Week 1- Painting Analysis of still life
Image 1:
(Norton Simon Museum, 2023)
Artist Name: Henri-Horace Roland de la Porte (French, c.1724-1793)
Title: Still Life
Date: c. 1765
Medium: Oil on canvas
Copyright: © Norton Simon Art Foundation
Henri-Horace Roland De la porte was a French still life painter. He belonged to the neoclassical and baroque movements. Henri-Horace was inspired by the objects from his day to day life. He liked painting objects and fruit. His paintings were symmetrical and always were dark and focused on one specific point.
When we see the work we can realize that it is very dark and focused on the peaches. You can't identify what time of day it is but it appears to be a sunset as there is only a ray of light, which falls directly on the peaches and the cup. By seeing the painting you can identify that someone had been there eating. I get the impression that the person who was there had to leave in a hurry, since it is not clean and you can see crumbs of some food. I believe that the painter is inspired by what he sees every day and represents the common life of any person. It makes you think about what must have happened so that the person had to leave without time to clean.
Image 2:
(Still, 2017)
ARTIST: Pieter Claesz. (Dutch, 1596/97-1660)
DATE:1642
MEDIUM: Oil on wood panel
Pieter Claesz, the most important still-life painter in Haarlem in the 1620s, was born in Berchem in 1596 or 1597. He is one of the pioneers of a type of Dutch still life known as the “breakfast piece,” which features simple meals painted in tones of gray and brown.
When looking at the painting, we can see that it is very dark. The painting has a lot of movement, you can see a discarded glass, a lemon that has been half-peeled and that a lot of time has passed, because of how the lemon peel begins to decompose. I believe that this painting is not a simple refraction of the world, it goes beyond. I think it is a reflection of a specific person and represents a moment in someone's life. Although the painting is not very clear, it allows us to be carried away by our imagination and for each person to give it a different representation.
References
Norton Simon Museum. (2023). About the Collection. [online] Available at: https://www.nortonsimon.org/art/viewer/M.1968.48.P [Accessed 15 Oct. 2023].
Still (2017). Still Life with Oysters – Works – Toledo Museum of Art. [online] Toledomuseum.org. Available at: http://emuseum.toledomuseum.org/objects/55146 [Accessed 15 Oct. 2023].
Week 2- El Castillo de Chapultepec
The Castillo de Chapultepec is a former royal residence turned into a museum. It has served various purposes throughout its history, including being a military academy, imperial residence, presidential residence, and currently, it houses the National Museum of History.
The construction of the castle began in 1785 during the Viceroyalty of New Spain, under the orders of Viceroy Bernardo de Gálvez. However, the castle as it stands today was largely constructed during the reign of Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico in the 1860s.
Originally built as a summer residence for the Spanish viceroys, the castle has since been repurposed for various uses. Under Emperor Maximilian I, it became the imperial residence for the short-lived Second Mexican Empire. Later, it served as the presidential residence for several Mexican presidents. Today, it stands as a museum showcasing Mexico's history.
Chapultepec Castle is an impressive structure situated atop Chapultepec Hill, overlooking Mexico City. It is characterized by its neoclassical architectural style with influences from other European architectural traditions. The exterior features stone walls and towers, with a prominent central dome. The castle is adorned with decorative elements such as columns, statues, and intricate carvings. The interior is equally grand, with ornate furnishings, artwork, and historical artifacts on display. The castle's location atop the hill provides panoramic views of the surrounding cityscape. Overall, it is a symbol of Mexico's rich history and cultural heritage.
I chose this place because I think it has been very important in the history of Mexico and is very important to me. It is one of my favorite places because there is so much peace and it has so much history. Without a doubt, I would say that it is one of the most beautiful places in the city and it makes me feel very proud of my Mexico.
References:
Museo Nacional de Historia Castillo de Chapultepec. (2023). Historia de Chapultepec. [online] Available at: https://mnh.inah.gob.mx/historia [Accessed 15 Oct. 2023].
Week 3 - Semiotic Analysis
Denotation: By seeing this picture, you can see that the woman there's blonde, red lips, has make-up on. She's wearing a bodysuit with lots of color and really shiny and she´s also holding a microphone. She's wearing a shiny necklace. In the background there's some purple lightning.
Connotation: We can see that the woman there is Taylor Swift and she´s a singer, that's why she's holding a microphone. It looks like she's doing a concert and she seems really happy and with a lot of confidence by the way she's standing. By the way she looks, she seems to be having a lot of fun in the concert and seems really comfortable and happy with the crowd.
This photo was taken by me during Taylor Swift's tour called the Eras Tour. The Eras Tour is the biggest tour that Taylor Swift has ever done, in which she has made her fans go crazy and has even had to change the ticketmaster rules to buy tickets. This tour is a collection of all the singer's albums, in which she invites us to take part for 3 hours and we visit each of her eras. It is said that this tour could generate $2.2 million by finishing its tour in the United States alone. The singer has been a great help to the American economy this year and it doesn't seem like she's going to stop. The suit she is wearing is from the Versace brand and was specially designed for her by Donatella Versace and Louboutin high-knee boots. The bodysuit is covered in Swarovski crystals and has the colors of her Lover album.
I chose this photo since I wanted to analyze something that was of interest to me and that I liked. Taylor Swift has been part of my entire life, I could say that I have grown with her and I find it admirable how much she has grown and how even though there are dark moments, we get up and stronger than ever. This outfit is one of my favorites from the tour because it's so colorful and I think Taylor looks beautiful in it.
Visual Response
References:
Bau, A. (2023). Cuánto dinero ha ganado Taylor Swift por The Eras Tour y cuánto acumula en total. [online] ELLE. Available at: https://elle.mx/celebridades/2023/08/29/cuanto-dinero-tiene-taylor-swift-the-eras-tour [Accessed 12 Feb. 2024].
