Who is Dr. Glick?

My name is Caleb Glick and I am all business, meaning that I am a business major, certainly not that I am serious all the time, as demonstrated by my photographs. I am a Businessman and occasionally a Samaria Assassin for our clan of talented Doctors. I am scraping by hoping one day to exhibit my love for cooking by opening my own restaurant. And yet I have other loves that compete for my attention and career interests, such as music. Traveling throughout Europe with this group of archeologists has exposed me to a whole new world. Whether I pursue a career in international business, restaurant management, or the lofty field of stage performance, I trust that God will lead me down the right path for my life and that God will use me to further the Kingdom in mighty ways. 

Moses with the Tables of the Law

Date: 1624

Artist: Guido Reni

Location: The Borghese Gallery, Rome

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Dimensions: 173 cm * 134 cm

Exodus 32:19 “When they came near the camp, Moses saw the calf and the dancing, and he burned with anger. He threw the stone tablets to the ground, smashing them at the foot of the mountain.” (2)

Note: I classify this painting as depicting a miracle because of the nature of the tablets which were inscribed by God

Exodus 31:18 “When the Lord finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, written by the finger of God.” (2)

The Baroque art movement began as a response to the religious upheaval created by the Reformation. The tense mood of the art reflects the tense reality of Europeans who lived under the threat of religious wars and persecution. The art is also dynamic and emotional with striking contrasts, also reflecting the mood of the times The Baroque movement is also a reaction against Mannerist art which had become too complex for and difficult for the average person to understand. The Catholic Church, at the Council of Trent, mandated that religious art must be clear and compelling, thereby condemning the complexity and strangeness that was Mannerism. The combination of these driving forces created the Baroque, a style of art reflecting the tumultuous times and serving as propaganda for the religion of the artists and patrons with easily understood themes.

Painted in 1624 in the heart of the baroque movement, Moses with the Tables of the Law provides an excellent example of Baroque art. The emotion in this painting is the first characteristic to jump out at the viewer. Moses is angry. His mouth is open and he is yelling. He is about to throw the tablets to the ground. The great detail in his face reveals an angry but also sad expression and aghast expression. The movement of Moses also displays the Baroque characteristic of dynamism. Opposed to the mannerist painting of Moses striking water from the rock in which he is standing still and barely scratching the rock with a stick, in this painting Moses actually has the real movement of an angry man. Baroque art rejects the artificial elegance of mannerism, and instead favor of an exaggerated and harsh depiction of reality.

Even the clouds in the background appear to charged with anger and dynamism.

In looking at the overall aesthetics of the painting, it is obvious that the painting employs tenebrism, a stark contrast between light and dark often used in Baroque paintings. Moses’ bright red sash contrast with his dark blue robe, light glimmers on one side of his face while the other is enshrouded in darkness, and streaks of light appear in the clouds during a night sky. This use of tenebrism helps to create the tense dynamic mood.

In accordance with the Council of Trent, the subject and depiction of this art is clear to the viewer. Anyone who was familiar with the Bible or at least some Bible stories would know that the painting depicts Moses coming down from Mount Sinai after receiving the law and becoming furious when he sees that the Israelites have lost faith in God so quickly and made an idol. There are no strange characters lurking in the background and Moses is not an elegant elongated figure, the message is clear and it evokes an emotional response.

Personally, I feel like the painting does great job of depicting a moment with such emotion and generating a personal response. Comparing Mannerist and Baroque art, I find Baroque to be much more engaging and enjoyable to look at, even if I do love strange art, such as mannerism. This Baroque painting of Moses compared to the Mannerist fresco of Moses does a much better job of making scripture come alive which is what I want out of religious art. I would rather not have scenes from the Bible distorted and corrupted.

     

      

Bibliography

(1) Wilkins, David G. Schultz, J. Bernard. Linduff, Katheryn M. 2001. Art Past Art Present 4^th Edition. Prentice Hall.

(2) The Holy Bibile. New Living Translation. 2^nd Edition. 2004. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Steam, IL.

