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Gallic Chieftain Killing his Wife and Himself is from the Roman Hellenistic era. It is actually a marble copy of the original bronze, which was made 220 BCE. It's height is a bit larger than life-size, at 6'11". The two people represented here are Gauls, which are a Celtic group of people during this time. The picture is a bit grainy, however, the figures are depicted on a pedestal, not unlike many other Roman sculptures. The detail given to these sculptures is exquisite and allows historians to achieve a great amount of information about it. For example, the hair is not kept well, therefore, historians deduce that they are considered barbarians during their time. While the Chieftain is supporting his wife, the sculpture still makes a person feel pity for the two figures. Also, a person could argue that since the man is supporting the woman, that he is dignified in his act; also, it shows that he really loves her. This special characteristic of Hellenistic art is called expressionism, which is that the artist purposely tries to make the work so that people who view it will feel a certain emotional response. Originally, this work was made with other sculptures that attached to it. However, they are now separated from each other. An example of a sculpture that was a part of the collection was Dying Gallic Trumpeter, which is speculated to have been created by an artist named Epigonos, and was found in Julius Ceasar's garden in Rome. Its qualities are similar to Gallic Chieftain Killing his Wife and Himself because of the artist's success with expressionism. Gallic Chieftain Killing his Wife and Himself is located in the National Museum in Rome, while the Dying Gallic Trumpeter is in the Capitoline Museum, also in Rome. There is no doubt that the artist of these sculptures made them detailed and dramatic in order to cause people to feel a certain way towards them, and really appreciate what the artist has created.Sources:
Stokstad, Marilyn (2008). Art History: A View of the West. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
"The Reader" is a French painting by Jean-Honore Fragonard and is reminiscent of the Rococo period. This painting was completely finished in 1776; it is currently housed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. Before he painted this, he studied in Italy and usually painted landscapes, a personal favorite being gardens. An example of this is his painting, "The Swing." However, after he married, he changed his style a bit and began painting children, doing mundane things like reading. He found pleasure and beauty in such simplicity. Personally, I am a huge fan of this painting because of how simple and beautiful it is. The first time I saw it I was volunteering at a senior citizens home, and it captivated me. Moreover, I feel as if he gets the value and colors just right, and it does not clash. For example, the shadows in the face seem extremely realistic to me. Also, the bright yellow of the dress does not clash with the dull pink of the chair, or the dull purplish-pink of the bow in her hair and on the front of the dress. In order to get these colors, he must have had to take great care in mixing them. I would also like to point out the softness of the painting, which is a characteristic of the Rococo style of painting.In addition, the background is void of any content, creating more movement in the figure herself. "The Reader"'s pose is elegant, and she is sitting up straight. Yet, her eyes are not on the painter, but the opposite way, which is not usually custom for a painting, yet makes it a great deal more interesting. It should be noted that Fragonard won an award called the Prix de Rome, which is how he came to study in Italy. It is curious that he won this award because he was not "eligible" for it at the time. Sadly, there is not a huge amount of information on Jean-Honore Fragonard or "The Reader." This is because he was overlooked as an artist of consequence for a substantial period of time. It should be noted that his paintings after he returned from Italy to France had a different style and that he created somewhat of a scandal because of the unacceptable subjects of the painting, at least at that time. *Note: the information on "The Reader" was widely scattered and difficult to come by. Therefore, I will not be including sources for this article because I did not use any quotes, and because snippets of information came from multiple sources. Also, I will be completing three articles this week, since the past two weeks have been lacking in articles, due to the fact that I have been sick and extremely busy.
Woman From Willendorf is from Prehistoric times, specifically, the Upper Paleolithic Period, and dates back to about 24,000 BCE (Before Common Era). Another name for it is "Venus from Willendorf." Many figures of women from the Upper Paleolithic period are known as "venus"; it was changed so that it was not assumed that the figures represented fertility and goddesses, however it still could. This piece was found in Austria. It is made of limestone and is only 4 3/8 inches long! Therefore, it fits in your hand. In addition, the limestone was previously covered with red ocher, which is like a paint. It has been insinuated that the red ocher could have symbolized menstrual blood. A purpose for Woman From Willendorf could be that it was a good luck charm, or a reminder as a mate/female for the male hunters, who brought it along with them on their trips. On the head, there are seven concentric bands around it. This is significant because seven is considered a lucky number. However, a more likely explanation is that the figure depicted is a deity. This is further strengthened by the anonynmity of the face and the obesity of the figure. The size of this woman is important because it shows that the woman had more of a leisure life, and was able to get so large. As such, it could have been used as an object in a religious ceremony, a symbol of success and survival, or merely representing the sacredness of women. In sum, Woman From Willendorf symbolizes fertility and the importance of the reproductive female, and how they were worshipped in older times. Woman From Willendorf is one of my personal favorite pieces. This is because it uses natural dips and dings in the stone in order to form the piece. Also, it symbolizes how important women were considered in ancient times. While the artist is unknown, it was found by Joseph Szombathy in 1908, who named it. Currently, it resides in the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna. Society should pay more attention to pieces like Woman From Willendorf, because it will remind them of aspects of older societies that have been forgotten.
Sources:
Koeller, David (1999). Web Chron: The Web Chronology Project. Retrieved February 12, 2009, from Woman From Willendorf Web site: http://www.thenagain.info/webchron/World/Willendorf.html
Stokstad, Marilyn (2008). Art History: A View of the West. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
I am starting this blog in order to write articles on certain topics in art history that interest me. These will range from Paleolithic and Neolithic to Egyptian, Gothic, Contemporary art and so much more. The object of these articles are so that I may get experience and expertise in the field of art history. It will be good practice, for I am hoping to become a critic, when my college is completed. The length of the articles has yet to be determined, however, I plan on churning out an article a week, if I can manage it. Rather than focus on the genre, I will be covering individual works of art or the artist themselves. A great deal of the articles will be on pieces that I personally enjoy, however, I also will include pieces of a large historical significance, such as the Bayeaux Tapestery. It will be my pleasure to give my readers "the flavor" of art, and provide the truth behind the works, no matter how disturbing. This has been my art corner, providing you with the tARTzz that keep the world entertained by their beauty.
