Activity 11: Periods and Cultures

The Renaissance or rebirth refers to a period of revival of interest from the dark Middle ages of “ignorance and intellectual decline” to the Classical art of the ancient Roman and Greek culture (Getlein, 393). A period of artwork refers to a span of time of at least 100 years where artists create work with distinct but similar styles, approaches and techniques. Roughly covering the period from the 1400 to 1600, numerous artistic changes arose in the world of art during the Renaissance; to the point where some say it was here the concept of “art” officially arose (393). Most notably known for its conception in Italy the Renaissance gave us some of the most prolific and extraordinarily talented artists of all time; Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael… “Saint John in the Desert” and “Saint John the Evangelist on Patmos” and are two artworks both created during different times in the Renaissance period and are representative of a distinct Italian culture. Differences and similarities are apparent in both works as they relate to period and culture.


This first painting “Saint John in the Desert” was composed by Domenico Veneziano in1445 and hails from Florence, Italy in the Early Renaissance. The Early Renaissance was the final transitional period from the intensely religiously preoccupied High Middle Ages to a renewed interest in the liberal arts and the peak of architectural and artistic advancements in the Renaissance. Nonetheless, the Renaissance still greatly respected and valued religious works; the period singe-handedly is accountable for the creation of world famous religious architectures and art. Thus it is not ironic that Veneziano chose to create the religious themed painting. Created with tempera on panel, Veneziano’s painting is a part of a large altarpiece in the church of Santa Lucia de' Magnoli in Florence (399). Though created during the Renaissance the sharp stylized forms of the background is suggestive of a lingering dependency possibly on artistic styles of the High Middle Ages.


“Saint John the Evangelist on Patmos” was created in 1547 in Venice, Italy by Titian who is known as the greatest Venetian painter of the High Renaissance (408). The High Renaissance depicts the highlight of the period where some of the greatest works in history was created. During this time the culture of Italian art peaked with artistic creativity and inventions like that of using the new medium of oil on canvas instead of tempera. Although Titian differed from Veneziano in the utilization of this medium, he shared a movement similarity in his creation of a religious themed painting.

Titian Venetian and Domenico Veneziano created artworks that although similar in theme display similarities and differences in the period and culture of which they were created.

Critical Thinking Essay

I would choose Gerhard Richter’s “Annunciation After Titian” to save if an impending meteorite were to strike the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, DC for its religious theme and its expressive use of design elements.

This oil on linen painting is one of a series of five created by Richter in 1973 after he viewed the original “Annunciation” Titian Venetian composed in 1540. This religious themed painting is representative of one of the most famous and spiritual events in Biblical history and Christianity; the moment in which a kneeling Virgin Mary receives the Holy Spirit and is approached by the angel Gabriel who brings news that she had been chosen by God to bear His only son. Spirituality and/or religion are vital and fundamental aspects of humanity and can be found in every culture and civilization. It is important to me that art respective of this primary element of life would be preserved for others to experience.

As it relates to design elements, Richter’s work is impressive. While thematically a reproduction of Titian’s work it differs in its naturalistic yet surrealist representation. Visually, the painting is not clear but hazy and blurred instead. It appears to be created with soft sweeping brushstrokes in which the colors bleed into a trancelike scene. The emphatic use of the vibrant primary color red is symbolically important and serves as a natural focal point creating both emphasis and variety.

