Masterpieces of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism

Rodin’s The Thinker

Key Aspects: Impressionism, bronze casting, sculpture.

Formal Analysis

The Thinker was initially conceived as part of a larger work, The Gates of Hell. The sculpture depicts a nude man in a deeply reflective pose, with exaggerated hands and feet. Despite the naturalism in the figure, Rodin’s intention was not merely to create a realistic depiction but to symbolize the tortured state of human thought and destiny. The feeling of life and movement is conveyed through the sculpture’

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Mona Lisa and The Last Supper: Leonardo’s Masterpieces

Mona Lisa: A Portrait of History

La Gioconda: The portrait of history’s most famous, and perhaps the most famous painting in Western art. Its fame is probably due to the many literary references and the various interpretations of the protagonist. It was admired as a symbol of serene beauty and reflects both the physical and the soul of this woman, whose identity has not been confirmed with certainty. It is Leonardo’s great work, taking into account that he continued retouching it until his last

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Auguste Rodin’s The Thinker: Symbolism and Context

The Thinker (Le Penseur) by Auguste Rodin, created between 1880 and 1900, stands as an iconic sculpture of French Impressionism.

Technical Elements

This bronze sculpture, cast at the Rodin Museum foundry in Paris, showcases Rodin’s unique technique. He intentionally left the mold for the base unfinished, creating a rough texture that emphasizes the manual process. This roughness adds strength and power to the sculpture’s form.

  • Material: Bronze
  • Location: Rodin Museum, Paris
  • Style: Impressionism

Formal

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Understanding Art: A Multifaceted Approach

Personal Perspective

My Reactions:

  • What are my first reactions to the work?
  • Why does it make me think or feel this way?
  • Who am I? How might gender, race, age, and class determine what I see?
  • How do my responses reveal my attitudes, values, and beliefs?
  • How do my opinions change over time and through discussions with others?

My World:

  • What does the work remind me of? Why?
  • How does my country or region of origin, family, home, and background affect my reactions?
  • How are my responses similar to or different
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Quattrocento: Italian Renaissance Art and Architecture

Quattrocento Architecture

The Quattrocento architectural Renaissance saw the use of traditional building and decorative elements. The round arch, columns and pilasters with the classical orders, barrel vaults decorated with moldings, and domes are used extensively, although with some freedom, especially decorative. Thus, the most complete fantasy reigns in the decoration of grotesques, which merges plant forms, animal, and human. In the facade and the plants, calculations for effects of perfection

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Tirso de Molina and Calderón de la Barca: Key Works & Themes

La Dama Boba

La Dama Boba is a swashbuckling comedy known for its urban setting and abundance of comic artifice, including misunderstandings, letters read by unintended recipients, and improbable coincidences.

Nise and Finea are beautiful sisters, but Nise is intelligent, while Finea is considered simple. Laurencio, a poet, prefers Finea for her dowry. Another suitor, Liseo, a nobleman chosen for Finea, is loved by Nise. Love transforms La Dama Boba, though she pretends to remain unchanged. Ultimately,

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