1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.
I first selected the Power of Art: Caravaggio because I have studied his works in art history courses and have always been fascinated with his life and seamless portraiture.
Secondly, I chose to watch Albrecht Durer: Image of a Master because I have been studying his prints for my printmaking course but haven’t known much about his personal life.
2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.
Power of Art: Caravaggio:
While Caravaggio lived the life of a rebellious bohemian constantly battling internal and external conflicts, he still lives on as a revolutionary of art.
Caravaggio’s ability to capture the gritty natural human within the holy transformed the role of the viewer within the art world.
The fleshy figures which pressed into the viewer’s space allowed for greater direct attention from the audience with the assistance of the theatrical lighting he also used. Caravaggio’s dramatically amplified scenes using intense contrast made the viewer highly involved within the artwork and created new emotional connections to the work
Caravaggio’s lifestyle changed the golden boy conception of the artist into someone more troubled. Caravaggio was a product of his time, corrupted by the religious and economical corruption surrounding him as well as the fame he received.
While Caravaggio may have changed the conception of an artist in a dreadful manner, he also revolutionized artwork with his perfected Baroque style and laid the pathway for many other artists to come.
Albrecht Durer: Image of a Master:
Durer was the son of a goldsmith and began seriously drawing and painting under an apprentice at fifteen.
Durer enjoyed drawing hands. (I found this interesting seeing how we just did this for a part of our other blog assignment).
Durer enjoyed depicting religious scenes which he could sell on his travels as well as drawings of animals he had never seen before.
The countryside was a frequent background to his paintings. “He grasped the mood of landscapes.”
Through his prints, he became famous and visited as many artist’s studios as he could in Venice.
Durer’s linework implements precision in shadow and shape to capture perfect form.
He seems to be very self-consumed and was given a higher status throughout his life as an artist.
3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?
The text captures a broad range of history, politics, and newly created art styles during the Renaissance and 17th and 18th centuries. Art was rich during these times and new techniques of light and form were being pushed further in realism to push the boundaries of painting to capture life as it was seen. While the text describes the work and aspects of these two artists, the films really did a wonderful job of further personalizing their artwork, lives, and surrounding society.
4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to the understanding of the readings and art concepts?
Power of Art: Caravaggio: The film is astounding in capturing Caravaggio’s life and the beginning of Baroque art. Simon Schama certainly brings passion and drama forward to depict the life of Caravaggio which intensifies the artwork and surrounding society of this time. The film assists in making Baroque art feel more personal and makes Caravaggio seem familiar as well as incredibly talented.
Albrecht Durer: Image of a Master was informative of Durer as a person which was exactly the content I was seeking, but also did little to describe the content and context of the work in which he created and why his work was so esteemed during his time. Overall, I did find the film enjoyable.
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