In this essay, I will address the topics relating to the use of lines for Picasso’s “The Girl before a Mirror” and visual depth using three dimensions for Braque’s “Ma Jolie”. The aim here is to gain a judicious understanding on these topics of study, and decipher their implied meaning for both works of art.
Picasso’s “The Girl before a Mirror” was painted during the 1930’s, modeled after one of Picasso’s mistresses, Marie Therese Walter. In this, Picasso used thick, aggressive passages of paint and blunt along with swelling contours to depict the vanity reflection of a beautiful woman who admires herself in front of a mirror. The painting attempts to capture the contrasting emotions of effervescence and melancholy present in a woman who tries to hold on to her youth and attractiveness even when the symptoms of ageing are clearly evident.
Further, the line dynamics attempt to push and pull the observer to gain a better understanding of the shape and form evident in the drawing. There are plenty of circular arcs depicting facial expressions, the eyes and other visible contours, both in the image of the woman, and the grotesque visuals apparent in the mirror.
In addition, the face is colored in chalky, mauve tones and the oval shape of the eyes get replaced with a maroon circle. There is a crescent shape visible in the cheek which depicts the passage of deformity commonly seen in old age. There are several dark spots on the skin that have been depicted as flusters of red. The overall movement of the lines is in the direction of the mirror, clearly alluding to a forgotten passage of time which strikes at the vanity of attractive women. The painting gives the overall impression of a benighted ghost.
To describe the visual depth in Braque’s “Ma Jolie”, it has to be kept in mind that both Braque and Picasso were simultaneously responsible for the Cubism movement in art. The lines and patterns commonly seen in Picasso’s art can also be seen in Braque’s painting. He tries to give the natural depiction of a beautiful woman playing the guitar.
To add a unique, three-dimensional novelty, Braque cut various cardboard pieces of different sizes, stitched them up and gave an oblique projection feel to the overall drawing. The painting’s three-dimensional quality can also be appreciated in terms of a variety of hand-painted, stencilled letterings which constitute an intrinsic theme comprising birds, wine glasses and women. All of them together constitute an ecstatic celebration of life, conveying a make-believe world which can be pigeon-holed into a café, the all-pervasive theme of Ma Jolie.
Indeed, the use of three-dimensional art was to create a lasting fantasy: that of eternal bliss. To generate those positive and harmonious feelings, Braque tried to introduce an element of illusion, destroying every mechanistic component that would make the art deviate from the actual theme of daydreaming.
Even though the usage of three dimensions is not a novelty in itself, the way visual depth presents itself in the art form of Braque creates a memorable, lasting impression and the appreciation of different spaces. The three dimensions, here, are implied to be a metaphor for the realities of life, as depicted in graphic material. The art is masterly and conveys sheer enigma and a zest for life which is hard to miss in their overall messaging.
Both Picasso’s “The Girl before a Mirror” and Braque’s “Ma Jolie” are masterpieces.
Abstract art, especially the work of Pablo Picasso, is always subject to individual interpretation yet always contains an underlying theme that expresses the “message” that the artist is attempting to convey to the viewer. It is due to this that before meticulously analyzing a particular painting it is important to first understand the inherent themes that that artist has placed into his previous work in order to gain a better perspective on what message he is trying to convey in the painting that is being examined.
When initially examining the painting “Embrace” it can be seen that it follows the Neo-expressionist style of artistry which is characterized by the use of the human body, recognizable objects and an almost roughly and somewhat emotionally violent method of expression. This can be seen in the incorporation of vivid colors into the various works and the banal color harmonies often seen in paintings of this particular nature. This style immerged during the early 1970’s to 1980’s and became quite popular with various abstract artists at the time.
Since the painting itself was created in 1971 this lends further evidence to the fact that it belongs to the Neo-expressionist style of abstract expressionist art. It must also be noted that Picasso has been known to incorporate the motif of sexuality into his various works, often times portraying themes related to violent sexual aggression, hidden desires and unconscious thoughts (Carbon, 191). Based on the fact that “Embrace” has now been identified as a belonging to the Neo-expressionist style and that Picasso often incorporated themes related to sexuality into his work “Embrace” can now be properly examined taking the various facts presented as a means of creating a sufficiently in depth analysis of the painting.
Analyzing the Aspects of Reality Invoked by “Embrace”
When examining “Embrace” what must first be taken into consideration is the fact that the Neo-expressionist style often incorporates the human body into the very art work itself (Carbon, 195). From this perspective it can actually be seen that the painting actually embodies the dual nature of humanity namely man and woman. The most obvious and telling sign of this interpretation is located right at the bottom where a penis and a vagina can be clearly seen. Furthermore towards the top portion of the painting two distinct faces can be seen however the sex of either one can’t be determined based on the face alone rather examining the striated lines on the right and left hand side of either face indicates the left face is male while the right is female.
This distinction is made possible due to the fact that the striated lines directly beside either face actually represent male and female hairstyles with the longer and swept back hairstyle on the right representing the long hair commonly associated with the female gender while the spiky and swept up hairstyle on the left representing a commonly known male hairstyle. This particular painting stays true to Picasso’s motif of incorporating sexuality into his works as it can be seen by the obvious representation of male and female genetalia in the work itself (McClemont, 74).
Aspects of reality invoked by this painting can be seen by first examining the faces represented in the painting itself. As mentioned earlier the painting represents the duality of humanity in the male and female genders but it actually represents the inequality between men and women inherent in society during Picasso’s time. What must be taken into consideration is the fact that Picasso often incorporated modern day events and actions into several of his works as it can be seen in the now famous “Guernica” which portrayed the horrors of war and its effect on civilians (Rollyson, 1 – 3). In the painting it can clearly be seen that while there are two faces and two sexes there is only one “mouth” evident in the painting which is located on the male face. The female face not only lacks a mouth but appears to be exuding a sense of silence in that it wishes to speak yet is unable to.
