Category Archives: Responses

Monday 9/10/12 – Mona Lisa & Nighthawks

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During Monday’s class, we discussed Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks. While analyzing the Mona Lisa, we paid a good amount of attention to the background of the painting. Now, I’d seen the painting hundreds of times before, but I don’t think I’d ever really taken the time to really notice what was going on in the background. All I’d ever paid attention to was Mona Lisa herself, as she is the subject of the painting.  Admittedly, I’m no artist, and I’ve always known that it takes talent to be able to draw or paint something well, but at first glance, the Mona Lisa just seems so simple. However, after really looking at the background of the painting, I started to truly appreciate the masterful work Da Vinci did. It’s so intricate; it actually made me think. What’s back there? A few things were pointed out in class: there is a bridge on the right side and there is a forest along the river behind her. It seems like there may be an island behind her. But for all the intricacies and complexities of the background, Da Vinci seems to have left the foreground, Mona Lisa herself, rather simple. And in many ways, she is. Her clothing is dark, not a swirl of colors like the top half of the painting seems to be. Her hair seems neat and orderly. But the real intrigue of this painting, I think, is the expression she’s wearing. I can’t really tell what that expression is. Her mouth is slightly curved upwards, giving the impression of a smile. So is she amused? One might think so, but then after looking at her eyes, it becomes a mystery. She looks rather serious, if you cut off the bottom half of her face.

We moved on to Nighthawks after analyzing the Mona Lisa, and once again, we were greeted with a simple picture. But after thinking about it, there is even more mystery. Why is the street so empty? Who are these people and where are they coming from? Why is there one man sitting alone and are the man and woman who are together in a relationship or not? So many questions are raised right at the first glance. One thought I had about this painting had to do with the title – Nighthawks. If you look closely, you see that the man who is alone is seemingly staring at the “couple” who are sitting at the bar. Is he a nighthawk? Maybe the message Hopper was trying to get across was that at night, we are constantly being watched by “nighthawks.”

What I really took away from the class was that art can really make you think. Something may seem simple at first glance, but if you really take the time to truly analyze art, you may find complex things – things that provoke thought.

 

Edward Hopper’s style

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In this class session we discussed a particularly interesting topic found in Ways of Seeing, and that is the image of Men vs. Women. We determined from looking at a picture of Robert de Niro, that a man is capable, and always has been, of presenting himself in whichever way he chooses to the public without facing harsh judgement or discrimination. De Niro looked scruffy and tough, with slightly disheveled hair, and attire more on the casual side although he was attending an important event. Despite his appearance, no one mistook him for a sloppy man or a bum, because of his status in society. However, a woman celebrity would not slide by unnoticed had she not been looking the best she could at an important public event. This is an example of the prejudice society holds and the its difference in judgement towards men and women. We then discussed style and what it means to have style as an artist. Style in art often represents what is useful and popular in a time period. On a more personal level, style acts as a reflection of personality. Edward Hopper has a particular style that I greatly enjoy. I view his style to be centered on America and her values, tradition and culture. He painted many pictures while America was at war, and its people in unity, and also during periods of immigration. In this era many people came to America in search of the American dream, and cities were overflowing with middle to low class workers. This is possible inspiration for many paintings including “Nighthawks”. In his painting “American Landscape”, he captures an image of an American farm very well. It is most likely located in middle, rural America. The work has a dreary tone to it, as it lacks color and is overcast with lots of black, possibly to say he is not very fond of farm life. What is incredible about the picture is its timelessness. There is no telling when the image was created, because the same scenery could exist today. The painting “New York Interior” does a fantastic job capturing the essence of a classic city home. I imagine the girl in the work to be a dancer based on her muscularity. It is possible she just returned home from a long night of work representing the theme of the working woman, which can also be seen in Nighthawks. Edward Hopper’s style is centered around realism and America and its people. I think he is a strong supporter of the working class since he himself belonged to it for a period of time, and he embodies that support in his work.

