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    Understanding Paintings: Krishnan, GTC Talk

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    The document provides guidelines for analyzing paintings by looking deeper than just seeing. It discusses 6 guidelines: 1) Subject, 2) Techniques, 3) Symbolism, 4) Space and light, 5) Historical Style, and 6) Personal interpretation. It then analyzes several famous paintings and what to look for in each one based on these guidelines, such as the symbolism, techniques, and historical context used.

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    Understanding Paintings: Krishnan, GTC Talk

    Uploaded by

    rkrish67
    60 views42 pages
    The document provides guidelines for analyzing paintings by looking deeper than just seeing. It discusses 6 guidelines: 1) Subject, 2) Techniques, 3) Symbolism, 4) Space and light, 5) Historical Style, and 6) Personal interpretation. It then analyzes several famous paintings and what to look for in each one based on these guidelines, such as the symbolism, techniques, and historical context used.

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    Understanding Paintings

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    The document provides guidelines for analyzing paintings by looking deeper than just seeing. It discusses 6 guidelines: 1) Subject, 2) Techniques, 3) Symbolism, 4) Space and light, 5) Historical Style, and 6) Personal interpretation. It then analyzes several famous paintings and what to look for in each one based on these guidelines, such as the symbolism, techniques, and historical context used.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    60 views42 pages

    Understanding Paintings: Krishnan, GTC Talk

    Uploaded by

    rkrish67
    The document provides guidelines for analyzing paintings by looking deeper than just seeing. It discusses 6 guidelines: 1) Subject, 2) Techniques, 3) Symbolism, 4) Space and light, 5) Historical Style, and 6) Personal interpretation. It then analyzes several famous paintings and what to look for in each one based on these guidelines, such as the symbolism, techniques, and historical context used.

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    Understanding paintings

    Krishnan, GTC Talk

    Seeing vs Looking
    Easy access to great paintings today
    Greeting cards Internet

    Seeing involves opening your eyes Looking involves opening your mind and taxing your intellect Look, dont just see !

    Six guidelines for looking at paintings


    Subject Sometimes historical or mythological figures Techniques Use of oil paints, frescos Symbolism Many paintings use language of symbolism and allegory that was understood by the artists and audiences of the time Space and light Artists mastery in creating space and light Historical Style Each historical period had a style Renaissance to Modern times Personal Interpretation What you see with your knowledge of history, symbolism and techniques

    Bacchus and Ariadne


    Subject
    Each painting has specific subject with meaningful message Subjects could be mythological figures

    The Arnolfini marriage


    By Jan Van Eyck Known for mastery in oil paint

    The supper at Emmaus


    Recognizable objects stand for abstract ideas and concepts

    Las Meninas
    All artists have to create an illusion of space and light in different ways

    What creates a masterpiece


    Virtuosity Skills + knowledge and imagination Innovation Rewriting the existing rules Giotto and Picasso Patronage Catholic church and Royal coursts Artistic vision Michelangelos ceiling

    Frescoes
    Fresco is a technique of mural painting Executed upon freshly laid lime plaster Water is used as vehicle for the pigment With setting of the plaster, painting becomes part of the wall

    The annunciation
    By Guido de Pietro at the Fra Angelico Altarpiece Things to look for
    A closed garden symbolizing Marys purity Classical architecture slender corinthian columns Archangel Gabriel Youthful, energetic Halo around Mary Handmaiden of God verses upside down (so God could read them) Gothic style of Marys chair Holy spirit dove as the symbol

    Giotto: The adoration of the magi

    The adoration of the Magi


    Painted at the Arena chapel c. 1304-1306 by Giotto de Bondone (1267-1337) Things to look for
    Peoples position and character The country lad in ill-fitting clothes Kneeling king Caspar sign of humility Mountainous scenery Shooting star Giotto had seen a comet

    Adoration - Hieronymous Bosch

    The Deposition
    By Roger van der Weyden Look for
    The similarities in posture of Mary (with blue robe) and Christ The plain clothes on the left and royal clothes on the right offset one less person on the right Bracketing by people on the side focuses attention on Christ and Mary The skull symbolises Adam (Christ was crucified at spot where Adam was buried, one signifying fall and the other the rise)

    A dance to the music of time


    Painting by Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) Four allegorical figures: Pleasure, wealth, industry and poverty Look for
    Circular motion of dance in a triangle Permanence and transcience Statue of two faced Janus with flowers Poverty and wealth holding hands

    The oath of the Horatii


    By Jacques Louis David (1748-1825) War between Roman Horatii and Alba Coratii Theme of heroism and civic virtue, painted before the French revolution Look for
    Strong profiles of soldiers, gentle curves of the sisters Child pushing grandmothers hand to look at the swords Austere columns signifying masculinity and military

    The experiment with the air pump


    By Joseph Wright Things to look for
    The experiment: Will the bird survive if oxygen is pumped out in a home setting typical of 18th century The lovers: not attentive to the experiment The scientist: looks of a magician The person with the clock: Timing the experiment The girls reassured by their father The boy not sure if the cage should be lowered/needed The philosopher pondering the consequences The moon: Sign of enlightenment

    The Hay Wain


    By John Constable Quintessential English painting, painted in Suffolk, green countryside Things to look for
    Washerwoman in front of cottage Dog drawing attention Cooling the horses Clouds and the pattern of light

    The awakening conscience


    By William Holman Hunt Look for
    Depiction of luxurious items in the girls house Nostalgic song Oft in the silly night about a woman reflecting on her childhood innocence Cat and bird Reflecting that salvation is possible for the woman Discarded glove The womans fate if she does not mend her ways

    The vanities of life


    By Harmen SteenWyck Shell represents wealth Chronometer represents finite time, the sword (a symbol of power) reminds power is powerless before death Reminded of vanities of love (shawm) and knowledge (book) Extinguished lamp depicts life may end anytime

    Impressionist paintings
    No story to tell or moral to communicate
    Common ordinary subject matter

    Had pre-mixed colors in metal tubes, earlier artist had to mix the colors himself Renoir Girl with a hoop

    Autumn effect at Argentuil


    By Claude Monet Look for
    Rainbow palette Bold brushstrokes at the bottom, finer with distance Reflected images Rippling of the wind on the right

    The bedroom at Arles


    By Vincent Van Gogh, 1888 Color is everything, can suggest emotion regardless of the subject Unsophisticated and authentic Look for
    Thick brushstrokes Violet walls in harmony with green windows and contrast with yellow beds/chairs Portraits of Van Gogh and his sister on the wall

    Le Grande Jatte
    By Georges Seurat Technique of divisionism instead of mixing colors, put them separately and let the eye mix it Look for
    Boating on the Seine and Woman fishing Mixing of the classes Perspective scheme Woman with umbrella larger supposed to be seen at 45 degrees

    A bar at the Folies-Bergere


    By Eduardo Manet Set in a Paris night club Look for
    Mirror Inaccurate reflections depicting difference in time between subject and reflection Difference in drinks (champagne and beer) depicting different classes of society

    Guernica - Picasso

    Guernica
    Painted during Spanish civil war Look out for
    Bull depicting brutality Woman with dead child Severed head Horse Woman with hands up raised to protect from bombs

    WikiPaintings site

    Smart History project

    Thank You

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