Art Institute of Chicago Part X: European Paintings III

This is a continuation of the overview of this current exhibit. The previous overview was really only the first half of the current exhibit. What's fascinating is the fact that these three other paints are a bit of an oddball because they are so different from each other. Even still, it's worth just to observe the individual aesthetic appeal of each artwork.

Perhaps because of the complexity of the dress, this portrait of a wealthy lady has a distinctive three dimensional effect that is accentuated by the elaborate posture. Most of the male portraits lack a expressive posture and often wear monotonous outfits with little expressive patterns. In addition, those male portraits also seem to be set against relatively mundane backgrounds with no depth. In this portrait, it is possible to make out the outlines of the wall and perceive the depth of field. Color choice also plays a role in differentiating the visual impact of different portraits - there is an abundance of white against black in this portrait, which gives it an overall brighter demeanor. Just like the progression in technical sophistication of male portraits, this female portrait succeeds in providing a more accurate anatomical depiction than the early two dimensional flat paintings of powerful men. I must praise this portrait for it's use of depth, more realistic face and body proportions.

This is not an actual portrait of a real woman; instead it's the depiction of the attractive widow Judith seducing and beheading the head of the Assyrian general Holofernes in order to protect her hometown. Immediately upon realizing the context, I couldn't help but notice Judith's blatant Caucasian features and European hairstyle. For a scene depicting events in Mesopotamia, there was a clear racial transgression on part of the painter. Even still, the anatomical precision leaves much to be desired, as such female proportions are exceedingly rare, especially for a widow in Mesopotamia. Even beyond that, the way her body turns strikes me as being unusual and not natural. Also, considering that she just beheaded someone, there was a curious lack of blood on the scene. In addition, I was able to pinpoint one aspect of the painting that bothered me. There were no light sources in the Mesopotamia or during early modern Europe that could give the lighting bestowed upon this painting. How could the background be so pitch black when Judith was practically glowing? Despite all of these flaws, it is a work of fiction and the painting does succeed at giving us a sense of anticipation - Judith appears to be motioning to someone from the light source. Who that person at the light source is unknown. It may be a servant, or it may not be - this painting is able to straddle the balance between realism and imagination. 

Two babies, or cherubs are see frolicking in this painting. Why the two cherubs are bonding in this fashion is unclear; perhaps it was designed to invoke controversy in order to promote the artwork. One aspect of European art is the prevalence of using something like an arch to frame the painting again. In this case, the arch is framed by an actual golden constructed. If anything, this creates the illusion of depth because part of the frame protrudes itself from the base of the painting. To enhance the effect, the blue sky in the background is designed to increase this perception of depth. When considering this painting was set next to the other two depicted here, it may serve as foil against the seriousness of the two paintings above. Not only that, the concept of two babies embracing can be construed as an allegory for childish innocence. In allusion to it conception, these cherubs represent the blissful ignorance bestowed on the very young. Through many layers and abstracts, this painting conveys many ideas. For that reason, I find this to be a most fascinating painting.

Concluding this exhibit and the ones before it was the definition of a roller coaster; there was no clear distinct theme to differentiate and transition between each painting. This is perhaps a good thing because the later galleries are more organized and distinct. In fact, I believe that these two galleries represent the nascent development of different artistic templates and styles that would persist to the modern period. For that, I do not condone the seemingly random themes of this particular exhibit.

Art Institute of Chicago Part IX: European Paintings II

This gallery has a distinct style that I am familiar with; namely the Mannerism movement that sprung up as an emphasis on unique aesthetics, color and form. The Mannerism movement is somewhat in between the elaborate Baroque and Northern Renaissance movements. Indeed, the lack of anatomical proportions in Medieval Art illustrates this transition. Mannerism embody this transitional phase in European painting. 

This is a painting by El Greco, a Greek painter who resides in Spain. His works share many of the key tenets of Mannerism. For example, this figure has some very striking and high contrast colors to highlight his robes.In addition, the colors don't just extend itself to the clothes, it also manifests itself on the color of the man's skin. His skin has a distinctively gray tone to it. The overall atmosphere of the painting could be described as rather depressing due to the dark background. In contrast to Titian's paintings, El Greco did not put any meticulous detail into the way the clothing folds around his subject. Instead, he focus on really about four colors and minimized the clothing detail. I find his artistic sense to be very unique.