Mona Lisa and Nighthawks

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In class on Monday we observed and discussed two paintings; the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci and Nighthawks by Edward Hopper. Nighthawks reached out to me in a peculiar way. At a glance it appears to be a snapshot of an ordinary diner or bar, but it tells a deeper story. It tells one of struggle, exhaustion, and loneliness, yet radiates  a sense of comfort and companionship in the lonely night. The painting is set in a dark deserted street with four characters. Each one has their obvious differences but also overwhelming similarities. They all seem strung out, particularly the man sitting alone and the bartender. The bartender appears to have been working for years behind that counter, and is used to spending time with lonely souls such the single man. They probably stopped in for a bite to eat and some coffee after a grueling day of work. The picture represents an American theme to me. That theme is the struggle of the working class to make a living in the city. The image shows these working class people taking an opportunity to relax, even at odd hours of the night. I believe the painting is titled “Nighthawks” because of the characters who are seizing the night, compared to a hawk that seizes its prey. Mona Lisa is a very interesting painting. I was never too impressed by it until this year, when we began to look deeper into art, beginning with our night at the museum, through Ways of Seeing, and in this class. It is a puzzling work of art to say the least. From the woman’s subtle facial expressions and piercing gaze, to the extravagant landscape in the background. The background is very appealing to me. It is a natural environment which appears to be a river surrounded by mountain ranges and a quarry. The woman’s eyes are the focal point of the picture which stare right back at you. It is the first thing you notice and I find it incredible in the way the artist captured such realism. The portrait holds a mysterious essence that is difficult to pinpoint, given its normality.

Wednesday – Edward Hopper’s Style

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In class on Wednesday, we first discussed the idea of gaze. By definition, it means to be looking at something and thinking about it. For example, the Mona Lisa knows someone is looking at it because the eyes are gazing at us, the spectators. I think the smirk indicates that the gaze is reciprocated. The whole notion of gaze becomes one with the painting. Shortly after discussing that, Professor Kahan brought up the connection between Ways of Seeing, with how one views various pictures and other forms of artwork. We first took a look at a picture resembling Robert De Niro, and how we collectively ascribe power to him because just of the man he is. But, if all of his physical attributes such as: messy hair and scraggly beard were attached to someone other than Robert De Niro; we would most definitely think of that person in a negative manner. The other piece of artwork we stumbled on in relation to gaze was the, Mona Lisa. From what I can see, her face is smooth, her hair is done with curls, and her dress looks like its made of silk, which represents her stature in society. In connection with the picture of Mr. De Niro, women always have to look presentable and they can’t do what Robert does appearance wise, without getting judged significantly. The next order of business was depicting Edward Hopper’s style in his twelve paintings. Style, in relation to fashion, identifies the time period it’s in and what was useful during that particular period. For example, in the Fall 2012 collection, a good portion of various clothing lines represent the military, because it’s a way of showing solidarity, and it epitomizes what exactly is going on in this span of time. I think Edward Hopper’s style has a definite duality, in the way that it pertains to both the past as well as the present. This is seen quite lucidly in his various works of art. In the first painting, American Landscape, a house is placed in the middle of a farm. Some elements that make it look frightening are the size of the cows in relation to the house, the dimensions are flattened out, and it looks as if this particular house is in the middle of nowhere. The way it is painted, doesn’t allow me to see the bottom of it because it is below the train tracks. This artwork looks like it is part of the United States and can represent early America as well as present day. This idea flows coherently in Mr. Hopper’s style because all his paintings are universal and timeless. In his next painting, New York Interior there is a fireplace and painting in the picture, which can clearly relate to the early 1900s and the 21st century. The clock on the mantel, the ridges in the wood, and the columns are all decorative tools used to depict his style as it relates to classicism. I think, the woman in the painting is probably a dancer or maybe works in a dance hall. The clothes she is wearing leads me to conceive the notion that she could be a ballerina or a wealthy woman who just came back from a ball, and is taking off her heals and massaging her exhausted feet. In the third painting by Edward Hopper, Night Shadows a cartoonish image immediately pops into my head when I first laid my eyes on it. Therefore, from the start, the style embodies a present day take on cartoon shows. It looks as if the person is in a hurry due to his abnormally large strides and the tall lamppost causing a shadow. I think these entire paintings have another side to Edward Hopper’s style, which happens to be the mysterious factor. In American Landscape, New York Interior, and Night Shadows there are many elements in the painting that enable me to formulate questions in my head consisting of: how, why, and what is trying to be actually depicted. Therefore, I presume that the artist’s style exemplifies the duality of the past and present (universality), and the enigmatic side, in relation to the three works of art described.

