Blog Post #3

Leonardo da Vinci, Virgin of the Rocks, 1483-1486, Oil on Panel, 78.3 in × 48.0 in

An implied line is a line that is not actually in the work but that the viewer "makes" by filling in the blanks and, essentially, "connecting the dots." In Virgin of the Rocks by Leonardo da Vinci, the implied lines are sight lines, which is one of the strongest kinds of implied lines. Here, the angel in the red cape at the right is looking out toward the viewer while pointing, and then points at the infant  on the left, now known to be John the Baptist.  The infant John, in turn, looks at the infant on the right, known to be Jesus, who is, in turnm looking back at him. Above, the Virgin Mary looks down at Jesus and gestures toward him with her hand. Basically, the work brings the viewer into a cycle of movement and action. However, this is only possible by following the sight lines of each of the people in the work.

Henri Matisse, Blue Nude, 1952, Gouache-painted paper cut-outs on paper, 45.7 in x 35 in



An outline in art is when the edge of a shape or figure is depicted by an actual line. This

silhouete in Matisse's Blue Nude is perhaps one of the best examples of an outline. The body of the woman in this work is represented merely by lines that shape her figure. There is no detail further than just lines representing the edge of the figure in a crouched position. Thus, Matisse has provided a great example of outline in this wor.

Raphael, The School of Athens, 1509-1510, Fresco, 200 in × 300 in

 One-point linear perspective is a version of perspective in which there is only one vanishing point in the work. A vanishing point is the spot in the work in which all of the lines meet. In The School of Athens, the vanishing point is positioned directly behind the work's main subjects: Plato, the teacher, and his pized pupil Aristotle. Thus, the one-point linear perspective in this work is very useful insofar as it funnels the eye deeper and deeper into the work until it finally leads to the main point of the work. Thus, the technique is very useful.

Edward Hopper, The Mansard Roof, 1923, Watercolor, 13.75 in x 19 in

 Two-point linear perspective is a version of perspective in which there are two or more vanishing points present in the work. This work by Edward Hopper is a great example of two-point perspective as the lines from the work meet at two different and distinct vanishing points. While this does not funnel in the eye as well as the aforementioned one-point perspective technique did, it is still very useful.


Caravaggio, Supper at Emmaus, 1601, Oil on Canvas, 56 in × 77.2 in

Foreshortening is a technique that creates the appearance that the object of a work is extending into space by shortening the lines with which that object is drawn. This work by Caravaggio is a great example of foreshortening. The extended arms of the people in the work seem to be almost three-dimensional, extending past the frame and inviting the viewer into the scene. This is only achieved by the technique of foreshortening as the extended arms are made of shortened lines to make this work.

Vincent van Gogh, Road with Cypress and Star, 1890, Oil on Canvas, Exact dimensions unknown



An expressive line reveals the personaliity of the artist who draws them. These lines show the same personality, emotions, and feelings of the artist who drew them and can be even be autographic, which means that mere lines, like a signature, identify with the artist. Vincent van Gogh is one of the few artists whose lines have this quality. In this work, one can see these autographic qualities on show. The lines in the work are free and loose. It seems as if the lines are about to lose control. However, they are clearly controlled and drawn with masterful precision. These autographic qualities make the lines in this work great examples of expressive lines.

Blog Post #2

Marcel Ducamp, Fountain, 1917, Porcelin Urinal, 24.02 in x 14.17 in x 18.9 in

This image by Marcel Duchamp is perhaps one of the greatest examples of the contrast between form and content. The form, or the overall structure of the work, of the work suggests merely a urinal that is signed and dated. Focusing on form, there is nothing about the work that required any special artistic skill and nothing aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Yet, there is more to the work than meets the eye. The content of the work, or what the work of art means, is so much deeper than just a picture of a urinal. This work represents Duchamp's successful attempt to break with the traditional definitions of "art" and to create new parameters for artists' to operate under. Thus, Duchamp's content aims to break the mold as to what "art" truly means and redefine it under new parameters.

Albert Bierstadt, Among the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California, 1868, 120.00 in x 72.01 in

Representational art is, by definition, works of art that show natural objects in their visible and truest form. In light of that definition, then Among the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California is one of the finest examples of representational art. Bierstadt shows a landscape that is highly believable and extremely realistic, almost as if it were a photograph, which is the ultimate goal of representational art.

Erna Motna, Bush Tucker Dreaming, Acrylic on Canvas, Date Unknown, 48.5 in x 37 in

This work, like its counterpart presented in A World of Art, is a good example of abstract art. The work does not directly resemble things in the real world. Instead, the work is more representative and forces one to think and understand before one can fully and completely comprehend. However, there are definitely references to nature: The brown, yellow, and red coincide with the colors of leaves on the floor of a forest in autumn. Similarly, wildlife is represented but not directly drawn, instead shown as almost t-shaped figures. Since this work does actually depict a scene in the real world but does not directly resemble it, the work is said to be abstract.