The Creation of Adam

Date:1510

Artist: Michelangelo Buonarroti

Location: The Sistine Chapel, Rome

Medium: Fresco

Dimensions: 280 cm * 570 cm

Genesis 2:7 “Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostril, and the man became a living person.” (1)

Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is one of the most famous works of art in all history, and is one of my personal favorites. The symbolic story content of this piece speaks to me on so many levels. Although the fresco depicts God’s initial creation of Adam and the touch that will fill him with life and energy, I tend to think about the touch of God in my own life, and how everyone needs this touch of God in their lives in order to truly live. The way God is flying towards Adam, reaching with all his might, while Adam is lounging, limply lifting his hand to meet God’s reminds me of my own life and my pathetic effort to connect with God. I am reminded that God is doing all the work and how desperately I need him. The intensity and suspense of the painting as it is so close to the time when the two hands will meet, fills me with the desire to see the moment when they will connect and Adam will truly live. I can relate to this in my own life when I feel dead inside and need a fresh touch from God. This is my prayer/story:

God thank you so much for giving me life. I thank you so much for creating me. By you and through you all things were made. With your hands you molded Adam in your likeness. He lay there limp and lifeless. You gave life and light to everything that was made, through your touch. You breathed on man, and his lifeless form sprung to life. All was well, your creation was good. And yet sin entered the world…

And its wages are death. The touch was corrupted. What once was the good and perfect life was now infected with a terminal disease. My life source is cut off!  I need you again God! Redeem me from my sin! I am trapped. I have no power to climb out of this pit on my own. I scrape at the walls like a wounded animal, I shall never escape. My will is so weak. I am destined to despair, to weather an existence devoid of true life. I am a slave to sin. I am unholy and cannot stand within your presence oh God. The chains of sin which bind me keep me far from God’s extended hand. Who then shall deliver me from this death?

Thanks be to Jesus Christ my mighty and wonderful redeemer! You loved the world so much that you sent your only son. With your death on the cross Jesus you broke these chains and once again enabled this life giving touch. Covered by your blood, we can once again stand before the Father, reach out, and touch his life giving fingers. Thank you so much for your redeeming power in my life God. You are the source of all love, truth, and hope in my life. Without your life giving touch I am nothing and have nothing. I would be constantly descending down a dark path into an endless pit of sin and despair. You, oh Jesus, have saved my soul. And yet I am far from perfect…

The process is ongoing. Every day, every second, in every decision, and in every thought I must reach out to you God and receive your life giving touch. And yet my human will remains week, I fill my life  with garbage, and only raise a limp hand to you God. Thank you so much God for pursuing me. You are the one who is flying towards my lifeless soul that is reclining on the ground. I must seek you God! I must draw near to you God so that that you will draw near to me. I must reach out so that our fingers will touch and your abundant power and life will flow into me once again. And God let these touches change me so that I may live a life worthy of the calling I have received; give me the power and desire to follow you! I want to run the race with endurance and finish the course, so that on the day we meet face to face you will say “Well done my good and faithful servant.” So God, touch me like you touched Adam, breath life into this dry and thirsty soul once more!

Bibliography

(1)  The Holy Bibile. New Living Translation. 2^nd Edition. 2004. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Steam, IL.

The Ascension of Jesus

Date: 1150-1200

Artist: Unknown

Location: St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice

Medium: Mosaic

Dimensions: 13.8 

Acts 1:9 “After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him” (1)

This golden mosaic can be found in the central dome of Saint Mark’s Basilica in Venice. Being a major trading port between the East and West, Venice was highly influenced by Byzantine art, resulting in a basilica covered with highly symbolic and iconic mosaics. This particular mosaic is a depiction of the Jesus’ ascension to heaven after his resurrection .

Instead of attempting a scene with Jesus floating up to Heaven on a cloud with a crowd standing of people watching him, this mosaic features Jesus in a blue sphere surrounded by six angels, twelve men, thirteen trees, and seventeen female figures, all set against a golden background. How is this depicting the ascension of Jesus? The answer lies in the fact that this is symbolic Byzantine art and it does not place people in the physical world with a natural background, emphasizing the spiritual over the natural. The shimmering golden backdrop is intended to represent spiritual enlightenment. The only reference this mosaic makes to the natural world is through the trees that are sprinkled about the dome.

Although the scene may not look like the ascension of Jesus at first, there are several clues that can be found when examining the mosaic closer. The figure in the center, obviously Jesus, is set against a dark blue containing starry lights, painting the picture of Jesus in the sky. The four winged beings around Jesus are angels who are carrying the sphere he is floating in heavenward. This is one point where the circular design and the two dimensional aesthetics of the mosaic make the ascension a difficult scene to depict and decipher as one cannot see Jesus’ movement heavenward. However, this lack of movement in a particular direction may allude to the fact that Jesus was not just ascending into the sky but was actually leaving this temporal realm and entering into the spiritual. The last clue that Jesus is in fact ascending in this scene is the upward glances and gestures of the men, who revealed by their holiness as seen in their mandorlas are the twelve apostles.