If not for its historical and religious reason motives or its creative and exemplar utilization of design elements but simply for its illuminating view and sheer beauty, I choose to save Gerhard Richter’s “Annunciation After Titian”.
-Haneika Edwards



While particularly problematic to move, Henry Moore's sculpture "Three-Way Piece No. 3- Vertebrae" would be my choice to save if the Hirschhorn Museum was about to be destroyed. Located in the the museums Sculpture Garden, the statue is not a conventional piece of art. Personally, I prefer sculpture and 3 dimentional art over paintings because they are less common and are not what first comes to mind when thinking of art. I know I would definitely save a sculpture to remind people that art is not just 2 dimentional. Furthermore, as the name suggests, it is meant to creatively represent 3 different vertebrae. This carry over, science becoming art, especially small individual parts of the human body, is one of my favorite genres. Unfortunately there is not much well known art, much less art given the honor of being displayed at the Hirschhorn, that follows this subject matter. Overall, my reasoning for saving this particular piece of art is because itis a good representation of how art does not have to be all paintings of landscapes and people but can be obscure and still be beautiful.
-Emily Karl

Activity #10: Mediums and Techniques

In 1547, Titian Venetian created Saint John the Evangelist on Patmos using the medium oil on canvas. Medium is referred to as the material from which a work of art is made as well as the liquid mixed with a pigment ( powdered color) to make paint that also binds together the particles of color without dissolving them (Getlein, 168). Oil paints are simply self-explanatory, and consist of pigment compounded with oil. Titian’s work is demonstrative of several known characteristics of oil paintings. Oil paint dries very slowly and consequently allows the artist the opportunity to blend colors subtly, apply very thick or thin layers of paint and rework various sections of their paintings (173). The darker or richest colors in Titian’s painting such as the raven and the suspended angel’s wing appear to be made with thick applications of pigment while the lighter values represents thinner applications. Oil is known as sensuous medium with a distinctive feel and smell (176). Visually speaking, the painting appears to be created with soft brushstrokes some of which are purposely visible in creating the elements of the scene. Oil paints are also known to yellow and darken with age which leaves the viewer to imagine the luster and vibrancy the painting once possessed now replaced with a dullish view.





Domenico Veneziano created Saint John in the Desert in 1445 using the medium of tempera on panel. Tempera is described as paint in which the pigment is mixed with an aqueous, emulsified medium, typically egg yolk (171). Unlike oil tempera dries very quickly, making it difficult if at all possible for colors to easily blend once they are set. An advantage of tempera though is its retention of a painting’s luster and brilliance for centuries (171). Thus, despite its lack of gleam and shine Veneziano’s painting appears well preserved. In this work, the paint’s texture is undeniably apart of the painting. Veneziano used harsher brush strokes in his painting; likely to conform to the environmental theme of the scene. This in combination with shifts in value of earthy tones and implied directional lines suggests the painting has a rugged and textured feel.

Activity 9: Write About It

The invention of the camera and the “art” of photography appeared in the early 19th century and as agreed upon by some, could not have appeared at a more perfect time. Why one might ask? Simply, because it unveiled invaluable opportunities for the appearance of visual art and their talented creators while forever changing the face of art as it was previously known. The most apparent change in visual arts that was brought about with the widespread use of the camera and photography relates to theme and subject matter, form (or type) and expressiveness.

Prior to the creation of the camera the appearance and content of visual art as was generally stipulated by four common themes or purposes: religion, classical, portraitures, and commemoration. Artists lacked individuality and expressive liberty and thus all their creations were traditional and reflective of the ideas and themes of times past. In expansion, artists were limited to the creation of paintings and sculptures representative of religious themes of which they were commissioned by religious organizations and churches. As well, art depicting classical themes, portraitures of the wealthy and upper-class aristocrats, and the commemoration of historical or important events were expected, common and accurately portrayed the face of visual art.

With the creation of the camera, several benefits were reaped. First, the camera allowed for the creation of optically convincing representations of people and objects without the use of the design techniques of perspective and chiaroscuro, which previously were the only methods available to artists through painting (Getlein, 210). Its ability to create permanent images that reflected light was especially important as it impacted artistic movements later in the century. Secondly, with advancements in technology the camera became portable and able to create instant, real-time, clear, accurate, multiple, and cost-effective depictions of people and events as they occurred. Thus, the products of photography also became portable, available for mass and immediate distribution, and representative of anything. “Almost anywhere a person could go, a camera could now go; almost anything a person could see, a camera could record (215). Nature, daily life, “regular people” and politics and social order with its consequences of war and turmoil quickly became popular and regular subjects. Photography was made available to the general public and was easily accessible in journals, newspapers and the media. As the expressive liberties of the camera and photography became widespread so did those of painters, sculptures and other types of artists and the walls and constraints of the common artistic themes and purposes that previously restrained them began to crumble. These liberties were expounded with the formation of several artistic movements that occurred along with the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century period known as Modernism.

