Symposia 2: Final Presentation on Michelangelo

Michelangelo Presentation

Whats happening with meetings

can you please let me know when we can all put this together and go through it.

Symposium 2: Second Research: Michelangelo

The Time Machine – Symposium 2

Second Research: Michelangelo

(6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564)

First piece of work | Bacchus (1497)

Fig 1. Bacchus (1497)

"Bacchus, the Roman god of wine (known as Dionysus in Greek Mythology), was a popular subject with artists of the sixteenth century. He was usually represented with a bunch of grapes and a staff wreathed with vine leaves and ivy. Celebrations in honour of Bacchus were called Bacchanalia. In ancient times, only women were allowed to attend these festivals. Other followers of the god included the satyrs, who were half-human and half-animal. Michelangelo created a statue of Bacchus in 1497. In his work, the god of wine seems a bit unsteady on his feet. A satyr appears behind him." (Cagno, 2008:20)

"Bacchus appears to be swaying, with perhaps his right leg buckling out from under him as he potentially lurches forward. The weight of his body, which is meant in a contrapposto pose to find a centre of gravity, here shifts back and forth, with the head (and a rather comically undersized head at that!) tilted in one direction, the shoulders another, the pelvis yet another, and the legs ready to tumble out from under the staggering, inebriated god. This is a god who is standing up but is more probably about to fall down, a fact that is even structurally and formally incorporated into the entire sculptural ensemble: the wine god would, in fact, fall down if the figure were not buttressed by the presence of the little satyr behind, whose serpentine pose only emphasizes in its torsion the elements of suppressed movement contained within Bacchus himself". (Biow, 2010:111)

Second piece of work | Pietà (1498–1499)

Fig 2. Pietà (1498–1499)

It is a construction that represents the Virgin Mary carrying the body of Christ on her lap. This sculpture was commissioned by the French cardinal Jean Bilhères Lagraula of which was a cardinal and ambassador to the Pope.

The human measures are not met. It is a marble statue of 174cm tall, 195cm long 69cm wide, sculpted with a chisel and hammer. The statue depicts a scene after the crucifixion of Christ. This is his only signed work. We see little besides his signature on the banner across the blank. She has a Florentine style, so a style of the Cinquecento¹ as it has a taste for naturalism and interest in human and psychological truth. There are many folds on the clothes. The Virgin is seated. On her lap the dead body of Christ as an ''S''. This position is a sign of abandonment of the corpse. The sculpture forms a triangle, which symbolizes the holy trinity (father, son and holy spirit). Mary's face, is an expression of no pain, because it is home to human suffering, symbolised by Christ. She represents the Lord. His hand opened; it is an offering. This sculpture was made in one year.

Each sculpture is used as an opportunity to respond to a specific aspect. The figure of Bacchus is created in design to regard Neoplatonists influences, Michelangelo was familiar with their ideas carefully. The David (1501-1504) and its turbulent history is detailed policy regarding the role played by them in the Florence of the early 16th Century. Similarities in Bacchus and David is also found in Matthew, a dichotomy, however, first as an internal issue and detached from the outer design. Michelangelo's figures are usually not in a natural freedom, they are rebelling against the prisoner or result in their fate.

Michelangelo's Early life segment

At twenty-one years old, his imitation of The sleeping Cupid led straight to Rome. 1498, Michelangelo was only 22, before signing a contract, guaranteed by Jacopo Galli, with the French Cardinal of San Dionigi, for the plans of his next piece, Pietà, which was in construction within a year. This successful marble sculpture was destined to be placed in the The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter (Italian: Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano (in the chapel of Santa Petronilla kings of France) - a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. The Pietà of Michelangelo was born from a block of marble, where the artist represents the isolated figures of the Virgin Mary holding the body of Christ in her lap just down from the cross, according to an iconography that, at that time, had found wide acceptance.

Pietà has strong anatomical details and finishes of the drapes, accentuated with translucent effects of the way the light seems to caress the marble surfaces. One of the things that is important in the sculpture is the "very young" the artist wanted to give the face of the Virgin Mary, this choice, strongly criticised by his contemporaries, is justified by the abstract nature of the composition. Between 1962 to 1964, Pieta was moved to New York World.