This painting isn't considered part of the Mannerism movement. Even still, There are some anatomical inaccuracies, notably those of the baby Jesus depicted in this rendition of the Birth of Christ. Also, the background of the country side is not very representative of real life distance scaling. In addition, there is a curious depiction of an dark-skinned man here, which flouts the notion that Jesus's visitors were only around the Middle East. Also, there is a lack of any depictions of angels, meaning that this painting was meant to convey the event from a mortal perspective. If I were to evaluate the color scheme, I would actually consider it to be superbly done because the background color, visitor's clothing are all complimentary to each other, This painting does not exhibit an cacophony of colors; rather does a excellent job of blend each color for a vibrant painting.

This is a diptych depicting Adam and Eve. Rather than a conventional connected diptych, this diptych actually consists of two separate frames. This is interesting because as displayed, this diptych are placed on level with each other with a bit of space in between. This is significant because the way the paints are perceived are affected by the relative position of each painting. Suppose you have these two paintings and another one depicting Eve and the Tree of Knowledge and place these two on the sides, it'll be interpreted as Adam and Eve's story in the Garden of Eden. Likewise, if there was a scene about Cain and Abel in the middle, it can be interpreted as the story or legacy of Adam and Eve's descendants. Considering all of these factors, it's also possible that the original orientation of these paintings is unknown, although the present configuration is the closest guess. There is isn't really much to be said about the contents of these two paintings other than the fact that the difference in skin tone reflects societal values on masculinity and femininity. Also, the supposedly graceful poses also seeks to convey the ideal of purity and innocence before Adam and Eve's removal from the Garden of Eden. Incidentally, the ivies that cover the pubic area are intentional forms of censorship, rather than a reflection of shame incited by the Tree of Knowledge.

Generally speaking, official portraits of important figures are one of the most consistent forms of European art throughout the early-modern period. In fact, the changes made to official portraits are mainly restricted to improved detail, lighting, perspective and backgrounds. Early portraits of this type are often flat, anatomically inaccurate and don't resolve correct use of frontal perspectives. What I mean by this is how sometimes the face may be depicted at an awkward angle in relation to their body such that the two parts of the body nearly exists on different planes. This results in a rather unnatural portrait. This one here is rather sophisticated - it has a good command of general anatomical form, color, lighting and a rather detailed background. In addition, the face of the noble appears to be relatively expressive with more realistic color. Indeed, all of these elements combine to create what I believe to be a very pleasing portrait.

This is really only one half of the current exhibit; I will review the other half of this gallery in a later post. The El Greco painting struck me in a deja vu because I could recognize the man's artistic style immediately. It was another of those moments where I saw an artist, painting or style with my own eyes. For me, that was one of the highlights of this particular exhibit.

Art Institute of Chicago Part VIII: European Paintings I

The next series of hallways would become a source of exhaustion for me -- they were so big. Upcoming after European furniture are the halls dedicated to European paintings. Because each of the gallery were generally unmarked, I actually didn't keep track of which time periods they belong to. However, I will try to make comments on aesthetics and the general implications of each photo.

This photo is incredibly well detailed, down to the person's facial features. It is an oil painting commissioned for what appears to be an aristocrat. What makes this painting also unique is the inclusion of the white dog. The dog also appears to be incredibly detailed, especially considering it would be impossible for the dog to maintain its posture. Of course, the presence of the dog also serves to expand upon the perceived wealth of the depicted man. The background in this painting appears to be some some nondescript classical background, with a curtain on the left side. The solemn facial feature of the man depicted also shows the seriousness of the portrait. I also consider the lighting to be a bit suspect, because if there was an abundance of light, then the man's cloak should reflect more details. Instead the artist gave the man's cloak a 2D appearance on the lower part of his robe. Still, the amount of detail present in this oil painting is astonishing and captures the essence of the man's expression and wealth.

