group39-blog

[group39-blog]

Scenes of the Garden of Eden

Unknown, stained glass with leading, ca. 1450

This is a stained glass piece from the Virginia Museum of Fine arts. It’s four panels depict a scene of Temptation and Expulsion from paradise. During the late medieval/early Renaissance, many artists belonged to guilds, and patronage from wealthy patrons (such as the church) was common.  Stained glass was often used to explain biblical passages to those who were illiterate. The idea of Paradise was very real to the patron of this piece (being the church) and this shows the power the church had in convincing others of a paradise. Here, paradise is shown as Eden, however the Church also taught it’s followers about heaven. This piece says a lot about the beliefs of the patrons, and since personal artist expression wasn’t quite a thing yet, it’s hard to know how the artist felt about such a subject. However since this piece is pre-protestant reformation, their belief did not stray far from that of the church. 

Source ( “Scenes of the Garden of Eden (Primary Title) - (68.9.6.1-4).” Virginia Museum of Fine Arts |, www.vmfa.museum/piction/7898249-174319855/.)

[group39-blog]

Expulsion From Paradise

Albrecht Durer, woodcut print, 1510

This woodcut by Durer, Adam and Eve are forced out of the garden of Eden. This takes place after the original sin, since the snake has disappeared. Durer worked for the Emperors of the holy roman Empire, and produced many other religious themed paintings. Influenced by the renaissance, he took an interest in studying human anatomy, and took an almost scientific approach to illustrating his figures and subject matter. Here, instead of focusing on the moral aspect of the expulsion from paradise, Durer focuses on the anatomy of this figures. At this time, the Renaissance had brought new learning, and although people were still religious, they began to realize there was more to the world than just religious belief. We see this work as evidence that Durer was more interested in using the ideas of paradise as a subject matter for his figures instead of trying to spread moral/religious ideas. We see a change here because paradise in this piece is appreciated more for its artistic value instead of a moral one.

Source: (Gardner, Helen, et al. Gardners Art through the Ages: Art through the Ages. Thomson/Wadsworth, 2005.)

[group39-blog]

Adam and Eve Driven out of Eden 

Gustave Dore, wood engraving print, 1885 

Gustave Dore depicts the banishment of Adam and Eve from the paradise of the Garden in 1865. Their exile by an angel is the result of their execution of their willpower which has caused them great strife and ultimately claimed as the first sin of man. Dore originally engraved this for a new addition of the epic poem, Paradise Lost by John Milton(1667). At this point, the idea of Paradise and the fall of man seems to have been reduced to the idea of a story instead of a religious belief. This print is comparable to the one by Durer. In contrast to the previous works however, Dore seemed to put emphasis back into the actual setting of Eden instead of just focusing on the characters. Although this piece might seem like a literal representation of the bible, its true intentions were not necessary to pass on any morals, but instead to illustrate a story.
Source (“Gustave Doré: Adam and Eve Driven out of Eden.” ArtBible.info, www.artbible.info/art/large/482.html.)

[group39-blog]

Last Judgement 

Michelangelo, Fresco painting, 1536–1541 

The Last Judgement is a fresco behind the altar of the Sistine Chapel. Jesus sits in the upper center of a heavenly realm with Mary, and a crowd of saints. This portrays the Christian belief of Christ’s second coming with over 300 well articulated figures. Although the Catholic church still had a large amount of power over the artist, Michelangelo cared more about showing the anatomy of his figures and showing off his own skills than the church’s input. In a similar case to Durer, the Renaissance was a time when artists were more interested in depicting anatomy and idealistic proportions then they were in actually depicting the teachings and lessons of the bible, despite the patrons being the Vatican. This Fresco depicts more of a heavenly type realm, but that setting of heaven is completely overwhelmed by the figures. This might reflect the emerging ideas of humanism that take the focus away from the idea of heaven. Source: (Gardner, Helen, et al. Gardners Art through the Ages: Art through the Ages. Thomson/Wadsworth, 2005.)

[group39-blog]

Garden of Earthly delights 

Hieronymus Bosch, oil on panel, 1480-1505 


No one truly knows what this painting depicts. Our interpretation is that it depicts the treasures of earthly vices. The combination of the paradisaical scene and the consequences of paradise show the light and dark processes of the earthly realm. The chaotic nature of this scene only truly depicts the chaotic nature of life, the give and take, the ups and downs, heaven and hell, wealth and poverty, life and death. It’s difficult to know how Bosch truly felt about the ideas of heaven/paradise. In the left panel, the scene might suggest Adam and eve and/or some kind of creation similar to that in Genesis. This piece is an introduction into his ideas about Hell. Bosch took Paradise out of its biblical context and replaced it with a whimsical world. However, the moral lessons of sin and punishment remain more traditional. Here, is evidence of a progression in the ideas of paradise. “Progression” is used loosely because it’s not a literal representation of biblical Eden, but instead a moral concept.

Source: (Gardner, Helen, et al. Gardners Art through the Ages: Art through the Ages. Thomson/Wadsworth, 2005.)

[group39-blog]

Apotheosis of Hercules 

François Lemoyne, fresco, 1735 


The work done by Francois Lemoyne, the ceiling of the Salon d’Hercule, in 1735 showcases the incredible depth of the art of the time. The ceiling is also known as the Apotheosis of Hercules. The figures and atmospheric effects cause the viewer to sense that they are in the space of a heavenly presence they are gazing upon. This heavenly view is located in the Chateau de Versailles connecting the Royal Chapel with the grand apartment. It was commissioned by a Russian patron. The void space in the middle of the work is unusual, but the painting of architectural design is not. This is an example of form and function where it makes sense for the ceiling to be painted with a heavenly image as to mimic how it would be seen naturally as typical with the Rococo period. Most importantly though, this is not a Christian heaven, but a Roman one. This fresco narrates the climax of Hercules journey, and thus the heavenly appearance of this fresco becomes an element of that narration. Source (“The Apotheosis of Hercules - François Lemoyne - Google Arts & Culture.” Google, Google, artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-apotheosis-of-hercules/EgH96BPengfUIw?hl=en.)