Fig 3. The David (1501–1504)

Footnotes______________________________________

¹⁾ Cinquecento: A term used to describe the Italian Renaissance of the sixteenth century, including the current styles of art, music, literature, and architecture.

List of Illustrations_______________________________

Fig 1. Michelangelo (1497) Bacchus [Marble] At: http://www.backtoclassics.com/images/pics/michelangelo/michelangelo_bacchus.jpg

(accessed:28.03.11)

Fig 2. Michelangelo (1498-1499) Pietà [Marble] At: http://www.arte.it/foto/orig/2f/334-Michelangelo_s_Pieta_5450_cut_out_black.jpg (accessed:28.03.11)

Fig 3. Michelangelo (1501-1504) The David [Marble] At: http://media.web.britannica.com/eb-media/87/60287-050-5124A0CE.jpg (accessed:28.03.11)

Bibliography___________________________________

G, D, Cagno. (2008) Michelangelo. (2nd ed.) USA : The Oliver Press

D, Biow. (2010) In Your Face: Professional Improprieties and the Art of Being Conspicuous in Sixteenth-Century Italy. (2nd ed.) California : Stanford University Press

final meeting

We need to meet one more tie this week so we can go through the final presentation so could we all meet wednesday at 11 am in the library on the computers, we really really need to get this all together so I will see you there.

work from today

The project was physically and emotionally torturous for Michelangelo. Michelangelo recounts its effect on him with these words: "After four tortured years, more than 400 over life-sized figures, I felt as old and as weary as Jeremiah. I was only 37, yet friends did not recognize the old man I had become."

http://www.michelangelo.com/buon/bio-index2.html

I shall produce the finest work ever created in italy, if god will help me.’ Pg 138 rolf schott

http://artmight.com/albums/2011-02-07/art-upload-2/m/Michelangelo-Buonarroti/Tomb-of-Pope-Julius-EUR.jpg

http://jackiewhiting.net/ArtHist/Images/2ceil_ve.jpg

http://www.notablebiographies.com/Ma-Mo/Michelangelo.html

Hey guys thought this website may help us for the slide show. It's got information on his early life, early works, Florence and more :)

found

While looking for information on Michelangelo I came across this website http://www.michelangelo.com/buon/bio-index2.html which gives a very good over view of his life.

Michael Angelo

Michelangelo’s masterpiece The Dream is one of the greatest of all Renaissance

Drawings. This complex work shows a naked youth being roused by a winged spirit from the vices that surround him.The Dream was almost certainly part of the great group of drawings which Michelangelo made as gifts for Tommaso de' Cavalieri, a young Roman nobleman with whom he had fallen passionately in love. With loans from worldwide collections, the exhibition unites The Dream for the first time with these amazing drawings.

Michael Angelo’s drawings and paintings where an insight into the mentality of how the artists worked and thought.

Michael Angelo : The Creation of Adam

An energetic, dynamic, flying God points his finger at Adam, who is struck with life. There is no visible spark, but Michelangelo did not need one to create this very strong image. Adam is shown as a powerful youth, who in the centre of the composition receives the breath of life.

The dream was made roughly 1553 for Tommaso de’ Cavalieri the love of Michael Angelo’s life. Michael Angelo expressed his love by Poems, Openly Letters and five of the perfect drawings he had ever created known today as the presentation drawings.

Artist’s Affair of the Heart

Michael Angelo : The Creation of Adam

An energetic, dynamic, flying God points his finger at Adam, who is struck with life. There is no visible spark, but Michelangelo did not need one to create this very strong image. Adam is shown as a powerful youth, who in the centre of the composition receives the breath of life.

1510: Vatican, Rome

The Last Judgement

The Last Judgement is a fresco by Michael Angelo on the alter of the wall of the Sistine chapel in Vatican City. It had taken four years to complete it took place in 1537- 1541. Michael Angelo ho wever began working on it three decades after having finished the Sistine chapel ceiling. The painting is centred around the leading figure of Christ.

Angelo Quotes:

· A beautiful thing never gives so much pain as does failing to hear and see it.

· A man paints with his brains and not with his hands.

· Carving is easy; you just go down to the skin and stop.

