Category: Art 2722

Introduction

During the dance masterclass, I ended up learning the basics of ballet, namely warm-up, arm, and leg positions. In ballet, these aspects are essential. The entire masterclass was conducted by choreographer Brittany Cavaco, who seemed to me to be quite an attention to detail, which makes it possible to learn the basics thoroughly. Warm-up is usually done to warm up the body and is found in all sports and dancing. In general, warm-up is an essential part of peoples lives, and scientists and doctors advise everyone to do warm-ups. Next, the positions of the legs were analyzed, which are the starting points in each element. The positions of the legs are an indicator of the level as I understand it, since it is pretty challenging to hold your hands beautifully throughout the entire performance, and in stressful situations, you should pay more attention to your hands. This work was written with the aim of studying the style of ballet dance, namely its history and base.

Main body

Ballet is a style of performance dance that emerged in the fourteenth century during the Renaissance In Italy and subsequently evolved into a symphonic form of dance in Russia and France. Since then, it has evolved into a popular and widely professional type of dance with its own lexicon. Ballet has had a global impact and has established the core methods utilized in many other dance styles and societies. Various cultures have been introduced into various schools across the world. As a result, ballet has evolved in a variety of ways. Ballet is a coherent piece that includes both movement and melody for a ballet staging. Ballets are created and presented by ballet dancers who have received formal training. Classical European ballets are typically performed with classical music accompanying and outlandish costumes and production, but modern ballets are frequently presented in basic outfits with no elaborate settings or staging.

Ballet began in the fifteenth and sixteenth century in the Italian Renaissance palaces. It moved to France under Catherine de Medicis reign, where it flourished much more. Most of the dancers in these early royal ballets were aristocratic enthusiasts. The embellished garments were supposed to impress the audience, but they limited the dancers free movement. The ballets were performed in enormous rooms with three sides open to the audience. The proscenium arch separated performers from members of the audience, allowing them to watch better and enjoy the technical achievements of the professional dancers in the shows.

During King Louis XIVs reign, French royal ballet achieved its pinnacle. In the 1660s, Louis formed the Académie Royale de Danse to create criteria and accredit dance teachers. Louis XIV appointed Jean-Baptiste Lully as head of the Académie Royale de Musique, which gave birth to the first commercial dance group, the Paris Opera Ballet (Welch). Lullys ballet instructor was Pierre Beauchamp. Their collaboration would have a significant impact on the evolution of ballet, as indicated by the loans extended to them for developing the five main foot postures. Following years of practice at the Académie, the first ballet dancers hit the stage.

Ballet began to fade in France in the 1830s, but it thrived in Scandinavia, Italy, and Russia. The entrance in Europe on the brink of World War I of the Ballets Russes, directed by Sergei Diaghilev, reignited interest in dance and ushered in the modern period. Ballet had a significant effect on other dance styles in the twentieth century. In addition, in the twentieth century, ballet made a turn away from contemporary dance and toward the entrance of contemporary dance, resulting in modernist movements in a number of nations.

The method and language of classical ballet are based on traditional classical ballet and terminology. Various genres, such as French ballet, Italian ballet, English ballet, and Russian ballet, have arisen in various nations. Several traditional dance forms are linked to distinct training techniques, which are usually called after their originator. The Royal Academy of Dance model was implemented by a varied group of ballet dancers as a ballet style and training system. They combined their dance techniques to develop a new form of ballet that is critical to organizational success and is known globally as the English style of dancing.

The romantic ballet was a traditional ballet aesthetic trend, and some pieces are still in the classical repertory today. The introduction of pointe work, the preponderance of female dancers, and lengthier, flowing tutus that attempted to illustrate tenderness and a peaceful atmosphere were all hallmarks of the Romantic era. This movement took place between the early and mid-nineteenth centuries, and it highlighted themes that stressed deep emotion as a form of artistic experiencemany romantic dance stories centered around ghost ladies who captured mortal mens hearts and senses.

Even the most seasoned and skilled dancers usually warm-up before a dance lesson or concert. To limit the possibility of injury during a full-body activity like ballet, it is essential to prepare with a comprehensive ballet warm-up. Warm-up activities raise your body temperature, allowing your tendons, muscles, and bones to remain flexible. Getting warmed up is the process of preparing your body for physical exercises, such as studying ballet and minimizing your risk of injury. Even a simple exercise like going for a walk can profit from a warm-up, such as extending to protect your thigh muscles and ankle joints from being highly stressed from contact, which can occasionally result in pain or tears.

Ballet choreography is a full-body practice that requires both strength and suppleness of the body. Warming up your body loosens it up, enhancing your range of motion and keeping your muscles supple. The colder it is when you begin physical activity, the stiffer your muscles get and the greater the chance of damage. Starting to warm up ensures that your physique is ready to roll and enhances the efficiency of your motions.

A suitable warm-up for a ballet dancer consists of physical activity, flexibility, and deep breathing. This vigorous warm-up prepares your body for more significant actions. Gently elevate your feet up or down in a cavort action, keeping your knees supple as you roll throughout your entire foot as it comes into contact with the ground. For a few minutes, gently prance in place. This is a beautiful routine workout for ballet dancers since it gets the heart pumping, the arms working, and the legs stretched. Jump both arms and legs apart, then back, starting from a standing posture.