During the time when this particular painting was made the feminist movement had actually started in various parts of the world demanding equal rights between men and women. Taking this into consideration it can be interpreted that the painting actually represents the historic role of women in society in that their rights have always been “silenced” in favor of a male dominated culture. In fact as it can be seen in the painting the left had side dominates more space as compared to the right hand side which is actually indicative of the domination of males in society and the relatively minor role females have been relegated to.
Further more one of the most striking and realistic aspects of the painting itself is in the portrayal of the eyes wherein the eyes of the female face seem to show intense sorrow as indicated by the gently sweeping lines and method in which the eyeballs were painted. The eyes of the male face on the other hand show little emotion and merely stare straightforward. This portrayal of the eyes in such a manner is actually indicative of the sorrow of the female half of humanity in being unable to properly express themselves due to male domination while the eyes of the male half of the painting indicates indifference towards the plight of his female counterpart.
Further examination of the painting reveals three distinct methods of symbolism utilized, namely: the use of a clergy man’s outfit by the male half of the portrait, the child’s bib directly underneath the female half of the portrait and the sleeve of a traditional business suit. What must be understood is that the use of a clergy man’s outfit as seen by the distinct line and colors seen directly underneath the face of the man is actually indicative of the views of the church regarding the domination of males over females.
In fact the utilization of the sleeve on the bottom left part of the portrait further emphasizes this fact indicating only men have a right to business. This is indicative of the sexist views directed against women which are further emphasized by the bib located directly below the woman’s head which symbolizes the traditional role of women in the household. In its entirety the painting invokes the current reality of social system in which Picasso lived and his interpretation of the period’s historical perspective.
Interpreting the Use of Artistic Representation, Emotion and Movement in the Work
What must be understood when examining the work of Picasso is the fact that his work his more symbolic rather than representative. It represents a combination of views created in an abstract way which cannot be possibly rendered in a classical artistic representation due to the diversity of subjects involved. From it we can see his representation of the duality of mankind, the plight of women, the dominance of man through institutions such as the church and business, the traditional views of women as mothers and the fact that men are considered the providers of the family and not women. This combination of factors lends a work an incredibly deep evocation of the realities of the society Picasso saw and truly creates the need for deep introspection over the way in which roles in society have been held in place due to institutions such as the Church and various businesses.
Another method of interpreting the painting is to examine it on the basis of its title and how the figures within it exemplify it. From the title “Embrace” viewers already gain the notion that characters within it are meant to be embracing and as it can be seen there is an apparent moment of embrace however similar to Les Demoiselles d’Avignon the “movement” of the piece appears to be stilled in that at the very moment of the embrace the characters are stopped. In fact the works are similar in that they both possess discontinuities on multiple levels with an apparent elision of limbs in one instance, abbreviation in another and sudden cleaving of the flesh and an apparent stylistic shift in the end.
The words of art critic, Leo Steinberg, in his interpretation of Les Demoiselles d’Avignon posits that the painting itself possesses a theme of a reverse gaze in that it creates the apparent allusion that it is the subjects in the painting that are looking directly at the viewer. This is actually equally apparent in “Embrace” where the two subjects are apparently caught in mid-embrace and are looking directly at the viewer. The emotion in this particular piece is actually conveyed through the very eyes of the subjects within. In the eyes of the man an almost dispassionate gaze can be seen looking straight forward while in the eyes of the woman there is an apparent sorrow and longing. While this sorrow could be interpreted as it was earlier namely that it is an artistic rendering of women in society at the time it could also be interpreted as a woman about to embrace her lover after a long period of separation.
What must also be understood is that the movement theme in “Embrace” and “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” is an apparent merging of the figures into themselves in that one aspect of the figure apparently gets absorbed into the other. While this is only slight apparent in “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” it is wholly visible in “Embrace” wherein the apparent blending of man and woman becomes almost literal. What must be taken into consideration is that due to Picasso’s history of depicting sexual themes in his work “Embrace” could also be interpreted as a man and a woman having sex (Peiffer, 139).
While Picasso did not want to actually depict the act of the penis entering into the woman he did imply it by rendering both a penis and a vagina into the painting and letting the two figures in it apparently merge. This is in conjunction with the generally accepted notion that when a man and woman have sex they become “one”. The apparent movement of the figures into themselves depicts this in a symbolic way without actually showing the scene literally.
Comparing Picasso’s “Embrace” with Marcel Duchamp’s “Nude Descending a Staircase”
In the painting “Nude Descending a Staircase”, it can be seen that the incorporation of movement in this particular case is heavily influenced by facets related to stop motion photography wherein Duchamp attempted to embody every single movement of his subject in a series of descending actions with an apparent “movement shadow” facilitating one action to the next (Banham, 181). In this particular case it can be seen that Duchamp incorporates curves, angles and straight lines to emphasize the swivel of the hips, the movement of the legs and turning of the body.
In other words Duchamp quite literally captured the very “motions” of a person going down a flight of stairs and incorporated them into the art work. As such this particular work can actually be described as being quite literal in its depiction of movement in that the artist attempted to capture every single facet of how a person would move (Steloff, 838). Most of the actions involved are emphasized by the subject at hand and are not accentuated by the background making viewers concentrate more on the various depictions being created through the actions of the subject (Steloff, 838).
Comparatively the work of Picasso is not literal in its depiction of movement. As stated earlier, one interpretation of the work is embrace of lovers during sex however the act itself is not portrayed in a literal sense. Instead of a “literal” sense of movement Picasso utilizes more of a symbolic sense of movement wherein the blending in of the subjects into each other creates the symbolism necessary to depict the act of embracing and having sex (Bates, 68). Further more in this particular instance movement is not emphasized by the subjects themselves but rather through the background wherein the moment of the lines seem to go from the sides towards the center indicating an apparent movement of coming together. This can also be interpreted in sexual way as the act of copulation with opposing bodies coming together and thrusting.
Works Cited
Banham, Gary. “DUCHAMP’S ‘MECHANISTIC SCULPTURES’.” Angelaki: Journal of the Theoretical Humanities 4.3 (1999): 181. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO.Web.
