FAS-202 – Module 3 Short Discussion
I am needing a 2 paragraph post written over the following:
Choose a Romantic work of art that depicts Revolution/war (or anything related to it). Utilize the vocabulary you are learning in this module to examine the work’s formal qualities. Once you have completed your examination, discuss the following: How do the formal qualities convey mood/tone/emotion? How are you (the viewer) encouraged to feel about this depiction and its participants (e.g. are you encouraged to take sides, be impartial, feel pity for/anger towards anyone)?
Then you will need to reply to the two peer posts below as if you were speaking to the writer directly. The peer responses will be due in 2 days. You will need to address the following:
In response to peers’ posts, choose a Realist work from this week’s module that also depicts Revolution/war (or anything related to it). Compare how the formal qualities in this work convey a different mood/tone than in your peers’ Romantic work. Consider the following questions: Are you able to connect with the figures in one work more than in the other (e.g. through eye contact, proximity to viewer, etc.)? Do you feel more strongly about one than the other (angry/sad/shocked/hopeful/hopeless)? The idea here is to start a discussion about the various ways that Revolution/war is portrayed in Romantic and Realist art respectively through formal qualities.
1) Stephanie Bendinelli
Eugene Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People is a stunning example of Romantic art that depicts the stirring of the French Revolution. The first aspect of this painting I noticed is its bold colors. These colors are clearly shown in the flag Liberty is holding up and in the night sky behind her. Red, white, and blue colors are seen in the flag and in the sky but also in the clothes of the soldiers underneath her. The use of rough brushstrokes brings about the texture of the work. Artble.com mentions the strategic use of light around Liberty’s head. The article says, “To illuminate the heroine, a halo from the smoke of the cannons and the sunlight forms around Liberty’s head emphasizing her power.” (2017)
More than anything, this painting depicts power. Liberty’s strong stance inspires the power of the people behind her. This work encourages the everyday person to take a stance. Not only are the Parisians behind her powerful, they are united. Liberty Leading the People is also full of emotion. The soldiers lying dead beneath her feet show that liberty and victory come at a cost. The tone and mood of the work are solemn and inspiring. It stirs emotion as well as excitement in the viewer. It pushes the viewer to want to be a part of something important. The viewer is definitely encouraged to take a side as well as take action.
Works Cited:
“July 28: Liberty Leading the People Analysis.” Artble. 07 May 2015. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.
