Michelangelo: The Sistine Chapel

 

The Creation of Adam, by Michelangelo

If you believe that there is or might be a God (or gods), does Michelangelo's representation of God on the Sistine Chapel ceiling resemble the picture of God in your head? Why or why not?

Brynne, Jake and Liam G.: I think yes. I have always imagined God to be an older man, with a long white beard. If he has been around for millions of years, he has to be a little bit old!

Michael: I picture God as younger, more agile and graceful -- and less stern.

Sarah: Yes, because all the artwork I have seen of God shows him as a white man with a beard and fancy clothes. But, sometimes I imagine God as a big burst of light.

Claire: When I think of God, I picture more of a force or power, rather than someone that looks similar to us.

Parthie: The God in my head looks exactly like that because the beard is just iconic. But, sometimes I think God is a woman.

Chase G.: I thought that God is completely blue, like the oceans.

Violet: No -- I don't think God would look like a human. I don't think God would be a physical being at all, or God is not possible to see with the human eye. They might be a light, or just a thought.

Morgan: The true representation of God is impossible to recreate, because it's different for many people. For some people, God might look like Michelangelo's version, but for other people God could be completely different.

Joseph R.: I don't really imagine God as a human. I don't think God has any form. God just is.

Ethan: If God were real, they would be a shapeless amalgamation of different aspects of nature.

Michelangelo: The Pieta

This week we are learning about one of the great artists of the Renaissance, Michelangelo. We are studying his sculpture and his painting, and we're thinking about the connections between his art and the Christian faith.

The students had a lively discussion about whether the Pieta, Michelangelo's powerful sculpture of Mary and Jesus, should be displayed in an art gallery or in a cathedral. 

Here's a sampling of their perspectives:

Jack: The Pieta should be kept in a cathedral. If it was stored in an art gallery, everyone would admire its beauty but they might not focus on the religious story behind it. In a cathedral everyone would admire its beauty and the story behind it.

Wyatt F.: The Pieta should be kept in an art gallery, because then it could be seen by more people, not just Christians. Also, the sculpture might attract more people to learn about Christianity.

Sawyer and Shep: A cathedral. First, it was requested by church leaders to be made for the church, therefore it should stay in the church. Second, it can turn the cathedral into more of a destination for art lovers.

Annabelle: The Pieta is an important part of history, and showing it to the public would honor the artist for the amazing creation. If a person is not Christian and doesn't want to go into a church, but still wants to see the sculpture, then displaying it in a museum will make it more accessible to everyone. 

Jay: The Pieta should be kept in a cathedral, because Michelangelo wanted it to be there. 

Gabe: Putting the Pieta in an art gallery means more people will be able to see it. 

Hero: Placing this sculpture in an art gallery would not show off its glory as well as if it were placed in a cathedral. Since people go to a cathedral to worship Jesus, the statue should be kept in a place where they can see how much he suffered.

Renaissance Painting Analysis: St. George and the Dragon and Adoration of the Magi

I hope you enjoy the students' excellent observations and analyses of Raphael's St. George and the Dragon:

-- St. George is on a horse, and he's killing a dragon. Off to the side there is a lady on her knees with her hands folded watching him. She was probably about to be killed by the dragon, but St. George came and saved her. There is a building off in the distance that looks like a castle. 

-- The horse is almost too realistic, with the big bloodshot eyes and its curving body. The horse's mane is also a little far-fetched, but the rolls on the neck are good.

-- The blue of the knight's armor), and the mixture of scarlet and salmon red, make St. George and the princess stand out from the background. These colors make the humans the most vibrant part of the painting. [Fantastic use of vocabulary!]

-- I love how Raphael signed his name. It is super hard to find because the writing style is the same as the design of the saddle.

-- One thing that is impressive is how all the scales on the dragon look so real, with the colors of seaweed and moss green. Another thing that is really impressive is the landscape behind the fighting. The building and the trees are really beautiful.

-- One thing that isn’t impressive is how the dragon is so small. It doesn’t look very impressive to defeat a tiny dragon! I would imagine dragons as much bigger.

-- The details are so precise. You can see some of the individual hairs on the maiden’s head and the horse’s tail and mane!! Raphael also added the pattern of metal lines in St. George’s armor.

The students learned about the symbolism of the large peacock in The Adoration of the Magi, by Fra Angelico and Fra Lippi. During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, peacocks represented eternal life. Here are some of the students' insights:

-- All the townspeople are trying to catch a glimpse of Jesus and Mary or even visit them. Everyone seems flustered and astonished. Mary and Joseph look tired, but proud and loving of their newborn son. There is a barn structure behind Jesus, Mary, and Joseph that could be where Jesus was born. 

-- The setting is outside, and the painting shows many different parts of nature, like the animals and green mountains/cliffs towards the top of the painting.

