ART200X: Gerald Montuya

Johannes Vermeer, The Art of Painting Johannes Vermeer was a seventeenth-century Dutch painter from the Baroque era. He was relatively obscure during his lifetime but rediscovery led him to become famous towards the end of the nineteenth century. Only about thirty-six works of his possible forty-five total works are known today (Liedtke). Many of his paintings seem to be in the same setting, his hometown residence in Delft. The works all appear to be in small rooms featuring women. The work I am presenting is no exception and is considered to be Johannes' most revered piece. Because of the very limited amount of pieces he produced, it is suggested to be one of his most important paintings due to its size (“Johannes Vermeer, The Art of Painting (Video)”). This is also supported by the fact that his family and descendants made an effort to keep it despite a downturn in economic circumstances (Janson). Johannes Vermeer demonstrates his masterful portrayal of light and allegorical capr...

 "Why has God given me such magnificent talent? It is a curse as well as a great blessing." - Albrecht Dürer Albrecht Dürer was a revered German artist leading the movement of the German Renaissance. He was born May 21st, 1471 in Nuremberg, a city-state within the Holy Roman Empire. He was a devoutly religious man which lead him to controversy later in his life, between Roman Catholicism and the reformed Lutheran Church. He rose to prominence due to his intricate wood-cut prints ("Albrecht Dürer Biography"). He was the first artist to make use of the printing press to distribute his works. However, the work I am presenting is one done by pen-and-ink on blue colored paper that he had made himself. This work is arguably the most  distributed and most identifiable image in the world. Albrecht Dürer displays his faith in God in this sketch.     Albrecht Dürer, Praying Hands Albertina, Vienna, 1508 Pen-and-ink on paper I did not know that this image was created by Dürer....

A look at Anonymous, No Brain   I chose to analyze the work of my friend, who will remain anonymous in name. My friend has pursued art casually and privately for a long time. Fortunately, they allowed me to share their work publicly and has consented to its use in fulfillment of this assignment. From their expansive sketchbook of works, Anonymous presents No Brain . Anonymous, No Brain     Fairbanks, AK, 2020 Pen on paper The work of Anonymous is a striking portrait. It captures a disgruntled, spiteful expression within the faces' crinkles. To juxtapose the expression, the sectioned-off portion of the brain is a maze. The brain's patterns are mesmerizing. Further, the three-dimensional cut of the brain creates a sense of depth that also compliments the portrait's intricate expression. The unamused look and the gateway-like brain, an unlikely pair, compete for my gaze.   Lines The lines used in the portrait are used to define the subject's form and show shading. The l...