1

Art Appreciation IFinal Project

The Art Institute of Chicago

European Art

By: Trudy Nickelson

2

European ArtThe pieces of art that I chose from the Art Institution of

Chicago are items that I would display in my own home. Though they are primarily black and white they give me a sense of warmth and imagination. I have always favored

the 19th century and have thought that I would have loved to have lived during that period of time. I liked the role that most woman had during that period as homemaker but it was also a period of time when woman started to change

out of those traditional stereotypes as shown in the following champagne lithograph. To me these pieces of art

depict happiness, a sense of peace and tranquility. They connect with each other by period of time both visually and

thematically. I have always wanted to go to Europe to experience the feelings that the 19th century history and art

have provided me. One day I will.

3

Outline

• My Final Project Presentation Contains the Following:

– Five items which consist of two photographs, a sculpture, an oil panting, and a lithograph.

– Each of these five items have four slides relating to them.• First, the actual picture of the item represented• Second, credits• Third, a list of some of the visual elements and principles that

relate to the art but not all• Fourth, a paragraph describing why I selected the object

– A description of my gallery, exhibiting these five pieces of art

4

5

6

Francesco MochiItalian, 1580-1654

Bust of a Youth (Saint John the Baptist?), 1630/40

Marble, on variegated black marble socle40.5 x 33 x 29 cm (15 7/8 x 13 x 11 3/8 in.)

From the collection of the estate of Federico Gentili di Giuseppe; restricted gift of Mrs. Harold T. Martin through the Antiquarian Society; Major Acquisitions Centennial Endowment; through prior gift of Arthur Rubloff; European

Decorative Arts Purchase Fund, 1989.1Medieval to Modern European Painting and Sculpture

Gallery 211

7

Bust of a Youth Visual Elements & Principles of Design

• Media - Sculpture

• Ability - beauty that stirs me

• Decorative - would add interest to a room and perhaps provoke conversation

• Makes me feel, would soften the harshness of a room

• Visual texture - you can tell that it is a solid, hard, heavy item

• Focal point - could be used as a focal point in a room as well as the focal points of itself. It occupies it’s own space

• Proportion - well proportioned comparing the head to the neck and shoulders

• Motion – the slight tilt of the head

8

Bust of a Youth Visual Analysis

• I find the focal point of this Bust to be the eyes of this young girl. As depicted in the close up of her face you can see and appreciate the artists details to her eyes. The positive shape of the bust is something that will draw attention in any room through it’s actual balance. This would be a great piece of art to soften a room, perhaps even bring comfort or humor. The artist used perfect scale from the head through the neck and onto the shoulders. A slight tilt of this bust gives even more personality to the piece. The visual texture of the details of her hair, and face make her look as though she is actually alive.

9

10

Jean-Eugène-Auguste AtgetFrench, 1857–1927

Marchand du Panier, 1899

Gelatin silver printing out print22.6 x 17.5 cm

Julien Levy Collection, Gift of Jean and Julien Levy, 1978.1041Photography

11

Marchand du PanierVisual Elements & Principles of Design

• Media - Photo• Linked to quality of life – shows how people dressed and acquired goods

during this period in the 19th century• Shows reality – I can almost place myself right into the situation • Ideology – It helps me relate myself and how I acquire goods today to how

this woman acquired them in the 19th century• Illusion of depth, when I look at the open door behind her in the picture, as

she is photographed she wouldn’t fit, this tells me that she is a distance from that door

• Immortality – different times• Focal point – the focal point are the people and goods• Shades of black are used to show aging of the building, shadows from the

sun• Motion – the man is moving towards the woman and the woman to the man

to view the goods in his basked

12

Marchand du PanierVisual Analysis

• This photograph shows how things were in the 19th century. The focus is on the man and woman as they look at the goods in his basket. The photographer uses scale and shading in the actual photo to bring visual attention to their activity. Scale is used to also emphasize that the photographer wants the viewer to observe the man and woman and their activity. As an example, the door on the building appears too small for the people to walk through and is an example of illusion of depth. Immortality brings me together with these people even though we are from different periods of time.

13

14

Artist unknown European, active 19th century

Paris, Perspective du Boulevard Monmartre, 18701988.157.92

Albumen print20.7 x 27.4 cm

Julien Levy Collection, Gift of Jean Levy and the Estate of Julien Levy, 1988.157.92Photography

15

Paris, Perspective du Boulevard Monmartre

Visual Elements & Principles of Design• Media - Photo• Linked to quality of life – the picture shows me that in the 19th century they

did not have automobiles and the main form of transportation was provided via horses and items attached to them

• Illusion of depth – the illusion of depth in this photo shows that the street is long and continues

• Shadowing with hues of black – the shadowing depicts where the sun is shining and from which direction

• Scale – items in the picture are to scale• Motion – I visualize movement of the horses and people though the picture

doesn’t actually show me that• Immortality – even though the picture is from centuries ago, I do relate to

their mode of transportation compared to my automobile • Focal point, the focal point is the street. The building's that surround it, the

horse and buggies and the people stay to each side of the middle• Lines – a line is apparent as the middle of the street and defined by street

lights and the ruts in the roads to each side of the middle

16

Paris, Perspective du Boulevard Monmartre

Visual Analysis• The photograph of a busy street in the 19th century clearly depicts the

quality of life in Paris. The artist uses many different lines in the photo that separate the road, horse and buggies and people to create a middle focal point. Though no motion can be seen, it is perceived through the position of the people and horses. It is mysterious where the photographer is physically when taking this picture as the depth and lines would have him position well above street level.

