02/06/2012
Cities are places of both Heaven as they helped establish the hierarchy and to control & unify the people
Cities were also Hellish as they are imperfect, unstable and decaying
Anna de Santos Agostino, 1737- dream of Hell quote is reminiscent of the Euro idea of the New World as a fallen paradisaical Eden.
Heaven is an ordered city, without end, full of gems and sweet music.
The organic Earth melts away and is replaced by geometry.
Cities were full of those breaking down the standards of social order, full of chaos
Within the structured architectural order of a city everyone is represented by their house as a low version of the body politic.
Treachery of Images: when the representation of object holds no power this happens when the image which should only used by people with power is used by the masses. One must control the image to control the power of the image. This forces others to live with in their own rank as fear occurs when they do not.
Human Condition by Rene Magritte
God:
Mother Church represented as city on earth in similitude of Heavenly order
Each private church had some type of chapel along with multiple public churches per city.
Religion Permeated life; not just an hour on Sunday
St. Augustine of Hippo:
middle ages, established Christianity as the dominate religion
separated earthly and heavenly realms based on Plato
Constantine:
Battle of Milano Bridge.
In a dream an angel told Constantine that if he fought under the sign of the cross (aka Christ) he would win, he do so, won and legalized/promoted Christianity. Was not baptized until his deathbed so that he would enter the kingdom pure. After his death the Imperial Roman culture challenged Christianity until St Augustine.
Aristotle:
Work + Ethics + Politics = Society = Individuals + Families + Cities
Plato:
The Allegory of the Cave (based on Socrates) states forms on earth are not real but shadows of reality which only exists in Heaven.
The Church as an institution must make this cosmic reality manifest which is facilitated by the construction of Cathedrals (Gothic etc) is an expression of comic reality on earth in city & pivotal to life yet totally separate. The city revolves around the church as the citizen's life in physicality revolves around the building of the church and ritual and yet that has nothing to do with the mundane business of daily living.
1517: Reformation- Church in New World is not Augustine but Post Lutheran. The Reformation changes the relationship between people & church, people & clergy, people & monarchy etc. (example: Bosch paints the nun as a pig accepting indulgences/payment for sins)
St. Peter's Church/Pope Leo X is broke and therefore institutes indulgences in order to fill the coffers, primarily an issue in Germanic lands
Protestants: Saved by Grace, you can never do enough, it is through Christ and your faith that you are saved
Catholics: Must earn salvation or at the very least pay for sins (such as burning them off in purgatory)
Council of Trent-1561- Ruling on Images: Didactic images only as counter to iconoclasm.
Reformation & Counter Reformation is a global battle, not localized to the Mediterranean.
02/08/2012
Colonial Brazilian Churches - churches were not just religious spaces but were where the city of man merged with the city of God.
Counter Reformation fought with Art, images, written word & churches
Individuals were expected to attend church at least once a day. Matins & Vespers for daily faithful and Mass on Sunday. Seats were not allowed, standing encouraged piety. This is what made you civilized and gave you stature. Begs the question of the Monumental and the Mundane.
Orders: converted then competed for patronage (tension)
Jesuits (1549)
Benedictines (1581)
Franciscans (1584)
Carmelites (1586)
Reductions (for Indians) scattered Indians were 'collected,' baptized and organized into 'cities' to be monitored.
Baroque Art: Paintings, Architecture & Sculpture all melt together to create one complete 'work' which was considered good designo in the Platonic sense and do not exists separately. Includes Trompe l'oiel elements.
Much of the decorative is from/made in Lisbon. Entire churches were carved in Portugal and shipped to Brazil.
3rd Orders - 1st Male, 2nd Female, 3rd Laymen. 3rd orders had chapels adjoining the formal monastic chapels which were both places of piety and an early equivalent to the country club.
Rio population 15,000. Death was a major part of life, not sanitary death like we have now. Monks and Nuns played roles of martyrdom as "the blood of the martyrs waters the faith of the church." Monks & Nuns give up 'life' and their posterity as a sacrifice of faith. This makes them living saints which can be paid for prayers on the buyer's behalf just as the saints in heaven and the Virgin pray for souls to Christ, the monks and nuns will pray to the Virgin who is more likely to listen to them than to the buyer.
