AS Exam Part 1

Ellie James AS Level Exam Critical and Contextual Studies H206 Theme 1 - Spinning Pirouetting, Winding, Coiling, Twisting, Rotating, Revolving, Turning.

Using the word ‘Twisting’, I plan to analyse a number of artworks based on this word to use in a exhibition. After my initial research, I will look at creating designs for the exhibition, including a poster, booklet and plans for the artworks display.

Apollonius The Belvedere Torso 2nd Century BC

“The Belvedere Torso” This is a Greek, Hellenistic sculptor made from marble discovered in the 15th century but dates back to the 2nd century B.C. It is now a feature in the Vatican Museum.

Signed by sculptor ‘Apollonios’ (2nd Century B.C.)

The sculpture dates from the 1st century B.C. and is signed by the Athenian sculptor Apollonios, an artist of the neo-Attic school, who was most probably inspired by a bronze from the first half of the 2nd century B.C. Apollonius was the son of Nestor, Athenian, about whom nothing is known, and there is scholarly debate as to whether it is an original Hellenistic work from the 1st century B.C. or a Roman copy.

The Belvedere Torso is a marble fragment showing the torso and upper legs of a powerful male figure seated on a rock. White marble can be associated with nobility, heroism and status. It allows close anatomical detail including muscle definition, protruding veins, knees and elbows, ribs, details of hands, feet and hair.

A variety and contrast of textures can be produced - the smoothness of skin, folds of drapery and texture of hair. Marble has a translucency which approximates flesh and undercutting creates definitions and greater dramatic intensity.

Once belonged to the powerful Colonna family in the seventeenth century, It is now in the Vatican Museums and named after the Belvedere Court in the Vatican in which it was once displayed.

The most favoured hypothesis presently identifies it as the Greek hero Ajax, son of Telamon, in the act of contemplating his suicide. The story is told how, during the Trojan Wars, Ajax is enraged when Achilles' armour is awarded to Odysseus and not himself, and kills himself by stabbing himself in the stomach with his sword.

The torso is twisted in multiple areas. The back is slouched over at an angle, making the muscles prominently stand out. Once viewed from the front, the thigh muscles appear to be twisting around and if we could see the rest of the missing parts of the body, the same amount of detail of bone and muscle structure would be present throughout.

Inspired by the monumental stone sculpture of Egypt and Mesopotamia.

During the Archaic period the Greeks began again to carve in stone.

Moved into more naturalistic depictions as the years progressed.

Archaic Classical

Hellenistic

The narrative: When Achilles (from the Trojan War) was killed, his armour was to be awarded to the next greatest Greek hero. Ajax thought it should go to him. Ajax went mad and tried to kill his comrades when the armour was awarded to Odysseus, instead. Athena intervened by making Ajax think cattle were his former allies. When Ajax realised he had slaughtered the herd, he committed suicide as an honourable end. Ajax used his sword to kill himself.

The philosopher Aristotle introduced the idea that the form of the object depended on the maker, the material and final purpose. This allowed the creation of personal works of art from certain artists, and more naturalistic depictions.

This celebrated marble torso, a fragment of a statue found in Rome at the end of the 15th century, came into the Vatican collections between 1530 and 1536.

Ajax is known for his size and strength, hence why this sculptor has very defined muscle structure and the definition is very accurate. There is no doubt to why this is a favourite piece of Michelangelo. It served as an inspiration not only to him but to many other artists since its discovery in 15 th century. Michelangelo once said “This is the work of a man who knew how to do it better than nature!�

Maerten van HEEMSKERCK, (Flemish.b.

1498, Heemskerck, d. 1574, Haarlem) The Belvedere Torso 1532-37 Pen and ink on paper Staatliche Museen, Berlin

Heemskerck completed lots of drawings of Roman ruins and Renaissance works.

Now they provide us with information about the appearance of Renaissance Rome in the 1530s.