Davis, J. (2023). Inside Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras’ tour wardrobe – from designer sketches to outfit details. [online] Harper’s BAZAAR. Available at: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/fashion/fashion-news/g43362580/taylor-swift-era-tour-wardrobe-fashion/ [Accessed 12 Feb. 2024].
Week 4- Formal elements
Line presentation
Formal Elements Analysis
Black and white photograph. Beautiful woman in a dress, walking, looking to the side and smiling.
It seems as if it is a paparazzi picture of Marilyn Monroe. She's getting out of a car and getting into the premiere of one of her movies. She seems excited and happy to be there. She looks glammed and beautiful. She is dressed in a strapless dress and wearing a fury slope and gloves as accessories.
You can see a lot of lines over the dress. The lines in the dress make Marilyn more stylized. The lines of her clavicle also make her look more elegant, and the look seems more complex.
The colors in the picture are neutral tones. You can see different tones of black, gray, and white.
The image is focused on the woman's silhouette, and you can see a car behind her. It seems like she's wearing a silk dress and a furry coat.
This picture was taken at the premier of the film 'There's No Business like Show Business' while Marilyn was arriving at the premier because she was one of the film's stars and one of the most influential women of the decade. The premiere took place on December 16, 1954, at the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California.
I am a huge fan of Marilyn’s. I love that picture because I consider one of her most iconic looks. She looks stunning, with her recognizable hair and make-up. The dress fits her like a globe and shows her natural curves. She's a lady with elegance and style, full of confidence. This picture reminds me of the dress she was wearing in the movie Gentlemen prefer blondes in the scene of diamonds are a girl's best friend. It also reminds me of Andy Warhol's artwork inspired by her.
Visual Response
References
ELLE, T. (2016). An Icon In Pictures: Marilyn Monroe. [online] ELLE. Available at: https://www.elle.com/uk/fashion/celebrity-style/articles/g16660/marilyn-monroe/?slide=4 [Accessed 15 Oct. 2023].
Week 5-Image Codes
At first we see a woman eating on a table. B & W image. She’s wearing a top full of diamonds, black gloves and her hair is arranged in a kind of messy bun. The table is set with two cups, salt, pepper and there’s also a table cloth with pattern lines. The woman in the picture is Kim Kardashian.
They took this picture for the campaign of her collection with Dolce & Gabbana, Ciao, Kim. “The Ciao Kim show in Milan reimagined the brand's most iconic looks from 1987 to 2007 for the vintage obsessed of today” (Harper's Bazaar Staff, 2022). The whole idea started while Kim, Stefano and Domenico (the founders and designers of Dolce & Gabbana) were having dinner, it just started with a conversation which led to a whole adventure, Kim says.
Shot after shot, the new campaign is a journey through Dolce & Gabbana’s most authentic DNA, in which new meanings meet the unmistakable characters that have made the brand’s history: a universal language that gives a voice to everyone’s desires and aspirations (Living, 2023).
Daniel Sachon was the photographer and the director of the campaign. Throughout the campaign they wanted to make references to the brand's home, which is Italy so a lot of pictures for the campaign were taken in an Italian villa, which is the heart of the brand. The whole collection are vintage designs with a touch of Kim's style, from corsets, to chokers, silhouette wearing, etc. This collection also makes reference to how Kim has been one of the most influential and famous women of the decade and they relate it to Marilyn Monroe, that’s why she has her hair that way.
It looks like Kim is at an Italian restaurant having pasta wearing an iconic outfit of her collection. She's wearing full makeup and looks chic while having pasta. I believe that they wanted to represent Italy through the picture because that's where the fashion brand originated. The photographer managed to make the picture look elegant, even though it was risky, since Kim is eating, she looks stunning. Dolce Gabbana always has had really good campaigns but I loved this one specifically because it takes you back to the 90s, but has a touch of the fashion nowadays. This image is so different because it’s not a regular collection picture, it’s Kim eating pasta. The queen of social media and the hourglass figure eating carbs so fashionably, glamorous and chic. I also believed that no one could pull this campaign off other than Kim K.
Non-verbal communication. I believe that the image tries to show that even Kim can’t resist pasta, also the image want’s to represent old fashion since it is in black and white and shows elegance. It shows how even doing something as ordinary as eating pasta, you can look fashionable.
The main subject of the picture is Kim, it is all focused on her, the lightning which is high key , and the image is centered by her. You can’t see a lot of the background, it just looks like there’s a waiter behind her and another guy on her right side. There are a lot of objects on the table, a pair of sunglasses, salt and pepper, cups, a plate with bread and a plate of pasta.
I honestly loved this campaign photoshoot because it reflects the brand but as well Kim. I loved how they recreated looks from the 90s but added Kim's touch. The images take you back to those times and make you want to be there, eating pasta. For me it was fun to recycle looks from other decades because at the end I believe that that's how fashion works, we recycle trends and they come back.
Visual Response
References:
Harper's Bazaar Staff (2022). Kim Kardashian Curated a Dolce & Gabbana Collection Determined to Break the Internet. [online] Harper’s BAZAAR. Available at: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/fashion-week/a41378400/kim-kardashian-dolce-gabbana-milan-fashion-week-show/ [Accessed 21 Oct. 2023].
Living, H. (2023). Kim Kardashian In The New Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer Campaign. [online] Haute Living. Available at: https://hauteliving.com/2023/02/kim-kardashian-stuns-in-the-dolcegabbanas-spring-summer-campaign/726055/ [Accessed 15 Feb. 2024].
Life and Career Skills Week
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