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Cindy Sherman, 2004.
A discussion of the life and work of Cindy Sherman, artist and photographer, and how she focuses her artistic talent on herself.
1,987 words (approx. 7.9 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 63.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at the work of Cindy Sherman, a famous American photographic artist. It explains that the main focus of her work is herself. By turning the camera on herself, she symbolizes the complexity of being female through images that simultaneously shock and challenge the viewer. The writer points out that, by creating close-up images, she succeeds in creating a sensation of exaggerated nearness, yet dispels any feeling of closeness or intimacy. Her work creates a tension between familiarity and strangeness. The question of female identity is also a central concern that is explored.
From the Paper
"Sherman rarely grants interviews and seldom allows herself to be photographed out of character. Her work has been exhibited in more than 75 solo and as part of over 150 group exhibitions. Sixty-four museums collect her prints. Today, her prints sell for between $20,000 and $50,000. A print from the Untitled Film Stills series was recently auctioned by Christie's for a record $190,000 - an unprecedented figure for a living artist/photographer. In 1996, New York's Museum of Modern Art paid $US1-million for the complete Untitled Film Stills series."
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Influence of Japanese Prints, 2004.
A look at the influence of Japanese printmaking on the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists.
3,402 words (approx. 13.6 pages), 9 sources, MLA, $ 96.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the way in which Japanese printmaking, especially ukiyo-e prints, allowed Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists, such as Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin, to depart from the ?photographic realism? that was part of European painting before photography was invented. The paper also includes some images of the Japanese prints, as well as images of the work of some of the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists.
The Influence of Japanese Woodblock Prints and Western Photography
The Artists Themselves
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Ukiyo-e prints had something in common with the also increasingly popular photograph; neither one allowed the superficial depth of an oil painting or even a pastel. In addition, both media?the woodblock of the Japanese print and the paper and emulsion of the photography?produced relatively sharp edges compared to those produced by paint, and particularly by paint as used by the Impressionists, in more freehand style than had ever been seen before. So, at exactly the time that French artists, the Impressionists, had finally gotten away from the formalism that had marked the previous centuries of fine arts, two influences arrived to return some formality to the practice of art. In the case of photography, it was a simplistic realism produced by the rudimentary equipment that could not, at that point, capture nuance quite as well as modern photography can. Until the Impressionists, realism has been the aim of western artists, especially since the discovery of perspective in Italy during the Renaissance. While the definition of objects in photography was, obviously, realistic, the expression of them on the paper often was reduced almost to abstraction, with the necessarily highly contrasting lights and darks produced by early techniques and equipments. The very pronounced areas of positive and negative mimicked what could be produced by the Japanese woodblock ukiyo-e printing process. And that, in turn, influenced composition, even after the interesting experiments of Gauguin as well as Cassatt?s mode d?emploi of the drypoint and aquatint techniques."
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Icons, 2004.
This paper discusses the significance of the art form called icons in Eastern Christianity.
1,120 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 38.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that, ever since the 8th century, icons, which are religious paintings on wooden panels used in Greek Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, and Russian Orthodox churches and homes, play an important devotional role in these settings. The author points out that the Orthodox Church is considered an iconic pattern of the kingdom of God, and the icons are meant to remind worshippers of the work God?s saints have accomplished. The paper relates that, in the art world, these icons are considered an art form worthy of exhibitions; in the Orthodox Church, they are not only considered teaching tools for the illiterate, but also a window to heaven for all worshippers.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Problems with Icons
Contribution of Icons to Religion
Relevance of Icons for the Contemporary World
From the Paper
"It is unlikely most people would venerate icons these days. It is unlikely modern people venerate much of anything. But it is possible to see the impact they have on the modern world when one considers that they are often seen to weep, or to produce drops of blood, as noted above. Whether the tears or blood are real is almost immaterial, which seems to be what the Greek Orthodox bishop was saying. It seems that he might have been saying that what was important abut the incident was that a large group of people believed in the action, and by extension, believed in the sanctity of the icon. They believed that the icon was a true representation of at least the characteristics of the saint depicted. They did not believe, then, that it was the icon itself doing the work, but rather the ?ascended spirit? of the person depicted."
