Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee

Date: 1914

Artist: Giorgio de Chirico

Location: Paris, France

Style: Metaphysical Art

Genre: Religious Painting

Size: 398 × 450

This modern piece of art is one of my favorites in the modern art section of the Vatican Museum. It was painted by Giorgio Chirico in 1914. Chirico was most known for his modern surrealist paintings. This is oil on wood and is located in the Modern Religious art section of the Vatican Museum. In this description of the painting I will share my interpretation of the meaning of this painting. It is my belief, that through the use of colors and changes in the brush strokes, that the artist is trying to change the viewers emotions and create an experience from this depiction of a religious story.

There are many themes present within this painting that help draw out the drama and meaning of the painting. The beautiful thing about modern art is that it is painted in a way that shows the intensity of the emotions and places things from the perspective from the painter. It is how the painter views it brings life to the painting, without their understanding of humanity the painting is not as impactful. The painter allows the viewer to fill in their emotions by leaving it open to interpretation.

Within this painting there is a large contrast between bright colors and dark colors which associates with the mood of the characters in the painting. Christ is located in the foreground of the painting and is brightly clothed in orange.  His mandola is the lightest object in the painting, pointing to the holiness and calmness of Christ. The strokes of the paintings are more fluid and connected, while the strokes elsewhere are more haphazard. Christ is to be the figure in the painting that represents the divine and shows the calmness of God on Earth. While Christ is wearing a bright color, the disciples are wearing more muted clothing. The brush strokes that are used on their clothes are also shorter than those used to paint Christ. It is my interpretation that the muteness of the disciples clothing is to show their fear and lack of faith in the power of the Lord. In scripture Christ tells his disciples that they have little faith in the one that controls and created the seas.

There is movement to the right within the painting which I believe symbolizes the son of man and his position at the right hand of God. The flowing of the waves and foam push the eyes in this direction and the disciples are leaning to the right side which also brings to eye to this position. The counter movement within this painting is the disciples’ arms that are pointing out the storm to Christ who lays asleep. This counter movement represents the doubt within the disciples’ heart. It shows their lack of faith in Christ. Men understand fear and they revel in it, their arms reaching towards the storm show their desire for fear. In our minds we feel that if we fear something we are in control, but scripture tells us that we are not to fear and to put trust in the Lord. This painting depicts the desire to lean on the Lord, but to reach for something that we can comprehend and hold onto.

The final in the painting is the storm. This is the part of the painting that stumped me. It is not light but it is also not dark. It holds elements of calmness and elements of chaos, but it also seems to hold an interesting meaning. The sea during Christ’s time was a scary place in which many men would not travel for fear of losing their way or falling into evil. The sea was a representation of evil, fear and the unknown. I think what the painter is trying to explain here is that God is present everywhere and the light will be shown in dark places, but there is still darkness because as humans we have not hit the point of understanding the light and beauty of God.  That is why the disciples are reaching towards the sea, it is something that they can fear and give power too. They do not realize that the one sitting in the boat holds more power than the sea.

This painting is one that holds many interpretations and Biblical truths within the painting. This is my interpretation and now as a viewer it is your duty to evaluate and look at this painting. What does the painting mean to you? How does it affect you? What emotion do you feel when you look at it? What could certain parts of the painting mean? While this can seem cumbersome it creates a different response to the painting. For myself I am not a huge modern art fan, but this painting draws a sorrow for our human desire for control and fear, while it reminds me that I am to listen to my urge to move towards Christ in faith. This interpretation is mine. Now what is yours?

Bibliography:

"Christ and the Storm - Giorgio De Chirico - WikiPaintings.org." WikiPaintings.org - the Encyclopedia of Painting. Web. 05 Dec. 2011. <http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/giorgio-de-chirico/christ-and-the-storm-1914>.

"De Chirico Giorgio: Biography." Italica - Il Sito Dedicato Alla Lingua E Alla Cultura Italiana Di Rai International. Web. 05 Dec. 2011. <http://www.italica.rai.it/eng/principal/topics/bio/dechirico.htm>.

Dr. Regalado's Profile

My name is Dr. Kathryn Regalado and I am a Dr of history and have spent the last three months searching for paintings that show the miracles within the Church all throughout Italy. I am the historian of our group of writers. I have my degree in European studies with an emphasis on the Ancient Roman history. While the pieces of art mentioned on my page are not all ancient art they show the importance of looking throughout the ages at the depictions that we as humans have shown. I believe that it is extremely important that we know where we have come from as humans and the easiest way to see the progression of our history is through art. The importance of history is seen in how we develop through the ages and without art and literature we would not have an accurate understanding of our humanity. As a historian it is important to look throughout all of history and desire to seek the knowledge of man. History is the most important gift that we are given to further our knowledge of our future.

