Chapter 27 / From Slavery Through Reconstruction

Aaron Douglas / 1934

The Harlem Renaissance movement emerged in the 1920s and lasted throughout the mid 1930s. This was a literary, artistic, and intellectual movement centered around the Black experience. Alain Locke described the movement, saying "negro life is seizing its first chances for group expression and self determination". Harlem became a central focus for this movement. The movement was not a political movement, as some think it was. It was simply a chance for the negro community to finally express themselves as individuals, and any political heat that resonated from the movement was secondary to its aesthetics. The movement was, as Langston Hughes put it, the "expression of out individual dark-skilled selves."

Aaron Douglas was an african-american painter and a major part of this movement. He was born in Topeka, Kansas, and was encouraged by his mother to pursue art. His paintings were influenced by the African culture he painted for, and he has even been referred to as the "Father of African American Arts". Throughout his life, Douglas sought out opportunities to expand and increase his knowledge about art. From 1928-1929 he studied African and Modern European art at the Barned Foundation in Merion, and in 1931 he traveled to Paris to study more traditional French painting and drawing techniques at the Academie Scandinave.

In 1934, Douglas painted From Slavery Through Reconstruction, which now is on display in the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York. The painting depicts three events following the American Civil War. To the right, there is rejoicing at the news of the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves. The man in the soapbox in the center represents the success of the black man, whose voice is now being heard. In the background, the Union army leaves the South, and the Reconstruction with its anti-Black backlash follows. The painting follows a jazz theme, and the rhythm of this design can be seen in the design of the circles.

Chapter 24 / L'absinthe

Edgar Degas / 1876

Edgar degas was a French artist, most famous for his paintings, prints, and drawings. Over half of his paintings depict dancers, so he is often associated with the subject of dance. Degas is generally regarded as one of the founders of impressionism, however he didn't like the term and preferred to be called a realist. He was a master at depicting movement as well as social isolation. Although this painting doesn't show a lot of movement, the fact that is lacks movement is just as important. It is a great representation, however, of Degas' mastery of the depiction of social isolation.

In 1876, Degas created this painting to represent the effect of the drink "absinthe" on the current population. It is oil on canvas, and done in the impressionist theme. The painting shows a woman sitting at a cafe in front of a drink, and a man to her left on the right side of the painting. The woman has a very detached, glazed look in her eyes, and the man sits smoking a pipe. This painting is a social commentary on the fact that the drink absinthe was causing social isolation and negative feelings in the country. She looks very unaware of the world around her, and simply gazes sadly at her drink. The colors in the painting are also very dull, creating an even more melancholy feel. By using dull browns and little color, Degas effectively depicted the lackluster feel that absinthe left in its wake.

This painting was actually met with a lot of distaste, and was locked away for a time, until it was brought back. It has received pretty equal amounts of praise and critique. One critique called the woman a whore, adding that "the tale is not a pleasant one, but a lesson". Most art of the time was painted for beauty, but this is painted to really show and say something about society.

Chapter 20 / Marie Antoinette and Her Children

Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun / 1787

Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun was a leading artist in the 18th century. In 1783 she was elected to the Grench Academy. This was a portrait done to show the royal's emotions regarding the French Revolution. The figures in the portrait all have extremely calm expressions on their faces. They are holed up in a room in the palace, totally unaware of the uprising that was beginning outside. This uprising would be the start of the French Revolution. The uprising started during the reign of King Louis XVI. His negligence and ineffectiveness caused french nobility as well as the catholic church to be exempt form tax payment, which caused an uprising from those who were still held to regular tax payments. On July 14th, there was a storming of the Bastille prison, which is why France now celebrates Bastille Day. This, along with so many other riots and revolts, rattled the common folk, and this painting shows that the nobility was oblivious (at least at this point in time) to what was about to happen.

Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun personally experienced the French Revolution, so this painting is a sort of jab at the fact that the royals were totally oblivious and didn't really make an effort to help their suffering citizens. All figures in the painting seem pretty happy, like everything in the world is totally fine. This creates an interesting dichotomy, since the outside world was definitely not happy. The rich textures and colors in the paintings, along with the lavish clothes and headwear show Marie Antoinette's high status and wealth. Here, she is shown as both a royal and a mother. The child on the left side of the painting looks up the her admirable, as the youngest child rests on her lap. The boy on the right side of the painting reveals an empty crib to the views of the painting. This is a metaphor for the death of one of Marie Antoinette's children.