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Ancient Greek Art, 2004.
This paper discusses ancient Greek art in the period between about 580 B.C. and 450 B.C. with examples of pottery and statues from this period.
2,250 words (approx. 9.0 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 69.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that during this period both deities and ordinary mortals were depicted, but there was no homogeneity of technique, which ranged from a very natural and sculptural pottery in amphorae to a more studied and artificial style. The author points out that three of the objects represent tools. The amphora stored wine, the lekythos was used during religious ceremonies, and the krater was used to serve punch made from wine. The paper relates that, unlike the amphora, the lekythos style has only one handle, a more slender neck than an amphora, with a wider mouth, and probably held oil or perfumes, a claim that is advanced because they were often found in and around tombs that were excavated from ancient homes.
Table of Content
Background
Pottery
?The Bateman Amphora ?
?The Dipylon Amphora?
?Douris Lekythos?
?Bell Krater?
Statues
?Athlete Making an Offering?
?Kouros?
From the Paper
"A late example, this torso--which is all that is left?is actually less well modeled than the "Athlete". The belly and rib cage, in fact, appear to be stylized, almost abstract. It may be that the work has weathered. But probably, the more geometric, and less curvilinear, detailing on this statue was the result of a transition between the drapery and highly stylized posing of earlier eras, including the ?dark times? and the early Archaic period, to the more abundantly natural depictions of the statuary of the Classical period. Kouri, which means ?youths,? was an art form that didn?t last very long, only about a hundred years. It is thought, nonetheless, that they represented gods, warriors and, of course, athletes."
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Three Baroque Artists, 2004.
Analysis of three famous paintings: "Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus"; "The Descent from the Cross"; and "The Death of the Virgin".
1,871 words (approx. 7.5 pages), 7 sources, MLA, $ 59.95
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Abstract
This paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes three works of art: Peter Paul Rubens's "Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus" from 1618; Rembrandt Van Rijn's "The Descent from the Cross" from 1634; and Caravaggio's "The Death of the Virgin" from 1605/6. Specifically, the paper contains an opinion and assessment of each of the works.
From the Paper
""Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus" is an oil on canvas painting, measuring about 88 x 82 7/8 inches, and the original resides in the Pinakothek Museum in Munich, Germany. This painting portrays the abduction of two nude women by two large and powerful men, with their stallion rearing in the background, and a cherub hovering near the edge of the painting. The colors are rich and vibrant, from the natural skin tones of the women, to the tanned and burly beards of the men. Action and upheaval are at the center of this work ? it is clear the women are desperately fighting the men, and it is clear the men are more powerful than the women, and will carry them off to their fate. Paradoxically, the scenery in the background of the painting portrays a pastoral and peaceful scene of a landscape at sunset, in direct contrast with the activity and violence at the center of the painting. Rubens uses light and shadow to illuminate the action, while downplaying the scenic background, and the effect of the painting is emotional and disturbing. The overall quality of the work is soft and "painterly," which creates a sensual overtone."
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"Starry Night", 2004.
An analysis of Vincent van Gogh's painting, "Starry Night".
1,587 words (approx. 6.3 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 51.95
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Abstract
An analytical discussion of Van Gogh's painting. The paper examines the artistic styles of the time and looks at "Starry Night" in this context.
From the Paper
"The thickness, shape and direction of his brush strokes created a tactile counterpart to his intense color schemes through thickly-loaded brush moves back and forth or at right angles, giving a textile-like effect; Van Gogh also would take the paint tube and squeeze dots or streaks upon the canvas. This bold, almost slapdash attack upon his canvases, at least in the eyes of his contemporary art critics, was viewed as highly disturbing; thus, it could be said that Van Gogh, through the use of different paint strokes, both infuriated and calmed the viewer. According to Van Gogh, as mentioned in a letter to his brother Theo, ?Instead of trying to reproduce exactly what I have before my eyes, I use color more arbitrarily so as to express myself forcibly? and then adds that the color in his paintings is ?not locally true from the point of view of the realist, but is there to suggest the emotion of an ardent temperament? (Tralbaut, 1969), which indicates that Van Gogh?s color schemes are ambiguous, meaning that they have the capacity to overwhelm the viewer to the point of utter confusion while expressing a strange calming effect almost as if the viewer was experiencing lucid dreaming."