Death of the Just & Death of the Sinner
Pain is evident on decorative figures faces as parishioners enter and exit the church as reminder of what kind of death one wanted to have.
Public/Parish churches were funded by the government and as the Pope/church was bankrupt the King was made responsible for buildings and congregations
Aldea-Small settlement, no church
Fazenda - Farm/plantation, may or may not have a private chapel
Capellas - community with a church but not royally funded
Paroquin - community with a government church and higher status
Villa - government seat with church
Cidade - government power, churches, Cathedral (Seat of the Bishop) true city
King forbade certain orders for fear that they would 'steal' all the gold by winning over the people
Churches were built at the highest point on the skyline possible for visual and symbolic impact but also facilitate the sound of the bells. Bells were a call to worship, a newscast (i.e. death, emergencies etc)
Sacrament- was blessed as literal not symbolic body of Christ - chancel
Influence of Asian ceramics & silks, wealth was equated to empire goods, Euro elite or purebred community members which made up the Brotherhood of the Holy Sacrament who were responsible for distributing the sacrament to all.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Study Guide with a FEW edits
Lecture 1 (Methodology) :
A way to construct a narrative
• Key Concepts and Events
o Methodology: Is generally a guideline system for solving a problem,
with specific components such as phases, tasks, methods, techniques
and tools. The process we use to dissect.
Social History of Art: Social History focuses on the
everyday-contextualized to understand purposes
Marxist Theory
Freudian Theory
Feminist Theory
Critical Race Theory
Queer Theory
o Post Colonial Theories
o The Reconquista – refused to recognize rights of Jews and Moors –
battling between Spain & Portuguese against the Moors for control of
Iberian Peninsula beginning in the 8th Century continuing into the
14th Century
The Black Legend:
o England develops a inglorious narrative about Spain-The Black Legend
– Spanish exploiting the primitive/adamic innocents, Jews,
Protestants“The tears of the Indians being an historical and true
account of the cruel massacres and slaughters of above twenty millions
of innocent people committed by the Spaniards... Title of
book-Published in London: J/C/ fpr Nath, Brooke 1656 Image:
o Mimicry-hybridity, loss of identity, cultural confusion, imagined
• Key Images
o Portrayals of Black Legend Spain
• The Tears of the Indians: Being an historical and true account of
the cruel massacres and slaughters of above twenty millions of
innocent people; committed by the Spaniards, Artist Unknown (published
by J.C. for Nath. Brooke), 17th Century
• Hybridity and ambivilence through a constructed image of society
that leaves individual in an uncomfortable state where they are
neither the original (cannot go back) nor the new (will never become)
Lecture 2 (Imagining Conquest)
• Key Concepts and Events
o Definition of Myth
o Development of Geographical Knowledge :Maps originate w/ biblical
centers “Map of the Known World” from Etymologiesof St Isidore and
develops into conceptual identity such as trade and commerce then
developes to Geographic accuracy
o Books, Images, and the Diffusion of Knowledge: Printing Press,
Lithographs, explosion in literate populace, Renaissance, interest in
scientific knowledge, Bible in lay languages via Martin luther
o The Renaissance and the Diffusion of Knowledge : Rebirth of Greek
and Roman ideals
• Key Images
o Portrayals of Conquest (Economic and Political)
• View of Lisbon (oldest known image) from the Cronica de Dom Alfonso
Henriques, Artist Unknown, 16th Century. Ships are symbolic foundation
on which the city are built the economic and commercial success
brought by navigation and nautical exploration.
• Indo-Portuguese Stuffed Quilt, Anonymous Maker, 17th Century.
Subconcious re-enforcement of Empire as Protecting (i.e. warm,
security blanket) and gifts the colonizing efforts bring to citizen’s
daily life
o Medieval Conceptions and Depictions of “the other”
• Illustrations from The Voyages of John Mandeville, Artist Unknown,
First Circulated 14th Century.
• Images from the Tympanum of Vezelay Abbey, France, Artist Unknown,
12th Century.
o T.O. (shape) and Early Modern World Maps
• Map of the Known World from the First Printed Edition of the
Etymologies of St Isidore, Artist Unknown, 16th Century.
• World Map, Domingo Teixeira, 16th Century.
