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In reply to the discussion: DU darlings! Welcome to your Friday Afternoon Challenge. Today: “Hey, what’s Going On?” [View all]pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)45. The title is 'The Ambassadors'
I found a detailed discussion of it:
The characters found in the work are presumably Jean Dinteville, a French ambassador, and Georges de Selve, a bishop, who also served as Ambassador of the Republic of Venice and the Holy See. Although there is debate about the identity of the characters, the National Gallery in London seems to have no doubts.
As you can see, Holbein fused portrait and still life in The Ambassadors. To interpret it, is necessary to understand the artists obsession with symbols. Both the two ambassadors and the objects can be interpreted symbolically.
If we look carefully, the costumes of the ambassadors are radically different. While the French ambassador on the left uses couture, mundane clothing; the bishop wears a religious garb.
The objects included are clearly differentiated from each other. On the shelf, in the upper level, we see elements that refer to heaven: a celestial globe (to study the stars), a quadrant, a Torquetum (an astronomical calculator) and more. On the lowest level, objects that refer to earth: a globe, books and musical instruments. In the foreground, we see a strange diagonal, which is one of the most interesting features of the painting: a skull painted by anamorphosis, a technique where you draw a figure that cant be identified when viewed from the front. It is only visible when its looked from another perspective. The ambassadors was supposed to be hung on the landing of a staircase, so the skull could be seen as you lower the stairs. Symbolically, the skull universally represents death.
With these indicators, Holbein shows us the spiritual world at different levels of the painting: heaven, earth and hell. Men, between them, are among the eternal conflict of belief in a higher power or not.
http://silverandexact.com/2012/05/18/the-ambassadors-hans-holbein-the-younger-1533/
As you can see, Holbein fused portrait and still life in The Ambassadors. To interpret it, is necessary to understand the artists obsession with symbols. Both the two ambassadors and the objects can be interpreted symbolically.
If we look carefully, the costumes of the ambassadors are radically different. While the French ambassador on the left uses couture, mundane clothing; the bishop wears a religious garb.
The objects included are clearly differentiated from each other. On the shelf, in the upper level, we see elements that refer to heaven: a celestial globe (to study the stars), a quadrant, a Torquetum (an astronomical calculator) and more. On the lowest level, objects that refer to earth: a globe, books and musical instruments. In the foreground, we see a strange diagonal, which is one of the most interesting features of the painting: a skull painted by anamorphosis, a technique where you draw a figure that cant be identified when viewed from the front. It is only visible when its looked from another perspective. The ambassadors was supposed to be hung on the landing of a staircase, so the skull could be seen as you lower the stairs. Symbolically, the skull universally represents death.
With these indicators, Holbein shows us the spiritual world at different levels of the painting: heaven, earth and hell. Men, between them, are among the eternal conflict of belief in a higher power or not.
http://silverandexact.com/2012/05/18/the-ambassadors-hans-holbein-the-younger-1533/
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DU darlings! Welcome to your Friday Afternoon Challenge. Today: “Hey, what’s Going On?” [View all]
CTyankee
Feb 2013
OP
Oh, no, when I say cheat I mean the trick we can all do. I don't mean research on Google.
CTyankee
Feb 2013
#13
I've seen The Pieta in real life, think it was when we went to a World's Fair when I was a kid
Rhiannon12866
Feb 2013
#76
I've forgotten when that was, but I remember being grateful that I saw it intact
Rhiannon12866
Feb 2013
#79
whoa, Pinboy! Go back and google the Mantegna and then look again at what I posted.
CTyankee
Feb 2013
#14
Mantegna was considered a master of "foreshortening" which is done in abundance with those
CTyankee
Feb 2013
#96
good, good...but where I am getting is what is or has gone on with this particular work of art?
CTyankee
Feb 2013
#19
I saw it called "anapomorphosis." But it is a famous work of art in addition to that...
CTyankee
Feb 2013
#23
where do you see this in urban and architectural places? I'd love to research that!!!
CTyankee
Feb 2013
#24
It is Hogarthl I have found a different title, however...with an explanation as to what it means..
CTyankee
Feb 2013
#27
This IS an early map certainly, but it appears in a painting by a non-Hispanic genius who was
CTyankee
Feb 2013
#37
Nice! And it looks like the story behind this one is the 'Golden Rectangle.'
pinboy3niner
Feb 2013
#46
Remember the Vermeer with the globe, The Astronomer, I think it's called...
countryjake
Feb 2013
#52
I'm thinking they all have tricks of perspective but don't understand the Madonna at all.
Shrike47
Feb 2013
#35
No, there is not one overarching theme here. Just individual stories about them...
CTyankee
Feb 2013
#40
OK, here's the thing. It doesn't have to be just ONE trick of anything...it was meant to
CTyankee
Feb 2013
#51
Then it has to be the copy placed in the San Zeno, done by a Louvre copyist
pinboy3niner
Feb 2013
#55
thereyou go, Pinboy! You can tell there is an Impressionist afoot in the execution of his copy.
CTyankee
Feb 2013
#70
I learned about Degas doing this in an essay I mentioned during the Challenge two weeks ago...
CTyankee
Feb 2013
#94
HINT on #5: It is part of one of the most famous works of art in Western Europe.
CTyankee
Feb 2013
#57
Oh, I am so glad you like this stuff. I am a hard core case so it's hopeless with me!
CTyankee
Feb 2013
#108
there is a copy on the main floor of St. Bavo's and the real deal is in a basement room where
CTyankee
Feb 2013
#71