I first was able to read Melanie's blog post for this era. I think Melanie and I were on the same wavelength when we wrote our blogs because I noticed we had a lot of the same ideas. She talked about the plateresco and the desornamentado as well. She although, went on to talk about where they originated which was interesting. She also talked about the grille work. I like her pictures that she actually took herself in Madrid of the iron work over the windows and entrances. Good findings on the modern design with the iron work, nail heads, and leather. She is right, there is a lot of those features in our modern design today as well. I
In addition, I was able to read Rachael's blog post on the Spanish Renaissance. I thought it was good that she clarified the Spanish Renaissance was just another branch of the renaissance. I know I had some confusion with this when reading in the textbook. It may seem like that is something to know, but for someone who is not familiar with this art history, it helps to clarify. She also brought up the cathedral of Seville which I did not pay much attention to earlier. I can see the Gothic inspired features in the ribbed ceiling. She also displayed the monk's chair and showed a current model of the chair in outdoor patio furniture.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Spanish Period
The Spanish era was a fusion of the Moors and Christian Spanish. It is known to be the most brilliant era in Spanish history. Two styles of design were used in this era, plateresco and desornamentado. In the plateresco phase, the work resembled that of a silversmith, being minute and delicate. It was also used on exteriors, patios, churches, public buildings, furniture, and accessories.
The other is the desornamentado, being unornamented. This was applied to court, ecclesiastical and public buildings. This was a reaction to to the plateresco style.
The above pictures show the difference between the two. You can see that the plateresco style is highly adorned while the desornamentado is just the opposite, being very bland with carefully defined proportions.
The Spanish period was highly known for having the most castles. It is interesting that just like in the Italian Renaissance, the start of attentiion towards interiors arose. I will particularly talk about some of the furniture. I will go on to talk about much of the furniture in this era. To start off, Spanish furniture, included such characteristics as simplicity and boldness, heavy proportions, crude carving, and rectangular shape. The most common material was Walnut, while Mahogany was introduced, and silver was used for ornamentation. Often, they used repetitive panels to create a pattern.
The most well-known chair from this period was the sillon de frailero. Some might know it as the Monk's chair.
In this chair you can see the simple rectangular form, leather seat and back, and broad front stretcher. The decorative nail heads and other qualities indicate this chair can be described as plateresque.
Spain had a lot of distinctive cabinet work called vargueno. This was to hold documents and valuables. Some were used as a desk with a hinged drop front.
This picture above is a vargueno puente stand. The bone and ivory inlays in this piece were often painted in bright red, blue, green and gold. The base, or puente part was often elaborately carved with sides that pulled out to support the drop front. Earlier I talked about panels being repeated to form a pattern. On the right, you can see the facade in four and three different sections. Drawers and cupboards were included. It is crazy to see this piece of furniture as mill work and cabinetry, and then think about the cabinetry we have today installed in our kitchens, bathrooms, etc.
Current Applications
Although this picture of an interior is actually in Spain, I love the Spanish Renaissance influence. All the nail heads in the door for ornamentation are beautiful and all the geometric shapes show a great influential purpose here.
This desk, which we see many of in homes today, includes a hinged drop front which reminds me of the vargueno puente stand.
(modern Spanish area)
The above pictures show the difference between the two. You can see that the plateresco style is highly adorned while the desornamentado is just the opposite, being very bland with carefully defined proportions.
The Spanish period was highly known for having the most castles. It is interesting that just like in the Italian Renaissance, the start of attentiion towards interiors arose. I will particularly talk about some of the furniture. I will go on to talk about much of the furniture in this era. To start off, Spanish furniture, included such characteristics as simplicity and boldness, heavy proportions, crude carving, and rectangular shape. The most common material was Walnut, while Mahogany was introduced, and silver was used for ornamentation. Often, they used repetitive panels to create a pattern.
The most well-known chair from this period was the sillon de frailero. Some might know it as the Monk's chair.
Spain had a lot of distinctive cabinet work called vargueno. This was to hold documents and valuables. Some were used as a desk with a hinged drop front.
Current Applications
(modern Spanish area)
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Peer Review for Italian Renaissance
I first reviewed Flor's post on the Italian Renaissance. I enjoyed her description of wall finishes. This was a subject I had not paid much attention to at first. Residential walls were divided horizontally in to bands. The wall consisted of a base at the floor with the actual wall being plaster, was adorned with frescoes, or marble or wood paneling with wall hangings of leather or fabric. Tapestries were also hung. The floors on the other hand were made of wood and brick or tile were for the more sophisticated. Turkish carpets were possible, but not common. Ceilings wee lined with joists and coffered and sometimes adorned with beautiful frescoes. I am so glad Flor decided to focus on the residential interior. This was a part I did not talk about in my blog but was definitely an important aspect of the Italian Renaissance. So interesting to see when our field of study started becoming important and noticed!