Stephanie Solanki, Seminar 9/10/12

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Today in class we looked at the Mona Lisa. We actually gazed at the Mona Lisa and the background. We said in class how it looks like a desert, and a scary forest. I thought it looked like a mix of different landscapes, which adds to the fact that the painting is so dynamic and deep. Most people in the class saw different things, and very seldom were too opinions exactly alike. I think that is the allure of the class, that we can all experience art in New York but we all experience it in different ways. I think it’s interesting that the the background is so complex, yet I haven’t noticed it since before looking at it in class.

I think it’s interesting and very telling of the time period that Mona Lisa is painted with perfect skin, hair, and clothing. I think that maybe this woman was a patron of Da Vinci’s, so he was forced to idealize her. This also shows that the Renaissance woman was ideal and perfect.

It’s interesting that this painting is part of the “Big Three” most famous paintings. I like that it’s so simple at first glance, but one I start gazing at it I see so much more. I notice the oval patterns in the painting, and I now see a connection with the “Last Supper” in which Da Vinci painted many triangles.

This same principle applies with Nighthawks by Edward Hopper. I learned how to see patterns in paintings like the rectangles on the building in the back, and the rectangular shape of the diner itself. I now see the language of painting, that there are patterns and different ways of expressing an idea.

A connection I thought of between the two paintings is the use of light. The background in the “Mona Lisa” is darker than her face and skin, which is done on purpose to draw attention to the face. The same thing is done in “Nighthawks” with the woman in red, because the painting is done so that it seems that the lighting fixture is directly on top of her. It really works to grab attention and make that portion of the painting stand out more.

Edward Hopper’s Style: 9/12/12

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In today’s Seminar class, we first discussed the argument Men vs. Women, in relation to how they are viewed in society and the different standards men and women are held to.  Men seem to be given much more leniency when observing their appearance, especially if the person in question is seen in a certain light and has a title or persona attached to him or her.  Take Robert DeNiro as an example.  We viewed a photo of him at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival and I noticed aspects of his appearance that I had never really taken note of before.  His face showed signs of aging, his hair was long and wavy, and while he was dressed presentably, he didn’t appear to be overly dressed for the event.  In our society, because he is a celebrity, and this is his style, it is acceptable for him to be seen in public in this manner.  A woman who appeared in public in a similar fashion would not be respected in the same way and would most likely be frowned upon.  I had never thought about appearance in such detail before, but after examining Robert DeNiro and The Mona Lisa (which are obviously two totally separate ends of the spectrum), I realized that it is much more socially acceptable for a man to be seen in a style such as Robert DeNiro’s, whereas a woman, whether in the age of Mona Lisa or today, is always expected to be in her best attire and looking more than simply presentable.

This subject of style was then related to artists, most specifically to the artist Edward Hopper.  We looked at 12 of Edward Hopper’s paintings that are on display at the Whitney Museum of American Art.  Many of Hopper’s paintings are realistic and universal, relatable at many different levels of society.  The first painting we looked at, American Landscape, depicted a house in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by farm animals and grass.  Such a scene is not unlikely to find in America, even today.  It was probably more common in the 1900’s, but in certain areas of the country today, you could still find abandoned-looking houses, surrounded by forest, wheat, and animals, and it is a common way of life for some people.  In his 1921 painting, New York Interior, we saw a young girl, most likely a ballerina, sitting in her bedroom, possibly sewing a piece of clothing.  The bedroom consisted of a bed, painting, door, and a fireplace.  Most of us noticed the fireplace right away, and commented on the fact that it is not uncommon to find a fireplace in people’s houses, even today.  The fireplace appeared to be classic, and very in touch with the scene.  There was nothing very out of the ordinary about the painting, and it depicted easy identifiable objects and actions.  One of the final paintings that we discussed in detail was Hopper’s painting, Self Portrait,1925-1930. This painting depicted a man, dressed casually yet presentably, with a look on his face that seemed to express puzzlement or curiosity.  He was alone, looking at something that was not shown in the painting, off to the side.  His mannerisms and appearance was similar to that of Robert DeNiro, which we had discussed earlier in the class.  His clothing was slightly wrinkled, and he seemed to give off the persona that he was “just another guy, like everybody else.” The analysis of this painting brought us back to the original question of, “What is Edward Hopper’s style?”

