Thesis on "Comparison Between 2 Pieces of Art"

Thesis 5 pages (1517 words) Sources: 0

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Art has always had a great importance throughout history. The reasons for which this statement is true are numerous. On the one hand art is a means of evolution. On the other hand, it is a more than relevant means of expression and communication. Its purpose has been purely esthetical, but also pragmatic when it had to communicate certain messages. Art reflects the values of its creator, but also the ones of the society in which in was produced.

The purpose of the following paper is to describe, analyze and compare two statues which are part of an exhibition at the Metropolitan museum of art.

These statues are: Virgin and child, which is attributed to Claux de Werve and Virgin and child in Majesty. They are exhibited in the medieval art area on the first floor. They both represent iconic representations inspired by the Bible, but they communicate different manners in which people relate to divinity.

The first statue is French. It was created in Poligny, Burgundy. The piece is attributed to Claus de Werve, who lived between 1380 and 1439. Limestone, polychromy, gilding are the main technical coordinates. The sculpture is one of the four that the museum managed to get from Poligny. It is believed that the piece was a present made by John the Fearless, duke of Burgundy or his wife Margaret of Bavaria to the convent which they founded at Poligny. The convent belonged to the Franciscan order of the poor classes. It is believed that the statue was located in the area dedicated to the nuns and where acts of devotion were supposed to take place.

The statue gives a highly monumental feeling. It represents the virgin Mary holding baby Jesus

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in her lap. The baby is looking at her with an expression which can be interpreted in more than one way. One of the elements which makes this statue special is the fact that baby Jesus is holding a book. The book is open and the baby is holding his right hand on one of the pages. From the gesture we deduce that what he is actually doing is asking virgin Mary to explain something. In other words, he is looking for an answer. What we have here is a metaphor. The viewer must understand that the human side of Jesus as a child is very strong. He is not omniscient as his creator. His knowledge is limited. The manifestation of God as a human has limited awareness of the world and limited knowledge of the truth. The message that is transmitted is that we as humans, as children of the lord, also have a limited capacity to understand the world which surrounds us and to find the truth.

The fact that the child is turning to his mother in order to get the desired answer tells something about the status of virgin Mary as well. She is the one who holds all the answers or better yet, she is the one who can teach the baby how to get the answers on his own. From this point-of-view she is an incarnation of Wisdom.

Another further interpretation that we can give is that humans should look up to virgin Mary and ask her to endow them with some of her wisdom. The process of transmitting knowledge does not occur through revelation. The child is rather taught how to get to the truth on his own. The mystic dimension of the process remains nevertheless strong.

The body attitude of virgin Mary is protective, reassuring but at the same time very relaxed. What the viewer must understand is that this is the attitude that divinity has in relation to her children (the people). God will protect his children and teach them what is the right path to follow.

Through God's teachings and protection we will be able to reach the goals of wisdom, balance and happiness. It is obvious that the message that the sculpture was supposed to transmit was a religious and pious one. One could assume that the artist was asked to produce the piece taking into account the fact that its owners turned it into a gift and that its final location was represented by a convent.

It is safe to say that the statue reflects the values of the period in which it was created. Divinity is believed to be omniscient and generous. Divinity is the very source of truth and wisdom. The protection of the divinity acts as a legitimating factor.

The sculpture has a dark shade of brown. The colour is warm and it suggests solemnity. It is not very bright though and it may also suggest sadness. The suggested interpretation refers to the attitude of piousness and solemnity which is associated with the contemplation of God and the acts of devotion and veneration.

The second sculpture is called Virgin and child in majesty. It is dated between 1150 and 1200. Oak, polychromy, gesso, linen are the key words regarding the technical aspect of the sculpture. The piece is French. It is believed it was made in Auvergne.

It is a wooden sculpture made of oak. It is polychromed and gessoed. The object, just like the title tells us belongs to the area of religious art. It represents biblical figures and it is inspired by the new testament. Just like the former one, it is a Christian statue representing virgin Mary and baby Jesus.

The attitude of the characters is highly monumental. The statue inspires awe and respect. The virgin is seated not on an almighty throne but on a chair. The majesty therefore derives from the very nature of the characters and not from the richness of the material possessions. This is a metaphorical lesson regarding the Christian values: modesty, relevance of the spirit, etc. The carving is very beautiful and it gives an almost strage feeling to the piece which, through its outline, wants to suggest semlicity and sobriety (some further Christian values).

The child is seated in the lap of virgin Mary. Both of them are depicted in a frontal pose. This particular type of sculpture is known as Sedes Sapientiae. The Latin saying means throne of wisdom. The interpretations which can be given are more than interesting. On the one hand, we have the simplicity of the throne on which Mary is seated. Therefore we must understand that there is a direct association between simplicity, modesty and wisdom.

