I Am Not an Allegory; I Am a Human Being: Depictions of Literary Female Characters Within Claude Lorrain’s Paintings

  Women in the art realm have rarely been depicted with dignity. Even using them as allegories takes away their inherent worth as a human being in a specific time and place. In his literary inspired paintings, Claude Lorrain reverses this trope. Lorrain draws from secular texts such as Virgil’s The Aeneid and Ovid’s Metamorphoses, but he also pulls from sacred texts, such as the Bible. In ancient literature as well as in art, women were portrayed as objects used for pleasure and reproduction, and if they did not comply, they were forced into doing so. Lorrain’s paintings begin to break away from this myth. 

  From The Aeneid, Lorrain paints the Trojan women sick of wandering, and burning their ships to ensure they would never have to leave again. He depicts them as strong and singular minded, both ideal Roman qualities, but meant only for men. He also paints Dido, the only heroic woman figure in The Aeneid, saying farewell to Aeneas. 

  From Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Lorrain focuses on the rape of Europa and the story of Acis and Galatea. Both tell of violence and manipulation against women, but Lorrain is skillful in his representation, creating pieces that, without their titles, are simply lovely landscapes with figures. Lastly, Lorrain paints scenes from the Bible. The two pieces in this show portray a wedding party and the dismissal of Hagar. Claude Lorrain, unlike other artists during his time, paints women fully clothed and in dignified positions, even when the circumstances are shameful, implying that he believed women, while different from men, were nonetheless equal and capable of heroic acts and worthy of dignity. 

Claude Lorrain, The Trojan Women Setting Fire to Their Fleet 

1643, oil on canvas. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In “The Trojan Women Setting Fire to Their Fleet,” Claude Lorrain communicates the incredible strength within femininity through the postures and clothing of the women. He does not paint the women as savages, but instead chooses to draw out the fact that women are meant to be beautiful, and there is a kind of power found in that. All of the women are clothed, indicating that they are human beings with dignity, not objects to be ogled at. In ancient literature, women were treated as property, but Lorrain depicts them at a moment of power and stability instead of vulnerability, challenging the cultural norm and view of women within literature. 

Claude Lorrain, Landscape With Aeneas and Dido in Carthage 

1676, oil on canvas, Kunsthalle Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

In The Aeneid, Dido is the only strong, heroic, female character. Aeneas is the embodiment of Roman virtue, and Dido is commonly viewed as his equal counterpart. Dido’s femininity lends to her strength; it does not detract from it. While Dido is not facing forward in the painting, she is clearly the focal point. Aeneas, her male counterpart, is almost indistinguishable from the other men in the painting. Her posture is one of poise and grace, communicating that she is dignified and worthy, a real human in time and space, not an object or an allegory. 

Claude Lorrain, Coast Scene with the Rape of Europa 

1667, oil on canvas, The British Museum

The Rape of Europa was a popular subject for artists during Lorrain’s time. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the rape of Europa is anything but dignified. She is manipulated by Jupiter in the form of a bull, and is carried out to sea in order that he might have her as his mistress. The word “rape” conjures up images of violence against women, and this rape, while not exactly what viewers picture, is nonetheless destructive. It is a deliberate manipulation of a woman to satisfy a man, negatively changing her life forever. However, Lorrain’s depiction of Europa, even in a moment of forced shame, is still one of grace and beauty. Without the title, this painting is simply a lovely landscape with a few female figures. With it, however, Lorrain’s view of women as human beings and therefore worthy of dignity is again brought to light. 

Claude Lorrain, Landscape with Acis and Galatea 

1657, oil on canvas, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (Old Masters Picture Gallery)

Drawing again from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Lorrain this time focuses on a moment of passion between Acis and Galatea. A cyclops by the name of Polyphemus fell in love with Galatea and threatened to kill Acis unless Galatea returned his advances. Galatea refused, and Polyphemus crushed Acis underneath a rock. The manipulation of women in this work is evident through Galatea’s story. However, Lorrain’s portrayal of Galatea, even in the midst of a passionate moment, is still respectful, showing her fully clothed. She is still feminine and graceful, but in a way that invites the viewer to see her as more than just an object. It is a representation of an intimate moment between Acis and Galatea, giving them equal footing, where neither is better than the other. [1]

Claude Lorrain, Landscape with the Marriage of Isaac and Rebekah 

1648, oil on canvas, National Gallery, London, UK

Lorrain’s paintings that portray events in the Bible further the fact that his view of women was that of equals, not simply figures used as allegories. They are real people that lived in a real place. Lorrain’s choice of painting a wedding party forces the viewer to look closely in order to discern which figures are male and which are female. The fact that he painted all of the figures equally in stature and value implies that, to him, women and men are different, but not different in a way that makes them unequal. 