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Post-Modernism, 2004.
This paper discusses the philosophy of post-modernism, a complicated set of ideas, which are a reaction against failed modern thought without a clear goal for future direction.
3,465 words (approx. 13.9 pages), 9 sources, APA, $ 97.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that post-modern sociology and culture has arisen from the after-effects of modern thought; just as values clarification and situational ethics were watch words of the 1980s, post-modernism has become the self-identification moniker of the 21st century. The author believes that the individual is now defined in terms that are important to the individual, rather than in terms of his relationship to the surrounding culture. The paper points out that the term 'post-modernism' has its origins in architecture and art; the post-modern artist grew tired of the traditional means and, in the case of the extreme post-modern artists, accepted the premise that life itself was meaningless.
Table of Contents
Introduction and Post-Modern Definition
Post-Modern Sociology and the Resulting Contradictions
The Self as Social Construction in the Post-Modern World
Post-Modern Individualism as Products of Self-Construction
Power and the Post-Modern Self
Post-Modernism and Responsibility
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Previous generations have sought to bring order and organization to the understanding of self, individualism and personal identify. The postmodernist revels in disorder, and a lack of consistent structure. The postmodern thought system has tired of looking for consistency and meaning in everyday life. Through disappointments with society, and with self, postmodern critical thinkers look to self for guidelines for life. No longer is the goal of a unified culture held as a workable or even desirable goal. Because too many people groups have varied desires and experiences of that same culture, the idea of a homogeneous self identify within the larger social order has been disguarded. The upper middle class business person can never have the same experiences of life as the inner city child growing up on welfare."
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The Mexican Muralist Movement, 2004.
This paper discusses the Mexican Muralist Movement, which followed the Mexican constitution of 1917.
3,310 words (approx. 13.2 pages), 5 sources, APA, $ 94.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that, by the early 1920s, Mexican Secretary of Education Vasconcelos ensured the creation of an artistic renaissance in which Mexican artists reinterpreted Mexican history in accord with revolutionary principles, locating major works of arts on the walls of public buildings and, thus, making them accessible to the most humble and unlettered of Mexicans. The author points out that Mexico became a destination of choice for Americans and Europeans with a wide variety of leftist views, ranging from liberalism to communism. The paper explores the work of Diego Rivera, unmistakably a major light in the Mexican Muralist Movement, and his wife Frida Kahlo, who was not a muralist, but who retained some of the essential characteristics that defined the Mexican Muralist Movement.
Table of Contents
Background
Spiritual Revolution
Cross-Pollination via Admiration
A Different Sort of Revolution, a Different Sort of Art
Foundations of the New Art
Diego Rivera
Frida Kahlo
From the Paper
"Others besides Delpar regard this as ?the most fascinating phase of the whole revolutionary movement?.the attempt to readjust the spiritual and cultural background of an entire nation in accordance with the revolutionary changes that the machine age had produced.? Vasconcelos expanded cultural activities widely, including archaeology, ancient history of Mexico, religion, literature, music and the visual arts. Until then, none had ever been developed as integrated parts of the nation?s cultural heritage. The most vital and strongest to emerge, and one that has been uniquely identified with Mexico, is mural painting."
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?Cupid Chastised?, 2004.
A review of Italian artist Bartolomeo Manfredi?s oil painting, ?Cupid Chastised?.
