Head Drawings

Jessie

This head drawing shows great progress from the first head drawing done in this class. While the image is somewhat skewed and looks a little flat, the features are proportional. The image also holds some resemblance to the model.

Figure Drawings

 These are two of the last figurative drawings. The one at left is the last one. In my opinion, it is the most successful and shows the most progress.

Iconology

Vermeer - Girl With a Pearl Earring 

The date of completion is unknown for this piece although it is estimated to have been around 1665. According to some sources it is unknown as to whether this painting was commissioned and the figure in the piece is also unknown.

The girls intense gaze captures the viewers eye. This is an unconventional portrait, although it is beautifully done.

James Abbot MacNeil Whistler - Portrait of My Mother: Arrangement in Gray and Black

This painting of the artist's mother was done in 1871. His mother posed for the painting. There are varying stories behind the piece: one being that another model did not show, and his mother stood in. Another being that he had wanted to paint his mother standing, but she was uncomfortable.

Thomas Lawrence - Sarah Goodin Barett Moulton: "Pinkie"
 1794

Sarah Goodin Barett Moulton was the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner. The painting was commissioned by her grandmother around the time the girl left her home to go to school. She died only a year after the painting was completed.

Frans Hals - The Laughing Cavalier
1624

While the figure in this painting is unknown, it is interesting that the figure is not actually laughing. The shape of his moustache creates this illusion.

John Singer Sargent - Madame X
1884

The woman pictured, Virginie Amelie Avegno Gautreau was the wife of a wealthy socialite. She was rumored to have had many infidelities, and in the original painting, her left dress strap was around her shoulder. This, however, was too suggestive and so it had to be changed.

The painting was done at the request of the artist.

Foreground, Middleground, Background

Foreground - the parts of a piece that appear closest to the viewer

Middleground - the portion of a piece that appears in the middle, usually seems to be the focus of a piece

Background - the portions of a piece that appear to be furthest from the viewer

Cezanne - Landscape Near Aix, the Plain of the Arc River

In this landscape by Cezanne, the foreground would be the rocks and bushes closest to the viewer. The middle ground would be the trees. The background would be the mountains, hills and the sky.

Picture Plane

Picture plan - the actual surface upon which a painting is painted

Michelangelo - The Creation of Man

In this case, the actual ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is the picture plane. 

Post - Modernism

Post-Modernism - an art movement considered to have been developed in the aftermath of modernism
 - intermedia, installation art, contemporary art, and multimedia are all considered to be post-modern

 Roy Lichtenstein - Whaam!

Roy Lichtenstein's pop art would also be considered post-modern.

Modernism

Modernism -  a movement in art revolting against conservative values of realism
 - during the late 19th and 20th centuries

Van Gogh - Portrait of Pere Tanguy

One of the early pieces of modern art.