Claude Lorrain, The Expulsion of Hagar 

1668, oil on canvas, Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany

Hagar’s story is a tragic one, but also one of great hope and provision. After following her master Abraham’s orders to sleep with him so as to give him an heir, she is expelled from his household as a result of his wife’s anger. In this painting, Lorrain depicts the moment at which Abraham is instructing her to leave. Even in this moment of intense shame and unfairness, Lorrain still portrays Hagar with worth and dignity. Her son, Ishmael, is standing at her side, indicating that she still has a sense of purpose, even though she is leaving the place she has known as home for so long. Her clothing is modest, not accentuating her curves but simply acting as a covering for her as a human being. Lorrain is harping on the fact that even though Hagar is being shamed by the one who claimed to have her best interest at heart, her worth as a human being is not diminished. 

Exemplifying Meaning through the Ordinary

                Historically, still life paintings were deeply tied with religious and mythological meaning. This was a reflection of the times; as the Church was the center of everyday life. For the artist, they knew their place and stayed within it. But as time progresses, society was inevitably changing. Through the 16th century on, emotion mixed with meaning and intentionality were the focus. It's easy to look at still lifes and think how beautiful and pretty they are, and quickly move on to the next painting. But artwork usually goes much deeper than just depicting “pretty objects.” Even if a painting is purposely meaningless, there is always an underlying thought process behind the work. From Van Gogh’s oil on canvas of worn shoes to Ori Gersht photography, we can see so much more then a still life. This is about challenging the viewer to think. In this curation, other paintings will be displayed to exemplify the meaning in the ordinary. 

                                                                           Van Gogh, Shoes, 1886

                                Oil on canvas, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)

Vincent Van Gogh had a great ability to take something so habitual to us and derive meaning from it. Van Gogh in a way saw so many things in their simplest form. He saw the world of the people that wore these shoes. He knew their lifestyle, their suffering, their pain. He chose to paint something so basic because of what they represented. These are working shoes. For him, ordinary commonplace items do not have to be beautiful for him to see the beauty in them.

                                                            Adriaen Coorte, Still Life with Asparagus, 1696

                                                 oil paint on paper, Rijksmuseum Museum, Amsterdam

Adriaen Coorte lived and worked in Middelburg, the capital of the province of Zeeland in the southern part of the Netherlands, where local collectors acquired many of the artist’s still lifes. Coorte was going against the grain in his way of portraying a single, simple vegetable compared to the multitude of wealth and riches exemplified in still lifes at this time of Dutch art. Although this painting embodies more of a traditional still life in our minds, his concept behind the painting was to show simplicity in the customary life of the day-to-day.

                                                     Roberto Bernardi, Banal Life Style Paintings, 2009

                                                            oil on canvas, Bernarducci Meisel Gallery

When in the mist of the mundane, a unique point of view was found. These highly naturalistic and stunning paintings created by Italian artist Roberto Bernadi captures the essence of a scene the reveals how interesting it actually is. Bernardi began perfecting his skills at age eighteen when he started his work restoring paintings at the church of San Francesco a Ripa in Rome. But instead of the church’s high culture, the artist stated that art for him was truly about stealing moments of everyday life. This was inspiration. 

  

                                                          Andy Warhol, Campbell’s Soup Cans, 1962

                               Synthetic polymer paint on thirty-two canvases, The Museum of Modern Art

We’ve seen so many images that we don’t see a difference anymore. Here, Warhol wasn't just emphasizing popular imagery, but rather providing a conversation on how people have come to perceive these things in modern times as commodities. This fast paced world can be bought and sold, with everyday objects that are identifiable with just one glance. Warhol is making the viewer stop and listen. In his creation of a visual effect of serial imagery, he shows the consumer how we have lost the ordinary through mass production. 

                                           Roy Lichtenstein, Untitled (Still Life with Lemon and Glass) 1974

                                 lithograph and screenprint with debossing on smooth, white wove paper, 

                                                                  The Metropolitan Museum of Art  

This highly stylized version of a still life focuses on mixing Proto Pop and high art. Through thick black lines and cartoon like graphics, Lichtenstein has changed classical subject matter from the traditional "high art" themes of morality, mythology, and classic history to celebrate commonplace objects and people of everyday life. In this way Lichtenstein is seeking to elevate the relevant popular culture to the level of fine art. He is putting in front of the viewer meaning of the ordinary through a pop lens. 

                                                                         Ori Gersht, Blow Up, 2007

                                                         Photography, Mummery + Schnelle Gallery

The large-scale photographs entitled Blow Up depict elaborate floral arrangements, based upon a 19th Century still-life painting by Henri Fantin-Latour, captured in the moment of exploding. In this series of Photographs, Gersht takes what the viewer knows of a typical still life and destroys it. Flowers that have been a sign of peace and tranquility for ages now become victims of destruction. This different approach to what we know as an ordinary grouping of flowers challenges the viewer to think about the uneasy beauty in destruction. 