When he saw the Belvedere Torso it was still lying on its back.

Joseph Mallord William Turner - Study of a plaster cast of The Belvedere Torso About 1789 Students at the Royal Academy Schools in Britain began their training in the 'Antique Academy' by copying from plaster casts of classical sculpture.

Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640) Study of the Belvedere Torso, ca. 1601–2 (39.5 x 26 cm) This drawing was made by Rubens as a young man on his first trip to Rome, in 1601–2. It is a study of the back Using red chalk and a technique of soft overlapping hatching.

Rubens produced a lifelike result, although it does not look much like marble.

This was an essential task for aspiring artists.

These works were considered to represent the highest point of artistic achievement. The Belvedere Torso here is cast from the Vatican marble.

The torso is in a rigid, twisted position

Another sculpture that displays twisting forms is this Greek Hellensitic example.

Laocoon and His Sons c.175-50 BC

Laocoon and His Sons c.175-50 BC, Marble, 242 cm (app 180 cm is six foot tall) The NarrativeLaocoon was a Trojan priest who told the people of Troy not to except the gift from the Greeks of a wooden horse. He threw a spear into the horse to check, but nothing was found. Athena then blinded him.

As extra punishment, Poseidon sent two serpents to kill him and sons.

All figures are ultimately twisted around and upon one another, creating a continuously linked effect.

Within the sculpture we can see three nude figures tangled between one another. The complexity within the negative space gives the sculpture as a whole a dramatic feel.

The composition faces upwards in a pyramidal structure, both ’sons’ are seen to be looking towards Laocoon which therefore creates a strong diagonal – increasing the dramatic effect. Laocoon’s head is at the top, emphasizing his importance.

Laocoon and his sons have a very irregular silhouette shape. They are all in a very tangled and disheveled position, demonstrating distress and uproar. The fixed viewpoint is clearly upon the biggest and most dramatic character – Laocoon, with all figures idealized into ‘ ideal’ body types.

Laocoon’s figure is dominant within this sculpture. He is in a proud and open pose and sits on a marble block, his body twisting as a snake sinks it’s fangs into his hips Two sons are fighting off large snakes All figures are nude with accurately observed anatomical details, no figures engage the viewer (eyes are diverted to the scene they are consumed within).

Laocoon’s figure is dominant within this sculpture. He is in a proud and open pose.

Smaller son viewed on left leans back, looks at his father, struggling to push away another snake as it bites into his torso.

Larger son viewed on the right is set lower and away from the block, separated but attached to his father through the writhing form of a snake, also looks at his father, one leg raised trying to free himself.

Figures shown in dramatic movement emphasised by extreme muscular intensity as they struggle to free themselves. The facial expressions and poses reflect pain, fear and terror.

All figures are idealised and appear athletic.

The older son on the right has an adult body whereas the younger son on the left is not so physically developed.

Drama is emphasised by strong diagonals of limbs and by the three figures bound together by snakes this adds intense drama to the narrative.

Marble is relatively soft to carve allowing close anatomical detail - evidenced through muscle definition, protruding veins, knees and elbow, ribs, details of hands, feet and hair. A variety and contrast of textures can be seen, from the smoothness of the skin to the folds and drapery and texture of hair.

Translucency of marble approximates flesh.

The white colour of marble unifies the figures, with white being associated with nobility, heroism and status. The fragility of this sculpture and low tensile strength of the marble has resulted in significant damage, especially to protruding or delicate features .

Multiple blocks have been used to create the sculptor, some appears to have breaks in the joints.

Falling effects of heavy drapes add physical stability to the sculpture. The pyramidal composition is stable provided by the broad base.

Undercutting creates definitions and greater dramatic intensity is produced through shadowed areas between the entwining snakes and figures and in the folds of the drapes.

This renaissance sculpture by Donatello also has a twisting form, linking to my chosen theme.

