Jeks's Blog

 As stated in a previous blog post of mine, I believe that looking at the art created during war times is an incredibly important thing to do. We cannot forget the humanity present during times of struggle, cannot let artists, many of whom were fighting against oppression, risking their lives with every book, every painting, fade into memory. By viewing these pieces, we memorialize those who created them, and further thwart those who wanted them extinguished. For this blog, I would like to continue the themes I talked about in my WWI blog post with the second World War, and the art created during the horrors of this catastrophic era of human history. Women and Children in the Tube , Henry Moore, 1940, London, England Tube Shelter Perspective: The Liverpool Street Extension , Henry Moore, 1940, London, England During the time of WWII, the tube stations in England, what Americans would call the subway, had to be converted into shelters to protect civilians during air raids. Bombs would r

 World War I affected the lives of everyone involved, from the soldiers to the civilians near the fighting to those waiting back at home for their loved ones. It was a horrific point in our history, when outdated battle tactics met modern weapons such as machine guns and mustard gas. Nearly three million people died in just Germany alone, and we still reference trench warfare as being a miserable and grueling affair. With war being such an emotional time, it makes sense why one that involved nearly the entirety of Europe would influence one of the most emotional fields; art. Tunnellers , Christopher Nevinson, 1916, Britain Tunnellers  is a work I greatly enjoy. The value of the piece is incredibly striking, with harsh darks and sharp beams of light creating an eerie atmosphere. The use of cool colours gives it a dreary look, as if the environment depicted were frigid to the touch. The figure's gas mask adds to this feeling of unease, the textures of the graphite and crayon used giv

When it comes to the styles of the Romantic Era, I find myself drawn to Romanticism more than anything else. I've always been a fan of works that seek to elicit an emotional response over any sort of pride or merely looking nice. Not that those aren't valid reasons to create, of course, but they don't interest me as much as something designed to make you feel. I also enjoy the variety of techniques and mediums utilized during this period, as can be seen in the works I've chosen for this blog post. The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters , Francisco Goya, 1799, Bordeaux, France Francisco Goya, more well-known for his work The Third of May 1808 , also dabbled in prints, such as the one pictured here, The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters . I adore this etching, particularly for its illustration-esque style. The line-art is amazing, utilizing hatching and curves to give the illusion of a more three-dimensional figure. The composition of the piece draws the eye from the sleep

It would be an understatement to say that war heavily affects the society and culture of the surrounding and involved areas and groups. From books to politics to food to paintings, the bloodied claws of war dig into every aspect of life and stain them red, leaving scars and wounds that can't be erased. Some of the most visually affected aspects touched by war are the arts. When war breaks out, there are almost always artists who bring out their easels and brushes, their charcoals and inks, and get to work. Whether to cope or to simply document the violence and turmoil around them, these artists have created visual evidence that has stood the test of time, allowing us in the modern day a glimpse into these darkened parts of history.Some of the most prominent and well-known tend to be art of revolutions specifically, with various pictures appearing alongside the text in our history books. While it's easy to overlook these works as mere depictions of violence, I believe it would b

  Johannes Vermeer's The Milkmaid  is a simple and peaceful oil painting. It depicts a woman, interestingly a kitchen maid rather than a milkmaid, preparing a spread of cheese, bread, and milk. While some speculate the painting was meant to invoke amorous feelings, others argue the maid is treated with respect and shown in an empathetic light. Indeed, when I look at this painting, I don't view it as sexual or physically romantic, but more a romanticization of everyday life. With the soft lighting and pleasing colours, the piece has an almost angelic feeling to it. The simple action of pouring milk is given a calming, beautiful appearance. It reminds me of early mornings, preparing myself breakfast. it has a very human quality to it, as it doesn't feature some grand hero or biblical figure, but a simple mortal woman. This isn't surprising when one considers the rise of merchant classes during this time period, which would have led to more common working people to create

  Hieronymus Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights is a mad scramble of shapes and colours that is hard to understand even on a second viewing. On the left, God presents Adam with Eve, the scenery calm and peaceful, utilizing soft curves and gentle greens to invoke a sense of quiet. Yet the pale, almost glowing forms of Adam and Eve contrast sharply with the subdued pallet, as if to suggest they don't belong. the middle portion of the work is an endless sea of depravity, fantasy, and pleasure, with God notably missing from the picture. The composition of this segment is far more cluttered, with bright colours and exaggerated visuals to contrast with the softness of Eden. Mermaids, often symbols of lust and misfortune, can be seen in the waters surrounded by mankind, and men ride atop unicorns, symbols of purity, as if lessening the value of such a thing. This is also notable because of both creatures ties to magic, something often looked down upon and excluded from Christian media