· Death and love are the two wings that bear the good man to heaven.

· I am still learning

· I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free

MEETING THIS WEEK

Hi guys, We will be having a meeting to put everything together as a script on FRIDAY at 2PM in the LIBRARY by computers, so please bring all research and at least one quote each. See you FRIDAY.

Jess and Dan

Michaelangelo's art in modern culture

Michaelangelo's work is still a part of contemporary culture, as shown by the large number of artists that have used it as part of their own work.  They take advantage of the "recognisability" of the original to subvert it for their own ends; for example

Fig.1

Fig 2

Fig.3

Fig. 4

List of Illustrations

Figure 1.  Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (2011) Touched by his Noodly Apendage [Digital Image] At: http://www.venganza.org/materials/ (Accessed on 22/03/2011)

Figure 2.  20th Century Fox (2007)  The Homer Of Seville [Still] [Online] At: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Simpsons-michaelangelo.jpg (Accessed on 22/03/2011)

Figure 3.  Justin13 (2006) CK David [Digital Image] At: http://www.worth1000.com/entries/287795/ck-david (Accessed on 22/03/2011)

Figure 4.  Florence Studio (2011) David [Plaster] At: http://www.florencestudio.it/bb/7210C7243C.htm (Accessed on 22/03/2011)

meeting?

Hi guys, I couldn't remember if we were meeting tomorrow (tuesday) or on thursday after the lecture as normal????

Symposium 2: Chosen Practitioner: Michelangelo

The Time Machine – Symposium 2

Chosen Practitioner: Michelangelo

Deadline: The Time Machine – Symposium 2. Thursday 31st March 2011

•The focus for this Symposium is to take a practitioner in the creative arena, and treat this practitioner in a similar way to the way in which you treated the object/artefact studied for Symposium 1 – as a starting point for broad contextual investigations.

•As with Symposium 1, you will need to examine the resonances, influences and connections in association with this practitioner, both forwards and backwards in time. How was their creative work influenced by others, and by past events? What influence did they have, directly or indirectly? How can they be viewed in the light of historical and contemporary contexts?

•The direction in which the research goes can be both linear and nonlinear. You are encouraged to research at tangents as well as in straight lines! The colourful and interesting byways of Symposium 1 were one of its principal strengths.

•The practitioner can be alive or dead, historical or contemporary.

•You must not use the practioner as the main basis for your Time Machine essay, although you may refer

Auto-S.O.S/recap of the brief:

1) A clear introduction to your presentation, which should also mention the

different published sources you have used and your reasons for choice. You

should use no less than 5 published sources to inform your presentation.

2) A clear definition of key ideas relating to your given topic, with supporting

evidence in the form of, no less than, 3 quotations from 3 different published

sources. Quotations must be interpreted and their importance discussed, they

should also be referenced correctly using the Harvard method.

3) The cultural context (political and social) in which the topic came out of/was in

reaction to.

4) An illustrated ‘who’s who’ of key individuals associated with given topic, with a

clear explanation of what you think their significance is and why.

5) Historical examples of key words/images/artefacts associated with given topic

and an assessment of their importance.

6) Contemporary examples of key words/images/artefacts associated with given

topic and a comparison to the historical examples.

7) A ‘bullet point’ conclusion.

8) A bibliography and illustration list correctly set out using the Harvard method.

9) A PDF version of presentation for uploading to myUCA.

Meeting in concrete - 17/03

I am not sure about Steph, but how does next Thursday sound after the seminar? We'll prepare in advance.

suggestion

can I suggest we choose Michelangelo as our subject?  I think there's plenty of scope to talk about

New presentation - meeting

Hi guys, As we have a new presentation due on the 31st of march I was wondering if you would all be free after the lecture for ten minutes to decide on the person that we will be doing our talk on. I don't think it should take us too long then we can do some research over the weekend. Is that ok?

Final Presentation

Guernica (Final)

Research 2: Finalising the plan

Research 2: Finalising the plan

Group 13 | Picassos Guernica (1937) | Time Machine

·         The echo of "Guernica" was still alive when World War II broke out

·         Guernica is not specific to Cubism, however, it contains all the essential features of an artificial conception deducted directly from the hand of the Cubist (see point 5)

·         The image of "reality" and "unreality" is depicted within the black and white tension; Picasso's painting Guernica.

