Lecture Notes: European Painting Tradition

Introduction to European Painting Tradition

• Tradition born around 1400 and ended around 1900.
• Focus on how we perceive these paintings now in the late 20th century.
• The process of seeing is influenced by habit and convention.

Perspective in European Art

• Perspective centers everything on the eye of the beholder.
• The invention of the camera changed perception:
  • Allowed appearances to travel and be seen elsewhere.
  • Altered the single-center focus of perspective.

Impact of the Camera

• Camera's creation led to a mechanical form of seeing, as described by Russian filmmaker Ziga Vertov in 1923.
• Paintings became more accessible; no longer tied to a specific location.
• Reproductions of paintings can be seen globally, altering their original context and meaning.

Originality and Authenticity in Art

• Paintings like Leonardo's "The Virgin of the Rocks" are preserved for their authenticity and historical value.
• The market value and authenticity have become central to the perceived value of art.

Changes in Art's Meaning

• Photography and reproduction allow art to gain multiple meanings and lose its original one.
• Silent and still nature of paintings allows manipulation through movement and sound.
• Example of Bruegel's "The Road to Calvary" and its potential varied interpretations.

Reproduction and Manipulation of Art

• When paintings are shown on film or TV, their meaning can be altered by:
  • Camera movement.
  • Accompanying words or music.
• The context in which paintings are viewed can change their impact.

Implications of Reproduction

• Reproductions democratize art, enabling personal interpretations.
• The mystification of art often prevents direct engagement.

Children's Interpretation of Art

• Children naturally relate images to their experiences without preconceived notions.
• Example with Caravaggio and how children interpreted the ambiguous sexual representation.

Conclusion

• Aim to connect the experience of art with other experiences.
• Art should be approached without mystification, as a language open for discussion.
• Emphasizes skepticism of controlled media representations.