Bates, Ellen. “Picasso’s Paintings, Watercolors, Drawings & Sculpture: Picasso in the Nineteenth Century; Youth in Spain II, 1897-1900.” Library Journal 133.16 (2008): 68-69. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web.
Carbon, Clark et al. “When a Picasso is a “Picasso”: The entry point in the identification of visual art.” Acta Psychologica 133.2 (2010): 191-202. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web.
McClemont, Douglas. “Picasso: The Printed Graphic Work 1966-1969. rev. ed./Picasso: The Printed Graphic Work 1970-1972. rev. ed.” Library Journal 130.2 (2005): 74. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web.
Peiffer, Prudence. “Picasso: Art Can Only Be Erotic.” Library Journal 130.14 (2005): 139. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web.
Rollyson, Carl. “A Life of Picasso.” Magill’s Literary Annual 1992 (1992): 1-3. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web.
Steloff, Frances. “MARCEL DUCHAMP.” Journal of Modern Literature 4.4 (1975): 838. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web.
“We all know that Art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth, at least the truth that is given us to understand. The artist must know the manner whereby to convince others of the truthfulness of his lies…”- Pablo Picasso.
Art is a fine tool for conveying the profound messages of artists, writers, and musicians. With its help, they can awaken specific thoughts in people that will guide and influence their worldview. Pablo Picasso, one of the greatest artists, said that art is intended for the realization of truth and that artists should have skills capable of guiding people to this point. This is incredibly reliable for the works of such artists as William Blake, Claude Debussy, and Samuel Beckett, in which the authors attempt to convey the real motives and nature of human actions.
Pablo Picasso emphasizes that art has a false nature while following the goal of providing people with the truth. Hence, in the play by Samuel Beckett called “Waiting for Godot” (1953), the author presents a somewhat contradictory idea that salvation, which the characters are waiting for, is highly desirable but at the same time unattainable. With the help of a fictional story, the writer provides the truth, which may not always be pleasant for the audience.
The William Blake painting “The Ancient of Days” (1794) also has a religious motif. Relying on the image of Urizen’s god-like character, the artist denies that science can measure and explain everything, referring to the power of God in establishing order in the world of people (The Ancient of Days). The painting depicts a character similar to God, who, as it were, measures the world under heaven. The depicted action refers to one of the parts of the Bible, which says that the Almighty oversees everything that happens on Earth and all the actions committed by people. Therefore, despite the apparent simplicity of the image, it carries a profound religious message that the artist is trying to convey to people.
“La Cathédrale Engloutie” (1910) by Claude Debussy is a fictional work but carries an important message of truth, which is the need for people to be responsible for their sins. Convincing the audience in this message occurs through the use of musical impressionism. Despite the difficulty of transferring knowledge through a piece of music, the composer manages to point to it through the title of the work. It is taken from the ancient myth of a sunken castle that rises in calm weather from the bottom of the sea (Wilson). The flooding of the castle occurred due to the sinful actions of its inhabitants, which shows the consequences of actions performed for the benefit of sin.
In conclusion, art is a product of the lies of the authors who create it. At the same time, according to Picasso, it helps to expose the truth, which sometimes may seem contradictory. Henceforth, Blake, in his play, exposes the true nature of salvation, which is so appreciated and expected by people. At the same time, Debussy and Beckett extol the truth of religious aspects, pointing out the importance of taking responsibility for their sins and the vital role of God in ensuring order. Despite the different eras of the creation of these pieces of art, their main message can be correlated with a quote by Pablo Picasso.
Pablo Picasso was a Spanish painter who lived in the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries. He was born in the year 1881 and died in the year 1973 having been majorly involved in the fields of painting and sculpture. Though born in Spain, Picasso lived most of his life in France. Michelangelo Bounarroti was on the other hand an Italian who was also gifted in the field of painting and sculpture. He was also involved in other arts such as poetry and in the field of engineering. He lived from the year 1475 to the year 1564.
This paper seeks to discuss the two artists mentioned above. The paper will look into the biographies of these personalities with the view of identifying the similarities and differences that existed between them. Individual biographies are examined after which the similarities and differences are drawn out.
Pablo Picasso
Pablo was born in the Spanish town of Malaga. His father was called Blasco. Pablo’s interest and exploration in arts can be attributed to his father’s influence as his father was well established in the field of arts. Blasco was actually a professional in the field of arts as he is reported to have been a professor in one of the art schools in Spain. He was also a painter and a curator. It is most likely this paternal influence that drove Picasso into practicing arts.
Following this influence, Picasso was enrolled in an art school in the city of Madrid in order to advance his skills. His efforts and desire to study at this level did not however bear fruit and he was forced to cut short his studies before even completing his first year of study.
At the age of nineteen, Picasso left Spain for Paris in France where he was to stay with a friend. During this time and under their arrangement, between Picasso and his friend, Picasso did his painting works at night while his friend worked during the day a situation that made him to burn most of his paintings in order generate heat in the cold nights (Ghare 1).
The following half a century of Pablo’s life was majorly dominated with painting with specialization in variety of styles each at a time. Picasso’s social life was not characterized with significant stability as expected in most societies.
He had a number of love relationships that rarely worked out for him in terms of marriage. Though his first engagement was realized in the year 1904, Picasso only managed to get into marriage when he was approaching fifty years of age.
His marriage also failed to work as he was involved in an extra marital affair which together with the different lifestyles that his wife and he lived, led to their separation. Though he further had a number of relationships, he never married again after this until the year 1961 when he married just to avenge on a woman that had left him. He later died in the year 1973 (Ghare 1).
Michelangelo Bounarroti
Michelangelo was born in the year 1475 as a second born child to Ludovico and Neri. Following her mother’s health condition which was not steady, Michelangelo was placed under special nursing condition. His mother’s attention to him was further cut by her death when he was only six years of age.
Though he developed interest in arts at a younger age, his farther did not like the idea which he considered as a peasant’s activity. Michelangelo was then sent by his father to a grammar school following the intellectual level that he noticed in Michelangelo. It is in this school that Michelangelo met a friend who encouraged him venture into arts.