Wedding at Cana

Room: 35 - The Tintoretto and Barocci Room Uffizi


Artist: Andrea Boscoli


Period: 1560-1606/7


Type: Oil on canvas


Dimensions: 127.5x191


Notes: Signed at the foot of the chest. At the Uffizi since 1975.

The Gospel According to John

Chapter 2

1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
2 Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
3 When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."
4 (And) Jesus said to her, "Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come."
5 His mother said to the servers, "Do whatever he tells you."
6 Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus told them, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter." So they took it.
9 And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom
10 and said to him, "Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now."
11 Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.
12 After this, he and his mother, (his) brothers, and his disciples went down to Capernaum and stayed there only a few days.            


Many people have an idea of who Christ was and what he did. He was a man that died on a cross for the sins of the world and now we can find redemption and grace in his name. But what many people sometimes look over is the start of his ministry. Holidays celebrate His birth and his resurrection but what about the beginning of his ministry, what was he doing that would make him worthy of dying for the sins of the world? This painting of the Wedding of Cana is an illustration of the first miracle that Christ did in his ministry. In this analysis we are going to address what this passage of Scripture is talking about and how the painter uses these verses to illustrate this miracle.


This first verse in the gospel of John sets the scene as a wedding in Cana and Mary, Jesus’ mother was invited and Jesus and his disciples were asked to attend as well (verse 1-3). When at the wedding the wine runs out. In the Jewish culture if a household was to run out of  wine at the wedding feast was a disgrace to the new couple and the father’s house. It showed a lack of wealth and presented the couple as one that was not prepared for the future. With being said, from the text we can assume that Mary was helping with the wedding festivities in some way because she was addressed with the problem of running out of wine. When she tells her son that they are out of wine he tells her “my hour has not yet come” telling his mother that his time of ministry is not to begin yet (Biblegateway). When Mary tells the servant that they are to listen to everything that Christ says she is to allowing her son to reveal himself to others but in a quiet setting. Nowhere in this text is there an announcement publically that Jesus was the one that made water into wine. No it says at the end that the servants and disciples knew that he was the one responsible for the miracle. I found it interesting that the first people that Jesus revealed his God nature to were servants at a wedding. In my opinion I think this shows that Christ came into a world that was not expecting him and when he showed up and performed a miracle and was not showy about it he proclaimed the humility of his kingdom and how it was for the least of these.


This painting was completed somewhere between 1560 and1606. It was painted by Andrea Boscoli in oils (Uffizi).  This painting is a nice illustration of Jesus’ first miracle. Within the painting we see Christ sitting at the table pointing to the jar that a servant is holding in the middle of the painting. Sitting across from him seems to be Mary looking and watching to see if the miracle would take place. She seems anxious her left hand is grasping her seat in anticipation. Christ looks calm and the servant looks startled in amazement. These three characters in the image draw a triangle if you trace a line between each of them. This shows the power of the trinity or God. The painter does a nice job of showing that the story only impacts a few people in the scene. As Christ, Mary and the servant interact the rest of the people in the painting are oblivious to the happenings in the foregrounds of the painting. This miracle is only being seen by the three that are interacting within the painting. This painting has a joyful feel and brings life forth from the painting.


This painting creates a wonderful depiction of Jesus’ first miracle. It shows the mystery behind this miracle and the subtleness in which the miracle was completed. This story is an important story in understanding the rest of Christ’s ministry. Christ was a subtle figure in this painting but his actions are shown in the forefront. This painting presents this miracle in a beautiful way and depicts the power of Christ and his ministry.


Bibliography
“The Gospel According to John - Wedding in Cana." Vatican: the Holy See. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. <http://www.vatican.va/archive/bible/new-testament/documents/bible_john-chap-2-cana_en.html>.


"John 2 Commentary - The Glory Begins to Be Revealed - BibleGateway.com." BibleGateway.com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 100 Versions and 50 Languages. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. <http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/John/Glory-Begins-Be-Revealed>.


"Andrea Boscoli: Wedding at Cana." Uffizi Gallery, Florence. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. <http://www.virtualuffizi.com/uffizi1/cercals1.asp?Contatore=415>.

Resurrection of Lazarus

Room 8 - The Filippo Lippi Room 

Artist: Nicholas Froment

Period: Uzes 1435-Avignon 1485

Title: Resurrection of Lazarus

Type: Tempera on wood,

Dimensions: 175x200

Signed and dated 1461; presented to the monastery of Bosco ai Frati in the Mugello by Cosimo the Elder who had received it as a gift from Francesco Coppini, the Papal Legate in Flanders. At the Uffizi since 1841.

