Photo Essay 2 - Yale Center for British Art

I visited the Yale Center for British Art on June 30th and was very excited to see their collection of rare books and manuscripts. As an English and Humanities double major who plans on enrolling in a masters program in Library Information Science upon graduation, I hope to someday work digitally preserving such an outstanding collection of rare books and manuscripts. While I had planned on writing about this collection of rare books, and knew I would have to limit myself to a few selections, I didn't imagine it would be so difficult to choose my favorites!

The first work that grabbed my attention was William Caxton’s 1476 first printed edition of Chaucer’s Canterbury tales. I adore this work by Chaucer and it was thrilling to see a first edition in person. This edition is noted for being the first book printed in England by that country’s first printer. The precise lettering was decorated with small flourishes throughout the page and made me appreciate the simple beauty that can be found in the witten word. The image below is a page from the Wife of Bath’s tale.

Below is the second edition of Caxton’s Canterbury Tales which was issued in 1483. This edition includes 23 wood cuts. This illustrated page is also taken from the Wife of Bath’s tale.


The next work I was taken with was Helmingham’s Herbal and Bestiary, a picture book completed ca. 1500. This book contains beautifully detailed drawings of plants and animals illustrated in water color and red ink as can be seen in the images of both the dragon and griffon below. These animals are drawn in such a friendly and approachable way (the dragon looks positively cute and cuddly) that I’m led to think that this was a book that was often shown to children.

The next work that impressed me was Le Livere du Roy Modus et de la Royne Racio. This was considered the greatest medieval book on sport and was written by Henri de Ferreres. This is quite notable because at the time hunting played a huge role in the daily lives of people both for food and recreation. The copy below was made around 1420 and is beatufully written and illustrated in vivid watercolor. The figures are extremly realistic and very detailed so that the reader can easily understand the material that is being covered.

The 1486 copy of Le Livre du Roy Modus et de la Roynee Racio shown below was the first printed edition of the book. It contains fifty four beautifully detailed woodcuts. While I often prefer illustrations over woodcuts, in this printed version, the woodcuts' simplicity aids in the book's ability to clearly convey the various techniques it describes.
One of my passions is historical costume so, not surprisingly, I found myself drawn to and rather amused by the changeable portraits of Ladies and Gentleman (1819).

I also got a good laugh from Nikolas von Heideloff’s “Morning Dresses from Gallery of Fashion" (1797). These fashion plates were created with hand-colored aquaint and delicately depict the costume of the late eithteenth century. This particular page depicts two ladies showing off their day dresses in Hyde Park, "the place" to be seen at that time. It's also interesting to note that although the illustrations were drawn over 200 years ago, not much has changed since then. The fashion may be extremely different, but women still show off their style around the city regardless of the weather conditions!


One display I had been particularly eager to view was William Blake's illuminated poetry. I've long been taken with Blake's unique style and the way it portrays fluid motion, deep passion, and emotion. I own a book of his illuminated poetry which I flip through quite often, but seeing an original in person was a very moving experience. "Jerusalem: The Emanation of Giant Albion" (1804-30) which can be seen below, is a relief etching in watercolor, gold, pen, and ink. I love Blake’s unique style even when it is an image of a man being disemboweled!


Songs of Innocense and of Experience was completed in 1795. I love how the man in the painting on the left appears as though he has been disturbed. Blake's cover art for this compilation is stylized and colorful. His curved lines give a sense of calmness and serenity and the illustrations overflow with rich textures and vivid colors.

Photo Essay 1 - The Met

On June 23rd I visited the Metropolitian Museum of art in NYC. Even after spending the entire day there, I still felt as though I didn't see everything. The volume of breathtaking works of art made it difficult to pick favorites from, but I selected the works below because they were either completely foreign to me, piqued my curiosity or touched me personally.

The first painting I chose was Georga O'Keefe's 1906 oil on canvas, "Black Iris." This has always been my favorite Georga O'Keefe painting because of the beautiful coloring. been my favorite Georga O'Keefe painting because of the beautiful coloring. I love how the petals exhibit motion and texture while the shading and shadow add further depth to the painting.

