Art Resource Study Guide! Read It

ART RESOURCE STUDY GUIDE! READ IT!!!!!!

1) SELECTED WORK: St. Sophia Cathedral, Kiev, interior of dome with Christ Pantocrator and Angels, 1037–61

Info:

- Example of byzantine influence on early Christian art

- Name served as a string connection between early Christianity in Kievan Rus state and Byzantine Empire

- Cathedral founded by Yarslav I (Yarslav the Wise (1019-54)): leader who united Russian cities of Novgorod and Kiev : intended as a burial place for Yarslav and other leaders of Kiev

- Exterior view: dramatic: 13 rounded cupolas(domes): RUSSIAN CHURCH ARCHITECTURE

- Symbolic Meaning of Dome? 1 big one surrounded by smaller ones = Christ surrounded by apostles

- Produced <100 years after adoption of Christianity

- Pantocrator means ruler of all or almighty

Description:

- Mosaic located in central dome: look up and you see Christ: old and mature man: raised hand to show that he is blessing

- Background has no location or setting: gold was put to make heaven a glorious place

- Sense of stillness

- Surrounded by 4 archangels: each angel has something that says Hagios which means holy (3x)

- Vivid colors and durability of mosaic; to make picture on rounded surface takes skills; math and artistic skills

2) SELECTED WORK: Christ in Glory, Icon, 1470–99

Artist Information and Historical Background

· Icon painting (image of religious figure for spiritual contemplation, from Byzantine artists)

· Most icon paintings are small and painted on wood.

· In a church, icon paintings were usually hung on the wall called the iconostasis (the wall that separates the sanctuary from the nave)

· Icon paintings not intended to look “real.”

· Icon painters were masterful copy artists, as God created the core representations.

Art Piece Information

· We see Jesus Christ seated on an elaborate throne.

· J-dubs holds an open book, the New testament of course, in his left hand. In his right, he gives us the peace sign…holla

· J-dubs is at rest, feet crossed at ankles, and is draped in cloth with many folds.

· J-dubs is static and neutral, eyes are straight ahead, and slightly up, so he doesn’t need to look at his peeps.

· J-dubs has dark brown hair and of course has gold halo circles around his head.

· White highlights around the mouth and eyes give the illusion of “Jesus is holier than you.”

· Throne is surrounded by angels (heads and wings visible).

· 4 corners: symbols of 4 Gospel writers: Matthew (man w/ wings = earthly nature), John the Evangelist (eagle = divine nature), Mark (lion), Luke (winged ox)

· Christ’s neck is very…um…long…in comparison to the rest of the body (that is what she said)

· Lion looks funny b/c there is no way a Russian saw a lion in Russia…so copied from a book.

· Materials: applied pigment on wood à yellow ochre, lapis lazuli (blue mandorla symbol (two circles overlapping).

· Gold leaf added

· Pigments suspended in egg yolk and then applied. Very difficult (matching colors are problems, dries quickly, pigments are expensive)

· No signature….icon painters typically did not sign, unless you are the egotistical Theophanes the Greek.

· Fits style of an icon painting from Novgorod à emphasis on line, elongation of figure, and prominent use of ochre, brown, and red.

3) SELECTED WORK: Cathedral of St. Vasily the Blessed, Moscow, Postnik and Barma, 1555–60

Artist Information and Historical Background

· Barma might have been Postnik Yakovlev who designed important structures in Kazan in the 1560s

· Postnik and Barma’s training is not know but it’s evident that they are skilled

· Significant because they were Russian architects since Byzantium architects usually got important comissions

· Real name of church (brace yourself): Church of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God which I will refer to as CPVMG

· Patronized by Ivan IV Vasilyvich aka Ivan the Terrrrrible

· Constructed in commemoration of Ivan the Terrrible’s victory over the Tartars at Kazan

· Named after Vasily who was basically a really weird guy (walked in nude with chains on)

· Vasily was enshrined in the church

· Was inspired by Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoe, built in celebration of the birth of Ivan the Terrrrible.

· Also known as Trinity Church

· Tallest building in Moscow when constructed

· Had many restorations due to fire and time

· Nationalistic

Art Piece Description

· Made of churches joined together

· Main church, CPVMG, in the center

· Colors are not original

· Domes are white, red, and gold -> jewel-like paint colors

· Made of stone unlike most Old Moscow buildings

· 8 churches arranged symmetrically around central church

· Octagonal tented roof

· East: Holy Trinity; St. Alexander John and Paul

· North: small church; 14.9 meters tall; Cypren and Justina

· NW: consecrated to St. Gregory

· West: celebrates Entry of Christ into Jerusalem

· SW: consecrated to St. Varlaam, patron saint of Ivan’s family

· South: 28 meters high; dedicated to the Miracle-Worker, St. Nicholas

· SE: commemorate military defeat on feast day of Saint Alexander

· Churches mostly coincided with Ivan’s conquest

· Does not look symmetrical from most angles

· Churches had varying shapes and heights

· Pillar shaped and had eight-sided and six-sided elements stacked on each other

· Joined by 2 galleries

· Decoration scheme = geometric forms (half-circles, stars, diamonds, rectangles…)