I also had the chance to look at Sam's Blog. I was interesting to see that like me, Sam had a previous art class she referred to repeatedly throughout her blog. It is neat that we can remember little aspects from other classes to add to the knowledge we are obtaining from this class. She also, like me, had learned about the Medici family and included some thoughts out their importance in her blog. I learned about the Foudling Hospital for unwanted kids and orphans. This structure came from Brunelleschi and his invention of linear perspective, which shows the revelation of science and ideology in the Italian Renaissance. In this building, he included everything in cubes and goes to a common vanishing point, and was the first to put arches on top pf columns.In addition. beautiful current applications. I would love to have a wedding at either location!
I also had the chance to look at Sam's Blog. I was interesting to see that like me, Sam had a previous art class she referred to repeatedly throughout her blog. It is neat that we can remember little aspects from other classes to add to the knowledge we are obtaining from this class. She also, like me, had learned about the Medici family and included some thoughts out their importance in her blog. I learned about the Foudling Hospital for unwanted kids and orphans. This structure came from Brunelleschi and his invention of linear perspective, which shows the revelation of science and ideology in the Italian Renaissance. In this building, he included everything in cubes and goes to a common vanishing point, and was the first to put arches on top pf columns.In addition. beautiful current applications. I would love to have a wedding at either location!
Italian Renaissance
The Italian Renaissance can be described as a rebirth. It was a time when they went back to the Classic Greek and Roman orders. They were able to refer to the old style, yet create ideas that were completely new. In addition, there was a new challenge to furnish interiors, and there was no longer such a large focus on architecture. The Italian Renaissance was a complete reformation, not only in the arts, but in the categories of religion, science, and philosophy as well.
Michelangelo was one of my favorite artists of this time. Client relationships were a lot different in the Italian Renaissance. Artists, like architects, painters, furniture designers, and sculptors were hired on a long-term basis. Michelangelo, at a very young age, was hired by the powerful, wealthy, and well-known Medici family. He worked on numerous pieces for the Medici family at a young age. Lorenzo de' Medici was a business man, banker, and major patron of the arts. At this time, everyone in Italy, rich or poor were interested in the arts. Michelangelo was one of the most skilled ever, having many talents as a sculptor, painter, architect, poet and engineer. He was considered the best artist of his lifetime. Below is the Medici Chapel that was designed by Michelangelo for the Medici family.
Aside from Michelangelo and the Medici family, there is the Villa Rotonda.
The Villa Rotunda was designed by Andrea Palladio, one of the most influential architects of the Renaissance. What makes this such a perfect design, is how Palladio took the sight and land around the building in to consideration. He wanted to emphasize the view. This is why the building has a Roman portico or porch on all four sides looking out on to the beautiful land, creating a spot to walk outdoors and become enthralled in to the landscape. Palladio did a fabulous job of taking in to account the natural setting.
What is also very interesting about the Italian Renaissance is this was the first time interior design really became important. Decorative moldings, elaborate ceilings, painted wall and ceiling decoration, elaborate fireplace mantels, and pilasters became influential to interiors. Floors started to become brick, terra-cotta tile, or marble in geometric patterns. Furniture became portable and sparse with inlays of ivory, lapis, marble, onyx, and other stones. Walnut was used for the finest furniture.
Current Day Applications
Michelangelo was one of my favorite artists of this time. Client relationships were a lot different in the Italian Renaissance. Artists, like architects, painters, furniture designers, and sculptors were hired on a long-term basis. Michelangelo, at a very young age, was hired by the powerful, wealthy, and well-known Medici family. He worked on numerous pieces for the Medici family at a young age. Lorenzo de' Medici was a business man, banker, and major patron of the arts. At this time, everyone in Italy, rich or poor were interested in the arts. Michelangelo was one of the most skilled ever, having many talents as a sculptor, painter, architect, poet and engineer. He was considered the best artist of his lifetime. Below is the Medici Chapel that was designed by Michelangelo for the Medici family.
Aside from Michelangelo and the Medici family, there is the Villa Rotonda.
