Jeks's Blog

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