Art History Notes

Form:
- A blindfolded man tied to a stake, with 3 guns pointed at him.
- Two other figures being executed in the background.
- A dead body in the foreground.
- Renaissance pyramidal composition.
Function:
- Documenting the horrors of war; one of 83 etchings/aquatints.
Content:
- Spanish people being executed by French soldiers.
- Goya aimed to depict the disasters of war.
- The man stands straight but has his head down, showing strength but also resignation.
Context:
- Romanticism opposed Rococo and Neoclassicism, focusing on fantasy, the haunted, and the insane to evoke emotional responses.
- Spain was in constant war during this period.

Form:
- A nude woman lounging on the bed, turning away modestly.
- Anatomically incorrect proportions: elongated arms and back, strange leg placement.
- Face reminiscent of Raphael's style.
Function:
- Commissioned by Caroline Murat, Napoleon's sister.
- Exhibited in the 1819 Salon, causing controversy due to the anatomical issues.
Content:
- Europe was becoming more prudish about nudity.
- "Odalisque" means concubine (mistress).
- Orientalism: Europe fetishizing the East.
Context:
- Ingres, a student of David, leaned slightly toward Romanticism but was more Neoclassical.
- Turkish elements included an incense burner, peacock fan, turban, and hash pipe.

Form:
- Strong pyramid structure.
- Liberty, depicted with exposed breasts and no shoes, leads the charge.
- She holds a French flag, with its colors echoed throughout the piece.
- Notre Dame Cathedral visible in the smoke.
Function:
- For the salon of 1832- acquired by France, not exhibited for 25 years due to the subversive message (aka revolution).
Content:
- Memorializes the overthrow of Charles X in favor of Louis-Philippe, the citizen-king.
- Allegorical symbols: a child with a pistol represents a student, a man with a hat and rifle represents the middle class, and a man with the woman's hat represents a freed slave.
Context:
- July Revolution of 1830.
- After the Reign of Terror and Napoleon's defeat, the French reinstated a king but then sought a new one.
- The painting's revolutionary message was suppressed to prevent popularizing the idea of overthrowing the king.

Form:
- A landscape painting depicting contrasting scenes.
- The left side shows a natural, wild scene with thunder, clouds, and rain.
- The right side presents a pastoral scene with cultivated fields, farms, houses, and boats.
- Diagonals on the left guide the viewer's eye, mirroring the curves of the rivers.
- Represents an actual view of Massachusetts.
Function:
- Painted as a response to a British book that claimed America was destroying its resources through industrialization.
Content:
- The left side represents 'wild land,' including a blasted tree symbolizing the power of nature.
- The right side represents man's taming of nature.
- Cole himself is depicted in the middle, between both worlds, attempting to capture the sublime.
Context:
- Cole founded the Hudson River School, a group of landscape painters.
- Landscape paintings were not highly regarded at the time.

Form:
- Rapid brushstrokes.
- Visible forms, such as the ship, hands, and chains, appear insignificant compared to the power of nature.
- The color red is used for emotional and symbolic effect.
Function:
- Making a statement about the evils of slavery.
Content:
- Full title: Dying Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Dead & Typhoon Coming On).
- Turner is known for his paintings of the sublime and political subjects.
- Slaves were insured against accidental drowning but not sickness, leading captains to throw sick slaves overboard to collect insurance money.
Context:
- Based on a historical event in 1781.
- Slaves were freed in England in 1833, but slavery was still practiced by some.

Form:
- Huge symmetrical stone building with 1100 rooms.
- A modern office building with medieval aesthetics.
- Gothic ornamentation including spires, pinnacles, and pointed arches.
- Barry was a classical architect, while Pugin provided Gothic decorations.
Function:
- Houses the two chambers of Parliament: the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
Content:
- In 1834, a fire destroyed the Houses of Parliament, leading to a design competition.
- Out of 97 entries, 91 were in the Perpendicular Gothic style, reflecting a desire for a new English style.
- Big Ben, the clock tower, is reminiscent of old village clocks.
Context:
- The Gothic Revival was a response to the Industrial Revolution, envisioning a London with buildings resembling churches to counter the smoke-filled factories.

Form:
- Situated between the Houses of Commons and the House of Lords.
- Features iron grillwork on doors and intricate windows, including stained glass and lancet windows.
- Octagonal space with statues of Kings & Queens of England & Scotland.
Function:
- Originally a space where people could meet their representatives in Parliament.
Content:
- Gothic decorations include jamb figures and ribbed vaults.
- Grilles were installed to prevent members of Parliament from being distracted by women (removed in 1688).
Context:
- The English government had a parliament with power over the country, and the monarch was a figurehead (1688).

Form:
- Bare walls (formerly covered with tapestries).
- High windows with Romanesque arches.
- Hammerbeam style roof: oak beams curved to meet in the center.
Function:
- Originally used for grand ceremonies, coronations, and feasts; later used as a law court.
Content:
- Perpendicular Gothic style with pointed arches, spires, and tall windows, but walls are not thin due to wall buttressing.
- Lines are symmetrical and vertical.
Context:
- The only remaining building from the original Palace.
- William II was the patron.
- When built, it was the largest hall in England.
- The roof was remodeled by Richard II.

Form:
- Still life photograph reproducing various objects and textures like fabric, plaster, wicker, & stone.
- Shiny surface capturing fine details.
Function:
- Demonstrating the artistic potential of photography.
Content:
- A scientific invention of a new art form, attempting to capture traditional art forms like still life, portraits, and landscapes.
- Long exposure time made portraits difficult.
- Printed on a metal plate, resulting in the shiny surface.
Context:
- Photography significantly impacted society and spread rapidly among all classes.
- Romantics moved away from still lifes and landscapes because they could not match photography's accuracy.
- Artists tried to create art that photography couldn't, such as movement, passion, imagination, and fantasy.