Art in the Philippines

 

    When I heard about the Non-Western blog exhibit for this week's assignment, I got excited because I have known some of the known arts in the Philippines since I was born and raised there before migrating here to the United States.

    I am always proud and fascinated by its rich cultural values, beliefs, and identity and the unique art that the people do to preserve culture and history. Although some still use traditional techniques in their artworks and skill as a source of income, more new artists in the Philippines are now showcasing their talents using the modern technique and approach of arts because of the availability of resources compared to the past. 

Ambalang Ausalin, Backstrap Loom, 2019, National Museum of the Philippines

Yakan Weaving Center, Yakan Fabrics, Lamitan City, Basilan

    Weaving is a popular art in the Philippines. In my hometown, you will meet the finest weavers in the Philippines, located in the Village of Basilan. They are called Yakan weavers. They've been weaving since the early 90s and still use traditional techniques. They use fibers of pineapple and abaca to do the fabric. The first image above illustrates equipment with cotton threads on how the weaving is being done. This image was done by one of the famous weavers, Ambalang Ausalin, and is displayed in the National Museum of the Philippines; It was meant to be an unfinished artwork to show how Yakan weaving is done with the backstrap loom.

    The second image is an example of a finished artwork by local Yakan weavers. Notice the intricate geometric patterns and brightly colored designs. Even if there are similarities in the basic pattern, each is uniquely made. I am always amazed to see the designs, colors, and textures of this traditional clothing worn by Filipinos. You can see the quality of fine weaving by looking at the details and flat texture with no loose threads of the finished product. When my mom and I went to Yakan Village to buy a piece of their product, I was in awe of how they weaved the cloth. They were meticulous not to miss a pattern or would have to undo the threads and start all over again. Creating these products is a pure labor of love and craftsmanship, so my mom did not haggle for cheaper prices. I supported local art, brought it with me here to the United States, and shared these pieces with other people to promote the cultural heritage of the tribe.

Raffy Napay, Hiding and Living, 2018, Thread and Printed Fabric on Canvas, Pinto Art Museum

    Another weaving piece, A contemporary art made by a Filipino artist, is "Hiding and Living" by Raffy Napay. This artwork is an excellent weaving piece that is remarkably done with threads. He used to be a painter, but due to living in a confined space and having respiratory difficulty with paint, He tried a different type of art: weaving (Pinto Art). He used colorful fibers with shades of red-orange and yellow lines woven by hand. I like how he weaved this piece. He added volume and a lot of texture. Napay's artworks are detailed, yet simple, and "flat," armed with a physical depth resembling a terrain. It is sad that weaving is not recognized as much, unlike most artworks. It does get underappreciated, and this skill does take time. I appreciate the artists who put effort and time into this exquisite work of art.

Kalahi Dance Company, Singkil, 2018, Seattle Theatre Group

    The "Singkil Dance" is one of the known folk dances in the Philippines that shows the traditions and history of the Maranao people. It is a traditional Muslim dance that originated in Mindanao. The dance tells a story about the epic legend "Darangen," a tale of a Maranao princess rescued by Prince Bantugan (Wikipilipinas). It is a popular dance performed during annual celebrations and other festivities. Most people saw it as a dance of courting between the two royalties. The Singkil dance was originally performed only by women specifically royalty to attract potential suitors. The different colored outfits enchant me. They used fancy instruments like colored fans, umbrellas, headdresses, and handkerchiefs. I remember dancing this in the Philippines and loving the colored outfits with exquisite decorative designs and gold embroidered costumes. There were also built-in cymbals for the male outfits that produced chime sounds. You can see the dancers' serious looks, which gives a sense of dignity and pride in the dance. They only used musical equipment such as the Kulintang (Bronze gongs), Dabakan (Filipino drum), and bamboo poles, which were incredibly in sync and matched with the dance movements. I am lucky enough to have watched and performed the dance myself in high school. This is not an easy performance. It does take practice to dance with the bamboo poles and maintain a serious look, but it does give the honor and pride of dancing this historic dance. 

