The M Museum Visit

Renaissance

  It is breath taking to see these masterpieces from epic periods of time. Whenever we mention the Renaissance, names like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo; artworks like <Mona Lisa>, <David> comes to mind. For many people, Renaissance itself is a name of western art.

Rafael was definitely one of the most reputable artist. Despite his short life-37 years- 300 paintings must have considered as fertile. There are many paintings of Virgin and Madonna under Rafael’s stroke. This is The Grand Duke's Madonna, circa 1504-05. Giclee Print - 18 x 24 inch. Rafael painted this not long after he arrived Florence. There is no other decorations, such as beds, chairs, vases, thrones behind Madonna. The lines are soft and the dark background makes us focus more on the character. Rafael did not make her smile, instead she looks down, as if she has gain a lot of composure. This composure is heavy and stable, and somewhat represent the religious believe deep inside of Rafael. However, not just Rafael, masters from the same time were soaked all in the religious atmosphere. Virgins, children, Gods, Jesus had become the typical elements in the paintings of that time. And apparently, Baroque drove a different path.

Baroque

  Compare to Renaissance, Artworks from Baroque not only acquired various objects, it extended to many different fields, such as sculptures, architecture, literature, dancing and music etc. The baroque style also specialized in details. Portraits, for example, reflects the qualities of people’s lives and their indulged leisure activities. The Baroque based on Renaissance which gave it a color or religion, but it is also prosperous and full of passion. Kind of romantic, full of imagination. This is the Portrait of a Man Rising from His chair.  1633, from Rembrandt van Rijn, oil on canvas. Moist skin color and very detailed mixture of black and white. It is not simply a contrast, if we look closely, the man’s black cloth actually sewed with complicated patterns. A kind of cloth may only wore by highborn. Not just colors, lights are also significant. Rembrandt, especially, liked to use lights to lead us. He used lights to create depth, shapes. Sometimes, although with very limited lights on a person’s face, it expressed unlimited sense of emotion beyond description. 

impressionism and post-impressionism

Compare to conventional paintings, common qualities of impressionism artworks use small, point, short strokes. Its composition often have infinite background, and emphasis on the changes of lights over different periods of time. Impressionism painting introduced with more ordinary subjects in human’s day to day lives. Thus, the lights, the relationship between lights and colors, especially the impression implants in people’s mind with this relationship has become a crucial element of impressionism painting. 

 This is a modern impressionism palette knife oil painting. Artiest unknow. Evidently, it inherits certain important qualities of impressionism and design elements. It’s outdoor painting. Colors are darker near us, then lights up further away. On top of that, the size of these subjects, trees, for example, creates a depth and infinite feeling in this image.   The symmetric balance in this painting helps us easily locate the focal point; color changes gradually, but not vigorous or sudden. It creates a mood of calm and relaxing.

Post-impressionism evolved from impressionism. Late 1880s, artist were not content with the pursuit of light nor changes of color, instead, they believe arts should be created more subjectively, or at the very least, subjectively create from objective point of view. At this period of time, artists’ emotions and personal experience became the important elements of a painting. 

This is “the Waiting for The Spring”, 2010, from Sergey Lgnatenko. The presentation of wrinkled sheet does not have to make logical sense in various lights, but changes of color and lines creates a feeling of complication. As it of the girl’s mind, stewed in the irritation of waiting. The use of color is very limited. Plain and flatten, leads viewers to a solitary state of mind. We can almost feel an anxiety, an unstable touch growing underneath that white, grey cloth. And how much longer will it take? 

Rembrandt

Rembrandt

“They were made for each other, the painter and the city.” As it says in the flick of Simon Schama’s Rembrandt. If Rembrandt’s turbulent life was firmly tight with the city of Amsterdam, his paintings were connected with patrons. Especially portraits, for instance, the Nicolaes Ruts. Under Rembrandt’s strokes, this paintings acquires the essentials of any business men’s characters. While it has branded Nicolaes’s business, the use of light gives grasp of solidness and a shadow behind him. His eyes, brushed and slightly spaced out, imaging he is thinking of his trades. Delicate and thoughtful. This painting is in possession of a typical business man’s traits. It's the business man’s hero.

  The 83 years old woman is certainly in a mood of sorrow. The details surrounds her eyes, such as the trending down eyebrows, droopy eyelids and depressed sights have showed us her sense of vulnerability. And the solid background of hers creates a contrast on her soften face, makes her suffer what is in front of her.

      In his painting of Sampson & Delilah, Rembrandt was trying to express the relationships between characters and their fates within by highlighting gestures. Except the man in the further dark side, bright light is placed on Sampson’s back, Delilah’s face, hands and the standing man’s weapon-holding-hand. The facial expression of Delilah and the way she is touching Sampson’s hairs shows how much Sampson is in lack of strength. Showing nothing but Sampson’s back has also telling us that how vulnerable he has become. In his cloth, seems like he is trying to hide away from what is going to happen. Look at the man’s hand with brightness and veins popping out on the skin, it enhance the mood of madness, and stresses among everyone in the painting. 

House of de' Medici

  The existence of the Medici family was very much significant not only were a great number of fine artworks created; prestige artists were introduced during the period of Renaissance, the Medici family’s highly involvement in the city of Florence’s financials and politics had built a great fundamental for the blooms of art and architecture.

  The Medici family’s partnership, sponsorship supported numerous artists and their works. As at that time, artworks were created after a commission was paid. And the Medici certainly held a modest attitude for those artist who was really entitle of ability and creativity. Masters such as Michelangelo Buonarroti, Leonardo da Vinci etc.

  Looking at the Medicis’ relationship among socialites, artists and mainstream elite families during the Renaissance, we can easily discover that because Florence and its reign was driven to a prosperous stage, people were seeking for balances and accomplishment beyond food and clothing in a spiritual level. Fine arts and architecture had found their green house.

  And we are being able to see the shadow of a similar, typical society structure today. Developed countries’ citizen have always anticipate into art activities more frequently rather than developing, undeveloped ones. 

  One of the noblest artists affiliated with the Medicis was Donatello. And we shall not miss the statue David when it comes to Donatello. Its unprecedented attempting of creativity had become a representation of Renaissance’s artwork reaching its peak of times. David is in possession of several first attempting, such as first freestanding work, first nude male. On top of that, David’s helmet, feather and gestures were also given meanings. For instance, if we look at David from the side or his back, he could be identify as a woman when his leg or hip is blocking his genitals.