Chapter 19 / Night Watch

Rembrant / 1642

Rembrandt van Rijn was born in 1606 in Leiden, in Protestant Holland. During his career, Rembrandt worked largely for Protestant patrons. Rembrandt ran his own commercial patronage. He preferred that his works be valued as "Rembrandts", rather than products of a contractual agreement.

This painting shows militia company. Militia company are able bodied men who the city could call upon if needed to help with riots and help to defend the city. Most military paintings during this time showed the militia in a perfectly formed line, but Rembrandt decided to show them in the process of lining up. For this painting, Rembrandt was commissioned to paint one of the six large works that would be in the main hall of Kloveniersdoelen, which is the range building that the men practiced in. Rembrandt decided on an audacious composition. The men in the painting are in action, getting arranged and forming up. The painting is also very dark, which has actually been critiqued by some. The men in the painting more from dark into light, while the girl to the captain’s left is in full light, symbolizing the Kloveniers. She is carrying the costly drinking horn as well as a dead bird, which has a prominent claw. This is an emblem of the Musketeers, and also might be intended as a pun of the Captain’s name.

Some people think that this painting is meant to symbolize a scene at night, but actually the subdued lighting was just caused by the early darkening of the painting’s multi-layered varnish, which led to a very misleading name. Rembrandt uses light to highlight the two men at the center of the painting, as well as the girl to the left of the men. By showing the rest of the painting in shadows, Rembrandt effectively makes these three people the center of the painting’s attention. 

Chapter 16 / The Sistine Chapel Ceiling

Michelangelo / 1512

Perhaps one of the most well known pieces of art is the painted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. The painting was commissioned by Pope Julius II in 1506, and its creation lasted from 1508 to 1512. The painting is done in diogramatic form and the paintings seem right-side up to viewers. It includes nine main narratives in the center of the barrel walled ceiling, all of which are from the Old Testament referring to the Christian future. The paintings are done is reverse chronological order, ending with a creation scene in which God organizes the universe. There are three Adam and Eve scenes, including creation, temptation, and expulsion from Eden. There are also three Noah scenes showing god's destructive power, as well as his willingness to save humanity. Along the side of the ceiling, Jesus' ancestors are shown alluding to the divine plan. Each of the nine scenes are surrounded by four nudes. Each corner of the ceiling contains an Old Testament scene, and the spandrels and lunettes above the windows depict the ancestors of Christ.

One of the most famous frescoes on the ceiling is The Creation of Adam. God is shown extending his monumental figure towards Adam and is surrounded by nude figures. In contrast, Adam is shown as relaxed and sits in a reclined position. This signifies that he has not yet received the spark of life from God's touch, who is extending his finger towards him as if to touch him. All figures are in contrapposto, meaning that the figure is not putting equal weight on both legs.

Michelangelo was very focused on the human figure rather than on scenery. The painting is still widely studied today, and many believe that its mysteries are just now beginning to be uncovered. For example, in the scene where God separates light from darkness, closer observation of his throat reveals astonishing things. When transposed with an anatomically correct human brain stem, his throat is a perfect match. Why would Michelangelo depict God;s throat as a human brain stem? There are other hidden secrets in the painting as well, including the optic nerves of two eyes, precisely as Leonardo Da Vinci illustrated them, lower on God's robes. Of course, this could all be coincidence, but it is still eerie and worth studying.

Chapter 15 / Procession and Adoration of the Magi

Florence, Italy / 1423

This painting was commissioned in Florence in 1423 and was carried out by Gentile da Fabriano. The painting is very elaborate in the gothic style. The painting depicts a procession that winds its way to where the three Magi are worshiping Jesus. The procession spreads itself throughout the entire painting, taking four turns and eventually leading to Jesus. The crowded aspect and attention to detail really show the bustle and excitement that Jesus' birth created. Along with human figures in the crows, exotic animals are also littered around the painting. You can see birds, horses, monkeys, a leopard, bulls, and more. This could symbolize that Jesus' birth was not just important for humanity, but for the entirety of the world and its creatures.

The panels show other stories surrounding the birth of Jesus. In the foreground, the three magi are shown offering Jesus gifts, but these three men can also be seen in the background, indicating that their procession is continuous, and the observer could follow the painting like a story. On the far left, the men search for a star to guide them to Jesus. Once they find the star, they lead the procession to Jerusalem (shown in the center panel). The entire painting includes stories-within-stories. To the bottom right, a dog looks up in fear that a horse may step on him. On the far left, two women are inspecting a gift that was presented to Jesus. This attention to detail highlights the importance of Jesus' birth, as well as the technique of Fabriano.

