Defining a Period in Art History

Our class has been covering a wide range of time periods within the large scope of art history. We have been exposed to terms such as: idealism, naturalism, reductionism, or humanism; all of these terms are characteristic in the larger scheme of their time periods but I couldn't help but ask myself the question—is it fair to define a period by a single term? After much thought and careful observation, I must answer with a resounding no. If you take the time period during the Renaissance (14th-16th centuries) and observe the artistic tendencies of artists in both the northern and southern renaissance areas, you will notice that there is a vast variety in just about every element of art in every composition. Take Piero della Francesca's The Flagellation of Christ, ca. 1469 (Southern Renassaince) and Robert Campin's Altarpiece, ca. 1425 (Northern Renaissance) and you will quickly realize the vast differences, as well as similarities, between the two. The most noticeable difference between two pieces from the North and South is perspective; even the perspective in separate scenes of the same painting change. If you notice in the The Flagellation of Christ, the lines of the left scene definitely do not match those of the right side. Similarly, in the in each scene of the Altarpiece, each perspective varies. This example should show the everyday art admirer that artists do not always stick to the "terms" of their time but, instead, choose to create their own styles by mixing the ingredients available to their personal liking. Perhaps this brief example will make you think twice before pairing an "ism" with a diverse period in art history.


Pierro della Francesca, The Flagellation of Christ, ca. 1469
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/piero/flagellation.jpg
Robert Campin, Altarpiece, ca. 1425
http://www.casa-in-italia.com/artpx/flem/images/Campin_Metropolitan_Merode_Triptych.JPG

The Visual Narrative

This past week, our class has been discussing the meaning of the visual narrative. A formal definition would define the term as the story that accompanies a certain image, but, some pictures communicate far more than any words could express. To put it as plainly as possible, every picture has a story behind it; painters do not just paint a picture for the sheer entertainment (although this cannot be generalized for all artists of the sort) of it, they have reasons behind every brushstroke, behind every color, and behind every figure. You would be hard pressed to find an image that had a purposeless figure in it or an out of place object in the background; an artist would not spend hours to years on a particular piece to have objects in it with no message behind them. Keeping this in mind, as mindful observers, we must take the time to think about the stories accompanied with the image either before or after the depicted moment. These aspects lend important clues to the meaning of particular elements and must be considered in order to get the most out of admiring a piece of art. If you want to be inspired or touched by a painting, you must open your mind to inspiration—critical thinking is crucial. True inspiration comes to those who take the time to invest themselves in the process of reading the visual narrative, a story that is always unfolding to the open-minded.

The Past Inevitably Influences the Future

If you have been attending class (hopefully this is true), you should undoubtedly notice the repeated theme that art from the past LARGELY affects art in the present. Recently, Professor Wang has been discussing Greek art and the strong influence it has carried into Western culture—and many others as well. But why is their art so special? I believe it is due to the fact that the Greeks took pride in their artwork and the time necessary to craft pieces that would inevitably stand the test of time. If you walk around any city with buildings (pretty much all of them), you may notice some structures—normally important buildings—have varying styles of columns. I believe it is safe to say that the majority of columns in modern architecture reflect that of the Greek culture. For instance, if you look at any Google Image of the White House, it is easy to see that the columns are of the Ionic order—meaning that the capital (topmost section of the column) is scrolled. No architect in their right mind would take someone's idea and apply it to one of the most important buildings in the nation without making sure that it effectively communicated the right message to the public; the message being that the man who resides here is to be respected and will do what is necessary to lead this nation in the direction it needs to go. This has been a friendly reminder to realize that the past inevitably influences the future. See for yourself!