That Gentleman- Analysis by Mitsi Pimentel

That Gentleman
1960 by Andrew Wyeth, American born 1917

Visual/Formal Analysis of Works of Art
By
Mitsi Pimentel




Introduction:
That Gentleman is a 23 ½ in. by 47 ¾ in. tempera on panel painting. The artist’s model is a man named Tom Clark. He was a simple man from Chester County. Wyeth thought of him as a gentleman with a keen wit and enormous wisdom. This painting is owned by the Dallas Art Association and can be seen at the Dallas Museum of Art.


Art Elements:

Line – Vertical lines run through all walls and are echoed in the door as well. The horizontal line of the table leads straight to the sitter’s chair and back which are emphasized with light in the middle foreground of the painting. An implied line is created from the left of the table to the sitter’s knee on the other side of the picture. The lines of the back of the chair are at such an angle that you might think the sitter is pushed back with the chair on only the two back legs in a very relaxed pose. Line also emphasizes the objects that hang on the wall in the background and bring them to your attention. The vanishing point is the sitter’s left hand where the diagonal and the horizontal implied lines intersect.

Shapes – Shapes are organic in nature. The angles of the sitters face as well as his body and clothes are very fluid in comparison to the sharper geometric patterns of the surrounding walls and tables. They add volume and the appearance of texture.

Space – Depth is created by placing the sitter and his table and chairs close to the viewer and the walls, doors and objects farther away. The artist also achieves the sense of depth with shading and shadowing, deeper colors giving the sense of farther away from where the viewer stands. The wall that the sitter faces is a negative space. But according to the sitter’s gaze full of possibilities. With his mouth slightly open and his left hand in a gesture of some sort, you might guess he is speaking to someone sitting out of the viewers sight.

Light – A stream of light beams down from the upper left corner of the painting into the portrait and is the first thing that grabs your attention when you first glance at the painting. This seems to be an implied natural light from a window. The shadow created by the right arm, cuts across the wrist of the left hand and is very naturalistic.

Color – The dominant colors in this painting are soft grays and browns. Rather than a dreary feeling, it gives you a feeling of calm and contemplation. The brown hues give a homogenous effect. The darker browns of the sitter’s face are echoed in the lighter browns and tans of the tattered and old vest. The brown walls compliment the clothing while the gray hues of the door and walls show us the shadows and shading. The atmospheric perspective is accomplished in the dark cool colors in the background and the warm browns in the foreground highlighted by the light streaming in.

Texture – There are no apparent brush stokes or texture to the painting. Tempera paint is applied in many thin layers and gives a matte finish to the painting. Tempera paint is accomplished by mixing pigments with egg yolk and is very fast drying and durable. Unlike oil, tempera retains it’s color and does not yellow or darken. Many works from the 15th century in tempera look the same today as when they were painted. The artist must be very precise due to the fast drying quality of this medium. In That Gentleman, visual texture is achieved through the artist’s use of shading and layering of colors. Note the worn paint on the chair. You know the feel of that chair when you look at it as if you had touched it.

Balance – The balance is asymmetrical in the fact that the majority of the objects and sitter are to the left of the painting. The right is filled mostly with an empty wall. However, the door seems to sit in the middle of the painting like an anchor that gives the feeling of balance none the less.

Emphasis – The focal point in the painting seems to be where the light hits. You first notice the old back of the chair and the back of the sitter. Then your eye is drawn to the left hand. From there you follow a line to the face then the scissors on the wall. Finally back to the face where you begin to wonder what the sitter is looking at in the negative space. This leads to contemplation on the viewer’s part. This painting makes you stop and think and wonder.

Rhythm – The repetition of the vertical lines in the panels of the wall and the door are very apparent. Looking closely, you can see the same pattern repeated in the lines of the table drawers.