Channeling the Inner Angst Through the Subconscious

After World War II a new artistic movement called Abstract Expressionism developed in New York during the 1940’s and 1950’s by a group of artists who were significantly aware of man’s fragility and vulnerability to do and experience evil. They sought to express this by creating arts works with their subconscious which they claimed to be the source of art. Unconventional practices were used to create their works. Vigorous gestures were used to splatter thick amounts of layered oil paint to canvases. Conventional subject matter was broke away from. Emphasis was put on spontaneity and channeling the emotional anxiety and trauma artists felt.

The artists were aware of man’s irrationality and wanted this to be the focus of their works. Disproportionate figures made with dynamic gestures were not uncommon. The key driving source of the work was the subconscious which emerged through these irrational emotionally driven forceful movements and techniques. The following works all show this emphasis on venting the aggressive subconscious emotions of the artists in significant ways.    

Willem de Kooning, Rotterdam, 1949, Oil, enamel, and newspaper transfer on canvas, 61 7/8 x 81 in. (157.2 x 205.7 cm), 1982.16.3

    The unique paint application in this composition based strongly on emotional and the inner self by Willem de Kooning, is a wonderful example to Abstract Expressionist painting. Mainly taupe and black are used with small bits of red, blue and green. However, the lack of color does not hinder this painting from being highly dynamic due to the variety of emphatic movements used to create a diverse array of black lines. One also sees an array of shapes and symbols within the tangled web created by the combination of the brush strokes. To some extent, the resulting composition is a tangled mess of confusion which beautifully expresses the inner angst the artist may have felt post World War II.   

Jackson Pollock, Autumn Rhythm, 1950, Enamel on canvas, 105 x 207 in. (266.7 x

525.8 cm) 57.92

This work by Jackson Pollock was composed through a variety of unorthodox methods. Paint was splattered, dripped and flung onto the canvas with the addition of Pollock pouring it and dancing around during the process. The result is a widely spread out garbled composition which appears to have no subject. However, from Pollock’s perspective this work’s subject is his own subconscious. In line with this the composition looks as though it could symbolized the inner mess of the artists psychic.

Woman, Willem de Kooning, 1952, Oil, cut and pasted paper on cardboard, 14 3/4 x 11

5/8 in. (37.5 x 29.5 cm), 1984.613.6

    This painting by Willem de Kooning consisted of fast paced intense brush strokes, bright colors and abstract shapes shapes grinding out from the artist’s frustration. When describing it himself he claimed that art rather than making him peaceful or serein made him feel coarse and vulgar. A sick sense of callous towards the body also seems to be present as few body parts in the figure are distinctive besides the face and raw outline of breasts.

Pasiphaë, Jackson Pollock,1943,Oil on canvas, 56 1/8 x 96 in. (142.6 x 243.8 cm), 1982.20

    This 1940’s painting by Jackson Pollock was composed using automatism a Surrealist method of organization. One sees a variety of bright colors and thickly applied strokes of paint which collaborate to form this mythical composition. When creating this piece Pollock emphasised the expression of the inner workings of his mind through allowing his emotions to shape the unorthodox movements used in creating the composition. Pollocks focus on expressing himself through the specific techniques and thought process used characterizes Abstract Expressionism.

1943-A, Clyfford Still, 1943, Oil on cloth, 36 × 30 1/4 in. (91.4 × 76.8 cm)

1986.441.1

    This composition by Clyfford Still, a noted leader and member of the Abstract Expressionist movement in New York, was intended by the artist to convey an spiritual metaphysical dimension through the illumination of any content that may be perceived as representational. Solid black shapes along with bright red, yellow and brown lines rest on a solid violet background. A pallet knife was used to create rough brush strokes driven by the artists subconscious spiritual sensuality.

Location and Emotional Tension Through van Gogh et al.