The gold detailing shows an aspect of wealth. This relates to the fact that Jesus is as/more important than royalty, but also represents the wealth of the commissioner. The painting was commissioned by Florence's richest merchant, Palla Strozzi, to decorate his family chapel in the sanctity of Santa Trinita.

Chapter 13 / Rose Window (north) & Lancets

Chartres Cathedral / 13th century

This elaborate stained glass window reside in the Chartres Cathedral, 40 miles southwest of Paris. The cathedral includes three "rose windows", one (the north one) which will be talked about in detail in this post. They are called rose windows because of their circular formation and the arrangement of smaller windows in a rose like, circular formation. The construction of the cathedral lasted from around 1134 to 1220. The circular bit is referred to as the Rose Window while the five windows below are lancets.

In the center of the circular window, Mary is shown holding the baby Jesus. Surrounding her are images of doves and angels carrying candlesticks, showing that this is no typical mother and child, but one of heavenly nature. Next, the twelve major prophets circle them in diamond windows. Next, there are twelve quartrefoil windows showing lily's, which is a common symbol that Mary is often shown holding in the annunciation, indicating purity (since she was a virgin at the time of Jesus' birth). Also present are the signs of the french king and his mother, showing royal patronage for the window.

Below this circular window are five lancets. In order, they include King Melchizedek, King David, St. Anne with the young virgin, King Solomon, and Aaron. The middle window shows the virgin Mary as a child being held by her mother. Each of the Old Testament figures in the other four lancets are shown symbolically standing over enemies that they have defeated, for example, David stands over Saul, and Aaron stands over Pharaoh.

The amount of detail in the window is overwhelming and amazing. Each of the other rose windows also depict scenes through symbols, including the creation story and the last judgement. Since much of the population that would have spent time in the cathedral during the time of its construction in the 13th century would have been illiterate, it is important that the scenes in the bible are not only written down, but also read aloud, and heightened by the visual representation of scenes that the beautiful windows provide.

Chapter 11 / Four Evangelists

Carolingian art / c. 820

Education was a very important part of Charlemagne's Roman revival, so manuscripts played a significant role in his goals of restoring the culture of antiquity. The fact that manuscripts were portable made them a very practical form of artistic and educational communication.

The Four Evangelists, shown above, are from a Carolingian Gospel book. The manuscript depicts the four saints (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) with their respective symbols. Matthew is shown with a an angel, Mark with a lion, Luke with an ox and John with an eagle. All symbols are shown with wings. The background to the painting is rolling hells, but the focus is clearly on the four evangelists. The fact that each man is shown with just a hint of red really draws the observer's attention towards them. The background colors are pretty muted grey and blue, save for the hint of a sunset in the background. Each gospel writer is shown facing away from the others, indicating a unity (because of the symmetry) but also a separation since they don't seem to be working together.

The artist's choices of symbols for each of the gospel writers is very intentional. Matthew's is an angel since he typically focuses on Jesus in the human form. Mark speaks of Jesus in a very courageous light, so it would make sense that a lion, which is often seen as an animal symbolizing courage, is used. Luke's symbol is an ox which represents that he sees and writes about Jesus in a way of strength and sacrifice, since he gives a lot of attention to Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. Finally, John's symbol is a an eagle, which is a pretty magical creature that holds a lot of grace and can fly. This manuscript is full of iconography and meaning behind every brush stroke.

Chapter 9 / Trajan's Column

Rome / 113 AD

Trajan's column, standing nearly 100 feet tall(125 feet, including it's large pedestal), can be found in Rome. It is a triumphal column that commemorates emperor Trajan's victory in the Dacian wars. Trajan was the emperor of Rome from 97-117 AD, and is remembered as a great emperor for his military expansion which led to maximum Roan territory expansion. The column was built around 113 AD and stands in Trajan's Forum, just north of the Roman forum. A frieze spirals (similar to a ribbon) up the length of the column, starting around 1 meter high at the base and reaching about 1.2 meters near the top, allowing for the viewer to see the carvings at the top. This method is similar to how columns taper near the top to create the illusion of continuity.

The column consists of marble drums cut horizontally and placed on top on one another. Supporting the column is a podium that is decorated with carvings of the spoils of the war. Trajan's ashes are placed in a repository at the base of the column. The scenes are carved in high relief into the column.

Starting at the base of the column, the first four bands of the ribbon depict Trajan's Roman army preparing for their campaign. A giant, bearded river god, personifying the Danube, watches as Trajan leads the Roman army out of the walled city. Moving up the column, the second level depicts army camp and the capture of a spy. Throughout the entire column, background figures are raised above foreground figures, basically eliminating blank space on the column. By showing this crowded nature, the column really shows the bustling energy of Rome during the first century, especially cities preparing for war, as was happening at the construction of the column. Each figure is carved with great detail.