Tut Ananlysis by Margie Clark

Visual / Formal Analysis of Works of Art:

I picked an art piece from the Tutankhamun exhibit Dynasty 18, currently on display at Dallas
Museum of Art. This display is on loan from Egypt. This art work from this time period is
Extraordinary not only in workmanship but in design and colors used to enhance the features.
MATERIAL: Gessoed (plaster of paris & glue used as a base for low relief or to prepare surface
for paint) & Painted Wood.
SULPTURE: This image of King Tut in the round is life size of the upper torso only. It is
unknown if it had purpose but speculation by Howard Carter, explorer of the great tomb,
thought that it may have been used as a mannequin to hold robes & jewelry. My thought is that
it was used for much more based on the detailed work put into this object of art.
LINE: Outlines were used in the piece of artwork to define the facial expressions. Eyes, eyebrows,
nose, & lips. It is easy to tell from the sculpture that King Tutankhamun was youthful and full of
joy and happiness as represented by the defined features. No matter where you stand you can feel
his gaze upon you with eyes that are full of expression. His headpiece is defined in such a way to
indicate this was a person of importance. A uraeus represented by Cobra on the Crown, was a symbol
worn by Kings in Egypt.
SHAPE: The image of volume was used to suggest this was a real person vibrant, and healthy with
a slight frame indicating that he was soft not accustomed to hard work.
SPACE; Using lines to portray clothing and headdress are all implied. It is life size in stature but not
overpowering as to dwarf those viewing the object.
LIGHT: Shading was used just a light would have been to features the depth of the eyelids and add
Dimension. The corners of the mouth are slightly indented to indicate expression. The nose is high
lighted to indicate a fine narrow bridge not overpowering indicating all the facial features to be in
Equal proportion to the rest of the face. The ears stand out away from the face with shading under the
Ear lobes and lighting to indicate that piercing on the ear lobes.
COLORS: Vibrant and rich colors are used to enhance the headdress to suggest that it may have been
Color a color worn by royalty. The color on the torso implies that he is wearing a garment made of
sheer material. Dark colors were used to color the skin which were frequently used by artist to indicate the gender. The darker colors during this era were used for males and light colors for female.
Black color to enhance the brow and outline the eyes. Kohl was a color frequently used by royalty to
Enhance eyes for added expression.
TEXTURE; There is no implied texture in this art piece. The torso surface is smooth with the exception
of wear from the ages of time. Chipped paint interrupts the implied smooth texture of the skin on the
face.

Ziggurart of Ur by Michelle Taylor

ZIGGURAT OF UR



The actual significance and meaning of the ziggurat is unknown, but it does describe the structure that was the home of the god in each Mesopotamian city. Mesopotamia is also known as “the Land between the Rivers” which is present-day Iraq. Ur was the last capital of the Sumerian civilization. The Sumerian people believed that a particular deity or god protected each village and city, and in the center of every city there was a temple or ziggurat built. The Ziggurat of Ur was built as a place of worship dedicated to the moon god Nanna. King Ur-Namma started the construction of the ziggurat in the 21st century BC. He is also credited for many temples and ziggurats built in Eridu, Uruk and Nippur. King Shulgi later completed the Ziggurat of Ur in the 21st century BC. He controlled Ur for 48 years as a self-proclaimed god. Shulgi left the control of the city to his sons, but they were not able to hold on to the city they inherited. In 4th century BC after being ruled by various foreign kings the city was abandoned due to the Euphrates River changing its course, which made irrigation extremely difficult. The Ziggurat of Ur is a colossal stepped platform, which is composed of three solid stages or levels with the upper stage over 100 ft. high and the base 210 ft. by 150 ft. The ziggurat looks like a stepped pyramid with stairs leading to the summit, which is thought to support a temple at the top. The four corners of the ziggurat resemble the four points of the compass, reflecting the movement of the sun. The core of the ziggurat consists of sun-baked bricks, which were made out of mud with reeds as a binder. These mud bricks measured around 25 x 16 x 7 centimeters and weight about 4.5 kilograms. Stones were not an option because they were not available to this region. Layers of reed-mats were used to reinforce the mud-bricks and give them strength and protection from moisture. A thick facing of baked or fired bricks were used, these exterior bricks were made out of clay and baked in a mud oven. These bricks measured 30 x 30 x 7 centimeters and weighed up to 15 kilograms. Often kings would stamp their names in the exterior bricks. Weep holes were set at intervals and internal drainage shafts were used to help keep the structure dry. The Ziggurat of Ur has a main staircase in front and two side ones that run up both sides, which meet each other. Each one of these staircases has one hundred steps leading to the temple or shrine. A support called a buttress was built on both sides of the main staircase. This staircase is believed to have served as a tool to bridge the distance between the sky and the earth. The Sumerians believed that the gods and goddess lived in the mountains and if they built their temples tall enough the gods would protect their cities. Nanna was believed to descend down and visit the temple where only a select group of priest and government officials may enter. Priest and priestesses were considered very powerful members of the Sumerian society and they were the selected few who were permitted on the ziggurats and allowed inside the rooms located at its base. Their responsibility was to care for the gods very need. As ziggurats age and years pass new temples were built on the remains of the preceding and the platforms expand under the new temples. Archaeologist can prove this by the different bricks found from various eras in the foundation platforms. From 1922 to 1932 an excavation jointly sponsored by the British Museum and the University of Pennsylvania Museum under the direction of C. Leonard Wooley began excavations at the site of Ur. In the 1960’s and 1970’s the first stages of the ziggurat was reconstructed by the Iraqi Department of Antiquities. This restoration was based upon the ideas of teams who had excavated over the past two hundred years. The Ziggurat of Ur is still well preserved in large parts as the only main remainder of Ur in present-day southern Iraq.