· Varies in color and patterns to make it fanciful

· Decorative scheme adds harmony and balance

· Domes have a gold cross and are onion-shaped

· Central Dome is gold while domes that surround it are in different colors

4) SELECTED WORK: St. Isaac’s Cathedral, St. Petersburg, c.1880, Auguste de 3 Montferrand, 1818–58

Artist Info:

· Auguste De Montferrand, aka Auguste Ricardo or Ricardo de Montferrand

· born: France

· life: 1786-1858

· created monument of Alexander I, his patron

· Romanov dynasty

Art Piece Info:

· constructed 1839-44

· imperial period of Russia

· shift in style --> West

· classical architecture

· located: St. Isaac's Sq.

· positioned opposite of Mariinsky Palace

· shows relationship b/t church & state

· Russian Rev. changed fnc of building

· not a place for worship anymore

· now Museum of Scientific Atheism

· WWII: dome painted gray (was gold)

· today's fnc: Orthodox Church w/ limited capacity

· honors St. Isaac of Dalmatia (patron of church)

· patroned by Alexander I

· site connects Alexander's reign w/ Catherine the Great's

· primary material: gray stone

· interior decor.: ornate

· exterior: retrained

· neoclassical

· plan based on Greek cross

· dominant feat.: large central dome on high drum w/ gold

· main struct.: low and horizontal

· 4 symmetrical lanterns w/ small domes
-- gilded

· Corinthian columns of red FInnish granite
-- frames each window
-- repeated on lanterns & rotunda of central dome

· pediments: decor. w/ relief

· bronze doors w/ relief

· infl. by Enlightenment & 16th century Palladio's Villa Rotunda
-- Greek cross plan
-- large central dome

5) SELECTED WORK: Façade of the Northern Pavilion of the Small Hermitage, Saint Petersburg, Jean-Baptiste Vallin de la Mothe and Yury Velten, 1764–75

Artist Info + Historical Background:

· Winter Palace since Peter the Great

· Residence of the Romanov tsars

· Ultimate symbol of autocratic rule

· Modeled after Western culture, “liberal life”

· Built for nobility, brick/stone decorations

· Inspired by the Versailles palace

· Domenico Trazzini, architect (1730-1801)

· Baroque -> Petrine Style

· Designers: Georg Johann Mattarnovi & Francecso Bartolomeo Rastrelli

· Yury Velten, Russian (1730-1801)

· German Immigrant to Russia

· Rastrelli’s assistant (Winter Palace)

· Court architect of Catherina II

· Jean-Baptiste Vallin de la Mothe (1729-1800)

· Academic training in France, taught architecture in France Rome in 1759

· Court architect in 1766, restrained neoclassical style

· Worked on the Catholic Church of St. Catherine

Art Piece Description:

· Baroque, Petrine Style

· Façade: 250 m. long. Not many decorations

· Overlooks Palace Square another River Nera

· Symmetry

· Rhythm of projection

· Room: Neoclassical or Rococo mode

· Catherine II’s wing “Hermitage” – inspired by jean-Jacques Rousseau’s “Simple Life”

· Her refuge holds collections of art museum-statement as world leader of Western European art

· Two pavilions

· Southern Pavilion by Velten (1765-1766)

· Northern Pavilion by Vallin de la Mothe (1767-1769)

· Symmetry -> columns -> rhythm

· Compact, relative height, verticality

· Window: rounded arches

· Six-columned portico

Influences:

· Versailles in France

· Classical architecture of Greek and Rome

· Round arches & windows, Corinthian columns

6) SELECTED WORK: Monument to Peter the Great, St. Petersburg, Étienne-Maurice Falconet, Completed 1782

Artist Information and Historical Background

· Etienne Maurice Falconet built his master piece through 1768-1782 after long studying movements of horsemen on reared mounts

· One of Falconets most early sculptures was Milo of Croton this sculpture secured his admission to the Academy of beaux-arts in 1754

· He studied Greek and Latin and wrote several brochures on art

· Falconet wrote six volumes on art Oeuvres littéraires and were first published in Lausanne in 1781- 1782

Art piece description

· The monument was built by order of Catherine the Great to tribute her predecessor on the Russian throne, Peter the Great

· The monument depicts the most prominent reformer of the Russia state as Roman hero

· The pedestal is made of one piece of red granite molded into he shape of a cliff From this “cliff” peter gallantly leads Russia forward, while his horse tramples a snake

· The snake being trampled represents the enemies of Peter and his reforms

7) SELECTED WORK: Portrait of the Countess Samoilova, Karl Briullov, 1832–34

Artist Information:

· known as a portrait artist but had various
praised historical paintings

(“The Last Day of Pompeii” [1827])

· had formal art training at the Imperial
Academy of Arts from 10 years old.