     I'm certainly one among countless others whose favorite artist is Vincent van Gogh. When​ ​my​ ​family​ ​took​ ​me​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Art​ ​Institute​ ​of​ ​Chicago​ ​to​ ​see​ ​a​ ​special​ ​exhibit​ ​about​ ​his Bedroom paintings, ​I​ ​couldn’t​ ​have​ ​been​ ​more​ ​excited.​ ​Though​ ​I​ ​had​ ​plenty​ ​of​ ​access​ ​to​ ​view​ ​his Bedroom, particularly​ ​by​ ​means​ ​of​ ​a​ ​to-scale​ ​recreation​ ​of​ ​his​ ​room,​ ​I​ ​was​ ​most​ ​intrigued​ ​by​ ​the motif​ ​of​ ​wandering​ ​in​ ​van​ ​Gogh’s​ ​life.​ ​He​ ​moved​ ​as​ ​many​ ​times​ ​as​ ​years​ ​he​ ​lived,​ ​so​ ​his physical​ ​home​ ​was​ ​inconsistent​ ​for​ ​most​ ​of​ ​his​ ​adult​ ​life.
     As​ ​well​ ​as​ ​van​ ​Gogh’s​ ​physical​ ​state,​ ​his​ ​psychological​ ​well-being​ ​was​ ​just​ ​as unpredictable:​ ​van​ ​Gogh​ ​suffered​ ​through​ ​seasons​ ​of​ ​mental​ ​health​ ​problems​ ​that​ ​were​ ​most likely​ ​attributed​ ​to​ ​severe​ ​depression.​ ​Aside​ ​from​ ​art,​ ​van​ ​Gogh​ ​found​ ​some​ ​respite​ ​through writing​ ​to​ ​his​ ​brother,​ ​Théo.​ ​Otherwise,​ ​though,​ ​van​ ​Gogh​ ​had​ ​poor​ ​resources​ ​to​ ​help​ ​him overcome​ ​his​ ​mental​ ​instability,​ ​and​ ​he​ ​took​ ​his​ ​life.
     Browsing​ ​through​ ​van​ ​Gogh’s​ ​works,​ ​I​ ​was​ ​consistently​ ​honored​ ​that​ ​he​ ​revealed​ ​to​ ​me places​ ​and​ ​emotions​ ​that​ ​held​ ​significance​ ​to​ ​him.​ ​While​ ​I​ ​took​ ​his​ ​paintings’​ ​subjects​ ​and locations​ ​at​ ​face​ ​value,​ ​I​ ​knew​ ​that​ ​he​ ​was​ ​also​ ​communicating​ ​the​ ​complexities​ ​of​ ​his psychological​ ​state.​ ​For​ ​my​ ​exhibition,​ ​I​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​feature​ ​some​ ​van​ ​Gogh​ ​works​ ​which​ ​I believe​ ​portray​ ​ordinary​ ​settings​ ​with​ ​an​ ​unordinary​ ​emotional​ ​tension.​ ​Next,​ ​I​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​extend the​ ​dialogue​ ​of​ ​place​ ​and​ ​tension​ ​from​ ​only​ ​van​ ​Gogh​ ​to​ ​other​ ​artists​ ​from​ ​the​ ​late​ ​nineteenth and​ ​early​ ​twentieth​ ​centuries.​ ​I​ ​relied​ ​on​ ​works​ ​whose​ ​colors​ ​and​ ​shapes​ ​successfully​ ​portrayed the​ ​discomfort​ ​between​ ​place​ ​and​ ​state​ ​of​ ​mind.​ ​Finally,​ ​I​ ​ensured​ ​that​ ​there​ ​was​ ​variety​ ​in​ ​the works’​ ​textures​ ​and​ ​the​ ​degree​ ​of​ ​minimalism​ involved.

Vincent van Gogh, Corridor in the Asylum, September 1889, oil color and essence over black chalk on pink laid ("Ingres") paper, 48.190.2

Color​ ​contrasts​ ​are​ ​the​ ​breadcrumbs​ ​we​ ​follow​ ​down​ ​Van​ ​Gogh’s​ ​endless​ ​hallway.​ ​First, van​ ​Gogh​ ​demands​ ​attention​ ​with​ ​the​ ​corridor’s​ ​arches.​ ​Varying​ ​ratios​ ​of​ ​gray​ ​to​ ​blue​ ​hues​ ​on the​ ​individual​ ​arches​ ​keep​ ​the​ ​eyes​ ​drawn​ ​upward.​ ​The​ ​shift​ ​in​ ​tones​ ​of​ ​red​ ​flooring​ ​give consistent​ ​motion​ ​down​ ​the​ ​aisle​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Asylum.​ ​Between​ ​these​ ​two​ ​factors,​ ​our​ ​gaze​ ​is compelled​ ​to​ ​continue​ ​down​ ​the​ ​corridor.​ ​A​ ​gray​ ​figure​ ​walks​ ​towards​ ​an​ ​open​ ​door​ ​on​ ​the​ ​left and​ ​deeper​ ​into​ ​the​ ​field​ ​of​ ​the​ ​painting.​ ​The​ ​end​ ​of​ ​the​ ​corridor​ ​appears​ ​to​ ​have​ ​a​ ​door.​ ​Van Gogh​ ​presents​ ​viewers​ ​with​ ​a​ ​constricted,​ ​tight​ ​environment​ ​to​ ​explore.​ ​Uncertainty​ ​lingers throughout:​ ​viewers​ ​don’t​ ​know​ ​how​ ​much​ ​van​ ​Gogh​ ​is​ ​isolated​ ​in​ ​this​ ​Asylum.​ ​The​ ​hall​ ​is devoid​ ​of​ ​large​ ​quantities​ ​of​ ​light.​ ​Loneliness​ ​is​ ​louder​ ​the​ ​longer​ ​I​ ​linger​ ​here.