Sources:

Books

Landau, E (1997). The Sumerians: The Cradle of Civilization. Brookfield, Conn.

McIntosh, J (2005). Ancient Mesopotamia: New Perspectives Understanding Ancient Civilization. Santa Barbara, Ca.

Spencer, W (2000). Iraq: Old Land, New Nation in Conflict. Brookfield, Conn.


Websites

Retrieved Nov. 15, 2008 from website: http://www.amazeingart.com/seven-wonders/ziggurat.html

Retrieved Nov. 15, 2008 from website: http://www.islamonline.net/english/In_Depth/Iraq_Aftermath/2003/07/article_02.shtml

Great Pyramids by Margie Clark

“ Great Pyramid”
The pyramids are one of the many wonders of the world. Perhaps the greatest
in all of Egypt. Reverend by Egypt as Holy Shrines for Kings and Rulers who
had served Egypt.
Located in the Valley of the Kings these massive structures dominate the
skyline with their well known design that blend into the landscape as though
they erupted from the bowels of the earth. There are many pyramids in the
Valley of the Kings but with each new creation the Pyramids became larger.
The most famous scene that is photographed more than any other is the
Great Pyramid of Giza. It measures approx 755 ft long, 450 ft high, and covers
over 13 acres. Most of these structures were grouped together much like a small
city which housed temples, chapels, & tombs. The pyramids design possibly
originated based on the peak known as al-Qurn in ancient Egypt which
dominates the valley of the Kings. The outside walls are made of stone quarried
from the surrounding landscape giving it the red color. Granite was used inside
the tombs for the burial chamber walls. Where the stone would have been
easily eroded by the elements the granite walls would have kept the inside
chambers dry and protected from the elements. The basic design remains
consistent while the interior designs vary depending on the architect. Pyramid
of Giza consisted of 3 chambers, the lowest chamber was unfinished and used as
the foundation for the structure. The King and Queens chambers are located
higher in the structure with temples inside the building to honor the Kings.
A series of raised walkways connect several of the smaller pyramids to the
larger pyramid. The outside walls are slant faced with flat tops. The workman-
ship is precise scholars disagree on how this was achieved. The priest & kings
excelled in the study of the arts and science, therefore it seems plausible that
the heavens were a source of their guidance due to the great reverence of the
Sun and Stars as seen in their artwork. Religion was a big part of Egyptian lifestyle
with belief in the afterlife. The lavish art and relics found within the tombs
attested to this belief. Art was placed in the tombs to protect the soul from evil
spirits that may try to harm or disrupt their journey into the afterlife. Art work
that depicted scenes of everyday life are painted on the walls of the tombs.
Statues placed at the entrance guarded the tomb from invaders and guided the
pharaoh on his journey to immortality. Miniature artwork of small statues
represented the servants that would continue to serve the needs of the pharaohs
in the afterlife as well as some items that they used in their lifetime. Larger items
such as boats were placed in the tombs in their belief that they would need a way
to travel the Nile on their journey. Images of the King where sculpted in many
forms from various materials to be used during ceremonies. To honor the King
upon the Kings death these items were placed in the tombs.
Regardless how all these items were made they will remain one of the most
sacred and prolific findings of artwork ever discovered and will continue to
amaze and encourage people to find beauty in all forms of art.