1,674 words (approx. 6.7 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 54.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how one of the most extraordinary aspects of the Italian artist Bartolomeo Manfredi?s ?Cupid Chastised? is the way that the 1605 painting in oil on canvas resembles not so much a rendition of Greek mythology to the gazer?s immediate glance, but seems to represent more an ancient scourging, similar to the Stations of the Cross. It discusses how war and discord are, indeed, set against one another in such a way that the common ways of telling myths about the goddess Venus are rearranged to improve the image of the woman and to highlight the ordinary quality of all of the gods and goddesses.
From the Paper
"In ?Cupid Chastised? for example, Venus appears not like a beautiful goddess of love, but like an ordinary Italian woman caught in flagrente delicado with a man other than her husband. She half-kneels, one breast bared to the viewer, but in shadows, pleading for her lover?s skin and life while her angry husband Mars, clothed in red, flagellates the prostrate Cupid, lying there, looking young and vulnerable. Despite the stated presence of the other gods, laughing at Mars in the myth recounted as the painting?s background, the focus of the painting is purely domestic and intimate, and the viewer of the work feels as if he or she is spying upon the married couple and Cupid, rather than witnessing a larger social drama."
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Venetian Painters, 2004.
An analysis of the application of color by the Venetian painters Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese.
1,364 words (approx. 5.5 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 45.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how, in the 16th century during the height of the Italian Renaissance, the art that was created in the city of Venice symbolized a strong, independent, and influential school all its own, which was touched only very slightly by the ideals and fashions of Mannerism that swept Western Europe. It looks at how, within this highly independent school, numerous painters emerged as a group to set the precedents of Venetian art. In particular, it studies the utilization of color in the works of the artists Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese.
From the Paper
"As most art historians and scholars would heartily agree, Titian, the quintessential Venetian painter, consistently provided the basic framework upon which he explored and utilized color to its utmost limits. By brushing on his colors layer after layer and building up structures within the pigments, Titian produced ?brilliant depths, lights and darks that seem to glow from within the canvas, and the flesh of his figures takes on the tone and illusion of true life.? 4 Yet as an artist, Titian was also doing something else, namely that he was organizing masses of color on his canvases that in the end were always extremely exciting to behold."
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Art and Society, 2004.
A look at art as a reflection of society through examples from the High Renaissance period, scientific revolution, and contemporary period.
1,176 words (approx. 4.7 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 40.95
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Abstract
This paper aims to illustrate how artwork reflects the society during the period in which it was created. It also provides an analysis of how artworks have changed from being creative expressions of social realities to being symbols and artifacts of the social and historical events that occurred to human society over time. The scope of this paper is limited to discussing visual and literary artworks, since these forms of art creation are the most prevalent media through which artists expressed their social realities. The analysis of visual and literary artworks will cover the following important periods in human history: the High Renaissance period, scientific revolution, and contemporary or modern period.
From the Paper
"Human society continuously develops through constant interaction and communication among its members (people). Indeed, humans have different ways, means, media, and form through which they can express themselves and extend their message to other people in the society. Art is an example of this medium of communication, which ?involves skill and creative imagination in a musical, literary, visual, or performance context? (Microsoft Encarta 2002). Art is more than a medium of communication, since it goes beyond the traditional forms of verbal communication?it is also one way of ?seeing? and interpreting the social reality of the creator or artist, where people can get a glimpse of what and how the artist depicts his/her reality (relationship between the self and society)."
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Early Renaissance Art History, 2004.
An examination of three ways in which art changed during the Renaissance period, with an analysis of some specific works.
1,057 words (approx. 4.2 pages), 3 sources, APA, $ 37.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that there are three highly significant ways in which Renaissance art can be considered a turning point for the visual arts. It shows how, first, a series of technical advances took place from the late 13th century to the early 15th century, notably a new feeling for the solidity of bodies, for the dramatic possibilities of design and composition, and the development of scientific perspective. Second, the writer explains that there is a rising interest in the classical civilizations, most importantly ancient Rome, leading to a concern to imitate classical architecture, sculpture, and as far as possible, painting. Finally, paralleling the development of new humanism in learning and scholarship, the writer points out that a change in the content of works of art can be discerned, as ideas from philosophy and literature influence both the choice of subject and the way in which it is handled.
