Understanding the Artwork of Domenikos Theotokopoulos

Utilising, “The Study Diamond: effects, techniques, context and meaning” (The Open University, 2013, p. 76), this essay will argue through close visual analysis from an art history point of view that Picasso’s Guernica is a form of protest. The essay will also argue that Guernica’s meaning has changed to include becoming a symbol of peace and continues to fulfil its purpose as a form of protest.

The artworks of Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, the Aegean cultures, and Ancient Greece have similarities that not only reflect objects and images, but also the media, style and representation. These countries were not always wealthy, clever, creative and powerful enough to gain supplies, but they all find a way to create art with what they had. They have all influenced on each other’s cultures and belief through their artistic values and ways, ranging from the materials and tools they use, position and representation of their monuments and their religious intent.

Romare Bearden’s art exhibition “Vision and Activism” portrayed his perception of society and the need to put in motion social change. The Black History Museum is where I observed his art collection. The set up of the pieces were by category and was not congested because there was a moderate amount of space between each piece. For first impressions the two art pieces titled “Noah and the Seventh Day (Prevalence of ritual series)” and “The Family” is highly detailed and the use of tone exhibits dramatic traits in the first piece while the second piece has tranquility. The subject matter for “Noah and the Seventh Day” is culture and for “The Family” is a focus on African American lifestyle. Intently scrutinizing “Noah and The Seventh Day” the setting is outside among the sea and animals are on a boat. The color is subtle, slightly vibrant, and uses cool tertiary colors. The texture has a grainy and hard effect as if he stippled using a paint brush. The shapes are organic but the water had strong emphasis where the lines gradually got deeper and broader away from the horizon. On the contrary, “The Family” setting took place inside of a house with women gathered at the table preparing food. The colors are subtle, earthy, and include warm tertiary colors. The background texture has a fine and smooth appearance. He included recognizable shapes such as cylinders, rectangles, and squares. By Bearden applying cross contour, pointillism, and cross

El Greco is a well-known Greek artist whose work during the Spanish Renaissance made him famous. Born 1541 in Crete, El Greco eventually made his way to Venice where he found himself under the instruction of Titian (El Greco). After moving to Toledo, Spain at age thirty-five, he continued his career as an artist until his death. Some of his works include The Holy Trinity, The Assumption of the Virgin, and The Burial of Count of Orgaz (El Greco - The Complete Works). All of these paintings show his unique expressionistic style that led him to fame so many decades after his death.

Daniel Ridgway Knight was an odd American artist who loved to paint relaxed French peasants in luscious landscapes. Ironically, he lived during a stressful time when the Industrial Revolution displaced numerous farmers and polluted the environment. He seemed to ignore the harsh truth and shut himself in his imaginary serene world. For instance, In the Premier Chagrin, translated as The First Grief, Knight paints two healthy girls conversing on a stone wall in front of gorgeous fields. At first, it appears as merely a pretty painting that is nicely contrasted to show depth and realism. Yet, with a closer look, this contrast in the colors and lines of the landscape and the figures creates tension to suggest the painter’s conflict between longing for serene freedom and feeling trapped within the stiff society.

On Painting by Leon Alberti is, in essence, a book of guidelines for novice painters. Alberti explains that since paintings are meant to represent things that are seen, they need also be approached this way. In his theory, he breaks up the way of painting into three important components circumscription, composition, and the reception of light. Within these three are guidelines for the portrayal of subjects, spaces and emotion.

I believe the artist used the yellow-green color for the cats coats to communicate that something bad could possibly happen if a nuclear war

An artwork piece by Timothy Kobs was called Frankster. Many of people may have called it Frankenstein. As a child Timothy Kobs enamored of monster movies. The most iconic was Frankenstein from 1931. The very old movies were made in black and white.

Many scholars criticize Neiman’s work because of his splashy, kinetic, and jigsaw-like style however; these critics have failed to fully evaluate Neiman’s work. Neiman is known for capturing many split second moments such as many of Muhammad Ali’s boxing matches and other Olympic events. Receiving much scorn, Neiman’s works are often dismissed for superficiality and garish among the art world. The common misconceptions have failed to acknowledge the discrete hints that reflect the development of African Americans. Leroy Neiman's paintings capture juxtaposition between frustration and aspiration through dramatic brush strokes, contrasting portrayals of community development, and metaphorical placements symbolizing the possibility of opportunity

“A rugged young hunter in Winslow Homer’s painting is the main character. He stands motionless & his serious gaze looking down and his bent leg is on the root of a large, sawed-off tree stump. He is observing and describing the scene before him. He hunts a deer because he cannot survive without it. He will sell the skin and antlers. Rifle and hunted deerskin are slung over his shoulders, & antlers dangle from one hand. And he is also gazing at his dog who is excitedly jumping around

Thomas Rudes painting called American Standard portrays the American flag. The American flag is filled with stars and stripes but in Rudes painting, it is filled with bombs instead of stripes. The stars are no longer stars but headstones with a cross on each of the twenty-eight headstones. This painting is located Salem, Oregon and used to be displayed in the reception room of the Governor in the capital of Oregon. Rude said that the meaning of this painting or what he is trying to express is the events taking place in Iraq which was the combat operations.

Throughout history, specifically in ancient Rome and Greece, people admired painting to the point where it was taught to every son of respectable families, yet forbidden to the slaves. This goes to show how this form of art in particular was considered fit only to those of high social class. Although it was reserved for the educated and cultured, painting attracted everyone and pleased them equally. In particular, “[n]ature herself delights in painting.”(Alberti 64) Alberti persists in showing us how painting is of nature; he first references nature by saying that Narcissus was the inventor of painting. In the myth of Narcissus, nature plays the role of the artist who paints a portrait so beautiful that Narcissus cannot take his eyes off of it. To further convince the reader of the pleasures painting gives, the author recounts a personal anecdote of how gratifying and relaxing painting can be.

El Greco, at the age of 26, like other Greek artists had travelled to Venice and came under the influence of Titian and Tintoretto. During his stay in Italy, he widened his style with aspects of Mannerism and

The artwork, “Number 10,” by Mark Rothko displays two rectangles (top, yellow and the bottom, white) with a baby blue background color. Seeing the painting for the first time was surprising since I didn’t understand how it correlated with the title. It was easy to look at, but it didn’t catch my attention right away! I felt confused and frustrated while observing the piece because I didn’t know how I was going to find the meaning that lay behind the painting. This reminded me of my first-born nephew; I had such a difficult time trying to understand why he would cry so much. However, I was aware that crying was his way of communicating how he felt, just like painting this abstract piece was Rothko's style of communication.

The form of art has been around for thousands of years. There has been many different types of art form found from the ancient greece times. These time are the earliest times that are recorded and are placed in museums. These early art forms teaches us a little bit about the human race and how they were back in the roman times. There are some painting and sculptures that represents different people from their time lines. These art form can explain how they were back in their times and with the statues you can see how far they were allowed to do.