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1151_T

A Monument to Peace: Our Hope for the Children

Focus on A Monument to Peace: Our Hope for the Children and explore the Description and history.

The monument represents the United States in Jordan Park's International Peace Gardens. Inscriptions read "Our hope for the children", "Peace on Earth", and "The Dawn of a New Era". The artwork is administered by Salt Lake County's Parks and Recreation department. It was surveyed by the Smithsonian Institution's "Save Outdoor Sculpture" program in 1993–1994. The monument has been included in published walking tours of Salt Lake City.

1151_NT

A Monument to Peace: Our Hope for the Children

Focus on this artwork and explore the Description and history.

The monument represents the United States in Jordan Park's International Peace Gardens. Inscriptions read "Our hope for the children", "Peace on Earth", and "The Dawn of a New Era". The artwork is administered by Salt Lake County's Parks and Recreation department. It was surveyed by the Smithsonian Institution's "Save Outdoor Sculpture" program in 1993–1994. The monument has been included in published walking tours of Salt Lake City.

1152_T

Portrait of Vincenzo Anastagi

Focus on Portrait of Vincenzo Anastagi and explain the abstract.

The Portrait of Vincenzo Anastagi is a portrait of Vincenzo Anastagi by El Greco, probably painted between 1571 and 1576, during the artist's time in Rome. It is part of the Frick Collection, which acquired it in 1913.

1152_NT

Portrait of Vincenzo Anastagi

Focus on this artwork and explain the abstract.

The Portrait of Vincenzo Anastagi is a portrait of Vincenzo Anastagi by El Greco, probably painted between 1571 and 1576, during the artist's time in Rome. It is part of the Frick Collection, which acquired it in 1913.

1153_T

Drowned Land

Explore the abstract of this artwork, Drowned Land.

Drowned Land is a 1912 oil sketch by the 20th-century Canadian painter Tom Thomson. The work was painted in the fall of 1912, possibly on the Mississagi River. It depicts an area desolate and damaged due to flooding via damming. It was purchased by the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto in 1937 and has remained in the collection ever since. It was produced near the beginning of Thomson's short art career, just as he was beginning a transition from commercial art into full-time painting.

1153_NT

Drowned Land

Explore the abstract of this artwork.

Drowned Land is a 1912 oil sketch by the 20th-century Canadian painter Tom Thomson. The work was painted in the fall of 1912, possibly on the Mississagi River. It depicts an area desolate and damaged due to flooding via damming. It was purchased by the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto in 1937 and has remained in the collection ever since. It was produced near the beginning of Thomson's short art career, just as he was beginning a transition from commercial art into full-time painting.

1154_T

Drowned Land

Focus on Drowned Land and discuss the Background.

In 1912 after Thomson's initial experience of visiting Algonquin Park, he and his colleague William Broadhead went on a two-month expedition up the Spanish River and into Mississagi Forest Reserve (today Mississagi Provincial Park). Representative of typical Canadian attitudes towards the environment at that time, an article in the Owen Sound Sun reporting on Thomson's visit to the forest reserve wrote that "technology gave value to the landscape" and placed emphasis on the mineral, forest, water-power, and fish and game resources rather than on any scenic beauty the land possessed.Thomson's transition from commercial art towards his original style of painting began to be apparent around this time. Much of his artwork from this trip, mainly oil sketches and photographs, has been lost due to two canoe spills experienced during the trip, the first spill being on Green Lake in a rain squall and the second in a series of rapids. In a letter to his friend M. J. (John) McRuer, Thomson wrote:We started in at Bisco and took a long trip on the lakes around there going up the Spanish River and over into the Mississauga [Mississagi] water we got a great many good snapshots of game—mostly moose and some sketches, but we had a dump in the forty-mile rapids which is near the end of our trip and lost most of our stuff—we only saved 2 rolls of film out of about 14 dozen. Outside of that we had a peach of a time as the Mississauga is considered the finest canoe trip in the world... The weather has been very rotton [sic] all through our trip never dry for more than 24 hours at a time and sometimes raining for a week steady...

1154_NT

Drowned Land

Focus on this artwork and discuss the Background.

In 1912 after Thomson's initial experience of visiting Algonquin Park, he and his colleague William Broadhead went on a two-month expedition up the Spanish River and into Mississagi Forest Reserve (today Mississagi Provincial Park). Representative of typical Canadian attitudes towards the environment at that time, an article in the Owen Sound Sun reporting on Thomson's visit to the forest reserve wrote that "technology gave value to the landscape" and placed emphasis on the mineral, forest, water-power, and fish and game resources rather than on any scenic beauty the land possessed.Thomson's transition from commercial art towards his original style of painting began to be apparent around this time. Much of his artwork from this trip, mainly oil sketches and photographs, has been lost due to two canoe spills experienced during the trip, the first spill being on Green Lake in a rain squall and the second in a series of rapids. In a letter to his friend M. J. (John) McRuer, Thomson wrote:We started in at Bisco and took a long trip on the lakes around there going up the Spanish River and over into the Mississauga [Mississagi] water we got a great many good snapshots of game—mostly moose and some sketches, but we had a dump in the forty-mile rapids which is near the end of our trip and lost most of our stuff—we only saved 2 rolls of film out of about 14 dozen. Outside of that we had a peach of a time as the Mississauga is considered the finest canoe trip in the world... The weather has been very rotton [sic] all through our trip never dry for more than 24 hours at a time and sometimes raining for a week steady...

1155_T

Drowned Land

How does Drowned Land elucidate its Analysis?

Thomson's art director while at Grip Ltd., Albert Robson, identified Drowned Land as being painted on the Mississagi Forest Reserve canoe trip. Art historian David Silcox has suggested that it was perhaps painted on Lake Scugog or near Owen Sound. It was painted with oil on paper, which was further embossed with canvas texture, all mounted on plywood. A similar support was used for View Over a Lake: Shore with Houses. The painting came right as Thomson was transitioning from commercial art into fine art and indicates his innate talent. It is similar to a sketch from the previous year, Near Owen Sound, in terms of colour, drawing and texture. On display is a "camera-like precision" and his incredible attention to detail in capturing scenes. Indeed, David Silcox has speculated that Drowned Land as well as other paintings may have been completed with a photograph as a memory aid given their "uncanny precision". The painting is especially notable for its skill of composition and precision, especially when compared with some of Thomson's other work from this period, such as The Canoe and Old Lumber Dam, Algonquin Park. These early sketches show how he had not yet established his own form of expression, being particularly dark and dreary compared to his later work. The subject of desolation was uncommon for the time, having not been seen in Canadian painting since the works of topographers in the early-nineteenth century.The painting, like others from this period, depicts ideal fishing territory that Thomson likely would have enjoyed. Many of his paintings were overt in their depictions of the lumber industry, including dams, pointers, alligators and drives, the presence of industry being on his mind from early on. Drowned Land however is more subtle as it does not directly display any logging equipment. Instead, it presents the damage caused by logging operations and flooding due to damming. A hopeful recovering growth is apparent in the distance behind the skeleton of trees in the foreground.

1155_NT

Drowned Land

How does this artwork elucidate its Analysis?

Thomson's art director while at Grip Ltd., Albert Robson, identified Drowned Land as being painted on the Mississagi Forest Reserve canoe trip. Art historian David Silcox has suggested that it was perhaps painted on Lake Scugog or near Owen Sound. It was painted with oil on paper, which was further embossed with canvas texture, all mounted on plywood. A similar support was used for View Over a Lake: Shore with Houses. The painting came right as Thomson was transitioning from commercial art into fine art and indicates his innate talent. It is similar to a sketch from the previous year, Near Owen Sound, in terms of colour, drawing and texture. On display is a "camera-like precision" and his incredible attention to detail in capturing scenes. Indeed, David Silcox has speculated that Drowned Land as well as other paintings may have been completed with a photograph as a memory aid given their "uncanny precision". The painting is especially notable for its skill of composition and precision, especially when compared with some of Thomson's other work from this period, such as The Canoe and Old Lumber Dam, Algonquin Park. These early sketches show how he had not yet established his own form of expression, being particularly dark and dreary compared to his later work. The subject of desolation was uncommon for the time, having not been seen in Canadian painting since the works of topographers in the early-nineteenth century.The painting, like others from this period, depicts ideal fishing territory that Thomson likely would have enjoyed. Many of his paintings were overt in their depictions of the lumber industry, including dams, pointers, alligators and drives, the presence of industry being on his mind from early on. Drowned Land however is more subtle as it does not directly display any logging equipment. Instead, it presents the damage caused by logging operations and flooding due to damming. A hopeful recovering growth is apparent in the distance behind the skeleton of trees in the foreground.

1156_T

Drowned Land

Focus on Drowned Land and analyze the Provenance and exhibition.

The painting was purchased by the Art Gallery of Ontario in 1937 from Mellors Fine Arts in Toronto and has remained in the AGO's collection ever since. It has been on display in several exhibitions since its purchase.

1156_NT

Drowned Land

Focus on this artwork and analyze the Provenance and exhibition.

The painting was purchased by the Art Gallery of Ontario in 1937 from Mellors Fine Arts in Toronto and has remained in the AGO's collection ever since. It has been on display in several exhibitions since its purchase.

1157_T

Wine is a Mocker

In Wine is a Mocker, how is the abstract discussed?

Wine is a Mocker is an oil-on-canvas painting by the Dutch artist Jan Steen, created in 1663–1664, now in the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California. Its title is drawn from a biblical proverb.The canvas depicts a scene outside an inn where a well-dressed drunken woman is about to be carried home in a wheelbarrow. The proverb, written above the door of the inn, reads: "Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise". The painting illustrates the point that no one, of whatever status, is immune from the unedifying effects of strong drink. Steen, who ran a tavern himself, would be well acquainted with such debauchery.

1157_NT

Wine is a Mocker

In this artwork, how is the abstract discussed?

Wine is a Mocker is an oil-on-canvas painting by the Dutch artist Jan Steen, created in 1663–1664, now in the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California. Its title is drawn from a biblical proverb.The canvas depicts a scene outside an inn where a well-dressed drunken woman is about to be carried home in a wheelbarrow. The proverb, written above the door of the inn, reads: "Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise". The painting illustrates the point that no one, of whatever status, is immune from the unedifying effects of strong drink. Steen, who ran a tavern himself, would be well acquainted with such debauchery.

1158_T

Landscape with a Windmill near a Town Moat

Focus on Landscape with a Windmill near a Town Moat and explore the abstract.

Landscape with a Windmill Near a Town Moat (c. 1650s) is an oil on canvas painting by the Dutch landscape painter Jacob van Ruisdael. It is an example of Dutch Golden Age painting and is now in a private collection. This painting was documented by Hofstede de Groot in 1911, who wrote; "174. LANDSCAPE WITH A WIND-MILL. Sm. 135. A town-moat stretches from the distance to the foreground, which it almost fills. In the immediate right foreground is the reedy bank with a wooden bridge. Farther back are brick walls, the remains of a sluice, which are connected by planks. A man with a dog crosses to the left bank which is thickly planted with trees. Near the bank is a boat on the water. In the middle distance is a man in a flat-bottomed boat on the sunlit water. Farther back is a wooden drawbridge over the moat to the town, above whose wall rise house-roofs and a great wooden mill. A fine summer day with clouds in the sky. More or less in the style of Hobbema. The figures are by Ruisdael himself. An attractive picture. Canvas, 25 inches by 30 1/2 inches. Engraved by J. H. Wright in the Stafford Gallery. In the collection of Lord Francis Egerton, London, 1835 (Sm.). In the collection of the Earl of Ellesmere, Bridgewater House, London, 1892 catalogue, No. 197."This painting was documented in earlier estate sale catalogs of Pieter Locquet and Jan Gildemeester and Hofstede de Groot therefore listed it also as #16, though at the time he didn't know it was the same painting as his #174.

1158_NT

Landscape with a Windmill near a Town Moat

Focus on this artwork and explore the abstract.

Landscape with a Windmill Near a Town Moat (c. 1650s) is an oil on canvas painting by the Dutch landscape painter Jacob van Ruisdael. It is an example of Dutch Golden Age painting and is now in a private collection. This painting was documented by Hofstede de Groot in 1911, who wrote; "174. LANDSCAPE WITH A WIND-MILL. Sm. 135. A town-moat stretches from the distance to the foreground, which it almost fills. In the immediate right foreground is the reedy bank with a wooden bridge. Farther back are brick walls, the remains of a sluice, which are connected by planks. A man with a dog crosses to the left bank which is thickly planted with trees. Near the bank is a boat on the water. In the middle distance is a man in a flat-bottomed boat on the sunlit water. Farther back is a wooden drawbridge over the moat to the town, above whose wall rise house-roofs and a great wooden mill. A fine summer day with clouds in the sky. More or less in the style of Hobbema. The figures are by Ruisdael himself. An attractive picture. Canvas, 25 inches by 30 1/2 inches. Engraved by J. H. Wright in the Stafford Gallery. In the collection of Lord Francis Egerton, London, 1835 (Sm.). In the collection of the Earl of Ellesmere, Bridgewater House, London, 1892 catalogue, No. 197."This painting was documented in earlier estate sale catalogs of Pieter Locquet and Jan Gildemeester and Hofstede de Groot therefore listed it also as #16, though at the time he didn't know it was the same painting as his #174.

1159_T

Untitled 77 (print)

Explore the Acquisition about the Historical information of this artwork, Untitled 77 (print).

Untitled #77 was commissioned by Eskenazi Health as part of a re-imagining of the organization's historical art collection and to support "the sense of optimism, vitality and energy" of its new campus in 2013. In response to its nationwide request for proposals, Eskenazi Health received more than 500 submissions from 39 states, which were then narrowed to 54 finalists by an independent jury. Each of the 54 proposals was assigned an area of the new hospital by Eskenazi Health's art committee and publicly displayed in the existing Wishard Hospital and online for public comment; more than 3,000 public comments on the final proposals were collected and analyzed in the final selection.

1159_NT

Untitled 77 (print)

Explore the Acquisition about the Historical information of this artwork.

