, Emile Schuffenecker who first persuaded Gauguin to go painting with him on Sundays; it was to be the first fateful incursions into what would shortly become a consuming pass.."
From the Paper "Olympia by "douard Manet (1832-83) was painted in 1863 and exhibited at the Salon in 1865, where it caused an immense sensation. The painting, which is oil on canvas, measures 130.5 x 190 cm and currently hangs in the Mus"e d'Orsay in Paris. One of the most important paintings of the nineteenth century, the Olympia depicts a young prostitute stretched out on pillows and sheets on a long bed in an elegant room. She wears earrings, a bracelet, a slim choker, one of a pair of high-heeled slippers, and a flower in her hair. A black maid in a pale pink dress stands behind the bed offering a newly-arrived bouquet and a black cat stretches itself at the foot of the bed. But the young woman stares directly out at the viewer. The furor raised by the painting was due to Manet's frank realist approach, which encompassed his unusual method of painting, the nature of the.."
Abstract Johannes Vermeer, who died in 1675 in his native city of Delft at the age of 42, created a small body of what are now considered to be almost perfect works. A master of composition and in the use of space, he was also one of the most skilled of the Dutch painters of his era in the use of light, producing mostly precise interior scenes of geometrically perfect composition that evoke a world of tranquillity and deep restfulness.
From the Paper "Johannes Vermeer, who died in 1675 in his native city of Delft at the age of 42, created a small body of what are now considered to be almost perfect works. A master of composition and in the use of space, he was also one of the most skilled of the Dutch painters of his era in the use of light, producing mostly precise interior scenes of geometrically perfect composition that evoke a world of tranquillity and deep restfulness.
Given his exalted reputation in the late 20th century, it is a little hard to believe that the painter's works lay in obscurity for decades, not receiving significant attention after his death until the mid-19th century. The intimate scale of his paintings that is now revered was for a substantial period of time a liability. For example Gowing (1970) writes that "nowhere else ..."
Abstract "Monet's London pictures demonstrate his ability to convey atmosphere and also show his approach to experimentation with the technical means to portray atmospheric effects. These are part of the "series" method of representing nature, a method that originated in giving attention to more and more specific weather phenomena.
From the Paper "Monet's London pictures demonstrate his ability to convey atmosphere and also show his approach to experimentation with the technical means to portray atmospheric effects. These are part of the "series" method of representing nature, a method that originated in giving attention to more and more specific weather phenomena. In a series, Monet would paint the same subject at different times of day, on subsequent days, with different atmospheric conditions, and so on, and in so doing he would observe and recreate the range of light and a variety of specific atmospheric conditions. Many of the works he painted in London show his dedication to finding a technique that will accomplish this task.
Monet's painting "Waterloo Bridge" from 1903 (now in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.) is one of a series of..."
This paper discusses graffiti as a social phenomena and an art form; "graffiti" is the plural noun form of the word "graffito" which means to scratch, to scribble or to write.
Abstract The paper details the history of graffiti, the taggers (people who make graffiti), the law, the culture, the music, the style, the types and the international appeal. The paper concludes that most graffiti is created from a person's unique ideas on what looks good to them; therefore, graffiti has to be considered an art form regardless if it is showcased in a museum or on the streets.
From the Paper "Wanting to be popular among fellow taggers and the rest of their community, taggers had to find ways to become more noticeable than their competitors through the 70's did. They did this by changing their writing style from standard lettering to more artistic forms of lettering, such as bubble and calligraphy, and by making their tags larger. Making the tags larger was a great task at first because "the standard nozzle width of a spray can is narrow". Therefore, taggers began swapping caps from other aerosol products in order to get larger nozzle width. "
This paper reviews W.H. Auden's poem, "Musee de Beaux Arts", an analysis of a motif from Pieter Brueghel's paintings that humans continue their lives despite events of human suffering.
Abstract This paper discusses Auden's poem "Musee de Beaux Arts", which presents the idea that Breughel's work depicted everyday events but in the corner of the painting is a small depiction of human suffering such as the crucifixion of Jesus. The author asks "What can any one man do to make a difference in the face of human tragedy?" and states that Auden's answer would be: Tell the tale, paint the picture, write the poem describing the human suffering to rouse others to consciousness and involvement.
From the Paper "The first painting, Auden passes,, depicts an example of 'human position" of suffering, a moment of pain, which also is a moment of glory: The birth of Christ. While a woman struggles in labor, the old men, indifferent to her suffering, 'reverently, passionately (await)" (line 6) the product of her labor, and children already born, "who did not specially want it to happen" (lines 7-8) go on with their play, "skating on a pond at the edge of the wood" (lines 8-9)."