• Terris Brasilis Map Folio V of the Miller Atlas, Diego Lopo Homem
et. al, 16th Century.
Lecture 3 (Imagining Brazilians)
• Key Images
o Portrayals of Native Americans (Classical and Medieval Roots)
• Gathering Brazil Wood, Anonymous Carver (Rouen, France), 16th Century.
• Woodcut of Native Brazilians from Mundus novus, Amerigo Vespucci,
16th Century.
• Amerigo Vespucci Rediscovers America, Print after Jan Van der
Straet, 16th Century.
o Portrayals of the New World as a Paradise Lost / Found
• Images from Americae tertia pars, Theodore de Bry, 16th Century.
o Allegories of the Four Continents
• Title Page of Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, Anonymous Artist, 16th Century.
• Cesare Ripa, Allegory of the Four Continents from Iconologia, 16th Century.
Lecture 4 (Collecting Brazil)
• Key Concepts and Events
o Metanarrative (Biblical)
o Poetics of Implication
o Collections as Conquest / Kunstkammer
o Dutch Brazil
o Hybridity
o Ambivalence
• Key Images
o “Exotic” Objects and Imagery
• Greenstone Mask, Artists Unknown, Pre-Columbian set in a 17th
Century. European Mount
o Landscapes
• Home of a Labrador in Brazil, Frans Post, 1650-1655
• View of Pernambuco, Frans Post, 1650-1655
o Ethnographic Portraits and “Scientific” Illustrations
• Brazilian Fruit, Albert Eckhout, 1641
• Taiupa Man / Woman, Tupi Man / Woman, Black Man / Woman, Mulato Man
/ Mameleke Woman, Albert Eckhout, 1641
Lecture 5 and 6 (Brazilian Cities)
• Key Concepts and Events
o Relationship Between Cities, Conquest, and Civilization
o Spanish Laws of the Indies
o Portuguese Feitorias- factories
o Urbs and Civitas: The idea of the city and the historical
imagination of urban governance in Spain, 19th-20th centuries.
Renaissance idea of a city, Subject worthy of artistic representation,
city implies it is essential for understanding why the city view in
the course of the 16th century emerged as an important, one might even
say, artistic genre. Individual identity is intragrally tied to
social system of community. Militaristic uniformity.
o Policia
o Aristotelian Concepts of Social and Urban Life (wrote book Ethics
and Politics: Hightest form of Happiness is Intellectual
Contemplation) Earth is the Center of the Cosmos as it is God’s
Creation per Genesis. Individuals become ethical through connection
with public city systems which tie them to the state.
o Figure / Ground Relationship (Delineation Between Public and Private Space)
o Links Between House and Family
o Colonial Brazilian Social Structure and Concepts of Qualidade
o Two Bodies of the King
• Key Images
o Brazilian Urban Images
• Map of the Northeast African Coast, Attributed to Fernão Vaz
Dourado, 16th Century.
• Image of Bahia, Map Included in the Atlas Estado do Brasil (The
State of Brazil) João Teixera Albernaz the Elder, 17th Century.
o Physical Differences Between Lower, Middle, and Elite Houses
Lecture 7, 8, and 9 (Colonial Brazilian Church)
• Key Concepts and Events
o Platonic Concepts of Reality- (Allegory of the Cave: our reality is
not Truth & Reality, as we will find the Real Truth when we get to
Heaven with is the real object and what we are exposed to is the smoke
in mirrors reflection)
o Augustinian City of God: When the Western Roman Empire was starting
to disintegrate, Augustine developed the concept of the Catholic
Church as a spiritual City of God (in a book of the same name),
distinct from the material Earthly City.[9] His thoughts profoundly
influenced the medieval worldview. Augustine's City of God was closely
identified with the Church, the community that worshipped God.
o The Reformation (Protestants want to reform church & eliminatation
of indulgences/ paying for sins) and Counterreformation (Council of
Trent to define Dogma esp. Ruling on Images in reaction to Iconoclams)
o The Council of Trent’s Ruling on Images -1545-63
o The Baroque, the “Place of the Viewer,” and the Application of the Senses
o Religious Order / Reductions / Third Order Churches, Private Chapels
/ Oratorios, and Public or Parochial Churches (1st Order: Monks, 2nd
Order Nuns, 3rd Order Privat Citizen)
o Communities, Civilization, and Public / Parochial (Parish) Churches
o Mystical Body of Christ and the Church Militant, Expectant, and Triumphant
o Chancel
o Nave
o Altars
o Religious Icons and Images
o Monomyth
• Key Images
o The Last Judgment Triptych, Hans Memling, 15th Century.