Untitled #77 was commissioned by Eskenazi Health as part of a re-imagining of the organization's historical art collection and to support "the sense of optimism, vitality and energy" of its new campus in 2013. In response to its nationwide request for proposals, Eskenazi Health received more than 500 submissions from 39 states, which were then narrowed to 54 finalists by an independent jury. Each of the 54 proposals was assigned an area of the new hospital by Eskenazi Health's art committee and publicly displayed in the existing Wishard Hospital and online for public comment; more than 3,000 public comments on the final proposals were collected and analyzed in the final selection.

1160_T

Untitled 77 (print)

In the context of Untitled 77 (print), discuss the Location of the Historical information.

Untitled #77 is currently displayed in the Women's Specialties Waiting Room on the fifth level of the Eskenazi Health Outpatient Care Center on the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital campus.

1160_NT

Untitled 77 (print)

In the context of this artwork, discuss the Location of the Historical information.

Untitled #77 is currently displayed in the Women's Specialties Waiting Room on the fifth level of the Eskenazi Health Outpatient Care Center on the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital campus.

1161_T

Untitled 77 (print)

How does Untitled 77 (print) elucidate its Artist?

Artur Silva was born and raised in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. There, he attended the Guignard University of Art before moving to New York City and then to Indianapolis in 2001. Silva’s work has been exhibited at Harrison Center for the Arts, Editions Limited, Marian College and Big Car Gallery in Indianapolis as well as at Convento Gallery in Belo Horizonte, Half Dozen Gallery in Portland, Oregon, and NavtaSchultz Gallery in Chicago. His work is included in the collections of the Indiana State Museum and the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. Silva’s work has earned both local and regional awards, including an individual artist grant from the Indiana Arts Commission, a Creative Renewal Fellowship from the Arts Council of Indianapolis, a grant from the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture, an Efroymson Contemporary Art Fellowship and a Midwest Visions grant for residency at the Ox-Bow School of Art in Michigan.

1161_NT

Untitled 77 (print)

How does this artwork elucidate its Artist?

Artur Silva was born and raised in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. There, he attended the Guignard University of Art before moving to New York City and then to Indianapolis in 2001. Silva’s work has been exhibited at Harrison Center for the Arts, Editions Limited, Marian College and Big Car Gallery in Indianapolis as well as at Convento Gallery in Belo Horizonte, Half Dozen Gallery in Portland, Oregon, and NavtaSchultz Gallery in Chicago. His work is included in the collections of the Indiana State Museum and the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. Silva’s work has earned both local and regional awards, including an individual artist grant from the Indiana Arts Commission, a Creative Renewal Fellowship from the Arts Council of Indianapolis, a grant from the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture, an Efroymson Contemporary Art Fellowship and a Midwest Visions grant for residency at the Ox-Bow School of Art in Michigan.

1162_T

Yakshi (sculpture)

Focus on Yakshi (sculpture) and analyze the abstract.

Yakshi is a sculpture in Malampuzha park, Palakkad adjacent to the Malampuzha Dam in the Indian state of Kerala. Sculptored by Kanayi Kunhiraman, its construction was completed in 1969. It is a 30 ft (9.1 m)-tall sculpture inspired by a nude female yakshi (Hinduist female spirit), with her legs spread out, breasts lifted, eyes raised to the sky in a semi-drowsy state and fingers running through her hair. The sculpture is constructed in a single piece. Kunhiraman was honoured by Kerala Government in 2019 during the 50th anniversary of the sculpture.

1162_NT

Yakshi (sculpture)

Focus on this artwork and analyze the abstract.

Yakshi is a sculpture in Malampuzha park, Palakkad adjacent to the Malampuzha Dam in the Indian state of Kerala. Sculptored by Kanayi Kunhiraman, its construction was completed in 1969. It is a 30 ft (9.1 m)-tall sculpture inspired by a nude female yakshi (Hinduist female spirit), with her legs spread out, breasts lifted, eyes raised to the sky in a semi-drowsy state and fingers running through her hair. The sculpture is constructed in a single piece. Kunhiraman was honoured by Kerala Government in 2019 during the 50th anniversary of the sculpture.

1163_T

Yakshi (sculpture)

In Yakshi (sculpture), how is the Criticism discussed?

The sculpture have been criticised by some people for its nudity.

1163_NT

Yakshi (sculpture)

In this artwork, how is the Criticism discussed?

The sculpture have been criticised by some people for its nudity.

1164_T

Coming of the White Man

Focus on Coming of the White Man and explore the abstract.

Coming of the White Man is a bronze sculpture by American artist Hermon Atkins MacNeil, installed in Washington Park, Portland, Oregon in the United States. The statue was gifted to the City of Portland in 1904 by former mayor David P. Thompson and installed the following year. It depicts two Native American men, including Chief Multnomah, looking towards the Columbia River upon the arrival of Lewis and Clark.

1164_NT

Coming of the White Man

Focus on this artwork and explore the abstract.

Coming of the White Man is a bronze sculpture by American artist Hermon Atkins MacNeil, installed in Washington Park, Portland, Oregon in the United States. The statue was gifted to the City of Portland in 1904 by former mayor David P. Thompson and installed the following year. It depicts two Native American men, including Chief Multnomah, looking towards the Columbia River upon the arrival of Lewis and Clark.

1165_T

Coming of the White Man

Focus on Coming of the White Man and explain the Description.

Coming of the White Man is a bronze sculpture designed by Hermon Atkins MacNeil (1866–1947), an American artist most known for depicting indigenous peoples of the Americas and Western pioneers. The statue is installed in Portland's Washington Park, along Southwest Washington Way. It depicts Chief Multnomah and another Native American man looking towards the Columbia River upon the arrival of Lewis and Clark. One man is shown holding branches in his lifted right arm, pointed in the direction of the approaching explorers; the other figure folds his arms in front.According to the Regional Arts & Culture Council, which administers the work, the sculpture measures 8 feet 8 inches (2.64 m) × 6 feet (1.8 m) × 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) and is mounted to a stone base that measures 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m) × 7 feet 6 inches (2.29 m) × 9 feet 6 inches (2.90 m). The irregular stone base has an inscription of the work's title. The pedestal displays the text "Presented to the City of Portland by the Family of David P. Thompson" as shown in the image.

1165_NT

Coming of the White Man

Focus on this artwork and explain the Description.

Coming of the White Man is a bronze sculpture designed by Hermon Atkins MacNeil (1866–1947), an American artist most known for depicting indigenous peoples of the Americas and Western pioneers. The statue is installed in Portland's Washington Park, along Southwest Washington Way. It depicts Chief Multnomah and another Native American man looking towards the Columbia River upon the arrival of Lewis and Clark. One man is shown holding branches in his lifted right arm, pointed in the direction of the approaching explorers; the other figure folds his arms in front.According to the Regional Arts & Culture Council, which administers the work, the sculpture measures 8 feet 8 inches (2.64 m) × 6 feet (1.8 m) × 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) and is mounted to a stone base that measures 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m) × 7 feet 6 inches (2.29 m) × 9 feet 6 inches (2.90 m). The irregular stone base has an inscription of the work's title. The pedestal displays the text "Presented to the City of Portland by the Family of David P. Thompson" as shown in the image.

1166_T

Coronation gown of Elizabeth II

Explore the abstract of this artwork, Coronation gown of Elizabeth II.

Queen Elizabeth II's coronation took place on 2 June 1953. Ordered in October 1952, her gown took eight months of research, design, workmanship, and intricate embroidery to complete. It featured the floral emblems of the countries of the United Kingdom and those of the other states within the Commonwealth of Nations, including the English Tudor rose, Scots thistle, Welsh leek, Irish shamrock, Canadian maple leaf, Australian wattle, New Zealand silver fern, South African protea, Indian lotus flower for India, the Lotus flower of Ceylon, and Pakistan's wheat, cotton, and jute.The gown, like Elizabeth's wedding dress and other notable royal dresses of this period, was designed by Norman Hartnell. It was Elizabeth's wish that the coronation dress should be made of satin, like her wedding dress, with accentuation of regal elegance, but with no undue emphasis on shape. The gown now forms part of the Royal Collection.After the coronation, the Queen wore the dress on several occasions such as when she opened the parliaments in New Zealand (1954), Australia (1954), Ceylon (1954), and Canada (1957).

1166_NT

Coronation gown of Elizabeth II

Explore the abstract of this artwork.

Queen Elizabeth II's coronation took place on 2 June 1953. Ordered in October 1952, her gown took eight months of research, design, workmanship, and intricate embroidery to complete. It featured the floral emblems of the countries of the United Kingdom and those of the other states within the Commonwealth of Nations, including the English Tudor rose, Scots thistle, Welsh leek, Irish shamrock, Canadian maple leaf, Australian wattle, New Zealand silver fern, South African protea, Indian lotus flower for India, the Lotus flower of Ceylon, and Pakistan's wheat, cotton, and jute.The gown, like Elizabeth's wedding dress and other notable royal dresses of this period, was designed by Norman Hartnell. It was Elizabeth's wish that the coronation dress should be made of satin, like her wedding dress, with accentuation of regal elegance, but with no undue emphasis on shape. The gown now forms part of the Royal Collection.After the coronation, the Queen wore the dress on several occasions such as when she opened the parliaments in New Zealand (1954), Australia (1954), Ceylon (1954), and Canada (1957).

1167_T

Coronation gown of Elizabeth II

Focus on Coronation gown of Elizabeth II and discuss the Making.

The dress, which was ordered in October 1952, took eight months of research, design and workmanship to make. Its intricate embroidery required many hours of diligent work by the dressmakers. The silk used to make the gown was obtained from Lady Hart Dyke's silk farm at Lullingstone Castle. The dress required the efforts of at least three dressmakers, six embroideresses and the Royal School of Needlework, responsible for the embroidery worked in gold bullion thread. The Robe of State of Crimson Velvet, which was attached to the shoulders of the gown, was hand-woven by Warners of Braintree, Essex, using Lullingstone Castle silk and made by Messrs. Ede & Ravenscroft of Chancery Lane, London.

1167_NT

Coronation gown of Elizabeth II

Focus on this artwork and discuss the Making.

The dress, which was ordered in October 1952, took eight months of research, design and workmanship to make. Its intricate embroidery required many hours of diligent work by the dressmakers. The silk used to make the gown was obtained from Lady Hart Dyke's silk farm at Lullingstone Castle. The dress required the efforts of at least three dressmakers, six embroideresses and the Royal School of Needlework, responsible for the embroidery worked in gold bullion thread. The Robe of State of Crimson Velvet, which was attached to the shoulders of the gown, was hand-woven by Warners of Braintree, Essex, using Lullingstone Castle silk and made by Messrs. Ede & Ravenscroft of Chancery Lane, London.

1168_T

Discobolus (Harvard University)

How does Discobolus (Harvard University) elucidate its abstract?

A bronze replica of Myron's Discobolus is installed on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States.

1168_NT

Discobolus (Harvard University)

How does this artwork elucidate its abstract?

A bronze replica of Myron's Discobolus is installed on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States.

1169_T

The Founding Ceremony of the Nation

Focus on The Founding Ceremony of the Nation and analyze the abstract.

The Founding Ceremony of the Nation (or The Founding of the Nation, Chinese: 开国大典; pinyin: Kāiguó Dàdiǎn) is a 1953 oil painting by Chinese artist Dong Xiwen. It depicts Chairman Mao Zedong and other Communist Party officials proclaiming the People's Republic of China at Tiananmen Square on October 1, 1949. A prominent example of socialist realism, it is one of the most celebrated works of official Chinese art. The painting was repeatedly revised, and a replica painting made to accommodate further changes, as the leaders it depicted fell from power and later were rehabilitated. After the Chinese Communist Revolution, the Party sought to memorialize their achievements through artworks. Dong was commissioned to create a visual representation of the October 1 ceremony, which he had attended. He viewed it as essential that the painting show both the people and their leaders. After working for three months, he completed an oil painting in a folk art style, drawing upon Chinese art history for the contemporary subject. The success of the painting was assured when Mao viewed it and liked it, and it was reproduced in large numbers for display in the home. The 1954 purge of Gao Gang from the government resulted in Dong being ordered to remove him from the painting. Gao's departure was not the last; Dong was forced to remove then-Chinese president Liu Shaoqi in 1967. The winds of political fortune continued to shift during the Cultural Revolution, and a reproduction was painted by other artists in 1972 to accommodate another deletion. That replica was modified in 1979 to include the purged individuals, who had been rehabilitated. Both canvases are in the National Museum of China in Beijing.

1169_NT

The Founding Ceremony of the Nation

Focus on this artwork and analyze the abstract.

The Founding Ceremony of the Nation (or The Founding of the Nation, Chinese: 开国大典; pinyin: Kāiguó Dàdiǎn) is a 1953 oil painting by Chinese artist Dong Xiwen. It depicts Chairman Mao Zedong and other Communist Party officials proclaiming the People's Republic of China at Tiananmen Square on October 1, 1949. A prominent example of socialist realism, it is one of the most celebrated works of official Chinese art. The painting was repeatedly revised, and a replica painting made to accommodate further changes, as the leaders it depicted fell from power and later were rehabilitated. After the Chinese Communist Revolution, the Party sought to memorialize their achievements through artworks. Dong was commissioned to create a visual representation of the October 1 ceremony, which he had attended. He viewed it as essential that the painting show both the people and their leaders. After working for three months, he completed an oil painting in a folk art style, drawing upon Chinese art history for the contemporary subject. The success of the painting was assured when Mao viewed it and liked it, and it was reproduced in large numbers for display in the home. The 1954 purge of Gao Gang from the government resulted in Dong being ordered to remove him from the painting. Gao's departure was not the last; Dong was forced to remove then-Chinese president Liu Shaoqi in 1967. The winds of political fortune continued to shift during the Cultural Revolution, and a reproduction was painted by other artists in 1972 to accommodate another deletion. That replica was modified in 1979 to include the purged individuals, who had been rehabilitated. Both canvases are in the National Museum of China in Beijing.

1170_T

The Founding Ceremony of the Nation

In The Founding Ceremony of the Nation, how is the Subject and techniques discussed?