This one is interesting because there are two figures intertwining each other, back to back. The most impressive thing about this, I thin are the trapped clothes. To paint the many folds on a person's cloth is not easy and often requires careful brushstrokes. Also, the red vs white cloth allows the observer to differentiate between the two men because the background is relatively dark. Even though the depth and lighting aren't realistic, It's fairly clear to the viewer that the man sitting down is giving some discourse to the man behind him. The inclusion of hand expression help accentuate this painting. The imaginative sunset behind the two men then ties everything together. I find this to be a very impressive painting overall.

This is one of the more impressive bronze reliefs I've set my eyes on. Projecting simple pattern onto bronze mold is impressive, but to create a bronze relief as detailed as this one is taking that ability to another level. The inclusion of this bronze relief helps diversify the stereotype of European art during the early modern period - that paintings were pretty much the sole artistic medium. Of course, architecture, pottery and other mediums continue to proliferate, less conventional art like these bronze reliefs remind us that art can be three-dimensional and historically diverse. Also, a word of caution of the nudity below.

I took this photo of this painting because it is so reminiscent of the Venus of Urbino. Indeed, this painting is cast in a very similar fashion, depicting a nude woman set atop a bed with white sheets. This variation is also a painting by Titan, the man behind the Venus of Urbino. However, compared to the Venus of Urbino, the subject is less forward and suggestive. Rather than depicting a scene of feminine empowerment, there is a certain passiveness and delicacy with the incredibly white bedsheets and high levels of bloom lighting. Much like the painting with the two men above, there is a bit of an abstract background on the right hand side. In fact, none of these two paintings seem to set themselves in a realistic location.

Overall, I find all of these to be fascinating, and I think provokes me to ponder the differences and dynamics of these paintings in relation to each other. I think, the bronze piece was necessary, because all of the remaining European galleries were nothing but paintings. These paintings and bronze sculpture ease the transition and occasional numbness of amazing paintings - indeed I found my sense to be numbed after completing the monstrous European paintings gallery. Still, I wandered forward in search of the famous artworks that I have learned in my textbooks.

Art Institute of Chicago Part VII: Early Modern European Furniture

The next gallery after the armor and weapons one was a very diverse gallery. This particular gallery was filled with a lot of furnitures. It also had some other house accessories that was part of the gallery as well. However, there was no unifying theme other than having furnitures around.  Confounding the situation was a particular piece of pottery I was not expecting to see at all. I saw this:

At first blush, the color scheme of this porcelain lacquerware astounded me. The style of this porcelain is undoubtedly Chinese in origin. However, knowing that I was in the European section meant that there is something European about this vase. After close inspection, it was clear that rather than scenes from ancient China, the vase depicts what I think to be the European intervention in South Asia, with what appears to be elephants on the right hand side of this side view. Because South Asia doesn't produce porcelain, this vase may be an European attempt at producing this form of porcelain. Or, it could be a Chinese creation of a foreign event imported to Europe. Regardless, this vase remains consistent with the increasing European interest in Asian goods. Also, this vase was likely part of the furniture setup in a European home, as these do not serve a functional purpose.

Crystal and glass wares have bit of a reputation as a contradictory medium in art. On one hand, the natural transparency of crystal and glass gives the medium its inherent beauty. However, on the other hand, the difficulty of painting onto the medium meant it was not a very effective medium for colorful artistic expression. Even still, the glassmakers who crafted these glass cups show great skill with their precision and handiwork in a period where glass had to be heated and blown by hand. If anything, the proficient in glass marked a marked department form the lack of mirrors in the medieval age. While these exact shapes are rarely used today, we gain insight into the aesthetic sense of these European artistic pioneers when we observe even simple objects like glass or crystalware.

This is a very elaborate piece of furniture designed to hold small valuable items like jewelry. The black on ivory color scheme works very well together. But I think the most impressive is simply how detailed and complex this drawer was. There were a lot of extraneous elements, but they all contributed to the overall character of this drawer. If anything else, this piece of furniture demonstrates the new emphasis on interior aesthetics. I think it is at this point when interior design begins to carve it's own identity separate from the exterior facade. As furnitures get more elaborate, there are increasing freedom to shape a room in any manner without regards for exterior aesthetics. Take the ancient Romans for example, even the interiors have disproportionate amounts of white to remain consents with the white exteriors. However, these furniture diversify the internal looks and served as stepping stones to masterpieces Versailles's Hall of Mirrors.