At the age of thirteen, he was enlisted to work at a painting workshop before he later went to school to study arts. He then tried to study human anatomy where he used dead bodies before he realized that the dead bodies were inducing negative effects into his life (Michelangelo 1).
By the year 1505, Michelangelo had been an established painter who was recognized by high authorities such as the papacy. He was for this reason enlisted in the year 1508 to work on a tomb for the papacy. He worked on many high profile assignments. His services were also enlisted by the government of Florence. He later left Florence for Rome following a level of hostility that he received from the administration and citizens following some misunderstandings.
He also ventured in other fields such as architecture and literature. His social life was however full of isolation. He confessed his loneliness when he admitted not to be having friends and that he was spending much time in his paintings to an extent that he did not even have enough time for eating. He later died in isolation with no relative around to take care of him or his property. His nephew, however, arrived after his body had been disposed off and carried the remains together with his belongings to Florence (Michelangelo 1).
Similarities between Pablo Picasso and Michelangelo
One of the similarities that is realized between the two artists, Michelangelo and Picasso are their characteristic movements from their original residence to foreign lands. Michelangelo is, for example, identified to have moved from Florence to Rome. Following his artistic skills, Michelangelo was invited to stay in Medici where he practiced his painting.
Lorenzo, who took him to the palace, however died and the situation changed forcing Michelangelo to return to his father’s house where he stayed before he later moved to Rome where he again practiced his art. Though no clear reason is given for Michelangelo’s first movement to Rome, it is clear that he left his original residence in Florence for Rome where he significantly expressed his artistic talent (Pal 2).
Similarly, Picasso left his original country, Spain, and moved to France where he stayed and did his paintings. His movement to France took place in the year 1901. Another similar feature of the two artists is the level of dependence that was exhibited in their lives.
In the case of Michelangelo, he was taken in to the palace where he stayed until the death of Lorenzo. After the painful loss of Lorenzo, he resorted to staying with his father for some time before moving to Rome again in the hands of other people. He therefore revealed a level of dependence in his early life though he had been economically empowered through his ability to paint.
Pablo Picasso also revealed the level of dependence in his life in Spain and France. When he arrived in France, Pablo moved to stay with a friend. The condition in which they were living appeared to be restrictive since the two people were not able to sleep at the same time.
Their sleeping in turns, one person during the day while another during the night, is an indication that the facility in the house was limited. Pablo, however, still held on to staying with the friend. He thus failed to independently settle in his own house (Michelangelo 1).
Another similarity that existed between the two individuals is their profession that was painting. Pablo is represented to have been a professional painter by the year 1894. Some of his paintings included “the first communion and portrait of aunt pepa” (Michelangelo 1) which appeared in his earlier paintings in the nineteenth century.
His life was dominated with painting as he practiced the art up to almost his time of death. He painted his first major painting at the age of about thirteen years; Pablo was continually in the field of painting till the year 1971 when his last significant painting was realized before his death in the year 1973.
He thus devoted his life to painting. Michelangelo was also a renowned painter. He can similarly be said to have started his painting career at the age of thirteen when his father gave up on his resistance that he was not fit for painting. He was thus established as a popular painter in Florence and also learnt a lot before he was taken in by Lorenzo. He was also involved in his painting career until almost his time of death.
The two artists are also reported to have had poor social lives. Though they lived in different times and localities, their relationships were not strong as their devotion to their profession which took most of their time. Though Pablo is reported to have had engagements and was even married with children, these relationships lacked a strong foundation and all of them.
Pablo’s last marriage was also not based on feelings and emotions, but was rather on a revenge mission over another woman who had left him. Michelangelo is also expressed as an individual who never had a life apart from his painting.
This is much evidenced after his death when only one of his nephews was available as his closest relative to help in taking care of his funeral arrangements. The history of the painter is very silent on his relations. One of the articles that are beloved to have been written by Michelangelo actually confirmed his social loneliness. He is reported to have confessed that he lacked friends and that he actually did not need such friends.
This attitude is by implication given to relatives who seemed never to be close to him until after his death when a nephew came for his remains. His remains being granted to his nephew according to his wish that his body and property be delivered to his closest relative indicated that he never had a wife and thus no children (Ghare 1).
Differences between Pablo Picasso and Michelangelo Buonarroti
Just as a number of similarities are exhibited in the biographies of the two artists, their histories at the same time reveals a lot of differences. One of the differences in the lives of Picasso and Michelangelo was the manner in which they entered into the art of painting.
Pablo’s entry into the art of painting is revealed to have been an influence from his father who was a professor in arts. His father was also a painter and worked in a museum, an exposure that could have played a role in influencing Picasso into arts and painting.
Picasso’s parents also took the initiative to establish him as an artist, most likely a painter, as they registered him in an art school so that he could study and develop artistic skills. On the contrary, Michelangelo was drawn into art and painting by personal instincts.
His attraction into arts was more of an in born property that could not even be suppressed by his father who did all he could to divert his interest arts. This is majorly because his father despised drawing and arts. Another difference between the two artists was their paternal homes, where they worked and the period in which they lived.
While Michelangelo was born, lived and worked in Italian towns in the fifteenth and the sixteenth centuries, Picasso was born in Spain in the nineteenth century but later lived and worked in France in the twentieth century.
Their level of social relationships also differed in that as Picasso was able to at least engage in relationships that even led to marriages, Michelangelo was never associated in any known relationship (Michelangelo 1).
Conclusion
Picasso and Michelangelo were both renowned painters. Their lives exhibited a significant level of both similarities and contrasts. They are still remembered for their prowess in the world of art. The level of dedications and talent made it possible for them to make great works of art.
Works Cited
Ghare, Madhavi. Pablo Picasso biography. Buzzle, 2011. Web.
Michelangelo. Michelangelo. Michelangelo. Web.
Pal, Loswego. Michelangelo Buonarroti. Pal Loswego. Web.