Using the barre as part of your ballet warm-up will attend a pointe or ballet class or have a method to practice barre exercises at home. Keeping your body balanced and ready for more strenuous action later, keep your feet parallel while you lift and drop your heels. Ballet makes use of every aspect of the body, with the hips being one of the most crucial. Bring your knees to your chest and stretch one leg outward, drawing a circle with the bent knee. Allow the rest of your body to follow that movement a few times before repeating with the opposite leg.

Ballet foot positions are a crucial aspect of traditional ballet techniques that establish conventional foot placements on the stage. Contemporary classical ballet has five fundamental stances, known as the first through fifth postures. Serge Lifar codified two more positions, known as the sixth and seventh positions, while acting as Ballet Master at the Paris Opéra Ballet in the 1930s, albeit their application is confined to Lifars dance routines. The sixth and seventh positions were not Lifars innovations but rather resurrections of postures that occurred in the 18th century when classical music had 10-foot positions. The fifth position is quite challenging, and it may take several years of training to achieve perfect safety in this position. It is frequently presented as one of the last positions  the performer would have spent many years practicing in the third position in readiness. The hips are twisted outwards in reasonable amounts, and the front foots heel is positioned against the rear foots big toe joint.

In ballet, there are two fundamental arm postures. In one, the dancer maintains both arms fingers fully reaching, forming an ellipse that is either almost trying to touch the hips at navel level or lifted over the performers head. In the other, the hands are stretched to the sides, slightly warped at the elbows. These roles can be merged to form new ones. A ballerina is graded on more than just how she moves. The manner in which a ballerina balances and carries equal merit. Every posture starts with the starting position. Extend the legs. In the initial posture, both feet are pushed out. Arms should be at your sides, slightly stretched forward. Wrists are bent backward, and fingertips are pointed and close together. Your shoulders and head are loose, with your head a little bit elevated.

Summary

To summarize, ballet is a kind of theatrical dance that started during the Renaissance in Italy in the fourteenth century and later grew into a symphonic dance form in Russia and France. Ballet dancing is a full-body activity that needs both physical strength and flexibility. Warming up your muscles relaxes it, increasing your range of motion and keeping your muscles flexible. A ballet performers warm-up should include physical exertion, suppleness, and deep breathing. This intense warm-up gets your body ready for more strenuous activities. Ballet foot positions are an essential part of classical ballet practices that provide standard foot positions on the stage. In general, I can say that I liked this style of dance and attended the master class with interest and, in general, when studying the materials. For me, ballet is a beautiful part of the history that this style has been conveying for many centuries. Unfortunately, this style of dance is not so common among young people today, but I think that it will come later because fashion and trends are cyclical in everything.

Work Cited

Welch, Ellen R. Fictions of the Courtly Self: French Ballet in the Age of Louis XIV. Early Modern French Studies 39.1, 2017: 17-30.

The artwork that was chosen to be explored is Memory (1942) by René Magritte. Originally titled La Mémoire, it was created in 1942 with oil on canvas and its size is 30 x 22 in. or 75,4 x 55,4 cm. This work is stated to having been exhibited in the Galerie des Éditions La Boétie in 1945-1946, which was a private gallery of a French magistrate Estienne de La Boétie (Magritte and Gohr, 2017). Its current location remains to be unknown.

The focal point of the artwork is the marble sculpture in the form of a humans head. The eyes of the head are directed downwards and the face expresses no emotions. Contrast is manifested in this work through the white sculpture being painted with a bright sweat of blood from a wound the center of which seems to be the temple. Next to the sculpture is a white marble ball, separated in the middle by a horizontal strip. Both figures stand on the ground against the background of horizontally arranged wooden planks nailed together. The motif of repetition of horizontal lines is concluded with the cloudy sky rising upwards from the line of the horizon. The light falls from left to right, bringing into focus the central elements of the composition. The colors are restrained and natural, which leads to the message that the author attempted to convey.

This artwork was written by Magritte in 1942, in the midst of World War II, which he made strong statements about through paintings created at the time. During the German occupation of Belgium, Magritte altered the colors used and style of his works, making them resemble those of Impressionists: the artist considered it important to cheer people up and give them hope (Magritte and Gohr, 2017). It is common knowledge that Magritte tended to place hidden meanings in his paintings,  that is, making them allegorical  which led to the messages in his works needing to be deciphered. However, with Memory, the statement of the artist is more unambiguous, which reasonably alludes to the primitive nature of the idea of war and its lack of any depth.

This painting is mesmerizing to me for a variety of reasons, the main of them being the contrast between the perfect marble face of the sculpture and the bright red wound on its temple. It is as if Magritte intends to shock the audience with how something as flawless as the monumental perception of the human form appears to be dead  without even having been alive. In my opinion, it is his attempt to draw attention to how inherently wrong the state of war is and how the wounds left by the war never really heal.