I think Hopper’s style has very much to do with realism and everyday life.  Even in Hopper’s other paintings that we observed, Night Shadows, East Side Interior, Early Sunday Morning, and Seven AM, I think there are aspects in each of those paintings that people can relate to.  For example, in Night Shadows, anybody walking down a deserted street late at night will most likely be walking briskly and quietly, just hoping to make it from Point A to Point B safely and without any disruptions.  Hopper’s style seems to be about creating depictions that are universal, that can be easily seen and related to during any time period and in any location.   I really enjoyed looking at and analyzing Hopper’s paintings and choosing the realistic and common aspects that could be found in each of them, things I could relate to and understand.  I think looking at his art and analyzing it helps to give me a deeper appreciation for artists and the time they put in to creating their own unique works of art.

Seminar 9/10

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Today, we took time to analyze the background of Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, and Hopper’s Nighthawk. Normally I do not analyze an entire painting. When I see a piece of artwork, my eyes skim the surface of it, and I move on. Today I learned that if you take time to look at a painting and analyze it, you begin to see many hidden meanings in the painting, and it becomes more complex. I also learned that when you look at a painting closely, you can also create a story from a painting.
So today it was interesting to look at art in a different way. I saw that in both of the paintings, there are many levels of complexity, and it is up to us as the viewers, to try and put ourselves in the mind of the artist and figure out different aspects of the painting. Some of these aspects are easy to decipher, while others are more difficult. For example, a simple aspect of Da Vinci’s work would be the river in the background. The river was painted there to bring the viewer’s attention to Mona Lisa’s eyes. When you look at her eyes, you find a more complex aspect of Da Vinci’s work to decipher because her eyes convey many different expressions.
In Hopper’s work, there are fewer complexes than Da Vinci’s work, and you can create more of a story from this work. The different emotions that you get from each of the people in the work, allows you to create a story out of it. For example, you get a sense of loneliness from the man that is separated from the rest of the people. Hopper sort of painted him into the darkness of the background, so he has a depressed feeling about him as well. Maybe he lost his job. Maybe he had a fight with his wife. Who knows? The story of the man is left open and for us to decide. The second man, and the bartender, seem to be deeply immersed in conversation and could be conversing about an important topic, since the painting was made in 1942, it could something about the war that is going on. We don’t know for sure, but that is the interesting part in analyzing an artwork like this, and the artist keeps us guessing.

Monday September 10, 2012 – Mona Lisa & Nighthawk

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After reading “Ways of Seeing,” by John Berger, my entire outlook of the world around me was altered significantly. Not only did my immediate perception about the way I analyze and interpret different things change; but also, more importantly the way I saw my future and all it encompasses was drastically modified. For example, in our Monday class, we interpreted the Mona Lisaby Leonardo Da Vinci. At first glance, it seemed to me as if the subject painted and the background contrasted greatly. This is because the colors and shades used didn’t exactly flow coherently with one another. However, I quickly began to look at the particular painting as a whole, instead of critiquing minuscule fragments of the artwork.  Therefore, there is deceptiveness when comparing the complexity and simplicity in both the person and the background because they do embody characteristics of being plain as well as being quite arduous to fully comprehend. The focal point in this piece of work is her eyes, which divides the background. It left me quite puzzled as to what occupies the space next to her left shoulder. Personally, I perceive it as a miniature cliff of some kind and the river flows around it connecting the line back to her eyes. By doing this, it makes the subject’s eyes even feel more central. It’s ironic how the background of the painting is as mysterious as the person herself. The audience is quite befuddled when asked the question if she is smirking, frowning, or even smiling. However, something clearly that I noticed was the common geometric shape which happened to be an oval. For example, her body, her eyes, her hand shape, and even the shapes below the bridge all epitomize an oval.  Akin to all magnificent works of art, music, and dance a formula must be followed and once the foundation is laid, imagination must take over, expanding one’s horizon. The Mona Lisa is a clear-cut example in which at first glance, it seems quite prosaic and dull; but when I delved deeper into it, I formulated various conclusions, assumptions, and contrasting ideas concerning the background and the subject painted.  The next artwork we looked at was Nighthawk by Edward Hopper. Contrasting greatly from the Mona Lisa, the overall geometric shape present was a rectangle. The idea of the difference between light and dark, I believe was the foundation for painting this piece of artwork. The reason I feel that way is because the light that was beaming on the middle-aged woman made her look quite unappealing and clownish due to the heavy eye makeup and bright red lipstick. This tells me, as the interpreter, that maybe the artist wanted to assign a negative light on women during this time. Clearly, the men portrayed represent a positive persona, in which they are conversing with each other and epitomize a mysterious side to them. All in all, after reading Mr. Berger’s book, the way I see and think is like never before. I begin to make connections I never thought of before, which definitely will benefit me later on in life.