The paper analyzes The Young Ladies of Avignon by Picasso and The Potato Eaters by Vincent van Gogh. Despite the difference in style and theme, both paintings display similarities in using unconventional approaches in order to communicate the message in a symbolic rather than realistic manner.
Statement about the First Subject
The author of the painting is Pablo Ruiz y Picasso, a Spanish painter who lived and worked in France in the first half of the twentieth century. Picasso is known for pioneering several forms and styles in art, including collage, constructed sculpture, and cubism (Fichner-Rathus, 2016). His best-known works include Guernica, Head, and The Young Ladies of Avignon.
The painting is most often associated with Cubism, which is characterized by distorted and disjointed shapes, emphasis on characteristics of the depicted object rather than its natural appearance, and the involvement of multiple perspectives used to broaden the context. Besides Picasso, the style is most often associated with Andre Lhote and Georges Braque.
The painting’s purpose was to deviate from the established norms of portraying the female body in an idealized manner.
The author used oil on canvas and resorted predominantly to the body-color palette to emphasize raw and primitive femininity. It portrays five nude prostitutes in a non-conventional confrontational manner.
Statement about the Second Subject
The Potato Eaters was painted by Vincent van Gogh, a Dutch painter who worked in the second half of the nineteenth century. His major works include Sunflowers, Self-Portrait With Bandaged Ear, and The Starry Night.
The painting is the product of post-impressionism, which is characterized by depicting real subject matter using unnaturally vivid colors, overemphasized geometry, and distorted shapes to emphasize symbolism. Besides Van Gogh, the movement is associated with the names of Georges Seurat and Paul Gauguin (Shiff, 2014).
The purpose of the painting was to depict the sense of community pertinent to simple folk through the choice of color and shapes.
The painting is oil on canvas and depicts a family of peasants sharing their meal around the table.
Points of Comparison
Both paintings utilize unnatural shapes in depicting a human body. The Young Ladies of Avignon depict the prostitutes in an unconventional manner, with the faces that resemble African masks rather than human faces. In The Potato Eaters, the peasants have facial features, and the anatomic properties of their hands dramatically exaggerated and disproportioned.
Both paintings use an unbalanced color proportion to emphasize the idea. The Young Ladies of Avignon resort to fleshy colors, which are unnaturally saturated in two of five figures. The Potato Eaters uses dusty, earthy colors for the surroundings and the people.
Both paintings use contrast to support the underlying message. The Young Ladies of Avignon use high contrast, especially for the faces, while The Potato Eaters use low contrast.
Causal Relations
The unnatural shapes were utilized by Picasso to break away from the established tradition of depicting human forms realistically, which aligned with the theme of a tabooed subject (the brothel). Van Gogh used distorted shapes to underline the earthly burden of hard work that characterizes the life of peasants.
The unbalanced color scheme further increases the symbolic message conveyed by each painting. In the first case, the saturated body color makes the raw femininity more prominent, while in the second case it connects the depicted persons with the earth they must cultivate to get their daily meal.
The contrast further increases the symbolic effect. In the first painting, it makes the impression more explicit. In the second case, the dimness solidifies the impression of gloom and hardships of life.
Conclusion
The analysis shows that both paintings choose to defy the established norms of realistic depiction in favor of distorted and unconventional visual decisions. In both cases, this is done to emphasize symbolism and strengthen the message communicated by the author.
References
Fichner-Rathus, L. (2016). Understanding art. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Shiff, R. (2014). Cézanne and the end of impressionism: A study of the theory, technique, and critical evaluation of modern art. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon is a legendary piece of art painted by Spanish-French artist Pablo Picasso in 1907. This work is considered the pioneer of the genre of cubism, one of the first innovative trends in modernist fine art. Modernism, both in painting and in other artistic media, focuses primarily on the form that requires special attention and research as a means of conveying meaning.
Formally, the painting is clearly avant-garde, but borrows from the art of non-Western peoples in order to create a sense of antiquity, expressed in slightly faded and sometimes monotonous colors interspersed with pure white. The carnal tones of orange and skin-pink predominate in the picture – Picasso emphasizes the physicality of the depicted, but does not go into erotic details. He also uses primitive shades of blue and green, apparently to emphasize the combination of naive and intellectually complex beginnings in the picture. The method of drawing is distinctly cubist, striving to embody what is visible from several perspectives at the same time, which leads to a broken angularity and an imaginary simplification of the organization of lines. The lines are not so much assembled into concrete forms as they emphasize the unreality of what is captured – the image of the fabrics among which the women are posing is devoid of certainty and disorients the viewer. Female beauty here becomes the embodiment of unbridled vice, and the angularity and grotesqueness of the picture demonstrates a new revolutionary approach to form and plasticity in painting.
Iconographical Analysis
The painting depicts five naked women, apparently courtesans, against an abstract linen background. The heroines of the picture pose, looking directly into the eyes of the viewer, taking deceptively graceful forms. Of the five women, only two have distinctly human and recognizable facial features, and these features are similar, as if sisters or twins are in the center of the picture. The woman on the left has an unnaturally elongated face in profile and painted in a deathly gray color, her eyes are also devoid of a natural vibrant color.
The two women on the right with their faces resemble rather grotesque African masks, but it is not clear whether they wear masks or their faces are distorted due to the surreal and nightmarish design of the picture. The heroines simultaneously open and cover their bodies with canvases and curtains, creating an enticing and at the same time disturbing impression. The broken poses in which the women are, the nightmarish grimaces of some of them, emphasize the sinister passion of their nature. At the bottom of the painting and in its foreground is also a simplified still life with a piece of watermelon and a bunch of grapes.
Contextual Discussion
This painting by Picasso tries to force the viewer to understand and rethink the principles by which their own aesthetic perception works, to ask questions about the status of beautiful and innovative in art. The painting was probably inspired by The Bathers of the French impressionist Paul Cezanne, but it seems that Picasso collects all the trends from both Western and increasingly popular tribal art, in particular the craft of the peoples of Africa.1 Paradoxically, this painting was not exhibited for several decades after it was written, despite the fact that it is one of the starting points of modern avant-garde painting.