o The Law and the Gospel, Lucas Cranach the Elder, 16th Century.
o Third order Carmelite Church, Architect Unknown, Rio de Janeiro,
18th Century.
o Cathedral of Mariana (Façade, Chancel, Nave, Side Isles), Architect
Unknown, Minas Gerais, 18th Century.
o Sts. Ambrose and Gregory the Great, Church of The Rosary, Saint
Ifigenia., and São Benedito, Ouro Preto, 18th Century.
o Pilgrimage Church of Bom Jesus do Matosinhos, Congonhas do Campo,
18th to 19th Century.
o The Dead Lord, Francisco das Chagas, 18th Century
Lecture 10 (Plantations and Alternative Settlements)
• Key Concepts and Events
o Plantation Landscape and Social Organization
o Quilombos
o Utopias (Jesuit)
• Key Images
o Slave market, Brazil, Johann Moritz Rugendas, 19th Century.
o Colonial Fazenda Landscape, Paraiba, 18th Century.
o The Mission of São Miguel, Rio Grande do Sul, 18th Century.
Lecture 11 and 12 (Neoclassicism and Romanticism)
• Key Concepts and Events
o Modernity: What is Modernity and how does it Relate to the Following?
• Philosophical Revolutions
• Scientific Revolutions
• Political Revolutions
• Religious Revolutions
• Capitalist Revolutions
• The Rise of Urban Populations
• The Rise of Technological Development
• Optimism
o Nationalism / Civic Religion
o Neoclassicism
o Romanticism
o 1755 Lisbon Earthquake
o Marquis de Pombal and Pombaline Lisbon
o Art vs Historical Truth
• Key Images
o Palace Convent of Mafra, Portugal, Various architects, 18th Century
o Ruins of the Lisbon Opera House, Jacques Philippe Le Bas, 18th Century
o A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery, Joseph Wright of Darby, 18th Century
o Oath of the Horatii, Jacques-Louis David, 18th Century
o Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, Marquis de Pombal, Louis-Michel
van and Claude-Joseph Vernet, 18th Century
o Pano de Boca (Stage Background), Jean-Baptiste Debret, 19th Century
o Dom Pedro Lauded by Indians of the Land and Divinities, Artist
Unknown, 19th Century
Feb 22 & 29
2/22/12
HOW WE RELATE TO THE IMAGES
Images are hierarchical, they do not the viewer any agency. Images of
Christ are a whole body experience that promotes the viewer to grateful
good behavior out of fear and guilt.
-These prejudice societies are still alive in many places
around the world
MODERNITY
-Globalization
-Instant Access to International Media
-Fashion
-Transportation & Export
-Its power depends on being new, 15th century: The World doesn’t need
to be remade and we don’t want it to be
-Renaissance-Scientific, Social and Philosophical Revolution
Image:God as Architect/Builder/Geometer/
w/ his Compass)
Cosmic ideas that are comparable to man
By 18th Century the idea of God as an Architect
(Theology & Science
combined) is replaced by scientific experiment
Image: A Philosopher lecturing on the Orrey by Joseph
Wright of Darby, 1766
-Capernicous: God created the Heavens and the Earth, The Word is part
of God’s own creation, is challenged by concept that Earth is not the
center of creation
-Denis Diderot replace Bible w/ his Encyclopedie, no longer Truth as
final but truth to be debated by organization called The Republic of
Letters
-Republic of Letters (Standard: Mapping of the Republic of Letters)
Communication Network between elite educated classes in primarily
Paris, London, and then in Madrid, across the Atlantic. Incredible,
exchange that previous couldn’t have happened as either they had
nothing to communicate or they politically & religiously could not
-Exchange of ideas is dangerous to regimes
-1789-Birth of Modernity-Modern Liberalism is Born w/ French
Revolution w/ the eradication of Aristotelian and Platonic
theory-Individual worth, best government is that which intervenes the
least. Louis XIV, Sun King, declares himself a God, his Grandson’s
head is chopped off. The Bastille is also s a hostage as part of the
King’s Body Politic
Worshipped the Goddess of Liberty & Reason (found a whore to play
her) who replaced Mary in Cathedrals that were now the temples of
wisdom. Children were baptized as enlightened
Nations are imagined because the members will never know or, meet or
