Art History

Monalisa

The innoactive techniques; the hidden details inside the painting; the different ways to express the emotions and feels. Those components have lead the masterpiece — “Mona Lisa”, into the international level. “Mona Lisa” perhaps is the most discussed-works of art among the scientist and inventors as there are many messages hide sinside the paintings.

It is no doubt that the painting itself make it so popular. One of the common issues is the hidden code inside the eyes of “Mona Lisa”. The members of Italy’s Natianol Committee for Cultural Heritage claimed that those letters and numbers can only be seen using the high magnification techniques. Although it is very hard to make the painting more clearly but so far they have discovered that the letters in the right eyes are “LV” which most probably stand for the signature of Leornado Da Vinci. While the other undefined codes are still waiting for the inventors to find out. Moreover, the unique painting technique of “Mona Lisa” has attracted a lots of people to look into it. The technique defined as “Sfumato”, which is created by Leornado Da Vinci. It refers to the technique of oil paintings that blending the colours and tones together to blur the outlines until there is no any edge or line left. Scientists found that each layer of glaze was around two micrometers using high energy x-ray. In the lighter area, there is very thin glaze but in darker area, the layers can be up to 55 micrometers thick. Dr Walter and his team assumed that Leornado has been experimenting different types of glaze and different pigments to create a perfect “Sfumato” effect. This is why the painting can be so extraordinary and attractive. However, there is another reason — As “Mona Lisa” has a very valuable background, hence, many millionaires are willing to buy the painting to symbolize the rich. For others, they pretend to be amazed by the painting to fit into the rich society without exposing to it.

In conclusion, those are the reasons why “Mona Lisa” is so famous. There is still a lot of undiscovered messages have left to the world to investigate and I believe this will attract more people to look into the painting.

Portfolio (Vincent Van Gogh)
1.1 RATIONALES

  The artist that we have chosen to study is Vincent Van Gogh who was a post-impressionist painter in 1853-1890. He was largely self-taught, but absorbed the inspiring lessons of Impressionism during two years in Paris. He is a highly skilled painter and was suffered from multiple mental illness. Vincent Van Gogh was committed to developing a unique style. His dramatic brush work and vivid expressions produced many great painting.

  The reason why we choose Vincent Van Gogh to study is because he was one of the artist who is having a dramatic life and he poured all the emotions that he has experienced into his paintings. We think it was good for us to do research about him. It is because we can learn many things from him other than the painting skills but also the moral values that he has. His life was grim and desperate struggle against poverty, hunger, alcoholism and insanity but his is still continued his hobby, painting until the last moment of his life and didn’t give up even he was met many trouble to continue painting such as lack of money and misunderstanding by others.

  The second reason that we choose Vincent Van Gogh to study is that we were so curious about why he didn’t successful being an artist at that time even he is so talented. Vincent Van Gogh produced more than 2000 artworks, including 900 paintings, 1100 drawings and sketches in his 10 years career. However, he sold only one painting during his lifetime and couldn’t be a successful artist even after he died. By the way, he has his own unique aesthetic and style but at that time people consider his aesthetic as ugly. Other than that, because Vincent Van Gogh had a history of social disfunction, so he couldn’t build up the celebrity within the art world that would be necessary to fetch high rates for his works.

  The third reason that we choose Vincent Van Gogh to study is that his paintings are very dramatic. Every piece of his paintings has his own story inside. Other than that, at the beginning, he produced many careful piece of artworks and they are very impressive but when he was suffering from multiple mental illness his painting was becoming more scribbled and simple. This became one of the reason that we want to study about him as it means the painting style will influence by the human’s emotions too. There are some of the famous work of Vincent Van Gogh include “Starry Night”, “Sunflowers” and “the bedroom at Aries” were produced according to his expressions and emotions by using the color and distinct brushwork.

2.1 Artist’s life / social background

  Vincent Van Gogh was a post-impressionist painter whose work, notable for its beauty, emotion and color, highly influenced 20^th-century art. His artworks, “The Starry Night”, “Self-Portraits”, “Wheat Field with Crows” and others now are mostly known as the famous art paint series. He’s considered the greatest Dutch painter after Rembrandt, although he remained poor and virtually unknown throughout his life.