    In closing, Art in the Philippines greatly influenced the past and helped educate history through art. There are different kinds of cultures and traditions that you can distinguish just by looking at the artwork. The creativity and values instilled in the arts are remarkably done. Indeed, Art is a representation of cultural values and beliefs. Also, helps to preserve the many different communities that make up our world. I urge people to visit, enjoy, and be inspired by the fantastic arts in the Philippines. 

       Works Cited 

Delos Reyes, Ramil. “Yakan Weaving in Lamitan, the Yakan Homeland.” Pinas Muna, 12 Aug. 2013, https://www.pinasmuna.com/2013/08/yakan-weaving-in-lamitan-yakan-homeland.html.

Pasilan, Earl Francis C. “Apuh Ambalang and the Yakan Weaving Tradition.” National Museum, 1 Apr. 2022, https://www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph/2022/04/01/apuh-ambalang-and-the-yakan-weaving-tradition/.

“Pintô: Your Door to Philippine Contemporary Art.” Pintô | Your Door to Philippine Contemporary Art, https://www.pintoart.org/raffy-napay.

           Singkil - Wikipilipinas. https://en.wikipilipinas.org/view/Singkil.

 

            

Feminist Art

 

    Women have gone so far these past decades. Women have broken stereotypes from being a woman who focused on housework to becoming a part of a strong workforce who work in various jobs worldwide. In the past, women have been fighting for their rights since the 1800s, particularly in ART. Men dominated the world of Art in the last century, and although female artists were already present this whole time, only a few were recognized because of gender stereotypes.  Female Artists were not allowed to do their exhibitions and gallery representation because of their gender (Art Story). As tradition has taught, in Art history, women’s bodies were mainly seen as models. It was not until 1960 that women initiated the Feminist Art movement. Feminist Art does not criticize men for superiority but only promotes equality among genders. Below are some female artists that became significant during the Feminist Art movement because of their exquisite artworks.

 

Judy Chicago, The Dinner Party, 1974–79, ceramic, porcelain, and textile, Brooklyn Museum

    One of the first artworks that inspired the Feminist Art movement is the "Dinner Party" by Judy Chicago. Chicago is one of the influential artists who initiated the Feminist Art Program (FAP). The image above is an example of her installation artworks comprising centerpieces on a banquet table that honors thirty-nine powerful and significant women in history. It is remarkable how things were all together to make extraordinary art. Great choices of materials were used, like table runners, chalices, porcelain plates, and utensils. The embroidery technique was impressively done, like the gold thread in crafting the names in the table runners and the colors used in the objects.

Judy Chicago, Emily Dickinson place setting from The Dinner Party, 1974-79

   Brooklyn Museum (Photo: Philipp Messner

             

             Judy Chicago, Eleanor of Aquitaine place setting from The Dinner Party, 1974-79 Brooklyn Museum (Photo: Mark B. Schlemmer) 

    The two centerpieces have meanings that entail womanhood because of their female genitalia shape designs, which many people found disturbing. It became controversial to others because it highlights female anatomy; therefore, it was criticized by many and turned down for museum exhibits. It is interesting how people appreciate the nude paintings in the previous era but not this type of artwork. For some, this was altogether unpleasant, for others, fascinating. However, both women and men experienced something quite unusual: seeing the female subject matter in a female context rather than in relation to male art history.

Figure 1.Miriam SchapiroThe Beauty of Summer, 1973-1974, Acrylic, fabric on canvas, Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

                     

Figure 2. Miriam Schapiro, Anatomy of a Kimono, 1974, Acrylic and fabric on canvas - Private Collection

 

    Another influential artist of Feminist art is Miriam Schapiro. She collaborated and worked with Judy Chicago in developing the Feminist Art Program. She is known for the term “Femmage” which she initiated, means Feminine and collage pieces combined. The two artworks above are examples of her Femmage art. They are also considered Assemblages type of art because the pieces of fabric are combined to make incredible artwork. Women are known to be great textile artists. Unfortunately, before, women’s crafts were not recognized and were underappreciated. Schapiro proved this wrong by using various fabrics and transforming them into a monumental feminist statement (Art Story). In addition, she used her artworks to educate people about Feminism and Art. Both artworks have exquisite fabrics that are comprised of different colors. Figure 1 mainly consists of flowers with vibrant colors. Figure 2 highlights shades of dark stains on the left and bright colors with red-orange hues on the right. I had the chance to participate in this Collage Art when I was in high school, where we were asked to do mixed media: A combination of vibrant clothing and lace and paint and other crafts. Unfortunately, I did not win but creating the design made me appreciate ART more. More so when I saw the inspiring pieces from the winning participants: Schapiro successfully generated art opportunities to enable artist to create designs using crafts accessible to minority worldwide.