· had a Romantic French- influenced style

· made portraits for high nobles such as
Nicholas I and Empress Alexandra

· important figure in Classicism ->

Romanticism transition

Visual Analysis:

· portrait size is bigger than life size

· shows the Countess with her foster daughter Giovanina, dog, and servant

· rich red and gold colours indicate she is very high class

· the Countess and her daughter is shown wearing fashionable and expensive dresses accessorized with gold

· the servant, daughter, and dog all gaze at her implying that she is the center of the household.

· linear painting with colour as secondary feature

Contextual Analysis:

· The large portrait size shows her high social class.

· She is portrayed as very powerful which is not the norm in Russian society.

· Art historian Kristin Regina argue that the Countess is being portrayed as royalty with her crown and servant.

· Bruillov is thought to have been romantically involved with the Countess.
- symbols of love found around painting (pearls around her feet, marriage shawl)

8) SELECTED WORK: Imperial Peter the Great Easter Egg, Fabergé Firm, 1903

· Used at elaborate dinner parties, social gatherings. Centerpiece was small decorative work for ceremonial dinners and gatherings. Mainly conversation pieces.

· Porcelain, enamel, precious metals and stones were common. French items were rare.

· Porcelain introduced from Saxony via Peter the Great. Mainly used for ceremonial dinner settings for coronations, special occasions, gifts.

· Dinner services were commissions of porcelain. Many porcelain pieces had miniature painting as decoration. Some Imperial Porcelain Factory pieces weren’t elaborate.

· Gustav Faberge started jewelry house. Items became symbol of imperial excess.

· Peter Karl, first son, studied art 1864-1872. French-inspired jewelry brought attention to Tsar Alexander III. 1885: Titled “Goldsmith by Appointment to the Imperial Crown”. Annual commission became 1 easter egg. Nicholas continued with 2 eggs.

· 42 of 50 Imperial eggs are identified. Many small non-imperial and jeweled eggs were made for less wealthy patrons.

· Revolution led to business collapse. Success in France remained, but materials lacked.

· Mainly Rococo Style. Gold, enamel, platinum, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, rock crystal. Top contains Nicholas II monogram. Bottom has imperial double-head eagle.

· Top of egg: decorative flower pattern, laurel leaves, ruby accent. Publication date in diamonds, 1703 flanking date.

· Bottom: Band, flower motif, laurel leaves, watercolor paintings on ivory under transparent rock crystal. 4 Paintings: Peter the Great, Nicholas II, Winter palace, small house Peter The Great had founding St. Petersburg.

· House lies under 1703 (which is in diamonds). Contemporary Winter Palace view is given on egg, but palace was not inhabited due to security issues prior to 1903.

· Descriptive texts exist detailing Peter the Great’s birth year, the small house, the founding of St. Petersburg, birth and coronation of Nicholas II. Has K.Faberge and Mikhail Perkhin (supervisor) on egg.

· Egg contains The Bronze Horseman miniature replica: gilded bronze, sapphire and gold base.

· Coronation Egg had perfect carriage replica of Empress Alexandra’s carriage.

· Most eggs used metalwork, cut stones, miniature paintings, and enamel. Large Siberian emeralds, diamond, gold were consumed for eggs.

· Egg in question commemorates founding of St. Petersburg. Emphasized connections between generations. Also brought to light The Bronze Horseman, a Catherine work.

· Tradition of decorating eggs emerged from egg gift exchange. Imperials went to extremes for the gifting. Confiscated eggs were stored in Kremlin armory. Stalin thought of selling the eggs on the Western Art Markets.

· Hammer, American entrepreneur, purchased eggs to resell. Depression stopped him quickly. Sales, however, leave little in Russia. 10 in Kremlin, 8 are lost/stolen.

9) SELECTED WORK: Illustration for “L’oiseau de Feu”(Tsarevich Ivan on the Horse with the Golden Mane of Tsar Afron), Boris Zvorykin, c. 1925

Artist's background information

– Born in 1782

– studied at Moscow Academy of Painting

– created luxury books under commission of the Imperial Court

– retired in Paris after 1917 revolution

– created a special book for Louis Fricotelle which contained The Firebird

– Influenced by the Art Nouveau style and folk culture

– died in 1935

Description of piece

– It is an old Russian folktale passed by oral tradition over many centuries.

– Tsar Demian has three sons and finds out someone is stealing his golden apples from his garden.

– He assigns his sons to help watch his garden, but two of them falls asleep. Ivan, the youngest one, manages to stay awake and notices that a mysterious Firebird takes the apples.

– Ivan travels by horse and soon loses it.

– Wolf helps him get to Tsar Afron and tells him not to touch the bird's cage but he disobeys.

– Then he goes to Tsar Kusman and must capture the horse with the golden mane. He is told not to touch the golden ridle but does so anyway and gets caught by the Tsar.

– He journeys to Tsar Dalmat and falls in love with Princess Elena.

– He has to return the princess, horse and bird back while the wolf transforms into them each time.

– Ivan is killed by his brothers but the wolf brought him back to life.