-- The artist could have been more clear about what the Wise Man in the violet cloak is doing. He looks like he is inspecting Jesus's toes!

-- There are many Renaissance elements in this painting. There are lots of vivid colors such as a light tan on the barn, a cyan blue on Mary’s dress, and a light slate gray on the rocks. Also, the people are in natural poses, and their faces look like real faces. In addition, the artists used linear perspective to make the painting look realistic and three-dimensional.

-- I do not really like that dog-like animal just below the wise men. It looks kind of scary. I wouldn’t want that near a baby!!

-- Something I admire about the painting is the immense amount of detail put into the background -- not leaving the ground nor the sky just one color, but having an actual landscape and a beautiful flower bed.

Renaissance Art: The Feast of the Gods

 

We are continuing to closely examine Renaissance art and discuss its distinctive characteristics. 

Here is some stellar student analysis of The Feast of the Gods, by Bellini and Titian:

--- There are lots of Renaissance elements in this painting. For example, the artists used atmospheric perspective on the mountain and trees in the background, which helps the scene to feel realistic.

--- The details of the painting are extremely intricate -- you can see every leaf in the trees!

--- The gods and goddesses have strong expressions, and it creates a powerful scene, because by judging their expressions, you can sense their emotions.

--- The artists layered the paint, which created ripples in the gods' clothing. Also, the head ornaments, with nature included in them, are a unique feature, and the realistic facial expressions give a hint of how the gods are feeling.

--- I have two main critiques of this painting. First, not all of the features are realistic. For example, the donkey’s face lots a little bit animated -- its nose is too low! Also, the trees in the background look quite flat.

Comparing Two Paintings of St. Francis

What do you see and notice in the The Stigmatization of St. Francis?

-- In this painting, there are hardly any vibrant colors (the church is the only thing with vibrant colors).

-- The painting doesn't look very realistic. For example the skin tones of the people are grey and not realistic, and Francis’s head is tilted at an unnatural angle that would never happen in real life.

-- St. Francis has a rope belt with a bunch of knots coming down the front. I wonder if this means something important because it is shown in most pictures of him.

-- There are a lot of birds staring at St. Francis. I’ve learned that he really liked animals, and here it shows. 

-- A lot of the birds are looking at St.Francis as if they understand the pain. The birds also draw your attention towards him.

-- There is a weird looking creature looking at Francis in a mean way!

-- The proportions are wrong. The trees are a lot smaller than St. Francis.

-- St. Francis is as large as the house and almost as large as the mountain.

What do you see and notice in Bellini's painting (St. Francis in the Desert)?

-- The man is looking towards the sky. Maybe he’s looking towards god.

-- I see a rabbit burrowed in the ground near St. Francis, just to get close to him. This symbolizes his connection with animals.

-- The rabbit is observing St. Francis, and God’s presence in St. Francis might have drawn the rabbit to him. Also, the tree is getting blown in the direction of St. Francis, similar to the rabbit.

-- It looks like the trees are bending over from the wind, which could show God’s presence in nature.

-- In this painting, the shepherd and all of the sheep may have been a symbol of God’s presence, because in the Bible they always talk about how God is a shepherd and the people are the sheep.

-- There is a bright light in the sky (in the upper lefthand corner of the painting).

What is a difference between the two paintings?

-- There's much more landscape in the Bellini painting.

-- There’s more detail in the second painting.

-- Bellini's painting tells more of a story.

-- Bellini was a lot better at showing distance and perspective than the person from the first painting.

-- In the first painting, Jesus is clearly visible, and he is giving the stigmata to St. Francis. In the second painting, you cannot see Jesus, so St Francis’ stigmatization is less dramatic and obvious.

What is a similarity between the two paintings?

-- In the first painting, the pink building is on a mountain or hill, and in the second painting the castle is on a hill.

Our Sacred Space Designs

Two Architectural Styles, Side By Side

Wyatt S. came up with an original, creative, and fascinating idea for his sacred space: he is building a Romanesque cathedral next to a Gothic cathedral. Here is part of Wyatt's explanation:

Part of my space is very large but another part of it is a lot smaller because one person might like the big open space but another might like a smaller, cozier space.The bigger part will have spires going up to God. The smaller space is much darker and has the relaxed feeling of God being with you.

The large Gothic style building has a lot of light coming in from the big stained glass windows. The large amount of light makes some people feel very welcome. 

The smaller Romanesque style building has less windows so therefore less natural light. The lack of natural light can make it feel more relaxing.

What a clever concept for this assignment!

Meanwhile, Claire is incorporating all sorts of fantastic and realistic details (the cracks in the walls! the ivy!) into her stunning design. There's so much for the eye to take in ... it's hard to know where to start.