Art Conservation and Restoration

Upon entering the room, visitors’ eyes dart to that mysteriously empty frame centered on the opposite wall. In such a painstakingly designed museum, this frame looks out of place. On these walls hang the memoirs of revered artists, but the empty frames scattered throughout remember something more tragic: the largest property theft in world history (Menconi, 2012). Head of security at the Gardner, Anthony Amore, refers to these empty frames as “placeholders, not memorials” and urges visitors to see them as a “testament” to their belief that they will reacquire the stolen paintings someday (Menconi, 2012). Whether they do or not, the 1990 Gardner theft greatly impacted

Furthermore, he considers secondary sources in interpreting and analyzing the different artists’ paintings. Baxandall examines the importance of contracts, where marketing negotiations are made between an artist and their client. This includes detailed aspects in the content of the painting, the quantity and quality of materials used in the painting and the cost for labor in making the piece. He argues that although a painting is convincing and strong, the painting could, however, be reduced to nothing more than a constructional argument between the buyer and the seller. This is done by explaining the mechanics through which the Renaissance artists went about to develop their talent. A painting in Italy during that period resulted in a social relationship between the painter, who produced the picture, and the client, who provided the funding and ultimately used the artwork. He clearly suggests that the great materials and effort placed into an art piece provide the groundwork for an

Specifically, he notes if the similar work is well done and has aesthetic value. Essentially he argues that forgeries do not indeed lose any aesthetic value, because they are in fact well-crafted and executed but rather, compromise the nonaesthetic standard of judgment (92). The piece of art, regardless of its quality, loses its extrinsic value. It is no longer considered a trademark of its society, there is no novelty in regards to a historical artistic period. Without this nonaesthetic standard of judgment, a forgery thus becomes inferior. He notes that it is not primarily due to the fact that a successful forgery is deceitful and tricks novice audience and expert critics alike. Yet, it exacerbates the quality of intangibility and mystic that gives a piece of art aesthetic value, which makes critical analysis of art seem to lack logical, concrete reasoning. A key nonaesthetic value that becomes questioned is the idea of originality. The concept of originality is tangible and thus gives authentic pieces ‘imaginative novelty’ (97), which has no regards to aesthetic value. Everything created is original as another object of the type will never exist. Whether one piece looks identical to another is not a testament to its originality, because all things created are original. Lessing makes this point and mentions that maybe the term individuality should be more

Countless art has been sought-after throughout history. Explorers, scientists, art collectors, politicians, and entrepreneurs from Western nations have sought out and removed art from the lands of great civilizations, often with the assistance and participation of local people and governments. Even as cultural property faces immediate danger today in conflict zones like Syria and Mali, there is circumstantial evidence that some nations are awakening to the political and foreign policy benefits that can flow from the repatriation of cultural patrimony. While on a different scale from World War II, historic structures, religious monuments, and other priceless ancient times continue to suffer collateral damage and manipulation in armed conflict. Relics have been stolen, smuggled and sold in what is a reported multibillion dollar underground market. They have become the illicit prizes of private collectors and the subject of legal claims against museums. Of the countless museums subject to legal claims, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City happens to be one of them. “The Metropolitan Museum has acquired thousands of works and objects of art from the antiquities”. “For the past several years, the government of Turkey has warned U.S. and foreign museums (including The Metropolitan Museum of Art), that unless ancient objects from Turkish soil are given up on demand, Turkey will stop lending artworks” (The Committee for Cultural Policy, 2015). Turkey continues to up the

There is an ongoing art-ownership debate over paintings and other art stolen from European Jews during the Holocaust of World War II (1939-45). As Jews were sent to concentration camps, Nazi German soldiers looted valuable art from their homes. During the ensuing decades, some of that art landed in major museums on display, prompting Holocaust survivors and the families of Holocaust victims to ask that those works be returned to them.

Art by its nature is a subject of the philosophical, social, economic, political or religious context surrounding its creator. More often than not, a work of art addresses a specific topic or somewhat revolves around a particular person. Therefore, it is impossible to separate the context of a piece of painting, either historical or cultural, to its intrinsic value or the artwork's meaning. On the other hand, different cultures and time utilized specific conventions that govern the representation of objects of creativity. This essay highlights various pieces of art and their relationship to particular cultural, political, economic, or social settings. Moreover, it pinpoints how different times influence art presentation.

