Directed Blog entry # 2 Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene the penitent prostitute.
She is clothed in her own hair, with ruff, sharp facial features giving the appearance of living out her life (post Christ) in a manner of self neglect and repentance for the sins which she had committed. This is how Donatello depicts Mary Magdalene. He depicts her as the essence of self denial.
At first glance I can't lie, I thought this was a sculpture of the mythical Medusa. However, when I found out that this was actually a sculpture of Mary Magdalene and the psychological reasons for which Donatello had sculpted this piece I was amazed! What a twist.
This sculpture portrays a woman who is so mortified for the offences in which she has committed against God that she is showing her love of God through her self mortification in an attempt to redeem herself for her past life style. In my opinion I do not think this piece represents hopelessness, I think Mary Magdalene represents hope. I think she looks content living her life this way in order to please God whom she loves so much.

Vatican pictures

Of course, the Sistine Chapel.

Swiss Guards, guarding the Vatican. ( I, however did not see the Pope )

St. Bartholomew holding his own skin!

Blog # 3 The Pieta

For my senior trip ( in 2001) my school traveled to various places in Europe. Italy by far was the most beautiful, the Vatican in particular. I chose The Pieta to post on my blog site because this sculpture to this day is the only sculpted piece that has ever stirred genuine emotion in me. I swear it almost made me cry! ( And I, you can guarantee am not that kind of person). The Blessed Mother looks so sad, but resolute to the will of God for what has happened to her beloved Son. This piece truly captures a mothers love for her son. The facial details are incredibly accurate and beautiful in both Mary and Jesus. One thing I do have to note however,is the size of Jesus, He is a bit small. I don't know if that is intended or I am just imagining things.The Pieta was magnificent, it wasn't as big as I thought it would be but it was awesome!
I will also post other various pictures of what I thought were some of the highlights of my trip to the Vatican.

Blog #2 Artists

One point in particular in which I have found to be very interesting is that, by finding out about the artists intentions, history, or the artists reason for depicting a particular scene enables a piece of art work to have its own personality. In the Diary by Roger Shimomura his grandmother is writing in her diary during WWII while his mother and he are in the door way, keep in mind however that they are captive is a camp in Idaho where the door way in which Shimomura and his mother are standing in does not lead to freedom but to barbed wire fence. I think by knowing the story behing this particular piece of art enables me to appreciate the piece much more than I would have not knowing the story.

Blog #1 Compare and Contrast Myself with Art

Artistic Composition
VS
Morgan Conformation





What is Art? Art is in my opinion a subjective and expressive mode of comunication. Now, was that statement influenced? Yes, that statement was influenced by the reading which I had done as part of the assignment. Whats my point? Well, my point is that art is subjective. A person may appreciate a work of art purely for the location which the art work depicts; however, as I have learned through the example of Flower Piece with Curtain by Adrian van der Spelt and van Mieris is that the subtle study of iconography indicates ( in summary) that the tulips indicate wealth and power, however insects and butterfly hover above them. Also, the flowers also symbolize the passage of time and the fleeting qualities of human riches. Now, not in a million years would I have be able to figure that out! I don't know the rules of artistic expression. I am not educated of iconography, naturalism or realism.... to name a few, so in my opinion it is a nice painting in which the curtain look extremely life like.
Now I would like to relay this to myself. I have extensive knowlege of the horse, especially the Morgan Horse. I have worked with, shown and trained Morgan Horses for the last 20 or so years. I would like to consider my self very knowledgeable on Morgans.
As I have evolved in my formal knowlege of the breed ie. conformation, temperment, animation... I am no longer able to sit back and look at the animal and purely enjoy its beauty. Now all I am able to see is the horses conformation ( good or bad ) animation, temperment... My hobby and career for awhile is no longer subjective it has now become objective.