The painting depicts the inaugural ceremony of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949. The focus is on Mao, who stands on Tiananmen Gate's balcony, reading his proclamation into (originally) two microphones. Dong took some liberties with the appearance of Tiananmen Gate, opening up the space in front of Mao to grant the chairman a more direct connection with his people, something that architect Liang Sicheng deemed a mistake for a builder, but artistically brilliant. Five doves fly into the sky to Mao's right. Before him on Tiananmen Square, honor guards and members of patriotic organizations are assembled in orderly ranks, with some holding banners. Qianmen, the gate at the south end of the square, is visible, as is Yongdingmen gate (seen to the left of Mao). Beyond the old city walls that at the time enclosed the square (they were torn down in the 1950s), the city of Beijing is visible, and in green is represented the nation of China, with those further scenes under bright sunlight and sharply defined clouds. October 1 had been an overcast day in Beijing; Dong took artistic license with the weather.To Mao's left are seen his lieutenants in the Communist takeover. In the original painting, the front row, which is ordered by rank, consisted of (from left) General Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi, Madame Song Qingling (the widow of Sun Zhongshan), Li Jishen, Zhang Lan (with beard), and at far right, General Gao Gang. Zhou Enlai was furthest left in the second row, and beside him were Dong Biwu, two men whose identities are uncertain, and furthest right, Guo Moruo. Lin Boqu was furthest left in the third row. The leaders congregate close to each other, while remaining a respectful distance from Mao. This emphasizes his primacy, as does the fact that he is depicted as taller than his lieutenants. The point of view of the observer is well back on the balcony, from which most of the square would be obscured by the floor. Rather than show only Mao and sky, Dong manipulated the perspective, raising the horizon and intensifying the foreshortening of the balcony. Necessarily, only the officials and not the crowd below are represented as individuals; art historian Wu Hung wrote that "the parading masses in the Square derive strength from a collective anonymity. The combination of the two—above and below, the leaders and the people—constitutes a comprehensive representation of New China."Mao and his officials are surrounded by lanterns, symbols of prosperity; the chrysanthemums on either side symbolize longevity. The doves represent peace restored to a nation long wracked by war. The new five-star flag of China, rising over the people, represents the end of the feudal system and the rebirth of the nation as the People's Republic. Mao, who is presented as a statesman, not as the revolutionary leader he was during the conflict, faces Qianmen, aligning himself along Beijing's old imperial North-South Axis, symbolizing his authority. The chairman is at the center of multiple, concentric circles in the painting, with the innermost formed by the front row of his comrades, another by the people in the square, and the outermost the old city walls. Surrounding them are the sunlit scenes, envisioning a glorious future for China with Mao the heart of the nation. Although Dong had been trained in Western painting, he chose a folk art style for The Founding of the Nation, using bright, contrasting colors in a manner similar to that of New Year's prints popular in China. He stated in 1953, "the Chinese people like bright, intense colors. This convention is in line with the theme of The Founding Ceremony of the Nation. In my choice of colors I did not hesitate to put aside the complex colors commonly adopted in Western painting as well as the conventional rules for oil painting." Artists in the early years of the People's Republic, including Dong, sought to satisfy Chinese aesthetic tastes in their works and so depicted their subjects in bright original color, avoiding complex use of light and shadow on faces as in many Western paintings. By European standards, the painting's colors are overly intense and saturated. The color vermilion was used for large areas of the columns, the carpets, and the lanterns, setting a tone for the work. The blooming flowers, the flags and banners, and the blue and white sky all give the painting a happy atmosphere—a joyful, festive air, as well as giving "cultural sublimity", appropriate for a work depicting the founding of a nation.Dong drew upon Chinese art history, using techniques from Dunhuang murals of the Tang dynasty, Ming dynasty portraits, and ancient figure paintings. Patterns on the carpet, columns, lanterns, and railing evoke cultural symbols. The colors of the painting are reminiscent of crudely printed rural woodcuts; this is emphasized by the black outlines of a number of objects, including the pillars and stone railing, as those outlines are characteristic of such woodcuts. Dong noted, "If this painting is rich in national styles, it is largely because I adopted these [native] approaches."

1170_NT

The Founding Ceremony of the Nation

In this artwork, how is the Subject and techniques discussed?

The painting depicts the inaugural ceremony of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949. The focus is on Mao, who stands on Tiananmen Gate's balcony, reading his proclamation into (originally) two microphones. Dong took some liberties with the appearance of Tiananmen Gate, opening up the space in front of Mao to grant the chairman a more direct connection with his people, something that architect Liang Sicheng deemed a mistake for a builder, but artistically brilliant. Five doves fly into the sky to Mao's right. Before him on Tiananmen Square, honor guards and members of patriotic organizations are assembled in orderly ranks, with some holding banners. Qianmen, the gate at the south end of the square, is visible, as is Yongdingmen gate (seen to the left of Mao). Beyond the old city walls that at the time enclosed the square (they were torn down in the 1950s), the city of Beijing is visible, and in green is represented the nation of China, with those further scenes under bright sunlight and sharply defined clouds. October 1 had been an overcast day in Beijing; Dong took artistic license with the weather.To Mao's left are seen his lieutenants in the Communist takeover. In the original painting, the front row, which is ordered by rank, consisted of (from left) General Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi, Madame Song Qingling (the widow of Sun Zhongshan), Li Jishen, Zhang Lan (with beard), and at far right, General Gao Gang. Zhou Enlai was furthest left in the second row, and beside him were Dong Biwu, two men whose identities are uncertain, and furthest right, Guo Moruo. Lin Boqu was furthest left in the third row. The leaders congregate close to each other, while remaining a respectful distance from Mao. This emphasizes his primacy, as does the fact that he is depicted as taller than his lieutenants. The point of view of the observer is well back on the balcony, from which most of the square would be obscured by the floor. Rather than show only Mao and sky, Dong manipulated the perspective, raising the horizon and intensifying the foreshortening of the balcony. Necessarily, only the officials and not the crowd below are represented as individuals; art historian Wu Hung wrote that "the parading masses in the Square derive strength from a collective anonymity. The combination of the two—above and below, the leaders and the people—constitutes a comprehensive representation of New China."Mao and his officials are surrounded by lanterns, symbols of prosperity; the chrysanthemums on either side symbolize longevity. The doves represent peace restored to a nation long wracked by war. The new five-star flag of China, rising over the people, represents the end of the feudal system and the rebirth of the nation as the People's Republic. Mao, who is presented as a statesman, not as the revolutionary leader he was during the conflict, faces Qianmen, aligning himself along Beijing's old imperial North-South Axis, symbolizing his authority. The chairman is at the center of multiple, concentric circles in the painting, with the innermost formed by the front row of his comrades, another by the people in the square, and the outermost the old city walls. Surrounding them are the sunlit scenes, envisioning a glorious future for China with Mao the heart of the nation. Although Dong had been trained in Western painting, he chose a folk art style for The Founding of the Nation, using bright, contrasting colors in a manner similar to that of New Year's prints popular in China. He stated in 1953, "the Chinese people like bright, intense colors. This convention is in line with the theme of The Founding Ceremony of the Nation. In my choice of colors I did not hesitate to put aside the complex colors commonly adopted in Western painting as well as the conventional rules for oil painting." Artists in the early years of the People's Republic, including Dong, sought to satisfy Chinese aesthetic tastes in their works and so depicted their subjects in bright original color, avoiding complex use of light and shadow on faces as in many Western paintings. By European standards, the painting's colors are overly intense and saturated. The color vermilion was used for large areas of the columns, the carpets, and the lanterns, setting a tone for the work. The blooming flowers, the flags and banners, and the blue and white sky all give the painting a happy atmosphere—a joyful, festive air, as well as giving "cultural sublimity", appropriate for a work depicting the founding of a nation.Dong drew upon Chinese art history, using techniques from Dunhuang murals of the Tang dynasty, Ming dynasty portraits, and ancient figure paintings. Patterns on the carpet, columns, lanterns, and railing evoke cultural symbols. The colors of the painting are reminiscent of crudely printed rural woodcuts; this is emphasized by the black outlines of a number of objects, including the pillars and stone railing, as those outlines are characteristic of such woodcuts. Dong noted, "If this painting is rich in national styles, it is largely because I adopted these [native] approaches."

1171_T

The Founding Ceremony of the Nation

Focus on The Founding Ceremony of the Nation and explore the Composition.

The Founding of the Nation was one of several paintings commissioned for the new Museum of the Chinese Revolution from faculty members at CAFA. Two of these, Luo Gongliu's Tunnel Warfare and Wang Shikuo's Sending Him Off to the Army, were completed in 1951; The Founding of the Nation was finished the following year. These commissions were regarded as from the government and were highly prestigious. State assistance, such as access to archives, was available.At the time CAFA chose Dong, he was painting workers at the Shijingshan power plant outside Beijing. Dong reviewed the photographs of the event, but found them unsatisfactory as none showed both the leaders and the people gathered in the square below, which he felt was necessary. He created a postcard-size sketch, but was dissatisfied with it, feeling it did not capture the grandeur of the occasion. Taking advice from other artists, Dong made adjustments to his plan.Dong rented a small room in western Beijing above a store selling soy sauce. Jiang intervened to give Dong time and space to create the painting; the artist needed three months to complete his work. The room was smaller than the painting, which is four meters wide, and Dong would affix part of the canvas to the ceiling, working on his back. To save commuting time, he slept in a chair. He smoked cigarettes constantly as he worked. His daughter brought meals, but he was often unable to eat. Once the painting was under way, several of Dong's colleagues, including oil painter Ai Zhongxin, came to visit. They decided that the figure of Mao, the central one of the painting, was not tall enough. Dong removed the figure of Mao from the canvas, and painted him again, increasing his height by just under an inch (2.54 cm).In painting the sky and the pillars, Dong used a pen and brush, as if doing a traditional Chinese painting. He depicted the clothing in detail; Madame Song wears gloves showing flowers, while Zhang Lan's silk robe appears carefully ironed for the momentous day. Dong used sawdust to enhance the texture of the carpet on which Mao stands; he painted the marble railing as yellowish rather than white, thus emphasizing the age of the Chinese nation. The leaders in the painting were asked to examine their portraits for accuracy.

1171_NT

The Founding Ceremony of the Nation

Focus on this artwork and explore the Composition.

The Founding of the Nation was one of several paintings commissioned for the new Museum of the Chinese Revolution from faculty members at CAFA. Two of these, Luo Gongliu's Tunnel Warfare and Wang Shikuo's Sending Him Off to the Army, were completed in 1951; The Founding of the Nation was finished the following year. These commissions were regarded as from the government and were highly prestigious. State assistance, such as access to archives, was available.At the time CAFA chose Dong, he was painting workers at the Shijingshan power plant outside Beijing. Dong reviewed the photographs of the event, but found them unsatisfactory as none showed both the leaders and the people gathered in the square below, which he felt was necessary. He created a postcard-size sketch, but was dissatisfied with it, feeling it did not capture the grandeur of the occasion. Taking advice from other artists, Dong made adjustments to his plan.Dong rented a small room in western Beijing above a store selling soy sauce. Jiang intervened to give Dong time and space to create the painting; the artist needed three months to complete his work. The room was smaller than the painting, which is four meters wide, and Dong would affix part of the canvas to the ceiling, working on his back. To save commuting time, he slept in a chair. He smoked cigarettes constantly as he worked. His daughter brought meals, but he was often unable to eat. Once the painting was under way, several of Dong's colleagues, including oil painter Ai Zhongxin, came to visit. They decided that the figure of Mao, the central one of the painting, was not tall enough. Dong removed the figure of Mao from the canvas, and painted him again, increasing his height by just under an inch (2.54 cm).In painting the sky and the pillars, Dong used a pen and brush, as if doing a traditional Chinese painting. He depicted the clothing in detail; Madame Song wears gloves showing flowers, while Zhang Lan's silk robe appears carefully ironed for the momentous day. Dong used sawdust to enhance the texture of the carpet on which Mao stands; he painted the marble railing as yellowish rather than white, thus emphasizing the age of the Chinese nation. The leaders in the painting were asked to examine their portraits for accuracy.

1172_T

The Founding Ceremony of the Nation

Focus on The Founding Ceremony of the Nation and explain the Reception and prominence.

When the painting was unveiled in 1953, most Chinese critics were enthusiastic. Xu Beihong, the president of CAFA and a pioneer in using realism in oil painting, admired the manner in which the work fulfilled its political mission, but complained that because of the colors, it barely resembled an oil painting. He and others, though, saw that the painting opened a new chapter in Chinese art development. Zhu Dan, head of the People's Fine Arts Publishing House, which would reproduce the painting for the masses, argued that it was more a poster than an oil painting. Other artists stated that Dong's earlier works, such as Kazakh Shepherdess (1947) and Liberation (1949), were better examples of the new national style of art. Senior Party leaders, though, approved of the painting, as art historian Chang-Tai Hung put it, "seeing it as a testament to the young nation's evolving identity and growing confidence".Soon after the unveiling, Jiang wanted to arrange an exhibition at which government officials, including Mao, could view and publicly endorse the new Chinese art. He had connections in Mao's inner circle, and Dong and others organized it to be in conjunction with meetings at Zhongnanhai that Mao led. This was, most likely, the only time Mao attended an art exhibition after 1949. Mao visited the exhibition three times in between meetings and especially liked The Founding of the Nation—the official photograph of the event shows Mao and Zhou Enlai viewing the canvas with Dong. The chairman stared at the painting for a long time and finally said, "It is a great nation. It really is a great nation." Mao also stated that the portrayal of Dong Biwu was particularly well rendered. As Dong Biwu was in the second row, mostly hidden by the large Zhu De, Mao was most likely joking, but the favorable reaction by the country's leader assured the success of the painting.The Founding of the Nation was hailed as one of the greatest oil paintings ever by a Chinese artist by reviewers in that country, and more than 500,000 reproductions were sold in three months. Mao's praise helped boost the painting and its painter. Dong's techniques were seen as bridging the gap between the elitist medium of oil painting and popular art, and as a boost to Jiang's position that realistic art could be politically desirable. It was reproduced in primary and secondary school textbooks. The painting appeared on the front page of People's Daily in September 1953, and became an officially approved interior decoration. One English-language magazine published by the Chinese government for distribution abroad showed a model family in a modern apartment, with a large poster of The Founding of the Nation on the wall. According to Chang-Tai Hung, the painting "became a celebrated propaganda piece".