even hear of the majority of their fellow members
-Civic religion replaces a religion of God
Capitalist Revolution-fixed wage & consumerism replace hereditary landed wealth
Urban Culture-wealth and manufacturing potential of factories blended
cultures and replaced dominance of rural cultures
Technological Advances-Industrial barons rule this society
Modern world was optimistic and people viewed changes as positive
Only a few places could maintain discourse and whoever does leads and
hold modernity and all others follow (i.e. high school)
Oath of the Horatii -Neoclassicism (Classic order) vs Romanticism (temporal)
Going back to the 60’s because America was dominant and secure, stable
(our current vison because we won the arms race and the cold war) and
therefore elevating
What is classical?? Too loose a term -Midnight in Paris (Adriana
“I’m from the 20’s and I’m telling you this is the Golden Era)
Latin America wants to be modern but cannot on its own terms
Catholics see bloodied Christ as fully engaged with his body and is
meant to inspire viewer to be fully engaged with their body.
Catholics believe their are saved through their body, through physical
good works. Also, Christ is movable to be reenacted & placed in
center most building surrounded by exterior chapels through which
pilgram processionals witnessed life size 3-D sculptural scenes of
Christ’s Passion. Church of Bom Jesus do Matosinhos Congonhas Do
Campo (1772-1805) copied from Church of Bom Jesus Braga, Portugal
(1772-1805). Fountain representing salvation portrays women who are
saved through your sight (water pouring out of eyes), Your taste,
water pouring out of mouth, Your scent (water pouring out of nose),
hearing (water pouring out of ears) etc. etc.
3 Christian Virtues, Faith, Hope & Charity obtained through physical
senses and once you have them you are ready to enter the church and
partake of the sacrament.
Protestants state that you cannot save yourself from corporeal experience
as you will fail. Therefore it is a spiritual redemption through grace
alone.
Republic of Letters (Between England and France)- Enlightened
Philosopher’s frustrated by imperfect application of ideals in a Euro
Feudal/Medieval world and saw New World as the only place for
philosopher to come to full bloom. Very Little communication between
emerging world w/ Portugal and nothing with Brazil. Does Portugal not
want to be part of the Enlightenment (peripheral & not free to do so
under Dom Joao {The fortunate because of wealth but he doesn’t invest
in Enlightenment but sends money to England to pay for what is
modernized and builds Palaces (Place convent of Mafra, Portugal
Various architects, 1717-1755) Combination of Spanish Palace El
Escorial Spain de Toledo et al Begun 1563 & Palace of Versailles,
France Mansart et al begun 1661 (coping a 14 & 15 century
palace-backwards-behind times)
1755- Earthquake (often called the Holocaust of the 18th century on
Nov. 1st, All Saints Day Mass (world taken back from Devil (Halloween)
by the Saints) churches full of people, water recedes from the ports.
Tsunami, Fires and Flooding. Volcano image used as symbol for
savagery, Artists created many images of earthquake and the ruins.
Opera house is completed one week before earthquake and hadn’t had a
single performance, romantic view. Art vs Historical Truth (not
really scenes you could have seen but romanticized, dramatized, not
fashionable to go beyond fact to why and to tell story of grandeur of
event-sense of impact)
John D’Agata “the lifespan of a fact” - discourse of event becomes an
event-historical truth, when do we want it and when do we not?
Candid (Voltaire is huge in enlightenment and republic of letters)
writes inspired by Lisbon earthquake and asks the question Does God
exist if he allows such things to happen? in response to Gottfried
Leibniz’s argument of Optimism that this is the best because if God
could create better he would have. Concludes that God does not exist
and we must be our own gardener’s in creating and tending to our
world.