Vincent​ ​van​ ​Gogh,​ ​​Portrait de l’artiste,​ ​1889,​ ​oil​ ​on​ ​canvas,​ ​RF​ ​1949​ ​17.​ ​Musée d’Orsay,​ ​Paris,​ ​France.

This​ ​exhibition​ ​contains​ ​portraits​ ​whose​ ​figures,​ ​if​ ​any,​ ​are​ ​typically​ ​at​ ​a​ ​distance.​ ​It​ ​is only​ ​fitting​ ​to​ ​include​ ​this​ ​​Portrait, which​ ​dedicates​ ​its​ ​space​ ​to​ ​depicting​ ​van​ ​Gogh,​ ​the​ ​primary inspiration​ ​for​ ​the​ ​curation.​ ​The​ ​background,​ ​despite​ ​its​ ​humble​ ​purpose,​ ​delivers​ ​the​ ​most insight​ ​about​ ​the​ ​figure.​ Van Gogh​ ​painted​ ​himself​ ​among​ ​cool​ ​tones​ ​of​ ​blue​ ​and​ ​green,​ ​wispy lines.​ ​Where​ ​the​ ​lines​ ​of​ ​his​ ​blue suit should distinctly separate him from the background, van Gogh begins to blend into the background of curls. ​Perhaps​ ​van​ ​Gogh​ ​is​ ​letting​ ​viewers​ ​into​ ​his mind:​ ​so​ ​much​ ​of​ ​his​ ​history​ ​is​  wrapped​ ​among​ ​both​ ​vivid​ ​creativity,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​significant​ ​mental health​ ​crises.

 ​Andy​ ​Warhol,​ ​​Red Disaster,​ ​1963,​ ​silkscreen​ ​ink​ ​on​ ​synthetic​ ​polymer​ ​paint​ ​on​ ​canvas, 1986.161a-b.​ ​Museum​ ​of​ ​Fine​ ​Arts,​ ​Boston.

Every​ ​so​ ​often,​ ​we​ ​stumble​ ​upon​ ​a​ ​place​ ​composed​ ​of​ ​so​ ​little​ ​of​ ​a​ ​physical​ ​environment, but​ ​quite​ ​an​ ​emotionally​ ​heavy​ ​space.​ ​So​ ​Warhol​ ​presents​ ​viewers​ ​with​ ​one​ ​electric​ ​chair,​ ​copied twelve​ ​times.​ ​Taken​ ​away​ ​from​ ​the​ ​red​ ​environment,​ ​the​ ​chair​ ​itself​ ​looks​ ​relatively​ ​ordinary. Paired​ ​with​ ​an​ ​ominous​ ​color​ ​scheme​ ​and​ ​the​ ​knowledge​ ​of​ ​what​ ​happens​ ​to​ ​occupants​ ​of​ ​the chair,​ ​though,​ ​the​ ​definition​ ​of​ ​the​ ​chair​ ​changes.​ ​What​ ​should​ ​be​ ​a​ ​domestic​ ​object​ ​for​ ​people​ ​to rest​ ​on​ ​becomes​ ​a​ ​death​ ​sentence​ ​and​ ​torture.​ ​Wherever​ ​this​ ​chair​ ​travels,​ ​its​ ​home​ ​will​ ​become identified​ ​with​ ​despair.

 ​Mark​ ​Rothko,​ ​​No. 61 (Rust​ and Blue),​ ​1953,​ ​oil​ ​on​ ​canvas,​ ​84.9.​ ​The​ ​Museum​ ​of 

Contemporary​ ​Art. 

Unlike​ ​the​ ​previous​ ​pieces,​ ​which​ ​have​ ​a​ ​clear​ ​setting​ ​through​ ​location​ ​or​ ​curved​ ​lines​ ​for a​ ​background,​ ​​Rust​ and​ Blue​​ is​ ​the​ ​bringing​ ​of​ ​three​ ​rectangles​ ​together​ ​in​ ​one​ ​frame.​ ​While​ ​the painting​ ​itself​ ​is​ ​located​ ​in​ ​a​ ​particular​ ​museum,​ ​the​ ​location​ ​of​ ​viewers​ ​holds​ ​the​ ​most importance.​ ​Rothko​ ​insists​ ​that​ ​the​ ​farther​ ​one​ ​steps​ ​away​ ​from​ ​the​ ​portrait,​ ​the​ ​closer​ ​of​ ​an emotional​ ​response​ ​viewers​ ​will​ ​have.​ ​These​ ​purple,​ ​deeper​ ​blue,​ ​and​ ​blue​ ​gray​ ​rectangles​ ​are capable​ ​of​ ​evoking​ ​melancholy​ ​or​ ​arresting​ ​viewers​ ​in​ ​their​ ​emotions:​ ​because​ ​the​ ​rectangles​ ​are 

a​ ​non-negotiable​ ​subject​ ​matter,​ ​viewers​ ​have​ ​the​ ​opportunity​ ​to​ ​put​ ​their​ ​unique​ ​emotional experiences​ ​inside​ ​of​ ​a​ ​universal​ ​shape.