·         Cubism was the most radical ways of artistic expression used until then by Picasso's Guernica and therefore expresses modernity.

·         Through Guernica, Cubism is a tool of communication to get across the idea that in war the objects and people break sharply with the bombing, with shrapnel, with the pain. Also, the geometric simplification of Cubism was used by the techniques of advertising and political signs. In this sense, the Guernica is like a big poster, mass media, an example of political art

·         "Art is not made to decorate rooms. It is an offensive weapon in the defense against the enemy." (Pablo Picasso)  'Les lettres françaises' (1943-03-24)

·         Visually, it is possible to attach "chromatic austerity" (with respect to colour, and added sourness and harshness) to the theme of the Guernica

Bibliography

Seitz, C, W. (1983) Abstract expressionist painting in America. (1st ed.) Washington: Harvard University Press

Southworth, R, H. (1977) Guernica! Guernica!: A study of journalism, diplomacy, propaganda, and history. (1st ed.) USA: University of California Press

Presentation so far

here's what there is so far, gaps need to filled by the people who's section it is

Guernica

Meeting 1/3/2011

Today was the meeting for putting together the presentation, me and Daniel have put together a list of the order for the slides and we have done as many of them as we could with the research we had with us today. Dayle would you mind doing a slide on the information you have (cubism, art at the time ) then we can put it all together. Also we need all the books and websites used during research to put on the presentation. I think it would be a great idea if we could get together tomorrow (wednesday) so that we can run though it, see how long it is and see if we need to make any changes to the finished thing. I will be in university anyway so when is best for you guys, it shouldn't take us too long. Let me know if this is ok, thanks.

research 3

H· Here are a few more of my notes that I was unable to put up earlier and I have more to come.

• ‘A picture is not thought of and settled beforehand. While it is being done it changes as one’s thoughts change. And when it is finished it still goes on changing, according to the state of mind of whoever is looking at it. A picture lives a life like a living creature, undergoing the changes imposed on us by our life, from day to day. This is natural enough, as the picture lives only through the man who is looking at it.’ – Picasso (pg 44)
• · There is talk of Picasso’s obsession with pain in his art, through the lines and shapes of the figures, the brush strokes he uses and the colours within the image. (more information on pages 46-47)
• · Over the years Picasso sketches many images of the corrida. At first the images are taken from the position of the audience watching the fight. Later the bull will take on a more human role. During a love affair the bull morphs into a Minotaur. (pg 47-48)
• · When doing images of the horse and the bull and the picador, Picasso would usually leave out the Picador (who is the main antagonise) and the torero’s (who draw the bull away if anything goes wrong) and leave it with just the Bull and Horse, removing them from the context of the corrida. (pg50)
• · The bull is the aggressor and the horse a passive partner.
• · In his images it is a purely human erotic act. The bull charges to plunge itself into the horse which waits submissive. (pg52)
• · Though the horse may have male genitalia because of its submission to the machismo of the bull it takes the female role.
• · Blood spilt is the horses which is spilt from the stomach, some liken this to menstrual blood.
• · The fight is a battle of the sexes.
• · For years it had been a battle between the horse and the bull but in 1934 and 1935 Marie-Theres became pregnant , Olga (Wife) leaves with his son, the 2 animals , who have taken on a human form, are now joined by a blond nude in a series of sketches called ‘femme torero’
• · Here the horse is trampled into the dirt while the bull carries on unruffled with the beautiful woman across his back who has his full attention.
• · Picasso Told Juan Larrera the horse in his art represents the most important woman in his life.
• · He told Francaise her symbol is the horse and his the bull.
• · In Guernica many believed that the bull in the image represented Franco and the horse was a representation of the Spanish people, or that the bull is the Spanish peoples strength. But in images found in Paris of preliminary sketches over view this.
• · The original design for the mural was of a woman and the artist. (pg 59)
• · ‘By 1932 Picasso had become incressingly obsessed with the theme artist and model as his relationship with Marie-Therese intensified and her face and figure came to dominate all aspects of his work.’ (pg59)
• · Pg 64 writer asks audience was the original theme inappropriate because of the subject of who his model was? Was it appropriate for a pavilion that was representing a besieged home land?
• · By the early sketches it appears he was going to do a mural based on his own private life.
• · This might be wat you expect from a man who didnt want to be pushed to either side of the political devide.
• · The raised fist with a hammer/sickle is drawn over his final sketch for the first mural, a newspaper and in study of Guernica on may 9^th. ‘it would be seen again in the first two states of the final canvas, rising from the body of the fallen warrior. This it seems possible that Picasso’s use of the communist solute in his drawings of April 19^th was only a temporary reaction to the words of appeasement by Delbos, one that was not sustained in further images.’ (pg 68)
• · After April 19^th the artist and the model theme was lost. He spent the next few weeks looking for more appropriate theme.
• · 1^st May he began sketches for the Guernica but took elements from the studio, e.g action taking place within a room drawn in perspective. (pg68)
• · Here Picasso is focusing on the suffering of the Spanish people and away from his studio.
• · Chipp sasy that it was not the war itself that caught Picassos need to paint a respns but the suffering of the Spanish people.(pg68)
• · Picasso had 24 days to design and paint a 25.5 foot mural .
• · It was the stories of human suffering that spurred him on. Or so it seems as it was at this point when images of the town and the people came through.
• · First sketch shows that he doesn’t show bombing and destruction but goes back to the bull and horse. (pg 70)
• · ‘The violence of the bull-horse struggle is an excellent visual analogue of the agony of the human victims of Guernica.’ (pg70)
• · The first sketches indicate he was not drawing an event he had witnessed (e.g images) but had to find his own feelings on it.
• · Pg 72
• · A constant part of the image is the woman leaning into the scene, illuminating what is happening.
• · The outstretched hand is scene in other images and can can be used as a symble of empathy (dying Minotaur) Grace ect. (pg74)
• · Picasso does many compositions to find which is the best way to show his view of the pain and suffering . (chapter 6)
• · He spends some time away from the sketches to focus on the horses head ‘To see as Arntheim notes, whether it could serve as the sole bearer of the emotion.’ (pg 75)
• · He distorts the features and the angle of the head, with great contrast between light and dark.
• · The tongue is formed into the shape of a spear head.