  

     Yoko Ono, Cut Piece ,1964, Yamaichi Concert Hall, Kyoto, Japan 

    Art can be in various forms and can be done through a theatrical performance. Yoko Ono was one of the first artists that introduced performance art. In the video above, Yoko Ono performed an act called  “Cut Piece” in 1964 in Kyoto, Japan. She sits on the stage, showing no emotions while the audience takes turns cutting a piece of her clothing that gradually falls away from her body. This is an example of Feminist Art because the video can be portrayed as an example of gender issues that women faced during that time. It also helped voice out their woman's rights. I like how she maintained her composure throughout the act. You can see in her reaction that she becomes uncomfortable when the last guy cuts most of the pieces in her clothes. She looks uneasy yet determined and prepared to take whatever comes, knowing she is giving her all. 

 

Bag Piece, 2022, Kunsthaus Museum of Fine arts, Switzerland

 

    The second video is inspired by Yuko Ono's 1964 "Bag piece" performance. It was reenacted in 2022 at the Kunsthaus Museum of Fine arts in Switzerland. You cannot see the person when they performed, but you can feel the emotions in their actions. It is fascinating how eccentric movements can say a lot of things. I like how it is performed in an inviting space that is surrounded by different artworks. It gives you a creative mood just by watching. The act can be simple but captivates you with how they perform with the bag. I can see how one can be very different when in the bag. You become just a spirit talking soul to soul, oblivious of the world's conflict.

    

    Feminist artists have been pivotal in expressing women’s issues in Art. Women of today showed they aren't only model objects in Art but are now the ones creating Art with their freedom. As stated above, female artists are now finally gaining recognition, as seen in the number of women presenting in galleries and being recognized in the Art world.

 Works Cited

“Feminist Art Movement Overview.” The Art Story, https://www.theartstory.org/movement/feminist-art/.

“Miriam Schapiro Art, Bio, Ideas.” The Art Story, https://www.theartstory.org/artist/schapiro-miriam/.

Girardeau, Merrill Lee. “Miriam Schapiro's Femmages at Museum of Arts and Design's Surface/Depth.” New York City Guide, CityGuideNY.com, 2 Mar. 2018, https://www.cityguideny.com/article/Miriam-Schapiro-Femmages-Museum-of-Arts-and-Design-.

Klein, Dr. Jennie, and Dr. Jennie Klein. “Judy Chicago, the Dinner Party.” Smarthistory, https://smarthistory.org/judy-chicago-the-dinner-party/.

KunsthausZurich. “Yoko Ono – Bag Piece 2022 Performance.” YouTube, YouTube, 31 Mar. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1tOMWIAf1A.

 “Yoko Ono Cut Piece Clip.” YouTube, YouTube, 10 Feb. 2015,         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWczMBtPa04.

The Art during Great Depression

 

    The Great Depression taught us many things in history. It happened across Europe and Spain and hit hard in the US. The American people experienced poverty, the economy went down, and people lost their jobs and became homeless. Different kinds of art styles emerged during this time. The artworks artists made inspired them because of the Great Depression. Some artists use these artworks to help implement social change. Other artists around the time have also created artwork so they can be heard about their hardships and situations. However, some artworks tell a story of how they were able to bounce back and recover from adversity which helped boost the citizen's morale.

