Author Archives: John Sorrentino

About John Sorrentino

I am a PhD candidate in French Literature at the CUNY Graduate Center. I currently work as an instructional technology fellow at the Macaulay Honors College of CUNY.

Posts by John Sorrentino

A Storm in the Rocky Mountains

Posted on September 19, 2015 by John Sorrentino

by: Isaac Akanmu, Vincent Chu


We did a lot of formal analysis because that was easiest, as we just had to describe what physical things we saw. We weren’t really able to find the historical context, mostly because things like that are more difficult to know off the top of your head. With more time, we would have found out that it was painted because Albert Bierstadt wanted to capture the beauty of the Rocky Mountains and as a way to get Americans more interested in the West as a part of Manifest Destiny. We also did not describe the medium that it was painted on, as none of us are art majors so we don’t realize the significance of such a large scale oil painting on canvas.
Direct Link to your video (for embedding on a class site or saving on your computer)

Macaulay Brooklyn Museum Comments

Posted on September 19, 2015 by John Sorrentino

by: Josiah James, Dimi Atanassov


During our conversations, we made sure to analyze the setting and tones set by the image. As well as this, we noticed and kept in mind the textures evident on the picture itself. We did not, however, analyze previous historical context pertaining to the painting, which could have lead to a misinterpretation of the painting and its message. If time was given in surplus, we would’ve continued to observe and analyze on a further detailed scale, making sure to cover the whole picture as well as the finite details.
Direct Link to your video (for embedding on a class site or saving on your computer)

Fallen Bierstadt by Valerie Hegarty

Posted on September 19, 2015 by John Sorrentino

by: Mark Rayev Tyler Calabrese


We analyzed both the construction of the art itself and the possible meanings behind this work of art. We also evaluated it using a historical approach. We didn’t consider the form of the painting in regards to brush strokes and other painting techniques used. If we had more time we would of investigated closer through a biographical approach, learning more about the artist’s life and the conditions around her during the time this piece was created.
Direct Link to your video (for embedding on a class site or saving on your computer)

Sneaker Exhibit

Posted on September 19, 2015 by John Sorrentino

by: Zhiyue Wang, Candace Ho


We did social context analysis, and pondered a lot about what effect the sneaker had on pop culture, but we didn’t do much of formal analysis. If we had more time, we would talk more about the technicalities of the material and textures of the sneakers. Furthermore, if we had more time, we could have gone more in depth about the historical events that have shaped the sneaker into what they are today, and who helped to cultivate this change.
Direct Link to your video (for embedding on a class site or saving on your computer)

The Web of Life – Museum Night

Posted on September 19, 2015 by John Sorrentino

by: Navin Rana and Divya Roy


During the conversation, we talked about the content of the painting as well as how the artist structured the painting. This led into what themes and messages the painting could hold when it comes to slavery and the circle of life.
We did not discuss the historical context of the painting. For example, when the painting was made and what was going on in the country during that time. Also, the group did not look deeper into the formal properties of the painting like brushstrokes, the color choices and the tonal value.
If given more time, we would like to discuss the historical context of the painting and how that could affect the meaning and our interpretation. We also could’ve discussed the author’s feelings towards the topic at hand.
Direct Link to your video (for embedding on a class site or saving on your computer)

Valerie Hegarty’s Fallen Bierstadt

Posted on September 19, 2015 by John Sorrentino

by: Matthew Lamattina, Rahat Mahmud


This painting intrigued many Macaulay students at the Brooklyn Museum who saw it. These particular students not only saw the physical appearance of the painting (a partially burned artwork) but looked at the context of “Fallen Bierstadt” and its implications. It was inspired by the destruction of the environment during the Westward Expansion in the 19th century. The students noticed that the painting shows how humans interacted with nature during that time period in America. These students could have also analyzed other artistic details like the brushstrokes, colors, and techniques used in addition to the physical/historical aspect of the painting, but they did an excellent job overall.
Direct Link to your video (for embedding on a class site or saving on your computer)

African Boy Attendant Curio (Bananas)

Posted on September 19, 2015 by John Sorrentino

by: Mary Anna Kivenson, Ann Kochupurackal


We explored a lot of historical background about the statue, as well as an application to current events. However, we were unable to pinpoint and describe specific details of the actual sculpture. If we had more time, we would like to meticulously analyze each aspect of the work of art.
Direct Link to your video (for embedding on a class site or saving on your computer)

The Arch

Posted on September 19, 2015 by John Sorrentino

by: Wai Sum Fok & Ariel Kleydman


In the audio, the students discussed the colors and techniques used by Henry Ossawa Tanner. The blue color reflected the mood of the painting as sad and mourning. Tanner also used his technique to make the painting not as detailed to show that as time passes after World War I, the commemoration and loved ones are forgotten. They also suggested that focal point of the painting, which is the light in the center of the arch, honors the men who fought in the war. However, the students didn’t discuss why it was presented in the museum and we would like to find out why this painting is in this specific exhibit.
Direct Link to your video (for embedding on a class site or saving on your computer)

Macaulay Night at the Museum

Posted on September 19, 2015 by John Sorrentino

by: Kacia Wilson & Piotr Marciniec


We namely analyzed the historical context of the work giving purpose and detail and also the colors chosen when creating the art work. We did not analyze artistic techniques nor reference other art works in our video. If we had more time, it would have been useful to add background information on the artists and compare it to their other works.
Direct Link to your video (for embedding on a class site or saving on your computer)

Night at the Museum- Iago’s Mirror

Posted on September 19, 2015 by John Sorrentino

by: Glenn Collaku+Richie Khalily+Anim Xhafa


This analysis was done by another group because we couldn’t find our recording. The one thing that is common is that all three commenters only focused on the physical likeness of the art and did not ask too many questions about why the mirror may have been made or the context about the art or artist. The wonderful thing about this piece of art is its title. Iago’s Mirror is a direct reference to Shakespeare’s character Iago, explaining the sinister qualities of the mirror, especially its obsidian and sharp edges. One thing that interested me about this mirror is the design around the mirror. The mirror itself is very small, but the borders are not only wide, but also very decorated. This gives the mirror a fierce look, but I am curious as to why the artist included such intricate designs since it makes the mirror less practical?
Direct Link to your video (for embedding on a class site or saving on your computer)

Comments by John Sorrentino