Life Through Art

In the first painting titled "KINDRED SPIRITS", by Asher Brown Durand (1849, National Gallery of Art, oil on canvas, Washington), we find that there are two men on a hilltop in the middle of the forest. This is actually a painting depicting American artist Thomas Cole and American poet William Cullen Bryant engulfed by the wilderness of the Catskill Mountains of New York. This second portrait by Rembrandt is entitled "SEATED OLD MAN” (1630, D.C., National Gallery of Art, Washington). There is no information on the drawing and the man portrayed in the picture is unknown. Both works of art show major examples of period. Period is a phase in the development of the work of an artist, groups of artists or art movement. Asher Brown Durand's "Kindred Spirits" was created in the 1800s while "Seated Old Man" by Rembrandt was created in the 1600s. "Kindred Spirits" was created in the 19th century during the Modern World period. During this period modernity reflected the emergence of a new kind of society in the wake of the French Revolution, the American Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution. "Seated Old Man" by Rembrandt was created in the 17th century in which the period of Renaissance and Romanticism emerged. Within this period it was a Renaissance in the sense of a flowering, excitement over human possibilities, and a high regard for individual ego.
There are several ways to approach the study of art. While it is useful to understand how and why works of art differ, it is also helpful to see how much they are alike, even when thousands of miles and years separate them. There are a few themes that can be identified in these two major works of art. In the painting "Kindred Spirits" we find that Durand had used two major themes within the illustration. One theme noticed is the theme of history. In 1849 the painting was created, which depicted the great American artist Thomas Cole and American poet William Cullen. These two men are very well known people throughout our history and in order to show importance or status during the 1800's paintings or drawings of these people were done. Therefore history is depicted in the painting. We also find the theme of nature, especially, in the painting. Not only through the men in the picture, but by the forest in which they are being engulfed. During the 18th and 19th century many painters set out to record the American landscape. Nature has been more than a subject for art; it has also served as a material for art. "Seated Old Man" also holds good examples of themes within the drawing. Rembrandt uses the themes looking outward and history. Looking Outward is notifying works of art among the earliest images of daily life. The man in the picture shows an outward look on life and people. History can also be related to in this picture just like "Kindred Spirits." In my opinion if you look at the material such as the canvas in which the drawing is on you can tell that it is an old sheet by looking at the rugged background. Also the man in the picture shows history, though it is not told who the man is, by the clothing he wears it shows that this is historic.
In "Kindred Spirits" there are many principles and elements of design. In the painting, there exists unity for example. There is a sense of oneness, of things belonging together. The artist also employs analogous colors. Analogous are color that have one color in common. In "Spirits" Cole used greens, blue greens and blue. Visual weight also exists due to the apparent weight in the painting. The hill in which the men are standing draws attention because they are the main focus within the piece. Last is the balance of the painting. An Asymmetrical balance is shown due to, not only the visual heaviness in the painting, but also the dark value of the rocky hills. The rocky hills in the foreground of the picture out weigh the green mountains in the background. In the painting you find contour lines that are drawn to record the certain boundaries in the painting. For example the creek that starts out at the bottom of the page and as you look further into the picture it leads us through the forest and beyond the mountains. The painting also shows directional and movement lines such as the waterfall. It helps the audience to see the direction in which the water is flowing. The diagonal lines in the picture take us deeper into the forest, leading our eyes from the main vocal point at the front of the painting to the back of the forest. The hills, trees and mountains are some examples. Last are the implied lines. In the painting if you focus on the tree you see above the two men it circles around connecting to the cliff on the other side, which then touches the creek and then goes back up to the hill in which the two men are standing. This implies that the artist wants his viewers to look deeper into the forest beyond the mountains.Like the principles and elements of design that exist in "Kindred Spirits", the next painting has some similar features. For instance, in "Seated Old Man" the principle of unity exists. First of all the picture is created using one method which is the use of implied lines/ or implied shape. There is also unity in the balance of color. The artist only uses one color to create the painting which is a brownish color. Asymmetrical balance is visualized in the picture due to the position in which he sits. Notice, their is more visual weight to the bottom right of the picture and using the implied lines we notice that it leads to the main focal point which is the characters face. The contrast of the characters' clothes compared to his face and the background create emphasis and subordination. "SEATED OLD MAN" shows more examples of contour lines. The contour lines include the robe the man is wearing. It helps us to capture the face of the person in the painting by making his face lighter than the rest of the picture. The wrinkles in the robe show us directional and movement lines. It once again draws attention to the characters face. The values of this picture help us to see the three-dimensions of the picture. And you also notice the on color that Rembrandt uses is a brownish color. Implied lines are also shown in the painting such as the wrinkles in the robe leading us from the bottom right corner to the vocal point. The design of Rembrandts painting expresses his style and feelings. He shows no hesitation using long strokes of lines to create the picture.
“What is the artist trying to say?” is a question people ask when looking at a work of art, as though the artist were trying to tell us in images what he or she could have said more clearly in a few words. We notice that in the two art works the moods are subjective. In “Kindred Spirits” the analogous colors express that Asher Brown Durand was trying to show his audience the beauty and harmony of nature. He uses famous people such as American artist Thomas Cole and American poet William Cullen Bryant to express the enthusiasm in the painting. Rembrandt’s sketch “Seated Old Man” gives a more relaxed mood. As Rembrandt uses an old rugged canvas for the background we see historical patterns. He also makes long strokes with the material he uses to sketch the picture. This shows a mood of comfort and ease. These are some examples of mood in the two art works. Both works of art show major examples of movement and style. Movement is a tendency or style in art with a specific common philosophy or goal. Asher Brown Durand's "Kindred Spirits" was created in the 1800s while "Seated Old Man" by Rembrandt was created in the 1600s. Brown was an American painter of the Hudson River school. Rembrandt on the other hand is generally considered one of the greatest painters and printmakers in European art history and the most important in Dutch history. During 1849 there was a Hudson School River Art Movement. The name given to a number of American landscape painters working from 1825-1875, inspired by their pride in the beauty of their homeland. Rembrandt was in the Baroque period. Baroque Art emerged in Europe around 1600, as a reaction against the intricate and formulaic Mannerist style which dominated the Late Renaissance. Baroque Art is less complex, more realistic and more emotionally affecting than Mannerism. This movement was encouraged by the Catholic Church, the most important patron of the arts at that time, as a return to tradition and spirituality. These art works also express style. Style refers to a characteristic or group of characteristics that we recognize as constant, recurring, or coherent.
The style that both "Kindred Spirits" and "Seated Old Man" presents is representational. Representational covers a broad range of approaches. It is very faithful to visual experience, recording how forms are revealed by light and shadow, how bodies reflect an inner structure of bone and muscle, how fabric drapes over bodies and objects, and how gravity makes weight felt. This approach is also considered NATURALISTIC! In "Kindred Spirits" Asher Brown Durand set out to represent the visible world in such a way that we recognize a likeness. He also shows visual experience and recorded how forms are revealed by light and shadow. In "Seated Old Man" Rembrandt shows how fabric drapes over bodies and object and how gravity makes weight felt. These are a few examples of movement and style in my two art works.
In conclusion, I find that this art experience has opened my mind to new ways of expressing feelings, mood, and beliefs. There was no particular reason why I chose these art works, but I learned a lot through researching and writing about them. In Asher Brown Durand’s “Kindred Spirit” I learned the importance of nature and American Art. Through looking at Rembrandt’s “Seated Old Man” I see the pride in a high regard for individual ego. Both artists created a work that speaks a message of principles, elements, themes, period and culture; movement and style. Ultimately, they influenced me as much as they influenced themselves.