Creation Of Adam

Michelangelo Buonarroti, Creation of Adam, detail in the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Rome, Italy , 1511-1512 , Fresco

Life arose when the Adam extended His hand toward the God of Father in this fresco, which remember the relationship of Gods and heroes in the Renaissance Era.

Today, i am going to describe about the Ceiling of Adam of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Rome Italy.

The artwork is actually adapted one of the chronology from the book of Genesis, Bible which describe about the birth of first human, ADAM. As we can see, from our first view, there were two main object on the picture, Adam and the God of Father.

Michelangelo is commission by the Pope Julius 2 to draw the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Besides that, the empty background of the artwork is important as it provide a space for the joining of the two hands. At the same time, the Creation of Adam also symbolizes the Christian religion.

The posture of the Adam raising his bare arm toward the God is the reflection of the God. (The Creation of Adam, Michelangelo, 1511). Indeed, the position also indicates that Adam is receiving the life from The Father. Indeed, the viewer of this artwork will follow the motion of  the hand from the left to the right, the extended hand of the Adam and the God. 

Indeed, there is a differences in terms of composition in this artwork. Although we can observed that the hand of the Adam and the God is facing to each other from a curve line from Adam shoulder to His fingers.However, the position of the the focal point between the both figure is off- centered. (Gardner's Art throughout the Ages, Page 594-595).  Michelangelo replacing the straight architectural lines axes with  curve and diagonal lines which applied on the figure of the artwork. But, How?

It is obvious when we observed the posture of the Adam  and the God is quite similar. The Adam is displaying front posture from his breast till his stomach while His leg is showing 3/4 posture. It is a similarity in term of leg posture which contain curve lines between Adam and the God.                         

Emotionalism: Besides that, the red colour background behind the God is reflecting a human brain. The position of one of the angel below the right arm of the God of Father actually reflects the emotion of human. (www.mentalhealthandillness.com, 2011). The position of the God also indicates the limbic system of a brain, which control the nerves system of a brain such as anger. It is clear when position of the angel have a sad expression which it impose the brain region control the emotion. ( http://www.wellcorps.com)

The hand of the God move to the prefrontal cortex, which is the brain region organize the creativity of an object. 

This artwork was completed based on a fresco technique which need to be completed in a short period of time.

Edouward Manet- Olympia

Edouard Manet, 1863,Olympia, Oil on canvas.

The artwork shows a female nude with a fair skin and a black person behind the scence.

Firstly, I would like to know why there is a involvement of the Black in an artwork during that era. From the analysis regarding this artwork, there is two figure in  this artwork. The figure on the left is actually a white salve and the figure on the right is a black servant.

Let us see,on now days in our perspective, is there any difference between the social classification of the servant and the slave?  Suppose it is belongs to a same level?

 

Back to our topic, the fair skin naked women is a prostitute while the right figure is a black servant to the prostitute.From the picture, we observed that the prostitute having a ignorant behavior with the servant although there is a bouquet of flower on her hand. In addition, both eye of the prostitute is facing toward the viewer. 

In terms of appearance, the transition of light on the naked girl is slightly unnatural.Why?

The development of camera start from the year approximately about 1817 years. Hence, there is a high possibility that the artwork actually is a picture before changed into a artwork on a canvas.This could be a reasonable when the cat was being shocked by the some of the element and the posture of the head of the prostitute at front posture indicating she is the main subject matter in this artwork. this can be explained through the expression of the black cat in the picture.

In addition, there is also a stratification of the social class of the salve.Why? The prostitute tend to have a higher class than the black servant when she work as a famous, high ended prostitute who only received appointment from the customer after he saw this artwork.

Neoclassicm -Napoleon Crossing the Saint-Bernard



Jacques-Louis David, Napolean Crossing the Saint Bernard. 1800-01, Oil  piant, Musee National du Chateau de la Malmaison, Rueil -Malmaison

 The figure shows that Napolean is rearing a horse on a hill. It shows the glory of the Napolean which he is leading to the top of the Alps in Italy in 1800.

The animal that Napolean rearing on the way to the Alps is a horse. which urgue the viewer to follow him. However, the questions comes when the painter of this artwork is replacing the donkey which Napolean rear into a horse?

From the research, it shows that the Napolean is crossing the Alps mountain with a dockey and a simple grey coat. However, it is different with the artwork which shows Napoleon is crossing the Alps mountain with a horse and a luxury garment.


Above analysis give me a indication that Jacques- Louis David wants to present to the whole world regarding his victory over his troop and prove the statue of him who rule over the whole French. It is done during the French revolution.However, David was imprisoned due to the propaganda and the political affilication. (French Revolution and the Visual Language of Power , 2009 )

In terms of appearance, the shape of the cloak suggest that there is a strong windblow over the hill and the extension of his right arm gives me a sense of direction toward the path he will going. In addition, the expression of the Napolean which lead the troop shows a confidence and a solemn expression, this seems to be encouraging his military troop toward the Alps mountain. (wikispaces.com, Napoleon Crossing the Saint-Bernard )

Besides that, the artwork contain some characteristic from the Baroque era, which it gives  a sense of theatre feeling to the viewer. (Art history ,2002) This is obvious when the artwork contain more of diagonal shape rather than organic shape. For example, the triangle lines can be seen from front  leg of the horse to the extend hand of the napolean; followed by the back leg of the horse.

In addition, the posture of the Napolean left leg  as well as the cloak blown by the wind gives the viewer a sense of movement. The attire worn by the Napolean indicating the power and the statues as a General.

