Guide to Art History: London

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

 

With most COVID-19 regulations relaxing, lots of the art museums in the UK are opening back up! Take a look for your next visit to London. 



The National Gallery: 


     Located in the famous Trafalgar Square, The National Gallery is widely accepted as one of the top art museums in the world. Not only is their collection wonderful, but the Sainsbury Wing done by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown is so significant. The National Gallery has paintings such as the Bathers by Cezanne, Bathers at Asnières by Georges Seurat, and The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck. When in London, this is a must-visit. 





The Wallace Collection: 


      Though it has other types of art, the Wallace Collection specializes in 18th century French art; including painting, artifacts, furniture, and many others. Their collection is also so extraordinary in armor and weapons. Do not overlook this gem in London!! Watch the video above for the history of the collection. 
      




The Royal Academy:

    
    The Royal Academy has artists' work ranging from John Constable (click to learn more from a Zooming In) to Yinka Shonibare (click to learn about the Swing ). Since being founded by artists and architects in 1768, the Royal Academy has been an art museum that is run by artists. 





Tate Modern: 


    The Tate Modern houses so many wonderful pieces of modern art including some Yayoi Kusama, The Swing (after Fragonard) by Yinka Shonibare, and Rodin! This museum is loved by London natives and visitors alike. 

Comment what city to do next!! Have you been to London?

Read more »
No comments

AP Art History: Narcissus Garden-- #148

Thursday, June 17, 2021

 



Narcissus Garden by Yayoi Kusama 

    Yayoi Kusama's Narcissus Garden is an installation work of art (click to learn more).  Originally made of 1,500 plastic silver globes on the lawn outside of the Venice Biennale, a very famous exhibition to which she was not invited. 

Bio of the work: 

Title: Narcissus Garden
Date: 1966
Medium: mirrored, mass-produced balls
Location: various; including Central Park, NYC, and Bernardo de Mello Paz’s Instituto Inhotim

Analysis: 
    
    Kusama stood amongst the 1,500 mirrored balls with a sign reading "Your Narcissism For Sale". These spheres reflected everything--  every passerby, the surrounding architecture, the artist herself, etc. Kusama's genius was brought through when she began selling the spheres, thus proving the point that her sign pointed out. The people were buying a reflection of themselves. 


Read more »
,
No comments

AP Art History: The Standard of Ur-- #16

Monday, June 14, 2021




Standard of Ur


    This Ancient Mesopotamian work of art is still somewhat of a wonder to archeologists. A two sided, wooden box of sorts, the Standard of Ur is thought to have been a flag, placed on a pole. The two sides depict war and peace with many little figures on both.  

 Bio of the Work: 

Title: Standard of Ur
Date: ~ 2600-2400 BCE
Medium: Wood with lapis lazuli, shell, and red limestone
Museum: The British Museum in London


Analysis:

    The Standard of Ur 's two sides depict Sumerian life in war and peace. The 'war' side of the standard has one of the earliest representations of an army, including chariots, swords, captives, and fatalities of the violence. In contrast with the other, the 'peace' side includes more of daily life. This side has three levels, and some people believe these levels to be the ranks of society. The uppermost level depicts a feast and a clear figure head who is even larger that the rest, braking out of the frame, showing art's hierarchy of scale. The other two show laborers working. Many archeologists believe that this was a flag of sorts to be put on a pole and shown out to the city. 
Read more »
,
No comments

AP Art History: Winged Victory of Samothrace -- #37

Wednesday, June 9, 2021

 


 Winged Victory of Samothrace

    Famously situated atop the staircase landing in the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Winged Victory of Samothrace is one of (if not the) most well known Hellenistic sculptures. 

Bio of the work: 

Title: Winged Victory of Samothrace
Date: ~ c. 190 BCE
Medium: Marble
Museum: The Louvre Museum, Paris

Analysis: 

    Winged Victory of Samothrace portrays Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, in contrapposto (click to learn about this term). The sculpture was the attached to the bow of a ship. The wet drapery clings to her elegant yet powerful figure. Unfortunately, Nike's head nor her arms were recovered in the original discover or by the archeologists upon return to Samothrace. This sculpture was most likely created in commemoration for a victory in a ship battle c. ~190 BCE. 

Sources: 
https://www.louvre.fr/en/explore/the-palace/a-stairway-to-victory
AP Art History Guide-- Barrons's 
    
Read more »
,
No comments

AP Art History: Fountain (second version) -- #144

Tuesday, June 8, 2021

 

Fountain (second version) by Marcel Duchamp

    Marcel Duchamp shocked the world when he exhibited this work. Fountain is a mass produced urinal that he scribbled a signature of sorts, considering that his name is not R. Mutt, and sent it to exhibition. 

Bio of the work: 

Title: Fountain
Date: 1917
Medium: Porcelain
Museum: Unknown

Analysis:

    Marcel Duchamp's art was very controversial and for good reason. Duchamp was of the belief that anything could be art if it fit a few criteria. For example, the artist's intention for the work and a signature. Duchamp exemplified these criteria in his work, Fountain. While he did sign the work, he did not use his own name. Duchamp redefined art for many people through this work!

Sources: 
"Modern Art" by Taschen 
Read more »
,
No comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
© Art History: On Display • Theme by Maira G.