            

Ben Shahn, Jersey Homesteads Mural 1936-38, Roosevelt Public School (Right Panel)  

Ben Shahn, Jersey Homesteads Mural 1936-38, Roosevelt Public School (Left Panel)

    Let's take a look at one of the paintings that inspired the Great Depression. It is the mural that Ben Shann painted in the 1930s. This piece is located inside a public school in New Jersey. Ben Shan created this artwork to tell a story about the effects of the Great Depression and to show people's social problems during that time. Social Realism dramatically inspires his works. Social Realism is the representation of social and economic issues through art, music, and photography that helps people be aware of current events. Social Realist artists used art as a weapon to fight against the exploitation of labor (The Art Story). This piece shows the workers' social issues in making ends meet. He used warm colors in this painting. I see a lot of colors of blue and orange, Red and green. Shan is very detailed in this painting, even though it's mostly people with their respective events that are happening during that time. He used some shades to highlight the color. The architecture was utilized by changing the perspective to change scenes to portray the lives of the immigrants. This expansive and detailed mural tells Shahn's commitment to improve the human condition through narrative storytelling and his incredible skill at creating complex compositions.

          Philip Evergood,  An American Tragedy, 1937, Oil on Canvas,  Private Collection

   This is another artwork that talks about social realism. It is a painting by Philip Evergood called "An American Tragedy." Evergood is also an activist and used art to depict awareness of social injustice. He advocated for the civil rights of artists, especially when there was a budget cut and layoffs from the Federal Art Project. It shows people rioting against the policeman because of struggles of oppression during the Great Depression. It is a chaotic scene in which the artists use different lines to draw the characters in this piece. I like how he used rich colors to depict the tumultuous scene and is consistent with the color choices, like the striking blue color of the police officers to show colors of authority. Today we can see and even feel this tragic event by just looking at this painting.

  

Seymour Fogel, The Wealth of the Nation 1938, Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building

   Not all artworks depict people's oppression and misery during the Great Depression. This is a painting that Seymour Fogel makes. He was one of the artists that worked for the Federal Art Project. A program that the government made to help fund artworks like murals and paintings. It brought attention to the public of real-life events happening in America and also helped provide jobs to artists during the Great Depression. Fogel was inspired to make this painting based on Franklin Roosevelt's quote, "In our personal ambitions, we are individualists. But in seeking economic and political progress as a nation, we all go up or down as one people." This painting helps inspire and motivate the people that in order for us to thrive, we must all work together. Fogel didn't use a lot of colors in this painting. Instead, he used lighter shades to blend the color. It is realistic because it happens in our daily lives. It is also simple but does create a deep meaning behind it. I like how Seymour used this artwork to bring awareness to the public that the economy would eventually bounce back from adversity.

   Overall, Art has dramatically influenced the history of the Great Depression. Artists began addressing politics and using their Art to influence society. Artworks, whether it depicts negative or positive effects, both teach us a lesson. I became more appreciative of what we have in this generation because of the resources that are readily available to the public and the wide variety of jobs that are more accessible than before. The Great Depression taught us how the economy's downfall could significantly impact the people.

Works Cited 

“Social Realism Movement Overview.” The Art Story, https://www.theartstory.org/movement/social-realism/.

“Shahn's Jersey Homesteads Mural | Graphic Arts.” Princeton University, The Trustees of Princeton University, https://graphicarts.princeton.edu/2018/07/31/shahns-jersey-homesteads-mural/.

“Cohen Federal Building: Fogel Murals - Washington DC.” Living New Deal, 18 Mar. 2021, https://livingnewdeal.org/projects/wilbur-j-cohen-building-fogel-murals-washington-dc/.

“An American Tragedy (1937).” Art Through the Third Eye, 27 Sept. 2018, https://blog.mcdaniel.edu/thirdeyeart/2018/09/27/an-american-tragedy-1937/.

 

 

 

 

  

 

             

 

 

Romanticism vs Impressionism Art

 

 

    The Romantic era is unique compared to the previous era because it inspired artists with vast ideas, which is why different art styles flourished during this time. Romantic and Impressionism art are two of the few painting styles introduced at this time. Romantic art is more subjective and focused on emotions, while Impressionist art emphasizes light and brush strokes.