Mirrors are supposed to be boring, but not when they not only serve as historical pieces, but also because such element were essential to the new aesthetics. This mirror is an early mirror that has lower reflection quality than modern mirrors. This mirror is symbolic of the new aristocracy focused design. This mirror is another allegory for the Versailles Hall of Mirrors. Notice the addition of the golden frame; mirrors, gold, crystals would dominate European court design for the subsequent centuries. That is the most significant aspect of this mirror.

Ah, a grandfather clock, or is it? You know, I'd like to believe this is indeed a grandfather clock, or at least an early revision of it. there is no pendulum, nor a cuckoo bird (I least I don't think so). Regardless, I think this piece is somewhat of a predecessor to the grandfather clock because of it's overall similarity in shape to modern grandfather clocks. However, if I was to criticize it's overall aesthetic value, I think it is quite confusing to look at; the hour hands and minutes are extremely difficult to read. Even if the clock serve a purpose, aesthetics can restrain function. Even still, numerical punctuality was not yet a widely accepted courtesy, and I can feel that this particular piece of furniture likely served as a showpiece only.

On my way out of this particular exhibit, I was greeted by this funky little machine. I would think it's a seismograph of some sort, but I know it's clearly not part of the exhibit at all. To find this odd little machine after all the previous two surprise galleries only confused me more. I was not sure what kinds of exhibits I should expect from then forward. Regardless, I was glad that weapons, armor, furniture, clocks, glassware was all included as forms of art. As I left this exhibit, little did I know that it I was less than halfway throughout the entire museum.

Art Institute of Chicago Part VI: Early Modern European Arms and Armor

It can be considered strange to see a portion of the Arts Institute focus on weapons and armor. In fact, I was more than little surprised to see this suit of armor when I ventured to the second floor. While armor design can certainly be construed as a form of art, it doesn't automatically register as such by many people. Perhaps part of the reason why weapons, and to a lesser extent armor do not receive the artistic attention has to do with morality of admiring the tools of killing. People may fear that an appreciation of the artistic merits of fine armor and weapons would be reflected negatively on by society. However, I think when taken into isolation, there is much to learn in terms of art from armor and weapons.

This was the first suit of armor that I encountered.  All of these armors were created after the introduction of the first muskets. This fact meant that these are some of the first post-medieval armor designs geared for the new type of warfare. Just observing this suit of armor, it's clear that the plate armor has been significantly toned down. There was no chainmail on this cuirass at all. After all, chainmail are ill-suited for muskets. Instead, plate armor was implemented at this time because muskets were still rather ineffective at penetrating plate armor. The reduction of plates meant greater mobility, whether infantry or cavalry. After the Spanish Tercio tactics and the genius of Gustavus Adolphus, infantry began to play a much larger role than the medieval era.

Indeed, this one continued the general functionality of the previous one, offering similar levels of protection. Also, both suits of armor have gold accents that work well to highlight the different sections of the armor and the parts that connect the suit of armor. In particularly, I am a fan of the way the center fold on the breastplate curves downwards to provide a unique aesthetic. The shape of the helmet is also best remembered as the type worn by Spanish conquistadors. Of course, the steel forgery is excellent, as there appears to be little to no rust of even scratches on the armor. The ability of the armor to remain in pristine condition can be attributed to both the blacksmith and modern preservation ability.

Because I had little time to explore this vast museum, I'm going to postulate that this suit of armor was not of medieval origins. For example, there appears to be no extraneous decorative elements, feather holder or reasonable visor. In addition, as plate armors began to reduce in effectiveness (especially after Agincourt), full suit armors became increasingly ceremonial. Again, much like the previous suits of armor, this one is kept in excellent condition; the shine remains pristine and the overall integrity of the armor remained intact. Of course, suits of armor remain expensive to produce, and it is entirely possible that this suit of armor was a form of heirloom, a family treasure. It may explain the careful quality of each of these armors. Regardless, I must say that the decline in the efficacy of knights in combat meant new combatants would be spared the misery of fighting in a heavy oven on a scorching day.