The Resurrection of Lazarus in the Christian Bible is an important miracle which shows the power that God has given his son on Earth and foreshadows the power that Christ has over death. This triptych painted by Nicholas Froment presents the Resurrection of Lazarus and the story of Mary Magdalene and Martha flanking the sides of the painting. This specific Tiptych is done in the style of the Netherlands and presents in a realistic light. Not much is known about Nicholas Froment but historians assume because of his style that he was trained in the Northern regions of France (Grayson). He was a French Painter from Avignon and created this specific piece for the Monastery of Bosco ai Frati in the Mugello region. The date on the frame of the paint states that it was done May 18, 1461 (Famous painters).  This painting has been present at the Uffizi since 1841 (Uffizi).

A triptych is a three panel painting that tells one cohesive story. While the panels can be separated and be complete by themselves when all three are together it illustrates a bigger story. This specific triptych seems to be showing the grace of the Lord towards those he loves dearly. When analyzing a triptych the most important idea to remember is that each panel connects to the other panel in a specific way. In many Triptychs painted during this era it was common to find shapes or angles within the painting to remind people of supernatural things. For example in this painting there are triangles being drawn using the positions of the people in the painting. In the center panel there is Christ standing in purple directing his praise to his father in heaven while Lazarus is under him. In the foreground of the painting standing next to Lazarus’ grave Martha is crying over the miracle that her Lord has just performed. The positioning of these three people creates, using angles, a triangle which points to the Trinity of God. While each single panel has angles that point to the trinity, when you look at the entire triptych there are angles connecting the paintings together helping to create one cohesive painting through three separate paintings.

On the left panel of the painting there is a depiction of Martha praying and showing adoration to Christ and on the right panel there is a depiction of Mary Magdalene washing Christ’s feet with her tears. The beauty of this painting is within the technique and intentionally of each position and color of subjects in the painting, but the beauty is also a strong quality of this triptych. It tells the story of how people have been changed by Christ. It shows Martha devoting herself to Christ in faith not works, Mary Magdalene having the faith of a Child and a desire to give Christ everything that she has, and Lazarus, whom Christ loved, rising from the dead at a command. It shows the power that God has to change his people from being dead in their sin to be alive in Christ.

This specific triptych points to the power and grace of Christ showed through biblical accounts. Each panel depicts a miracle of the Bible; Martha giving up the idol of herself, Mary Magdalene giving coming to repentance, and Lazarus being given life after three days. The power of this panel is the message of Christ changing those he loved and renewing them for their benefit and the benefit of Christians for the rest of history.  

Bibliography

Grayson, Marion. "The Northern Origin of Nicolas Froment's Resurrection of Lazarus Altarpiece in the Uffizi Gallery." Google Books. Web. 6 Dec. 2011. <http://www.jstor.org/pss/3049528>.

"Virtual Uffizi: the Complete Catalogue of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence Italy. Galleria Degli Uffizi." Uffizi Gallery, Florence. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. <http://www.virtualuffizi.com/uffizi1/artista1.asp>.

"Raising of Lazarus Triptych by Nicolas Froment » The Famous Artists." The Famous Artists » The Famous Artists. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. <http://www.thefamousartists.com/nicolas-froment/raising-of-lazarus-triptych>.

Cestello Annunciation

Period: Florence 1445-1510

Artist: Sandro Filipepi called Botticelli

Room: 10-14 - The Botticelli Room, Uffizi Gallery 

Type: Tempera on wood, 150x156

Commissioned in 1489 by Benedetto di Ser Giovanni Guardi for the church of Cestello (today Santa Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi). At the Uffizi since 1872.

The term Renaissance means rebirth or to be born again and brings the ideas of the classical and the modern together into a cohesive type art.  The Renaissance is known for its reconstruction of the old classical way of thinking. Sandro Botticelli painted during the early Renaissance. This can be seen in his immaculate use of order and lines and drapery.   These three characteristics within the painting help to define the painting as early Renaissance, but also manipulate the viewer’s eyes to be drawn to certain areas in the painting. Botticelli uses many techniques to enhance the meaning in his paintings.  In his painting of the Annunciation he uses lines, emotions and body movements, and symbols to portray the image of God planting his seed in a woman on Earth. 

        

The first main attribute of the painting is the orthogonal lines that run along the floor using the tiles. These lines draw the attention of the eye towards the background of the painting out the small window behind the angel.  These lines contrast with the flowing of the drapery adding a contrast of harsh order to flowing beauty (Harness). The dramatic use of straight lines helps define the beauty and grace that is to be seen in the image of Mary and Gabriel.