1172_NT

The Founding Ceremony of the Nation

Focus on this artwork and explain the Reception and prominence.

When the painting was unveiled in 1953, most Chinese critics were enthusiastic. Xu Beihong, the president of CAFA and a pioneer in using realism in oil painting, admired the manner in which the work fulfilled its political mission, but complained that because of the colors, it barely resembled an oil painting. He and others, though, saw that the painting opened a new chapter in Chinese art development. Zhu Dan, head of the People's Fine Arts Publishing House, which would reproduce the painting for the masses, argued that it was more a poster than an oil painting. Other artists stated that Dong's earlier works, such as Kazakh Shepherdess (1947) and Liberation (1949), were better examples of the new national style of art. Senior Party leaders, though, approved of the painting, as art historian Chang-Tai Hung put it, "seeing it as a testament to the young nation's evolving identity and growing confidence".Soon after the unveiling, Jiang wanted to arrange an exhibition at which government officials, including Mao, could view and publicly endorse the new Chinese art. He had connections in Mao's inner circle, and Dong and others organized it to be in conjunction with meetings at Zhongnanhai that Mao led. This was, most likely, the only time Mao attended an art exhibition after 1949. Mao visited the exhibition three times in between meetings and especially liked The Founding of the Nation—the official photograph of the event shows Mao and Zhou Enlai viewing the canvas with Dong. The chairman stared at the painting for a long time and finally said, "It is a great nation. It really is a great nation." Mao also stated that the portrayal of Dong Biwu was particularly well rendered. As Dong Biwu was in the second row, mostly hidden by the large Zhu De, Mao was most likely joking, but the favorable reaction by the country's leader assured the success of the painting.The Founding of the Nation was hailed as one of the greatest oil paintings ever by a Chinese artist by reviewers in that country, and more than 500,000 reproductions were sold in three months. Mao's praise helped boost the painting and its painter. Dong's techniques were seen as bridging the gap between the elitist medium of oil painting and popular art, and as a boost to Jiang's position that realistic art could be politically desirable. It was reproduced in primary and secondary school textbooks. The painting appeared on the front page of People's Daily in September 1953, and became an officially approved interior decoration. One English-language magazine published by the Chinese government for distribution abroad showed a model family in a modern apartment, with a large poster of The Founding of the Nation on the wall. According to Chang-Tai Hung, the painting "became a celebrated propaganda piece".

1173_T

The Founding Ceremony of the Nation

Explore the Later history and political changes of this artwork, The Founding Ceremony of the Nation.

In February 1954 Gao Gang, the head of the State Planning Council, was purged from government; he killed himself only months later. His presence in the painting immediately on Mao's left placed arts officials in a quandary. Given its popularity among officials and the people, The Founding of the Nation had to be shown at the Second National Arts Exhibition (1955), but it was unthinkable that Gao, deemed a traitor, should be depicted. Accordingly, Dong was ordered to remove Gao from the painting, which he did. In erasing Gao, Dong expanded the basket of pink chrysanthemums which stands at the officials' feet, and completed the depiction of Yongdingmen gate, in the original seen only in part behind Gao. He was forced to expand the section of sky seen above the people assembled in Tiananmen Square, which affected the placement of Mao as the center of attention. He compensated for this, to some extent, by adding two more microphones to Mao's right. Julia Andrews, in her book on the art of the People's Republic, suggested that Dong's solution was not entirely satisfactory as the microphones dominate the center of the painting, and Mao is diminished by the expanded space around him. The modified painting was shown in the 1955 exhibition, and in 1958 in Moscow. Although the painting was later altered again and does not exist in this form, this version is the one most commonly reproduced.When the Museum of the Chinese Revolution opened on Tiananmen Square in 1961, the painting was displayed on a huge wall in the gallery devoted to the Communist triumph, but in 1966, during the Cultural Revolution, radicals shut down the museum, and it remained closed until 1969. During that time, Chinese president Liu Shaoqi, accused of taking a "capitalist road", was purged from government. His removal from the painting was ordered in 1967, and Dong was tasked to carry it out. Dong had suffered during the Cultural Revolution: accused of being a rightist, he was expelled from the Party for two years, sent to a rural work camp, and then was "rehabilitated" by being made to labor as a steelworker. Dong's task was difficult, as Liu was one of the most prominent figures in the first row, standing to the left of Madame Song. Officials wanted Liu replaced with Lin Biao, much in Mao's favor at the time. Dong was unwilling to give Lin prominence he had not then had, and though he could not refuse outright at the dangerous time of the Cultural Revolution, he eventually got permission to merely remove Liu. The figure was too large to simply delete, so Liu was repainted as Dong Biwu, and made to appear as if in the second row. According to Andrews, the attempt was a failure: "the new Dong Biwu does not recede into the second row as intended. Instead, he appears as a leering, glowing figure, a strangely malevolent character in the midst of an otherwise stately group". Officials deemed the revised work unexhibitable. Andrews speculated that Dong may have been trying to sabotage the change, or may have been affected by the stress of the years of the Cultural Revolution. In 1972, as part of a renovation of the Museum of the Chinese Revolution, officials wanted to exhibit Dong's painting again, but they decreed that Lin Boqu, whose white-haired figure was furthest left, must be removed. This was because the Gang of Four, then in control of China, blamed Lin Boqu (who had died in 1960) for opposing the marriage, in the revolutionary days, of Mao with Jiang Qing (one of the Four). Sources differ on what took place regarding the painting: Chang-Tai Hung related that Dong, terminally ill with cancer, could not make the changes, so his student Jin Shangyi and another artist, Zhao Yu, were assigned to do the work. The two feared damaging the original canvas, so made an exact replica but for the required changes, with Dong brought forth from his hospital for consultations. According to Andrews, Jin and Zhao created the new version because Dong would not let anyone else alter his painting. Jin later stated that the painting, while effective politically, also shows Dong's inner world.With the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1976 and the subsequent accession of Deng Xiaoping, many of the purged figures of earlier years were rehabilitated, and the authorities in 1979 decided to bring more historical accuracy to the painting. Dong had died in 1973; his family strongly opposed anyone altering the original painting, and the government respected their wishes. Jin was on a tour outside China, so the government assigned Yan Zhenduo to make changes to the replica. He placed Liu, Lin Boqu and Gao in the painting and made other changes: a previously unidentifiable man in the back row now resembles Deng Xiaoping. The replica painting was restored to the Museum of the Chinese Revolution.The painting was reproduced on Chinese postage stamps in 1959 and 1999, for the tenth and fiftieth anniversaries of the founding of the People's Republic. Also in 1999, the museum authorized a private company to make small-scale gold foil reproductions of the painting. Dong's family sued, and in 2002 the courts found that Dong's heirs held the copyright to the painting, and that the museum only had the right to exhibit it. Joe McDonald of the Associated Press deemed the upholding of the copyright "a triumph for China's capitalist ambitions over its leftist history". In 2014, the art museum at CAFA held a retrospective of Dong's works, exhibiting the small-scale draft of the painting, possessed by Dong's family, for the first time. Fan Di'an, curator of the exhibition, stated, "The changes to the painting tell a bitter story, reflecting the political influences on art. But it didn't affect Dong Xiwen's love of art." Wu Hung described The Founding of the Nation as "arguably the most celebrated work of official Chinese art". He noted that the painting is the only "canonized" one depicting the October 1 ceremony, and that other artists have tended to give the people's perspective, subjecting themselves to Mao's gaze. The painting is a modern-day example of damnatio memoriae, the alteration of artworks or other objects to remove the image or name of a disfavored person. Deng Zhangyu, in a 2014 article, called the painting "the most significant historical image of China's founding". Wu Hung suggested that the alterations to it over the years, while always showing Mao proclaiming the new government, parallel the changes that have come to China's leadership during the years of Communist governance. Andrews wrote that "its greatest importance to the art world was its elevation as a model of party-approved oil painting". Writer Wu Bing in 2009 called it "a milestone in Chinese oil painting, boldly incorporating national styles". The painting has never been as highly regarded in the West as in China; according to Andrews, "art history students have been known to roar with laughter when slides of it appear on the screen". Art historian Michael Sullivan dismissed it as mere propaganda. Today, following a merger of museums, both paintings are in the National Museum of China, on Tiananmen Square.

1173_NT

The Founding Ceremony of the Nation

Explore the Later history and political changes of this artwork.

In February 1954 Gao Gang, the head of the State Planning Council, was purged from government; he killed himself only months later. His presence in the painting immediately on Mao's left placed arts officials in a quandary. Given its popularity among officials and the people, The Founding of the Nation had to be shown at the Second National Arts Exhibition (1955), but it was unthinkable that Gao, deemed a traitor, should be depicted. Accordingly, Dong was ordered to remove Gao from the painting, which he did. In erasing Gao, Dong expanded the basket of pink chrysanthemums which stands at the officials' feet, and completed the depiction of Yongdingmen gate, in the original seen only in part behind Gao. He was forced to expand the section of sky seen above the people assembled in Tiananmen Square, which affected the placement of Mao as the center of attention. He compensated for this, to some extent, by adding two more microphones to Mao's right. Julia Andrews, in her book on the art of the People's Republic, suggested that Dong's solution was not entirely satisfactory as the microphones dominate the center of the painting, and Mao is diminished by the expanded space around him. The modified painting was shown in the 1955 exhibition, and in 1958 in Moscow. Although the painting was later altered again and does not exist in this form, this version is the one most commonly reproduced.When the Museum of the Chinese Revolution opened on Tiananmen Square in 1961, the painting was displayed on a huge wall in the gallery devoted to the Communist triumph, but in 1966, during the Cultural Revolution, radicals shut down the museum, and it remained closed until 1969. During that time, Chinese president Liu Shaoqi, accused of taking a "capitalist road", was purged from government. His removal from the painting was ordered in 1967, and Dong was tasked to carry it out. Dong had suffered during the Cultural Revolution: accused of being a rightist, he was expelled from the Party for two years, sent to a rural work camp, and then was "rehabilitated" by being made to labor as a steelworker. Dong's task was difficult, as Liu was one of the most prominent figures in the first row, standing to the left of Madame Song. Officials wanted Liu replaced with Lin Biao, much in Mao's favor at the time. Dong was unwilling to give Lin prominence he had not then had, and though he could not refuse outright at the dangerous time of the Cultural Revolution, he eventually got permission to merely remove Liu. The figure was too large to simply delete, so Liu was repainted as Dong Biwu, and made to appear as if in the second row. According to Andrews, the attempt was a failure: "the new Dong Biwu does not recede into the second row as intended. Instead, he appears as a leering, glowing figure, a strangely malevolent character in the midst of an otherwise stately group". Officials deemed the revised work unexhibitable. Andrews speculated that Dong may have been trying to sabotage the change, or may have been affected by the stress of the years of the Cultural Revolution. In 1972, as part of a renovation of the Museum of the Chinese Revolution, officials wanted to exhibit Dong's painting again, but they decreed that Lin Boqu, whose white-haired figure was furthest left, must be removed. This was because the Gang of Four, then in control of China, blamed Lin Boqu (who had died in 1960) for opposing the marriage, in the revolutionary days, of Mao with Jiang Qing (one of the Four). Sources differ on what took place regarding the painting: Chang-Tai Hung related that Dong, terminally ill with cancer, could not make the changes, so his student Jin Shangyi and another artist, Zhao Yu, were assigned to do the work. The two feared damaging the original canvas, so made an exact replica but for the required changes, with Dong brought forth from his hospital for consultations. According to Andrews, Jin and Zhao created the new version because Dong would not let anyone else alter his painting. Jin later stated that the painting, while effective politically, also shows Dong's inner world.With the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1976 and the subsequent accession of Deng Xiaoping, many of the purged figures of earlier years were rehabilitated, and the authorities in 1979 decided to bring more historical accuracy to the painting. Dong had died in 1973; his family strongly opposed anyone altering the original painting, and the government respected their wishes. Jin was on a tour outside China, so the government assigned Yan Zhenduo to make changes to the replica. He placed Liu, Lin Boqu and Gao in the painting and made other changes: a previously unidentifiable man in the back row now resembles Deng Xiaoping. The replica painting was restored to the Museum of the Chinese Revolution.The painting was reproduced on Chinese postage stamps in 1959 and 1999, for the tenth and fiftieth anniversaries of the founding of the People's Republic. Also in 1999, the museum authorized a private company to make small-scale gold foil reproductions of the painting. Dong's family sued, and in 2002 the courts found that Dong's heirs held the copyright to the painting, and that the museum only had the right to exhibit it. Joe McDonald of the Associated Press deemed the upholding of the copyright "a triumph for China's capitalist ambitions over its leftist history". In 2014, the art museum at CAFA held a retrospective of Dong's works, exhibiting the small-scale draft of the painting, possessed by Dong's family, for the first time. Fan Di'an, curator of the exhibition, stated, "The changes to the painting tell a bitter story, reflecting the political influences on art. But it didn't affect Dong Xiwen's love of art." Wu Hung described The Founding of the Nation as "arguably the most celebrated work of official Chinese art". He noted that the painting is the only "canonized" one depicting the October 1 ceremony, and that other artists have tended to give the people's perspective, subjecting themselves to Mao's gaze. The painting is a modern-day example of damnatio memoriae, the alteration of artworks or other objects to remove the image or name of a disfavored person. Deng Zhangyu, in a 2014 article, called the painting "the most significant historical image of China's founding". Wu Hung suggested that the alterations to it over the years, while always showing Mao proclaiming the new government, parallel the changes that have come to China's leadership during the years of Communist governance. Andrews wrote that "its greatest importance to the art world was its elevation as a model of party-approved oil painting". Writer Wu Bing in 2009 called it "a milestone in Chinese oil painting, boldly incorporating national styles". The painting has never been as highly regarded in the West as in China; according to Andrews, "art history students have been known to roar with laughter when slides of it appear on the screen". Art historian Michael Sullivan dismissed it as mere propaganda. Today, following a merger of museums, both paintings are in the National Museum of China, on Tiananmen Square.