Lisbon earthquake forces Portuguese to face Modernism, how will we do
it and who will be in charge? Aristocrats vs Enlightenment thinkers,
Sebastiao Jose de Carvalho e Melo, Marqui de Pombal (educated in
France & England who brings Enlightenment to Portugal) and rebuilds
Lisbon no longer twisting small medieval streets but wide organized
Broadways. Building Lisbon in image of Enlightenment, Clear,
Geometric, Ordered, No Churches or Palaces but city surround around the
Square dedicated to capitalism and exchange.
Enlightened Despots (Catherine the Great, Gustave of Sweden, modern
but maintaining old values of power)
Even decorative arts such as tiles were dictated by Pombal’s
enlightened values, new ideology and world view. Change pivots on
earthquake. Neoclassical brought to Portugal mainly from France
(David) but is not coming from Portugal. Trains in Italy at Crown’s
expense, comes back, takes on students who all work for Napoleon.
Jean-Baptist Debret, student of David,
Napoleon, unifies much of Europe which had not been done since Rome,
Invades Iberian Peninsula, takes Spain and invades Portugal. Napoleon
invades and royal family moves to Rio.
1808: first book published in Brazil, must go to Europe for University
Simone Bulivar (South American George Washington, fighting for freedom
as Spain has been taken by Napoleon, so Colonies are free to choose if
they align with Spanish crown, Napoleon or independent)
Enlightenment ideas start ideas of liberty and allegiance
1860-Artistic mission in Rio de Janerio- intentions are to stay in
Brazil, even though Napoleon is no longer a threat -art would support
a reign (also using Napoleon’s own artists) Portuguese are upset and
are going to declare indepence if King doesn’t come back, he does, but
leaves son to rule Brazil, Son promises to be King of Brazil but 6
years later goes back to Portugal to rule.
Pano de Boca (Stage Background) jean-baptiste Debret, 1822
2/29/2012
Authenticity: verifiable original-extremely subjective-unmediated
Primitive: authentic is rooted in the origin of things by going back in time
Industrial revolution-crisis of authenticity-world is now one of man
removed from nature- now coalbrookdale is our paradise lost
--People begin to collect antiques and the handmade which is now rare
and nostalgic (before everything was handmade and you used it until it
wore out when you’d make
another one)
Brazil is where scientist and pseudo scientific theories could
research the origins of the world, where we came from, why we are here
and where are we going?
Alexander Von Humboldt: Einstein of his day, wrote about the cosmos
(romantic ideals) fascinated by volcanoes
Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species (1859)
Cartoons by Thomas Nast
Josiah Clark Nott and George R Glidden- Polygenism theory- Many kinds
of humans as argument against Origin of Species w/ concept that God
made many kinds of people. (White Euros, Negros, Monkeys--high,
middle & low)
Louis Agassiz-hundreds of drawings of fish (pro-polygenism) God
created different types of fish to inhabit different types of
environments-same with humans.
Costumbristo -categorizes images (peoples, clothing, flora and fauna)
as authentically Brazilian or whatever- Outside perspective.
Organized, theorized, understood and therefore controlled
Costumbrismo: desire to capture an authentic categorical description
of costume and dress in a vernacular aspect
Jean-Baptiste Debret -gluttony -savage Portuguese towards blacks
Powerless portrayal of Collection for the maintenance of the church of
our lady of the rosary of porto alegre
DeBret’s art style varies with patron and agenda of image
Why is this piece chosen? How does this piece out of everything else
that could be show describe the time and place and circumstances. How
does this image network with other images we have seen?
HOW WE RELATE TO THE IMAGES
Images are hierarchical, they do not the viewer any agency. Images of
Christ are a whole body experience that promotes the viewer to grateful
good behavior out of fear and guilt.
