HoA Identites

Portrait of Giovanna Tornabuoni - Artist and Date

Ghirlandaio, 1488

How does the composition depict Giovanna as religious?

The inclusion of the rosary, symbolic of the blood of christ and a prayer book symbolises her religious devotion.

How does the Portrait of Giovanna Tornabuoni conform to societal expectations of women?

She is painted in profile, presenting her not as a dynamic human but instead a passive displayed object - completely open to male gaze.

Her adverted eyes were a sign of a women's modesty and chastity.

What does the Portrait of Giovanna Tornabuoni tell us about her husband?

Being the cousin of the ruler of Florence (Lorenzo the Magnificent), Lorenzo commissioned the portrait to present him as well-educated, knowledgeable and wealthy.

An inscription from the classical author Martial demonstrates Lorenzo's classical education.

The embraided 'L' on Giovanna's shoulder showcases Lorenzo's societal achievements.

Giovanna is dressed in fashionable clothes, such as the Gamurra, which were accessible to only the wealthy.

Complete the quote - 'Men act, women appear. _________ ' John ____

'Men act, women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at. ' John Berger

Complete the quote - 'The sitter is a ____________ rather than a human being' _________

'The sitter is a clearly outlined shape or patter rather than a human being' Simmons

Which humanist writer outlined societal expectations in the 15th century?

Alberti

Charles V Vanquishing Fury - Artist and Date

Leone Leoni, 1551-55

What are the symbols in Charles V which express his knowledge and education of antiquity - a concept known as virtus

The figure of the Fury was inspired by Virgil's Aeneid.

The relief of Mars (Roman God of War) on his right shoulder plate.

The weapons at Charles's feet are divine symbols from antiquity - Hercules' club and Neptune's trident.

Standing in contrapposto a technique invented by the Romans.

What does Charles V's statue commemorate?

The Catholic victory over the protestants at Muhlberg 1547.

When wearing the amour how is Charles V represented?

As a military hero, the embodiment of virtus - a Roman idea which described men as possessing bravery and military courage.

When naked how is Charles V represented?

As a pious Christian, nudity was seen as a symbol of honesty and humility.

Complete the quote - His 'depiction as the _________ therefore suggests that he was the embodiment of ________ ' _______

'depiction as the personification of virtus therefore suggests that he was the embodiment of Ancient Roman manly perfection' Liston

Alison Lapper Pregnant - Artist, Date and material

Marc Quinn, 2005, Carrara Marble

What is the significance of the material Quinn choose?

Carrara marble is an expensive material which is associated with sculptures from antiquity (parallels with the idealised classical beauty seen in Venus de Milo c.150 BC).

It also raises the sculptures status and blends it with its surrounding neoclassical architecture.

How does Alison Lapper Pregnant' s location add meaning to the work?

The sculpture is located on Trafalgar Squares 4th Plinth - a location surrounded by sculptures which celebrate the glory of empire and military success (the original statue of scientist Edward Jenner was removed).

Juxtaposes the celebration of imperialist, patriarchy, white men with a celebration of a previously ignored community of disabled women.

What condition did Lapper have?

phocomelia

The Last Supper - Date and Artist

Tintoretto, 1592-4

Key context of the Last Supper

Counter-Reformation - a period of advertising Catholic belief to convert potential protestants.

Compositionally how is the Last Supper relatable to a contemporary Venetian audience?

Located in a tavern.

Non-biblical figures included (like the cat, maid and servants).

The table aligns with the alter in the sanctuary of the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore.

Warped perspective, the table invites the viewer (unlike traditional depictions of the Last Supper where the viewer is shut of from the painting).

How does the Last Supper clearly outline the opposing beliefs of Protestants and Catholics?

The emphasis on the act of transubstantiation which Protestantism rejects.

Ecce Homo -Artist and Date

Mark Wallinger, 1999

Key context of Ecce Homo

Turn of the millennium (Christ's 2000th Birthday) a time where people were reluctant to mention faith (the legacy of religion in Western culture - Nietzsche 1882).

The first commissioned work for Trafalgar Squares 4th Plinth.

How is Ecce Homo unlike traditional representations of Christ?

Christ is depicted as lifelike and strikingly ordinary. His appearance as a bald, human sized, man donning a towel represents him not as a God but instead one of the people. Emphasises Christ's humanity instead of his divinity.

