Art 101 - Essay 4
The History and Movement of "The Dance Lesson."
"The Dance Lesson", circa 1879, was painted by Edgar Degas. The medium is oil on canvas. Degas lived between the period of 1834-1917. Historically, the world was undergoing drastic changes toward the end of the 19th century. The camera had already been introduced to the public. In America, the Civil War against the North and South and Reconstruction had begun and ended. Although the Civil Rights Act of 1875 had passed, "Jim Crow" laws had also passed locally in states to essentially void the Act. In France, the German-Franco War had also ended, leaving France a defeated nation and Germany installing the Second Reich. Alexander Graham Bell had created the early model telephone. Thomas Edison had successfully invented the phonograph and the light. In Italy, Pope Pius IX had been stripped of all of his powers and imprisoned, while Rome was christened the new capital of Italy, which unified the country. Nationalism was sweeping the world’s societies as citizens began rejecting monarchies or any deity as ruler, and demanding that the people be in power. The Industrial Revolution was also changing the work environment as an agricultural world became an industry and manufacturing-based economy.
The Impressionist movement took the art world by storm. The movement encompassed years from 1800-1960. During a time when art was under the thumb of the church and state, the American Revolution, French Revolution, Industrial Revolution, along with rebels like Karl Marx -- who railed against the bourgeois society -- quickly ushered in a new way of thinking. Impressionism art was a direct product from this change in society. It was Claude Monet’s painting "Impression: Sunrise," which was the first work dubbed as Impressionism art. Impressionism art was described as "scenes glimpsed for a moment, sketched rapidly in paint as impressions of light and color on the eye."
As agriculture workers moved to the cities and took industry and manufacturing jobs, the middle class grew, prompting new art aficionados to demand works that featured scenes and persons from their own lives. The church and state relinquished their patronage roles to artists, which was quickly filled by the new middle class. As the people turned away from the church, they wanted to see paintings that spoke to their spiritual freedom. Nature scenes of the country and landscapes became favorites.
Impressionism art was stylized by thick, heavy brushstrokes. The way the paint was applied to the canvas suddenly became the subject matter rather than the content of the painting. Creating visual harmony through color, light, and shape became the subject. The invention of the camera assisted artists, helping them see how light affects color on an object and in art. As the camera captures many stages in motion as time passes, so to, Impressionism artists used multiple perspective to capture movement on canvas as time passes and light changes. They received their subject matters through observation.
The History and Movement of "The Dancing Couple."
"The Dancing Couple", from 1663, is a painting done by Jan Steen. The period is 1625/1626-1679. The medium is oil on canvas. The historical events that marked this period were: Sir Isaac Newton’s publication of his book "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy
in England, in which he introduced his theories on gravity. Louis XIV began ruling France under absolute power, where the king maintains full power with no branches of government sharing the reigns. This reign continued until 1717, when he died. In England, royalist Robert Filmer, supported the king and was a proponent for the theory that absolute power of the king is biblically based and passed down from Adam. He published pamphlets that espoused his beliefs. The king, Charles I was executed and the monarchy was abolished, leaving the people to install the House of Lords to rule England. In America, the newly formed colonies were seeking independence from England and revolted, using John Locke’s words of every man’s right to "life, liberty and property" as their mantra and battle cry.
Baroque, the movement epitomized by the "opulence" that was going on in Europe during this period, speaks to the extravagance of the time as opposed to the meager existence of settlers in America at that time. Baroque was stylized by vibrant, energy-filled colors with contrasts of light and dark. The art during this time was considered as theatrical and ornamental. Artists such as Gianlorenzo Bernini made this movement popular in the 17th century by notable works like St. Peter’s in Rome, which was originally started by Michelangelo and later Carlo Maderno. Bernini finished the work. As the front of the building protruded, viewers noticed that the buildings were molded almost like clay. This is particularly evident in Bernini’s famous Louvre palace in France, which today, houses popular works of art. Another Baroque styled building is the Palace of Versailles. One particular technique used in most Baroque paints was the use of light in the foreground and shadow in the background of a painting. Caravaggio was another notable Baroque artist.
Because "The Couple Dancing" is a Dutch painting, Dutch Baroque was dubbed "bourgeois Baroque." It differed greatly from Spain, Italy, and France. Because Protestantism was the religion of the day, common religious relics were not as popular. The Dutch focused on the people, the family, the home. In turn, Dutch Baroque art was centered around common life. This change was echoed around the world as other countries turned their attention to the common man.
Citations
Getlein, Mark. Gilbert’s Living with Art, Seventh Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005.
Kunze, Fred. "From Revolution to Reconstruction...A Biography of John Locke." 2003. Online. Department of Humanities Computing. Internet. 2 August 2005.
Available: Http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/B/locke/locke.htm
Roberts, Andrew. "Time line for the history of science and social science." Online. Middlesex University. Internet. 2 August 2005
Available: http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/sshtim.htm#17thCentury
Anonymous. "Industrial Revolution." 2005. Online. Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia. Internet. 2 August 2005.
Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Revolution
Anonymous. "History Central - 1800-1890 AD." 2000. Online. MultiEducator, Inc. Internet. 2 August 2005.