Another aspect of the painting is the positioning of Gabriel and Mary. This interpretation of the Annunciation is interesting because Mary looks to be rejecting Gabriel and his message and Gabriel seems to be begging Mary to accept God’s will (Harness). Mary’s body is drawing away from Gabriel while her hand is stretched out towards him as if to protect herself from him. As Mary is pushing Gabriel away he is begging her to take on the holy position of carrying the Lord. His body is hunched and leaning forward. Gabriel looks pained over Mary’s reaction. As a viewer it seems that Botticelli is trying to capture the moment when Gabriel says “Do not be afraid!” Mary is scared of Gabriel and the beauty of the angel. Gabriel’s hand is stretch out and is hesitantly pushing forward while also drawing back. His body is bent in reverence towards the one who will carry the holy seed of God.

Botticelli uses many symbols within his paintings. The angel Gabriel is holding a Lily with three buds. Each bud is to represents a part of the trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In many Renaissance paintings the artist will leave the bud closed to represent the coming of Christ, but Botticelli chooses to have the bud open. Another symbol within this painting is the tree in the middle of the window outside. This is the tree of life, showing that life is born. 

Botticelli is one of the most well known painters in the Renaissance and his paintings are well known all around the world for their vibrant color, symbolism and deep emotion. His painting of the Annunciation is one that shows the beauty of color. This painting combines all of the Renaissance ideas into a painting that depicts the religious story of Christ’s seed taking seed in Mary’s womb.

Bibliography:

"Sandro Botticelli." NNDB: Tracking the Entire World. Web. 05 Dec. 2011. <http://www.nndb.com/people/734/000084482/>.

"Early Renaissance - Early Renaissance Art." Oil Paintings Reproduction - Canvas Oil Painting Reproductions For Sale. Web. 05 Dec. 2011. <http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/renaissance/earlyrenaiss.htm>.

The Transfiguration

Period: 
1480-1548

Artist: Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo

Room: 
34- Veronese Room; 
Uffizi Gallery

Medium: Oil on Wood

Dimensions: 139x126 

Originally in the Del Sera Collection in Venice; at the Uffizi since 1798. The Transfiguration painted by Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo is located in the Veronese room (34) within the Uffice Gallery in Florence, Italy. It was originally located in the del Sera collection in Venice, but was moved to the Uffice Gallery in 1798. The Transfiguration is oil on wood. The painting is 139cm by 126cm and is a depiction of a New Testament theme from the Christian Bible.

Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo was an Italian mannerism painter during the high Renaissance. He was born in 1480 in the town of Brescia where he grew up. Most of his work was done in Venice, but some of his work was also recorded in Milan and Parma. He was recorded entering a painters guild in Venice in 1508 and was heavily influenced by Venetian art. We can see that he might have been influenced by artists such as Titian and Lorenzo Lotto. This can be seen in his use of vibrant colors and expressive textures throughout his works. He also uses a nice balance of light and dark within his painting helping the viewers find the important images on the page.

He is mostly known for his night painting, but has also painted portraits of men and women. For example, in 1515 he painted a portrait of a clad warrior. A great many of his painting are religious in nature. He has painted New Testament images as well as images of the saints. In 1533 he is recorded having painted an altar piece for the church of St. Domenico in modern day Milan. His most well known painting that plays with the contrast of light and dark is the painting of “Mary Magdalene Approaching the Sepulchre”. Savoldo’s Tranfiguration also does a wonderful job of showing the contrast of light and dark as well. Christ within the painting is the brightest part of the painting while it fades and gets darker as it moves away from Christ.  He used Mannerism and Realism to depict the accurate psychological portrayal of the people within the painting (termartors).

Some sources say that he studied at the Medici’s academy in Florence.  There is not much known about this artist, as much of his life is not documented. “Pietro Aretina described Savoldo as ‘decrepit’ in 1548 which after he was never heard from again”(termartors). While they don’t know his exact date of death, the art world seems to suspect he died in 1548 after there were no more records of paintings and he became a mystery.

There is no guarantee to the inspiration of his paintings, but we can see that many of his techniques were similar to other painters of the High Renaissance. His use of vibrant color and contrast makes his paintings wonderful to view. He uses a religious painting and captures the emotion which causes a connection to be made between the painting and the observer. His paintings are “lyrical” and hold life within the brush strokes. Savoldo, while not an extremely famous painter  was created to inspire other amazing painters to come after him, Correggio for example being one of them. He was truly a one hit wonder in the high Renaissance of painting.

Bibliography

"Transfiguration - Savoldo, Giovanni Girolamo - Renaissance (High Italian, "Cinquecento") - Oil on Wood - New Testament - TerminArtors." Welcome to the World's Largest Artist, Artwork and Museum Database! - TerminArtors. Web. 05 Dec. 2011. <http://www.terminartors.com/artworkprofile/Savoldo_Giovanni_Girolamo-Transfiguration>.

"Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo ~ Biography." Virtual Uffizi Gallery. Uffizi Gallery. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. <http://www.virtualuffizi.com/biography/Giovanni-Girolamo-Savoldo.htmGiovanni%20Girolamo%20Savoldo>.