History is a ‘process of interaction between historian and his facts, an unending dialogue between the present and the past’ (Carr 1) this statement may be supported with the different types of evidence – from literature, sculptures, paintings etc. In the scope of this paper, three following paintings (from V&A Museum in London (vam.ac.uk 1)) - as they represent the contemporary historical periods, would be assessed and their link to the historical background would be provided. The first one is ‘The Death of Ananias’ – Raphael’s Cartoon and Tapestry; the second one is the ‘The Industrial Arts Applied to War’ and the third one is ‘The Industrial Arts Applied to Peace’ by Frederic. The core reason for choosing these works art is the fact that the historical events are reflected by their plots; these paintings represent the spirit of contemporary times and reveal the core essence of the epoch for the viewer, who is provided with the bridge between the current times and the events of the particular epochs, depicted by the painters, while watching these masterpieces. Such effect is achievement not only by the plots of the events or the tools and techniques, used by the painters, but the details of each masterpiece are inherent to the particular period of human histriy - wearing, armor, style and spirit uncover the true historical events, which are covered by the numbers of years, passing from those times.
The Death of Ananias
The first work of art is ‘The Death of Ananias’ -Raphael Cartoon and Tapestry. It is essential to note that Pope Leo X has commissioned the Cartoons to Raphael in 1515 and these cartoons are referred as the great treasures of the High Renaissance paintings. Raphael has painted ‘The Death of Ananias’ commonly with his assistants. This cartoon is the full-scale design for those tapestries, which were created for covering the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel lower walls. The acts of the founders of the early Christian Church (St Peter and St Paul) are depicted on this painting.
It is essential to note that in the timeframe of the 18th century as well as in early 1800s, the peak of career and reputation was reached by the painter and this success has made him one of the greatest painters in history. That is why, the cartoons, pained by him, have become famous all over the world. In addition, there is a set of imitations of the Raphael’s Cartoons
While referring to the historical roots of these painting, it is essential to consider the following information – before this work was commissioned to Raphael, he has already accomplished the set of large-scale projects and thus, he has succeed in creation of the workshop and in such way, the work of his talented assistants was used in the process of creating this masterpiece. The whole set of cartoons (involving ‘The Death of Ananias’) was accomplished by the painter and his assistance in one year after this project was ordered (1516).
Even while taking into account the fact that the cartoons of Raphael have been referred as the independent works of art since the timeframe of the 18th century, in the timeframe of their creation, they were perceived as one of the stages of the final object’ creation - the tapestries. While the expensive materials as well as the labor of proficient painters were needed for production of the tapestry, this form of art was referred as more prestigious art in comparison to other forms of painting, practiced in the timeframe of Renaissance.
The extreme popularity of the cartoons has reached its peak in the 19th century and it was mainly caused by the loan exhibition which has taken its place in the British Institution in London. As in 1824 the National Gallery was established, significant number of the artists have insisted on the transfer of the Raphael’s Cartoon into the Gallery. Instead of that, in 1865, they were sent to the South Kensington Museum (which is currently known as Victoria and Albert Museum), the cartoons remain in Victoria and Albert Museum until recent.
While referring to the historical background of the cartoon’ creation, it is essential to outline the following information. Ananias, depicted on ‘The Death of Ananias’, was one of the members of Christian community, located in Jerusalem. In accordance with the historical roots, his story is the following - the piece of land was sold by him and he has stated that all the revenues, gained form this activity, were donated to the community, while in fact he has partly donated the revenues (and the rest sum was hold by him). This fraud was revealed by Peter and thus, he has confronted Ananias with the facts. Before answering, Ananias has fallen down to the ground, where the death has reached him (artbible.info 1).
Ananias was a rich Apostle, as he his major mission was to motivate wealthy people for sharing some of their incomes and the lands with the poor. Ananias, who was publicly rebuked by Peter, has fallen down and died, while being watched by the assembled crowd. On the left side of the cartoon, the alms are given by Apostles to people, who needed such support. Sapphira, the wife of Ananias is depicted on the far right of the painting (she wears green dressing) – she is engaged into the process of counting coins, which were peculated by her. This fact is interrelated with the fate of her husband. In three hours, she has also died (Bruce 103).
