Art

The 15th to the 19th century was a moment in the history of art which produced a vast array of themes adopted by high caliber painters and incorporated in their panitings. One of these themes is landscape art. It usually depicts the relaxing and invigorating view of the countryside or nature in its most spontaneous form. It may be a panoramic view from a mountain or the seaside. Picturesque landscapes that include ruins are also among those themes that served as inspirations for a handful of artists.

Artists who have been inspired and captivated by the idea of landscape art talk about their subjects in a very personal way. They are those who felt that they are one with nature and that the pure beauty of what can be seen in their travels are too overwhelming that they needed to put it in canvass. In Maria Grahams Journal of a Residence in India, one can feel how she was taken by what she has observed and seen from the animated way of how she vividly described things.  It is uncanny how nature affects the inner sense of an artist, Carl Carus for example who in his Nine Letters on Landscape Painting said,  In untrammeled nature as we are able to perceive it objectively, we take notice . It is agreeable what he said that when one is on a mountain and views the whole expanse of the splendor that  the viewer sees, a feeling of calm is felt and a realization hits you that God has made this wonder. Passion is one of the fuel that artists need in order to truthfully and faithfully depict what they have perceived. It is through their work that they communicate the beauty that they want to share. In looking at paintings, depending on the elements that are present when it was created, the viewer can have mixed feelings depending on what the painting communicates. It tells stories and brings the viewer into a world that may not be experienced first hand but is made accessible by the painting.

Francisco Guardi on his painting he called  Landscape with Ruins , puts to canvass a work that brings us into an old century ruin. It depicts architecture with using a background of a church and the main feature which is ruins with ancient columns that already have cracks on the sides and growth of some weeds on top. Another such work is by Jean-Honore Fragonard he called  A Fantasy of Ancient Ruins . The theme of the painting is quite similar to Guardis work because it also depicted ancient colums, broken sculptures and growth of weeds. Initially the size of both the paintings was a great difference. Guardis art was bigger than people while Fragonards was as small as a note. This makes the painting by Guardi more overwhelming at hind sight because of its size and grabs more attention from art viewers.

Closely observing both the paintings, Guardis painting was in good condition since the colors are still vibrant and do not seem devaluated by time. That of Fragonards was also still in good condition and was effectively kept sealed. The surface of Guardis work seems a little more polished than that of Fragonards because of the medium used. Guardi used oil on canvass while Fragonard used brown wash over black chalk. Guardis use of medium gave the painting a look that is more detailed compared to Fragonards work. Fragonards medium created the effect of vanishing details on the side giving it a more ancient look.

Guardis work is quite comparable to works made by Thomas Cole who injects color in his paintings making them more alive and realistic. I would say that Guardi is quite a realist observing his work because he depicts the landscape view in a way that is seemingly easy to relate to. His pain tings are faithful representations of what can actually be perceived by the human eye. With the inclusion of a few men in the painting, it shows how the painter is devoted to both men and nature. He recognizes the relationship between these two elements that they co exist in the same dimension. His painting seems to tell a story. Though the main feature of the painting is tha ruins which was beautifully created, the person looking at it cant help but be curious of the details being put into the painting. It seems that men are looking for something in the ruins that probably may have a value for them and that conflict can sometime ensue during these excavations. It communicates across the thought that ruins are places that could contain valuable pieces because the earlier inhabitants may have left something that can be further used. Further complimenting his use of lines and details, it was effective in drawing the viewer to other features of the painting. His details on the bridge, the church, and other sculptures on the painting gives the viewer a lot to look at but are very cohesive in a way that it fully embodies the title given to it.

Another thing quite notable with the painting is how the artist lightened the areas which are hit by the suns rays and his use of the background of the sky is very effective in highlighting the ruins. His technique in using colors definitely achieved his intent of making the actual subject of the painting stand out. I cannot help but go back to letters by George Caitlin and find the same intensity in Guardis work because one can feel the tribute to nature and the emphasis on nature being an element that accentuates the beauty of man made structures. The natural elements in Guardis work such as the sunlight and the sky made the landscape view more appealing and overwhelming. I could personally say that this painting is more visually powerful and stimulating than Fragonards interpretation of a landscape with ruins. Considering the eye as dominant among all the other senses, it is quite important that visual effect on people should be taken into consideration. Guardi was keen on this aspect and has perfected this criteria because of his visually inviting work coupled with its massive size.

