Body Language in Art

Body Language in Art

Introductory

There is something that all these pieces in this exhibition have in common, and that is telling body language. Body language expresses more than words ever could, especially in these pieces whether it be joy, sadness, anger, or fear; body language sheds light on what the object is actually experiencing and allows you to be in their position. What type of body language do you see in the art pieces that are a part of this exhibition? Be mindful of how bodies are depicted and constructed to portray the objects experience. You will have the opportunity to look at various experiences through the lens of body language in this exhibition. Emotion has a lot to do with body language so try to grasp what kind of emotion is being portrayed as well as how body language depicts that and what the artist may have done to specifically portray the object in a certain way to the viewer.

Extended Object Labels

All Images are from www.metmuseum.org

Ugolino and his Sons (recto); Anatomical Studies (verso)
Artist:Auguste Rodin (French, Paris 1840–1917 Meudon)
Date:1880–1885
Medium:Traces of brown ink wash, pen and brown ink, and graphite on graph paper
Accession Number:2012.222.2a, b

Contribution: This is Rodin’s Ugolino and His Sons, I chose this because I have been working with Jean -Baptiste Carpeaux’s Ugolino and His Sons. I found it interesting how Rodin portrayed the people in the piece.

Bacchic group: satyr and bacchante with infant satyr
Artist:Clodion (Claude Michel) (French, Nancy 1738–1814 Paris)
Date:late 18th century
Culture:French
Medium:Terracotta
Accession Number:1983.185.4

Contribution: This piece shows joy and excitement through the body language of the objects, it shows how the objects interact with one another using their body language and what they wish to portray to each other, and what the artist wishes to portray to us.

Marble statue of Pan
Period:Imperial
Date:1st century A.D.
Culture:Roman
Medium:Marble
Accession Number:1992.11.71

Contribution: This piece is interesting because there is not much of a body to try to gain any understanding from, however based off of what is there one can try to imagine how the missing

parts of the body played a role and what they might be doing if they were still there.

Samson and the Lion
Date:17th century
Culture:probably Italian
Medium:Bronze, with red-brown natural patina, remains of dark brown lacquer
Accession Number:1982.60.107

Contribution: There are two objects and both are communicating what is happening and what they are going through using their body language and their actions. You can experience and feel the strain that is on both objects. I took the time to focus on their body language together and then separate.

Renaissance-style relief of Virgin and Child
Date:19th century
Culture:possibly Italian, Siena
Medium:Carrara marble with details gilded
Accession Number:30.95.104

Contribution: I chose this piece because Mary looks somewhat lost and confused or maybe in awe, she is very reflective and thoughtful and baby Jesus is calm, relaxed, and seems to have a sense of confidence. Notice the hand in the air.

Descent from the Cross
Date:early 16th century
Culture:South Netherlandish
Medium:Oak, polychromy and gilding
Accession Number:06.165

Contribution: This piece portrays the type of body language seen in many of the other art pieces in this exhibition, there is different body language being shown by each object. But there is an overarching theme that brings the three objects together.