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