In describing art, comparing one art to the other has a significant role to the person reading it. This paper will discuss the role played by comparing one object to the other depending on the main theme of the objects.
When we write a stand-alone description of a single object, it is important to bring out its relationship to other objects. This technique ensures that an observer relates one art to another so as to understand its meaning. In my perspective, making implicit comparisons of an object with other objects may sometimes play a major role on viewers since it may change their perspective concerning the art being described. This is done either consciously or unconsciously.
Moreover, comparing a single stand-alone object with other objects is relevant in arguing out its the formal background information. For instance, in the description of the two Greek vases in Gombrich among the Egyptians, the author has considered several aspects of the two arts including their appearance and the common characteristics they share (Bagley 61). In comparing arts, the author may sometime or always considers the similarity of the objects including their background, whether the art is created by the same artist, or has the same effects on the viewer.
Also, in the comparison of one art to the other, the person describing it may consider the difference of the art. A person describing the art may first start with the general overview of the art, then move on to the complex or more detailed features of the art. For example, in the description of The Lion, Symbol of Mark, the author argues how the Lion symbol of Saint Mark represents freedom and power, which is contrary to the cramped image of a man which may have a different meaning (Nordenfalk 52).
Comparison of arts plays a significant role in relating previous arts to the present arts. For instance, the author argues about how the several late 12th –century designs had an impact on the high clearstorey and three-storey elevation of Chartres (Wilson 94). Hence, this shows how the past arts have a significant influence on the arts being created. Therefore, comparing objects with other objects is critical in ensuring that the viewers attention is captured due to the presence of various decorations in the piece of art.
In my view, comparison of arts solely depends on the kind of art being described. An art comprises of the lines, compositions, color, and style. If these features are related to other closely related art or arts, it may influence the interest and decision of a viewer. In addition, comparison plays a major role in interpreting the piece of art. This means that the arts being described have a connection with the past ideas of previous arts.
In some extent, comparison of different arts creates a visual interest to the viewer through metaphor (Baxandall 457). Also, comparing arts created a sensational in understanding the background information of the present art. Comparing objects demonstrate an inherent part of the objects (Baxandall 463). It is evident that depicting the similarities and the differences in a piece of art links previous artists and their perspectives. Therefore, in comparing one art to the other, it gives a viewer the general overview about its origin. This paper has described the role played by comparing one object to the other depending on the main theme of the objects.
Works Cited
Bagley, Robert. Gombrich among the Egyptians and Other Essays in the History of Art (pp. 61-63). Marquand Books, 2015.
Baxandall, Michael. The Language of Art History. New Literary History, Vol. 10, No. 3, Anniversary Issue: I (Spring, 1979), pp. 453- 465. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1979.
Nordenfalk, Carl. Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Painting: Book Illumination in the British Isle 600-800, pp, 52-69. Carl George Braziller, 1977.
Wilson, Christopher. The Gothic Cathedral: The Architecture of the Great Church 1130-1530, pp.94-95. Thames and Hudson, 2005.