When it comes to looking at the elements of the composition, it is interesting to contemplate what the wooden planks were supposed to represent. On the one hand, the way they are positioned reminds of the beginning stages of the construction of a new building  possibly, a new house, symbolizing rebirth after the terror of war. At the same time, these may allude to the wooden coffins in which soldiers were buried. This adds a new layer of horrifying subtext, much like how war marks our perception of things. Additionally, Magritte featured marble sculptures quite often in his art, possibly relying on their timelessness in order to convey his messages. The same image of a sculpture with a blood stain was used in the artists other works, many of which have the same title  La Mémoire.

Reference

Magritte, R. F. G., Gohr, S. (2017). Magritte: Attempting the impossible. (C. Wynne, Ed.). (D. Pistolesi & J. Gabriel, Trans.). Davidsfonds Uitgeverij.

Introduction

In this paper, I wish to discuss about Marc Chagall an artist of the 20^th century; I find one of his art prints dubbed Lovers in moonlight very appealing to me since it reminds me of a wonderful event I once experienced during my childhood (Chagallpainting.org, 2011).

Biography of Marc Chagall

Marc Chagall is among the most prominent and successful artists of the 20^th centrury and was born in Liozna city of the Russian empire in the year 1887 (Weinstein.com, 2008). He was born and brought up in a humble background since his parent were ordinary people in the society, during his early life he lived with his parent in a multicultural society whire he was brought up as a Jew; this appears to have influenced his paintings in later life.

Chagall received his primary education at the Jewish religious school where he studied religion and hebrew dialect since he was a Jewish, at the time Jewish community were not allowed to study in the Russian schools (Weinstein.com, 2008). At the age of 15 Chagall developed interest in art work after he saw a fellow student making some drawings, this was his turning point and he would later describe this experience as like a vision, a revelation in black and white (Weinstein.com, 2008).

From that time he started practicing the art of drawing after he made a decision to become an artist. As a painter, Chagall decided to embrace his career by cherishing his culture and publicly express his jewish roots through incorporating them in his art work (Chagallpainting.org, 2011). Later, Chagall moved to St. Petersburg an old capital city and an art centre of Russian, here Chagall enrolled in an art school where he acquired more skills and began painting different images such as landscapes (Chagallpainting.org, 2011).

Marc Chagalls inspiration, style and technique of art

One of the major influence of chagalls art work was derived from his backgound and early life (Chagallpainting.org, 2011). As a jewish, he lived in a community which practiced agriculture, made their own tools and furnitures; this motivated his value for art. Chagalls style of art was also derived from his early childhood as most of his paintings were landscape and images such as woodehouses which was a reflection of where he grew up (Tars.rollins, 2005). It is also believed that some of his work was a reflection of the obsessive scenes he had experienced when he was a child that he discharged by having them drawn (Tars.rollins, 2005).

Chagalls style and technique of art was largely based on the color; to him color was a major aspect in determining the end product (Tars.rollins, 2005). In fact, Chagall believed that with the use of color one could express anything he wished since according to him colors are a living, intergral part of the picture and are never passive (Tars.rollins, 2005). His techniques was based on colors because he also believed that color expresses tone, eliminates fancy and creates a notion of reality (Tars.rollins, 2005).

Conclusion

The art print  lovers in moonlight potrays the theme of love (Chagallpainting.org, 2011). This particular art work has a woman and a man embracing each other in the moonlight which makes them feel more attached to each other (Chagallpainting.org, 2011). The art is appealing to me since it reminds me about an old picture of my grandparents which I took at night which was my first experince with a camera ever. To me, this art is a reflection of real art.

References

Chagallpainting.org. (2011). March Chagall paintings. Web.

Tars.rollins. (2005). Mark Zakharovich Shagal (1887-1985). Web.

Weinstein.com. (2008). Marc Chagall. Web.

The production of Oscars is performed with direct materials and primarily by direct labor. As Joseph Petrie states in a video about Oscars, each statue is done entirely by hand (How to Make, 00:01:11-00:01:14). The main direct material used to make an Oscar is a raw metal, which is melted at first and electroplated into gold at the end (How to Make, 00:01:25-00:01:30, 00:01:45-00:01:54). Although Oscars are made with one material, they are produced by plenty of people who belong to several departments. Productions direct labor includes employees from the Hand-casting, Polishing, and Graving departments and the Final Assembly (How to Make, 00:00:23-00:02:03). In particular, the video shows specialists who melt the metal and work with the casting, remove the parting lines, polish, engrave, bathe, and assemble each statue (How to Make, 00:00:27-00:02:03). Every task is done separately by experts like Loise White, who has been engraving Oscars for decades (How to Make, 00:01:28-00:01:36). One direct material and multiple people participate in producing the Oscar statues.

Following that, indirect labor is also involved in the production of Oscars. Such employees are represented by those who work at R.S. Owens but do not directly partake in the production process. Therefore, the video does not portray these people, but one can presume their positions based on other workers tasks. For example, indirect labor can include drivers who deliver raw metals, janitors who clean the floors from parting lines, and electricians who maintain machinery like the one used to polish the statues (How to Make). Moreover, the production of Oscars is likely to incur some indirect manufacturing costs. For instance, these costs can comprise utilities and machine maintenance, such as additional nails or lube oil. Without indirect labor and materials, delays in the production process can occur.

