Seated Bather

        In France during 1930, Pablo Picasso painted Seated Bather.  The style of painting used in the making of the Seated Bather is known as cubism.  This painting by Picasso has a surreal-esque and very unnerving nature.  Picasso's use of colors and contrast in his fine work display his mood.  Study of this painting will show the way he connected cubism with the surrealist movement.

        In this painting Picasso used a relatively new and unique style of painting called cubism, which is an abstract rendering of natural forms into geometric shapes and forms.  When you look at the painting, it looks like a woman sitting except there is something very odd about it, the woman does not look right at all.  Her head is sectioned off into pieces, her eyes are merely extensions of the top part of the head, her mouth is sideways and has no jaw connected to the face.  The cubism style Picasso used is closely related to surrealism.

        Seated Bather, is a painting that boarders on disturbing and almost surreal.  The way the woman's body seems to flow like water in this painting is very similar to the clocks in The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dalí.

The woman appears to be a sculpture of wood, carved in a twisted and evil fashion.  She is sitting in a sexually suggestive manner with her legs spread apart revealing everything.  Seated Bather is almost sinister, and it makes you wonder what Picasso was thinking.  We may never know precisely what he was feeling but we may find pieces to the puzzle by way of his use of shade and hue.

        Picasso's mood during the painting of Seated Bather is shown as clues, hidden deep within his artwork.  Picasso used natural colors for the woman and the setting.  The natural colors of the woman cause the viewer, if only for a second, to feel the painting has a sense of realism.  The subtle color and flow of the water show that Picasso most likely was not rushed and felt calm and relaxed.  Picasso's sharp contrast of color during the forming of the legs and head he was trying to make a point that this is how it is supposed to look.  Contrasting is such a manner can be perceived as his confidence in his art.

        Currently Picasso's Seated Bather is located on display in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.  As we look at the painting, we can fully see the cubism in the painting.  Picasso stated he was not an artist of the surrealist movement but his painting shows that he, at least used some of the aspects for Seated Bather.  Picasso's emotion is found in his paintings and is the basis for his inspiration during the production of this great piece of art.  Picasso's artwork here is a perfect demonstration of how someone can continuously ride the line between cubism and surrealism, all the while making artwork that outlasts and overshadows his colleagues during a time of a new art outbreak.

Combining Beauty with Efficient Design

The Seagram Building located in New York City is a perfect example of the International Style.  The structure has had an immense influence of later American architecture.  The International Style can be seen in its simple geometric shape and because of its large open granite plaza and inspiring design, it is an iconic symbol of the typical New York skyscraper.

The Seagram Building has a simple design which makes it appear to be a capital letter “I”.  The Seagram Building’s rectangular shape was completely covered with bronze I-beams and opaque glass windows, making the building seem very futuristic in the eyes of all who saw it.  The Seagram is a bronze beauty during the day because daylight shines upon the city below giving the streets a gorgeous amber glow.  The overall design would be later replicated in many other buildings later, but at the time it was a symbol of the International Style.  Unlike the surrounding buildings, during the time of its construction, the Seagram Building stands straight up and is not stagger-stepped to the top.  This was a big deal because according to New York law, all of the high rise buildings must not “wall-in” its residents.  The architects, Miës van der Rohe and Philip Johnson, got around this by using less than half of the plot for the building. The remaining land was paved in granite and turned into a vast and beautiful plaza.

The first all glass curtain walled building on Park Avenue came with a one of a kind plaza.  The unprecedented open plaza in the middle of Manhattan stood out because there was nothing like it before in New York.  This plaza has been the site of many New Yorkers lunch break dates because even in a crowded city there they can find a place of free space.  The plaza contains two huge rectangular reflecting fountains and sometimes a sculpture. Such a plaza may have seemed out of place during the time of its construction but that has changed.  Many other buildings in the area now have plazas and that has made the Seagram Building seem less unique but it is still a masterpiece of corporate modernism.

Many buildings now copy the original design of the Seagram Building, mainly corporate offices.  The Seagram Building has been the direct influence on the building of the Arts Tower, which is exactly half of the height.  The Art Tower did not cost nearly as half much as its big brother the Seagram, because of the lack of bronze usage in the I-beams.  It is no wonder why such a unique and beautiful building could have been the standard of today’s high rise buildings.  The Seagram Building is seen as the original New York skyscraper. It has been the inspiration of many buildings build after it but none of them has been as iconic as the Seagram Building. 

The Seagram Building proved that the International Style of building skyscrapers is the perfect mix of beauty and efficiency.  The Seagram has been the model of modern office buildings. Seagram’s plaza still receives daily visitors who may sit in awe of the building that has cast the mold for the corporate office building.  The countless number of reproductions and inspired building show that that the International Style just plain works.  It is the best design that can be used to make any low or high budget office building ascend to the heavens.

