Reading Summaries Art

Week 9

A Brief History of Food as Art (Smithsonian Magazine)

• Historical Context
  • Food as a subject in art from Stone Age cave paintings to Egyptian hieroglyphs.
• Renaissance Influence
  • Giuseppe Arcimboldo's portraits with fruits and vegetables.
  • Dutch Golden Age still lifes symbolizing wealth and life's transience.
• Futurist Movement
  • Filippo Tommaso Marinetti's "The Futurist Cookbook" as avant-garde performance art.
• Contemporary Practices
  • Modern artists using food for political, social, and economic statements.

Notable Artworks and Artists

• Paul Czanne's "Still Life of Peaches and Pears"
• Jan Davidsz. de Heem's "Still Life with Oysters and Grapes"
• Giuseppe Arcimboldo's "The Admiral"
• Gina Beavers' "Lobster Roll"
• Jennifer Coates' "Large S'more"

Leonardo, Last Supper (Smarthistory)

• Composition
  • Apostles' reactions with perspective focusing on Jesus.
• Emotional Depth
  • Unique reactions showcase human emotion.
• Innovative Techniques
  • Use of perspective and grouping for narrative impact.

Week 10

douard Manet, Olympia (1863)

• Painting Details
  • Nude woman gazing directly, unlike traditional nudes.
  • References Titian's Venus of Urbino, subverts norms by depicting a modern woman.
• Themes
  • Race, sexuality, and class depicted through black maid and cat.

Jean-Honor Fragonard, The Swing (c. 1767)

• Rococo Style
  • Lightness, elegance, playful eroticism.
• Themes
  • Love, secrecy, and indulgence of French aristocracy.

Venus of Willendorf (c. 28,000-25,000 BCE)

• Historical Context
  • Paleolithic sculpture, female figure with exaggerated features suggesting fertility.

Week 12

Stonehenge

• Construction
  • Neolithic monument of sarsen and bluestones.
• Purpose Theories
  • Ceremonial site, burial ground, astronomical observatory.

Dome of the Rock

• Architecture
  • Islamic and Byzantine style synthesis.
• Historical Significance
  • Religious convergence, with associations to Abraham and Muhammad.

Parthenon

• Architecture
  • Doric with Ionic elements, representing Athena.
• Roles Over Time
  • Temple, church, mosque, and depot reflecting Athens' history.

Week 13

The Great Pyramids of Giza

• Construction Details
  • Fourth Dynasty pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure.
• The Great Sphinx
  • Statue with pharaoh's head, possibly Khafre.

Taj Mahal

• Architecture
  • Blend of Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish, and Indian styles.
• UNESCO World Heritage Site

Art History Terms: Relics and Reliquaries

• Definition
  • Relics as remains or effects of holy persons.
• Example
  • Reliquary of St. Foy.

Week 15

African American Art and Social Justice

• Artists and Works
  • Kara Walker's "Darkytown Rebellion"
  • Betye Saar's "Liberation of Aunt Jemima"

Eugne Delacroix Liberty Leading the People (1830)

• Themes
  • Symbol of revolution and freedom.

Francisco Goya The Third of May, 1808 (1814)

• Depiction
  • Execution of Spanish rebels, capturing war's horrors.

Week 16

Leonardo da Vinci Mona Lisa

• Features
  • Enigmatic expression, use of sfumato.

Michelangelo David

• Sculpture Details
  • Biblical hero before battle.
• Symbolism
  • Republic of Florence's civil liberties defense.

Johannes Vermeer Girl with a Pearl Earring

• Tronie
  • Focus on light, color, and character study.

Vincent van Gogh Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear

• Context
  • Created post-mutilation, reflects emotional turmoil.