On a trip to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, my boyfriend, David, and I strolled through the museum while I, being an art history major, recited to him all that I knew about certain pieces. We observed sculptures by Auguste Rodin, works painted by Georgia O’Keeffe, and busts of Roman leaders. David was enjoying all the artwork until we reached the Contemporary art gallery upon where viewing Mark Rothko’s Untitled No. 11 made in 1963, he shook his head in anger at what he thought was a painting far from a masterpiece. His comment was one I’m sure many have said about this particular piece and many other modern pieces of art, “I could have painted that.” I couldn’t help to reply, “Yeah, but you didn’t.” David’s sudden reaction upon viewing the

Neoclassical Art was an art form that followed the Baroque and Rococo art periods. Neoclassicism was a way for artists to display their wish to return to meaningful art, to escape the frivolity of landscapes and still life paintings, and paint something that had a moral, educational or inspirational value to the viewer. Neoclassical art was an attempt to return knowledge and purity back to art. Neoclassicism was mainly focused on Greek and Roman arts and stories of the classical era with some new advancement. It was a revival of antiquity.

When one marvels at a painting it is tempting to take in one section at a time so as to not miss anything. Certain work entices the audience to come forward, into the scene. Yet the whole painting in its entirety is made to be experienced from a distance, a place where the expanse of the scene can be taken in fully for all it was created to be. Certain brushstrokes or movements only come together when viewed from three yards away. An art museum is a sanctuary filled with these temptations. Each illustration depicts a different story that can only be fully understood once one stands at a distance, senses the mood, researches the historical background, and asks the question: “Why did the artist make the choices he/she did?”

She further analyzed many artworks based on the process of toning. Though some artists paint with one layer, those that paint with multiple layers enhances the objects in the painting. The color that appears on the surface underwent multiple shades in order to obtain the desirable color. After analyzing Ship Carpenter at His Hobby, 1872, Helena’s second group approached the artwork Women Embroidering, 1904. Two differences I distinguished from the comparison of these two artworks are the time period as well as the visual context. I had paid less attention to the story behind this portrait because there was less detail. Women Embroidery, though looked unique because of its lack of details (which could have been intentional), did not have much space. Helena described it as “flat.” She infers that as time period increases, artists were becoming more focused on flatness, painting on the surface and ignoring the layers of tone and landscape space. Another artwork that we analyzed was the Back Surgery. Dating back to the 1600s, this portrait was created with underpaintings and a few touch ups. It could be inferred that the artist intended to leave the underpainting in order to bring out the procedure. On the surface lies a realistic, colored curtain that seemed to have been drawn by the audience, and staring straight at the artist/audience was the patient. With these observations, I

Post-impressionist paintings under the “IT’ theory alone were not considered art. To be able to accept post-impressionist paintings as art then required, “a revolution in taste.” The artworld, as Danto would agree needed to bring a new theory in order to

Art is all around us. There are many different forms of art. It can be something created, captured, or it can be already existent. Not a single person is to say what makes something art because there is a different definition for everyone. However, there are a couple factors that come into mind whenever someone decides to declare something as art. In this essay I will be comparing and contrasting four different pieces of art. I will be discussing each art piece’s form, time period of creation, intention or purpose, and value. These four pieces of art are Michelangelo’s Pieta, Fountain by Marcel Duchamp, Mark Rothko’s No.61, and the “Oyster Dress” by Alexander McQueen. These works of art come in all different shapes and sizes but they are valued

Throughout history, art has caused wars and forged alliances. In modern times, cultural treasures are being sorted into place after much misplacement. Restitution/repatriation, the act of returning cultural treasures to their rightful owners or nation of origin, often ensues difficult legal decisions, but remains a moral necessity. This act of returning cultural treasures, grows more common due to the media’s interest or publicized legal battles. The movie “The Woman in Gold,” involving Gustav Klimt’s painting of Adele Bloch-Bauer, is an example of the influence it has on media.

Throughout the vast history of art, historians can find connections throughout the centuries. Artists from the beginning of humankind have been inspired by the world around them. From the Apollo 11 stones to present day, history and culture have provided inspiration and have been the focus of various pieces. Examining artwork from the 15th-18th century, viewers can be shown a whole world that would be unknown to us without these artist’s contributions. History, religion, and cultural events have sculpted the art world, and we can observe this through many pieces during the 15th-18th centuries.

Benjamin’s death in 1940 at the age of 48, is rumored to be a suicide when the Naza’s took office, but is still a mystery. His ideas and concepts however, would live on for decades to come. Much of what he wrote about when discussing art came essentially after the development of photography and film. In his work, “Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” Benjamin addresses his perception of the changes in art and the aesthetic experience congruent with societal changes. He writes with concern of how the great artworks are viewed after the introduction of photography and film. His idea of mechanical reproduction changed the art world as society knew it, particularly in how the public views artwork and the value of that work as more and more people are able to own, view and discuss it. This paper will specifically look at aspects of Benjamin’s groundbreaking essay and how educators can relate his ideas to the practices in their art classrooms.