Work Cited

How to Make an Oscar Statue. YouTube, uploaded by CNN Business, 2015, Web.

Introduction and Thesis Statement

The project targets to analyze the changes that the twentieth century implied for art and aesthetics. Thus, two works of art  The Two Friends by Frida Kahlo and Destruction of the Father by Louise Bourgeois  are examined as the fine examples reflecting the spirit of the relevant period. It is assumed that these works feature strong political and social implications that are translated to the public boldly and provocatively.

The Two Fridas by Frida Kahlo

Information about Work

The Two Fridas by Frida Kahlo large-scale canvas painted in oil by Frida Kahlo in 1939. The painting can be viewed in the Museo de Arte Moderno in Mexico. It depicts two twin ladies sitting on a long bench against the background of the heavy sky. The ladies are linked by an artery that joins their hearts which suggests that they are two parts of one person (Kleiner, 2014).

Political Context of the Work

The Two Fridas has a strong political implication. Thus, it symbolizes the hegemony imposed by imperialism. The artist wanted to show that the destructive character of interference into the native culture  the two figures stand for a traditional Mexican woman and the westernized personality that the imperialistic forces strive to generate. Since Kahlo shared Mexican nationalistic ideas, she used art to express her confrontation with the view imposed from beyond (Kleiner, 2014).

Summary of Expert Critical Commentary

Modern critics agree that Kahlos work was underestimated by her contemporaries. Cotter (2008) assumes that the barrier to accepting the work resided in the fact that it was implacably frank (para.13). On the whole, it is characterized as both socially and politically acute work that implies a strong appeal to the world society.

Destruction of the Father by Louise Bourgeois

Information about Work

Destruction of the Father is an installation designed by a French painter and sculptor, Louise Bourgeois in 1970. This work of art is commonly interpreted as the artists monument to her father and the feeling of betrayal associated with him. The installation comprises numerous elements resembling beds and tables illuminated red. Bourgeois used a wide range of materials including fabric, wood, latex, and plaster (Heartney, Posner, Princenthal, & Scott, 2014).

Social Context of the Work

The installation implies socially acute problems of modern society such as family relations and infidelity. The artist uses her personal experience to translate the protest about marriage tyranny to society. The abundance of the red light in the installation exhibits the hidden aggression and emphasizes the feministic implications this work of art targets to reveal. The installation is an intentional provocation appealing to destroy the commonly established patriarchal family pattern (Heartney et al., 2014).

Summary of Expert Critical Commentary

Bourgeois work of art received ambiguous reviews from the expert community. Hence, for instance, Lewis and Lewis (2013) note that the artist introduced a new concept of modern art featuring the idea of self-exploration translated through sincere and provocative creation (467). The provocative and feministic implications of Bourgeois work are pointed out by most critics. Thus, Pasquali and Thomson-Salo (2014) characterize Destruction of the Father as a forceful, provocative confrontation with male tyranny (p. 210).

Conclusion

The examined works of art revealed the key changes that the twentieth century implied for art. Thus, artists became more straightforward in expressing their ideas  the discussed works exhibit exclusive sincerity and rebellion towards the old tenor of life.

Reference List

Cotter, H. (2008). The peoples artist, herself a work of art. The New York Times. Web.

Heartney, E., Posner, H., Princenthal, N., & Scott, S. (2014). The reckoning: women artists of the new millennium. New York, NY: Prestel Verlag.

Kleiner, F. S. (2014). Gardners art through the ages: A global history. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Lewis, R. L, & Lewis, S. I. (2013). The power of Art. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Pasquali, L. T, & Thomson-Salo, F. (2014). Women and creativity: A psychoanalytic glimpse through art, literature, and social structure. London, England: Karnac Books.

The first impression from the artwork Into Bondage by Aaron Douglas was positive because of the feeling of warmth from the sunshine and hope coming from a man looking up to the sky. Belief, light, future are the first words appearing in mind after looking at the picture. Some seconds later, bound hands of characters become more noticeable, and the wish of freedom, independence, and stronger hope appears for them. Far away, the viewer feels pain, moderate but chronic, somewhere in the background of the soul.

Looking more attentively at the picture, one can notice the column of people coming to the shore with their heads bent. The red marks on their silhouettes are hand bondages connected with chains. The column walks to the water, far away the ship is sailing to the shore. Two figures distinguish from the column: a woman drawn front with her raised hands reminding the viewer of praying ritual. Another figure is of a man looking up to the sky at the red star that produces a beam of yellow light directing via the front mans head. Under the man in the front, there is a stain of red color. The borders of the painting are formed with plants and palms drawn with orange, yellow, burgundy, and many shades of green. The plants frame a circle around all the mentioned above characters and items. The picture also has circles of yellowish light coming from the sea nearby the ship.

