Abstract This paper looks at how Jan Brueghel the Elder's 1613 painting "The Entry of the Animals into Noah's Ark" has a playful attitude toward the fable of Noah's ark and how, by simply looking at this painting, it is easy to imagine this artist as secure in his Christianity and in his talent. It discusses how the painting is not critical of nature at all and how all its lush greenery and gorgeous animals demonstrate Brueghel's love of God's creations.
From the Paper "There is also the matter of the camels, which seems to be draped with Arabic carpets. One of them has its head turned toward the viewer, as if ask a question. In my opinion, the question is generated by the carpets, indicating that a culture (Arabic) has already been formed and is doomed to be wiped out by the flood. The humorous quality of the camel's gaze suggests that this is historically improbably, because there is no reason to believe that an identical culture would spring up after Noah's family repopulates the Earth."
Abstract This paper argues that, in writing "Musee des Beaux Arts", Auden, chose to write about the painting because it captures one of his central themes of the suffering and unfeeling attitude in everyday life. By analyzing "Musee des Beaux Arts," we can see how Auden uses imagery, language, and the classical theme of the fall of Icarus not only to communicate his theme, but to discuss Brueghel's painting.
From the Paper "Auden's use of the Icarus image and of the work of Old Master Brueghel show classical style, but the poetic form of "Musee" is not classical. He uses two unequal stanzas and a varied rhyme pattern that was uncommon in his era. He opens the poem with a reference to the Old Dutch Master painters of the 16th century, of which Bruegel was a member: "About suffering they were never wrong, / The Old Masters: how well they understood / Its human position..." "
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)."
Abstract W.H. Auden's poem, "Musee des Beaux Arts", was inspired by the images of suffering in a painting by Brueghel. The paper shows how the central image of the painting serves to convey Auden's idea that only artists, the "Old Masters", truly understood suffering from a global point of view.
From the Paper "Auden uses the structure of the poem to visually present his conflict. The first part of the poem is a general depiction of suffering and the indifference to this suffering. Whereas he names specific instances of suffering, the poet does not put a name to any of the persons engaged either in suffering or in indifference. He only refers to them only as "the aged" and "children". The same is true of artists, who receive the general reference of "Old Masters" in the first part of the poem. During the second part of the poem Auden suddenly turns to specific suffering. One specific person, depicted in one specific painting by one specific artist is mentioned."
Abstract This paper relates that Renaissance painters expressed a much more developed sense of emotion in their art that was due to the hardships that were created by the Black Death. The paper focuses on Andrea Mantegna's "Lamentation Over the Dead Christ" (c. 1490), Pieter Brueghel's "The Triumph of Death" (c. 1562) and Hieronymus Bosch's "The Garden of Delights" (c. 1480) and, through an analysis of these works, shows how Renaissance artists drew from emerging artistic techniques as well as the terrible experiences of the Black Death to create art that was able to evoke emotions effectively.
From the Paper "During the Renaissance, the experience of the Black Death had made an indelible mark upon societies across Europe. After all, when it first swept across the continent in the fourteenth century, it killed between a third and two thirds of the entire population. One of the results of this was that death became a central theme in everyday life. People were constantly surrounded by the fact that any day they could fall ill and die a quick and painful death. The effects of this constant living with death can be seen in the changes in the kind of art that was produced during this period. Whereas paintings from the medieval period presented their subjects in a stiff and artificial style, Renaissance painters strove to express the profound pathos of their lives through a much more realistic style."
Tags: realism, emotions, human, experience, Europe
