Meant however is a French painter and was born in 1832, coming from a impolitely separate century. Each artist has an artwork that features a reclining nude where they communicate their own techniques and ideas into the works. The use of the reclining nude conveys the role of the woman as perceived by men as an object to be viewed or desired. Giorgio came from the small town of Castration Veneto in Venice. He was extremely influential to other artists and was one of the initiators of High Renaissance style in Venetian art.
There is little record of his early elite, however it is shown that Giorgio served his apprenticeship with Venetian painter Giovanni Beeline in 1490, who is well known to have revolutionized Venetian painting. His color, technique and mood of his paintings are clearly related to Bellini’s late style. Giorgio died in 1510 in Venice, Italy at age 33. He was known to be the first Italian to paint landscapes with figures as movable pictures in their own frames, and the first to use glowing and melting intensity in his works.
One of Goriness’s works includes the artwork Sleeping Venus or The Dressed Venus created in 1510. It is oil on canvas and measures 108 by CACM. The reclining figure is used across the whole width of the painting making a long, mutinous slope Of body where the goddess’ curves echo the curves Of hillside, easing the viewers gaze and relaxing the eyes. The landscape consists of buildings, trees and mountains. The use Of an external landscape to frame a nude is innovative where the glowing landscape fills the space behind her, framing her spirituality.
Venus’ sensuality is explored through her red lips and the deep red velvet and white satin material on which her pale body lies. The outlines of the body are blurred to create a gradual transition from the main focus of the body to the surrounding backdrop. Giorgio uses tones of light and dark to create an illusion of three-dimensionality. He successfully achieves the expression of remoteness and unseen-conscious beauty as a majestic and idealistic figure. Universal beauty is used to express Venus as a goddess.
To add mystery, Venus being asleep means that she is spirited away from accessibility to her conscious expression. Giorgio was conscious tot a viewer gazing at the painting as he tilted Venus’ body in such a way 50 that all of her ideal aspects are clearly visible to the viewer. She appears to be floating over the ground in an effort to show off her lovely form. Titian was apprenticed to Giorgio for three years and finished Sleeping Venus after Goriness’s death in 1510. This artwork became one of the greatest themes of European art With the nude in an idealized landscape setting.
Venus was not painted for sexual desire but was painted merely as a goddess sleeping unaware Of a viewer peaking on her. Giorgio developed a large range Of visual elements to direct the viewers’ gaze and to communicate his subject and purpose to the viewer. Titian left his hometown of Peeve did Cadre at the age of 9 or 10, to also study tit painter Giovanni Beeline in Venice. His first documented reference was in 1508 where he met Giorgio and was commissioned to paint frescos with him.
Giorgio highly influenced Titan’s style by teaching him figures in ideal settings and creating moods such as fear, mystery and passion. Titan’s colors became deep and intense, but harmonious and balanced, making him a master of the High Renaissance style of art. He represented themes with originality, mood and a new sense of beauty where the reclining nude was a clear representation of females in Western art. Titian died in 1576 aged 85 in Venice. An artwork of Titan’s that is currently commissioned in the Fizz Gallery in Hormone is the oil on canvas Venus of Urbana, created in ISIS and measuring 1. Mm by 1. Mom. Venus of Robin was painted for Duke Guidebook II of Robin when Titian was SO years old. Venus is the name given to the goddess of love and beauty and shows her in a natural and peaceful lying pose where she radiates a sense of grace and calmness. She symbolisms sensual Renaissance beauty and an idealistic figure with soft glowing skin, a well-rounded figure, small breasts, strong neck and smallish head. Her soft-glowing skin creates 3 unusual appeal where the fair skin stands out against the dark background, where Titian uses deep red and dark green to create a warm color harmony.
The realistic rendering of her body creates an atmosphere of intimacy yet she still achieves a look of ideal female beauty. Venus is depicted as a reclining nude openly available for pleasure, yet her hand is placed in a traditional position of modesty where she covers her genitals from view. Titian successfully depicts Venus in a submissive, relaxed and composed mood where she gazes seductively yet meekly at the viewer, showing an awareness not only of the viewer but also of her beauty. The mood of Venus gives a sense of refinement and calmness throughout the artwork.
Titian adds a bracelet, small ring and earrings to reinforce Venus’ femininity while the luxury of the house and the maids in the background reinforce her status. The small dog situated at the end of her bed symbolisms fidelity but is also a connection with the maids to direct the viewers’ eyes, The classical theme of the artwork only slightly veils the erotic intentions from Titian. Titian uses many visual codes that are left for the interpretation of the viewer and he also communicates his ideas specifically through colors and symbols.
Born in Paris, Prance to a magistrate and diplomat’s daughter, Meant belonged to an upper-class household with strong political connections. His parents disapproved of his interest in painting but his Uncle supported his early interests and arranged frequent trips to the Louvre for him where he would copy the works Of masters while adapting them according to his own style. His father finally gave in a decade later and supported his dream of attending art school. At age 18, Meant began studying under Thomas Couture where he learnt the basics of drawing and painting.
Meant was extremely successful in realism but e also adopted a more impressionist technique and color range using broad brushstrokes. His subjects centered on everyday people doing everyday tasks. Meant died in 1883 aged 51 in his hometown of Paris. Trying his hardest to get accepted into the Salon, Meant submitted his oil on canvas artwork Olympia, heavily inspired by Titan’s artwork Venus of Robin, Olympia however measures 130. 5 by CACM, was painted in 1863 and is currently located in the Muss©e doorway in Paris.
The interpretation of this image had mostly negative feedback and was rejected by the 1865 Salon. Meant uses throng brushstrokes where Olympia is mostly painted as an outline with sudden changes in color to create an unfinished look. Instead of a smooth idealized nude, Meant painted a woman whose nakedness is starkly emphasized by the harsh light where mid-tones, large color surfaces and shallow depth is eliminated. The fact that Olympia was a prostitute vivo stares confidently with an unwavering glance at the viewer was extremely shocking at the time.
This was so shocking as a Avon in general, let alone a prostitute, is never to Stare directly at anyone yet this woman dares to stare out and meet the viewers’ eyes. There is also an African-Caribbean woman instead Of 3 maid, and she holds a posy Of flowers that Olympia seems to ignore, suggesting it is onto first time occurrence. Painting a black woman baas another sexualities reference that Meant incorporated. A third sexual reference includes the positioning of Olympian hand where she firmly protects her genitals as if to emphasis her independence and sexual domination over men.
Meant chooses to replace Titan’s loyal dog at Venus’ feet by using a cat whose back is arched. He also incorporates jewelry such as her bracelet, earrings and an orchid in her hair as symbols of wealth. The way in which the artwork is painted, with the obvious contrast of dark tooth background and light of Olympia draws much attention to the subject of the painting, Meant successfully incorporates his own ideas to create a separate artwork trot Titian, while combining elements from Titan’s artwork such as the hand over the genitals.
Each artist successfully communicates their own ideas into their artworks through the use of visual codes and language. They each use a focal point to focus the viewer’s eyes. Giorgio uses a focal point of the stark white of the male against the darker background where the viewer looks at the reclining figure first, and then their eyes are guided out into the background.
Titian and Meant have a similar technique as Giorgio, using the reclining figure as the lighter color to stand out against the darker background. However, in Titans, the viewers’ eyes are then guided towards the dog and two servants before observing the background. While observing Mantes artwork, the viewers eyes are guided to the Negro servant. Giorgio, Titian and Meant all feature an artwork with a reclining nude and each leave a legacy to be followed by other successful artists.