Resources:

Mod World, (N.D.), Napolean Crossing the Saint-Bernard painted in 1800 by Jacques -Louis David, retrieved by 22th August2011,from http://modwrld.wikispaces.com/message/view/home/14058747 

Stephen Addiss; Chu-Tsing Li; Marylin M. Rhie, Christopher D. Roy,(2002) Chapter 27 Nineteenth-Century Art in Europe and the United States.,Art History Second Edition, The University of Kansas, Retrieved by 22th August 2011.

New Museum of Comtemporary Art (2009),  Lesson : French Revolution and Visual Language of Power, Retrieved from 22th August 2011 , from http://www.gclass.org/lessons/plans/french-revolution-and-visual-language-of-power

Gianlorenzo Bernini, Saint Maria della Vittoria, Rome

Baroque period is a era which the most of the artist emphasize  more on the drama,theoretical style on their artwork.

For example, Let us have a look on the Cornaro Chapel. Bernini worked the design of the funerary of Chapel Federigo Cornaro in the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, which have been design by other artist, Carlo Maderno.  

On the 1652, Bernini covered the wall of the chapel with the marble panel.While the  heavy cornice as a decorative purpose are supported by the marble pilaster. In order to create the in depth effect, Bernini have attach the window and a curve ceiling surrounding the sculpture which create a sense of in depth space.

Alright, when I focus on the center of the sculpture, the sculpture shows a figure is holding a arrow and another person is suffering from some impact. The sculpture is called Teresa and the angel,  who seem floating on a cloud. The figure on the left is angel which holding an arrow, while on the right one is the Teresa.


From this artwork, this give me a lot of question. What is the aim of creating this artwork ? What is the artwork representing during Baroque period?


When i further my research regarding this artwork, 

 The work is represent a vision which an angel pierced her body with  an arrow and transporting her to a sense of religious ecstasy.
Well, what is mean by the religious ecstasy?


Religious ecstasy refer to the a sense of oneness with the God.

I quite impress with the Bernini artwork when he is able to gain the movement and emotion of the figures through the texture he created especially on the drapery cloth, the expression of the angel from  white, mass of marble.

Indeed,   I can feel that although the sculpture were done from a huge marble, the posture of the Teresa with a drapery attire laying on the cloud makes the whole sculpture weightless.


From another perspective, we can observed that the Bernini are excellent on the conveying the texture of the garment which create a smooth, a pleasure body posture although some of the Teresa body               is visible.


On the other hand, Bernini also using some bronze stroke which represent the light ray. At the same time , the window also covered by the light ray.

Culture in Egypt/ Greek in Malaysia Part 6

I am replacing the National Monument with Pudu Prison building, I think it is a good example for this.

This time, I saw some of the Greek Element in this Historical Building in Malaysia. It is obvious when Malaysia is a multicultural society, so the element applied on the building also changed along the time.

As we can see from the picture,

It is Pudu Jail in Kuala Lumpur.Although we knew that the Pudu Jail was built by the British colonial government,  the building of the Pudu building still  consist of several culture element. 

We can see that the two tower is similar with the Islamic religious tower in Malaysia.

On the upper middle part of the  the building consist consist like a wall like   structure that look alike a castle from the British.

In the middle bottom side of the building, there consist of 6 column that I believe it is a Greek element.

Besides that, in term of the kitsch matter in Malaysia, I observed that some of our building were applied the Doric or even the pilaster in their building. Some of the house developer in Malaysia uses the Doric for the commercial usage rather than use the Doric in an artistic way. 

The doric was used as a supporting foundation and were used in huge quantity for commercial purpose

The usage of the pillar have degraded which it used for decoration and commercial purpose only. This is a degradation on the usage of the pillar rather than symbolize something in a society.

Another example regarding the kitsch issues in Malaysia is the villager tends to build their house over a number of pillar.What draw me into the interest is the house actually in a temporary placed which the pillar seem used as a supporting foundation of the building.  The questions come to my mind when u see the figure below:

The building is built in this manner due to prevent boar animal from attacking or even entering their houses.This form a protective shelter to the village. Indeed, the availability of the house to move mobility makes an advantage to the owner to move their house from one area to another area. This method is useful for a low-land house which will flood during the raining season in Malaysia.

An event, moving the house by number of villagers

At last, the pillar as a foundation was left out after the moving activity of the houses.

 However, if we flash back to the past, the heritage building that exist in Malaysia today actually contains lot of doric and pilaster which is built during the colonization of Portugal, Holland and the British.

Commentary

I have received a few comments from my lecturer regarding my blog...

Your texts are ok on similarity of use, but not similarity of style with Greek and Egypt--National Monument in particular. Take another look. I dont think it is a good example. 

Kitsch is not just in relation to 'pillars' or columns. It refers to a wide variety of uses of forms from other cultures and degradation of home culture. 

Look it up and re-apply it to the images.

Hence, I will post my another post regarding this issues stated above.

Culture in Egypt/ Greek in Malaysia Part 5

The Malaysian National Monument

The Malaysia National Monument shows a high relief in term of the sculpture (Greek Culture). It have some characteristic of the Greek sculpture which it is more realistic element and less rigid on the sculpture.

There is a difference in term of the usage of this sculpture, the Malaysia national monument is used as a place to honour the person who pass away during the Malayan Emergency while the sculpture of the Greek was used as a symbolism of a god. For example, the Venus De Milo, is a symbolic of beauty,woman.