The beam of light coming from the star drawn with straight diagonal lines becomes the brightest item of the artwork. Geometric partly flat forms of the painting make an impression of abstraction. The colors are clear, that is why the shade of the light beam is light-yellow, but it makes an impression of being very bright. The red color is the second attractive feature that intersects with the primary feelings of hope, belief, and light. However, Aaron Douglas hid with mastery an item of red color under the front mans feet. This red stain reminds of a leaf located close to the other plants on the periphery of the picture. The value of the painting remains mostly light which is done with the help of concentric circles and the beam together taking a substantial amount of space of the picture.

The elements conflict with each other: the geometrical straight line of the light beam and the concentric circles, the green middle part of the painting, and the red color of bands on the hands of characters. The colors used in the artwork are mostly pure and basic: green, yellow, orange, and their shades. The effect of contrast is reached by using complementary green and red colors that attract the vision of a viewer even more. The lightning is directly coming from the front straight to the one looking at the painting. The illusion of depth is achieved through the color shade and the frame location of plants. The latter makes an impression that a viewer is a guest that hides in the bushes observing the story silently.

The picture primarily attracts with its brightness and light. The effect of contrast is reached via using complementary green and red colors that appeal to the vision of a viewer even more. Lines intersect with each other distracting the vision and making a feeling of internal conflict, suspicion, and doubt. The smooth and flat texture of the painting leads to the thought of looking at an illustration that is far from reality. The balance of the painting is mostly asymmetrical with palms, the beam of light from the right, praying woman, concentric circles, and a ship located from the left. The movement of the story is active as the waves drawn with various colors make a vision of a slight storm. The work has both unity and variety as the story makes sense to the viewer but distracts the attention with various contrast colors and lines.

Aaron Douglas chose oil and canvas for the materials of his artwork with the help of which he easily achieved crisp effects and fusion of tones (Wingate 2). Possibly, Aaron Douglas worked particularly hard with creating diagonal geometric lines and concentric circles that make the effect of intersection and balance at the same time. There is a connection between the effects used by the painter and the message he wanted to send. Contrast colors interpret hope and belief for a better future and the actual consequent slavery and dependence.

This artwork represents the soon enslaved African people by the invaders, their hope for freedom and better life. Woman with raised hands illustrates belief and search for help. Nevertheless, the actions of the British colonists resettling African people were cruel and unfair (Slavery in America 3). The stain of blood under the front mans feet symbolizes ended the deaths of African slaves. The red bandages on arms stay central on the canvas as the symbol of long-lasting slavery. Douglas created Into the Bondage to remind about harsh events in American history, narrate a story about his ancestors, and lead a viewer through the possible feelings these enslaved people felt.

Ron Douglas is a famous artist of the Harlem Renaissance called by many father of African American art (Anderson 14). The picture reminds of the brightness of hope and belief among African American people, their strength and patience, their pain, and their sorrow. It is hard to look at the painting after the analysis as the positive feelings of hope and warmth from the sunshine slowly disappeared. The intersections of lines and colors might be applied by me in the artwork later to express contrast and conflict.

Works Cited

Anderson, Nancy. Aaron Douglas. NGA Online Editions.

Slavery in America. History.

Wingate, Jennifer. Aaron Douglas Into Bondage 1936. NGA Online Editions.

The work of art titled The Return of the Prodigal Son is one of the most insightful and significant oil paintings by Rembrandt van Rijn. This masterpiece depicts the final episode of one of the Bible narratives: a reunion of a long-wandering son with his father accompanied by forgiveness and mercy. The scene is artfully painted, creating a specific mood and sensation. Rembrandts play of light and shadow allows focusing on notable characters and details. A number of essential topics are covered within this work of art. Distinguished and highly talented painter succeeded in telling a story through his painting and conveyed several meanings covering the importance and power of boundless parental love, mercy, and compassion. However, revealing the variety of its senses occurs partly because of knowing precisely the Bible narrative background of the masterpiece.

The predominance of dark shadows sets off details that eloquently narrate the story behind. The painting portrays the erring son in a shattered state while the father and the brother are neatly wearing. The richness and colorfulness of the fathers clothes presuppose the familys wealth. On the contrary, the long-lost son with his bald head and the appearance of an outcast reflects hardships and tribulations which he experienced because of his own decisions (Warshaw 205). The contrast between the father and his prodigal son is enough to draw conclusions. The observer may assume that the son has returned home in a pathetic state from travels in which he has wasted his heritage and slipped into poverty and misery. His spoiled clothes and body condition means that he was wandering before daring to return to his father for a long time. Moreover, such contradistinction defines how individuals who waste their resources end up in a poor state while those who utilize their resources appropriately keep getting more fortunes.