research 2

There is a lot of warfare in history (there's a depressing thought), but I believe I've picked out the nost pertinent facts.

• Although they did not apply to national conflicts (civil wars), both the first and second Hague Conventions on the conduct of war prohibit combatants from acting to "destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war.", as well as "the attack or bombardment of towns, villages, habitations or buildings which are not defended, is prohibited."(1899, the Second Hague Convention)
• The Spanish civil war began in 1936, following an unsuccesful coup d'etat by General Franco against the elected government of Spain.  The combatants fell into two loose camps:  the "Nationalists", led by Franco, believed that Spain was in danger of fragmentation, as well as communist take-over; while the "Republicans" were chiefly united in their opposition of the Nationalists.
• The Nationalist forces were supported by the fascist governments of Italy and Germany, who sent soldiers and equipment to help in the fight.
• The Republicans were chiefly supported by the Soviet Union and Mexico, as well as Marxist organisations around the world.  They were also supported by the "International Brigades", comprised of volunteers from around the world.
• The Soviet Union supplied armaments and soldiers to the Republicans, including many generals and soldiers from the first world war who had been exiled by Stalin.
• The German government supplied arms and military "advisors" including the "Condor Legion", which provided the majority of the Nationalist Airforce.
• France and England agreed to prevent the supply of aid to the Republicans from abroad, although this did not affect the supply of aid from the Soviet union, Italy or Germany
• Idealogically, the Nationalists were conservative, in favour of the status quo including democratic government and the power of the Catholic Church; the Republicans were progressive, containing socialists, communists and liberals.  The Republicans also included ethnic groups seeking independence, such as the Catalonians and Basques, as well as Anarchists (who sought the formation of a perfect society in which no laws or government was needed)
• The Town of Guernica was a Basque stronghold, and contained an oak tree under which the Basque parliment traditionaly sat.
• General Franco ordered the attack upon Guernica following unsuccessful Nationalist attacks upon Basque held territories.
• Following the attack upon Guernica, the Nationalist forces attempted to blame the attack upon so-called "Red" arsonists (republicans), however the Times Special Correspondent in Bilbao was actually machine-gunned by aircraft of the Nationalist Condor Legion when he went to view the aftermath of the attack on Guernica.
• There was no military value in the attack on Guernica, it was a "terror raid" designed to undermine the Republican forces will to fight.