I enjoyed the tribal colection from Africa and the Americas as I have never seen such a collection in person. I was particularly taken by the figure below from Mali (16th-20th century). His stance is actually a position of prayer and his body is ornamented with precice detail.

I am familiar with European Medieval art, but I had never seen anything like "Aquamanile in the Form of Aristotle and Phyllis." This copper aquamanile depicts the humuliation of Aristotle and is from the South Lowlands circa the late 14th century. I found the effect of this piece to be quite powerful because it was able to amuse and disturb me at the same time. I was captivated by the humorous detail that was put into this piece and immediately felt a connection with those who created it as well as with those it entertained. As a Humanities major focusing on European culture from the middle ages through the renaissance, I never cease to be amazed that while a thousand years has brough new technology and conveniences, but it hasn't altered the nature of the human being much at all. On the other hand, the fact that the subject of this piece is Aristotle reveals that no one is immune from ridicule.

I have been interested in fashion history for many years, and the oil on wood painting below (Maria Bortinari by Hans Memling 1470) has appeared in several cosutme books a an example of classic mid fifteenth century attire. I have always loved her ornate neckpiece as well as her headdress.

I was impressed by the stature of Perseus with the head of Medusa that was made in the 19th century by Antonio Canova in Rome. I find this statue to be very captivating because Perseus is appears so commanding. The observer truly believes that this man is capable of conquoring Medusa.I also find Medusa's head to be quite intreguing. Her face holds an unpleasant expressin while not contorting in an overdone fashion. It conveys the events without being too exaggerated.

I absolutely fell in love with these Veenctian doors ca 1575-1600 made of wood, ebony moldings and veneer, semiprecious stones, mother of pearl, partially guilded and painted. The infomational plaque mentioned that they may have been intedned for a palace. I love the role that Venice played as the meeting point between east and west, because of its location and trade, so I'm fascinated by the "hybrid of Eastern and Western motifs" desplayed in this piece. The geometric shapes are of Islamic inspiration while the moldings are classically Venetian.

I really enjoyed this peice "The Triumph of Henry IV" by Peter Paul Rubens done between 1627 and 1631. The painting is oil on wood and it has beautiful movement to it. The figures are very realisticly shaped and positioned, however Reubens style in this painting makes it appear as though they are coming out of a sketch. The less colorful exterior really helps to emphasize the central figures as well as to give it a sence of whirlwind motion.

Another painting I enjoyed seeing was "George Washington Crossing the Deleware". This 1851 oil on canvas by Emanuel Leutze is impressive by its sheer size alone. I've often seen this in history texts and the men struggling and the stoic look on Washington's face has always moved me.

As a English history buff I was struck by the portrait of Queen Victoria on her corrination painted by Thomas Sully in 1838. The oil on canvas painting really depicts her youthful innocence, and yet manages to capture her inner strength and serenity. I love the richness in the background color that brings out the youthful glow in her cheeks. I feel the painting captures the poise that the Queen possesed even at 18years old.

