Art History

I recently typed all my Art History notes up and, as I've found the lectures quite fascinating, thought I'd share them on here.

I think that one of the reasons it's been so good is the passion and enthusiasm with which Chris has delivered the lectures. A born storyteller (poet and singer) he's really made the subject come alive.

A Quick Jaunt Through Art History 

-      Courtesy of Chris Loughran’s Lectures

Lecture I

Early Renaissance – Early 15^th Century

This painting by Giotto depicting Christ and Judas was one of the first psychological paintings. It actually tells a story within it (the time when Judas betrays Jesus).

The introduction of perspective made things amazingly realistic for the time.

However, there was a split in Renaissance paintings. 

The south was concerned with the re-birth of the ideal; the North with painting things with gritty realism.

For instance, depicting real pain on Jesus’ face.  There was an aggressive physicality in their handling of paint as well, although perspective wasn’t so important to them.

Paintings were full of icononography. In the Arnolfini Marrigage the raised three fingers means ‘I’m talking’. Often there would then be an inscription below of what he was saying.

The dog symbolised faithfulness, as does the colour orange.

The couple would have commissed Van Eyck to paint this picture, although it is thought that they were already married (shown by her headdress).

The carving on the bed is St Theresa – the patron saint of childbirth and the single lit candle symbolizes ‘witnessed by God’.

Using oils mean that you can paint in incredible detail, as seen here.

More symbolism is to be found in Holbein’s The Ambassadors. It was incredibly brave of Holbein to paint it as it was commissioned (sent) by the Pope to try and stop Henry defecting and is awash with criticism. 

For instance, the broken strand on the lute shows disharmony. It's fascinating that the skull is three-d and can only be seen from one angle.

Albrecht Durer was a painter who travelled extensively in Europe and was very interested in discovering more about perspective. He titled this wood ‘Perspective’ to explain it to others. (That was helpful of him).

In time, both North and South Renaissance painters started to record the real world around them.

Durer’s painting of a hare is quite startling in its modernity (and must, I’m sure, have influenced many artists today).

It’s done in watercolours and the attention to detail is remarkable (and very beautiful).

Leonardo Da Vinci apparently did mirror writing in his sketchbooks so no-one could read his thoughts.  He was obviously a true genius – to the point that its believed that, with the right materials, his plane could have flown.

He put swans wings on the back of Angel Gabriel (I don’t know why, but I wrote it).

He became particularly famous because in the 1800s Italian extremists stole the Mona Lisa.

This partly what makes it so very valuable and famous.

Although her ‘beauty’ is also renowned. Despite the fact that she has no eyebrows, a high forehead. (A high forehead was the ideal at the time and women would pluck their hairline to reveal more).

Note that the horizon on either side of her is painted from a different perspective.

It’s possible it was painted as a passport painting to show a perspective groom.

With the Last Supper, only about 30% of it is Da Vinci’s own work.

Michael Angelo considered himself a sculptor, not a painter. He didn’t actually want to paint the Cistine Chapel but was persuaded to do it.

In this sculpture, Pieta, he made Christ smaller than Mary to show his understanding of the mother/child relationship. 

(And Jesus did actually need to be smaller in order to fit on her lap). It symbolizes their relationship very well.

The sculpture has a calmness and serenity that owes in part to learning from the classical sculptures of old.

David was made, despite a flaw running through the marble which led people to say it couldn’t be done.

When you stand underneath it it has altered perspective so that it corrects itself for your vision.

It idealises youth and presents an idealized profile as well. Although you need to study it carefully to see the ‘come on then’ contained within his stance.