The other symbols in this mosaic are less important to the actual act of the ascension but are still important to the message the artists were trying to send. The trees have little spiritual significance and are included to represent the Mount of Olives which is the supposed location of the ascension. The female figure between the two angels represents the Virgin Mary. While Mary probably was present at the ascension of Jesus, her presence and the inclusion of her angelic entourage largely just reflects the Catholic tradition of including her in nearly every work of art. Another instance of tradition and fascination with certain ideas is the other sixteen women located on the edge of the dome. These sixteen women personify the Virtues and Beatitudes. These sixteen ideals are split into three different categories which are the three theological virtues; faith, hope and charity, the four moral virtues; prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance, and the other nine virtues; gentleness, contrition, abstinence, mercy, patience, chastity, modesty, constancy, and humility. The fact that personifications of these virtues are included in this scene once again shows the spiritual emphasis of this Byzantine influenced artwork.

After thinking about this type of artwork and its heavy reliance on symbolism and an emphasis on the spiritual realm, I appreciate this mosaic much more. I love how Byzantine art blends the physical world with the spiritual realm, even if the scenes depicted and their story content can be muddled. The idea that there are many spiritual powers at work in this world is often one people today overlook as they are often so intent on the temporal.

Bibliography

(1) The Holy Bibile. New Living Translation. 2^nd Edition. 2004. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Steam, IL.

(2) http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/eng/index.bsm

(3) http://www.learner.org/courses/globalart/work/233/index.html

(4) Wilkins, David G. Schultz, J. Bernard. Linduff, Katheryn M. 2001. Art Past Art Present 4^th Edition. Prentice Hall.

The Incarnation of Jesus

Date: 1498-1510

Artist: Piero Di Cosimo

Location: Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

Medium: Oil on Panel

Dimensions: 206 cm * 172 cm

Matthew 1:18 “This is how Jesus was born. His mother Mary was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, While she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (5)

Piero Di Cosimo’s life is one of mystery with most of what is known about him coming from the Giorgio Vasari’s biography of his life, which some claim is untrustworthy. That being said some fact are known about Cosimo such as his birth date and the general events of his life. Cosimo was born to Lorenzo di Piero d’Antonio, a blacksmith, and  Mona Alessandra in Florence on January 2, 1462.

The earliest record of Cosimo’s career shows him apprenticing under Cosimo Rosselli, from who he derived his surname of Cosimo. Another early record states that by the age of twenty, Cosimo had become a member of the “Compagnia di S. Luca, the painters’ confraternity in Florence” (3). While apprenticing under Rosselli, Cosimo assisted in the painting of the Sistine chapel in 1481, possibly painting the landscape for the sermon on the mount.

In His early career, Piero displayed an interest landscape and animal life as the subjects of his paintings, which was inspired by the naturalism of Hugo van der Goes. After accompanying Rosselli to Rome, Cosimo also began to develop a taste for classical mythology which can be seen in his famous painting, Death of Procis, which depicts a satyr mourning over a nymph with a dog observing, also displays his love of animals as subjects. When Savonarola came to power in Florence, Cosimo converted the subject matter of his paintings to religious themes, in an effort to participate in the religious fervor that had gripped Florence. This painting, The Incarnation of Jesus, is an example of this return to religious themes in the life of Cosimo, and yet it still displays Cosimo‘s love of landscape. On top of these religious and mythological themes, Cosimo is noted as being an important portrait painter with his most famous portrait being of the Florentine noblewoman, Simotetta Vespucci.

In the spirit of the Renaissance Cosimo practiced a variety of artistic mediums other than painting Cosimo was also known in Florence as a prominent designer of processions and pageants. New archival research has found that Cosimo could have practiced manuscript illumination (3). In his life Cosimo had several students including Andrea Del Sarto and Jacopo Pontormo, both influential Italian mannerists.

Concerning Cosimo’s character and personal life, there is much debate. Giorgio Vasari says much about Cosimo in his “Lives,” painting him as highly eccentric, eating massive quantities of hard boiled eggs and being so pyrophobic that he rarely cooked his food.  However, according to a criticism by Louis Waldamn, “Vasari emphasized Piero's supposed eccentricities--the solitude, squalor, and impracticality of his life--as a negative foil for the more "normative" character and behavior of other artists portrayed in the Lives, and as an exemplar of the kind of life he felt artists should avoid” (2). Vasari also accused Cosimo of being antisocial which Waldman again rejects by saying about certain documents that “they afford of Piero di Cosimo as a social being, through his relations with fellow artists--such as Jacopo da Pontormo, Lorenzo di Credi, and Nicola di Giovanni Caprini--and with relatives, neighbors, and religious confraternities” (2)

Vasari says that Cosimo became extremely reclusive towards the end of his life, yet Waldman’s argument gives us hope that when he died on April 12, 1522, Cosimo was not alone.