The Return of the Prodigal Son highlights the significance of affirmative spiritual human values and implies humankinds relationship with the divine. One of the powerful messages conveyed by the panting is the mean of humanity and forgiveness. Instead of punishing the long-lost son, the father shows mercy on him, thanks for returning safe, and forgives all the sons wrongdoings. From the piece, the father is seen celebrating the return of his unfaithful son and hurried to meet him before the door& with the utmost fatherly love (Warshaw 205). The parent-children relationship is one of the most valuable topics of the piece veiling the God-human relation. According to Suthor, the moral of The Return of the Prodigal Son interprets by the fathers unconditional love as a subject for consideration (156). Within depicting father-son reunion, the painting represents a symbol of all homecomings, of the darkness of human existence illuminated by tenderness, of weary and sinful mankind taking refuge in the shelter of Gods mercy (Warshaw 205). Thus, The Return of the Prodigal Son tells reach story behind the depicted scene and reflects several essential human values like mercy, forgiveness, and compassion. It also highlights the power and limitlessness of parental love and, thereby, Gods love and mercy.

Through the prism of the image, observers see the whole story and an abundance of meanings, especially if the picture is reinforced with complementary intelligence. In a work entitled Ways of Seeing, describing the painting of Van Gogh, Berger says: The image& illustrates the sentence (28). Bergers point is that additional information about the image results in people not simply seeing the picture but come up with narration beyond the image. This quote is straightforward but meaningful: going through the supplementary information, personal experiences, attitudes, and perceptions, every painting obtains a broad meaning. Therefore, Bergers statement is applicable to Rembrandts The Return of the Prodigal Son, which illustrates many values and can be interpreted in different ways. It is well-known that the piece was painted with the aim of depicting the Bible narrative, and this fact defines observers flow of thoughts. Bergers assertion supports this papers thesis that emphasizes depth, eloquence, history, and meanings of the masterpiece partly due to the notoriety of the background of the painting.

Thus, perception of the pictures is often affected by diverse factors and may flow far away from the painters considerations. In his book, Berger talks about the distortion of the initial sense of works of art: the understanding of an individual may has little or nothing to do with the paintings original independent meaning (28). Moreover, the perception of the image is shaped regarding what the observer sees directly before or after (Berger 29). This feature explains the variety of senses found in The Return of the Prodigal Son. With knowledge of history, broader inferences were formed, even if Rembrandt did not reflect on these meanings initially.

Rembrandts oil painting The Return of the Prodigal Son depicts the biblical story about the long-lost son returning to his father. While reflecting on this piece, some insights arose: the story, importance of such values as mercy and forgiveness, power and boundlessness of parental love, and the connection with the divine. However, illustrating all these meanings is somewhat a result of background awareness that forces observers minds to generate senses and sometimes distorts the painters original considerations.

Works Cited

Berger, John. Ways of Seeing: Based on the BBC Television Series. Penguin Books, 1990.

Suthor, Nicola. Rembrandts Roughness. Princeton University Press, 2018.

Warshow, Nealson. Rembrandt: Details. Nealson Warshow, 2014.

Introduction

Since the advent of civilization, human beings have been interested in collecting, keeping and displaying things hence giving rise to the concept of museums. (Drurie,1997, p. 30). Museums have been termed as having historically been repositories where real physical objects that existed many years ago are kept. They have taken it upon themselves to collect, preserve and explain these things for the current and future generations to have knowledge of their culture. Museums have perfected this role to the extent that they have been deemed mausoleums. They preserve even the dustiest glasses where they store ancient artifacts (Mareovic, 1998, p. 71).

Changes Occasioned by Technology

However, life today has changed due to technology where everything has been digitized leading to changes in all spheres of life. Technology has taken the centre stage and anybody who does not comply with the current trends of technology is seen as lacking enlightenment. Business organizations and government sectors have embraced technology to solve all problems (Lancaster & Reynolds, 1999). Technology is applied everywhere whenever problems arise and forms the illusion that there is no problem that will fail to get a solution. The arrival of virtual technology has led to the perception that in due course, museums will be moribund or worse still be converted into archives. The reason behind this is that people are nowadays looking for information as opposed to materials and other artifacts (Bowen et al, 1998).

This proposition is not common among all the people because some people have a feeling that original objects will be in constant demand when internet users discover that they are important as part of the culture of a people. Technology can still help us discover new relations among different things such as information, experience of people and their general reaction to different issues (Teather, 1998). The relationship between the view of a museum as an archive for objects and the same museum as a place where information is available should strike a balance. Such a balance will be important in moderating the debate of the position of museums with the advent of virtual technology.

Conclusion

Museums have a mandate of displaying collections in an appealing and educational manner if they are to remain relevant. The digital technology can be very useful in enhancing this mission on condition that there is no indiscriminate use and users are aware of their goals. They should know what they want to achieve and how they will achieve it (Lancaster & Reynolds, 2002; Rentschler, 1999). The internet provides real cultural chances for museums alongside posing other challenges that must be put into consideration before making any decision (Sylvester, 2001).

References

Bowen, J., Bennett, J., Coh, H. & Johnson, J. (1998) Virtual visits to virtual museums, Proceedings of Museums and the Web Conference, Toronto, Canada. Web.

Lancaster, G. & Reynolds, P. 1999, Introduction to marketing: a step-by-step guide to all the tools of marketing, London, Elsevier Press.

Lancaster, G. & Reynolds, P. (2002) Marketing made simple. Oxford, Elsevier Press.

