Art history Canon essay PDF

Preview

Summary

chapter Chosen: I’ll go (11) Dada and fantastic art
Instruction file attached: Canon Essay, Assignment Sheet, COVID-19 Version...

Description

Running Head: ART HISTORY CANON ESSAY

Art History Canon Essay Student’s Name Institution Affiliation

1

ART HISTORY CANON ESSAY

2 Pablo Picasso's 'Guernica'

Texts and courses of art historical surveys preset a cross-section of the most well-known artifacts connected with certain sequential periods. Such images, buildings, and objects consist of the 'canon' of art history. Essentially, these works establish criteria for the study of a certain period. However, people should understand that history is majorly an interpretation of the past, and there is a continuous process of interpretation in tradition. Art history regularly incorporates new works and expels the current ones from the historical canon of art as values and perspectives change. This art history canon essay analyses the artwork of Pablo Picasso, 'Guernica', and how its addition on chapter 11 of Modern Art by Hunter, Jacobus, and Wheeler would enhance the presentation of this chapter on Dada and Fantastic Art. Dada was a movement on art and literature that started in Zurich, Switzerland (Hunter, Jacobus & Wheeler, 2000). It emerged as a response to the First World War and nationalism that most people believed triggered the war. The dada was influenced by other avant-garde movements like Futurism, Cubism, Expressionism, and Constructivism. The output of this movement was very diverse, ranging from the performance of art to photography, collage, painting, poetry, and photography. The aesthetic of this movement which was marked by the mockery of nationalistic and materialistic attitudes gave a powerful influence on artists. Guernica is the most famous work of Picasso, and it is undoubtedly his most powerful statement on politics. Looking at the painting from a technical point of view, Guernica is simply an oil painting sized with a mural. It was produced by a Spanish painter known as Pablo Picasso back in the year 1937 (Jordi Julian, 2017). However, this is the material feature of this work of art. A closer inspection reveals an intricate reflection of the country of Spain during that period, and also Europe during the time of interwar trouble. It was painted in 1937 as a reaction to the

ART HISTORY CANON ESSAY

3

devastating bombing practices by the Nazis during the civil war in Spain (Jordi Julian, 2017). Guernica indicates war tragedies and the suffering that people face during the war, especially the innocent individuals. This artwork has gained a massive status. It is a long-lasting reminder of the heartbreaks of war. It also symbolizes the anti-war, and incarnation of peace. When Picasso completed the painting, it was displayed on a tour across the world, gaining face and acclamation in the globe. This tour brought the civil war in Spain to the attention of all people in the world. Guernica is considered as a combination of epic and pastoral styles. The dram is intensified by the discarding of color, hence generating a coverage quality like in a record of photographs. The artwork has three colors, white, blue and black. It has a length of 3.5 meters, 7.8 meters width and a canvas with a size of a mural painted in oil. There are various interpretations of the Guernica which vary widely from one individual to another and contradict each other. For instance, the two dominant aspects in the mural; the horse and the bull. According to art historian Becraft (2016), horses and bulls are very significant characters in the Culture of Spain. In Guernica, Picasso uses these two characters to play various roles from time to time. This has made it tough to interpret the actual meaning of the horse and the bull. The relationship between the two is a form of dance that was comprehended in different ways through the business life of Picasso. Nevertheless, there are some critics that caution against trusting Guernica’s political message. For example, the rioting bull which is a main idea of destruction in this painting has been figured on whether it is a Minotaur or a bull as the ego of Picasso. However, probably the bull stands for the onslaught of Fascism in this instance. According to Picasso, the bull means darkness and brutality, apparently a suggestive of his visionary. Picasso further states that the horse represents the citizens of Guernica.

ART HISTORY CANON ESSAY

4

Chapter 11 of Modern Art represents the actions of the Dada and its influence on fantastic art. Since the dada movement began as a result of the world war, Guernica would add to the representation of this chapter because its main theme is violence. It is an antiwar visual art. Similar to the civil war of Spain, the First World War had various tragedies, and Guernica is a symbol of those tragedies that people faced. It is an advocate for peace in a period of war.

ART HISTORY CANON ESSAY

5 References

Becraft, M. E. (2016). Picasso's Guernica-Images within Images. Lulu. Com. Hunter, S., Jacobus, J. M., & Wheeler, D. (2000). Modern art: painting, sculpture, architecture. Harry N. Abrams. Jordi Julian. (26 July 2017). Pablo Picasso’s 'Guernica': A Symbol against War. Retrieved From https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/pablo-picassos-guernica-a-symbolagainst-war/...