St. Catherine's Monastery by Kim Acosta

Saint Catherine Monastery Mount Sinai

· General Description
· Architectural Design
· Harmony with Nature
· Symbolism and Sacred Objects
· How it is used by Worshippers
· Sources

Chapel sits atop the roots of the Biblical Bush
“that burned with fire, and was not consumed”
(Exodus 3:2)



In a desert of rugged terrain, many mountains, granite rock, sits one of the most sacred sites in the world. Located in between Egypt and Israel at the base of Mt.Sinai, is the Saint Catherine Monastery. Arguments among theologians, scholars, and historians still exist, but according to the people that have lived there for seventeen centuries, this is the mountain of Moses.
Manuscripts detailing a large number of monks living at Mt.Sinai in 372 AD and describing a small cliff dwelling church at a rock high on Mt.Sinai, was discovered in the late 1800’s. This letter described the rock of Moses as the site where Moses spoke to God and received the Ten Commandments. The Latin noblewoman and her clerics were requesting protection for the large population of Christians on the mountain that were constantly under attack from local tribes and foreign armies. There are manuscripts documenting in 527-564 AD, Byzantium Emperor Justinian funded and built a church and walls at the base of Mt. Sinai to help protect the Christian Monks and an existing chapel surrounding the sacred Burning Bush (the very one that God spoke to Moses through).
The chapel, church, walls, and many other structures remain today and are named after the Christian martyr, Saint Catherine. According to ancient manuscripts, in 294 AD, Catherine of Alexandria was beheaded by the Roman Emperor Maximuss, because she tried to stop his persecutions of Christians. Before her death, she managed to convert the wife of Maximuss and many of his subjects to Christianity. Legend has it that at her death, Angels carried her body away and placed her at the top of Mt. Sinai. Around 800 AD, the monks allegedly found her remains and placed them in a sarcophagus that is now sitting at the front and center of the Basilica Church. Christian Monks and the fortress like Basilica continued to struggle for another 300 years until Europe took notice. The Vatican came to their aid as well as most all world leaders, despite being located in a predominantly Islamic region. Security of the land and for the Saint Catherine Monastery was created by Egypt, with the help of funds and support from all of Europe.
The sixty foot tall walls surround a multi-dimensional compound of various historical ancient structures. The Basilica Church is in the center of the monastery since it includes the ancient chapel to the Biblical Burning Bush and holds priceless Byzantine art work from over the centuries. The Basilica was built atop the roots of the Burning Bush in 527 AD, the same time as the walls. Named “Katholikon,” (Church of St.Catherine), it still has the original wooden 1400 year old crusader doors, pins and hinges. The interior of the church is highly ornate with patterned marble floors, marbled religious panels and many silver hanging lamps. The church is well balanced with small chapels and double arched windows on each of the side walls. Two rows of colonnades separate the sanctuary into three aisles. Each colonnade has six monolithic granite columns with Christian symbols carved and painted on the capital of each. At the back of the church is a floor to ceiling highly wood carved iconostasis that divides the sanctuary from the priesthood. Behind the iconostasis, is the apse area that holds the marbled coffin of St.Catherine. Above the apse area, up high on the ceiling is a beautiful mosaic named, The Mosaic of the Transfiguration. .