Chapter 5 / Ajax and Achilles Playing a Game

Greece / c. 530-520 B.C.

In ancient Greece, vases and jars like this one were a very popular art form. This type is called an amphora, or two-handled jar. It was painted by the Andokides painter as well as the Lysippides painter around 525 B.C. The amphora stands nearly 22 inches high and is about 13.5 inches in diameter. The jar is ceramic, and the techniques used are black figure as well as red figure. As you can see, one technique is used on one side while the other is used on it's opposite. Some sources speculate that it was Andokides himself around 530 B.C. who created the style of red figure.

The juxtaposition between red figure and black figure make this jar a very dynamic work of art. In my opinion, since red figure was invented after black figure, the jar almost serves as a connection piece for between two points of Greek history. On both the black figure side as well as the red figure side, Ajax and Achilles are depicted playing a game (possibly dice). Both of these people were considered heroes in Greek mythology, and are depicted wearing helmets on the red figure side and each holding two spears. Their helmets are hung behind them on the black figure side. They are each wearing the traditional tunic and armor for battle. Their shields rest behind them.

The handles of the vase are decorated in an intricate pattern of triangles. Framing the scene is another intricate pattern that seems almost floral. The detail in their tunics is an aspect of this amphora that makes their painters unmatched by any others. Although the orange tint of the material and the black shine are the two dominant colors, details of white and red can also be seen on the jar in the tunics, the base of the jar, and the chairs on the red figure side.

Chapter 5 / King Tut's Mask

Egypt / c. 1327 B.C.

King Tutankhamen ruled in the 18th dynasty in Egypt and died around the year 1327 B.C. In 1922 his tomb was rediscovered, along with his elaborate burial mask, pictured above. The mask was laid directly on the face of King Tut. The entire mask is made completely of gold with inlaid semi precious stones, colored glass paste, and obsidian and quartz for the eyes. The mask weighs 24 pounds and is 21 inches in height and 15 inches wide. The mask was placed inside the third coffin and in the sarcophagus. It is currently one of the most well known artifacts worldwide. Although it is centuries old, the colors are still vibrant and impressive looking. The face of the mask was made to look like the dead boy-king so that when his spirit returned it would be able to recognize him.

The mask wears a typical stripped nemes headdress, one that would have been worn in life by King Tut. The top includes a cobra and a vulture, who are emblems of deities. The eye makeup resembles similar makeup that the king would have worn in his life. The mask also features a fake beard, similar to the one he would have worn. The collar of the mask is made with feldspar, quartz, lapis lazuli and colored glass. The back of the mask has elaborate spell inscriptions. They were inscribed using a method called chasing, and there are ten vertical and two horizontal lines of protective spells from The Book of the Dead.

Just looking at images of the mask evoke awe. It is fascinating that an ancient mask can still be beautiful and shining to this day. The colors are brilliant and still very vivid. It is amazing that something so old can still be so amazing and powerful.

Chapter 3 / Chinese Horse

"Chinese Horse"

Lascaux, Dordogne, France / c. 15,000 B.C.-13,000 B.C.

The Chinese Horse, discovered in the Lascaux cave in Southwestern France, is painted on limestone rock and is 5 ft. 6 in. long. Although the animal was painted nearly 17,000 years ago, the colors remain vibrant and stand out well against their pale limestone background. The horse is painted orange with a deep black outline, effectively juxtaposing light and dark. The head and legs of the horse are much smaller in ratio than the body, creating an almost cartoon look, without being too silly and while remaining recognizable as a horse. Although only two colors (black and orange) seemed to have been used, and although minimal details were added to the painting, the artist still effectively gets across the image of a horse to viewers thousands of years later.

The artist who painted the horse worked by firelight. As we saw in the movie 'Cave of Forgotten Dreams', the use of firelight shows movement in the images on the cave walls as the fire moves and plays with shadows across the paintings. The artist applied the pigment directly to the cave walls, and in some cases, used a hollow reed to blow the pigment onto the cave walls to show different effects.

Along with the actual horse, there are two feather-looking objects that were painted over and near it. These are slightly darker in color compared to the horse's coat, and resemble bushes, or simply abstractions. Because they are not outlines like the horse, they could be symbols. By layering the pigments in this fashion, the painting almost takes on a 3-D effect since it creates a foreground and a background. Even the horse's two left legs are clearly shown as being behind the body, adding more to the movement of the painting rather than just being painted on the same plane as all other parts of the body.