-These prejudice societies are still alive in many places
around the world
MODERNITY
-Globalization
-Instant Access to International Media
-Fashion
-Transportation & Export
-Its power depends on being new, 15th century: The World doesn’t need
to be remade and we don’t want it to be
-Renaissance-Scientific, Social and Philosophical Revolution
Image:God as Architect/Builder/Geometer/
w/ his Compass)
Cosmic ideas that are comparable to man
By 18th Century the idea of God as an Architect
(Theology & Science
combined) is replaced by scientific experiment
Image: A Philosopher lecturing on the Orrey by Joseph
Wright of Darby, 1766
-Capernicous: God created the Heavens and the Earth, The Word is part
of God’s own creation, is challenged by concept that Earth is not the
center of creation
-Denis Diderot replace Bible w/ his Encyclopedie, no longer Truth as
final but truth to be debated by organization called The Republic of
Letters
-Republic of Letters (Standard: Mapping of the Republic of Letters)
Communication Network between elite educated classes in primarily
Paris, London, and then in Madrid, across the Atlantic. Incredible,
exchange that previous couldn’t have happened as either they had
nothing to communicate or they politically & religiously could not
-Exchange of ideas is dangerous to regimes
-1789-Birth of Modernity-Modern Liberalism is Born w/ French
Revolution w/ the eradication of Aristotelian and Platonic
theory-Individual worth, best government is that which intervenes the
least. Louis XIV, Sun King, declares himself a God, his Grandson’s
head is chopped off. The Bastille is also s a hostage as part of the
King’s Body Politic
Worshipped the Goddess of Liberty & Reason (found a whore to play
her) who replaced Mary in Cathedrals that were now the temples of
wisdom. Children were baptized as enlightened
Nations are imagined because the members will never know or, meet or
even hear of the majority of their fellow members
-Civic religion replaces a religion of God
Capitalist Revolution-fixed wage & consumerism replace hereditary landed wealth
Urban Culture-wealth and manufacturing potential of factories blended
cultures and replaced dominance of rural cultures
Technological Advances-Industrial barons rule this society
Modern world was optimistic and people viewed changes as positive
Only a few places could maintain discourse and whoever does leads and
hold modernity and all others follow (i.e. high school)
Oath of the Horatii -Neoclassicism (Classic order) vs Romanticism (temporal)
Going back to the 60’s because America was dominant and secure, stable
(our current vison because we won the arms race and the cold war) and
therefore elevating
What is classical?? Too loose a term -Midnight in Paris (Adriana
“I’m from the 20’s and I’m telling you this is the Golden Era)
Latin America wants to be modern but cannot on its own terms
Catholics see bloodied Christ as fully engaged with his body and is
meant to inspire viewer to be fully engaged with their body.
Catholics believe their are saved through their body, through physical
good works. Also, Christ is movable to be reenacted & placed in
center most building surrounded by exterior chapels through which
pilgram processionals witnessed life size 3-D sculptural scenes of
Christ’s Passion. Church of Bom Jesus do Matosinhos Congonhas Do
Campo (1772-1805) copied from Church of Bom Jesus Braga, Portugal
(1772-1805). Fountain representing salvation portrays women who are
saved through your sight (water pouring out of eyes), Your taste,
water pouring out of mouth, Your scent (water pouring out of nose),
hearing (water pouring out of ears) etc. etc.
3 Christian Virtues, Faith, Hope & Charity obtained through physical
senses and once you have them you are ready to enter the church and
partake of the sacrament.
Protestants state that you cannot save yourself from corporeal experience
as you will fail. Therefore it is a spiritual redemption through grace
alone.
Republic of Letters (Between England and France)- Enlightened
Philosopher’s frustrated by imperfect application of ideals in a Euro
Feudal/Medieval world and saw New World as the only place for
philosopher to come to full bloom. Very Little communication between
emerging world w/ Portugal and nothing with Brazil. Does Portugal not
want to be part of the Enlightenment (peripheral & not free to do so
under Dom Joao {The fortunate because of wealth but he doesn’t invest
in Enlightenment but sends money to England to pay for what is
modernized and builds Palaces (Place convent of Mafra, Portugal
Various architects, 1717-1755) Combination of Spanish Palace El
Escorial Spain de Toledo et al Begun 1563 & Palace of Versailles,
France Mansart et al begun 1661 (coping a 14 & 15 century
palace-backwards-behind times)
1755- Earthquake (often called the Holocaust of the 18th century on
Nov. 1st, All Saints Day Mass (world taken back from Devil (Halloween)
by the Saints) churches full of people, water recedes from the ports.
Tsunami, Fires and Flooding. Volcano image used as symbol for
savagery, Artists created many images of earthquake and the ruins.