I can't help but look at these weapons and think somewhat of Chinese weapons. In particular, the fourth pike may have some semblance to it Chinese counterpart. The European bardiche and the spear with the red tassel share striking similarities to the older, Chinese counterparts. I wonder if this was the result of the Silk Road trade, or because of the possibility for two spheres to develop similar weapons with vastly different war tactics. By any means, these pike demonstrates an open approach to weapon design. By experimenting with different tops, these pikes have seen various degrees of action throughout the conflicts of early modern Europe. The ingenuity to create these designs, regardless of origin is by itself a form of artistic expression. While there may be some functional component to each of these designs, I feel that the designers had aesthetics in mind too when they designed these weapons.

Finally we get to this armor here and I am immediately stricken by how similar this is to the corsets that women wear. Indeed, the restricting waist guards is an astounding departure from the relative lax shape of the first three armors that I saw. I also must admit that I observe the most golden accents on this cuirass. Of course, the thing is that this armor gives you the illusion that it restricts the waist. With a cursory knowledge of human anatomy, a man would have to have an abnormal waist line for this to be feasible. This is compounded by the fact that at the end of the cuirass waistline are two flower like prongs that extends itself out a bit. This is the primary contributor to the illusion of thin waist. Most importantly, the sharp shape of the cuirass projects the power and grandeur of the high ranking and nobility offices. It is often said that men who have accumulated great masses of muscles tend to have a inverted triangle body structure. If anything, the shape of this cuirass only serves to emphasis that aspect, thus contributing to wearer's perceived strength.

I throughly enjoyed this section, as it allowed me to take a look at some firsts in my life; I was able to explore real 16th-17th century armor and weapons. Art history classes never focus on the armor and weapons, but I find these to be every bit as artistic as other forms, if such evaluation can be isolated from the malicious purpose of the weapons. Unfortunately, as guns and rifles began to make their debut, all of those armors was render obsolete and combatants were reduced to wearing nothing but coats. Ironically, infantry armors made a comeback during parts of WWII and modern warfare without all the artistic elements that these have. Therefore, I believe these armors should be appreciated for its artistic merit.

Art Institute of Chicago Part V: African Art

After visiting the Native American section, the next part of the museum was the African arts section. Because there are simply so many African tribes, the sheer diversity meant that examining these Africa arts meant to focus on the individual aesthetic values. 

The faces depicted in this part of the gallery illustrate the various facial expressions that African artists were capable of. These human head carvings also show an emphasis on facial paint and other face markings. even though the heads were not anatomically correct, the unique form gives these carvings special aesthetic value. The ability of the white paint to obscure the fourth carving's face meant that from far away, it was not easy to discern the carving from the face of a real hunter. These masks/carvings remain significant testament to a celebration of the human form. With the relative sophistication of ancient tools, these carvings are well centered (faces look equal) and demonstrate skill.

African art is somewhat special in this continual abstract portrayal of the human anatomy. These two clay figures illustrate an important artistic technique. Namely, by tweaking certain parts of the creation, the visual image of a human could be immediately conveyed. African artists demonstrates a certain sense of spirit when they decide to discard traditional human proportions. In essence, those artists could have conveyed the idea that humans aren't perfect beings. To show this androgynous forms is to admit that innate weakness. Overall, I was impressed not only because these two figures survived, but also by the novelty of it's existence. Most of the world's civilizations during these periods tend to glorify the ideal perfect human body and shun imperfection. It is notable that these figures did not have the sexual implications of archaic pieces like the Women of Willendorf. The imperfection in these figures have nothing to do with reproductive assets. When contemplating these figures, it is truly remarkable.

This piece appears to be some form of giant wooden carvings. But the complexity of this piece is what makes it a very intriguing showpiece. Without considering any symbolic significance, this carving have arguably three faces. Unlike Totem Poles, this carving is unique in it's three dimensional property. There is a certain depth lacking from Totem Poles. Yet, like Totem Poles, this piece consists of a series of faces. Regardless of time period, carving such a complicating piece by hand using old tools speak for the technical brilliance of African wood carvers. In addition, the complex interlacing faces gives this piece a rather mysterious background. All of those ingredients fuse together to create a striking wooden piece.