Mareovic, I. (1998) Virtual museums: The challenge of Globalization in Musicology and Globalization. University of Canberra Press, Canberra.

Rentschler, R. (1999) Innovative arts marketing. St Leonards NSW: Allen & Unwin.

Sylvester, R. (2001) Creating web-accessible databases: case studies for libraries, museums and other nonprofits Information Today, Medford, N.J.

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Gustav Mahlers second symphony, also known as the Resurrection Symphony, was created with grand ambitions. The art starts with a pretty mood, dominated by grumpy lower strings. The composers captivating creativity lies in how he changes character on every page (Mahler, 2011). The song scored high with significant emotional and physical effects on the audience. Similarly, Poulencs (2014) Gloria is a philharmonic orchestra dominated by a soprano solo at the beginning, followed by mixed choruses and instrumentations made of flutes, piccolos, clarinets, trumpets, strings, and other tonal enhancements. This essay describes a comparative analysis of Poulencs Gloria and Mahlers Resurrection Symphony, considering the melody, texture, rhythm, timbre, harmony, form, and weight.

The Resurrection Symphony opens with a succession of single tones and pitches, making up low strings that gradually grow into significant motions. Moreover, the melody is composed of high and low pitches, which take intense intervals and a narrow range substantiated by unified voices and instruments (Mahler, 2011). The dominant instrument, the trumpet, supports a sober mood in the symphony. As the song reaches the climax, the composer portrays lyrical passages accompanied by countermelodies and flat cadences. Its movement is firmly focused, and it takes the form of a sonata. The songs texture is characterized by obsessive thrust, associated with intimations of its vocal themes, death, and resurrection.

Moreover, the Resurrection Symphony is characterized by a linear and clear texture. The composer achieves this texture by incorporating more notes, more instruments, and soft tones of the soprano solo. He enriches his song with a contrapuntal clarity, without hazy or fuzzy rhetoric sounds (Mahler, 2011). The rhythm lacks loud beats, but it has longer and louder accents of soprano than bass. Moreover, the rhythm is enriched by captivating syncopation and andante moderato, and largo tempo. This part introduces grace-like themes which appear in turns. The composer intentionally arranged graceful phrases to occur repeatedly. Mahlers item portrays a conventional dominant harmony of vocal soloists, timpani, and harps.

Mahlers art is less peaceful in the third movement, although he intended to introduce a gentle flowing motion. Ferocious and classic timpani, apart from torrents of booming winds and strings, enrich the texture. The form in this section is composed of interruptions of gentler passages. Singers have raised their tones and harmonized them with trumpets and violin sounds. Mahler (2011) uses identical pitches and identical volumes to produce distinct timbres in the songs climax. The songs setting in soft and prayerful passion. It is emotional and alto soloists that transition to hymn-like trumpets, spark the audiences emotions. With time, the solo violins interrupt, raising the tone texture alongside the singers voice.

As the final movement opens, high drama composed of strong strings and timpani rolls enriches the songs tone, melody, and timbre. In this section, the singers play trumpets both off-stage and on stage. The sense of distance created in this movement enhances musical texture. The composer used a (Mahler, 2011) tense and anxious mood to strengthen the tone. As the chorus begins a tempo, calmness strikes the venue, then, soprano solo passages appear followed by alto tones. This section introduces more propulsive energy that closes with a chorus of glory and rapture, suited to the songs theme, resurrection.

On the other hand, Poulencs Gloria starts with a tremendous chordal motif, which, unlike in Mahlers symphony, originates from brass instruments. The opening movement is characterized by low tones, followed by a chorus sung in an eloquent and accented manner. Moreover, the notes in this song sound at the same time. These features harmonize the singers voices and instrumentation. Still, in the beginning, G-major chords enhance the songs texture, and they modulate G-minor keynotes. This introductory part strikes with a catchy and smoother rhythm, followed by a subtle but quite feminine chorus. This part resembles Mahlers (2011) symphony, which is filled with a captivating soprano solo. It recedes to a warmer and richly harmonized section, with probing chords and a feeling of penetrating quest. The chorus is as unique as that of Mahler due to the affirmative figure, which rises over swirling strings. As the chorus subsides, it enters a double-dotted rhythm of brass fanfare. The composer used B minor triads to provide harmony regardless of their orientation in the song.

The bass in Gloria is enhanced by pedal G, juxtaposed by B minor triads, returning throughout the song. This feature changes harmonies and transits chord tones to non-cord tones. Although Mahler (2011) used them in his Resurrection Symphony, they are not as apparent as they appear in Poulencs Gloria. The second movement in Gloria opens with a strange quick brass introduction. It is jocund, and a light tune repeats throughout this section, apart from a regularly changing tone. Unlike in Mahlers second movement, Poulencs (2014) song depicts a rich use of the C-major key, which is accompanied by a few diversions throughout the piece. The key changes to E, which appears flat with a bass figure. These accentuations enhance the songs rhythm, inducing emotional feelings in the listener.