This obviously speaks of the innovativeness of the picture and the scandalous nature of it, especially in the context of the early 20th century, which was not quite ready for avant-garde upheavals. The novelty of this work lies in the breakdown of traditional ideas about beauty in the picture. Traditionally for that time, the paintings of the Pre-Raphaelites and the revivalists of the Renaissance captured female beauty in all its sacred correctness, combining nudity with naturalness and at the same time purity. Picasso’s nakedness is de-eroticized and at the same time emphasized and menacingly vicious.
Technical Aspects
The very format of the picture, almost square, emphasizes how much Picasso sought to go beyond the traditional form. The painting refuses neither a landscape nor a portrait, but an immersive work that captivates the mind with its formal completeness despite the violation of all the principles of classical painting. Picasso apparently works with dry and non-viscous paint in order to give the painting a somewhat worn feel, the illusion that the viewer is looking at an artifact from another civilization. The simplification of forms and the almost complete lack of perspective and depth in the picture can be interpreted as the emphasized superficiality of the depicted heroines, who are not so much personalities as embodiments of carnal temptation.
Conclusion
The meaning of the modernist painting does not lie in a philosophical statement or expression of an image or symbol, as is customary in more traditional art, but suggests reflecting on the subject of innovation in art. Picasso’s innovation lies in the emphasis on distortion of tradition and a unique, multi-technique and multi-cultural view of form and perspective that makes the viewer think about the limits of what is acceptable in art.
Reference
Blier, S.P. (2019). Picasso’s Demoiselles: The untold origins of a modern masterpiece. Duke University Press.
Footnotes
Blier, S.P. (2019). Picasso’s Demoiselles: The untold origins of a modern masterpiece. Duke University Press.
Guernica is a painting created by Pablo Picasso in 1937 as a response to the bombing of the eponymous town in northern Spain. The artistic movement represented by this work is Cubism; however, the painting also incorporates elements of Surrealism. As an artist, Picasso is a unique figure in the Cubist movement, often regarded as its pioneer. Many scholars and art historians have discussed The transformative influence of Picasso and Cubism on the course of art history (Wedderburn, 2019). Having emerged in 1907 in France, the movement developed as a response to a rapidly changing world where technology was increasingly gaining power. Ultimately, Guernica was an art piece that reflected the changes in the art world, further expanding the influence of Cubism, which soon became popular due to its creative ideas and techniques.
Historical Context of Guernica
Figure 1: Guernica
Historical and political events that preceded the creation of Guernica (see Figure 1) were the factors that most influenced Picasso’s decision to make this anti-war painting. Initially, Picasso was given a commission to create a mural for the Spanish Republic’s Pavilion at the 1937 World Fair in Paris, where he was living at the time (Wedderburn, 2019). Since Picasso was apolitical, he refused to do it; however, after he read about the bombing of Guernica on April the 27th, he decided to devote the mural to the victims of this tragic event. The devastating images he saw in the newspapers horrified him, and he frantically began painting the mural, finishing it in just three weeks (Reisch, 2019). The speed with which Picasso was working can still be seen in the painting in many splashes and strokes that add to the feeling of frustrating urgency.
Art Style and Stylistic Influences
Various stylistic influences and inspirations can also be seen in this work. One of the artists loved by Picasso was Peter Paul Rubens, and his works, such as An Allegory Showing the Effects of War inspired many of the choices Picasso made while creating Guernica (Reisch, 2019). Some of the similarities can be seen in the composition of these two paintings; these similarities are even more obvious if Rubens’ painting is flipped so that the characters are presented from left to right (Arranz Otaegui & Moore, 2022). In this way, both works depict a weeping woman holding a child, a flying fury of war, and another woman looking at the sky and stretching her arms towards it. Thus, Picasso was influenced by allegorical paintings and used these inspirations to create Guernica.
Interestingly, Guernica was not inspired by any of the real scenes or visual references to the events and victims of the bombing. Instead, Picasso was mostly influenced by the fictitious scenes from his early works and other artists’ paintings that evoke the suffering and death associated with all wars (Arranz Otaegui & Moore, 2022). Using these influences and his own inspirations, he managed to reinvent the genre of historical painting and create what has arguably become the most well-known anti-war painting.
Conclusion
This research has significantly enhanced my appreciation of Picasso’s artwork as I have learned more about the historical background of its creation. Understanding the context of this work helped me to interpret it in a variety of new ways. I have realized that all the decisions that were a part of Picasso’s work on this painting somehow add to its main intent: an anti-war message. For example, by creating and composing the scene in this seemingly chaotic manner, Picasso evokes the horrifying confusion and madness of all wars. In addition, the use of black, white, and gray colors conveys the darkness and hopelessness of wartime. Ultimately, Guernica by Pablo Picasso is one of the most significant art pieces in Cubism that takes inspiration from historical and stylistic influences.
References
Arranz Otaegui, I., & Moore, K. C. (2022). Visual art and propaganda ecologies in the Basque country: A sample of Guernica motifs from the Benedictine Sticker archives (1978–1989). Arts, 11(3), 62.
Abstract art, especially the work of Pablo Picasso, is always subject to individual interpretation yet always contains an underlying theme that expresses the “message” that the artist is attempting to convey to the viewer. It is due to this that before meticulously analyzing a particular painting it is important to first understand the inherent themes that that artist has placed into his previous work in order to gain a better perspective on what message he is trying to convey in the painting that is being examined.
What must be understood when examining the work of Picasso is the fact that his work is more symbolic rather than representative. It represents a combination of views created in an abstract way which cannot be possibly rendered in a classical artistic representation due to the diversity of subjects involved (Carbon et al., 191).
In this particular case it can be seen that the artist has chosen to utilize both curved, straight and angular lines in this piece in order to depict the characters involved. What must be understood is that the use of these particular line forms are intentional in that Picasso attempted to exaggerate aspects of the feminine body utilizing these particular line styles.