Seminar Class 09/10/12

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Yesterday’s seminar class was spent discussing two famous paintings. The first painting that the class analyzed was The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. The Mona Lisa probably the most known painting in art history. Almost anyone could look at the painting and automatically distinguish which one it is. I was always a fan of The Mona Lisa and yesterday’s class helped me realize and analyze the true beauty of the full painting. When I  used to look a the painting I never payed any attention to the background of the painting. To be honest, I never even knew there was a background to the painting. When the class discussed the background of the picture, we all noticed that there were two different types of scenery. The background towards the top of the painting included a river and forestry while the background towards the bottom of the page seemed almost desert-like as if a wildfire had occurred. We also discussed the complexity of her facial expression. Her eyes look very serious while she has a slight smirk on her face as well. Her eyes, however, are the true focal point of the painting and are usually the first things a person looks at while viewing this famous painting. As a result of analyzing both the woman and the background, the class agreed that the background is just as mysterious as the subject.

We also looked at the painting Nighthawks by Edward Hopper. This painting was created in 1942 and seemed as if it took place in a bar in New York City. It shows three regular customers and the man who works behind the bar. There is one man alone while the other is sitting with the only woman as if they were a couple. Unlike The Mona Lisa, Nighthawks is easily identified as an American painting. Just by looking at the style of clothing and the decor of the bar, many can people can tell that this painting is based off of American culture. In reality, this painting symbolizes the typical American trying to achieve the American dream. The people in the painting seem to be at the bar late at night after a long day of work and providing for their family.

Even though i enjoyed discussing both of these paintings, my favorite of the two was The Mona Lisa. Analyzing this painting in class truly opened my eyes to the full meaning of the painting. Before this class, I always thought of this painting to be simple. Now I realize that it is very complex ad difficult to analyze.

Mona Lisa and NightHawks

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Due to all the math and science I have to sit through in college, schoolwork tends to be monotonous at times.  However, there are two classes that I really look forward to, one being “Intro to Film.”  This class is longer than any other class I have but it never feels that way.  The lectures are interesting and the professor is young and socially connected with her students.  The second class is “The Arts of New York,” simply because it never feels like the typical college class.

The most recent class was about the way people see art, literally and metaphorically.  We started off with the Mona Lisa, Leonardo Da Vinci’s masterpiece.  There were many interesting thoughts thrown around about the painting, especially about the background of the painting.  I never noticed until then that the background consisted of a river, a desert and even a bridge.  The fact that I never even thought about the background shows how much I have to improve the way I examine art.

Speaking of the Mona Lisa, I did have one thought about the painting I did not get to share. I always thought the Mona Lisa seemed as though she saw the viewer do something embarrassing. It may be a bit too comical, but the Mona Lisa’s face looked as if she caught the viewer do something wrong and only she and the viewer knew what it is.

The second work of art was Edward Hopper’s, Nighthawks.  This work brought out many opinions from the class but I never felt like the class nor I captured the essence of the piece.  Professor Kahan’s brief explanation of the art seemed the most accurate, especially her part about the war.  The art did seem as a depiction of a night during World War II.  The work had an irksome quality to it, specifically the depressing feeling an individual might experience when thinking of a war.  When I think of a war I am calm like the setting in the artwork, but my thoughts are as glum as the painting’s darkness.

I am eager to experience the next theme of the class, and I would not mind it being the same as the one we just had.  If I can, I would like to recommend the artworks of Salvador Dali.  His art is all over my house and his work is extremely complex and entertaining.