Caravaggio’s Realism: Death of the Virgin & Saint Jerome
Caravaggio’s Interpretation of Religious Themes
Figures in a painting, possibly by Berruguete, are reminiscent of a bald figure, possibly inspired by Donatello and Rustici, with a hand gesture and foot shape. The artistic lineage appears to be Florentine: Donatello, Rustici, and perhaps Berruguete.
The Death of the Virgin
This painting sparked immediate controversy and rejection. It was commissioned for Santa Maria della Scala. Renaissance depictions of the Virgin’s death (whether described as sleep
Visual Communication: Image, Expression, and Perception
Image and Expression
Vision is a means by which one perceives and understands reality, and a way of relating to the world. The process of visual perception is received by the eye, captured by the nervous system and brain, and decoded by a combined mechanism of physical and mental stimuli. In perception, it can be generally stated that simple forms without an excess of information are easier to perceive.
- Principle of Good Form (Prägnanz): According to this principle, and the principle of closure,
Latin American Narrative: 1920s to Onetti
The Narrative in the 1920s and 1930s
The Latin American narrative of the 1920s and 1930s: The Latin American narrative of those years realistically portrays the American man in his relationship with the surrounding nature, which is called regionalism. It raises social problems arising from the clash between traditional economic order and new ideologies. Its characters are oppressed, defeated by the forces of nature, allied with political and economic landowners. Regionalism is characterized by a
Vocabulary Expansion: Uncommon Words and Definitions
Uncommon Words and Their Definitions
- Singular – Exceptional; unique; unusual
- Skirmish – A fight between small numbers of troops; a brief conflict
- Skittish – Nervous; easily startled; jumpy
- Slake – To quench; to satisfy; to assuage
- Solace – Consolation; comfort
- Solidarity – Sense of unity; a sense of sharing a common goal or attitude
- Sophomoric – Juvenile; childishly goofy
- Sordid – Morally vile; filthy; squalid
- Sovereign – Supreme ruler; monarch
- Spate – A sudden outpouring
- Specious – Something that seems correct
Vermeer and Spanish Baroque Painting
Vermeer’s *The Art of Painting* (Selected Details)
Vermeer, 1666: *The Art of Painting*, in the Baroque style, is an oil on canvas currently in the Museum of Art History in Vienna. The subject is an allegory. It represents an intimate scene of a painter painting a female model in his studio, with a large map of the Netherlands in the background. Only two characters are present: the artist and his model. It is thought to be a self-portrait. Luxurious clothing underlines the idea that the painter is
Read MoreSolace in the Night: Existentialism in a Spanish Café
Existential Themes in a Late-Night Café
The story’s focus is shared between the old man, the older waiter, and the younger waiter. The older waiter, however, serves as the primary figure, reflecting the themes of loneliness and existential need.
Setting and Atmosphere
The story is set in a small café late at night. This is inferred through the quiet atmosphere, the waiters’ dialogue, and the old man drinking alone.
Core Conflict
The conflict is between the old man’s loneliness and the younger waiter’