Vincent​ ​van​ ​Gogh,​ ​​The​ Night Café,​ ​1888,​ ​oil​ ​on​ ​canvas,​ ​1961.18.34.​ ​Yale​ ​University 

Art​ ​Gallery.

‘Café,’​ ​a​ ​gentle​ ​word​ ​with​ ​a​ ​graceful​ ​accent,​ ​is​ ​typically​ ​associated​ ​with​ ​a​ ​quaint​ ​place​ ​to sit​ ​down​ ​in​ ​others’​ ​company​ ​and​ ​have​ ​a​ ​delightfully​ ​warm​ ​beverage.​ ​Van​ ​Gogh’s​ ​​Night Café destroys​ ​any​ ​fantasy​​viewers​ ​may​ ​have​ ​of​ ​a​ ​peaceful​ ​locale​ ​to​ ​take​ ​life​ ​slowly.​​​ While​ ​there appears​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​curtain​ ​opening​ to​ ​a​ ​friendly​ ​back​ ​room,​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​the​ ​​Café​ ​traps​ ​viewers​ ​inside a​ ​shadowy​ ​room.​ ​The​ ​paint​ ​on​ ​the​ ​walls​ ​have​ ​a​ ​metallic-like​ ​bite,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​dingy​ ​yellow​ ​lights won't​ ​brighten​ ​the​ ​room​ ​or​ ​the​ ​mood​ ​much.​ ​No​ ​matter​ ​how​ ​long​ ​viewers​ ​choose​ ​to​ ​stay​ ​among the​ ​cluttered​ ​tables​ ​and​ ​misplaced​ ​chairs​ ​of​ ​van​ ​Gogh’s​ ​​Café ,​ ​the​ ​environment​ ​will​ ​hardly​ ​be​ ​a respite​ ​from​ ​troubles​ ​waiting​ ​for​ ​viewers​ ​outside,​ ​in​ ​the​ ​‘real​ ​world.’

Edvard​ ​Munch,​ ​​The Scream,​ ​1893,​ ​tempera​ ​and​ ​crayon​ ​on​ ​cardboard,​ ​NG.M.00939.​ ​The National​ ​Museum​ ​of​ ​Art,​ ​Architecture,​ ​and​ ​Design,​ ​Oslo,​ ​Norway.

Munch’s​ ​work​ ​shares​ ​red​ ​and​ ​yellow​ ​hues​ ​similar​ ​to​ ​the​ ​ceiling​ ​and​ ​lights​ ​in​ ​van​ ​Gogh’s 

Night Café.​ ​The​ ​curvature​ ​of​ ​the​ ​waves​ ​and​ ​sky​ ​resembles​ ​other​ ​van​ ​Gogh​ ​works,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​​Starry Night​​ and​ ​​Portrait de L’artiste.​ ​Staring​ ​towards​ ​viewers,​ ​the​ ​titular​ ​screamer’s​ ​body​ ​is​ ​also composed​ ​of​ ​curves.​ ​His​ ​face​ ​is​ ​almost​ ​shaped​ ​like​ ​a​ ​lightbulb,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​yellow​ ​and​ ​green​ ​skin tone​ ​eliminates​ ​the​ ​possibility​ ​of​ ​an​ ​illuminated​ ​light.​ ​Noodle​ ​arms​ ​are​ ​all​ ​the​ ​figure​ ​has​ ​to attempt​ ​to​ ​drown​ ​out​ ​whatever​ ​triggered​ ​his​ ​scream.​ ​The​ ​elongated​ ​deck​ ​not​ ​only​ ​alienates​ ​the 

screamer​ ​from​ ​two​ ​strangers,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​creates​ ​tension​ ​between​ ​the​ ​gangly,​ ​smoke-colored​ ​figures and​ ​the​ ​screaming​ ​one.​ ​​The​ Scream ​sends​ ​ripples​ ​of​ ​panic​ ​through​ ​the​ ​wavy​ ​lines​ ​which​ ​don’t appear​ ​to​ ​have​ ​any​ ​stopping​ ​points.​ ​Viewers​ ​are​ ​just​ ​as​ ​stifled​ ​in​ ​a​ ​physically​ ​eerie​ ​and emotionally​ ​unstable​ ​place​ ​as​ ​the​ ​title​ ​figure​ ​is. 