Paper 4 - Wadsworth Atheneum

On July 13th I visited the Wadsworth Atheneum. I had been looking forward to visiting this museum since the beginning of class because it houses some paintings that I love. I enjoyed the exhibit that showcased Connecticut artists, chuckled at Norman Rockwell’s “The Young Lady with the Shiner,” was transfixed by Monet’s “Water Lilies,” and felt serenity with Klimt’s “Two girls with Oleander.” The painting that continued to tug at me, however, was Winslow Homer’s “The Nooning.” Winslow Homer is known as one of the great American painters and is noted for his landscapes, marine paintings and watercolors. At the time when impressionism was at its peak, Homer’s work emphasized realism and objectivity. He began painting scenes from the US Civil war for Harper’s Weekly, after the war, he moved on to painting rural landscapes and, after moving to Maine in his later years, became a master of marine depictions, notably using watercolor. In “The Nooning”, Homer depicts a young boy reclining in the grass outside his farmhouse. This painting is oil on canvas and was painted in 1872, just seven years after the close of the US Civil War. At that time our country was still in the Reconstruction, dealing with the aftermath and upheaval of that war. Therefore, the country was nostalgic for the past, childhood and the peaceful times and images associated with it. This painting certainly had that effect on me and therefore captured a special place in my heart. It was the image of the young child lying in such a free and relaxing manner in fresh grass that recalled to my mind the lazy stretch of summer days between grades that would find me outdoors dawn till sunset. In fact, I specifically remember lying in the same exact position as the subject, inhaling the earth, and feeling the grass tickling my toes. Beyond even my own experiences, however, the painting evoked my hopes for my son’s vacation as I imagined him enjoying the same joy and freedom that I experienced at his age. Homer certainly was able to capture that feeling and imbue this piece of work with it. When I first approached this piece, my eyes were immediately drawn to the figure in the center of the painting. I loved how his face is not defined, but one can detect the smile on his face. I found that to be the way in which the artist was letting the observer know that child could be any one of us. The painting has an almost triangular shape to me as my eyes are drawn initially to the boy’s hat and further upward to the skyline. This creates a triangle with the boy’s body being the base. Additionally the boy’s body does form a diagonal, horizontal line across the painting which is mimicked by the grass/bush line to the right as well as the same directional line of the mountain in the background. Homer balanced out the painting with a tree and a house on the left and right, although the objects all appear clearly on the left whereas the right is mainly comprised of foliage with the house in the background. He also balanced the red flairs, on the left (brick wall), one in the center (chimney) and one to the far right (robin). The painting itself is somewhat muted, as the greens are deep and rich, and the sunlight only peeps through the trees onto the hat and shirt of the boy. The main colors in the painting are green (foliage), white (house and boy) and red (highlights – brick wall, 2 chimneys). This has a soothing quality and adds to the nostalgic feel of the painting. The left portion of the painting is predominantly filled with the white farmhouse, large tree, and small brick garden. There is also a rust colored case of some sort resting against the house. This farmhouse is very plainly depicted, as realistic as possible. In fact, it reminds me of a farmhouse that still stands on the end of the street where I grew up. The siding of the house isn’t perfectly straight, nor is it perfectly white, but it is perfectly authentic. I enjoyed the touch of the brick garden and container resting against the house. This helps to give the scene life and the feeling that the house is in use. The center of the painting contains more of the farmhouse as well as the main body of the central figure. Behind the house the observer can see that there is a mountain. This gives more depth to the landscape and the painting itself. The detail of the boy’s face cannot be seen, but his expression is one of joy and relaxation. Sunlight beams down on his straw hat and brightens his white billowy top, giving him a warm, contented look. He is barefoot and the longish grass surrounds him in waves and looks inviting. Grass, trees and foliage are the prime focus of the right side of the painting. Infect, it is so dense it nearly hides a second white farm house.

Paper 3 - Yale University Art Gallery

On June 28th I visited the Yale Art Gallery forgetting that the “Indiana Jones” movie set was up and filming was taking place! The gallery was well worth waiting in the traffic, negotiating the detour, and walking from behind the dorms! I was impressed with their large impressionist collection as well as their modern art collection and I was pleased to see a Holbein in person as opposed to in a history or text book! I was struck by Francesco Furini’s haunting painting “Artemisia Prepares to Drink the Ashes of her Husband, Mausolus,” and awed by Guido da Siena’s 1260 altarpiece “The Crucifixion.” The one piece that I kept coming back to however, was “Virgin and Child with Saint Anne” 1495-1500. This painting was not credited to one artist, but rather to the Haarlem School. I have always been fascinated with the Renaissance and its effect on European culture, but I have typically gravitated toward art of the Italian Renaissance (of course, the greats: Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli and Da Vinci) and am not well versed in the art of the Northern Renaissance (with the exception of English art). Additionally, last semester I took the course “Renaissance and Reformation” and we spent one week on Renaissance art and I developed a desire to learn more about northern Renaissance art and was hoping to get to do so through this class. Although I’m more familiar with Italian renaissance art, as a historical fashion buff I have seen a variety of paintings from the era and have always liked Van Eyck’s work “The Arnolfini Wedding.” I was lucky enough to see it in person in London’s National Gallery two years ago and standing in front of “The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne” brought back some of the feelings I experienced in London. Although it was painted about sixty years after the “Arnolfini Wedding” it had a similar feel (especially in its coloring and style) and this kept brining me back to study it further.