The major message of this painting is clear- it is not acceptable to steal from the funds of the Church. It is considered by the scholars that the Ananias’s figure is the painting by Raphael, while the set of other figures was completed by the assistants of the master; for instance, the Giulio Romano has painted the recoiling man (Finnan 1).
While taking into account the fact that the work of Raphael is referred by significant number of experts as the representation of the ideal standard, which should be followed by painters, the core focus of Romantic writers was put on the way, there is an option of transmitting the genius of Raphael into the literary texts. This aspect is particularly essential for this investigation as it defines some perspective for answering the question, regarding the way, the painter has transferred the spirit of the moment to the viewers - who may feel the communication of the ‘reality’ of the past and feel their own engagement into events, which take their place on the plot of the painting.
The ‘natural style’ of Raphael was investigated by Hazlitt; this style integrates the elements in such manner, which is appropriate to the subject matter of the artist. After conducting the analysis of this painting, it was noted by the scholar that the fall of Ananias looks so naturally that it seems to the viewer that there is no option of falling down in another way. From the entire set of other options for the fall of human figure, this one may be referred as the most expressive for an overwhelmed individual, who is in the clutch of Divine vengeance (Richardson 66).
It is possible to make a statement that in his manner of representation of this moment, the core success factor for Raphael was the fact that his way of thinking was not limited to the painter’s professional considerations only; he has not restricted his expression to the mere representation of the most picturesquely moments (from the perspective of the painting's composition). It was argued by Hazlitt that the major issue, which was considered by Raphael in organization of the composition, is the way, an individual may fall in a natural manner in the particular circumstances. The picturesque in such case hasfollowed as the matters of course.
It is possible to make a statement that unlike to the significant number of the contemporary painters, the style of Raphael is natural and unaffected. The painter has represented his ability for integrating nature and truth under momentous and impressive circumstances. Even while taking into account the fact that the cartoon is essentially a history painting, it is suggested by the experts that Raphael was rather successful in terms of expression of the Divine; it is done by him in such a simple manner, that his work stays true to nature and may be perceived as a link, which may be used by the viewer a for one’s understanding of the contemporary historical epoch (McCue 90-95).
Two more works of art, which would be discussed in this paper, are the following -
‘The Industrial Arts Applied to War’ and ‘The Industrial Arts Applied to Peace’ by Frederic.
TheIndustrial Arts Applied to War
The Industrial Arts Applied to Peace
The painter has worked on these masterpieces between 1878 and 1886. The first one, completed, was ‘War’. It is considered by the experts that it is the proper illustration of culture in art, which has the sense of such virtues as beauties, treatment and invention. In addition, the fresco matches the entire set of the technical qualities and characteristics. In the ‘War’, as it is implied by its title, the author has represented the process of preparation to the warfare – both boys and mature males are tending to test their amour as well as cross-bows, swords and other available weapons. At the same time, the author has represented few women on the embroider banners. The architectural representation of the ‘Peace’ is almost idyllic classical one as it depicts the achievements of commerce and labor in all their bounty.
These two works of art are not only ambitious in terms of their size and scope, but additional attention should be paid to the uniqueness of the applied technique and its experimental nature. In 1862, the recipe for spirit fresco was revealed by Thomas Gambier Parry, he has represented this technique as the new system of painting on the walls, which has the potential of substituting the need of using the complex mixture of beeswax, spirits of turpentine, oil of spike lavender, copal varnish and elemi resin, for the inorganic process, needed for creation of the true fresco. The new approach was referred by its creator as the effective solution for the entire set of problematic issues, relating to the painting on the grand scale. This technological solution represented the following elusive qualities of true fresco – the matt surface, durability as well as the luminous effect. All these qualities were guaranteed by the developer of the technique while omitting the limited palette drawback. In such manner, Leighton has represented the new technique and implemented it into the real world practice in the process of painting his ‘War’ and ‘Peace’ (Rickerby 1).