Studying The School of Athens

In the first room of the papal apartments at the Vatican, also known as the Stanza della Segnatura, there is a Raphael fresco painted from 1510-1511 known as The School of Athens.  The School of Athens is Raphael's representation of philosophy and is undoubtedly his most famous work.

The School of Athens portrays a congregation of the great philosophers and scientists of the world.  Raphael utilized fully frontal one-point perspective for this work of art to give the painting a three dimensional reveal on two dimensions.  The main focus is on the two people in the middle, Plato and Aristotle.  Upon further inspection of the teacher and student we can see their ideals inferred by the direction in which they point.  Plato, pointing to the heavens holding Timaeus, is a spiritual idealist who believes in a higher power.  Some of Plato's notions have been adapted by the Christian church and Christian mysticism.  Aristotle was Plato's student and he had completely different views.  Aristotle's beliefs were directed more towards the material reality of the world and the facts that can be seen, tested and proven. That is why Aristotle is pointing towards the Earth and holding his book Nichomachean Ethics in this masterpiece.

The painting shows great attention to detail.  One example of this expert detailing is the color changes and shadowing.  From the angle of the shadows of the philosophers and scientists, it can be determined that Raphael painted this with the intent that the sun is overhead and to the right of the building.  This would mean if the point of view is supposed to be Northbound, then it is mid morning.  There are fifty-five people, including a cameo of Raphael, in this fresco and each of them looks very different and unique.  Aristotle and Plato are wearing clothes with colors that could be interpreted as the four elements; brown for Earth, blue for Water, red for Fire, and grey for Air.  This would make sense seeing as Aristotle's values are physical, such as the water and earth. Plato's values, being spiritual in nature, would have been Fire as a symbol of God, and Air, the symbol of the Heavens.

Upon further examination of The School of Athens, we can see the faces of many people that Raphael used as inspiration or models. This includes Michelangelo, Leonardo, and even Raphael himself. Leonardo was used to model as Plato. It would appear that Heraclitus was inspired by Michelangelo’s work of Jeremiah. Raphael modeled Apelles, who was one of the most important Greek painters whose work just did not survive the test of time.  It is a shame that Raphael did not include a listing of all people in any of his belongings or journals before he died, tragically young.  This would have been helpful for future generations in fully understanding why they each of them were portrayed in his dedication to philosophy. 

Raphael’s The School of Athens is nothing shy of a masterpiece of the 16th century.  Raphael’s flawless attention to detail was used to portray the greatest minds of history.  It is no surprise why this is Raphael’s most recognized work and why it is the ultimate representation of the enlightened atmosphere of the High Renaissance.

Overshadowed Tintoretto

Tintoretto was a late Renaissance painter who painted The Last Supper.  It may not be anyone’s first thought when you hear “the last supper” but it definitely is the most expressionistic.  Tintoretto uses heavy light contrasts and allusion in his painting creates the perfect example of drama.  This painting is a great production of the biblical story of Jesus and his disciples’ last meal together. 

First thing that you will notice is the man in the middle of the table is Jesus.  We can tell because his aura is the biggest and brightest.  After further examination we can determine that only twelve people have the holy aura around their heads, as opposed to thirteen, Jesus plus his twelve disciples.  This would make sense as Judas would not have one as he just sold out his lord and master for a bag of silver.  The weirdest thing about this is theoretically had Judas not done so then there would not have been the death of Christ nor a rebirth.  Judas got the worst punishment, Hell’s fire for eternity, for being the catalyst for all Christian salvation.

In this rendition of the last supper the setting of this event is in a public tavern or restaurant and there are many people.  This painting seems more realistic and very expressive, then the Leonardo da Vinci version.  Tintoretto uses an extreme contrast of dark and light to cause the almost over dramatic effects seen in this artwork.  Above the people, near the ceiling, there are angels flying around.  The angels are seen in this painting as foggy white ghostly images only seen because of the light from the ceiling candles.  The flames of the candles seem to be burning extremely high and appear to be the origin or destination of the angels. 

            In this painting, Tintoretto used a side perspective view to give the scene a more dramatic and personal feel.  This makes you feel like you are really in the room when it happened.  Everything in this painting is dramatic.  An example of this is the exaggerated stance of the man in blue in the far right foreground.  This man is standing on his left toe and stretching to the left while trying to pick up something with his right arm.  This position is very odd indeed, as it is not conductive to pick up anything as you balance is out of order and your back is strained.  Even the woman he is looking at is stretched out.  She is reaching out to the man in blue with a bowl full of something, with one hand, and putting away dirty dishes, with the other.