“The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne” is an example of early Netherlandish (or early Renaissance) painting. This type of painting was being done during the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries and formed the bridge from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Tempera was being abandoned in favor of oil painting. This painting is no exception, as it is oil on panel. I found this to be quite different visually than oil on canvas because it gives the painting has a smoother finish overall. The brush strokes are all that bring texture to the painting, whereas to me, oil on canvas gives a painting a thicker feel. While religious figures still dominated paintings, artwork became more narrative and landscapes and scenes from everyday life were seen more frequently. While this painting is clearly religious, had it not been for its title, I would not have given it any religious significance in my mind. Landscape figures prominently, and the figures appear to be going about their daily business of work and relaxation. Only on a closer study does one notice that one of the figures in the background is actually an angel. This is quite a departure of medieval art where religious paintings were predominantly for instructional purposes and depicted religious figures clearly as such (halos, robes thrones, etc.) Even the Italian renaissance painters depicted religious figures as robed, on clouds or in other traditional surroundings, and/or with halos.

I found this painting to be very aesthetically pleasing in its use of vivid, rich colors as well as the beauty and fullness of the scenery. What stood out the most to me was the central figure’s green dress and its folds.

This visual kept bringing me back to Giovanna Arnolfini’s dress in Van Eyck’s “Arnolfini Marriage” but I truly found the background to be much more stimulating than in Van Eyck’s painting. The artist did a superb job of layering three dimensional elements into his landscape and adding interesting details to the painting which gave it the feel of a candid photograph. So much so I wished I could enter the painting myself, explore the grounds and enjoy the lovely day.

The very back of the painting depicts hills and a mountain range in the far off distance. It is painted in blue which emphasizes its distance and evokes a feeling of mysticism. Directly in front of the hills rises a walled city that houses interestingly shaped, colorful buildings that made me wonder what went on there and if it was based on a real city or just one in the artist’s imagination. In front of the city, lush green grass on rolling terrain house sheep and their shepherds who are watching over them. In front of them, an angel is speaking to an earnest man who is on his knees. In front of the wall to the city a couple is engaging in conversation. Each of these figures is animated both in their body movements and facial expressions as well as depicted so naturally it really gives you a feeling that you are catching them in mid conversation. Trees on either side are exquisitely detailed to the point of seeing individual leaves. In front of them to the left there is more interesting architecture, and a pair of men. To the right is a lovely and delicate river or pond and a peacock is perched to the right.

In the extreme forefront of the painting the central characters sit, with their garments folded naturally around them. They are the largest figures and draw appropriate attention, but they fit in seamlessly with the events and scenery in the painting. Saint Anne, is actually the focal point of this painting. She is in the process of picking a rose, perhaps taking a pause from reading the beautifully illuminated book resting on her lap. Her head is covered in a cloth that is folded quite elegantly and naturally, as is her dress. The Christ Child is happily seated on his mother’s lap and is playing with what appears to be a rattle and his mother’s sleeve! I found that to be quite touching and realistic. St. Anne, the Virgin and the Christ child all have serene and pleasant expressions on their faces, which is quite enchanting and irresistible. Even the peacock is turning to look at them! The grass surrounding them is also detailed quite exquisitely. You can see the various shaped weeds and individual blades of grass quite clearly. This helps to contribute to the realism of the painting and give the entire painting the feel as though it was a snapshot of daily life.