Impressionism was the first artistic movement during this Modernistic Era. The movement is defined by subject matter and technique and represents art work painted outdoors that portrayed daily life (in opposition to the time’s academic art) and the rebuffing of traditional painting with its preliminary sketch of one of the four typical themes and its indoor completion with smooth, soft and hidden brushstrokes (584). In Impressionism the technique involved quick, deliberate, broken and visible brushstrokes. Embracing this new movement with its bold concepts and techniques and along with his desire to create design harmonies of light, color and shape as it visibly appeared to him labeled Claude Monet as the most exemplar Impressionist painter (514). As a pioneer in Impressionism, Monet’s work inspired others such as Henry O. Tanner (“The Banjo Lesson) and James McNeill Whistler (“Nocturne in Blue and Gold”) to also create exemplar Impressionist works.

As with all movements and eras past, the Impressionist movement died and several artistic movements rose and also fell in its footsteps. These include Post-Impressionism, Abstract Expressionism, Cubism, and Dadaism. Many of the art work of these movements projected the theme of politics and social order and following the footsteps of photography explored the potential of abstraction and non-representation. As photography proved to bear witness to and document events so were the themes, forms, and expressions of Dadaistic art. Described as provocative and absurd, Dadaism was formed in 1916 as a reaction to the gruesome fatalities of World War I and was more reflective of an attitude than a movement (222). As an anti-war movement, Dada protested everything: the complacent and conformist society that instigated war and the social and economic consequences it presented (528). It detested commonality, stillness, labeling and structures of all form. In addition, Dada embraced and encouraged creativity, life, spontaneity, ambiguity with all types of expressive unconventional art and artists. Expectantly, a defining theme of Dada would include photographs and collages of wars, leaders, poverty and destruction. Collages are from real source materials such as fabric, newspapers, and magazines—all are cut and arranged methodically onto a surface. Using this unique and expressive art form especially in making political statement, Hannah Hoch became one of Dada’s most prolific artists.

Throughout the 19th century the invention of the camera and its widespread use in photography has forever impacted the appearance of visual arts and their creators in theme and subject, form and expressiveness.

Activity 8: BLOG IT! Collage

The above is representative of a ransom note collage. The tools utilized in creating this collage were newspaper clippings and pictures from various signs within the community. Visual elements of color and design principles of emphasis, variety and subordination can be seen.

Activity 6 & 7: Art 101 Mid-Term Exhibition and Introduction

Art is one of the most ancient, unique and individualized forms of human expression. Evidence and findings exists demonstrating and proving that from the earliest civilizations around 30,000 years B.C.E., various forms of art have been used to express themes (Getlein, 5). Themes are conceptual threads woven continuously throughout (art) history that allow us to study the world from a particular point of view (50). As a necessary ingredient in art, many such threads of themes exist that depict feelings, describe nature, record stories, history, life and events, evoke emotions, offer praise, proclaim statements (subtly or overtly) or simply satisfy needs. As the perception of life and the world is individual, so are the themes in art. However, minor room exists for variances in opinion about the theme of the following exhibition. Composed chronologically, these six expressions of art were created by artists representing diverse civilizations, cultures, and time periods. The defining theme that connects and illustrates the relationship among them is that of politics and social order. Using visual elements and various principles of design these works boldly display the politics and social order of societies in time’s history.

