Painting as the Second of the Classical Art Forms

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Various forms of art have been prevalent in all stages of civilization throughout the world they have all undergone constant and continuous changes with the passage of time. One can trace the origin of art in rock paintings and engravings in the ancient caves. The nomads used these caves as their dwelling place and tried to express their thoughts and ideas through the medium of painting and carving. The abstract ideas were expressed graphically long before the introduction of writing.

These paintings and carvings undertake the social, spiritual, and ritual meaning of their life. Moreover, it unveils the development of human consciousness and cultural aspects, and it helps us to have a glance at the rich beliefs of our ancestors and it reflects the social order of that age. Here, the paper tries to discuss the evolution of painting and sculpture as important forms of Art, and the reason behind the consideration of painting as the second most classic form of art behind the sculpture.

Through generations of humanity, Art had changed its face, and the importance given to various art forms varied because of the cultural difference among different societies. Painting and Sculpture are the two important forms of Art and from the origin and evolution onwards, there was a competition between both art forms. As painting is considered as the imitation of reality, and sculpture as presenting credible perfection in an artificially excessive nature, there is a high chance for conflict and competition. As both Painting and Sculpture are two forms of Art, the Artist possesses the freedom to choose the form of expression to express his views and ideas.

Earlier, the painters were employed as skilled artisans and their creativity was not considered. From the 13^th century onwards, the Italian painters used the sculptures as the source for their paintings. As it was ‘still’, it was easier to use sculpture as a model. The three-dimensional form and the light and shade on the sculpture helped the painters to finish their work into a more realistic form. After the Renaissance in Europe, important painters claimed social status, and they were no more considered as merely skilled artisans, but as scholars and courtiers.

Moreover, there occurred an intense relationship between the painters and their patrons who were ready to help and protect them. Later, in the 19^th century, the social status of painters in western societies began to decline.

The painters became more independent and they began to conduct exhibitions of their own paintings with entrance fees. By this, world-renowned works of painters were able to reach the masses through exhibitions and art galleries. The painters invented their own visual language and some others tried to do experimental works. So as to defend the sculpture, the painters even tried to imitate the sculpture by superimposing three-dimensional abstract images. This helped the development of painting as an art form.

In the late 19^th century, the palette, i.e. the art of painting became rich in style and subject matters and it gave importance to patriotic sentimentality. This boosted the formation of new groups and art schools at the beginning of the next century. In the 20^th century, the artists challenged the conventional mode of expression with new forms of expression and new ideas. The prominent artists of the time were Pablo Picasso and George Braque, who were the exponents of cubism. They expressed their views through fractured forms and space into shifting planes. But the painters of another school called surrealism exploited the internal worlds of the imagination and unconscious.

The origin and development of sculpture are not much different from painting. In the first phase of development, sculpture as a form of art was unable to defend painting and the hotspots of this art form were two European cities, Vienna and Munich. Then the growth in architecture due to the renaissance invited more and more artists to decorate new buildings with figures. The new trend of decorative sculpture and erecting memorials in public places became general in the 19^th century.

Moreover, the tendency of the people to commemorate their poets, national heroes, and eminent statesmen lead to the erection of their sculptures in public places and it helped the growth of sculpture as an art form. Alajos Strobl (1856-1926), is noted for his authentic nature in openness and convincing works. One of his works is ‘Matthias Fountain’ (1902), with that of the groups of other figures as if a waxworks shown on the huge wall of Buda Castle in Europe.

Again, the sculpture in the Romantic age revolted against the coldness of classicism. At any age, any piece of art, whether it is painting or sculpture, was intended to satisfy the viewers with its quality of perfection. But at the time of the renaissance, there emerged a question: whether the sculpture was inferior, equal, or superior to painting. At the same age, the sculptor was considered as an artisan who does hard labor especially breaking stones and rocks.

But the social status of the painter was high and similar to a humanist scholar. The painting possesses a magic touch, to lead the viewer to the threshold of satisfaction and individual interpretation. Here, Frederick A. Praeger points out the importance and significance of painting through his own words: “To those who look at a picture, furthermore, it serves as a bridge that leads them to the work of art. But if the beholder goes no farther and imagines that it is enough to be absorbed in the ‘subject’ alone, he has merely entered the forecourt of art’s temple. We need not be artists to be able to portray an object with pencil or brush; anybody can do that more or less adequately.

Art begins only when we can perceive the realm of pure form beyond the outward manifestation, and only those who pay as much attention to the interpretation as to the object portrayed will truly understand a work of art.” (Praeger, 1958, p. 8). The piece of art must be that much powerful, i.e., it must be able to move the mind of the viewer. The abstract idea of the artist is transformed to the concrete form and the people who view the art form possess the right of free interpretation.

Again, at the time of the renaissance, the sculptors were ready to accept the arguments against them and accepted some of the modes of expression that are used by the painters of that age. This was the time when there was a give and take policy between painting and sculpture. But in the 70s, it showed the tendency of more and more women becoming painters and challenging the male domination in painting. But deconstructing and institutional structures artificially supported the male domination. Again pointing to sculpture, it is undergoing criticism as it is the mere imitation of old classic works whereas painting is considered as highly associated with emotion and it is the art of illusion and imagination. One of the merits of the painting is that it can express movement, variety, and light.

Going through the evolution and development of painting and sculpture through the ages, one can see that the importance given to these art forms varied in different cultures and societies. For example, in ancient times, both these art forms were considered as equal. Both the Painting and Sculpture symbolize either the cultural or historical significance of humanity; and behind the color and craftsmanship, one can trace the rich history, culture, lifestyle, and tradition of the older days. At the time of the renaissance, the sculpture captured attention because it was the age of the development of architecture.

But in the late 19^th and the beginning of the 20^th century, there emerged new schools and forms of painting and it captured much attention. One of the reasons for the importance rendered to sculpture is the social movement in Europe in the latter half of the 19th century, which was due to the impact of industrialization on society. The withdrawal of romanticism declined the creative aspects of the artists and the priority was shifted from handmade crafts to machine-made goods.

Both the art forms signify the development of culture and society. On one side, the painters used the sculpture as the model for their paintings and on the other side, some artists used painting to establish their art form of sculpturing. Moreover, there was a give-and-take relation between painting and sculpture. The age of the renaissance helped to raise the status of the painters. But the industrialization reduced the importance of painting because the priority was gradually shifted from handmade crafts to machine-made goods. By concluding, one can say that by shifting painting to the second place behind the sculpture, its importance as a form of art can never be undermined or underestimated.

References

Praeger, Frederick A. (1958). Praeger Picture Encyclopedia of Art: A Comprehensive Survey of Painting, Sculpture, Architecture and Crafts, Their Methods, Styles and Technical Terms, from the Earliest Times to the Present Day, p. 8.

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Painting as the Second of the Classical Art Forms

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