Bibliography

(1) http://www.virtualuffizi.com/biography/Piero-di-Cosimo.htm

(2) Waldman, Louis Alexander. "Fact, Fiction, Hearsay: Notes On Vasari's Life Of Piero Di Cosimo." Art             Bulletin 82.1 (2000): 171. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Dec. 2011.

(3) Geronimus, Dennis. "The Birth Date, Early Life, And Career Of Piero Di Cosimo." Art Bulletin 82.1 (2000): 164. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 Dec. 2011.

(4) http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/piero-di-cosimo

(5) The Holy Bibile. New Living Translation. 2^nd Edition. 2004. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Steam, IL.

Moses Striking Water from Rock

Title: Moses Striking water from Rock

Date: 1560-1572

Artist: Durante Alberti and assistants

Location: Villa D’Este, Tivoli

Medium: Fresco

Dimensions: 130 cm * 180 cm

Numbers 20: 11 “Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, and water gushed out.” (3)

Mannerism developed in the sixteenth century with Michelangelo’s liberation from the classical idealism of the High Renaissance. As one of the most respected artists of the time, Michelangelo inspired many younger artists of this time to follow his example and engage in the mannerist movement.             

Michelangelo differentiated his mannerist art from his earlier works by venturing away from classical ideals of perfection in human form and instead took the artistic license to distort figures and portray them with a new level of complexity. Later artists took these stylistic changes and continued to develop the mannerist art style, which resulted in highly sophisticated works of art that only the affluent could truly understand possessing other features such as; visual energy, stylized artificial elegance, and crowded, entangled figures.

By 1560, when the renovation of Villa d’Este began, Mannerism was the chief artistic style in practice, and many of the “stars” of late Roman Mannerism were enlisted in the decoration of the villa’s interior. This fresco of Moses striking water from the rock found in the “Moses Room” of the villa painted by Durante Alberti and his assistants exhibits several key mannerist characteristics.

While this fresco is not entirely complex and difficult to understand in its depiction of the scene, there is still some complexity. The fresco does not simply depict Moses striking the rock observed by a crowd of clones reacting in one accord. The crowd watching Moses contains many different characters who are reacting to the spectacle in various fashions; some are looking with wonder, others are whispering to their companions, and still others are preparing to catch some of the water in jars. All of these actions of the crowd display great movement and action, therefore exhibiting the characteristic of visual energy. One of the most interesting aspects of this fresco is the fact that while the crowd displays much energy, Moses, the one who was supposedly angrily striking water from the rock has the least energy of anyone in the scene, calmly standing there, barely scratching the rock with his stick.

This unrealistic depiction of an angry Moses exhibit’s the mannerist  characteristic of artificial stylized elegance. Moses probably was not an elegant person especially when he was angry and yet in this scene, he maintains a stoic, composed stance. This artificial elegance is can be seen in the garb of Moses and the crowd as well. Their flowing, colorful robes appear much more elegant than one would expect from people who had been wandering in the desert for years. Even the scenery is artificially elegant; if there was enough water for the trees and grass to be green, the Israelites probably could have found water without having to strike it from a rock. These elements only serve to make the scene more elegant. One last instance of the distortion of the natural in favor of elegance is the camels in the upper right corner, if you can even call them camels. In mannerist fashion they have elongated, curvaceous necks that more resemble that of a swan than camel.

Other mannerist characteristics of this painting are the crowded feel of the scene and how the people are almost entangled with each other. The people watching the spectacle are so crowded and entangled in this scene that you see cannot see any their entire bodies, except for the one man on the left. There is always another person blocking the view, giving the fresco this crowded and entangled aesthetic.

While this fresco may not be the very essence of mannerism, the mannerist characteristics contained within it reveal the heavy influence mannerism had on the art of this time.

Bibliography

(1) http://www.villadestetivoli.info/storiae.htm

(2) Wilkins, David G. Schultz, J. Bernard. Linduff, Katheryn M. 2001. Art Past Art Present 4^th Edition. Prentice Hall.

(3) The Holy Bibile. New Living Translation. 2^nd Edition. 2004. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Steam, IL.