Jackson Pollock, No. 5, 1948, 1948, Oil on Fiberboard, 8 ft x 4 ft

At the forefront of any discussion about nonrepresentational art is Jackson Pollock, who gained fame as a drip painter. In this piece, Pollock has certainly fulfilled the role of any nonrepresentational painter: There is absolutely no reference to real things in the physical world. Instead, Pollock has conveyed to the viewer the ultimate culmination of his own emotions and feelings yet has presented them in his own unconventional and unique painting style. Being nonrepresentational, the work is not meant to represent anything, but instead draw emotions out of the viewer, and the work certainly succeeds in that respect.

Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa, ca. 1503-1519, Oil on Poplar, 30 in × 21 in

Usually, icons pertain to religious works of art, such as stained-glass windows and the like. However, other works, though not religious in nature, can obtain status as an icon. What defines an icon, in a general sense, is how much of an impact does it have on even the most uninterested viewer. With this working definition in mind, it is not an overstatement to say that Mona Lisa is one of the most iconic portraits in the world. This portrait is one of, if not the most, far-reaching portraits in the world, with millions trying to copy both the pose and smile of the subject at hand. This work is so widely known that even apathetic fans of art will know it in an instant. This fame makes it clear that Mona Lisa is a global icon.

Martin Missfeldt, The Last Supper-After Leonardo da Vinci, 2004, Gouache on Paper, 11.81 in x 23.23 in

Whether one believes in Catholicism or not, Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper is an iconic image. Between it being the depiction of one the holiest moments in the Catholic Church and the conspiracy theory of The da Vinci Code, the work is well-known and respected. However, in this work, Missfeldt exhibits a perfect definition of iconoclasm. He takes a work that is, in its base nature, extremely sacred and religious, and distorts it, making Jesus Christ and his twelve chosen apostles have necks and faces that resemble giraffes. That the artist even distorted the face of Jesus Himself, thought of as the Son of God in Christian sects, shows the direct and deliberate destruction of what was once a religious icon. This destruction is a living definition of what iconoclasm is.

Blog Post #1

Yayoi Kusama, Mirror Room (Pumpkin), 1991, Mirrors, 200cm x 200cm x 200 cm

This work is very unique and it represents the first role of an artist, that artists allow the viewer to see the world in new or innovative ways. To some, these dots are, just that, dots. But, these dots are very symbolic. That the dots are reflected in a mirror represent infinitude while also challenging the idea of human beings as alpha-male. In the end, humans are symbolic dots in a universe that is, in the end, merely a collection of dots.

Michelangelo, David, circa 1501, Marble Statue, 17 feet

This work represents the second role of an artist, and that is to make a visual record of the places, events and, in this case, the people of their time. King David is, according to history, one of the greatest Kings to rule Israel as he was a fiscal genius. Moreover, he was also known as the Great Liberator, as he truly set Israel apart from other nations and gave it its first true national identity. Thus, wherever David stands, he stands for freedom and ingenuity.

Marcel Duchamp, Bicycle Wheel, 1913, Various, 25.5 inches

Normally, a bicycle wheel is nothing glamorous. It is merely a part to the complete entity, a cog in the metaphorical (excuse the repition) wheel. However, in putting a special emphasis on this commonplace object, Marcel Duchamp has fulfilled the third role of an artist, that is to make functional objects more pleasurable. He has transformed a common object and transformed it into art. 

Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam, 1511, Fresco, 189.0 in × 90.6 in

Deeply religious in nature, The Creation of Adam is one of the most iconic and powerful portraits in the world. Painted by world-reknowned artist Michelangelo, the portrait shows God giving the final spark of life to his creation Adam. It is modeled after the Genesis story. Thus, this work gives life to a story told in the Bible, fulfilling the fourth role of an artist, which is to give form to the immaterial such as universal truths or, in this case, spiritual forces and entities

Alexandros of Antioch, Venus de Milo, circa 115 BC, Marble Statue, 6 ft 8 in

The Venus de Milo is a very beautiful sculpture. Sculpted for the goddess of love and beauty, the sculpture conjures up those very same emotions in the eye of the viewer. The work is beautiful to look at and soft on the eye. There is no real message to this work other than the beauty that radiates from this marble statue. This makes the work aesthetically beautiful, meaning that the artist intended to conjure a sense of beauty in the viewer with no real message behind the work.

Andy Warhol, Campbell's Soup Cans, 1962, Synthetic polymer paint on 32 canvases, Each canvas 20 x 16 in

This work is one of the premier examples of what kitsch means. Warhol takes a mass-produced object and repeats it thirty-two times, making art that seems mass produces and for commercial gains. This makes the work Kitsch: The work is cheap and unoriginal, doing nothing but repeating a commercail object over a series of canvases.