The Villa Rotunda was designed by Andrea Palladio, one of the most influential architects of the Renaissance. What makes this such a perfect design, is how Palladio took the sight and land around the building in to consideration. He wanted to emphasize the view. This is why the building has a Roman portico or porch on all four sides looking out on to the beautiful land, creating a spot to walk outdoors and become enthralled in to the landscape. Palladio did a fabulous job of taking in to account the natural setting.
What is also very interesting about the Italian Renaissance is this was the first time interior design really became important. Decorative moldings, elaborate ceilings, painted wall and ceiling decoration, elaborate fireplace mantels, and pilasters became influential to interiors. Floors started to become brick, terra-cotta tile, or marble in geometric patterns. Furniture became portable and sparse with inlays of ivory, lapis, marble, onyx, and other stones. Walnut was used for the finest furniture.
Current Day Applications
The Medici ; Richer than the Rockefellers, Mightier than the Tudors (Doc...
This is a part of a series on the Medici family. I have seen this video in a previous art history class and is very interesting. I think the Medici family contains many secrets and drama that many people don't know about, but is very entertaining!
Monday, March 3, 2014
Peer Review of the Americas
I got to review Margaret's blog first and I have to say I love the amount of pictures she put in her blog. It really inspires me to add more to mine in the future. Lots of visuals like that are great for people to understand better about the culture. Her pictures of the Olmec civilization are very interesting including the sculpture of the half jaguar baby limp for sacrifice. I also like her pottery of the Teotihuancan civilization showing the motifs they liked to use of birds and flowers. The ceremonial site Chichen Itza from the Mayas is also great to see. I was not aware it included the jaguar thrones and ritualistic furniture.
I also had the chance to look at Natalie's blog. Her current applications are great representing the pyramid form in architecture very well. I also enjoyed her video on the Inca empire, the largest empire in pre-Columbia America. I also learned from her Aztec description talking about the gods of war and gods of agriculture.
I also had the chance to look at Natalie's blog. Her current applications are great representing the pyramid form in architecture very well. I also enjoyed her video on the Inca empire, the largest empire in pre-Columbia America. I also learned from her Aztec description talking about the gods of war and gods of agriculture.
The Americas
The Americas lasted from 2000 BC to 1521 AD. In the time of the Americas, ceremonial centers became prominent structures of society. Symmetrical and balanced, even the housing was based off of these centers. I am going to focus on the Olmec civilization which was indeed a temple focused city type. Olmec was also the first major civilization in Mexico and came to a sudden end. The Olmecs were most known for their artwork they left behind. Olmec stone heads are among these pieces of artwork.
The Olmec stone heads represented rulers of the time and surrounded the temple area. These 40-50 ton boulders were found in the jungle and the helmets they seem to be wearing are similar to the helmets worn in the ballgame invented by the Mesoamerican people. I have another post with a video I found talking about how these boulders were considered to be a throne initially and then reused once a new ruler came about to carve their face into the throne. Not only did the Olmecs carve these boulders, but they also produced carvings of jade, rock crystal, and less valuable stone. Ax heads, masks and decorative objects as well as mural paintings and pottery were made. The pictures below were both sculptures made out of jade.
The Olmec civilization also was home to the oldest recorded ceremonial center, La Venta. It included the Great pyramid of Earth, a ball court, smaller pyramids, burial grounds, and giant stone heads.
The two above pictures are from the famous Aztec Theater in San Antonio. The second one shows an up close view of the chandelier.
The Olmec stone heads represented rulers of the time and surrounded the temple area. These 40-50 ton boulders were found in the jungle and the helmets they seem to be wearing are similar to the helmets worn in the ballgame invented by the Mesoamerican people. I have another post with a video I found talking about how these boulders were considered to be a throne initially and then reused once a new ruler came about to carve their face into the throne. Not only did the Olmecs carve these boulders, but they also produced carvings of jade, rock crystal, and less valuable stone. Ax heads, masks and decorative objects as well as mural paintings and pottery were made. The pictures below were both sculptures made out of jade.
The Olmec civilization also was home to the oldest recorded ceremonial center, La Venta. It included the Great pyramid of Earth, a ball court, smaller pyramids, burial grounds, and giant stone heads.
Current Applications
The two above pictures are from the famous Aztec Theater in San Antonio. The second one shows an up close view of the chandelier.
This picture is a Mesoamerican styled Interior.
The Olmecs - Kings of the Stone Age - Ancient Civilizations
This is a video I found explaining how the stone heads were believed to be a throne once and then reused to carve the new rulers face in to the throne.
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