Romantic Art

 Juan Luna, Spoliarium, 1884, oil on canvas, National Museum of Fine Arts, Manila

    Romanticism is an intellectual movement that began when people explored artistic ideas and expressed their strong emotions through art. One example of a romantic art style is the "Spolarium" painting by Filipino artist Juan Luna. Spoliarium is important in our history. Our history class taught us this painting to remind us how Filipinos rose against political oppression during the Spanish colonial period. The painting shows gladiators dragged by Roman soldiers into the arena. It depicts the Roman history of enslavement as it illustrates humans' helplessness because they lack power. This painting is inspired by the events when Spain colonized the Philippines for hundreds of years. It is a symbol of oppression and misery. Juan Luna used warm colors for this piece. He highlighted the red in the middle of the painting. He also used significant proportions of muscle with curved lines like in renaissance art. You can feel a lot of emotions in the painting. It screams misery and injustice. It tells a story of oppression and suffering.

  Théodore Géricault, Raft of the Medusa, 1818–19, oil on canvas, Musée du Louvre, Paris 

    Another Romantic art style is the “Raft of the Medusa”, which Theodore Gericault made in the 1800s. It was a controversial painting because it was based on a naval boat that went through a shipwreck. Of the 150 passengers on the ship, only ten survived, consisting of lower-ranking personnel (McCoy). You can see intense action because the people went through hardship, starvation, and cannibalism before being rescued at sea. Gericault used Chiaroscuro in this painting, highlighting the people's emotions of fear, pain, hope, and madness. The painting shows the hue's lightness and darkness, which is an element of Value. 

    Both of the paintings above have similarities in going through Hardships and misery. The authors did a great job telling a story through the representation of art. I am in awe of how you can already feel the true story of tragedy just by standing and looking at the painting. 

 

Impressionism

 Claude Monet, Arrival of the Normandy Train, Gare Saint-Lazare, 1877, oil on canvas, Art Institute of Chicago

    Impressionism is a modern style of art that is simpler and more relaxing when you see it. The paintings are more realistic that can be seen in our daily lives. Claude Monet's painting "Arrival of the Normandy Train, Gare Saint-Lazare" is a painting of Impressionism through his small elaborate brush strokes that creates dark and light tones to show the streets of Normandy and Paris. Monet likes to draw paintings based on nature and landscapes. He coordinated blue, light blue and green colors in this painting. He also used complementary colors like blue and orange. The brush strokes give it a texture and a clouded effect. Monet helped start the movement of Impressionism. I like how modern looking the painting is compared to the previous era. Monet initiated Impressionism which greatly inspired other artists as well. An impact to change a kind of art in this period.

 

         

Edouard, Manet, Woman Reading, 1880–81, oil on canvas, Art Institute of Chicago 

   This is also an example of impressionism art. The painting is made by Edouard Manet. Manet also influenced the impressionism movement. Most of his paintings dont show what happened in the past, but he creates artwork depicting daily life. This is a simple but elegant scene that shows the early modern life of a middle-class woman. The woman is in a café reading a book, indicating that he probably took the idea when he was in an urban area. Manet chose a great choice of colors in this painting. He used light and dark palettes and loosened brushwork that made the picture look livelier. Unlike most of the paintings, He used black as a color but not a tone in his subject.

    Overall they are both unique styles of art. Both types are highly valued for their beauty, originality, and innovation in art and art history. I am fond of Impressionism because of its abstract art and simplicity. However, I still appreciate the romantic style of art because of its perfect blend of reality and fantasy. You can reflect by looking at the images on why artists made the painting. In the two romantic art paintings above, the artist tries to conceal the wrongfulness people have been through so the audience can look back and appeal to what's right. Impressionism is simple and calming, which is my kind of art because an artist can draw it easily, and it is less time-consuming. However, it is in a romantic style of art that I go look for intense meaning and purpose.

Works Cited 

McCoy, Claire Black. Géricault, Raft of the Medusa (Article) | Khan Academy. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/becoming-modern/romanticism/romanticism-in-france/a/gericault-raft-of-the-medusa.

Manet, Édouard. “Woman Reading.” The Art Institute of Chicago, Painting and Sculpture of Europe, https://www.artic.edu/artworks/14591/woman-reading.

