5. Landscape and the Sumblime - Artists of the Era

Landscape with Distant River and Bay Joseph Mallord William Turner 1840-50

John Constable

Harwick Ligh House - John Constable 1820

Tom Roberts A quiet day on Darebin Creek
[Merri Creek]




http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/turner/
http://arthistoryresources.net/ARTHLinks5.html#19century

4. Landscape and the Sublime

Richard Misrach - Outdoor Dinning

Richard Misrach - White Man Contemplating Pyramids, 19897

The subject Matter in Misrach's work displayed on cadi blog is made up of aerial photographs of beach and water. The photography also shows people swimming or standing on the beach. As the photos are taken from such height the people are very small and almost lost in the scenery, making the images of the beaches dominant. This use of subject matter connects this artist with the sublime. The colours of this natural environment create a very calm setting; this is also reinforced by the flat seas. The beaches are not busy and this gives us the feeling of bliss and ultimate relaxation also relating with the concepts of the sublime. 
The photos above are also different examples of how this artist creates the feeling that the world is standing still and how powerful and beautiful it can be, even in places you wouldnt expect to find beauty.

http://www.utata.org/salon/20487.php
http://jankesnergallery.com/jkgartists/misrach-richard.html

3. Landscape and the Sublime

Throughout the enlightenment people began to take notice of their everyday surroundings. This was evident in the paintings of this erra. Artists began to document common house hold objects and normal behaviour, rather than the traditional religious paintings. This approach furthermore developed into the sublime. The idea of taking a step back and looking at the beauty around you and appreciating it. "The sublime, therefore was the ultimate experience of divinity, a mixture of awe, fear, and the enlightenment produced by the contemplation of a powerful, terrifying nature"


http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/patten/sublime.html
Edmund burke, london 1865-1867

2. Landscape and the Sublime

The sublime was explored throughout the 19th Century. It is the concept of appreciating the natural beauty of our surrounding world. It was particularly focused on impressive images of scenery. For example painters would document the land in such a way it would make it seem fascinating and powerful.

1. Landscape and the Sublime

The enlightenment was an intellectual movement that developed throughout the 17th Century. There is some controversy over the dates of the enlightnment as there is no distinct 'end'. People of this era began to engage in thought more proactively to help understand the world. The "scientific revolution" is also associated  with the enlightenment. Scientists experimented with the idea that "Truth can be arrived at through empirical observation, the use of reason, and systematic doubt."  This approach was also evident in the art throughout this period as the painters had a more relaxed, less formal style and began to document common everyday objects rather than the traditional religious works.


http://www.enotes.com/history-fact-finder/eras-their-highlights/what-was-enlightenment
Hamilton P. (1992) The enlightenment and the birth of social science and birth
Hooker R. (1996)  Seventeenth Century Enlightenment thought.

6. The social status of the artist

I feel as though the western world view artists and designers as quite different and eccentric individuals. The majority of creative thinkers tend to have more lee way with reality and tend not to focus on the serious structure of society. They are more interested in expressing themselves as individuals and their personal interpretations of the world. Some parts of society can frown upon the artists more expressive approach to the world, where some embrace it. The world is forever changing and the idea of  being 'normal' is progressively getting less important.

5. The social status of the artist

Vincent Van Gogh
self portrait
early 1888
oil on canvas
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Vincent Van Gogh created a number of self portraits within his life time. The one above documents himself painting which symbolizes the ideas of individualism, as he is displaying a quality and passion of his own. I have noticed by looking at a number of his portrait pieces, a common recurrence is Van Goghs serious, blank like expression on his face. It doesn't seem to matter what the portrait consists of, the artist still displays the same depressed like expression. This could be a representation of his feelings or state of mind. Initially Vincent would use models to help himself to develop his drawing skills. This soon became an expensive system, leading Vincent to practice on drawing and painting himself. This was also a way to promote himself by selling or giving away the sketches or paintings.
“Besides, I think I have spoken the truth, but if I should succeed in replacing in goods the money spent, I should only be doing my duty. And then, something practical I can do is portrait painting.”

 Andy Warhol
Self portrait
1966
silk screen print

I find this self portrait of Andy Warhol to be very clever as it is a way to promote himself as an individual. He he is famous for his pop art prints of well known celebrities. He has taken his classic style of printing and adapted an image of himself to his work. This gives the viewer the idea that he is as famous as the celebrities that are traditionally used in Warhol's works. Naturally, comparing himself to celebrities such as Marylin Munroe, which gives the impression that Warhol thinks highly of himself and creates an egotistic message to the viewers. The pose that Warhol displays in this message is also very superior like, which resembles the famous 'thinking pose'. this reinforces the superior feeling that Warhol is trying to create to the audience.

http://www.vangoghgallery.com/misc/selfportrait.html
http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/collection-online/show-full/piece/?object=92.4033&search=&page=&f=Title