Overall, much like my experience with Native American art, walking through the African art section allowed me to open my eyes towards many of the fine nuances of these art pieces. In fact, the skill demonstrated throughout both sections is exemplary. A dedicated mind and willingness to adapt are what makes these fantastic art pieces the pride of humanity.

Art Institute of Chicago Part IV: Native American Art

After traversing the East Asian Art section, I was able to come across the Native American art section. The room had strong beige accents and L shaped floor tiles to give it a distinct look. The first thing that greeted me when I entered this section was this:

This Native American crest is one of the first things that occur to the casual person when they think of these indigenous Indians. Indeed, to see an ancient feather crest is amazing. This is not just an aesthetic marvel, but it also a fascinating example of human craftsmanship. Imagine, trying to put together an entire crest by hand, carefully arranging the feathers into harmonious shapes. Not only that, to find features that have nearly equidistant length is no small feat.  There is a fine attention to detail, such as the different colors on the crest. There is a pleasant blue, red, black and white motif going on here. This demonstrates that Native Americans have cultivated a sense of color theory. The classic black borders on white is prominently displayed on the headdress. To add red accents to the ends of the feathers provided another dimension to the visual look. This headdress also represent the essence of Native American lifestyle; it's very much based around nature, without emphasis on worldly materials like gold or silver. Indeed, this headdress is likely given to a chieftain or high ranking person in an Indian tribe. The headdress not only demonstrates the sovereignty of the chieftain over the people, but the natural source of the headdress also signify an authority over the rights to the land around their tribe. I think, to closely examine these kinds of artifacts is understand some of the context of Native American art. I very much enjoyed looking at this amazing artifact.

It's rather amazing to see bright, vibrant colors on this coloring of a skin. The presence of various amounts of colors indicates that the artists who produced this had knowledge of different chemicals that produced certain colors. In addition, the relatively consistency and ordered manner of the horses also show how disciplined the artist was. Of course, while there aren't any blue horses, I believe the artist was attempting to convey the importance that horses were to the Native Americans. Because of the depiction of horses, it's certain that this occurred after the Spanish arrived in the Americas, as there were no horses in the Americans before European exploration. The shapes of the horses seem to indicate an artistic form of shape abstraction. Even though the shapes aren't real to life, it's enough to convey to us that these were horses. In a way, when I think about it designers today tend to practice shape abstraction to simplify UI and other types of design. To this artist though, the abstraction of the horses also reflect the emphasis on symbolism in Native American religion. Overall, this work of art was very interesting.

It's rather difficult to point out exactly what makes this to be a Mayan/Aztec art, but the intricate boxy swirls on this clay tablet is consistent with other Mayan art. The characters and shape of the person depicted seemed to indicate this. The ironic thing is that I know this because Mayan/Aztec gods tend to have elaborate headdress and are often depicted in false profile. It's ironic because without archaeology, art historians wouldn't be able to know that fact either. Regardless, I'm impressed by how distinctive these Mesoamerican design are, which certainly contributed to cultural preservation. 

This one is a tricky beast. At first, I would have attributed this pottery to the ancient Greeks because of the similar colors and overall shape. Other than the fact that I'm currently at the Native American and African Art section, the subjects portrayed are not orderly and the overall shape is unlike anything the Greeks produce (they like their handles). The depiction on this pottery show various androgynous faces, which is unheard of on Greek pottery. In addition, the lack of any exterior protrusions signify that this pottery was likely very old. Indeed, I would surmise that this pottery exists on a functional basis only. But the presence of decorative elements certainly demonstrate it's relative position on the chronological timeline of pottery.

I must say that being in a museum meant that I could stand in front of these artworks and ponder it's many merits. Pieces of art that are reduced to abstraction are often viewed only in terms of it's initial aesthetic output. For example, if I was to see the Native American headdress again, obviously, the first thing that would pop to my head would be Native Americans. Rather than discounting the simplistic context of the art, it's sometimes wise to understand the cultural context behind it. That, is why I believe museums exist. When people take things to an simplistic context, that is where stereotypes and other popularly defined context affect the intended purpose of art.