From the Paper
"A new individuality of style and of genre can be seen in much of the work of this period, with a breaking down of the categories of religious and devotional painting that had characterized the 14th and earlier 15th centuries. The work of Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449-94) has been described as only ?nominally religious?, and is typified by portraits and set pieces cast in the form of religious works but with more naturalistic and humanistic dimensions than in the devotional pictures of the previous century. His ?Adoration of the Shepherds? of 1485 [fig. 2] shows influences of Flemish painting in the naturalistic portraits of the figures on the right, while the careful detailing of the ancient Roman sarcophagus being used as the manger demonstrates his concern with the antique and the classical. At the other end of the spectrum from the painters who strove for realism in art was Sandro Botticelli. In Botticelli?s work the quest for linear harmony that had begun with Donatello reaches a climax in such non-naturalistic exercises in contour, movement and symbolism as ?Primavera, the Allegory of Spring? (c.1482)."
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Art and Decoration, 2004.
This paper discusses art and decoration in the home environment, comparing the home of a young single person and the home of an older couple.
975 words (approx. 3.9 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 34.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that art is an aesthetic object that is created by skill and imagination, while decoration is defined by its function as an ornament. The author points out that when looking at the aesthetics of art in the individual home it is important to consider that art can also exist as a decoration. The paper concludes that the private world of art can take many forms, from the purely individualistic approach of the young person?s home to the collaborative approach of the older couple who have lived together for many years.
From the Paper
"The function of the home is diverse, and this is an important consideration for many individuals when they choose decorative and artistic elements for their home. For example, the use of the washroom for showers makes it difficult to store objects that are easily damaged by water in the bathroom as a work of art. Further, many decorative objects may be chosen more for their functional aspects than their artistic or decorative function. For example, clocks may be chosen based on large hands for easy viewing, rather than simply for their aesthetic value."
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"The Book of Kells", 2004.
An insight into the Irish manuscript known as "The Book of Kells".
1,352 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 12 sources, MLA, $ 45.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how "The Book of Kells is" arguably the most recognized and most remarkable artifact of medieval Celtic art. It looks at how it features page after page of colorful lettering, illumination, decoration, and illustration unique to Celtic art tradition and how, to a large extent, the great reputation that Celtic art and design have today is based on the exceptional quality of the images found in the book.
From the Paper
"It is widely accepted that the scribes and artists who created the Book were Columban monks who lived in monastery on the remote island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. The monastery was founded late in the sixth century by an Irish monk, St Colm Cille. At the time the book was produced, Irish monks were renowned throughout the rest of Europe for their work as scribes and illustrators. Their designs were often made on thin pieces of bone or stone, which are more commonly found in Ireland than in Britain. These designs were a true indication of how the missionaries incorporated the art of the pagan world into the teachings of the Christian Church by adopting many of their symbols and patterns and making them an important part of the Christian ceremonies and manuscripts."
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Surrealism, 2004.
An overview of this form of art from the 1920s and 1930s and how it was defined by the artists from this time.
1,000 words (approx. 4.0 pages), 7 sources, MLA, $ 35.95
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Abstract
Surrealism, a movement that was transformed from a literary to an artistic one, investigated the direct exposition of the incognizant divulged by rational notions. This paper defines what surrealism meant to the artists from the 1920s and 30s. It also identifies many surrealist artists, including Andre Breton, Yves Tanguy, Paul Magritte, Salvador Dali, and how they contributed to the surrealism movement.
From the Paper
"Yves Tanguy, a painter, played a vital role in spreading the concept of Surrealism. He became influenced by Surrealism in 1924, after seeing the periodical La R?volution surr?alist. Tanguy was greatly motivated to make art that depicted his inner world of dreams and the sub-conscious mind. The style in which Tanguy painted his paintings is referred to as Surrealism. Tanguy, like any other Surrealist believed that images and encounters in dreams could be used as an inducement for art. As a result, dreams, fantasy, and the element of chance played a significant part in his profession."
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