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History of Art
1. a) Renaissance era is known for the uprising of the religious art, which was focused on spreading the influence of the church. The best well-known example is “The Last Supper”, drawn by Leonardo da Vinci. It uses the biblical motive, including the display of Jesus Christ and his Apostles. It was used to promote the religious ideas to the high society.
b) To maintain the people’s fate in the spiritual higher powers, Baroque art style was commonly used, especially by the Catholic Church. To make people think that even Catholic priests have divine powers, given them by god, the “Miracles of Francis Xavier” was created by Peter Paul Rubens, and it helped to establish the influence of a church amongst people.
c) In the Age of Enlightment, the artists started to reference the old cultural traits, and were focused on finding the morality. Sometimes they made it through philosophers, and the work “A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery”, made by Joseph Wright, is an example of how high was the importance of that age’s thinkers.
d) The propaganda in the modernism period was strictly obvious, especially in USSR, where it was used to spread the communist ideology and persuade people to join military forces. An example of that could be “Motherland Calls” poster, created in 1941 by Irakli Toidze.
2. a) The importance of the particular human beings, such as a one person or a large group, was the main focus of ancient Greek philosophers. They were also spreading the idea of the development of the human society.
b) Critical thinking helps to develop the perception of a social and cultural state of a place of living, and helps to recognize the oppressive nature of the government influence, which was common for the Modernist period. More than that, it is important for every particular person, because it would help to develop your own conclusions and summaries about different pieces of art.
3. a) The art in Northern Europe became more focused on the humanist ideology, therefore it was conflicting with the old standards, which were focused on promoting the influence of a church. Biblical references became also less emphasized in art. Moreover, the popularity of a printmaking in the art market also increased.
b) The markets of art are being influenced by the trends from other lands, and therefore, artists are trying to take the new niche, which leads to the creation of a new market.
c) As it was mentioned above, the system of printmaking highly developed, and it was used to gain influence in the religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics, by spreading caricatures that were focused on humiliation the ideology of the opponent.
4. a) Such function is being highly used by the rulers of the government or churches, to make common people understand that they are nothing but their subordinates, and they cannot oppose the influential power and wealth.
b) Rococo was highly promoting the lifestyle of wealthy people, and displayed their enjoyment and it seemed like there is no other social classes besides them. This style is also often characterized by different types of curves displayed, which are emphasizing on forms, and those forms are also unique with their asymmetrical depictions. Pastel palette of colors is another point that characterizes Rococo, both in painting art and in sculpture.
5. The art style, which also included the works of Monet and Cezanne, was known for rejection of the conservative ideologies, and that is why it could be considered as a “new look”. Abstract illustrations and constant experimentations on how to deliver the idea to the viewer are also the main traits of such art. Techniques, which are used in the Modernist style, are usually considered to be cutting-edge, especially if we talk about classic representors of this style. By this, it becomes possible to use their example and innovations in order to influence the art directions, which would appear in future.
6. All of the objects are displayed in an impressionistic manner; the display of a nature in a lone atmosphere was also uncommon before this work. Unique shapes and grim colors that were selected for this painting are creating a strong context, which represents van Gogh’s desperation in his latter years. Crows are also usually represent the menacing doom, and probably they could be considered to be something like vultures in this particular situation, when they are awaiting for something bad to happen and flying around the wheat field, which could be the metaphorical representation of van Gogh’s state of mind. Complexed metaphors are one of the key points, which made this pointing historically remembered.
7. a) Rejection of the traditional ways of displaying perspective, creates new ways for experimentations. The division into smaller, simple objects, which is used in cubism, helps to achieve a new representation of the object, which includes details that could not be perceived in a classical representation.
b) Picasso’s work has a historical background, which references to the Spanish Civil War, particularly to the bombing of Guernica. This war episode influenced an artist, so he created his famous painting. Although, it was not accepted by the audience at first, it was the first work to promote the modernist art, and was a big step to the start of its development.
8. a) Abstract Expressionism allows to create artworks, which are based on spontaneous feelings of the artist. That is why it could be considered as a pure art – there is no thinking through the details, consequences or other small things, which are known to be materially-minded.
b) The main difficulty that the common audience is facing while observing the Abstract Expressionism art, is that it does not have any conservative traits that are usual for paintings. There are usually no distinct objects and ideas of the pictures are delivered through the author’s feelings, which are also could be not familiar to the audience.
c) The main thing which Pop art had taken from Abstract Expressionism is its rebellious nature that is challenging the minds of the audience and conflicts with conservative ideologies. Also both of them are taking the industrialization theme for their art as the main one.
9. Not every kind of artwork is easy for the common people to comprehend, especially when it comes to the abstract creations. More than that, when the artwork has the political context, it can cause the conflicts in society, which could let to the civil oppositions. However, it is still innapropritate for the government to gain full control over the spreading the art, and forbid everything that they find not fitting to the today’s state of society. Artist must have an opportunity to express themselves, even if their ideas are not close for the people that are not interested in art, politics and other similar spheres of life. Maya Lin’s “Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial” could be an example that it is possible to find a compromise even to such a controversial topic as a Vietnamese war, therefore there is no need in a complete restriction of an art statements.
10. a) People are usually following the conservative ideas about the concept of art, however there are still performers that are yet to be recognized as art. Now, it is possible for people to make their own decision on whether something is art or not, due to the spread of the Internet and easy access to the most of artworks.
b) America is a democratic country, which allows people to express themselves through art. Different opinions, views and ideas are spread through the art, and everyone is trying to share their own story and perception of the world. However, sometimes it is even used by the government for its propagandistic aims, in order to achieve influence over people.
c) For the most part, the artworks are being examined by the professional critics and sometimes even by the people who are representing government. However, now as the access to the Internet is available to the most part of the world, it is possible even for common people to observe the artworks and make their own conclusions about it.
d) The value of an art is being estimated by the critics and the owners of the exhibition. If the artist’s name is widely known, it also adds up to the price of his work.
Works cited
H. W. Janson, Anthony F. Janson, History of Art. 5th Revised & enlarged Edition. ISBN-13: 978-0131584297
