Week Eight, Baroque Art

     



Michalengos David.



      The story of David and Goliath is a common Biblical story and by the 17th century, several artists had created sculptural interpretations of David. Two artist in particular,  Michelangelo and Bernini were two of the four famous artists who created remarkable representations of David.   Though these two marble master pieces are from different eras and artist, there are several similarities and differences between the two.  First I would like to talk about Michalengos David.  This marble statue is of a nude male who represents the Biblical hero David.  During the early Renaissance, Humanism became apparent when artists first discovered contrapposto and the beauty of ancient Greek and Roman sculpture.  During the Reniassance contrapposto poses were a common, distinctive feature within art.  Michalengos verticle statue shows the majority of Davids weight resting on his back leg.  The contrapposto pose causes the figure’s hips and shoulders to rest at opposite angles, shifting the weight of the subject; thus giving the shape of the torso a slight “s” curve.  Renaissance artists consistently depicted subjects in calm, confidant positions, representing the time right before they took action. The space in which this statue uses is very confined, the verticle lines suggest immobility or stillness. I noticed that Davids head is turned to the left, with sling in hand his left left arm is raised up toward his left shoulder, which may suggest that he has been depicted as though he has already fought Golith. David is fully nude which exposes his uncircumcised penis, this is also consistent with Renaissance art.  This figure has an unusually large hands and head, most likely because it was initally suppose to be placed on the roof of the cathedral. Enlarging certain parts would have been necessary in order to see it better from the ground. Michelangelo’s David is one of the most recognized pieces of Renaissance sculpture, for it is a symbol of natural human beauty and strength. The idea of perfection is shown here as well, for during the Renaissance the idea that man is created in God's image was common.  During the height of Humanism in the High Renaissance, an association of perfection, beauty and harmony in mathematics and God was prevelant within art. Lastly, the statues of the Renaissance had been strictly frontal, dictating the spectator to view it from one side, and one side only.

           



Berninis David



Bernini, a relatively new artist in the 1600s decided to create his own stylistic version of David, which some say rivals and Michelangelo’s depiction. During the Baroque period art was created to intentionally evoke emotion from its viewers. According to the textbook the 17th Century had its own version of Classicism. This style of Classicism was, "a more moving and dramatic variant of Renaissance ideals and principles featuring idealization vased on observation of the material world; balanced (though often asymmetrical) compostitions; diagional movement in space; rich, harmonious color; and inclusion of visual references to ancient Greece and Rome". (p712)  Berninis piece utilized diagnol lines to depict the energy of movement, space and drama to engage viewers.  Unlike Michaleangos David, Berninis David is depicted as a partially nude man who is actively fighting Golith.  This statue is a three-dimensional piece of work that incoorporates the space around it.  Its use of space provokes the viewer to walk around it, encouraging the viewer to see it from all angles.  I feel that Bernini definitely captured a moment in time with his depiction of David.  Bernini’s piece portrays awesome tension and violence captured from a single moment in time. The twisting of David’s torso suggests that he is ready to release his lethal weapon at any moment.  There is so much movement within this piece, the space in which this sculpture consumes not only encourages, it forces the viewer to feel the inflicted energy through implied movement.  The lines on David’s face are soft but tense at the same time which show the mental contemplation, anguish, fight which he must have been feeling. Bernini use of beautiful lines makes the figure more lifelike. I appreciate the fine details such as the sculpted the tendrils of his hair, the tense facial expression which shows David biting his lip.  The relationship to God in the Baroque era is much more direct, more emotional evoked by the use of suggested interaction and movement. There is an amazing amount of rhythmic balance between movement and pose within Berninis piece.

Although these two pieces differ in style and time, the subject himself is depicted with realism as being a strong, fearless hero.