Even while taking into account the fact that the critical attitude to the cartoons of Leighton was favorable in majority of cases, it is still essential to note that the beauties may be traced in the ‘Peace’ only remotely, due to the fact that in this work of art, he has through about the work of some other painter, rather than about the world, surrounding him.
It is possible to assume that abstraction and evocation instead of illustration were the major purposes of Leighton’s expression. In the ‘War’, on the scene, which may be associated with Florence of the 15th century, the author has depicted noble people, who were engaged into the process of equipping for the battle with the aid of armorers, spurries as well as beautiful women (Raizman 73).
In the ‘Peace’, which has not been finished until 1886, the author has depicted the beauty of the Greek world both in its ‘passive’ and ‘active’ forms. The author of the paintings has succeeded in harmonization of the energy and color. Even while there are some representations of the Raphael’s School at Athens in the Leighton’s War, it is possible to trace the new and enigmatic elements, which, in turn, are inherent to the nascent Symbolism. The world of Bocklin’s Island of the Dead was represented on the rocky landscape’ vertiginous background in the ‘Peace’; the muscular boatman, whose mouth is opened in a silent cry, steers forward to the viewer. In the ‘Peace’, the women appreciate their beauties in the hand-mirrors. They are depicted by the painter in the central part of the composition in such manner, that it may seem to the viewer that they are on the stage, the border of which is separated by the narrow boat, which is moored through the foreground.
The colonnade, depicted in the ‘Peace’ is opened with the windows, doorways, as well as there is a partly drawn and enigmatic curtain and blind, through which it is possible to trace the way, the woman stretches, reflecting the muscular movements, which are done by her male companions. In addition, the painter has succeeded in integration of the ‘wild’ landscape with the disciplined architectural foreground.
The women, who are engaged into the process of sewing the flowing banners in the ‘War’, compensate the vertical accent of the male, who tries on his armor. It is possible to understand such technical approach as the serenity and repose - the effect, which is achieved by the implied contrast – each of the activities is depicted as a beautiful one in terms of its relation to toil.
It is possible to state that the critical element of the ‘harmony’ of opposites, applied by Leighton, should originally have been achieved via the effects of the complementary color, which are currently evident from his sketches only. The costumes of people, depicted in ‘War ’, may be perceived as the exhibition of reds, warm pinks, and purples – as they are contrasted to the cold blue-greens. The resonance of such contrast is achieved by upper terrace bright sunlight and touches of white in shirts. In the case if admiration of Leighton for Delacroix is reflected by such combination, it is possible to make an assumption that the choice of using the outline around figures is borrowed from the technique of Thomas Couture.
The painter has reinvented the earlier existing symbolic integration of location and subject, in such manner, he has turned an instructional demonstration into the tool, critical for achievement of the ideal of harmony (Willsdon 269-273).
Works cited
artbible.info. Raphael: The Death of Ananias. 2014 <http://www.artbible.info/art/large/684.html>
Bruce, F. F. The Book of Acts. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1988. Print
Carr, E.H. What is History?1961 <http://www.history.ac.uk/reviews/review/41a>
Finnan, V. The Death of Ananias. Raphael Cartoon and Tapestry. 2008 <http://www.italian-renaissance-art.com/Death-of-Ananias.html>
McCue, D.M. British Romanticism and the Reception of Italian Old Master Art, 1793-1840. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2014. Print
Raizman, D. History of Modern Design: Graphics and Products Since the Industrial Revolution. Laurence King Publishing, 2003. Print
Richardson,T. The School of Raphael. Tom Richardson, 2010. Print
Rickerby, S. Conservation of Lord Leighton's Spirit Frescoes 'War' and 'Peace'. 1995 <http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/journals/conservation-journal/issue-17/conservation-of-lord-leightons-spirit-frescoes-war-and-peace/>
vam.ac.uk Room 107: Lord Leighton's Frescoes.2016. < http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/galleries/level-3/room-107-lord-leighton-frescoes/ >
Willsdon, C.A. Mural Painting in Britain 1840-1940: Image and Meaning. Oxford University Press, 2000. Print