Bibliography

The Avalon Project (2008) The Second Hague Convention (1907) [Online] At: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hague04.asp (Accessed on 28/02/2011)

Tonge, Stephen (2011) The Spanish Civil War [Online] At: http://www.historyhome.co.uk/europe/spaincw.htm (Accessed on 28/02/2011)

The Times Special Correspondent (1937) Bombing of Guernica In: The Times [Online archive] At: http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/viewArticle.arc?articleId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1937-05-06-15-001&pageId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1937-05-06-15 (Accessed on 28/02/2011)

Meeting

I'm just making sure that we are still meeting up on Tuesday at Lunch to put the presentation together, let me know if this is still correct.

Research 1

This is my first set of notes for the information on Guernica, I will put the rest up later.

Picasso’s Guernica : History, transformations, meanings. Herschel B. Chipp, 1989, Thames and Hudson ltd, London

· ‘In the nightmare of the dark,

All the dogs of Europe bark,

And the living nations wait,

Each sequested in its hate.’

- W. H. Auden

· Early January 1937 Josep Lluis Sert contactes Picasso, shortly after he, Max Aub (culture counsellor of the spannish embasy), Juan Larrea (poet and embassies director public information), Luis Lacasa (architect) and other men arrived at Picasso’s to ask him to ‘participate in a project of great symbolic significance for the Spanish republic.’ (pg 3)

· Luis Araquistain was planning a pavilion for the Paris world’s fair to show 1) the Spanish republic still existed, 2) that they legally represented the country and not Franco’s military regime. (pg3)

· It was to late to start planning, only 4 months left and no plans for the pavilion. (pg 4)

· They asked Picasso to do a large mural of his own chosen subject. (pg 4)

· Picasso hesitated – the project was obviously political propaganda for the republic. And other reasons. (pg 4)

· In his youth in Barcelona he had several sheets of drawings of war. ‘Devine Allegory’ 1895, ‘Boes’ 1900, ‘End of the road’ 1898.

·

http://www.barcelona-budget.net/Pablo-Picasso-The-End-of-the-Road-1898-99_jpg.html (28/02/2011, 10:33)

• ‘End of the road ‘depict a scene from the contemporary play about the return to Spain of defeated soldiers and colonists during the Spanish American war.’ (pg 4)

· During the Spanish civil war Picasso gets reports from his mother of the terror in Barcelona and there are constant reports of fighting and bombing. (pg 6)

· Picasso is careful not to take a stand on this even though many of his friends and fellow artists do in their work from poets to painters.

· Gertrude Steins is quoted to have said ‘Picasso was less concerned with the events themselves than with their having happened in Spain.’ (pg 6)

· He carried on painting Dora Maar.

· ‘When he was once asked about his politics he answered that he was a royalist because Spain was a monarchy and that he would be a republican if Spain were a republic.’ (pg 6)

· He would answer questions evasive or maliciously misleading but in fact they were impudent replies to probing questions – he refused to be cornered into agreeing with others ideas. (pg 6)

· September 1936 he was appointed honorary director of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Which made him very proud. (pg 7)

· The Museo del prado was shelled in November by troops trying to enter the city.

· 8 and 9 January 1937 he wrote the poem ‘Dream and Lie of Franco (sueno y mentira de franco) (pg11)

· In the panels that went with the poem he portrays Franco in caricature giving him many forms that represent manifestations of evil (pd 12-13)

· Picasso is still torn between the concern for his compatriots who were suffering and his antipathy towards political dogmas. (pg17)

· He was unable to donate a painting that he had already done.

· News reaches Paris 27 April, the evening after the attack on Guernica.

· 5 days latter (Saturday 1^st may) there is a demonstration in Paris over the destruction of Guernica, outrage at the bombing and appeals for aid for the victims. (pg43)