As the song reaches the climax, it is characterized by a dazzling soprano solo as it appears in Mahlers symphony. The movement recedes to a harmonic device, Picardy cadence, which creates a catchy melody that the audience will keep recalling throughout the song (Poulenc, 2014). Afterward, a short section follows, and it is composed of high-toned orchestral phrases. It also comprises accentuated features of the introductory movement of the song. It is enriched with melodic phrases, often pentatonic, and enhances tone quality. Poulenc (2014) presented the song with a quick tempo, increasing the rhythm and giving a soft-raised texture. The listener experiences a dancing and whirling impression, grounded by a continuous return of the theme.

Further, the songs texture and tonality are enhanced with woodwinds made up of wit-fully organized flutes, clarinets, saxophone, and bassoon. Soprano soloists harmonize the instrumentation to give the song a lasting melody. Performers augment the fourth and fifth melodic lines to give the piece a flat chord (Poulenc, 2014). The balanced tone also provides an easy and mysterious feeling to the end of the song. Lastly, the song culminates with an alternating acapella-like chorus. It is enriched with smooth interjections, which herald a soprano solo amen. The refrain extends to repeat the theme, mixing G major and B minor chords. The mixture raises the tone and subsides to a flat bass.

Conclusively, this essay described the compositional features of Poulencs Gloria and Mahlers Resurrection Symphony. The two songs instill remarkable emotions in the listener because they are characterized by teasing impudence and pervasive reverence. Mahlers Resurrection Symphony consists of three movements with varying tonalities, melodies, and textures. The orchestral form is developed by repeating phrases as they do in Poulencs Gloria. Both end with lushly harmonized rhythms, keeping the listener wanting to hear more.

References

Mahler, G. (2011). Concertgebouw  symphony No. 2 [Video]. YouTube.

Poulenc. (2014). Gloria [Video]. YouTube.

Introduction

Last year, the Louvre was visited by many millions of people, firmly entrenching its status as the most visited art museum in the world. The Louvres collections include the finest works of art through the mid-nineteenth century and exhibits of ancient civilizations. Naturally, the new generation is not burning with a desire to unravel the mysteries of the past and get involved with art. Therefore, the more progressive museums of the world have created an interactive version of their halls. Currently, people have the opportunity to visit museums and enjoy the best masterpieces of art in real-time online. Accordingly, visiting virtual museums will help one appreciate art from a distance and have a new experience. Thus, it is essential to discuss the visual elements and design principles of the Mona Lisa painting, which can be observed in the virtual museum of the Louvre.

The Visual Elements

That the painting was created by Leonardo Da Vinci, almost no one doubts. This portrait uses the sfumato method invented by the master. This can manifest itself in the extremely subtle transition from light to shadows (Da Vinci). A subtle haze shading the lines makes the Mona Lisa almost alive. One part of the work that affects all viewers is Mona Lisas smile. Its presence and shape change depending on the points of observation. It is thought that it, for all its mystery, embodies the impossibility of finding a foothold in human feelings (Marsili et al.). Moreover, Leonardos canvas has small dimensions, 53 by 76 centimeters, and generally appears dark (Da Vinci). Although it may appear contradictory, this painting has a sense of movement.

The fog-shrouded background, the bridge across the river, and the colors used by the artist create a sense of naturalness and liveliness. Leonardo declined to use a clean background, as he had previously done (Da Vinci). The positioning of the figure from the waist and also the position of the arms is a new style of the artist. According to experts on texture, Da Vinci used soot and a stencil to transfer the image to canvas.

Principles of Design

It is significant to mention that the artist uses balance to distribute the weight evenly in the painting. Both sides of the Mono Lisa are symmetrical and have the correct proportions, which creates the effect that the woman in the picture is alive (Da Vinci). This significantly influences the harmonious appearance of the picture and conveys the womans feeling. The principle of emphasis allows one to focus the attention on the womans face and emphasizes it as the focal point of the painting. In Mona Lisa, Da Vinci creates rhythm in the folds of the womans sleeves to create a sense of movement (Mandeep and Campbell). It is also expressed in the overall colors and shapes of the painting. It should be considered that the maps scale is small for that, but despite this, the author managed to convey a mastery of techniques. The artist uses homage to describe the secondary or accentual elements of the artwork (Faktorovich). Accordingly, a woman is depicted in the foreground and nature in the background, harmoniously emphasizing the pictures focus.

Conclusion

Thus, Leonardo Vinci used basic design principles and visual elements to convey the theme and atmosphere of the painting. At the same time, during the online viewing and tour of the Louvre, visitors can also view the painting from different angles and scales. They can observe the picture and read or listen to explanations about the technique of execution. New techniques enable art lovers to have a new experience from the comfort of their own homes.

Works Cited

Da Vinci, Leonardo. Mona Lisa. 1503. The Louvre Museum, Paris. MoMA Learning.

Faktorovich, Anna. The Water Behind Mona Lisa. Pennsylvania Literary Journal, vol.12, no. 3, 2020, pp. 57-201.

Marsili, Luca, et al. Unraveling the Asymmetry of Mona Lisa Smile. Cortex, vol. 120, 2019, pp. 607-610.