Available: http://www.multied.com/dates/1870ad.html#Anchor-54727
"The Dance Lesson", circa 1879, was painted by Edgar Degas. The medium is oil on canvas. Degas lived between the period of 1834-1917. Historically, the world was undergoing drastic changes toward the end of the 19th century. The camera had already been introduced to the public. In America, the Civil War against the North and South and Reconstruction had begun and ended. Although the Civil Rights Act of 1875 had passed, "Jim Crow" laws had also passed locally in states to essentially void the Act. In France, the German-Franco War had also ended, leaving France a defeated nation and Germany installing the Second Reich. Alexander Graham Bell had created the early model telephone. Thomas Edison had successfully invented the phonograph and the light. In Italy, Pope Pius IX had been stripped of all of his powers and imprisoned, while Rome was christened the new capital of Italy, which unified the country. Nationalism was sweeping the world’s societies as citizens began rejecting monarchies or any deity as ruler, and demanding that the people be in power. The Industrial Revolution was also changing the work environment as an agricultural world became an industry and manufacturing-based economy.
The Impressionist movement took the art world by storm. The movement encompassed years from 1800-1960. During a time when art was under the thumb of the church and state, the American Revolution, French Revolution, Industrial Revolution, along with rebels like Karl Marx -- who railed against the bourgeois society -- quickly ushered in a new way of thinking. Impressionism art was a direct product from this change in society. It was Claude Monet’s painting "Impression: Sunrise," which was the first work dubbed as Impressionism art. Impressionism art was described as "scenes glimpsed for a moment, sketched rapidly in paint as impressions of light and color on the eye."
As agriculture workers moved to the cities and took industry and manufacturing jobs, the middle class grew, prompting new art aficionados to demand works that featured scenes and persons from their own lives. The church and state relinquished their patronage roles to artists, which was quickly filled by the new middle class. As the people turned away from the church, they wanted to see paintings that spoke to their spiritual freedom. Nature scenes of the country and landscapes became favorites.
Impressionism art was stylized by thick, heavy brushstrokes. The way the paint was applied to the canvas suddenly became the subject matter rather than the content of the painting. Creating visual harmony through color, light, and shape became the subject. The invention of the camera assisted artists, helping them see how light affects color on an object and in art. As the camera captures many stages in motion as time passes, so to, Impressionism artists used multiple perspective to capture movement on canvas as time passes and light changes. They received their subject matters through observation.
The History and Movement of "The Dancing Couple."
"The Dancing Couple", from 1663, is a painting done by Jan Steen. The period is 1625/1626-1679. The medium is oil on canvas. The historical events that marked this period were: Sir Isaac Newton’s publication of his book "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy
in England, in which he introduced his theories on gravity. Louis XIV began ruling France under absolute power, where the king maintains full power with no branches of government sharing the reigns. This reign continued until 1717, when he died. In England, royalist Robert Filmer, supported the king and was a proponent for the theory that absolute power of the king is biblically based and passed down from Adam. He published pamphlets that espoused his beliefs. The king, Charles I was executed and the monarchy was abolished, leaving the people to install the House of Lords to rule England. In America, the newly formed colonies were seeking independence from England and revolted, using John Locke’s words of every man’s right to "life, liberty and property" as their mantra and battle cry.
Baroque, the movement epitomized by the "opulence" that was going on in Europe during this period, speaks to the extravagance of the time as opposed to the meager existence of settlers in America at that time. Baroque was stylized by vibrant, energy-filled colors with contrasts of light and dark. The art during this time was considered as theatrical and ornamental. Artists such as Gianlorenzo Bernini made this movement popular in the 17th century by notable works like St. Peter’s in Rome, which was originally started by Michelangelo and later Carlo Maderno. Bernini finished the work. As the front of the building protruded, viewers noticed that the buildings were molded almost like clay. This is particularly evident in Bernini’s famous Louvre palace in France, which today, houses popular works of art. Another Baroque styled building is the Palace of Versailles. One particular technique used in most Baroque paints was the use of light in the foreground and shadow in the background of a painting. Caravaggio was another notable Baroque artist.
Because "The Couple Dancing" is a Dutch painting, Dutch Baroque was dubbed "bourgeois Baroque." It differed greatly from Spain, Italy, and France. Because Protestantism was the religion of the day, common religious relics were not as popular. The Dutch focused on the people, the family, the home. In turn, Dutch Baroque art was centered around common life. This change was echoed around the world as other countries turned their attention to the common man.
Citations
Getlein, Mark. Gilbert’s Living with Art, Seventh Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005.
Kunze, Fred. "From Revolution to Reconstruction...A Biography of John Locke." 2003. Online. Department of Humanities Computing. Internet. 2 August 2005.
Available: Http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/B/locke/locke.htm
Roberts, Andrew. "Time line for the history of science and social science." Online. Middlesex University. Internet. 2 August 2005
Available: http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/sshtim.htm#17thCentury
Anonymous. "Industrial Revolution." 2005. Online. Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia. Internet. 2 August 2005.
Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Revolution
Anonymous. "History Central - 1800-1890 AD." 2000. Online. MultiEducator, Inc. Internet. 2 August 2005.
Available: http://www.multied.com/dates/1870ad.html#Anchor-54727
posted by Wendy Thompson | 5:23 PM
1 Comments:
Wendy, this essay describes the history and time inwhich Degas's work was done do perfectly, that the essay is like a painting itself! The most important thing is when it says that it reflects these times.
The "Dancing Couple" essay does a great job of weighing and balancing the time period with what is going on in the painting and the basic differences between the Protestent and Catholic ideaologies. Nice job.
brew
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