Art & Authenticy

I’m not even going to pretend.  Michelanglo maybe is better known for his sculptures than his artwork, and maybe its true that he was young.  But the fact of the matter is, this painting disappointed me and certainly many others.

We are ignoring the fact that Michelanglo forgot a crucial step.

When I read the description of the side of the painting, which said that the subject was a patient Saint Anthony persevering through the constant harassment of demonic beings thus showing a patience that can only be labeled as divine.

What was missing was the energy dynamic, the sense of power and the emotions that should’ve been in the painting, which was clearly left out.

He just looks like he is suffering a 2 minute wait at a Starbucks to get a latte.  The demons look like they are 12 year olds begging their father for another ride in the Twirl-a-Whirl.  There is no anger, no hostility.  There’s nothing.

In fact, this painting feels extremely flat to me, like a page out of a coloring book.

It is a nice reminder that art evolved over time.  People are conditioned to look up at ancient works and commend on their brilliance and attention to detail to please a grumpy Arts Appreciation Professor who has their grades hostage.  We are SUPPOSED to like this kind of art.  We are SUPPOSED to believe that these pieces are superior to anything that could come out of the hands of modern artists.  We thought wrong.

It’s ideas like dynamicism in art that evolved over time.  The Egyptians surely didn’t believe in three-point, or even two-point perspective.  The artists of the Byzantine Empire weren’t aware of proper body proportions.  It’s the same reason why prehistoric cavemen knew nothing about color theory.

Yes, it’s nostalgic.  Yes it was monumental at the time.  It’s sad to know that this work of art has been technically surpassed by the patrons of DeviantArt.