Monet, Claude. “Arrival of the Normandy Train, Gare Saint-Lazare.” The Art Institute of Chicago, Painting and Sculpture of Europe, 1 Jan. 1877, https://www.artic.edu/artworks/16571/arrival-of-the-normandy-train-gare-saint-lazare.

“Spoliarium by Juan Luna Analysis, Description, and Real Meaning.” corner4men.Com, https://corner4men.com/lifestyle/spoliarium-by-juan-luna-analysis-description-and-real-meaning-ar229.

 

 

Morality and Art during the Classical Era

 

    Classical Art, or Classicism, is artwork that draws inspiration from ancient Roman or ancient Greek culture, architecture, literature, and Art. During the Classical era, human achievement thrived through the growth of the middle class, music, and scientific discoveries. It was a period of aristocrats and monarchs filled with fun and lavish styles and a profound change of customs of ways of Art when the Economic Revolution hit. In the early times of the classical era, the upper class greatly influenced the Classical Era's Art, especially the Rococo style. The famous artists of the classical period, like François Boucher and Jean-Antoine Watteau, worked for the monarch and aristocrats that helped promote the Rococo painting style. In the Rococo style of painting, you can see soft colors and decorative styles of dresses. The Rococo style of painting is more mischievous and more pragmatic. However, compared to the previous era, it is not overdramatic but still has a bit of baroque style left in them because of the light and dark colors.

 

                   François Boucher, Madame de Pompadour 1759, oil on canvas, The Wallace location, London 

    This painting is a portrait of Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, commonly known as Madame de Pompadour. It was made by François Boucher in 1759. Boucher has a close relationship with her until her death. She is one of the most powerful and influential people in the 1700s who inspired the Rococo style painting. She is the mistress of the late king John Louie the XV. During his reign, he kept Madame de Pompadour as his mistress. So, she had a place in court and upheld the fine artworks during her time. She is into love and pleasure art which inspired Rococo-style paintings. She is wearing a fancy dress and gazing blankly into the distance. This painting focuses on the woman seated with her exceptionally sophisticated dress and hairstyle, contrasting the plain dark background. I like how decorative her dress is in this image, especially the brush strokes on the laces. The laces gave a texture to this piece, and I like how he used great contrast of dark and light colors to emphasize Madame de Pompadour in the painting. Her skin and the elegant dress were illuminated in this piece. Most Rococo-style paintings depict the aristocrats' extravagant life and leisure time activities. You can see that the morals changed from the Baroque painting to the Rococo style because they are not theatrical but have more sense of lightness.

                   Jean-Honoré Fragonard, 1767, The Swing, oil on canvas, The Wallace Collection, London 

    One of the great examples of the Rococo style painting is "The Swing" made by Fragonard. This is a mischievous painting of a girl in a pink dress trying to impress the guy underneath her by showing off what's under her skirt. Fragonard's images depicting erotic and fun scenes are famous among upper-class buyers. (Bruckbaue) The morals around the time of the aristocrats and monarchs were naughty and fun. Hence the king kept Madame de Pompadour in the court as his mistress, showing that infidelity is still tolerable due to the high quality of life that they can do whatever pleases them. The theme here is sensual, but the detail of the curve lines and the choice of pastel colors are impressive. There are plenty of stories and intrigue surrounding the painting; however, The Swing ultimately revels in fun, fantasy, and a continual source of creative inspiration and visual enjoyment.

 

            Jacques-Louis David, Oath of the Horatii, 1784, oil on canvas, Louvre Museum, Paris

    In the Classical era, two known painting styles differ from each other: Rococo and Neoclassicism. The values and culture helped shift the Rococo painting style to the Neoclassical style because of the French and American Revolutions. You can see in the painting above that there is a profound change in personality and how people dressed in the Neoclassic style of paintings. It is more serious compared to the Rococo style of painting. Roman towns were rediscovered, and that inspired the paintings of the Neoclassic style. Similarly, Rococo uses light pastels, ivory, white, and gold, and frequently used mirrors to enhance the sense of open space. Neoclassical painting, like the painting above is marked by using light tones, less color, straight and horizontal lines, and concise forms.