This can be seen in his use of sharp angular lines in this depiction of breasts while smooth and curving lines to depict the thighs, ass and arm all of which are commonly associated with a woman’s most appealing traits. what is unusual though in this case is his use of geometric shapes in the piece namely triangles which are evident in almost every single part of the painting if one were to take into account the requirements of a triangle namely an angled object with three sides.
Mass in this particular case is implied through the use of lines while the concept of space here seems to be rather minimal, almost inhibited in that the artist apparently tried to portray the subjects in this piece as being contained within a single room.
In fact in its portrayal of space the subjects in the painting are portrayed as being within a two dimensional space with little application of overall depth to the piece. The perspective in this particular case does not seem to be one where a viewer merely looks at the painting but apparently there seems to a certain type of “reverse” in this case wherein it is the painting that is look at the viewer.
This is apparent by the perspective of the subjects within it that apparently stare straight out at the viewer. What must also be taken into consideration when examining the painting itself is that the characters are apparently frozen in position gazing out at viewers but there is a certain degree of “motion” within the piece itself wherein the various subjects seemingly flow into each other. It must be noted though that the use of light is not quite used as much within the painting itself and is in fact strangely absent.
There is a certain illusion of the presence of light through the changes in tone from the bottom towards the top but it is very slight and not really an important aspect of the painting itself. On the basis of its design principle the painting has discontinuities on multiple levels with an apparent elision of limbs in one instance, abbreviation in another and sudden cleaving of the flesh and an apparent stylistic shift in the end.
In fact it was apparently the goal of the artist to create little perceived balanced in the painting and instead focused on emphasizing the sexuality of the subjects through the exaggeration of their feminine qualities. What must be understood is that this particular piece of art doesn’t follow what one would normally call “standard” aspects of design due to its abstract nature.
This is seen through the use of repeated triangle elements within the piece, the odd variation of colors ranging from flesh to white to brown in the subjects and the fact that scales and proportion seem slightly off. Based on this it can be seen that the goal of the artist for this particular piece was to initially shock viewers and then have them experience the effects of the reverse gaze.
What must be understood is that the painting itself is based off the concept of looking at whores within a prostitute den but due to the effect of the reverse gaze a reversal is done wherein it is not the viewer that is looking at the whores in question but rather the whores that are looking at the viewer.
Spooning Couple – Ron Mueck – 2005
Examining the Spooning Couple
In this examination what is observed is the hyper-realistic sculpture “the Spooning Couple” by Ron Mueck. As it can be seen from the picture shown above, the sculpture shows a couple in the act of “spooning” which is classified as a mild form of sexual interaction, however, when observing the sculpture there are multiple aspects that seem out of place. For instance, the expressions on the subjects within the sculpture are not of a couple sleeping, they are wide awake as evidenced by their open eyes.
Not only that, the love and affection that is normally associated with spooning is strangely absent from their face and what is present is merely an expression of deep thought rather than passion and lust. Further observations of the sculpture reveal strange discrepancies such as the woman wearing panties while the bottom half of the man is unclothed while the opposite is also true wherein the top half of the woman is unclothed yet the top half of the man is clothed.
This I believe is not a mere choice of aesthetics on the part of the artist but an essential aspect of the message that the sculpture was meant to impart. From a certain perspective, it can be assumed that the lack the of expression on the face of the subjects of the sculpture is related to their strangely clothed and unclothed state.
Since spooning is usually done after a certain degree of sexual interaction, the clothing on the bottom half of the woman and the top half of the man is indicative of a barrier between the two when it comes to sexual relations. Combined with the lack of sufficient contact (i.e. the man is not placing his hand around the woman) this is indicative of a lack of passion between the two.
It should also be noted that the pensiveness in the expression of both subjects within the sculpture may in fact be a way of them contemplating their current situation (Amy, 132). When taking such factors into consideration it can be stated that the “Spooning Couple” is actually a way in which Mueck has chosen to represent a period in a couple’s life wherein the passion has gone out of their relationship and they are merely stuck with each other.
The pensive expressions on their faces could actually be them thinking “how did we get this way”, “what did we do wrong”, “what should I do”, and “will it always be like this”? In short, Mueck has captured the essence of the evaporation of passion and has brought it out for the entire world to see.
Since such aspects are normally kept private between two people, this is a way in which Mueck has enabled the world to see just what it is like. From a certain perspective “the Spooning Couple” is a piece of art that resonates with many individuals today since a large percentage of present day couples have experienced moments where the passion in their married lives has simply evaporated.
Strategies Utilized by Artists
When looking at the work by Picasso and by Mueck, it can be immediately seen that both artists utilize completely different mediums in getting their message across. In the case of Picasso he utilized the reverse gaze of people being stared at by prostitutes in order to make them feel what it was like to be stared at.
Mueck on the hand utilized a realistic sculpture in order to invoke a certain degree of familiarity among people in relationships who have felt that their passion has fizzled out. Overall, both works were successful in their individual strategies in utilizing sexual elements in order to convey a much deeper truth.
Works Cited
Amy, Michaël. “Ron Mueck At The Brooklyn Museum.” Art In America 95.4 (2007): 132. MasterFILE Premier. Web.
Carbon, Clark et al. “When a Picasso is a “Picasso”: The entry point in the identification of visual art.” Acta Psychologica 133.2 (2010): 191-202. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web.
The history of humanity can be treated as an eternal flow of events, people, and their lives. This flow can have different forms, moods, dynamics; everything in the world changes, which is evident from the flashback to different contrastive epochs. However, despite the amorphous nature of the flow, there is a thing, which existed always, and which witnessed all the centuries with their wars and revolutions, achievements and failures, lives and deaths. Moreover, this thing did not only exist parallel to the history of humanity; it contributed a lot to its development. Unarguably, this essential thing is art.
Indeed, art is one of the most ancient spheres of human activity. It is both the means of expression and of impression; it reproduces and creates new, it is both the reason and result. In fact, the merit of art for the humanity is hard to overestimate. However, the most curious thing about art is its connection to the reality. The interdependence of the two spheres is obvious; however, defining the concrete tendencies of correlation between the two stays a challenge for centuries.
