CUBISM ESSAY – Kate Ward Picasso once said “ I paint forms as I think them, not as I see them”. Discuss this statement with reference to his Cubist work “Still Life with a Chair Cane” In this statement “I paint forms as I think them, not as I see them” Picasso is referring to his personal way of thinking when concerning his ideas towards creating his unique artworks. He is saying that he has no desire to copy a snippet of reality onto a canvas like most traditional artists do. He wants to express his ideas about the modern world around him and how it can be interpreted. This presents a deeper, more truthful interpretation of reality through the practice of both synthetic and analytical cubism that reflects an avante garde style.
The artist I have picked to write about is Giovanni Bellini. I chose to write about Giovanni Bellini because of his unique art style. Bellini, an Italian artist from the renaissance era, he introduced a new degree of realism to European art. His paintings are mostly influenced by his love of religion, nature and family. I also feel strongly about religion, nature and family; which make his paintings more captivating, to me.
Davidian Neoclassicism Jacques-Louis David was born in the year 1748 and lived through much change in France till 1825. Having lived through a “revolutionary war, Napoleon, and the Bourbon Restoration”, he had much inspiration to paint such profound pictures. David was painting in a new era of art called neoclassicism, and he embraced the era in his own way, and made his name very well known. Neoclassicism scholars often referred to this era as “Davidian Neoclassicism”(19th Century Art, pg 26) because of David’s success. His techniques and talent helped him paint very strong pictures of masculinity, and heroism, yet taking risks of painting in new ways.
Degas was best known as an Impressionist and was a notorious member, if not the strongest supporter of the group. He was outspoken about the need for artist to join together and establish a place for themselves as promoters of a new, existing artistic awareness. Degas planned what is known as the first Impressionist exhibition and planned many of the following shows. He originally called himself a compatriots “realists”, which pointed to their interest in drawing inspiration from their own environments and experiences. The term Impressionist was later adopted later around the time of the third Impressionist exhibition, despite Degas’s disapproval to the name.
In the painting “Las Manos de Dr. Moore” the tree of life, science, and his great composition are all well expressed. Diego Rivera was born in December 13, 1886, in Guanajuato, Mexico. He was the first twin born, but two years later his twin brother died. His love for art started at a very young age. Rivera loved drawing so much that he would draw on any surface he could find.
Many Surrealists were inspired by Sigmund Freud and his work with the subconscious mind (www.moma.org). They used memories and dreams to create their art, with vivid colors and nonsensical subjects. Dadaism and Surrealism had some similarities. Dadaists created art by using everyday objects and calling them art, and in the process mocking true art. Some examples include Duchamp’s L.H.O.O.Q.
In Zaragaoza during this time he studied with Francisco Bayeu y Subias were his painting began to show the delicate color tones he became famous for, he painted mostly with oils and with the technique called al secco. Due to this technique he would Later be called “ The Father of Modern Art”. Through Francisco he met his wife Francisco’s sister and Francisco was a member of the Royal Academy of Fine Art due to this Goya was able to work in the Royal Tapestry workshop in the School. He produced 42 patterns which he used to decorated Palace Real de El Pardo which was built as a home for the monarchs of Spain. This gave him access to the royal court which led to him being a member of the Royal Academy of Fine Art.
“Karsh would set up one or two lamps behind the subject to build up rim lighting, though in his case he brought the lamps further round to the sides than most people did”, (said by a history photo observer; Yousuf Karsh, Photo.net). He fell in love with the use of artificial light. One of his favorite techniques was to light the subject’s hands separately, he felt this gave a more compelling look to the portrait and it did. The light doesn’t just drift away, every detail is there. The subjects look as if they were sculpted.
During a trip to Italy with his father in 1920, Giacometi saw paintings and sculptures which inspired him therefore he studied more in depth in sculpting. All of his early sculptures were all representational but then he started making more abstract pieces. Giacometti had always liked to experiment with different styles and sculpture. He was first influenced by cubism and the art work of Picasso, who he became friends with for a few years in Paris. Then his work started to show the influence of surrealism.
He used these observations to depict realism in his art, and he used his imagination and skill to make his paintings as real and lifelike as humanly possible. With sculpture Leonardo believed there were limits, with painting, he had endless possibilities, and with these endless possibilities at his fingertips he could add certain symbols, and characteristics. One of these things was geometric shapes, they were a staple of the renaissance and a common theme in Leonardo’s paintings. Often times a triangle can be seen, which is a universal sign of the holy trinity. Another detail Leonardo would add is something a little more humanistic; he would give each being their own personal traits and facial features.