Mortality​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Sea

The ocean is commonly viewed for its beauty and peacefulness, often being associated with being the ideal location for travel and relaxation. This reality has been manufactured by artists as they depict ideal beaches or calm days on the ocean for their audiences. Ideal artworks like these often overshadow the pieces that depict the ocean as the terrifying place that it is. Using the greater understanding of the frightening power of the sea some artists are able to communicate deeper, darker themes. Specifically, many artists have used the chaos of the sea to generate a clearer understanding of mortality. Using something that is relatable to the ocean to question what it means to be dead allows the audience a clearer understanding of the values that the artist is trying to convey. Often the topic of death is overlooked or misunderstood rarely being a common topic of discussion, but many artists want to pull the audience out of their comfort zone and into a contemplative state to question what it means to be dead and what mortality looks like. The specific correlation between the ocean and mortality as they seem to parallel each other creates a unique platform for artists to communicate how mortality is perceived or possibly how it should be perceived. This exhibit will focus on the relationship between the ocean and the question of mortality as mankind seeks to understand the imminence of death from the perspective of the living.

Damien Hirst, The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, 1991, Glass, Painted Steel, Silicone, Monofilament, Shark, and Formaldehyde Solution

In this massive tank, Damien Hirst shows a real shark, a monster of the sea thought of by culture as something to be feared, in its most vulnerable state, death. The entire concept of this piece revolves around the idea of death being unattainable to an audience of the living. This piece provides a physical representation of death for the audience. As they see examples of death in various paintings it is hard to understand the gravity of death until they see it in the physical sense, especially at such a great scale. Using the ocean’s greatest predator as a representation of what death looks like helps the audience see that even the greatest of sea creatures has to answer to mortality.

 Theodore Gericault, The Raft of Medusa, 1818-1819, Oil on Canvas, The Louvre

The terrifying reality of Gericault’s piece is that it is based on a true story, depicted is a small raft of survivors as they seek to be saved. Resorting to grotesque means of survival, such as cannibalism, these men represent a sense of desperation as they are faced with the likelihood of death. The composition draws the viewer into the scene as if they were there on the raft with the men, and that appears to be the intent of Gericault. He wants to demonstrate the lengths that man will go to escape the possibility of death when faced with such a terror as the vast ocean.

 Winslow Homer, The Gulf Stream, 1899, Oil on Canvas, 06.1234

In this oil painting Homer depicts a man at the brink of death stranded alone in the middle of the ocean. He is surrounded by a herd of hungry sharks and an approaching storm, both of which emphasize the imminent danger of the scene. The man is presented in a solitary state in contrast to Gericault’s The Raft of Medusa, but in his isolation, he appears at peace; he embraces death realizing his mortality at the hands of the sea. This piece illustrates an acceptance of mortality through the central figure as through his position amongst the terrors of the ocean he realizes that death is unavoidable.

 Aleksey Savrasov, The Death of the Ship at Sea, 1862, Oil on Canvas

This daunting work by Savrasov depicts the final moments of a burning vessel as it meets its end to the tumultuous seas. The black vessel, although large, appears to be no match for the sea, it consumes the vessel in a white mist. Like death, the ocean is presented as an inescapable reality that the vessel and its crew must fall subject to. Death’s grasp is paralleled by the waves seeming to pull the ship under as they wrap themselves around the vessel. The power of the waves over the vessel represents the power of death over man.

 Ivan​ ​Aivazovsky,​ ​Sea​,​ ​1881,​ ​Oil​ ​on​ ​Canvas

This piece by Aivazovsky shows the aftermath of a vessel that faced its demise amidst the harsh weather of the ocean. With nothing but the mast of this ship emerging from the jagged waves, the vessel is incredibly dwarfed by the ocean. Using the scale of the sea to show the insignificance of the boat, Aivazovsky wants the viewer to feel the weight of helplessness that the crew must have felt in the midst of such a terrible storm. The piece represents the larger scheme of mortality as it is inescapable and will consume men when their time has come.

More than Meets the Eye

The central piece of this exhibition—the piece that inspired the theme—is The Dissolute Household, a painting by Dutch artist Jan Steen. Upon first glance, this portrait may seem like an innocent, candid portrayal of the life of an average 17th century family. However, upon closer inspection, the viewer will realize that there are several things going on in the scene to be wary of. The dining room that the family is seated in is in complete disarray, complete with broken dishes, an overturned board game, and a cat eating the remains of the meal straight from the platter. Other things to pay attention to are the actions of the individual family members: the mother is so focused on her drink that she does not seem to notice her husband holding the hand of the maid, or her child harassing the sleeping woman who is probably his governess or his tutor.