Does art just depict the reality? Or does it predict it? Should these two variables be connected at all? These questions are the matter of concern for many philosophers. One of them was Pablo Picasso, a person who did not only try to define the art and its connection to reality, but who participated in art development and is now recognized as one of the best artists. Picasso’s vision of art as a whole was based on the conception of contrast of truth and lie.
The painter referred to art as to lie, which helped people to recognize the truth. However paradox it may sound, there is definitely a grain of truth in this statement. Being a cubist, Picasso new best that art is based on tricks, which can deceive the publics. However, this feature does not prove an impediment for art to be a tool of truth.
Indeed, the idea of art as a lie can be justified easily, as art is not something real; even though the products of art are material, the ideas they convey are much deeper. Therefore, it is false to assume that a work of art is aimed at simply depicting or decorating something; such treatment would contradict to the very essence of art as an instrument of creation.
From this point of view, art cannot be seen as a true mean of depicting the reality. It should be better seen as a very subjective presentation of reality. Actually, when analyzing the interdependence of art and reality there should be one more variable considered, namely – human factor. Obviously, art cannot exist on its own; it can only be realized by its representatives.
Similarly, the meaning of artistic works can vary due to different publics, as the subjective perception of art also matters much. As a result, can something that had been created by one individual and perceived by other subjective individuals be true? Can it be considered as an objective presentation of reality? Definitely no, and Picasso was first to notice it.
Nevertheless, the subjective nature of art does not make its significance any lesser. Art allows people analyze the reality better. Indeed, being a participant of the constant flow called human life is fascinating, but such position leaves no place for analytical vision. In contrast, art gives us an opportunity to move from the position of participant to the position of observer. The best example for it is fine art.
Pictures and sculptures of all genres and styles show some separate ideas, the moments, which inspire for years of thinking. The means of expression, such as color, line, form, mass, allow creating images, which can be real or imaginary, positive or negative, calming or exciting; art can evoke thoughts, feelings, emotions, but it never leaves anyone indifferent. Otherwise, it would be purposeless.
Whatever the reaction for art is, it depends on the individual perception of reality. It is a well-known fact that everything can be explored by comparison, and for this reason, people tend to compare things. That is why the viewers usually compare the works of art with the real life, trying to find similarities and differences. This tendency signals about the ability of art to develop critical thinking in viewers.
One of the main tools for this is the subdivision of truth into “real truth” and “artistic truth”. The first one can only exist within the reality; it is always objective and independent of all possible influences. The second type of truth exists within art, and constitutes a system of images and beliefs, created by people and their subjective views.
The both truths are well-developed, but they serve different purposes. The first type is for living, while the second type is a reflection of the first one. This reflection can be exaggerated, distorted, or amorphous; however, in any case, it points to the real truth. Even the most unbelievable plots make us think of the real issues, and through the prism of art, those issues can be understood better.
The power of art is undeniable. Even though it can be considered as a range of tricks and means of expression, the purpose of art is often different from its content. Indeed, the artistic works, which often present a false image of the things, serves a purpose of revealing the truth. Therefore, Picasso’s statement optimally defined the interdependence of such confronting notions, as truth and lies, reality and imagination, life and art.
In their work, many artists attempt to convey the hardships of war, the most traumatic experiences in people’s lives. Guernica is a painting by an influential 20th-century artist, Pablo Picasso, that was created in 1937 in response to the bombing of the city of Guernica in the Spanish Civil War (“Guernica,” n.d.). The artwork became an anti-war symbol and reminder of the tragedy of the war, gaining worldwide recognition. Although Guernica was initially overlooked, and its interpretations are sometimes ambiguous, it has become an essential piece in art history.
Discussion
Guernica stands out for its style of performance and shocks with its large size. In particular, the painting is painted in oil on canvas, 25.6 feet wide and 11 feet high (“Guernica,” n.d.). It represents the cubism style, and only black, white, and blue colors without bright shades emphasize the tragedy of events (“Guernica,” n.d.). At the same time, it is the most important political work of the artist against war and tyranny, although some critics doubt this message (“Guernica,” n.d.). Guernica is filled with many elements demonstrating various aspects of the presented event.
The painting includes a few people and several animals: a horse, a bull, and a pigeon. The bird is barely visible on the canvas, which can be interpreted as the destruction of peaceful life. The interpretation of the bull and horse is controversial – some critics see them as symbols of Spanish culture, while others note that Picasso used them in various roles in his works, and the cultural interpretation may not be accurate (“Guernica,” n.d.). Women in the picture display horror and deprivation – one of them raises her hands to the sky as in prayer or fear, and the other holds the baby, both of them have their mouths open in a scream. The dismembered man represents the death and destruction that war carries. In such ways, the picture declares human suffering due to tyranny and aggression.
Despite the strong statement that the picture carries, it gradually gained fame. By the time Guernica was created, Picasso was not active in his work, and a new piece of this scale was supposed to be a sensation at Paris World’s Fair (Eakin, 2022). However, the picture aroused little sympathy, and the audience could not understand it, which forced them to go to other exhibits (Eakin, 2022). Guernica was sent on a world tour but still did not attract attention for some time, especially since the Spanish Civil War was over (Eakin, 2022). Its popularity began in 1939 at an exhibition in New York after the outbreak of World War II, when the painting was considered in a new light (Eakin, 2022). In the modern world, conflicts, cruelty, and tyranny persist, making people suffer, which means that Guernica remains relevant.
Conclusion
Thus, the Guernica created by Picasso is a powerful anti-war symbol in art history. It is a response to the bombings during the Spanish Civil War but displays the horrors and deprivations of all conflicts. The painting is of mural size, and its elements and colors highlight the tragedy of the war. However, initially, the Guernica theme was not concerning to the audience, and therefore, it did not attract due attention. The outbreak of World War II contributed to understanding the horrors of armed conflict, bringing back the picture’s relevance. Art can play an essential role in drawing attention to the problems of wars and should remind people of their horrors and the importance of preventing them.