The theme of politics and social order is present in art from the beginning of recorded time. The first two works, The Great Sphinx and the Burial Mask of Tutankhamen were created within 2000 years of each other and arise from the Egyptian civilization whose artwork is recognized for its timelessness and continuity and its allegiance to its pharaohs (leaders). The shape of The Great Sphinx, a limestone monumental sculpture, is the head of man believed to be the pharaoh Khafre and the body of a reposed lion. Likely created by lower class Egyptians slaves its height ascends 65 ft and it body’s length expands 200 ft. The sphinx is representative of the king, and thus is symbolic of order, stability, power and fortitude (357). The scale and mass of this monument displays the power and importance of the pharaoh and is the largest sculpture of its type (137, 87). Placement and light was employed ingenuously by these early artists. The sphinx faces the east—thus is illuminated daily by the light of the rising sun, further emphasizing importance (134). Tutankhamen like Khafre was an Egyptian ruler. His distinctive mask is made of solid gold, adorned with symbolic artifacts and colors and confers immortality.

The four remaining artworks boldly depict or proclaim political events and/or the social order of the time. Francisco de Goya’s painting titled Executions of the Third of May, 1808 uses the visual elements of the primary colors red and yellow as well as light and directional lines to create emphasis and subordination in the dramatic historical scene during the invasion of Spain by Napoleon (136). Numerous members of an uprising force were brutally murdered by firing squads at the hands of French soldiers. Continuing, Aaron Douglas’ painting Into Bondage simultaneously portrays the plight of slavery and bondage of African Americans in America and hope and determination for freedom and the future. For centuries, African Americans ranked at the bottom of the social order in America. Douglas creates distinct geometric shapes with the use of light and shifts in values of the primary color blue (95). Directional lines are created by a procession of gold chained men who enter the horizon from the right and light permeates the face of the painting’s central character as he gazes boldly toward it (85). These elements and the subject of the painting accurately fulfill this theme.

The fifth work of art is a wood engraving created by Rockwell Kent’s, Workers of the World, Unite! This work is illustrative of the time period of the Great Depression in America and the efforts of industrial workers to unionize and survive. An industrial worker can be seen vehemently warding off the bayonets of unseen individuals projecting from the right of the scene with a shovel. Directional lines are used to create fire which also projects from the right adding to the challenges and forces the worker faces. Emphasis and subordination are displayed as the vigilant fighter is poised defensively at the center of the work, appearing larger and serving as the picture’s main focal point. Visually, black and white are the only colors present in the work and deem appropriate for the significance of the scene.

Lastly, and possibly the most recognized depiction of politics and social order of all these works is Pablo Picasso’s Guernica. This famous painting depicts and protests the purposeful and inhumane destruction of the people and city of Guernica, Spain by the Nazi’s in April of 1937 during the Spanish Civil War (60). Scaled at 25 ft long and 12ft high scenes of dread, fear, pain, anguish and death can be seen as fire engulfs lives and the city. Black and white with shades of gray are the only colors used and geometrical shapes are clearly visible in the distorted and fragmented bodies of the paintings’ abstracted characters (581).

These six works are exemplar examples of art created by different artists, in different cultures, and different time periods yet all connected and woven by the theme of politics and social order.


The Great Sphinx c. 2500 B.C.E.
Limestone Rock
Cairo, Egypt




Burial Mask of Tutankhamen c. 1325 B.C.E
Gold inlaid with blue grass and semiprecious stones
Egyptian Museum, Cairo




Francisco de Goya
Executions of the Third of May, 1808. 1814-1815
Oil on Canvas
Museum del Prado




Aaron Douglas
Into Bondage. c. 1936
Oil on canvas
In the Collection of the Corcoran Gallery of Art,Washington DC,USA




Rockwell Kent
Workers of the World, Unite! c. 1937
Wood engraving
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C



Pablo Picasso
Guernica c.1937
Oil on Canvas
Museo Nacional Centro de Reina