Raphael’s Saint Michael Overwhelming the Demon: renaissance conventions
Raphael’s Saint Michael Overwhelming the Demon is one of his works which is a part of the Louvre’s collection. This artwork can be regarded as a conventional example of Renaissance painting. This work is also known as The Small Saint Michael. It was painted circa 1505, allegedly, for Guidobaldo da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino (Raphael, 1505). It is oil on wood, dimensions 30 x 26 cm.
This artwork can be regarded as a reflection of the sixteenth-century society. It also embodies the latest tendencies in the art of that time. When stating that the painting reflects 16th century culture, one should not only focus on the dressing. However, it is worth mentioning that the saint is dressed like a sixteenth-century nobleman rather than an archangel at the beginning of times.
It is necessary to point out that precise lines reveal the painter’s longing to create a lively image. Renaissance painters wanted to achieve realism in their depiction of people. Apart from this, the painting reflects the sixteenth century’s tendency to recreate motion. People are not static anymore.
It is also important to note that Raphael who is regarded as a painter devoted to the Church reveals the religious beliefs of his contemporaries. In the sixteenth century, people were still devoted to the Catholic Church.
Thus, Raphael’s Saint Michael Overwhelming the Demon is one of the best reflections of the sixteenth-century society and Renaissance conventions.
Dionisio Baixeras y Verdaguer’s Boatmen of Barcelona: a realistic reflection of the world
Dionisio Baixeras y Verdaguer’s (1886) Boatmen of Barcelona is a part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was painted in 1886. It is oil on canvas, dimensions 149.9 x 210.8 cm. The work is a great representative of the art of the nineteenth century’s realism.
In the nineteenth century many painters tried to convey the world they and the rest of the people saw the real world. Thus, Boatmen of Barcelona can be regarded as a precise photograph of the moment ceased by the painter. The choice of colors perfectly depicts the morning talk of the three men. The major focus is made on the three boatmen, so they occupy the majority of the painting’s space. Notably, precise lines depict everything just as it is in reality. Some dim images of boats are hidden by morning fog.
The painting can be regarded as a reflection of the nineteenth-century longing for realistic reflection and perception of the world. People living in the nineteenth century believed in the power of ratio and they still believed that people are capable of everything. That is why people accepted the world they lived in just as it was. People of art only reflected the world around them without focusing on their individualistic perception.
Pablo Picasso’s Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler: individualism and new perspectives
Pablo Picasso (1910) is one of the most significant painters of the twentieth century who opened up new horizons for art. His famous Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler, which is currently in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, was painted in 1910. It is oil on canvas (101.1 x 73.3 cm).
This work reflects the concerns of people of the art living at the beginning of the new century. People rejected old orders and wanted to create something new. Picasso reflects this longing in his paintings, and especially in his Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler. Strict lines of the famous painter who is regarded as one of the founders of Cubism reflect numerous planes/perspectives which can help to see the real world, the world without old conventions. The use of dark colors (black, grey, and brown colors prevail in the painting) is aimed at helping people to focus on the reality depicted by the painter. The painter does not simply portray his model, but it seems that the inner world of the man is reflected.
Admittedly, the painting should be regarded as a reflection of society at the beginning of the twentieth century. Picasso is one of those millions of people who wanted to protest and set his own rules. He rejected old conventions and created his brand-new world. Thus, he reflected the highly individualistic nature of an individual at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Jackson Pollock’s Number 1A, 1948: relying on the universe
Jackson Pollock’s (1948) Number 1A, 1948 can be regarded as a reflection of a person of the twentieth century who saw the two world wars, nuclear explosion and noticed that the world starts developing too fast. As far as the medium is concerned it is oil, enamel paint on canvas dimensions 172.7 x 264.2. The painting was completed in 1948 as its name suggests.
The painting is an example of Pollock’s unique style, “drip” painting. The painter’s choice of colors is quite informative: black and white colors prevail. As for the lines, it is necessary to note that there can be no strict lines, but rather drips of paint. Pollock relies on Providence, he is only the mean, but not the creator. He is just a kind of brush in the hands of some power. The entire painting’s space is filled with unclear lines and drops which can be “read” individually, i.e. every viewer has his/her vision about the painting. The painter does not reveal the world around him or the world in him, he leads the viewer to his/her worlds.
The painting can be regarded as a reflection of the twentieth century when people revealed new secrets of nature and opened up new horizons. However, at the same time, many people relied on some external forces waiting for new worlds to be revealed.
Jeff Koons’s Sandwiches: consumerism, art, and modern life
Jeff Koons’s Sandwiches was painted in 2000. It is now a part of the collection of the Guggenheim Museum. This painting can be regarded as a reflection of our modern life, life at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It is oil on canvas, 304.8 x 426.7 cm.
The painter uses bright colors to reveal the peculiarities of modern life. It is necessary to note that Koons depicts items that people are accustomed to. The sandwich is a part of the everyday life of millions of modern people. Such advertised things as vacuum cleaner reveal modern consumerism. The painter included a cartoon’s eye in his painting and the mustaches, which presumably “belong” to Salvador Dali. Thus, he reveals the world of modern popular culture which is a mix of high art and low-quality advertisement.
Notably, when depicting the items of our everyday life, Koons is precise. All lines are deliberate. He does not create his world, he depicts real objects from real life. Koons does not want to show his reality to the viewer, the painter wants the viewer to see in what world he/she lives.
Thus, the painting is the reflection of the twenty-first century which is crowded with things which bear little value. The painting also shows that people understand that such a world, though being bright and quite attractive, is still shallow.
Reference List
Baixas y Verdaguer, D. (1886). Boatmen of Barcelona. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Web.
Koons, Jeff. (2000). Sandwiches. The Guggenheim. Web.
Picasso, P. (1910). Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler. The Art Institute in Chicago. Web.
Pollock, J. (1948). Number 1A, 1948. The Museum of Modern Art. Web.
Raphael. (1505). Saint Michael Overwhelming the Demon. Louvre. Web.