17

18

Gustave CaillebotteFrench, 1848-1894

Paris Street; Rainy Day, 18771964.336

Oil on canvas83 1/2 x 108 3/4in. (212.2 x 276.2 cm)

Inscribed at lower left: G. Caillebotte. 1877Charles H. and Mary F. S. Worcester Collection, 1964.336

Medieval to Modern European Painting and Sculpture

19

Paris Street; Rainy Day Visual Elements & Principles of Design

• Media - Oil painting• Decorative – this would be a beautiful painting to have in a home• Visual texture – by the use of hues there appears to be a visual texture of wetness on

the street, interesting that the artist chose not to display wetness on the umbrellas • Focal point – the focal point is the couple in the forefront of the painting• Scale – the painting is drawn to a scale that the items in the forefront are larger than

the other items in the painting• Negative space – the use of negative space with light colors, close to white, are

depicted in the sky• Line to create depth and texture – many lines are used in this painting; the line on the

sidewalk to separate it from the road, the lines of the bricks to separate them from each other, the lines of the buildings to separate them from each other and to show distance, the lines of the lamp post to separate the couple visually from the street and the items in the distance and on the street

• Conceptual - Perceived rain. I don’t see one drop of rain in the picture but I perceive it because of the wet pavement, the overcast sky, and the umbrellas

20

Paris Street; Rainy Day Visual Analysis

• The artist does an extraordinary job of tricking the eye in many different ways in this painting. From the perceived wet pavement, the apparent rain that must be present to the many lines used to define and separate space. The use of hues and shadowing is also used to define separation of the bricks of the road and the colors of the umbrellas. The illusion of depth is used in the building in the background which assists the artist in making the man and woman to the right of the photo become the focal point.

21

22

France-Champagne, 1889-91

Lithograph in yellow, orange, and black on cream wove paper774 x 578 Pierre Bonnard (French, 1867-1947)

printed by Edward Ancourt et Cie. (French, active 19th century)commissioned by E. Debray (French, active 19th century)depicted: Berthe Schaedlin (French, active 19th century)

France-Champagne, 1889-91 mm (image); 806 x 605 mm (sheet)Restricted gift of Dr. and Mrs. Martin L. Gecht, 1991.218

Bouvet 1 I/I; Boyer 1988 9; Floury 1; Galerie Laffitte p 3; Galeries Durand-Ruel 51; Ives 1 I/I; Maindron p 40-1; Roger-Marx 1 I/I

© 2008 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

23

France-Champagne Visual Elements & Principles of Design

• Media - Lithograph• Warm colors – chosen colors create warmth and a sense of ease, relaxation• Focal point – the focal point is surprisingly not the champagne but rather the

woman• Decorative – the lithograph is a piece of art that can be decorative in my

home around my wine case.• Ideology – I can relate to this woman and her disposition that appears to be

joyous. I too like champagne and smile when I drink it• Makes you feel – the picture makes me feel joyous, festive• Motion – the woman is in motion as depicted by her movement to the side

and forward. There is also the motion of her shoulder strap sneaking down, the champagne glass in a forward motion and the fan raised in her other hand

• Lines – lines are used to outline the woman and her clothing. Lines are also used to frame the lithograph

24

France-Champagne Visual Analysis

• A lithograph is a copy of an original piece of work. It is most commonly used when the original piece of art is either too expensive or unavailable. The artist authorizes copies to be made which is called lithograph.

• This asymmetrical piece of art is very joyous with it’s warm comforting hues of yellow. The artist uses lines to outline the woman and her clothing and to frame the picture. Though this appears to be advertising champagne, the actual focal point is the woman. The woman is in motion as depicted by her movement to the side and forward. There is also the motion of her shoulder strap sneaking down, the champagne glass in a forward motion and the fan raised in her other hand.

25

Gallery Exhibit(layout)

• My gallery art pieces would be displayed in the same room. The room will feel as though you were present in the 19th century. The room would be approximately 20 x 20 with a 19th century period 6’ red stuffed fainting couch with a rope to keep visitors off. I want the room to feel welcoming so I would paint it a warm color of sky blue. At the entrance to the room the Bust of Youth would be on a black marble column. This would intrigue people to enter the room and give it formality. With the couch facing the doorway, the picture Paris, Perspective du Boulevard Monmartre would be to the to the left of the couch and the Paris Street; Rainy Day would be to the right of the couch with three feet between them as they hung on the wall. By positioning these two pictures together they will relate to each other. It will be as if the man and woman from the Paris Street came from the Paris picture of the Boulevard.

• The left and the right walls of the room would have no art.• Upon leaving the room, on each side of the door way would be the

remaining two pieces of art. To the left would be Marchand du Panier and to the right France-Champagne. This placement is less formal to accompany the pictures.

26

Summary

• Why did I chose these particular items?– For their warmth and how they make me feel– I’m attracted to art from the 19th century– I dream of travelling abroad to Europe– I love champagne– These items would fit nicely into my décor

• Are they visually or thematically similar, if so in what ways?– They are visually similar in color, warm tones– All except the bust are from the 19th Century– They are expressive, I feel they immediately tell a story– Some of them tend to show romance or sexuality– All can be displayed as art in today’s decorative styles that display wine, Europe, 19 th century– All are linked to Europe– Every one of them tells a story