Opera house is completed one week before earthquake and hadn’t had a
single performance, romantic view. Art vs Historical Truth (not
really scenes you could have seen but romanticized, dramatized, not
fashionable to go beyond fact to why and to tell story of grandeur of
event-sense of impact)
John D’Agata “the lifespan of a fact” - discourse of event becomes an
event-historical truth, when do we want it and when do we not?
Candid (Voltaire is huge in enlightenment and republic of letters)
writes inspired by Lisbon earthquake and asks the question Does God
exist if he allows such things to happen? in response to Gottfried
Leibniz’s argument of Optimism that this is the best because if God
could create better he would have. Concludes that God does not exist
and we must be our own gardener’s in creating and tending to our
world.
Lisbon earthquake forces Portuguese to face Modernism, how will we do
it and who will be in charge? Aristocrats vs Enlightenment thinkers,
Sebastiao Jose de Carvalho e Melo, Marqui de Pombal (educated in
France & England who brings Enlightenment to Portugal) and rebuilds
Lisbon no longer twisting small medieval streets but wide organized
Broadways. Building Lisbon in image of Enlightenment, Clear,
Geometric, Ordered, No Churches or Palaces but city surround around the
Square dedicated to capitalism and exchange.
Enlightened Despots (Catherine the Great, Gustave of Sweden, modern
but maintaining old values of power)
Even decorative arts such as tiles were dictated by Pombal’s
enlightened values, new ideology and world view. Change pivots on
earthquake. Neoclassical brought to Portugal mainly from France
(David) but is not coming from Portugal. Trains in Italy at Crown’s
expense, comes back, takes on students who all work for Napoleon.
Jean-Baptist Debret, student of David,
Napoleon, unifies much of Europe which had not been done since Rome,
Invades Iberian Peninsula, takes Spain and invades Portugal. Napoleon
invades and royal family moves to Rio.
1808: first book published in Brazil, must go to Europe for University
Simone Bulivar (South American George Washington, fighting for freedom
as Spain has been taken by Napoleon, so Colonies are free to choose if
they align with Spanish crown, Napoleon or independent)
Enlightenment ideas start ideas of liberty and allegiance
1860-Artistic mission in Rio de Janerio- intentions are to stay in
Brazil, even though Napoleon is no longer a threat -art would support
a reign (also using Napoleon’s own artists) Portuguese are upset and
are going to declare indepence if King doesn’t come back, he does, but
leaves son to rule Brazil, Son promises to be King of Brazil but 6
years later goes back to Portugal to rule.
Pano de Boca (Stage Background) jean-baptiste Debret, 1822
2/29/2012
Authenticity: verifiable original-extremely subjective-unmediated
Primitive: authentic is rooted in the origin of things by going back in time
Industrial revolution-crisis of authenticity-world is now one of man
removed from nature- now coalbrookdale is our paradise lost
--People begin to collect antiques and the handmade which is now rare
and nostalgic (before everything was handmade and you used it until it
wore out when you’d make
another one)
Brazil is where scientist and pseudo scientific theories could
research the origins of the world, where we came from, why we are here
and where are we going?
Alexander Von Humboldt: Einstein of his day, wrote about the cosmos
(romantic ideals) fascinated by volcanoes
Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species (1859)
Cartoons by Thomas Nast
Josiah Clark Nott and George R Glidden- Polygenism theory- Many kinds
of humans as argument against Origin of Species w/ concept that God
made many kinds of people. (White Euros, Negros, Monkeys--high,
middle & low)
Louis Agassiz-hundreds of drawings of fish (pro-polygenism) God
created different types of fish to inhabit different types of
environments-same with humans.
Costumbristo -categorizes images (peoples, clothing, flora and fauna)
as authentically Brazilian or whatever- Outside perspective.
Organized, theorized, understood and therefore controlled
Costumbrismo: desire to capture an authentic categorical description
of costume and dress in a vernacular aspect
Jean-Baptiste Debret -gluttony -savage Portuguese towards blacks
Powerless portrayal of Collection for the maintenance of the church of
our lady of the rosary of porto alegre
DeBret’s art style varies with patron and agenda of image
Why is this piece chosen? How does this piece out of everything else
that could be show describe the time and place and circumstances. How
does this image network with other images we have seen?
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