Introduction
The given paper will focus on the virtual tour conducted in The National Gallery on December 6, 2022. The two paintings selected are shown below in Figure 1 and Figure 2 of the Central Hall room. It is important to note that an online tour visit was not a replacement for a real physical version, but it was valuable nonetheless. Online National Gallery tour provided me with an opportunity to truly appreciate Renaissance masterpieces, and both selected paintings had dual meanings, contexts, and understandings.
Discussion
Firstly, as soon as I entered the virtual tour, I was not particularly attracted to the paintings and the room in general. Therefore, I immediately toured the museum until I reached Central Hall, where the painting screenshotted in Figure 1 caught my attention. Unfortunately, the information tablet near the artwork was not visible to be able to identify its title or author (“Google Virtual Tour” par. 1). Google created the virtual tour in 2016, and these paintings are absent in the Central Hall information on the National Gallery’s website (“Central Hall” par. 1). It is possible that they are no longer in this room at this moment, but Google tour still shows 2016 images. I noticed the painting in Figure 1 first because it had a unique and grandiose golden frame consisting of several different artworks.
Secondly, I noticed the painting screenshotted in Figure 2 below. The reason why I noticed it was because it was the tallest singular artwork in the room, but more importantly, it had a religious depiction of heaven. I have always been interested in religion-based artwork since their artists tend to be highly inspired and careful about depicting holy entities. Therefore, there were purely physical scale-related as well as theme-related reasons.
Thirdly, the painting in Figure 1 above the invoked feeling of happiness and calm. I suspect it was because of the background, angels, and Virgin Mary. However, without identifying the persons in the artwork, the mere colorful depiction of a newborn baby and the mother made me experience contentment and merriment. In the case of the painting in Figure 2, I felt grimness as well as a sense of respect and seriousness. The grim emotion was primarily due to the lack of colors in the heaven depicted in the artwork, and the entirety of the painting seemed to be devoid of saturation in coloration. However, seeing priests and monks invoked a feeling of respectfulness toward them since they seemed to be god-fearing and holy individuals.
Fourthly, I believe the intention of the artist of the first painting was to communicate a message of communion and unity. The four side paintings showcase different people from various backgrounds, all of whom are being united under the gift of God. I think there is a dual message or intention behind the artwork, and they are somewhat obvious. The most evident meaning is a religious one, which is the birth of Jesus being a centerpiece of the Christian faith and a significant event.
I think four men might be the apostles who spread his word. However, a deeper context would likely be a non-religious one, which is more obscure. The painting depicts four different people from divergent backgrounds. One is clearly a poor person on the right bottom, with a wealthy individual being shown on the opposite side. On the top two corners, one can see a humble monk and noble priest. They might not share a multitude of similarities, but they are united around the concept of the family consisting of a mother, husband, and child. However, it is likely that the latter was my personal interpretation, with the artist’s the former.
Fifthly, I think the intention of the artist of the second painting was to depict how religious leaders restore faith in heaven and God, which brings color to them. These individuals are either holding a religious text or looking up towards the sky, indicating their aspirations of religiosity. In addition, the artist intentionally puts men below while using women to place them above the clouds. Thus, it is fair to suspect that there is an additional layer of meaning and intention behind the artist’s work. It showcases how femininity is divine and pure, but its beauty is dependent on the masculinity aspiring toward them. This might be the reason why only one woman has color, whereas others are painted in white and black. I think both intentions are rather obscure, and it would be interesting to learn about these paintings more.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both selected paintings had dual meanings, contexts, and understandings, and the online National Gallery tour provided me with an opportunity to truly appreciate Renaissance masterpieces. I personally enjoyed the experience of trying to decode both the religious as well as the more hidden human intentions of the artists and in doing so, I have developed a more acute sensitivity for art appreciation. The religious meanings were rather obvious, but earthlier and more human connotations were obscure to an extent. In the future, I would like to visit the National Gallery myself to be able to see these two paintings with my own eyes to fully grasp their message.
Works Cited
“Central Hall.” The National Gallery, 2022, Web.
“Google Virtual Tour.” The National Gallery, 2022, Web.