A 15TH CENTURY PAINTING IS A DEPOSIT
OF A SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP ? IS THIS TRUE OF ALL WORKS OF ART Essay, Research Paper
PATRONAGE ?
15th century artists
commissioned by the elites to paint chapels etc (e. g. St. Peter?s chapel) ?
usually given specific subject, although given free reign occasionally.? Some paid per figure on the canvas. ?
Implication: art influenced by
patron?s desire, needs, wealth, status as well as the artist?s talents and
creativity ?
Thus ? see the art work as a deposit
of the social relationship between artist and patron. GOVERNMENT
PATRONAGE ?
This form of patronage not necessarily
Russia, Germany, lesser extent Italy, during WW2 artists heavily commissioned,
but independent artists whose work digressed from regime needs / desires /
created a dual exhibition of art work ? one full of degenerate art ? associated
with Jews, homosexuals etc. Images of Jews and infiltrated by real pictures of
artists. ?
In Italy an art competition was won by
the inspiringly titled ?Listening to a speech by Il Duce on the Radio? (not
included on handout) ?
Cultural revolutions ? way of
cleansing enemies at home ? again highlights power of art ?
Example: sculptor George Kolbe ? 1930
picture: mobility, dynamism to balance to pose and stability ? reflecting Nazi
as a juxtaposition against degenerate art ? art of Jews, the weak.? The art hated by the working class and
conservative bourgeoisie. ?
social relationship; rather change in style reflects the social relationship
The relationship is one of subservience and rule over creativity. ?
Nazis use degenerate art to channel
aggression from troubles of real situation (great depression, economic
dislocation) toward individuals and groups perceived as agents of political and
social evils ? enemy not art itself but human being that it seemed to
unequivocally value based judgments. ?
We see art as influencing social
relationships ? more explicit form is Stalin?s portraits.? Both portraits show Stalin with Lenin in the
trying to be seen as the inheritor of Lenin?s legacy. ?
Socialist realism ? continual
bombardment of images of workers, normal people ? clearly ideological and based
on desired social relationships ? deposits and reflection of social
relationships. AUTONOMOUS ART ?
PHILOSOPHY ?
Rousseau: ?The sciences, letters and
to have been born – makes them love their slavery and turn them into what are
called civilized people? ?
Rousseau ? art under despotism
reflected and reinforced immoral power of the state ?
Implies need for autonomous art ? link
to Willi Baumeister ?art has progressed along the path from dependence to
independence, from the commission which is given to personal
artist receives his commission from himself? ?
So, does autonomous art show a social
relationship?? Not a traditional concept
relationship? CONCLUSIONS ?
Patronage: enforced, financial,
government based ? social relationship pressurizing artist into his works ?
does not lessen value of the art, but must be seen from different perspective ?
Reinforcement of power of the image ?
Autonomous art free of a deposit of a
social relationship ? but is this possible?
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