Art Historical Overview

THE VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE

  • Artist: Miguel González, 1700 C.E.
  • Medium: Oil on canvas on wood, enconchados (mother-of-pearl inlay).
  • Description: Central figure (Virgin Mary) on crescent moon, supported by an angel; surrounded by rays of light and gold mandorla.
  • Content: Narrative about Juan Diego, an indigenous man who saw Virgin Mary at Tepeyac; she instructed him to build a church in her honor.
  • Function: Aimed to spread Roman Catholicism; represents cultural syncretism.
  • Context: Became a symbol of Mexican identity and is part of the Basilica of Guadalupe.

SPANIARD AND INDIAN PRODUCE A MESTIZO

  • Artist: Juan Rodríguez Juárez, 1700 C.E.
  • Medium: Oil on canvas.
  • Description: Family portrait depicting Spanish father and indigenous mother with a mestizo child.
  • Function: Part of a series identifying racial mixing; reflects social hierarchies in colonial Mexico.
  • Context: Casta painting meant to document class and racial status in New Spain.

PORTRAIT OF SOR JUANA INÉS DE LA CRUZ

  • Artist: Miguel Cabrera, 1750 C.E.
  • Medium: Oil on canvas.
  • Description: Sor Juana depicted in a nun's habit, engaging with books and symbols of scholarship and faith.
  • Function: Celebrates her significance as a female intellectual in a male-dominated society.
  • Context: Sor Juana was a nun and writer who defended women's rights; her contributions were historically significant.

FRONTISPIECE OF THE CODEX MENDOZA

  • Date: 1550 C.E.
  • Description: Informational illustration about the Aztec empire and the founding of Tenochtitlan; includes depictions of military conquest.
  • Function: Commissioned to explain Aztec culture to Spanish authorities; reflects knowledge of the empire.
  • Context: Created during the early colonial period; highlights the transition post-conquest.

A PHILOSOPHER GIVING A LECTURE ON THE ORRERY

  • Artist: Joseph Wright of Derby, 1750 C.E.
  • Medium: Oil on canvas.
  • Description: Dramatic scene of various ages engaged with scientific progress.
  • Function: Celebrate enlightenment and curiosity in science.
  • Context: Reflects the audience's interest in secular and scientific understanding versus traditional beliefs.

THE OATH OF THE HORATII

  • Artist: Jacques-Louis David, 1780 C.E.
  • Medium: Oil on canvas.
  • Description: Depicts Roman brothers taking an oath, emphasizing civic virtue and sacrifice.
  • Function: Intended to inspire patriotism and loyalty to France.
  • Context: Painted just before the French Revolution, capturing intense political sentiments.

THE SWING

  • Artist: Jean-Honoré Fragonard, 1750 C.E.
  • Medium: Oil on canvas.
  • Description: Playful depiction of a young woman on a swing, surrounded by lovers and scandal.
  • Function: Reflects the carefree lifestyle of French aristocracy; comedic and lighthearted.
  • Context: Epitome of Rococo style, emphasizing romance and luxury.

SELF-PORTRAIT

  • Artist: Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, 1790 C.E.
  • Medium: Oil on canvas.
  • Description: The artist presents herself working on a portrait, showcasing her artistic talent and societal position.
  • Function: Aimed at promoting her abilities and femininity in art.
  • Context: Unique portrayal during a time when female artists were largely marginalized.

Y NO HAI REMEDIO

  • Artist: Francisco de Goya, 1820 C.E.
  • Medium: Etching.
  • Description: Illustrates the horrors of war; a man bound for execution.
  • Function: A personal protest against the brutality during the French occupation of Spain.
  • Context: Goya critiques human cruelty, reflecting Enlightenment disillusionment.

LIBERTY LEADING THE PEOPLE

  • Artist: Eugène Delacroix, 1830 C.E.
  • Medium: Oil on canvas.
  • Description: Central figure of Liberty guiding diverse revolutionaries.
  • Function: Glorification of revolutionary spirit and unity across social classes.
  • Context: Inspired by July Revolution of 1830 and represents Romantic ideals.

LA GRANDE ODALISQUE

  • Artist: Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 1800 C.E.
  • Medium: Oil on canvas.
  • Description: Reclining nude woman depicted with elongated features.
  • Function: Represents Western fascination with the exotic and the female form.
  • Context: Mix of Neoclassicism and Romanticism reflecting voyeuristic tendencies in art.

THE OXBOW

  • Artist: Thomas Cole, 1850 C.E.
  • Medium: Oil on canvas.
  • Description: Landscape showing contrast between civilization and wilderness.
  • Function: Celebration of Manifest Destiny and natural beauty of America.
  • Context: Challenges perceptions of the American landscape during westward expansion.

SLAVE SHIP

  • Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1850 C.E.
  • Medium: Oil on canvas.
  • Description: Haunting seascape referencing the slave trade.
  • Function: Abolitionist statement against the atrocities of slavery.
  • Context: Turner's ongoing critique of humanity through the lens of Romantic art.

PALACE OF WESTMINSTER

  • Architects: Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin, 1850 C.E.
  • Medium: Limestone, masonry, and glass.
  • Description: Gothic Revival architecture housing the British Parliament.
  • Function: Symbol of national pride and governance.
  • Context: Nostalgia for medieval architecture in response to industrialization.

THE TÊTE À TÊTE

  • Artist: William Hogarth, 1750 C.E.
  • Medium: Oil on canvas.
  • Description: Satirical narrative of an unfaithful couple.
  • Function: Critique of aristocratic marriages based on wealth rather than love.
  • Context: Reflects societal issues during the rise of the middle class in 18th century England.