How does Ecce Homo contrast with other statues in Trafalgar Sqaure?

Unlike the grand, larger than life statues of military heroes (the likes of Admiral Beatty), Christ is celebrated in a more understated way giving him a greater sense of poignancy and significance.

Portrait of Omai - Artist and Date

Joshua Reynolds, 1776

How is Omai depicted as a 'noble savage'?

NOBLE- positioned in a contrapposto pose taken from antique sculpture.

- robes representing Roman togas further associates him with the classical world.

- the whiteness and purity of his robes demonstrates his purity.

- the lack of shoes shows his harmony with nature.

SAVAGE - tattooed hands show exoticism.

- oriental turban demonstrate the generalised depiction of foreigners.

Key context for Omai?

The Enlightenment - a time of immense scientific progress and belief in human reasoning and the individual.

They believed that all humans were created equal, but they developed at different stages - Tahiti was in a stage of 'before civilisation'.

Who described Omai as a 'noble savage'?

Paul Wood

Nelson's Ship in a Bottle - Artist and Date

Yinka Shonibare, 2010

How does Nelson's Ship complicate post colonial history?

The Dutch wax fabric celebrates the previously forgotten role of the British colonies in British maritime success. A contribution largely forgotten by the memorials in Trafalgar Square.

How does Nelson's Ship challenge the accepted canon of art, celebrated in the 1800s?

Ships in a bottle were not viewed as sculpture but instead forms of unimportant craftsmanship. The choice to use materials such as cork, wood and glass (steeped in the crafts heritage) raises this previously ignored art form to a high status.

complete the quote: The sculpture 'challenged the dominant nationalist discourse ________' _____

The sculpture 'challenged the dominant nationalist discourse celebrating British Imperialism' Shirey

The British Library- Artist, Date and no. of books

Yinka Shonibare, 2014-19, 6,328 books

Name some authors included in the British Library instillation

Margaret Thatcher, Nigel Farage, Edward Mosely

Key context of the British Library

Brexit (2016), a time where the British public was politically divided. Instead of showcasing his view, Shonibare invites opinions from everyone.

How does the British Library highlight the role people of different ethnicities can contribute to British society?

The inclusion of tablets accessible to everyone, giving all an opportunity to leave a story which shapes the national identity.

The Queen's House - Patron, Architect and Date

James I's initial wife, Anne of Denmark, but finished for Henrietta Maria, Inigo Jones, 1617-35

What identity does the Queens House create for James I?

Showcases him as classically educated, achieved through the use of architectural vocabulary of antiquity such as the loggia (ionic order), balustrades and rustication which create a celebrated sense of regularity and symmetry.

How does the Queens House convey contemporary gender identity?

As the buildings exterior was associated with masculinity, the façade is symmetrical, regular and stable. Whereas, the interior, associated with femininity, is lavishly decorated with ceiling frescoes and a marble floor. The interior is therefore beautiful but 'intellectually absent'.

Banqueting House - Patron, Architect and Dates

James I, Inigo Jones, 1619-23

How did the Banqueting house showcase Stuart identity?

As legitimate, authoritative and powerful. The restrained classical façade aligns the English monarchy with ancient Rome constructing an identity of rationality and imperial ambition.

Who did Jones study classical architecture under in Italy?

Palladio

What was the intended function of the Banqueting House?

Foreign receptions and banquets, masques and to impress and reinforce the identity of the King as wealthy, powerful and classically educated to the viewer.

Complete the quote: 'Architecture is the expression of _______: rhetorical clarity, historical _____ and the ___________' Anderson

'Architecture is the expression of humanist educational ideals: rhetorical clarity, historical knowledge and the grammar of the Latin Language' Anderson

MAXXI National Museum of XXI Century Arts - Architect and Date

Zaha Hadid, 1999, 2003-2010

How does the MAXXI Museum challenge traditional architectural traditions surrounding gender?

Instead of the boundary between the exterior and interior being rigid and defined the border is deliberately blurred through the use of large windows, inner courtyards and unusual corridors.

How is concrete used in Hadid's building to dismantle gender stereotypes?