Fragonards work definitely lacked the luster and life present in Guardis work. The medium he used, though very artistic, did not give him the opportunity to put in colors to his work. It did not give him flexibility and versatility giving it an appeal that is quite technical and not very striking. I could find similarity in his work with Giovanni Battista Piranesi because they both wanted to achieve a style that is sketch-like in appearance. Also similar in approach is the work of Caspar David Friedrich, the  Abbey in an Oak Forest . Both have the same forlorn appeal to them. This painting is wholly devoted to people because its subject is mainly the ruins. Ruins being man-made structures gives the impression that this painting is a tribute to the works of man rather than something that recognizes both man and the environment. The absence of elements that would symbolize nature expresses the relationship of the artist with nature. It seems that nature does not appeal to him as a subject. Only the weeds would be as close to nature as possible and is quite an effective addition to give the effect of being ancient and which is characteristic in sites of ruins. The artist did not use much lines to accentuate or draw attention to specific elements on his painting. Instead, he concentrated on light and dark values to highlight certain features in his painting. There was emphasis put on the relics and sculptures as well as the details of the ruins. The use of brown to light brown shades did not do much for the visual power of the painting. It only communicated a sense of emptiness and abandonment.

One of the themes discussed that is relevant in the critic of both Fragonard and Guardis work is that of Henri Matisses notes. He says that it is integral for a work to give visual satisfaction to the viewer at the mere sight of it. The work of Guardi has definitely achived this because when the two are put together at the same place, the work of Guardi would definitely be visually attractive to the eyes. To quote Henri Matisse,  Composition is the art of arranging in a decorative manner the various elements at the painters disposal for the expression of his feelings . Both the artists have clearly expressed their feelings through their art. Guardis disposition in life is expressed by how he realistically depicted the landscape in his painting. Fragonards glum painting gives the impression that he is someone who is deep and has a darker disposition in life. Still from Matisse,  The chief aim of color is to serve expression as well as possible . The absence of colors in Fragonards work failed to give a very expressive aspect to the painting as compared to Guardis work.

These works have been highly influenced by Romanticism. This was a time that sparked a romantic enthusiasm in artists. Geroge Caitlin who was very passionate about his work wrote in one of his letters saying,  The enthusiasm alone has brought me to this remote region, 3,500 miles from my native soil the last 2,000 of which furnished me with almost unlimited models , both in landscape, and the human figure, exactly suited to my feelings.  This shows how the visual artists of that era became very attuned to their feelings and developed a sense of romantic nationalism that was very much depicted in their works. It was also in this time that the romantic idea about nature arised wherein artists developed a romantic relationship with the power of nature believing that it will eventually overcome the works of men.  However, this was also a time of struggle for different cultures and a lot of conflicts arised during this era. The Romantic era was a time bordered by different wars such as the Seven Years War, the American Revolution and the French Revolution. These wars that arised resulted to a lot of destruction and a lot of beautiful structures erected were destroyed by these wars. Due to this, the once majestic structures eventually became ruins, remnants of the beauty of the human hands. For the case of Guardi, looking at the painting which included the detail of the church, one can assume that he lived at a time when the Roman Catholic religion has gained prestige. He may have been a devoted and religious person and may have concentrated on works in his native Italy. In Fragonards case, the French Revolution with its social upheavals may have caused him to flee from different places. He may have in passing seen ruins during his travels, hence causing him to paint his work depicting the ruins.

In those times, both Fragonard and Guardi had different patrons who were very taken by their works of art. These are people who pay to have these paintings adorn their homes and served as symbols for their wealth and money. A persons social status during those times are measured not only by their wealth but their investment in the arts and to have various works hanging from the wall is a clear sign of a persons elite taste. These paintings of Guardi and Fragonard may have served that same purpose before they were displayed in museums. The contrasting sizes of both the paintings may have contrasting purposes as well in their previous patrons haouseholds. Fragonards work which is small as a note may have adorned a certain area of a house. With its size as small as a note, it may have appeared more like a picture than a painting. It may have been grouped with other paintings with the same theme forming part of a collection of paintings. As for Guardis work which is bigger than people, it may have adorned a main hallway or served as a main feature in a receiving area of a home. One may assume that the patron that acquired Fragonards work may have been a traveler or changes location every now and then and needed an artwork that is easy to transport as compared to Guardis work who may have been acquired and placed in a location that is more permanent because it was not easy to transport due to its massive size.

In the present, one can say that these works have not lost their social function. In the same way that it may increase social status before, it can in a way have the same function today for patrons of the arts. However, the social function of this works is not limited to that alone. These works are remembrances of an era that pioneered the art revolution. It is a legacy and an affirmation that art has existed for so long and will continue to live on. It serves as models for other emerging artists and exemplifies the skill of artists gone but will forever be revered for their talent. Their techniques through their painting will serve as a guidance for all the other artists that will paint their name in history.