1174_T

This Piece Has No Title Yet

How does This Piece Has No Title Yet elucidate its abstract?

This Piece Has No Title Yet is a postminimalist conceptual sculpture installation by Cady Noland created in 1989. The piece has been cited as Noland's breakthrough work, with art dealer and curator Jeffrey Deitch calling it "her masterpiece, her greatest work."

1174_NT

This Piece Has No Title Yet

How does this artwork elucidate its abstract?

This Piece Has No Title Yet is a postminimalist conceptual sculpture installation by Cady Noland created in 1989. The piece has been cited as Noland's breakthrough work, with art dealer and curator Jeffrey Deitch calling it "her masterpiece, her greatest work."

1175_T

This Piece Has No Title Yet

Focus on This Piece Has No Title Yet and analyze the Artwork.

This Piece Has No Title Yet is a room-sized installation made of several component parts. 1,100 six-packs of Budweiser beer are stacked together, lining the walls of the room. In front of the beer cans are rows of metal scaffolding draped with American flags and Budweiser promotional banners, keeping the stacked cans against the walls. Scattered across the room are cardboard boxes and wooden crates filled with Coca-Cola cans, tools, cleaning supplies, magazines, and American flags. Tools and equipment are littered on the floor, placed where the artist last used them when constructing the piece. A pair of handcuffs and several seatbelts hang from one portion of the scaffolding.

1175_NT

This Piece Has No Title Yet

Focus on this artwork and analyze the Artwork.

This Piece Has No Title Yet is a room-sized installation made of several component parts. 1,100 six-packs of Budweiser beer are stacked together, lining the walls of the room. In front of the beer cans are rows of metal scaffolding draped with American flags and Budweiser promotional banners, keeping the stacked cans against the walls. Scattered across the room are cardboard boxes and wooden crates filled with Coca-Cola cans, tools, cleaning supplies, magazines, and American flags. Tools and equipment are littered on the floor, placed where the artist last used them when constructing the piece. A pair of handcuffs and several seatbelts hang from one portion of the scaffolding.

1176_T

This Piece Has No Title Yet

In This Piece Has No Title Yet, how is the History discussed?

The work was first installed at The Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh from October to December, 1989. Elaine Dannheisser purchased the work after it was shown and subsequently donated it to the Museum of Modern Art. The piece was included in the 1991 Whitney Biennial. Don & Mera Rubell purchased the piece from MoMA in 1996 for the Rubell Museum where it is currently located.

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This Piece Has No Title Yet

In this artwork, how is the History discussed?

The work was first installed at The Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh from October to December, 1989. Elaine Dannheisser purchased the work after it was shown and subsequently donated it to the Museum of Modern Art. The piece was included in the 1991 Whitney Biennial. Don & Mera Rubell purchased the piece from MoMA in 1996 for the Rubell Museum where it is currently located.

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This Piece Has No Title Yet

Focus on This Piece Has No Title Yet and explore the Reception.

This Piece Has No Title Yet has been hailed by several critics as a landmark work of conceptual and postminimalist art. Writing in Artforum, critic Jeffrey Kastner called the sculpture "show-stopping" and "a real-life experience a hundred times more potent than any postgrad seminar on the artifactual narratives of American abjection." Upon seeing the sculpture for the first time, former San Francisco Museum of Modern Art curator John Caldwell called the piece "jaw-dropping."Discussing the beer can motif in the work, critic Lane Relyea wrote that Noland presents "an image of overwhelming intoxication and, at the same time, incredible waste, the whole mighty edifice destined to be chugged and pissed away; and, behind that, another image, that of the eroded canyons of the American West."Conversely, writing in 1991, critic Arthur Danto described the piece as an "intolerable and patronizing exercise," further negatively describing the work - and its gallery companions in the 1991 Whitney Biennial - as having a "mood of aggressiveness."

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This Piece Has No Title Yet

Focus on this artwork and explore the Reception.

This Piece Has No Title Yet has been hailed by several critics as a landmark work of conceptual and postminimalist art. Writing in Artforum, critic Jeffrey Kastner called the sculpture "show-stopping" and "a real-life experience a hundred times more potent than any postgrad seminar on the artifactual narratives of American abjection." Upon seeing the sculpture for the first time, former San Francisco Museum of Modern Art curator John Caldwell called the piece "jaw-dropping."Discussing the beer can motif in the work, critic Lane Relyea wrote that Noland presents "an image of overwhelming intoxication and, at the same time, incredible waste, the whole mighty edifice destined to be chugged and pissed away; and, behind that, another image, that of the eroded canyons of the American West."Conversely, writing in 1991, critic Arthur Danto described the piece as an "intolerable and patronizing exercise," further negatively describing the work - and its gallery companions in the 1991 Whitney Biennial - as having a "mood of aggressiveness."

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Freedom Sculpture

Focus on Freedom Sculpture and explain the Donation and unveiling.

The sculpture was officially donated to the city of Los Angeles and unveiled on July 4, 2017 with a crowd of over 75,000 attendees. At the unveiling ceremony, a proclamation of support by California Governor Jerry Brown was read. Also, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti sent a video message and Fifth District Councilman Paul Koretz presented a certificate of appreciation to the Farhang Foundation and the Iranian-American community.The sculpture is located on Santa Monica Boulevard on a street median at Century City, Los Angeles, California.

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Freedom Sculpture

Focus on this artwork and explain the Donation and unveiling.

The sculpture was officially donated to the city of Los Angeles and unveiled on July 4, 2017 with a crowd of over 75,000 attendees. At the unveiling ceremony, a proclamation of support by California Governor Jerry Brown was read. Also, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti sent a video message and Fifth District Councilman Paul Koretz presented a certificate of appreciation to the Farhang Foundation and the Iranian-American community.The sculpture is located on Santa Monica Boulevard on a street median at Century City, Los Angeles, California.

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Freedom Sculpture

Explore the Funding and support of this artwork, Freedom Sculpture.

The Freedom Sculpture generated significant support on social media, with over 1.1 million fans supporting its creation with over $2.2 million. While crowd-funding played a significant role in raising money for The Freedom Sculpture, a relatively small group of people, comprising the Freedom Sculpture Founders Circle, contributed over 50% of the funds raised.

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Freedom Sculpture

Explore the Funding and support of this artwork.

The Freedom Sculpture generated significant support on social media, with over 1.1 million fans supporting its creation with over $2.2 million. While crowd-funding played a significant role in raising money for The Freedom Sculpture, a relatively small group of people, comprising the Freedom Sculpture Founders Circle, contributed over 50% of the funds raised.

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Vilabertran (Dalí)

Focus on Vilabertran (Dalí) and discuss the abstract.

Vilabertran (1913) is a painting by the Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dalí. This is among Dalí's earliest works, having been painted when he was about nine years old. It is a landscape painting from Vilabertran, which and where Dalí often drew in his early period.

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Vilabertran (Dalí)

Focus on this artwork and discuss the abstract.

Vilabertran (1913) is a painting by the Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dalí. This is among Dalí's earliest works, having been painted when he was about nine years old. It is a landscape painting from Vilabertran, which and where Dalí often drew in his early period.

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The Green Stripe

How does The Green Stripe elucidate its abstract?

The Green Stripe (La Raie Verte), also known as Portrait of Madame Matisse. The Green Line, is a portrait by Henri Matisse of his wife, Amélie Noellie Matisse-Parayre. It is an oil painting on canvas, completed autumn or winter 1905. It is named for the green band that divides the face in half, by which Matisse sought to produce a sense of light, shadow, and volume without using traditional shading. Matisse's colorism was shocking at the time. When the painting was exhibited in Paris in 1906 such works were being derisively labeled as the creations of Les Fauves (the wild beasts), along with similar works of André Derain and Maurice de Vlaminck.Both admirers and critics of Matisse have characterized The Green Stripe as a disturbing image: a friend of the painting's owners Michael and Sarah Stein called it "a demented caricature of a portrait", and in 1910 the critic Gelett Burgess wrote that The Green Stripe was Matisse's "punishment" of Amélie that compelled the viewer "to see in her a strange and terrible aspect." The art historian John Klein has suggested that difficulties in the Matisses' marriage may have contributed to the portrait's impersonal and mask-like character.The painting is in Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, Denmark.

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The Green Stripe

How does this artwork elucidate its abstract?

The Green Stripe (La Raie Verte), also known as Portrait of Madame Matisse. The Green Line, is a portrait by Henri Matisse of his wife, Amélie Noellie Matisse-Parayre. It is an oil painting on canvas, completed autumn or winter 1905. It is named for the green band that divides the face in half, by which Matisse sought to produce a sense of light, shadow, and volume without using traditional shading. Matisse's colorism was shocking at the time. When the painting was exhibited in Paris in 1906 such works were being derisively labeled as the creations of Les Fauves (the wild beasts), along with similar works of André Derain and Maurice de Vlaminck.Both admirers and critics of Matisse have characterized The Green Stripe as a disturbing image: a friend of the painting's owners Michael and Sarah Stein called it "a demented caricature of a portrait", and in 1910 the critic Gelett Burgess wrote that The Green Stripe was Matisse's "punishment" of Amélie that compelled the viewer "to see in her a strange and terrible aspect." The art historian John Klein has suggested that difficulties in the Matisses' marriage may have contributed to the portrait's impersonal and mask-like character.The painting is in Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, Denmark.

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Empowerment (sculpture)

Focus on Empowerment (sculpture) and analyze the abstract.

Empowerment is a public sculpture in the centre of the city of Lincoln in England. Designed by the artist Stephen Broadbent, sponsored by Alstom UK Ltd, Lincoln Co-operative Society, and other Lincoln businesses and organisations, donated to Lincoln City Council.The sculpture was completed in 2002, unveiled on 2 February, and spans the River Witham in Lincoln's City Square. It takes the form of two aluminium-and-steel human figures reaching to each other across the water. The design is intended to echo the shape of turbine blades, in recognition of Lincoln's industrial heritage, which transform into dynamic figures that reach out to empower one another, just as the blades empower one another within the turbine.The statue was commissioned with the intent to create a bold and striking sculpture to celebrate the millennium, that spans the River Witham in Lincoln’s city centre and act as a focal point in the space.At 16 m (17 yd) tall, Empowerment is the largest sculpture in Lincolnshire. Increasingly, it is now used alongside more traditional images of Lincoln — the cathedral and castle — as a recognisable 'tourist emblem' of the city, similar to the adoption of the Angel of the North as a symbol of North East England.

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Empowerment (sculpture)

Focus on this artwork and analyze the abstract.

Empowerment is a public sculpture in the centre of the city of Lincoln in England. Designed by the artist Stephen Broadbent, sponsored by Alstom UK Ltd, Lincoln Co-operative Society, and other Lincoln businesses and organisations, donated to Lincoln City Council.The sculpture was completed in 2002, unveiled on 2 February, and spans the River Witham in Lincoln's City Square. It takes the form of two aluminium-and-steel human figures reaching to each other across the water. The design is intended to echo the shape of turbine blades, in recognition of Lincoln's industrial heritage, which transform into dynamic figures that reach out to empower one another, just as the blades empower one another within the turbine.The statue was commissioned with the intent to create a bold and striking sculpture to celebrate the millennium, that spans the River Witham in Lincoln’s city centre and act as a focal point in the space.At 16 m (17 yd) tall, Empowerment is the largest sculpture in Lincolnshire. Increasingly, it is now used alongside more traditional images of Lincoln — the cathedral and castle — as a recognisable 'tourist emblem' of the city, similar to the adoption of the Angel of the North as a symbol of North East England.

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Thaïs (painting)

In Thaïs (painting), how is the abstract discussed?

Thaïs is a portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds of the English courtesan Emily Warren in the guise of the hetaera Thaïs, mistress of Alexander the Great. It is in oil on canvas and measures 229 x 145 cm. She holds a burning torch and with the other hand exhorts Alexander and his followers to burn down Persepolis. Reynolds exhibited it at the Royal Academy in London in 1781. It is now at Waddesdon Manor.The painting was published as a print engraved by Francesco Bartolozzi in 1792.

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Thaïs (painting)

In this artwork, how is the abstract discussed?

Thaïs is a portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds of the English courtesan Emily Warren in the guise of the hetaera Thaïs, mistress of Alexander the Great. It is in oil on canvas and measures 229 x 145 cm. She holds a burning torch and with the other hand exhorts Alexander and his followers to burn down Persepolis. Reynolds exhibited it at the Royal Academy in London in 1781. It is now at Waddesdon Manor.The painting was published as a print engraved by Francesco Bartolozzi in 1792.

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Thaïs (painting)

Focus on Thaïs (painting) and explore the History of creation.

In his work, Reynolds combined a portrait, historical painting and social overtones. The image is inspired by John Dryden's poem "The Feast of Alexander" ("Thaïs led the Way / To light him to his Prey / And, like another Helen, fir'd another Troy'"), which describes an episode of the second Greco-Persian war. Hetera Tais, who accompanied the Macedonian army, at a victorious feast after the capture of the Achaemenid capital of Persepolis, calls for burning the city, thus taking revenge on the Persians for the ruin of Greek cities. The model was the courtesan Emily, mistress of Charles Greville. Some researchers have suggested that Emma Lyon, also Greville's mistress and future Lady Hamilton, posed for the picture. However, it is more likely that Emily Bertie Pott, who also called herself Emily Warren, is portrayed as Thais, and a likely portrait of her by Romney is exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Inv. No. 58.102.2).The painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1781 and provoked an ironic comment from one of the viewers, who claimed that the artist, having not received payment for his work from Emily, depicted her setting fire to the Temple of Chastity, indicating her status. Some of Reynolds's acquaintances denied this story, however, as Phillippa Plock, former curator at Waddesdon Manor, notes, it is quite possible that the artist wanted the picture to be associated with women like Emily, when the very name of the famous hetaera meant a courtesan.

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Thaïs (painting)

Focus on this artwork and explore the History of creation.

