FREE ESSAY ON ART HISTORY MUSEUM PAPER

ART HISTORY MUSEUM PAPER

As a student of art history, going to a museum is the only way to fully experience a work
of art. By only looking at a painting or sculpture in a book or on a slide, you cannot
fully experience the work of art. By going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I was able
to look at paintings that dated from centuries old, to recent times.
Bruges, The Life and Miracles of Saint Godelieve, 15th Century, Tempera on wood
The Proto-Renaissance alter piece, The Life and Miracles of Saint Godelieve was done by
the artist Bruges. This piece is very typical of its time period. The title alone,
summarizes what art was in this period, religious. The painting itself is not
proportionate, has no vanishing point, and the saints have a globe-like halo. All the
faces look the same, if you walked down the street, you would not be able to pick out an
individual model for this painting, because there probably was no modeling done.
Raphael, Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints, 1504, oil on wood
The Raphael alter-piece, Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints, was painted in 1504.
The surface is very smooth, you cannot see any brushstrokes. The figures are placed in a
pyramid shape, with the Madonna's face as the center, and the viewer as the worm's
eye-view perspective. The face's still all look the same, but there is much more detail
in this piece than in The Life and Miracles of Saint Godelieve. The bright colors,
details, size of the alter-piece, and what we now recognize as halos on the angels make
this work a typical Raphael.
Designed by Francesco di Giorgio, Gubbio Studiolo, 1476, wood trompe-l'oeil
The Gubbio Studiolo is amazing. At a first glance everything looks real. But then at a
closer look, you realize the benches and cabinets that are there, are not real benches
and cabinets at all. It's all wood inlayed on a wall. To create shadows, the artist used
different types of wood. It is supposed to have the effect of having the viewer think
everything is three dimensional. Even the ceiling is part of this effect. The scene this
work depicts has all aspects of learning portrayed; religion, science, music, and
literature. The artist places items symbolizing these different parts of learning by
placing them into the cabinets that are all around.
Bronzino, Portrait of a young Man, 1550, oil on wood
The mannerist work, Portrait of a Young Man was done by Bronzino. The painting contains
aspects conveyed by the mannerist period. The young man is holding a book, which leads
the viewer to make the assumption that he his very learned. The man conveys an attitude
toward us, as if he is the best. The composition itself has hidden grotesques all over.
The man's eyes are purposely distorted, one eye is looking straight out, while the other
is looking towards the side. His long fingers are placed in very odd positions, making
this piece very mannerist.
Rubens, Wolf and Fox Hunt, 1615-1621, oil on canvas
Wolf and Fox Hunt by Rubens was created between 1615 and 1621. This extremely large
painting has very soft colors. The painting is light and airy. To look at it, is like
looking at a real scene through an early morning mist. This mood is created by the soft
brushstrokes that are used. For example, in the horse's tail, you can see all the
brushstrokes, which gives the hair depth.
Rembrandt, Self-Portrait, 1660, oil on canvas
Rembrandt's Self-Portrait, done in 1660, creates a dark, unpleasant mood. Rembrandt looks
worn out, tired, and very unhappy. All of his paintings in the museum portray this
darkness. There is one light source that casts a gloomy shadow over everything, which in
his Self-Portrait, tells the viewer, that at this point in his life, he was very unhappy.
Rembrandt does not enhance his features, but instead, makes them worse.
Boucher, The Interrupted Sleep, 1750, oil on canvas
The feminism, and almost gaudiness of the Rococo period is conveyed through The
Interrupted Sleep. This painting is very small in size like many of the paintings done
during this time. The composition itself is very sensual, with the soft pastel colors and
the soft, pink bodies of the woman. The use of the dogs show the richness that ran
through this period in history.
Lepage, Joan of Arc, 1880, oil on canvas
The 19th century painting Joan of Arc was painted by Lepage. What makes this my favorite
19th century painting is the realness of Joan of Arc. It looks as if the artist took a
snap shot of the model, enlarged it and placed it onto a painted background. Also, the
size of this painting is unbelievable. It is disputed as to which period Joan of Arc
belongs to. Some say it is part of the Romantic movement and some say it is part of the
Realist movement, and still, others claim it is part of both movements.
Georgia O'Keeffe, Gray Line with Lavender and Yellow, 1923, oil on canvas 
The 20th century work, Gray Line with Lavender and Yellow by Georgia O'Keeffe is nothing
like what has been done before it. There is no subject matter, except how the different
colors are used. This painting is a picture of nothing. The artist uses gray, teal,
lavender, pink, yellow, and blue to portray something that is not real. She wants the
viewer to use the mind and imagination to make up their own composition. Gray Line with
Lavender and Yellow helped break the idea that art had to be a painting of something.
To fully experience a work of art, you must go see it in person. Studying them in class
should not be the only time you see them. To be in a room that is filled with paintings
by Raphael and Rembrandt is quite an experience that everyone at least once in their life
should have a chance to do.