  Vincent Van Gogh was born the second of six children into a religious Dutch Reformed Church family on March 30, 1853, in Groot-Zundert, Netherlands. His father, Theodorus van Gogh, was an austere country minister, and his mother, Anna Cornelia Carbentus was an artist whose love nature. His five uncles were successful art dealers. His father often talked about art with them. And because of this, Vincent Van Gogh grows in a religion and art background. Since Vincent Van Gogh was a kind-hearted, he threw himself into his work with selfless fervour, interpreting Christ’s message to “a gift to a poor” so literally he even gave all his warm clothes away and almost eat nothing. His superiors appalled by his “excessive” fervours. They were also dismayed by his appearance which they felt was brought disrespected on his calling. Once again, Vincent Van Gogh was dismissed and this made him angry about his religion thus started to turn his mind into arts. 

  Van Gogh felt that his arts stabilized his spirit. In 1885, Van Gogh began work on his first painting which is “Potatoes Eaters”. His brother, Theo believed that his painting would not well-received in the French capital, where impressionism had become the trend. Although, Vincent Van Gogh decided to move to Paris but it showed up Theo’s house uninvited. But then, he was welcomed by Theo into his small apartment at March 1886. In Paris, Vincent Van Gogh first time saw impressionist art and was inspired by their colour and lights. He decided to study with Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Camille Pissarro which was the famous French painters and others. But while Vincent’s art progressed rapidly, he stuck out among the urbane Parisian. He drank heavily; he had a bad temper; he shouted when excited about something; and was incapable hiding his opinion. After 2 years in Paris, he declared: “I will take myself off somewhere down south”.

  In Paris, Japanese art inspired him to begin his study in eastern philosophy to enhance his art and life. As he imagined the south if France to be French equivalent of Japan, he moved to Arles. He boarded a train to Arles in February 1888 and rented a house which was dubbed the "Yellow House" for its citron hue, and began his works with happiness. As usual he was overworking, but he felt secure and full of hope. He was ready to embark on a project he had long desired and wanted Paul Gauguin to be the first to join. Gauguin was reluctant at first, but when Theo offered to pay his fare, he finally agreed. Paul Gauguin moved into Yellow House in October 1888, but he disliked the town and was being irritate by Van Gogh’s untidiness. Within a month, they have arguments frequently, and one night, something happened to Van Gogh’s self-control. He threw a glass of absinthe at Gauguin and later threatened him with a razor. Gauguin was leaving him with anger. Overwhelmed with regret after attacking Gauguin, Vincent Van Gogh cut off his right ear and put it in an envelope and gave it to a prostitute. The next day he was committed to Arles hospital and he started to experience his horrible internal fight.

  Vincent Van Gogh decided move to Auvers after the people of Arles signed a petition saying that he was dangerous. Then he was placed in the care of Dr Gachet, an amiable eccentric. Vincent painted steadily, and seemed at first to be in a very good condition. But early in July a trip to visit Theo in Paris caused him anxiety. Theo worried about the money and explained funds would be short for a while, Van Gogh’s depression deepened sharply. On people of Arles signed a petition saying that he was dangerous. Then he was placed in the care of Dr Gachet, an amiable eccentric. Vincent painted steadily, and seemed at first to be healthy and in good spirits. But early in July a trip to visit Theo in Paris caused him anxiety. Theo worried about the money and explained funds would be short for a while, Van Gogh’s depression deepened sharply. On July 27, 1890, Van Gogh’s walked to a nearby wheat field which is “Crows over a Wheatfield” that he painted on 1890 and shot himself in the chest with a gun. He died on 29^th because his wound not treated properly. He was 37.

Calendar

Final Product

The making process:

For the book holder:

First, we cut out the board according to the design.

After we cut out, we paint brown colour on the boards. Then, we stick all of the parts together and here is the final outcome which is shown at below:

For the calendar design:

We designed the calendar using photoshop.