Film 12: Impressionism / Collings

When comparing the films from this week, to the films we viewed last week, I'd have to say I preferred the film on Impressionism. I had previously chosen to talk about Monet and Manet, so having the prior knowledge of their similarities made the film more interesting to me. Otherwise, the films were very similar.

My favorite painting that was shown in this film was the Dance at Le moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The first thing that draws my eye is what appears to be a mother and daughter in the front middle of the painting. I admire the detail of each face. The second thing that I notice is the couple dancing in the middle left of the painting. They stand out more so than the other dancers. I think that this is Renoir's way to focus your eye, while still creating a very busy painting.

Impressionists, unlike realists, did not simply paint what was in front of them. They changed things, giving the paintings a much more personal edge. These painting were also, often times considered political. I think that this is interesting because there is so much political art in today's society, I almost feel that Impressionism directly influenced the development of today's art.

Discussion Question:

After watching films that cover such a wide range of impressionists, which artist is your favorite? Why?

Film 11: Monet&Manet / Marlow

I chose Monet and Manet because I have been a Monet fan since childhood, and I found Manet to be shockingly similar in an almost erie fashion. This film, instead of detailing the artists lives to explain their paintings, Marlow simply explained the paintings. 

My favorite creation of Monet's is Impression, Sunrise. It is actually the painting that named the Impressionist movement. It is a painting of the Le Havre harbor in France, or at least Monet's impression of it. 

My favorite creation of Manet's is The Luncheon on the Grass. It is a scene in the woods, two fully dressed men and one fully nude women causally eating a picnic lunch. In the background, another women bathing. 

These two paintings are vastly different. While both are considered landscapes, Monet's is largely out of focus, a more whimsical version of what it really was. Manet's on the other hand is rather realistic, nudity aside. Both are the artists impression of what is really occurring.

The storytelling approaches in the films assigned this week were much different than those we have been subjected to in previous weeks. Instead of approaching the artists and paintings with dramatic lighting and reenactments, and historical evidence, Marlow simply gave us the bare minimum amount of information necessary to understand the paintings. I find it difficult to state one storyteller as my favorite. They all have qualities that I both like and dislike. 

Discussion Question:

How do you feel about impressionist art? Would you consider yourself more of a realist or an impressionist?

Film 10: Van Gogh / Schama

In Simon Schama's film on Van Gogh, he did not use a couple of the techniques from his previous films. For instance, there are no reenactments in this film, nor did he use history to the same degree he did in his film on David. However, there were similarities. His use of the artist's personal history to add interest to particular paintings remains consistent throughout each of the films.
Personally, Van Gogh is my favorite artist that Schama has covered. I have been interested in Van Gogh since a young age, I remember my parents taking me to the Van Gogh exhibit at the Art Institute when I was younger. I find Van Gogh to be inspiring because despite his personal battles, he was still able to do what he loved to do, paint and create works of art.

My favorite painting by Van Gogh is The Starry Night,  which is an oil painting on canvas created in 1889. The first thing that I am drawn to is the swirls in the sky. I feel that it gives the painting a whimsical look. The second thing that I love about this painting are Van Gogh's color choices. The depths of the blues and the brightness of the yellows, in my opinion, create a very complimentary environment.

I don't feel that Van Gogh painting everyday made him greater or lesser than any other famous artist. This method worked for Van Gogh, however, for many artists this approach would not work. Personally, I don't think I could handle the pressure of creating something every day. Unless it just happened to be that way. But if I made it a goal to start and finish 1 painting everyday, i would crack under the pressure and stress.

Discussion Question:
Do you feel that Van Gogh's mental illnesses made him a greater painter, or do you feel that this was his greatest weakness.

Film 9: Civilization / Collings

According to Wikipedia, Matthew Collings is a "British art critic, writer, broadcaster, and artist. His creditability is built by his education, background, and experience with art being an art critic and artist himself.
Unlike the other movies we watch, where one artist was discussed, Collings chose to discuss art over a period of time. I believe his chose to do this in order to  show how people and art changed over time. By covering the Enlightenment, Renaissance, and the French Revolution he is allowing the viewer not only to understand the mechanics of the artwork, but the history that spurred the creation of the art.
What I liked about Collings storytelling was that he used history to explain the paintings instead of supplying bits and pieces as background information. I feel that this allowed the viewer to have a better understanding of painting. I actually feel that Collings is my favorite storyteller up until this point. Maybe its because history has always been a passion of mine more so than art, but I feel that Collings allowed me to understand these pieces of art better than the other storytellers.

I believe that the image of World Trade Centers collapsing is definitely an image that survive to speak to future generations. This is one of the greatest attacks of American soil in history. I see it as a major turning point in not only American History but also global history.

Discussion Question:
Do you feel like the artwork that is being produced in our lifetimes will last as long as the artworks we have discussed in class thus far?

Film 8: Goya / Hughes

Robert Hughs, according to Wikipedia, is an art critic, writer, and documentary maker. He was an art critic for TIME magazine for many years where he developed his creditability.

I think one of Goya's more interesting works is The Nude Maja. For its time, it is highly controversial, being the first non-religious, life-size female nude work in Western art. It was made by using oil based paint on a canvas. The first thing my eye is drawn to is the expression on the woman's face. The suggestive, seductive look is intriguing. For the time period, I feel that it would be considered improper for a women to act in such a way. This leads me to believe that Goya was a very bold artist for his time.  The second thing my eye is drawn to is background. He uses shadows and dark furniture to give the woman a glowing or angelic look, which I feel is an interesting contrast to the expression on the woman's face.

Hughes approached this documentary with a no nonsense attitude. Unlike the other storytellers, he did not relay on reenactments or interviews, but he stated the facts of Goya's life and included only the most important paintings. I think that each narrator that we have seen has positive qualities, for example, Greenaway keeps his audiences entertained with dramatic elements, Bruce's use of language and interviews allows a sense of authenticity, and Hughes shows a real passion for his work.

Discussion Question:
Do you think it is possible to study Goya's artwork without studying and trying to understand Goya's personality and his personal history?

Film 7: David / Schama

The biggest difference that I noticed in Schama's approach in these two films is history. In the film on David, Schama focused more on the history of the French Revolution in relation to David and his artwork, whereas in the Caravaggio film Schama focused on Caravaggio's life. In both films Schama used similar techniques of reenactment.

I chose to take a closer look at David's  The Death of Marat. This painting was made in 1793 with oil paint on a canvas. The first thing my eye is drawn to is facial expression of Marat, he does not look like his is in a great deal of pain. The second thing I am drawn to is the fact that he's writing a letter in what appears to be some sort of a bath. I just find that strange.

Jacques-Louis David

I feel that David was a good guy. He wasn't a criminal, nor do I feel that he really did anything terrible. He did however paint things that could have been seen as controversial for the time. David's paintings portray the truth how he saw it, whether or not the paintings portrays the actual truth is something only historians can really try to answer.

Discussion Question: Which elements of David's paintings do you find most effective?