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Sak Yant Traditional Thailand Tattoos

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  Sak Yant by Ajarn Noo Kanpai date unknown from Thailand For this blog I've decided to take a dive into Sak Yant which is a traditional Thailand tattoo style that is hand poked. It is also known as traditional Khmer tattoo or traditional Thai tattoo. It is dated back to the 1600s but it is rumored to be over 2000 years old. The records of these tattoos come from the Ayutthaya Kingdom in Thailand. Traditional Yant tattoos were given to warriors as talismans to keep them safe during battles. The tattoo process was done by monks or holy men through a traditional hand-poked and empowered with magical blessings. This is still being done today in as close as possible to the traditional way. In Thai Sak means tattoo while Yant represents a sacred design. In modern times the tattoo process has moved towards more hygiene practices. I was drawn to this artwork because I found tattoos absolutely beautiful and this process of doing it all by hand is intriguing to me. Getting a tattoo with a m...
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Are Video Games Art?

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  Super Mario by Nintendo 2011 Mario Kart by Nintendo 2020 Super Mario Bros. by Nintendo 1985  A question that has been asked for generations are video games art? I would agree that video games are art. The time and dedication that happens to make one scene come to life. Video game creator should be considering artist they just choose to use technology as their media instead of the more traditional ways that is more mainstreamed as art. Nintendo is a big name in the video gaming world. I would not consider myself a gamer but of the few games I have tried the Mario franchise has been one. Nintendo is a Japanese multinational video game company headquarter in Kyoto. Nintendo was founded in 1889. The creator for Mario is Shigeru Miyamoto.     I'm choosing to focus on postmodern 1980-present time. Mario has multiple different looks throughout his time of being in the video game world. In each game you can see a different style is taken to make Mario interesting to fans. ...
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Early Modern Harlem Renaissance vs. Fauvism

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  The Library by Jacob Lawrence 1978 Listen Lord by Aaron Douglas 1925 Harlem Renaissance came onto the scene at the end of World War 1 and the start of the Great Depression. There is no single style that defines Harlem Renaissance what made Harlem Renaissance what it is, is that artists found ways to celebrate African American culture and Identity. The library backstory is Jacob Lawrence remember he had to researched African American events in books for his artwork because it has every rarely taught. So, he wanted to capture a moment of time as people in the library are studying their African American culture. I could not find a backstory of Listen Lord, but Aaron Douglas was a very important figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Bateaux dans le port de Collioure by Andre Derain 1905 Open Window by Henri Matisse 1905 Fauvism started in the early 20th century, it was something new, it was colorful and bold. It is also focused on rough, abrupt brushstrokes. Fauvism is also referred to a...
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Preferences and Perspective- The Romantic Era

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 Romantic vs. Realist A Calling by William-Adolphe Bouguereau 1896 Autumn in the Catskills by Thomas Cole 1826 I decided to first start with the Romantic style because it is the one that I prefer over the Realist style. Bouguereau was famous for his artwork consisting of children. He was known for his painting representing pure childhood. I feel like Bouguereau intention in his artwork was to make the viewer feel like they aren't looking at a painting but outside a window. I feel like that was also one of Cole's intentions in his artwork. Cole's Catskills series of painting were based off of a creek that was close to his house in upstate New York. I feel like another intention of Cole's was to make the viewer feel like nature is so much bigger than them. It is meant as a reminder how nature can make you feel tiny but also how that is a beautiful thing about it. Now I will move into Realist style Le Pont de L'Europe by Gustave Caillebotte 1881 The Chess Players by Ho...
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Classical Blog Exhibit

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  The Kitchen Maid by Jean Simeon Chardin 1738  I chose to focus on the growing economic power of the middle class in the 1700s.  The first artwork that I want to focus on is The Kitchen Maid by Jean Simeon Chardin  in 1738. The medium of this artwork is oil on canvas. The background of this piece features a young kitchen maid in a Hollandish kitchen taking a break from her work. The darker colors give the illusion of moody and tired. Just from looking at the young woman you can sense the tired energy.  The reason it fits this theme is because Chardin choose to show the middleclass day to day lifestyle.  The Immaculate Conception by Giovanni Battisa Tieplo 1769 This piece is also oil on canvas. The background is Tieplo was commissioned in 1967 by the new royal church of San Pascual Bailon at Aranjuez to do seven pieces for their new church. The figures in the painting are supposed to represent the foundation of the church. The way that this fits the th...
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Baroque Renaissance: The Crown by Bartolomeo Cavarozzi 1620

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  The Virgin and Child with Angels by Bartolomeo Cavarozzi 1620 I choose this painting because I was drawn to the youthful look of everyone in the pictures.  The background being completely black make the viewers eye immediately drawn to the children lowering the crown into the young woman heads. The highlights on all the people in the piece gives them a dew look hinting at their youthfulness. The feeling that I pick up from this piece is even through the Virgin is having a crown placed on her head she founds the baby on her lap more important. Hence her gaze being downward towards the kid not upwards to the crown. I would own this artwork in my own house. I found it every calming and serene effect on me/the viewer. I sadly could not find a backstory on The Virgin and Child with Angels by Bartolomeo Cavarozzi. Bartolomeo was influenced by the Council of Trent. Houston. “Virgin and Child with Angels | All Works | the MFAH Collections.”  Mfah.org , 2019, emuseum.mfah.org/ob...
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Italian Renaissance: Sandro Botticelli Portrait of a Young Woman

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  Sandro Botticelli Portrait of a Young Woman. Portrait of a Young Woman by Sandro Botticelli (1480-1485). Sandro Botticelli was an artist in the early renaissance. He is always known for starving towards beauty and virtue in all his paintings. I choose this painting because I was drawn to all the details throughout it. The lightning from the window behind the woman draws the viewer's eye to the woman's face. The darkness of the background also draws the viewer's eye to the woman's outfit. The presentation of the woman sideview gives a sense of mystery and aloofness. Not being the front profile, it makes you wonder more about the mystery woman.     I would definitely own a copy of this artwork. The backstory of this is very interesting it is rumored that Sandro Botticelli made multiple paintings of very similar looking woman which all of been named Portrait of a Young Woman. Sandro Botticelli was patronaged by the Medici family. His work was also influenced by humanist ...
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