            Almost a hundred years after da Vinci painted The Last Supper, Tintoretto gave it a go.  The story of the last supper is so wide spread that is not a shock that more people illustrate the event, then just a one great person.  Tintoretto, who’s real name was Jacopo Comin, did an amazing job of capturing the spirit of the meaning of the last supper of Jesus Christ.  

Once Upon a Starry Night

            The Starry Night is a lovely piece that Vincent van Gogh painted in 1889 while in Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum of Saint-Remy.  The masterpiece uses color and texture to make the painting seem very active and yet calming.  With the use of the expressive line this painting, van Gogh was able to paint so very free and near chaotic, all the while delivering a near nostalgic feeling.  The emotions one can receive by just gazing upon this painting, pondering life and remembering the past, are endless.

            There is an extreme contrast between the clouds and stars in the sky and the sky itself.  The yellows, blues and whites make up the marvelous night sky.  The clouds are very uplifting and generate a left to right flow of the painting, giving us the impression they are traveling towards the town at the base of the hills.  There seems to be a peaceful essence flowing from the town, as it appears to be a calm and happy place.  The crescent moon is very bright and bold, as it shines in the heavens.  The fire-like castle built structure, on the left side of The Starry Night, is much larger than anything else in the town.  The design of this structure is much like the sky’s flow; this makes it the most important part of the painting.  The reason is that it inspires you to imagine what it is, who built it, and why.

            The erratic and expressive lines keep the viewer's eyes moving about the painting, following the curves almost bouncing from star to star. Following the clouds makes it feel like your eyes are dancing across the sky, which to some may cause childhood flashbacks of very fond memories as they were carefree and innocent.  The entire painting was painted using very expressive lines, which are free to go about as they feel.  The lines are reminiscence of old woodcuts, with the line seemingly etched in exaggeration across the canvas.

            If you look at this painting with an open mind and open heart you might find an enlightening experience, as I did.  It will calm you and please your senses as you slip away in a dreamlike awe.  The calming feeling you get from looking at this painting is similar to that of lying in the grass on perfect summer’s night under the stars; it is quiet and you can hear the crickets in the distance.  That feeling, of joy and happiness, overcomes you to grant you peace of mind, near Zen.  Van Gogh achieved this feat through the use of many inclusions of expression and meaning to this masterpiece. 

            The Starry Night was a very important painting to Vincent van Gogh as it was his masterpiece that put him on par with Émile Bernard and Paul Gauguin, giving him the artistic freedom that he so longed to indulge.  It is a true shame that only one year after The Starry Night, Vincent van Gogh shot himself and died, when he was in his prime and highlight of his artistic career.

Creating Art

            Artists have been creating art for longer than the recorded history of man.  Art is creating something such as paintings or sculpture or anything done with any medium.  There are an infinite number of styles of art and may mean different things when interpreted by different people.  Only the artist can know what they were feeling, thinking, or fully understand the true meaning of exactly what they have crafted.

            A very popular mean of art is painting.  From the cavemen who did the cave drawings to the newest person who picks up a brush, each person conveys a message.  This message could be as simple as “I saw this rock today” to as complex as an abstract dream.  There are several types of paints used today, each of them bring a unique aspect to art.  Different colors, light, textures, and the use of different perspectives are some of the things the artist can utilize to display their message.

            Michelangelo’s famous mural, The Creation of Adam, located on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel shows God creating man.  In this epic painting Michelangelo uses many colors and shades to make a realistic reproduction of the event that no one on Earth ever saw.  Michelangelo painted God using his finger to create Adam, as opposed to breathing into him as the Bible says it happened, probably because it might have appeared god was kissing Adam.  Michelangelo’s message is not too hard to see in this painting he wanted to show that God created Adam and that is how we were put on to this Earth.

            Another great work of art is Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper.  In The Last Supper all focus of the painting is on Jesus.  Da Vinci achieved this effect by putting Jesus in the exact center of the painting and using a single point full front perspective system.  With this effect you can clearly see that the walls and ceilings are drawn toward the top of Jesus’ head, causing the viewer to immediately look at Jesus first then the rest of the picture.  Da Vinci also used the contrast of light and dark to give the sense of a room lit by the windows and maybe an unseen candle.  Da Vinci also put all of the men on one side of the table.  The reason that this important is because normally people eat on both sides.  This goes to show that the painting is not an exact reenactment of the last supper of Jesus Christ but an interpretation of the event that shows all the men’s faces.  

            All artists have a message embedded into their work.  They use as many or as little elements as they desire to complete their masterpieces.  Art doesn’t have to be anything that looks like anything it just has to be.  Anything that someone creates can be considered a work of art.  With this it can be said that art has always been and will always be.