    All three paintings have contributed to a great past and history of depicting Art in the Classical era. I wouldn't want to have it hung in my home because it can have a sensual meaning or a story behind it. They are best displayed in a museum where people can differentiate the types of painting styles of Art in different eras, and people can reflect because of the emotions shown in these paintings.

 Work cited

Gersh-Nesic, Beth. “Neoclassicism, an Introduction.” Smarthistory, 2016, https://smarthistory.org/neoclassicism-an-introduction/.

“Madame De Pompadour.” Madame De Pompadour | Art UK, https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/madame-de-pompadour-209442.

Bruckbaue, Ashley. “Fragonard, the Swing (Article) | Rococo.” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/rococo-neoclassicism/rococo/a/fragonard-the-swing.

 

Elevation of the Cross

 

Peter Paul Rubens, Elevation of the Cross, from Saint Walburga, 1610, oil on wood (Antwerp Cathedral)

        In the Cathedral of our Lady in Antwerp lies a triptych painting displayed inside the church, the majestic image called the "Elevation of the cross." It is a painting made by Peter Paul Rubens, a Flemish artist known for his diplomatic and religious painting style. It is called a triptych painting because it has three hinged panels, and the two outer panels can be folded towards the central one. All three sections of the image relate to the events that occurred during the crucifixion of Christ but in more expressive, dramatic poses and elaborated ways to persuade the audience. 

Peter Paul Rubens, Elevation of the Cross, from Saint Walburga, 1610, oil on wood (Antwerp Cathedral)

       I have seen a lot of painting versions of the crucifixion way back in the Philippines and here in the US. Still, this one strikes me the most because of the incredible detail of the painting and the interpretation that comes to my mind when I see the historical figures in the image. I am so impressed by how Reubens put his thoughts into colors and figures and placed them in relation to one another with every space in the painting. In the middle, you can see muscular people lifting the cross, signifying our sins' heavy weight, which made me reflect on how great the love of Christ is to die for our sins. On the left side, you can see the faithful people devoted to the Lord; Mary, the mother of Jesus, St. John the Evangelist, Mary Magdalene, and a group of women weeping, seeing Christ being elevated on the cross. (Pritchard) You can see a touch of Caravaggio style of painting on the left side of the section, which includes a strong contrast between light and dark colors above John and Mary. On the right side is a group of Roman soldiers directing the thieves to be crucified like Jesus, that is nailed on the cross.  There are a lot of emotions in this picture. The way he did the muscle proportions and flesh is so realistic and thorough that you could feel people's movement. Reuben was successful in not using a lot of colors in this painting which reminds me of Chiaroscuro, which gives it a striking effect that shows a feeling of sorrow and tragedy. I was looking closely at the exaggerated muscled bodies and the expressive faces; all this tells us that Michaelangelo and Italian Mannerism greatly influenced Rubens. 

        In the renaissance period, many artworks became controversial. They helped spark the Counter-Reformation, like the Allegory of Law and Grace by Lucas Cranach, which showed different sides of achieving God's grace. Catholic churches were reformed, and Christianity was divided into groups. Decades later, Pope Paul III initiated a council meeting consisting of church members and religious leaders in the north Italian city of Trento, known as "The Council of Trent."(Kilroy-Ewbank) In this meeting, they discuss artworks that need to be appropriately depicted. A lot of artworks were destroyed during the baroque period. But Reuben's painting was different. We can see that Paul Reuben's painting complied with the guidelines because it showed accurate events that happened during the crucifixion of Christ. So it was displayed in the church during the critical period when Art greatly influenced the Catholic church.

Works Cited

Kilroy-Ewbank, Lauren. “The Council of Trent and the Call to Reform Art (Article).” 

                Khan Academy, Khan Academy, https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-       reformation/reformation-counterreformation/beginner-guide-reforrmation/a/the-council-of-trent-and-the-call-to-reform-art.

Pritchard, Shannon. “A-Level: Peter Paul Rubens, Elevation of the Cross.” 

            Smarthistory, https://smarthistory.org/peter-paul-rubens-elevation-of-the-cross-3/.

“What Is Triptych?” ArtIconog, 22 Dec. 2019, https://www.articonog.com/2019/12/what- is- triptych.html.