In his work, Reynolds combined a portrait, historical painting and social overtones. The image is inspired by John Dryden's poem "The Feast of Alexander" ("Thaïs led the Way / To light him to his Prey / And, like another Helen, fir'd another Troy'"), which describes an episode of the second Greco-Persian war. Hetera Tais, who accompanied the Macedonian army, at a victorious feast after the capture of the Achaemenid capital of Persepolis, calls for burning the city, thus taking revenge on the Persians for the ruin of Greek cities. The model was the courtesan Emily, mistress of Charles Greville. Some researchers have suggested that Emma Lyon, also Greville's mistress and future Lady Hamilton, posed for the picture. However, it is more likely that Emily Bertie Pott, who also called herself Emily Warren, is portrayed as Thais, and a likely portrait of her by Romney is exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Inv. No. 58.102.2).The painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1781 and provoked an ironic comment from one of the viewers, who claimed that the artist, having not received payment for his work from Emily, depicted her setting fire to the Temple of Chastity, indicating her status. Some of Reynolds's acquaintances denied this story, however, as Phillippa Plock, former curator at Waddesdon Manor, notes, it is quite possible that the artist wanted the picture to be associated with women like Emily, when the very name of the famous hetaera meant a courtesan.

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Santa Trinita Maestà

Focus on Santa Trinita Maestà and explain the abstract.

The Santa Trinita Maestà (Italian: Maestà di Santa Trinita) is a panel painting by the Italian medieval artist Cimabue, dating to c. 1288-1292. Originally painted for the church of Santa Trinita, Florence, where it remained until 1471, it is now housed in the Uffizi Gallery of Florence, Italy. It represents the Madonna enthroned with the Baby Jesus and surrounded by eight angels and, below, four half portraits of prophets.

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Santa Trinita Maestà

Focus on this artwork and explain the abstract.

The Santa Trinita Maestà (Italian: Maestà di Santa Trinita) is a panel painting by the Italian medieval artist Cimabue, dating to c. 1288-1292. Originally painted for the church of Santa Trinita, Florence, where it remained until 1471, it is now housed in the Uffizi Gallery of Florence, Italy. It represents the Madonna enthroned with the Baby Jesus and surrounded by eight angels and, below, four half portraits of prophets.

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Santa Trinita Maestà

Explore the History of this artwork, Santa Trinita Maestà.

The commissioning client of the painting is unknown, but they could have been a member of the order of Vallombrosians, who governed the Santa Trinita at the time, or a member of another religious order that intended the painting for another destination. According to Vasari's testimony in his Lives, the work remained at the Santa Trinita until 1471, when it was replaced by the Trinitá of Alesso Baldovinetti and transferred to a side chapel of the church, since it was less respected than the newer Renaissance paintings. Over the years, it was eventually relegated to the infirmary of the monastery. With the reconsideration of "primitive" Italian art, the painting passed to the Florentine Galleria dell'Accademia in 1810 and then on to the Uffizi in 1919. At an unknown date, the painting was cut into a rectangular shape by removing the uppermost part of the painting's apex and the addition of two parts on which angels were painted. The panel was returned to its original pointed form during its first restoration in 1890 by Oreste Cambi. Cambi removed the two additions and creating an appropriately styled point for the painting, which is still present. A second restoration was completed by Marcucci in 1947–1948 and a third by Alfio Del Serra in 1993. Vasari, and the Libro di Antonio Billi attributed this painting to Cimabue, and the attribution has been confirmed by most modern scholars, with the exception of Guglielmo della Valle in the 18th century and Langton Douglas in the 19th. Critics are more divided, however, over the work's dating. It's uncertain whether the painting was executed before or after the frescoes at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi. Contemporary critics have tended to date the work to after the frescoes, between 1290–1300.

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Santa Trinita Maestà

Explore the History of this artwork.

The commissioning client of the painting is unknown, but they could have been a member of the order of Vallombrosians, who governed the Santa Trinita at the time, or a member of another religious order that intended the painting for another destination. According to Vasari's testimony in his Lives, the work remained at the Santa Trinita until 1471, when it was replaced by the Trinitá of Alesso Baldovinetti and transferred to a side chapel of the church, since it was less respected than the newer Renaissance paintings. Over the years, it was eventually relegated to the infirmary of the monastery. With the reconsideration of "primitive" Italian art, the painting passed to the Florentine Galleria dell'Accademia in 1810 and then on to the Uffizi in 1919. At an unknown date, the painting was cut into a rectangular shape by removing the uppermost part of the painting's apex and the addition of two parts on which angels were painted. The panel was returned to its original pointed form during its first restoration in 1890 by Oreste Cambi. Cambi removed the two additions and creating an appropriately styled point for the painting, which is still present. A second restoration was completed by Marcucci in 1947–1948 and a third by Alfio Del Serra in 1993. Vasari, and the Libro di Antonio Billi attributed this painting to Cimabue, and the attribution has been confirmed by most modern scholars, with the exception of Guglielmo della Valle in the 18th century and Langton Douglas in the 19th. Critics are more divided, however, over the work's dating. It's uncertain whether the painting was executed before or after the frescoes at the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi. Contemporary critics have tended to date the work to after the frescoes, between 1290–1300.

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Santa Trinita Maestà

Focus on Santa Trinita Maestà and discuss the Description.

The painting displays Byzantine iconography much like the Hodegetria archetype (in Greek, the name means "pointing the way"), because the Virgin is indicating toward the Baby Jesus. In this style, the Madonna symbolizes the Christian church and Jesus life, truth, and the proper way. The Madonna is depicted in three-quarters profile, while Jesus looks straight ahead. The throne is depicted from an innovative frontal view, with a large gap at the center and seen in perspective, which gives it a sense of three dimensions unusual for the time. (The preceding Maestás of Cimabue depicted more angular thrones.) The throne assumes a new sense of might, as an architectural mass embellished with carvings and marquetry. This central perspective, used by the mature Cimabue, was taken up again by Giotto, Duccio, and other artists of the 14th century. In a striking composition, the throne creates a stage with the wide opening in its base through which four prophets are depicted in half bust view. They are recognizable by their cartouchesm which contain verses from the Old Testament that refer to Marie and the Incarnation of Jesus. The verses certify their prophecies and evoke the descent of Jesus from their lineage. The first, with the text "Creavit Dominus Novum super terram foemina circundavit viro" is Jeremiah, followed by Abraham toward the center ("In semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes") and David ("De fructu ventris tuo ponam super sedem tuam"), and finally Isaiah at right ("Ecce virgo concipet et pariet"). The gold behind the prophets, instead of flattening the painting, seems to accentuate the feeling of emptiness, which makes the prophets seem to stare out of windows or caves rather than that they are pressed against a wall. Composed and solemn, Abraham and David in the center below the throne recall that Jesus descended from their lineage. The Christian meaning of the work, well-fitted to a church dedicated to the Holy Trinity, is thus focused on the threefold nature of the Virgin who is surrounded by the Holy Spirit. Below, at the sides of the throne, Jeremiah and Isaiah gaze up towards the child as if to confirm the prophecies written in their documents on the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus. With their gaze, they create a triangle whose vertex is the throne of Marie. The arrangement of the four prophets has a precise doctrinal explanation: the patriarchs toward the center represent that human rational capacity, that inquires in the mystery of the Incarnation. Meanwhile, the prophets on the sides have dissolved their doubts through contemplation and are in a state of mystical rapture. The heads of the angels are alternately inclined inwards or outwards, avoiding a completely profile representation, which was then reserved only for secondary or negative figures. (Giotto also broke that principle.) The angels closely resemble those in the Maestà of Cimabue in the frescoes of the Basilica inferiore di San Francesco d'Assisi. Their bodies are solid, modulated by a delicate chiarascuro that is delicately sfumato (a novel technique of Cimabue's) and the fluidity of their clothes. The red and blue colors of their clothes indicate their substance, according to Renaissance thought: a fusion of fire and air. The angels above turn their heads and sink into the third dimension.

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Santa Trinita Maestà

Focus on this artwork and discuss the Description.

The painting displays Byzantine iconography much like the Hodegetria archetype (in Greek, the name means "pointing the way"), because the Virgin is indicating toward the Baby Jesus. In this style, the Madonna symbolizes the Christian church and Jesus life, truth, and the proper way. The Madonna is depicted in three-quarters profile, while Jesus looks straight ahead. The throne is depicted from an innovative frontal view, with a large gap at the center and seen in perspective, which gives it a sense of three dimensions unusual for the time. (The preceding Maestás of Cimabue depicted more angular thrones.) The throne assumes a new sense of might, as an architectural mass embellished with carvings and marquetry. This central perspective, used by the mature Cimabue, was taken up again by Giotto, Duccio, and other artists of the 14th century. In a striking composition, the throne creates a stage with the wide opening in its base through which four prophets are depicted in half bust view. They are recognizable by their cartouchesm which contain verses from the Old Testament that refer to Marie and the Incarnation of Jesus. The verses certify their prophecies and evoke the descent of Jesus from their lineage. The first, with the text "Creavit Dominus Novum super terram foemina circundavit viro" is Jeremiah, followed by Abraham toward the center ("In semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes") and David ("De fructu ventris tuo ponam super sedem tuam"), and finally Isaiah at right ("Ecce virgo concipet et pariet"). The gold behind the prophets, instead of flattening the painting, seems to accentuate the feeling of emptiness, which makes the prophets seem to stare out of windows or caves rather than that they are pressed against a wall. Composed and solemn, Abraham and David in the center below the throne recall that Jesus descended from their lineage. The Christian meaning of the work, well-fitted to a church dedicated to the Holy Trinity, is thus focused on the threefold nature of the Virgin who is surrounded by the Holy Spirit. Below, at the sides of the throne, Jeremiah and Isaiah gaze up towards the child as if to confirm the prophecies written in their documents on the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus. With their gaze, they create a triangle whose vertex is the throne of Marie. The arrangement of the four prophets has a precise doctrinal explanation: the patriarchs toward the center represent that human rational capacity, that inquires in the mystery of the Incarnation. Meanwhile, the prophets on the sides have dissolved their doubts through contemplation and are in a state of mystical rapture. The heads of the angels are alternately inclined inwards or outwards, avoiding a completely profile representation, which was then reserved only for secondary or negative figures. (Giotto also broke that principle.) The angels closely resemble those in the Maestà of Cimabue in the frescoes of the Basilica inferiore di San Francesco d'Assisi. Their bodies are solid, modulated by a delicate chiarascuro that is delicately sfumato (a novel technique of Cimabue's) and the fluidity of their clothes. The red and blue colors of their clothes indicate their substance, according to Renaissance thought: a fusion of fire and air. The angels above turn their heads and sink into the third dimension.

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Santa Trinita Maestà

How does Santa Trinita Maestà elucidate its Style?

The painting demonstrates the mature style of Cimabue, in which the artist overcomes the more rigid Byzantine styles with forms that are more loose and humanistic. According to Giorgio Vasari, this style made Cimabue the first to replace that style. The frontal view of the throne, the serene face of the Virgin, the details of the blunt face and sfumatoed chiaroscuro place the work far from the Byzantine canon from which Cimabue gradually freed himself. Compared to his preceding Maestà paintings, this one presents a more profound use of perspective. In the throne, there are three vertical panels with increasing depth, compared to the two panels of Cimabue's previous works. The pedestal and steps of the throne also have a concave design and are hollowed out in the front. The throne is shown from the front and reveals both its inner sides and that it is not a simple cross shape. The layout of the angels is also different. They are not simply placed over, but around the throne, which gives the composition further depth. The figures are more expanded than Cimabue's earlier work, giving greater realism. The folds in clothing are no longer rigid and tight, as in the Maestà of the Louvre from c. 1280. Instead they fall amply, as over the legs of Marie, or appear less arched, as in the blue mantle that covers her head. Byzantine iconography reappears in that blue mantle, but only for decorative purposes—a serene addition to the ample folds. The golden highlights from Damascening suggest the fluid touch of light on the Madonna's mantle and the clothing of Jesus. And the facial chiarascuro creates more effective contrast. There is also better anatomical features to the faces, with their smoothed edges and detailed brushstrokes. For example, the Madonna has a cut at the level of her nostril that slips into the fin of her nose or accents her smile, a detail missing from early Cimabue. Despite these improvements, there is a certain resistance to the stylistic innovations and techniques of Duccio and Giotto. This Maestà does not have the figurative refinement of the two works of the 1280s by Duccio, the Rucellai Madonna and the Crevole Madonna. Even the innovations of students of Giotto from 1290 on, barely appear here. The contrasts achieved here by Cimabue, for example, do not follow the principles of a single light source. Nor do the folds seem to find better positions over the bodies. The gazes remain vague. The color palette is also limited in its complexity, especially when compared with the recent developments of the nascent Sienese School and the palette of Giotto himself. In that, Cimabue seems to recreate features of his earlier work, which made him famous but now make him seem outdated compared to his contemporaries.

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Santa Trinita Maestà

How does this artwork elucidate its Style?

The painting demonstrates the mature style of Cimabue, in which the artist overcomes the more rigid Byzantine styles with forms that are more loose and humanistic. According to Giorgio Vasari, this style made Cimabue the first to replace that style. The frontal view of the throne, the serene face of the Virgin, the details of the blunt face and sfumatoed chiaroscuro place the work far from the Byzantine canon from which Cimabue gradually freed himself. Compared to his preceding Maestà paintings, this one presents a more profound use of perspective. In the throne, there are three vertical panels with increasing depth, compared to the two panels of Cimabue's previous works. The pedestal and steps of the throne also have a concave design and are hollowed out in the front. The throne is shown from the front and reveals both its inner sides and that it is not a simple cross shape. The layout of the angels is also different. They are not simply placed over, but around the throne, which gives the composition further depth. The figures are more expanded than Cimabue's earlier work, giving greater realism. The folds in clothing are no longer rigid and tight, as in the Maestà of the Louvre from c. 1280. Instead they fall amply, as over the legs of Marie, or appear less arched, as in the blue mantle that covers her head. Byzantine iconography reappears in that blue mantle, but only for decorative purposes—a serene addition to the ample folds. The golden highlights from Damascening suggest the fluid touch of light on the Madonna's mantle and the clothing of Jesus. And the facial chiarascuro creates more effective contrast. There is also better anatomical features to the faces, with their smoothed edges and detailed brushstrokes. For example, the Madonna has a cut at the level of her nostril that slips into the fin of her nose or accents her smile, a detail missing from early Cimabue. Despite these improvements, there is a certain resistance to the stylistic innovations and techniques of Duccio and Giotto. This Maestà does not have the figurative refinement of the two works of the 1280s by Duccio, the Rucellai Madonna and the Crevole Madonna. Even the innovations of students of Giotto from 1290 on, barely appear here. The contrasts achieved here by Cimabue, for example, do not follow the principles of a single light source. Nor do the folds seem to find better positions over the bodies. The gazes remain vague. The color palette is also limited in its complexity, especially when compared with the recent developments of the nascent Sienese School and the palette of Giotto himself. In that, Cimabue seems to recreate features of his earlier work, which made him famous but now make him seem outdated compared to his contemporaries.