Next to the Katholikon Church is a bell tower that continues to be used every Sunday before services. Water for the monastery is provided by an underground spring that has never been dry. The spring has access within the monastery at the Fountain of Moses, allegedly the spot where Moses met his wife, Zipporah. Other structures include the Charnel House that holds the remains of monks from centuries past in an underground crypt. There are two theories as to why there is a Mosque present, one to appease a potential invader and the other is because some of the caretakers of the monastery have been of Muslim descent. Also on the ancient grounds, is a library and gallery. Each building holding a world’s worth of religious treasure.
The color and texture of the granite walls and buildings almost blend into the harsh desert mountain background. However, right outside the walls of the monastery a softer image of large ancient green cypress trees growing right along olive trees and well kept gardens is seen. Monks living a life of solitude, quietly tend to growing vegetables in an area of well fertilized soil. Inhabitants of the monastery seem to have adapted to their surrounding over the hundreds of years.
This monastery is rich in fifteen centuries worth of irreplaceable works of art and illuminated manuscripts. Over two thousand pieces of religious mosaics, paintings, icons, and wood carvings are stored in the gallery, church, chapels, monks living quarters. Much of the artwork consists of Byzantine elements such as large inscriptions and strong linear presence. Crusader paintings and icons were made mostly by the monks as a sign of their love of God. The most ancient icons, Encaustic Icons, were made using colored pigment placed on wood with hot wax. Through out the centuries, different techniques used included tempera painting, drawing strong religious backgrounds to drawing more natural backgrounds and using softer colors in the most recent centuries. Housed in the gallery area are gifted artworks from historical leaders such as Czar Alexander the Great, and the Empress Catherine of Russia.

The most historical and spiritual significance for Christians, Jews, and Muslims is held in the monastery library. Over 4600 ancient illuminated manuscripts are stored out of public view, second in size in the world, to the Vatican. One of the two original 4th century Christian Bibles, the Codex Sinaiticus, was stored at the monastery until the mid 1800’s when it was borrowed or stolen, and not returned. The Codex Sinaiticus is a text of Holy Scripture translating into the King James Version of the Bible. (Most of it now resides in the British Museum. The second original, the Codex Vaticanus, is in Rome.) The library was built in 1951 to store all the manuscripts and to begin a preservation process. Today, the library has a staff of trained historians specializing in high tech conservation.
Currently, about 20 monks reside within the walls of Saint Catherine. Mass is conducted fives times per day in the Basilica. Most of the structures are closed to the public, but you might be able to obtain a pass by writing to the government of Egypt. Despite not being able to see inside the library, gallery, and other significant structures, hundreds of tourist and pilgrims visit the monastery on a daily basis.



Sources:

Books
Bonneville, Patrick and Philippe Hemono. “St .Catherine Area”. The World Heritage Unesco’s Classified Sites . Canada Bonneville Connection 2006: p.316.

Smith, Jonathan Riley. “Mount Sinai.” The Oxford Illustrated History of the Crusades.
Oxford University Press 2001: pp. 154-156.


Web Sites

Sands of Time. InterKnowledge Corp. 1997-1998. http://www.geographia.com/egypt/Sinai

Saint Catherine’s Monastery, Mount Sinai. http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Catherine

Saint Catherine Monastery. http://www.sis.gov.eg/EN/Tourism

Mt. Sinai. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/egypt



Video
I was surprised to find these videos on such restricted ancient property.

St. Catherine’s Monastery, Mount Sinai P1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nogz113K1So

St. Catherine’s Monastery, Mount Sinai P2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbUX4Sw4734




-K.Acosta

Shinto Shrine

Shinto Shrine
Group Caravaggio
Mitsi Pimentel
November 19, 2008



General Description

There are Shinto Shrines and Buddhist Temples all across Japan. I will be focusing on the Ise Shrine located in the city of Ise in the Mie prefecture, western Honsho, southeastern Japan. The Ise Shrine, also known as Ise-jingu, is considered the most holy of all Shinto shrines. This is where the goddess Amaterasu-omikami is housed. She is the sun goddess whose name literally means “that which illuminates heaven.” She is credited for inventing the cultivation of rice and wheat, using silkworms, and weaving on the loom. She is represented as a mirror in the inner shrine or the “Naiku.”.