Like The Dissolute Household, the other paintings in this exhibit are all portraits of two or more people. The portraits are all rendered in a naturalistic style, and they all seem to be harmless, mundane scenes. However, the unifying theme between all of these works is that they contain more than initially meets the eye. Through imagery and symbolism, each artist is actually expressing thematic material that is less than wholesome. The works in this exhibit bring fresh meaning to the old adage, “First impressions are not always what they seem.”

Artist: Jan Steen (Dutch, Leiden 1626–1679 Leiden)

The Dissolute Household

Date: ca. 1663–64

Medium: Oil on canvas

Accession Number: 1982.60.31

This scene is centered around a family seated in the dining room. While the painting may initially seem to be of a mundane family affair, viewers soon grasp the underlying chaos that is prevalent throughout the picture. There are shattered dishes, a broken instrument, and a book being trampled under the foot of the mother. In addition, each of the figures is involved in questionable behavior—the mother is completely focused on the drink on her hand, while the father is focused on the hand of the maid. One of the children is pestering the governess, while another is involved in a conversation with a man standing outside the window. Perhaps the most interesting element of the scene is the basket that hangs precariously above everyone’s heads, holding an assortment of items, including a sword.

Artist: Frans Hals (Dutch, Antwerp 1582/83–1666 Haarlem)

Young Man and Woman in an Inn (“Yonker Ramp and His Sweetheart”)

Date: 1623

Medium: Oil on canvas

Accession Number: 14.40.602

This painting shows a young man accompanied by his “Sweetheart,” standing in the entrance to an inn. These two figures fill the majority of the frame, with another, less prominent figure standing in the background. In the lower right corner, the man’s hand is shown petting a dog. Rather than being a symbol of faithfulness and loyalty, in this context the dog implies more of an impulsive sort of love. This kind of infatuation is associated with the superficiality and carefree attitude of youth, a theme often used in the work of the artist and his contemporaries.

Artist: Gabriël Metsu (Dutch, Leiden 1629–1667 Amsterdam)

A Musical Party

Date: 1659

Medium: Oil on canvas

Accession Number: 91.26.11

In this painting, the central figures are the maiden in orange and blue and her male suitors. In addition, there is a maid bringing refreshments to the lady and her guests. The scene seems a bit disorganized, particularly because of details like the trunk overflowing with papers and the sword lying on the floor. However, if the viewer digs through the clutter a bit, some of the symbolism comes to the surface. The bound figure in the background represents bondage and slavery to carnal pleasure. The audience the work was intended for would have likely been entertained by this visual imagery.

Artist: Francis William Edmonds (American, Hudson, New York 1806–1863 Bronxville, New York)

The New Bonnet

Date: 1858

Medium: Oil on canvas

Accession Number: 1975.27.1

Judging by the plain clothes of the figures and the modest design of the home, this is likely a scene of lower- or middle-class family life. The young woman in the center of the frame is showing off her new accessory, while the older couple on the right—probably her parents—and the young delivery girl on the left appear to be less than thrilled at the idea of the woman’s new bonnet. Although this painting came from a slightly later setting than the other works in this exhibit, the artist was impacted by 17th century Dutch painters like the ones featured in this exhibition. The actions and expressions of the figures give the work a didactic tone. The frivolous spending of the daughter is contrasted with the faults of her parents: drunkenness and vanity, represented by the father’s bottle and the mother’s mirror, respectively.

Artist: Frans Hals (Dutch, Antwerp 1582/83–1666 Haarlem)

Merrymakers at Shrovetide

Date: ca. 1616–17

Medium: Oil on canvas

Accession Number: 14.40.605

This work contains a crowded scene full of jovial faces. In the foreground is a table containing a variety of food and drink, and directly behind the table is pictured a young girl and two men who seem to be positioned especially close to her. The rest of the figures which make up the background seem to be shouting, laughing, and generally having a good time. The occasion being shown in the picture is Shrovetide (or Mardi Gras), a festival occurring before Lent and centered around food and immoral behavior. The gesture of the man on the right, along with other visual cues, form a string of sexual innuendos.

Artist: Jean-Baptiste Greuze (French, Tournus 1725–1805 Paris)

Broken Eggs

Date: 1756

Medium: Oil on canvas

Accession Number: 20.155.8

The scene portrayed here is of an unhappy young woman who is upset because she has apparently just dropped her basket of eggs. She is accompanied by an older woman, a young man, and a child, all of whom seem to have disapproving expressions. The older woman is even pointing at the mess of broken eggs contemptuously. Although this appears at first to be a mundane scene of family life, the broken eggs represent the loss of the girl’s virginity. This is emphasized by the poses of the other figures.