The Classical Era of artwork ushered in "The Enlightenment." According to the Britannica Encyclopedia, Enlightenment means "the state of having knowledge or understanding," which aptly describes the Classical works produced in the 1700s. During this period, religion took a backseat in the arts, having already commissioned numerous biblical works during the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Scientific discoveries became more frequent, and what better way to capture those achievements than by painting them for the world to see.
Joseph Wright, "An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump" (1768)
Let's take a look at the first piece I want to discuss: an example of Neoclassical art titled "An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump" (1768) by Joseph Wright. Wright painted this during the Industrial Revolution, a time when scientific advances seemed to occur daily. This painting captures one of those moments. The experiment depicted demonstrates how a vacuum works. Since air is colorless, the man conducting the experiment used a live cockatoo to show his audience that the vacuum was indeed functioning.
There are a couple of questions I have about this painting. Why such a diverse audience? They range from young children to middle-aged men. Did the scientist not advertise what would happen to the bird? It seems not, as evidenced by the saddened look on the little girl's face. She realizes the inevitable fate of the helpless creature in the tube. Her mother (presumably) appears unable to bear witnessing the experiment, while her husband consoles her as they stay to see the result. The man on the right listens intently to the scientist, while the young men on the left are captivated by the demonstration.
William Blake, "Newton", 1795
The next piece I would like to discuss is "Newton" by William Blake. If you didn't know, Blake did not like Newton and had a strong aversion to the sciences, preferring to focus on religion in his work. He opposed the Enlightenment movement entirely, and this painting was created to mock Newton. It's one of three paintings in which Blake ridicules scientific philosophers. In the painting, Newton is depicted at what seems to be the bottom of the sea, so engrossed in scientific discovery that he ignores the beautiful world around him. Blake was quoted saying, "Art is the Tree of Life. Science is the Tree of Death." Just because the rest of the world was becoming more self-aware doesn't mean everyone followed suit.
Benjamin West, "Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky", 1816
Lastly, let's take a look at "Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky" by Benjamin West. This painting commemorates Benjamin Franklin's 1752 experiment. When I look at this, I am awestruck. The fact that a man went out in a lightning storm to prove that lightning was a form of electricity is incredible—what a daring individual. The style of the painting emanates heroism, with cherubs assisting Franklin in his experiment, suggesting divine help was needed for such a feat. Interestingly, West knew Franklin, as they were both from Pennsylvania, but he only revealed his admiration for him after Franklin's death. It was then that West painted this piece. This work is a smaller version of a grander display West planned to give to a hospital in his home state, paying homage to Americans who achieved international acclaim in science and the arts.
I chose works that, if given the chance, I would display in my home. These images ignite great curiosity in my mind, and I would enjoy seeing the same reaction from visitors. As I progress through this class, my appreciation for each era and style of art deepens. I’ve taken a personal interest in some of the works I've blogged about and have recently purchased stickers of Van Gogh's art to decorate my notebook. I'm even considering a set of fountain pens inspired by his works. What have I gotten myself into?
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The first work in your selection looks like a photograph, it looks so realistic! Scientific experimentation has come a long way. It is shocking, but not too surprising, that a live bird was put into a vacuum. I agree that the audience probably wasn't fully informed about what the experiment entailed. This is my favorite piece of the three because it tells a story in the faces of the audience.
ReplyDeleteThe second piece looks like it is showcasing the advances in anatomical studies of the era. The muscles are very pronounced, and feel like the main focus of the work.
I posted my first comment before I had finished it. This is the followup.
DeleteAll three of the works represent the scientific advances of the Classical Era very well. I like how varied they are in theme and style.
My own observation: The third work contains a lot of linear perspective. Franklin and a few of the cherubs are looking at the key in Franklin's hand. This adds a sense of power to the item.
Hi Art!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for sharing your analysis of these pieces. It is very well written. I was drawn to two in particular: Newton by William Blake and Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky by Benjamin West. Your description of the Newton vs Blake beef is reminiscent of when my kids try to explain the difference between anime and cartoons to me. I pretend I don’t know what they’re talking about just to get a rise out of them. I suppose we all have a little Blake in us after all. His use of form is prevalent in the oddly exaggerated musculature of Newton. Is he ridiculing him or admiring him? The texture of the sea itself, especially the darker parts, is almost like early pointillism which wasn’t officially around until much later in the century. Blake has some very interesting work. I also love how you pointed out the cherubs in the West painting as some sort of divine intervention. One of the first things I noticed about this piece was the use of light to highlight the lightning source. In previous artistic eras, this technique was used to symbolize religious themes where the light was indicating heaven or the path towards something. Here it appears to be highlighting the source of the scientific discovery.
Hello Art,
ReplyDeleteYour analyses of these works are very insightful. I like how you connect each artwork to the Enlightenment theme, showing their reflections of scientific progress and societal values of the era. The contrast between Wright's scientific demonstration and the audience's emotional response, Blake's critique of Newtonian science, and West's tribute to Franklin's scientific bravery provide many different perspectives on Enlightenment ideals. Your own reflections add depth, showing how these artworks still resonate to this day.
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ReplyDeleteI love West's depiction of Benjamin Franklin in "Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky," which speaks volumes of his admiration for him. Franklin's expression is proud and wise as he marvels at his discovery. There's warmth and kindness to him as if he knows what he's achieved will only benefit humanity's longevity. The color palette in this painting showcases all of the fine details that make up his interpretation of Franklin's discovery. The colors are bold and bright, creating a great deal of contrast. The colors help sell the light, billowing movement in Franklin's cape, the golden sash on the cherub, and the crinkle of his notes.
ReplyDeleteIn contrast, William Blake's "Newton" is cold, rugged, and heavy. Newton appears to be made of stone, hence the enhanced musculature, as if lying around solving "fake" math problems was really weighing him down. I imagine that's why Newton is at the bottom of the ocean. There's no movement in this piece, and the colors are incredibly muted and muddled, making Newton seem even more still and lifeless, like a zombie. The position in which he sits indicates that he's been there a long time, having formed a perch in the stone and completing the shape of the sloped rock as if he were carved from it. Overall, all three works you showcased in your blog are perfectly picked for your take on Science in the classical era of art. Bravo!
I think the first painting is the only one that I have seen thus far from this time period that I have enjoyed. I deliberately avoided doing paintings in mine because I couldn't find anything that appealed to my aesthetic ideals. I am appreciative that you shared Joseph Wrights work. It has that dramatic and stark contrast I enjoy. The poses of the subjects make are strategic. My eye wants to start on the uplifted hand travel down to the face on the left, and tends to follow the gazes. Where the subjects are looking I am looking and it causes my eyes to wrap around the painting in a figure 8. Even though at first glance the background looks black if you pay attention you can make out the impression of a doorway and the interior of a house. I think that the focus on scientific discovery as well is a good subject matter. It's not something that is always dramatic but Wright achieves that through being creative with the poses and lighting.
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