Ise Shrine is actually a shrine complex. There are over one hundred and twenty five shrines in place there. The complex is divided into two main parts. The Outer Shrine is the “Geku” and is in the town of Yamado. Naiku, the Inner Shrine, is in the town of Uji. There are 6 kilometers (about 4 miles) between them.

Legend holds that the shrine was first constructed in four B.C. but historians think the actual date to be around 690 A.D.

Architectural Design

The Ise Shrine is located in a dense wooded National Park surrounded by numerous other holy structures. The Japanese white cypress, hinoki, is the only building material used to construct the shrine. It’s architectural style is called shimmei-zukuri and no other shrines are allowed to use this style. The rectangular design is supposedly derived from the granaries and storehouses of Japan from ancient times. Since the Ise Shrine predates Buddhism and Chinese influences, the visitor is able to see an example of ancient Japanese architecture. Every 20 years the shrine is rebuilt to exact specifications of the original. The next scheduled rebuilding will be in the year 2013.

The shrine’s chambers are raised on a pile of timbers which represents the central sacred post. The erection of a central post in a sacred area with stones strewn about represents the form taken by the ancient Japanese places of worship. The ridge beams, carried by two large columns at each side of the building, supports the roof. The two large columns are embedded directly into the ground so there is no actual foundation.
Auxiliary Outer Shrine

Harmony with Nature

Originally, in Japanese history, there were no shrines but only areas that were sacred. The Japanese people believe that rocks, trees, and mountains held the forces of nature called “ke”. Shrines are built and then the “kami”, spirits or deities that live within objects, are lured from the natural surroundings to come and reside within the shrine where they will be worshipped. As mentioned before, the Ise Shrine is built of only the white cypress hinoki and it is totally rebuilt every twenty years not as “new” but as “renewed” which mimics the cycle of nature.

Symbolism and Sacred Objects

After passing the outer shrine, one will cross over the Uji Bridge which symbolizes crossing over and cleansing of evils. The next stop is Temizusha. Here you are invited to wash your hands, face and rinse your mouth to further purify yourself before approaching the Main Shrine. Within the shrine you will find hundreds of statues and incense for prayer and to purify oneself even further! Outside the shrines are usually statues of dogs or lions to protect the kami within.
Uji Bridge

How the Shrine is used by Worshippers

Of over the 6 million visitors per year that visit the shrines, the belief rate is very small. Most visit the shrines out of tradition and respect of the elders. It is said in Japan you are born a Shinto and die a Buddhist. People bring their babies to dedicate to the kami of the shrine and then go to temples (Buddhist) to prepare for death and the afterlife. In between, they have many belief systems including Christianity. They also venerate the goddess or deities living in the shrine and their ancestors there. They pray for special intentions and prosperity. It is expected that each person visit the shrine at least once in their life time.

Sources:


Ise Shinto. (2008, April 3). New World Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:55, November 19, 2008 from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ise_Shinto?oldid=686448

Reader, Ian. (1991) Religion in Contemporary Japan. Published in North America by University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii

Paragone Discussion-Standing in the Shoes

Standing in the shoes of Leonardo or Michelangelo for a week enlightened our group to the talent and practice required to achieve such level of artistry. While our own projects may seem fairly simple works of art, it took all of us time and fore thought to compose our required pieces. Sharing our project achievements and tribulations, as well as our opinions on "painter vs sculptor," took place in a paragone discussion. The paragone contained a variety of opinions concerning the superiority of one artist over the other. We all acknowledged the benefits and disadvantages of each artist. With the help of the paragone, we concluded our own projects had influenced most of our opinions. No agreements were made as to who was the greater artist, the painter or the sculptor.

Excitement in the air,
Leonardo and Michelangelo beware.
Cutting tools in hand,
Sketch pad on a stand.
One must be in the round,
The other needs background.
Scientific method
Aerial perspective.
Frustration taking place,
Worry on our face..
Starting to see lines,
Light begins to shine
Drawing and sculpting shape,
Now, nurses can create!

poem by Kim Acosta

Great job all!