David Donatello c. 1387-1466

“David�

This sculpture by Donatello was commissioned for the court of Palazzo Medici. It is a sculpture that can be conceived fully around the whole sculpture, and arguably the first major work of a Renaissance sculpture.

Donatello (c. 1387-1466) Donatello was the most imaginative and versatile Florentine sculptor on the early renaissance. He studied ancient sculpture and created the Italian Renaissance style with Alberti, Brunelleschi, Masaccio and Uccello.

He was apprenticed to another famous Florentine artist; Lorenzo Ghiberti between 1404 and 1407 where he learnt techniques of modelling in wax and clay for casting in bronze.

The Renaissance in Florence lasted the period 1400-1600. The term Renaissance means rebirth, and is referred to the rebirth of art by drawing on the spirit of antiquity. It is typified in the rediscovery of classical learning and art. It was also a time of the rebirth of Science, Geometry and Literature.

Youthful David defeated the giant Philistine Goliath. This was written in the Old Testament, Samuel, Chapter 17. The story tells a young David hurling a stone at Goliath to the centre of his forehead, Goliath falls on his face to the ground and David chops off his head.

The Renaissance began in Florence as there was an increase in wealth and rivalry between cities, Italy was not unified as we know it today. There was a rise in the power of merchant families as patrons and groups of workers known as guilds became buyers of art and architecture. The guilds increased their patronage and the rise in humanism – this was a new religion that encompassed all religions and embraced the classical world. Florence was on a trade route, allowing for a positive mix of new ideas.

The contrast between this grown man-giant between a young boy is significant in portraying a small person having the power and strength to take down someone much larger, stronger and more capable than them.

The figure is a nude, young, youthful boy – David. He is placed in a calm and relaxed position.

It is freestanding, his left arm playfully resting on his hip, the right loosely grasping a long sword – presumably from severing the giant Goliath’s head off with. The figure has a twist in his contrapposto stance, an S shape winding up the body. The pose overall highlights muscles and accentuates the figure. In the eyes of renaissance Florence, he would be deemed as a naturalistic figure.

Donatello created this statue out of Bronze.

Bronze structures often have more detail in them than marble sculptures as it is originally made in wax, then case in the metal. Due to this, the viewer is able to clearly see David’s nonchalant, carefree facial expression, signifying his powerful and confident gestures.

He is completely nude apart from his lavish fur-lined boots and large and decorated hat. He stands above the decapitated head of Goliath. He is elegantly freestanding, a just-underlife-size statue.

The Smooth features are made possible by the modelling. He is upright and unsupported, projecting arm and sword made possible by tensile strength of bronze; angularity present due to bronze. The association of bronze male figure with classical heroes was popular, and this boy became a hero.

The young, youthful and ‘shiny’ David slew the giant Philistine Goliath. The unlikely victory of the immature David against the powerful brute Goliath was the work of God. The sculpture here shows a moment of pensive and a somewhat smug victory after the battle had taken place.

The Sculpture was made for the Medici family and placed in the centre of the newly built courtyard of the Medici Palace. David was also a powerful symbol for the city of Florence – of the victorious underdog. The head of Goliath could represent a rival city – Milan.

The form of the sculpture suggests advanced and cultivated taste. It has been suggested that the nudity of the boy may result from Neo-Platonic philosophical interpretation of David as an allegory of heavenly love. By looking at the forms in the figure the viewer supposedly gets closer to heaven.

Designed to be viewed in the round to enable accumulation of details to be seen such as the feather of Goliath's helmet caressing David's right leg.

Nude (except for hat and footwear) David stands with sword in hand above decapitated head of Goliath. The Bronze allows for careful and intricate details to be seen, such as the curl in his bear and carve to the structure of his features. The sharp detail on hair, features, and Goliath’s head adds to realism Bronze allows sharp and crisp detail and smooth modelling of body. Use of bronze and the nudity of the figure refer back to ancient sculptures. Excessively smooth patina and highly polished surface contributes to elegance and refinement.