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Santa Trinita Maestà

In the context of Santa Trinita Maestà, analyze the Dating of the Style.

Although there are not documents to attest to a specific date, the work is placed by recent critics in the mature phase of Cimabue, between c. 1290 and 1300, on the basis of stylistic details. The Marie sitting upon the throne has a distinctly large size, greater than the more tapered Maestà of the Louvre of c. 1280. This transition is seen in the frescoes of Basilica superiore di San Francesco d'Assisi of c. 1288–1292, where the figures have a size not seen in Cimabue's previous works. The folds of blue mantles no longer wraps but drapes loosely on bodies, on the knees of Marie, for example. The folds above her head fall vertically and are not drawn into concentric circles as in the first Madonna paintings by Cimabue, like the Louvre Maestà, Virgin and Child with Two Angels, or the Maestà of Santa Maria dei Servi. A more recent, similar painting is the Maestà di Assisi of c. 1288. In the Santa Trinita Maestà, Marie's mantle opens over her chest to reveal the red maphorion beneath, in a manner similar to the 1288 Maestà and differing from the others. The bridge of the nose has the faded left outline and the nostrils don't look like a simple thickening, but a kind of incision that enter the fin of the nose, details lacking in the earlier Maestàs. The mouth has a serene air, almost a smile, that contrasts with the sad and serious air of the Louvre Maestà and the Virgin and Child with Two Angels, but that is found in the Maestà di Assisi and Maestà of Santa Maria dei Servi. Even the color of the angels' wings is indicative. It changes from dark colors of flight feathers below, to the clear, lively colors of down feathers that grow darker the higher they are. This palette use seems like the end of the evolution that started with the c. 1280 Louvre Maestà. But there three details that help locate this Maestà after the Maestà di Assisi of c. 1288. The throne is represented from the front and not diagonally, as in all the other Cimabue Maestàs. The passage of the diagonal representation to one that is frontal is seen in the Assisi frescoes. There, only in the apse representing Christ and the Virgin Enthroned and the last of the Assisi frescoes, is there a frontal view. Even the students of Duccio and Giotto depicted thrones in this way for all of the 1290s and others, indicated as the representation of a frontal-view throne was a late achievement of Cimabue, found it only in this Santa Trinita Maestà. The second detail is the nose bridge that is straight instead of hooked, as in the earlier Maestàs, including those in Assisi. Finally, the aureola: it is adorned with dark punches in the external margins, a style of the 1290s that is also in the Assisi halos. A dating after the Maestà di Assisi in 1288 and the Assisi frescoes that ended in 1292, when Cimabue returned to Tuscany, seems reasonable for this Maestà.

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Santa Trinita Maestà

In the context of this artwork, analyze the Dating of the Style.

Although there are not documents to attest to a specific date, the work is placed by recent critics in the mature phase of Cimabue, between c. 1290 and 1300, on the basis of stylistic details. The Marie sitting upon the throne has a distinctly large size, greater than the more tapered Maestà of the Louvre of c. 1280. This transition is seen in the frescoes of Basilica superiore di San Francesco d'Assisi of c. 1288–1292, where the figures have a size not seen in Cimabue's previous works. The folds of blue mantles no longer wraps but drapes loosely on bodies, on the knees of Marie, for example. The folds above her head fall vertically and are not drawn into concentric circles as in the first Madonna paintings by Cimabue, like the Louvre Maestà, Virgin and Child with Two Angels, or the Maestà of Santa Maria dei Servi. A more recent, similar painting is the Maestà di Assisi of c. 1288. In the Santa Trinita Maestà, Marie's mantle opens over her chest to reveal the red maphorion beneath, in a manner similar to the 1288 Maestà and differing from the others. The bridge of the nose has the faded left outline and the nostrils don't look like a simple thickening, but a kind of incision that enter the fin of the nose, details lacking in the earlier Maestàs. The mouth has a serene air, almost a smile, that contrasts with the sad and serious air of the Louvre Maestà and the Virgin and Child with Two Angels, but that is found in the Maestà di Assisi and Maestà of Santa Maria dei Servi. Even the color of the angels' wings is indicative. It changes from dark colors of flight feathers below, to the clear, lively colors of down feathers that grow darker the higher they are. This palette use seems like the end of the evolution that started with the c. 1280 Louvre Maestà. But there three details that help locate this Maestà after the Maestà di Assisi of c. 1288. The throne is represented from the front and not diagonally, as in all the other Cimabue Maestàs. The passage of the diagonal representation to one that is frontal is seen in the Assisi frescoes. There, only in the apse representing Christ and the Virgin Enthroned and the last of the Assisi frescoes, is there a frontal view. Even the students of Duccio and Giotto depicted thrones in this way for all of the 1290s and others, indicated as the representation of a frontal-view throne was a late achievement of Cimabue, found it only in this Santa Trinita Maestà. The second detail is the nose bridge that is straight instead of hooked, as in the earlier Maestàs, including those in Assisi. Finally, the aureola: it is adorned with dark punches in the external margins, a style of the 1290s that is also in the Assisi halos. A dating after the Maestà di Assisi in 1288 and the Assisi frescoes that ended in 1292, when Cimabue returned to Tuscany, seems reasonable for this Maestà.

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Aleppo Room

In Aleppo Room, how is the abstract discussed?

The Aleppo Room (Arabic: الغرفة الحلبيَّة, Al-Ġurfah Al-Ḥalabiyyah) is the paneling of a reception room, or qa’a, from a residential building in Aleppo, Syria. The wooden panels form part of the collections of the Museum of Islamic Art section of the Pergamon Museum, on Berlin's Museum Island.The panels found their way to Germany after the Wakil family sold them in 1912 to Mrs. Mary Koch, who then donated them to the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. Currently, the panels are displayed in the "Aleppian Hall" in the Islamic section of the museum.Bayt Wakil house is situated in Al-Jdayde quarter on Sissi Street in Aleppo, Syria. It includes two attached houses that are best known for this intricate wooden paneling. The Aleppo Room paneling were carved by a Persian artist in 1603, the depictions are of biblical scenes featuring the Virgin Mary, Christ and his disciples.

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Aleppo Room

In this artwork, how is the abstract discussed?

The Aleppo Room (Arabic: الغرفة الحلبيَّة, Al-Ġurfah Al-Ḥalabiyyah) is the paneling of a reception room, or qa’a, from a residential building in Aleppo, Syria. The wooden panels form part of the collections of the Museum of Islamic Art section of the Pergamon Museum, on Berlin's Museum Island.The panels found their way to Germany after the Wakil family sold them in 1912 to Mrs. Mary Koch, who then donated them to the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. Currently, the panels are displayed in the "Aleppian Hall" in the Islamic section of the museum.Bayt Wakil house is situated in Al-Jdayde quarter on Sissi Street in Aleppo, Syria. It includes two attached houses that are best known for this intricate wooden paneling. The Aleppo Room paneling were carved by a Persian artist in 1603, the depictions are of biblical scenes featuring the Virgin Mary, Christ and his disciples.

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Aleppo Room

Focus on Aleppo Room and explore the Description.

Aleppo Room's ornate woodwork belongs to Wakil House (Arabic: بيت وكيل / ALA-LC: Beit Wakil) in Al-Jdayde historic district in the Syrian city of Aleppo. The wood paneling covered the walls of the oldest hall in the house. Further, the inscriptions that was found written on them date them back to the year (Hegira 1009 or 1012 / AD 1600–01 or 1603). According to this, these paintings are the oldest Syrian art from this category that still exist today. In addition, the importance of the drawings is due to their unique value; plant motifs usually dominate the scenes in such paintings, but on the contrary, the drawings of the Aleppo Room are images of people and various scenes that also include animals.

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Aleppo Room

Focus on this artwork and explore the Description.

Aleppo Room's ornate woodwork belongs to Wakil House (Arabic: بيت وكيل / ALA-LC: Beit Wakil) in Al-Jdayde historic district in the Syrian city of Aleppo. The wood paneling covered the walls of the oldest hall in the house. Further, the inscriptions that was found written on them date them back to the year (Hegira 1009 or 1012 / AD 1600–01 or 1603). According to this, these paintings are the oldest Syrian art from this category that still exist today. In addition, the importance of the drawings is due to their unique value; plant motifs usually dominate the scenes in such paintings, but on the contrary, the drawings of the Aleppo Room are images of people and various scenes that also include animals.

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Aleppo Room

Explore the The Aleppo Room mobility of this artwork, Aleppo Room.

The painted wooden wall panelling once furnished the reception hall of a wealthy broker's home, who was a Christian citizen in the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 17th century. In this room he welcomed visitors from other ethnic and religious backgrounds.The panels found there way to Germany after the Wakil family sold them in 1912 to Mrs. Mary Koch, who then donated them to the Pergamom Museum in Berlin. The museum obtained them by purchase in 1912 AD for an amount of one thousand Ottoman liras at that time. They are housed in the Museum of Islamic Art.Since the Aleppo Room came from Aleppo, Syria into the collection of the Museum für Islamische Kunst, its presentation has changed several times. All these changes are related to historical assumptions, museum concepts and didactic approaches. Soon after its arrival in Berlin, only some of the panels were shown in the Kaiser Friedrich Museum (originally called Kaiser - Friedrich - Museum by Emperor Frederick III of Germany), now known as the Bode Museum. Presumably the lack of space made this reduced presentation necessary, because the Islamic collection was only one department of the Kaiser Friedrich Museum. But it also reveals the founders’ intention at that time. The exhibition should represent a wide range of works of art from the Islamic lands with their different compositions of ornaments and patterns. Islamic Art changed at that time from a relatively strange and unknown to a popular subject with a growing public interest. The display was first of all aimed at making this style descriptive and comprehensible to the visitors. In 1932 the collection moved into the then newly built Pergamon Museum, where it has remained until today. This was the chance for an extended exhibition. With more space available, the Aleppo Room was presented in a special space of its own, where the whole room could be viewed at once. A historical photograph of 1938 shows the arrangement of the complete panelling in a rectangular form along the walls. It has been extended to a three-dimensional presentation. But the decorative panels of the Aleppo Room served more as a surrounding for a regular exhibition room with show-cases. The impression of its original intention and its relevance as a unique example of interior decoration was still barely noticeable. Also, the aim was to present the panels as objects of art rather than to convey their relevance to an architectural context. The room remained as such until the end of World War II. In order to protect the panels, they were dismantled and stored in boxes. Some of the panels were kept in storage in the Pergamon.

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Aleppo Room

Explore the The Aleppo Room mobility of this artwork.

The painted wooden wall panelling once furnished the reception hall of a wealthy broker's home, who was a Christian citizen in the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 17th century. In this room he welcomed visitors from other ethnic and religious backgrounds.The panels found there way to Germany after the Wakil family sold them in 1912 to Mrs. Mary Koch, who then donated them to the Pergamom Museum in Berlin. The museum obtained them by purchase in 1912 AD for an amount of one thousand Ottoman liras at that time. They are housed in the Museum of Islamic Art.Since the Aleppo Room came from Aleppo, Syria into the collection of the Museum für Islamische Kunst, its presentation has changed several times. All these changes are related to historical assumptions, museum concepts and didactic approaches. Soon after its arrival in Berlin, only some of the panels were shown in the Kaiser Friedrich Museum (originally called Kaiser - Friedrich - Museum by Emperor Frederick III of Germany), now known as the Bode Museum. Presumably the lack of space made this reduced presentation necessary, because the Islamic collection was only one department of the Kaiser Friedrich Museum. But it also reveals the founders’ intention at that time. The exhibition should represent a wide range of works of art from the Islamic lands with their different compositions of ornaments and patterns. Islamic Art changed at that time from a relatively strange and unknown to a popular subject with a growing public interest. The display was first of all aimed at making this style descriptive and comprehensible to the visitors. In 1932 the collection moved into the then newly built Pergamon Museum, where it has remained until today. This was the chance for an extended exhibition. With more space available, the Aleppo Room was presented in a special space of its own, where the whole room could be viewed at once. A historical photograph of 1938 shows the arrangement of the complete panelling in a rectangular form along the walls. It has been extended to a three-dimensional presentation. But the decorative panels of the Aleppo Room served more as a surrounding for a regular exhibition room with show-cases. The impression of its original intention and its relevance as a unique example of interior decoration was still barely noticeable. Also, the aim was to present the panels as objects of art rather than to convey their relevance to an architectural context. The room remained as such until the end of World War II. In order to protect the panels, they were dismantled and stored in boxes. Some of the panels were kept in storage in the Pergamon.

1193_T

Aleppo Room

Focus on Aleppo Room and discuss the Themes in the Aleppo Room.