On the other hand, the fact that the baby is standing in the virgin's lap makes her a throne for him. Taking into account the virgin was human and acquired a sacred dimension through her actions, one might understand that humanity serves as the throne of Christ and the world is his kingdom.

Another important idea is the one of ascendance. Mary as a mother supports her son, just like our ancestors support us. She acts as a sort of frame, just like our ancestors are a frame for us, defining our identity.

There is little interaction between them. She is nevertheless protective in her attitude. Besides protection in her gesture and expression we understand the act that she is showing the baby to the world. The conveyed message is that she is showing the world what the truth is. Therefore Christ the baby becomes the symbol of absolute knowledge and truth.

The manner in which they interact makes the viewer understand that they are equally important. They are both symbols of wisdom and justice. The main message that the statue transmits is that the divinity must be worshipped for its omniscience. It is most likely a devotional object and it was probably used in church processions. The fact that the statue has two cavities, one located behind the shoulder of the virgin and the other one at… READ MORE

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Quoted Instructions for "Comparison Between 2 Pieces of Art" Assignment:

“

Project: A descriptive analysis and comparison of 2 sculptures or 2 paintings.The works are on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Format: 5-6 pages, typed in Times 12 font, double-spaced, one inch margins.

How to begin: Go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and pick a pair from one of the groups below. Be sure that the acquisition number on the label matches those given below.

GROUP ONE: Sculpture

I. Enthroned Virgin and Child; French, second half of the 12th century.1st floor, Medieval Art, (16.32.194)

and/or

II. Mother and Child; Mali, 15th-20th century. 1st floor, Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, (1979.206.121).

and/or

III. Virgin and Child, attributed to Claux de Werve; French, about 1420. 1st Floor Medieval Art (same room as Enthroned Virgin and Child).

GROUP TWO: Sculpture.

I. Marble Statue of Wounded Amazon, Roman, Impe4rial Period, 1st-2nd c. A.D. Copy of a Greek bronze statue of ca.450-425 B.C. 1st floor, located in the long corridor before the new Greek and Roman Galleries, (32.11.4)

and

II. Saint Sebastian, late 15th century. 1st floor, Medieval Art, (61.15.2).

Organizing and Writing the paper.

I. Begin by formulating a theme around which to organize your comparison.

II. Make an outline that will argue the theme logically from the evidence of the works of art.

III. Do research. Find out general background information about each work using one or two books and the Metropolitan museum website,(metmuseum.org). I will not accept any information from Wikipedia or any other website. When consulting the books you should look for relevant information about the piece, i.e. the meaning of the work, symbolism, original location, function, artist (if applicable), religious and/or cultural beliefs of the society which produced it, etc. If you do not find information about the specific work (this may be the case with some of the Medieval and Roman sculptures I've listed), you can still find information about these types of works (function, meaning, style, usual location, etc). For example, you may not find specific information about the Saint Sebastian sculpture in group 2, but you can still find information about this "type" of sculpture and its usual function and style, etc.

IV. You can use the Nolan Library at the Uris Center for Education at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

You can find the books that you need beforehand on the museum website by using Watsononline, the Museum's libraries online catalouge. Look under "Educational Resources" on the main menu.You can also use CUNY +, the online database of all the CUNY libraries. You can borrow books from any of the CUNY libraries with a valid school i.d.

V. You MUST CITE the source for all information from outside sources. Failur to do so is plagiarism. Use footnotes and include a bibliography.

Footnotes go at the bottom oft he page:

Author's first and last name, book title (city of publicationL Publishing Company, year), page #

The Bibliography(list of all sources) is typed on a separate sheet at the end of the paper; Author's last name. Book Title. City of publication: Publishing Company, year.

If you include information from the museum label or website, you must cite this as well!!!

VI. The structure of your paper will depend on what you have to say, but it should include, at the minimum, the following components: introduction (in which you state the organizing theme of your analysis); discussion of the first work of art and your research about the work; discussion of second work of art and your research about the work; comparison of the two; contrast of the two; a conclusion. Usually, it is best to first analyze one sculpture or painting and than to integrate the comparison and contrast of the two sculptures or paintings into your discussion of the second one.

VII. Using your outline as a guide, write the paper. Remember that your goal is to use close observations about two works of art to illustrate a theme, so be specific. Imagine that you are explaining these works of art to someone who cannot see them, and therfore, always support your observations with specific examples, not vague generalizations.

VIII.Proofread your paper, checking grammaar, syntax, spelling, and punctuation. NO personal pronouns!!

IX. You will be graded on the organization and logic of your paper's structure, your use of outside sources, and the clarity and vividness of your writing.

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