Since the Romans use of concrete for stability and rigidity the material had been viewed as masculine, but Hadid uses curves and sweeps to instead portray it as elegant and light.

How is Rome incorporated into the MAXXI Musuem?

A glazed and mirrored surface reflects the surrounding buildings, compositionally pulling Rome into the building.

Similarly, the use of concrete was shared by Roman architects.

Lakshmana Temple - Patron and Date

King Yahovarman, c.954CE

What is the Sikhara?

The tallest tower on a Hindu temple

What is a Mandapas?

The smaller towers on a Hindu temple

what is the Vastu Shastra?

a Hindu scripture which outlines the way to design and build temples, down to minute details such as sculptures and reliefs. (e.g. it describes the 16 different types of women to include within temple sculpture).

What was King Yashovarman's motives behind the buildings commission?

To consolidate his dynasty and rule in the newly conquered Khajuraho region.

Public works convinced his people that he was a 'good' ruler, thus legitimising his rule.

How did Vasari describe Ghirlandaio's portraits?

As possessing a 'remarkable likeness'

According to Liston how might Charles V's nudity be understood?

'as the iconographical equivalent to the honesty and humility of a pious Christian'

How did Quinn describe Carrara marble?

as 'the material of beauty and heroism'

How does Shonibare describe Dutch Wax fabrics?

as 'a metaphor for a contemporary African existence'

According to Anderson how did Jones believe a buildings exterior should be?

'masculine and unaffected'

Self Portrait on the Borderline between Mexico and the United States - Artist and Date

Frida Kahlo, 1932

How is Frida's self portrait on the Borderline a depiction of conflicted identity/hybrid identity?

Kahlo is located on the border between juxtaposing cultures, both of which she should affiliate.

How is Kahlo's self portrait being painted on tin significant?

Traditional Mexican art was painted on tin, Kahlo associates herself with the Mexican heritage of Ex Votos. Similarly Ex Votos are deeply personal and private representations of feeling, like her self portrait.

Name three references to Mexico, in Kahlo's self portrait on the Borderline

A Skull -symbolises the Mexican tradition of day of the dead

A papal picado - she is holding a traditional Mexican flag

Aztec temple - located at Teotihuacan, link to Mexican history.

Pile of rocks - symbolic of the fall of Aztecs at the hands of the Spanish Conquistadors.

Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear - Artist and Date

Van Gogh, 1889

How has Van Gogh constructed his identity in self portrait with bandaged ear 1889?

The work is a statement about his artistic identity, he wants to be viewed as a 'maddened genius' as it was fashionable of the time. Visible through his bandaged ear, poor clothing, distinctly unacademic style (visible brushstrokes, ignorance of linear perspectives)

Les Isoles - author and date

Albert Aurier 1890

complete Aurier's quotes:

'______ and _____ genius'

'______ and almost ______ sincerity'

'so ______ and so ______ from the milieu of our pitiable art today'

'an enemy of the _______'

'terrible and maddened genius'

'profound and almost childlike sincerity'

'so original and so apart from the milieu of our pitiable art today'

'an enemy of the bourgeois'

What is Pollock and Orton's view on Van Gogh?

'this condition did not affect what or how he painted'

How many sailors from different nations fought onboard Nelson's HMS Victory?

22 sailors

Benin plaque showing the façade of the Royal Palace - Date and Museum

1550-1650, British Museum

when was the Punitive Expedition?

1897

who and when discovered the kingdom of Benin?

the Portuguese, c.1474

What material and objects did the Portuguese trade with Benin?

Brass Manillas

What do these symbols on the Benin Plaque symbolise?:

Leopard

Coral

Python

Leopard - symbolic of Oba power

Coral - kingship

Python - strength, king of the snakes

How does the Encyclopaedia Britannica 1910-11 justify the beauty of the plaques?

'direct foreign inspiration' which raised the native craftsman 'above his normal level'

How did Europeans view the Benin civilisation?

as primitive, an example of before civilisation.

'Benin is indeed a city of blood' Bacon 1897

'City of Skulls'

Potato Eaters - Artist and Date

Vincent van Gogh, 1885

How did Van Gogh describe his artistic identity to Theo?

‘When I say that I am a painter of peasant life, that is a fact’ Van Gogh 1885

when did Nietzsche ‘kill’ God?

1882