There's a depiction of the Last Supper in which Jesus and his disciples sit on the floor, Oriental-style. Another one shows women with flaming halos surrounding their heads. The paintings on the walls of this salon rife has a Christian symbolism. The wooden panels of this salon came from a wealthy Syrian merchant and date back to the 17th century, Isa ibn Butrus. The owner of the house in which these panels were found, had deliberately merged Christian and Islamic iconography in these images, selecting for the murals biblical figures who also play a role in the Quran. Unlike most of his business partners in Syria at that time, Isa ibn Butrus was a Christian.Some of the themes in the Aleppo Room The central panels are found in the back part of the main niche, to the left and right of a wall cupboard. Courtly themes are repeated on the left-side panel, including a ruler sitting on a throne, a hunt and a hunting party with a prince holding a falcon. In contrast, Christian themes are portrayed on the right-side panel, and include the Last Supper, Salome's dance in front of King Herod and the sacrifice of Isaac. Other panels around the room have individual depictions from either courtly or Christian subject matters, such as the love story of Leila and Majnun of Nizami (1141–1202) from the Haft Paykar, or the Virgin Mary and Child or Saint George.Real and imaginary animals are depicted alongside. It is the variety of the themes of these paintings that make these earliest surviving wall panels such a comprehensive collection, a variety that could perhaps only have arisen in the Syrian trading town Aleppo.

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Aleppo Room

Focus on this artwork and discuss the Themes in the Aleppo Room.

There's a depiction of the Last Supper in which Jesus and his disciples sit on the floor, Oriental-style. Another one shows women with flaming halos surrounding their heads. The paintings on the walls of this salon rife has a Christian symbolism. The wooden panels of this salon came from a wealthy Syrian merchant and date back to the 17th century, Isa ibn Butrus. The owner of the house in which these panels were found, had deliberately merged Christian and Islamic iconography in these images, selecting for the murals biblical figures who also play a role in the Quran. Unlike most of his business partners in Syria at that time, Isa ibn Butrus was a Christian.Some of the themes in the Aleppo Room The central panels are found in the back part of the main niche, to the left and right of a wall cupboard. Courtly themes are repeated on the left-side panel, including a ruler sitting on a throne, a hunt and a hunting party with a prince holding a falcon. In contrast, Christian themes are portrayed on the right-side panel, and include the Last Supper, Salome's dance in front of King Herod and the sacrifice of Isaac. Other panels around the room have individual depictions from either courtly or Christian subject matters, such as the love story of Leila and Majnun of Nizami (1141–1202) from the Haft Paykar, or the Virgin Mary and Child or Saint George.Real and imaginary animals are depicted alongside. It is the variety of the themes of these paintings that make these earliest surviving wall panels such a comprehensive collection, a variety that could perhaps only have arisen in the Syrian trading town Aleppo.

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Aleppo Room

How does Aleppo Room elucidate its Construction?

The Aleppo Room in its T-shaped form is 11 m long, 7.5 m wide and 2.95 m high. The panelling is constructed of 10 frames with attached panels, all made of cedar. There are 46 vertical and 10 horizontal in-fills with inscriptions. The frames consist of 15.5 cm broad cedar planks of 2 cm thickness, assembled with mitered mortise and tenon joints. The in-fills, with widths varying from 13 to 41 cm, measure 16 mm in thickness and end with a surrounding cyma. Originally the in-fills were attached with wooden nails. The quality of the wood used attests to the great knowledge of the carpenter, since it was well chosen and seasoned. Both, panels and in-fills were well and precisely burnished with a plane, and a ground was applied. They show very good craftsmanship. It is particularly remarkable that a coniferous wood could be made sufficiently smooth to be capable of providing a ground for lacquer. In European historical sources, it was stipulated that hardwood should be used. The difference of ground preparation of the red-lacquer panels is evident in comparison to the horizontal in-fills with inscriptions. Here the surface of the in-fills is fairly rough, which corresponds to a different painting technique. There are 14 doors, which served as entrance, lattice blinds and wall-closets. Each of the doors show the same construction: The door frames and profiles are made of walnut and the geometrical in-fills of boxwood. The outer supporting frames are assembled with mortise and tenon joints, while the inner fillings are connected by a plug with geometrical fillings and beads, which is typical of oriental woodwork. The inner in-fills were fitted without glue. The doors are also proof of excellent craftsmanship. They moved on iron hinges, which were originally joined to the lintels.The upper ending consists of a muqarnas cornice. It is assembled with various components forming the typical stalactite form. The forms fit together with wooden nails and glue and are covered with canvas, which prepared them for painting. In each niche, as well as in the entrance area, are found different types of muqarnas design. Moreover, there are 10 lintels and four lattices, called mashrabiyya in Arabic, which until now had never been exhibited and which had been kept in storage. In Aleppo, the panelling was presumably fixed directly to the walls. In the museum, in the 1930s, a supporting frame was mounted at the back. This construction still exists today and will be kept as a useful mounting system.

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Aleppo Room

How does this artwork elucidate its Construction?

The Aleppo Room in its T-shaped form is 11 m long, 7.5 m wide and 2.95 m high. The panelling is constructed of 10 frames with attached panels, all made of cedar. There are 46 vertical and 10 horizontal in-fills with inscriptions. The frames consist of 15.5 cm broad cedar planks of 2 cm thickness, assembled with mitered mortise and tenon joints. The in-fills, with widths varying from 13 to 41 cm, measure 16 mm in thickness and end with a surrounding cyma. Originally the in-fills were attached with wooden nails. The quality of the wood used attests to the great knowledge of the carpenter, since it was well chosen and seasoned. Both, panels and in-fills were well and precisely burnished with a plane, and a ground was applied. They show very good craftsmanship. It is particularly remarkable that a coniferous wood could be made sufficiently smooth to be capable of providing a ground for lacquer. In European historical sources, it was stipulated that hardwood should be used. The difference of ground preparation of the red-lacquer panels is evident in comparison to the horizontal in-fills with inscriptions. Here the surface of the in-fills is fairly rough, which corresponds to a different painting technique. There are 14 doors, which served as entrance, lattice blinds and wall-closets. Each of the doors show the same construction: The door frames and profiles are made of walnut and the geometrical in-fills of boxwood. The outer supporting frames are assembled with mortise and tenon joints, while the inner fillings are connected by a plug with geometrical fillings and beads, which is typical of oriental woodwork. The inner in-fills were fitted without glue. The doors are also proof of excellent craftsmanship. They moved on iron hinges, which were originally joined to the lintels.The upper ending consists of a muqarnas cornice. It is assembled with various components forming the typical stalactite form. The forms fit together with wooden nails and glue and are covered with canvas, which prepared them for painting. In each niche, as well as in the entrance area, are found different types of muqarnas design. Moreover, there are 10 lintels and four lattices, called mashrabiyya in Arabic, which until now had never been exhibited and which had been kept in storage. In Aleppo, the panelling was presumably fixed directly to the walls. In the museum, in the 1930s, a supporting frame was mounted at the back. This construction still exists today and will be kept as a useful mounting system.

1195_T

Aleppo Room

Focus on Aleppo Room and analyze the Painting technique.

Historic sources on painting techniques of oriental origin are hardly known. There is an English translation of the Qanun as-Suvar (Canons of Painting), written by Sadiqi Bek around 1576 and 1602. Sadiqi Bek was a royal painter of the Safavid court in Iran. In his manuscript he wrote first about theoretical themes such as the ideals of painting, basic patterns of decorative art, etc. Then he went into more detailed instructions concerning the preparation of colours, gilding, different binding media such as oil varnishes and glue-based media, to mention only some aspects. Sadiqi also stressed the importance of ground preparation, which is not astonishing in comparison to the fine Persian lacquer works of that time. The second source, Gulistani Hunan (Rose Garden of Art) was an appendix to a text written by Qadi Ahmad, in about 1608. The painting technique is divided into three components in the second publication as follows:

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Aleppo Room

Focus on this artwork and analyze the Painting technique.

Historic sources on painting techniques of oriental origin are hardly known. There is an English translation of the Qanun as-Suvar (Canons of Painting), written by Sadiqi Bek around 1576 and 1602. Sadiqi Bek was a royal painter of the Safavid court in Iran. In his manuscript he wrote first about theoretical themes such as the ideals of painting, basic patterns of decorative art, etc. Then he went into more detailed instructions concerning the preparation of colours, gilding, different binding media such as oil varnishes and glue-based media, to mention only some aspects. Sadiqi also stressed the importance of ground preparation, which is not astonishing in comparison to the fine Persian lacquer works of that time. The second source, Gulistani Hunan (Rose Garden of Art) was an appendix to a text written by Qadi Ahmad, in about 1608. The painting technique is divided into three components in the second publication as follows:

1196_T

Aleppo Room

Describe the characteristics of the Lacquer technique on frames and panels in Aleppo Room's Painting technique.

It is exceptional that the panels of the Aleppo Room do not have a consistent ground. The artists consciously chose various grounds in relation to the intended colours. We find diverse colours, such as red, blue, white, yellow, green and black in different compositions and varying layers.

1196_NT

Aleppo Room

Describe the characteristics of the Lacquer technique on frames and panels in this artwork's Painting technique.

It is exceptional that the panels of the Aleppo Room do not have a consistent ground. The artists consciously chose various grounds in relation to the intended colours. We find diverse colours, such as red, blue, white, yellow, green and black in different compositions and varying layers.

1197_T

Aleppo Room

In the context of Aleppo Room, explore the Tempera technique combined with pastiglia of the Painting technique.

Compared to the lacquer technique on frames and panels, the cornice and horizontal in-fills are painted in a tempera technique. The ground on both elements is made of gypsum in a proteinaceous binding medium. The ground is very thick on areas that are gilded. On the horizontal in-fills with inscriptions the letters were accented in a pastiglia technique, which is composed of gypsum, white lead and cinnabar in a proteinaceous binding medium. The Arabic word for this technique is al-‘adjami. Then gold leaf was applied and the entire panel was varnished with oil-copal lacquer as a final step. In these horizontal in-fills can be found the only traces of overpainting with smalt on the letters.

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Aleppo Room

In the context of this artwork, explore the Tempera technique combined with pastiglia of the Painting technique.

Compared to the lacquer technique on frames and panels, the cornice and horizontal in-fills are painted in a tempera technique. The ground on both elements is made of gypsum in a proteinaceous binding medium. The ground is very thick on areas that are gilded. On the horizontal in-fills with inscriptions the letters were accented in a pastiglia technique, which is composed of gypsum, white lead and cinnabar in a proteinaceous binding medium. The Arabic word for this technique is al-‘adjami. Then gold leaf was applied and the entire panel was varnished with oil-copal lacquer as a final step. In these horizontal in-fills can be found the only traces of overpainting with smalt on the letters.

1198_T

Aleppo Room

In the context of Aleppo Room, explain the Transparent coatings on the doors of the Painting technique.

It has to be imagined that the doors were created in a much more elaborate and splendid manner than they appear today. It is possible that they were lacquered in the workshop of the carpenters. They used two different types of translucent lacquer: shellac for the in-fills, while the frames and profiles were varnished with an oil-copal lacquer. Moreover, the iron fittings of the doors were decorated with tin leaf covered with a so-called gold lacquer. All of this together might have led to a more appropriate decoration within the room: the varied and glossy surface must have emphasized the splendour of the room.

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Aleppo Room

In the context of this artwork, explain the Transparent coatings on the doors of the Painting technique.

It has to be imagined that the doors were created in a much more elaborate and splendid manner than they appear today. It is possible that they were lacquered in the workshop of the carpenters. They used two different types of translucent lacquer: shellac for the in-fills, while the frames and profiles were varnished with an oil-copal lacquer. Moreover, the iron fittings of the doors were decorated with tin leaf covered with a so-called gold lacquer. All of this together might have led to a more appropriate decoration within the room: the varied and glossy surface must have emphasized the splendour of the room.

1199_T

Aleppo Room

Explore the The current situation of the Aleppo Room of this artwork, Aleppo Room.

According to the director of the Museum of Islamic Art, the room became a symbolic home for Syrians in Germany. "One can see from all the inscriptions and pictures that an environment has been created here in which people of different faiths can find themselves," said Stefan Weber. An Islamic scholar, Weber is the director of the Museum of Islamic Art in Berlin, where the Aleppo Room can be admired. "Many Syrians have come to us. For us it is important to say: 'These objects are here and this is your symbolic home in Germany, if you want."

1199_NT

Aleppo Room

Explore the The current situation of the Aleppo Room of this artwork.

According to the director of the Museum of Islamic Art, the room became a symbolic home for Syrians in Germany. "One can see from all the inscriptions and pictures that an environment has been created here in which people of different faiths can find themselves," said Stefan Weber. An Islamic scholar, Weber is the director of the Museum of Islamic Art in Berlin, where the Aleppo Room can be admired. "Many Syrians have come to us. For us it is important to say: 'These objects are here and this is your symbolic home in Germany, if you want."

1200_T

The Music Lesson

Focus on The Music Lesson and discuss the Provenance.

The picture was sold in May 1696 in Delft, part of the collection of Jacob Dissous, which included many Vermeers. It was later acquired by Venetian artist Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini in 1718, with Pellegrini's collection later being bought by Joseph Smith.The Music Lesson has been part of the Royal Collection of Great Britain since 1762, when King George III bought Smith's collection of paintings. When the painting was acquired it was believed to be a work by Frans van Mieris the elder because of a misinterpretation of the signature. It was not correctly attributed to Vermeer until 1866 by Théophile Thoré, though some scholars were skeptical whether it was Vermeer or not. It has at various times been kept at both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, and is depicted in Charles Wild's Windsor Castle: the King's Closet, 1816, a watercolour prepared for William Pyne's History of the Royal Residences.

1200_NT

The Music Lesson

Focus on this artwork and discuss the Provenance.

The picture was sold in May 1696 in Delft, part of the collection of Jacob Dissous, which included many Vermeers. It was later acquired by Venetian artist Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini in 1718, with Pellegrini's collection later being bought by Joseph Smith.The Music Lesson has been part of the Royal Collection of Great Britain since 1762, when King George III bought Smith's collection of paintings. When the painting was acquired it was believed to be a work by Frans van Mieris the elder because of a misinterpretation of the signature. It was not correctly attributed to Vermeer until 1866 by Théophile Thoré, though some scholars were skeptical whether it was Vermeer or not. It has at various times been kept at both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, and is depicted in Charles Wild's Windsor Castle: the King's Closet, 1816, a watercolour prepared for William Pyne's History of the Royal Residences.