Seniors #3 Journal: Degas or Vermeer? Post by October 11
The Milkmaid 1658-1660 Johannes Vermeer oil on canvas
The Girl With The Pearl Earring (not dated) Johannes Vermeer
In John Updike's The Lucid Eye in Silver Town, Jay and his Uncle Quin have a minor disagreement over which artist is better--the Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer or the French Impressionist Edgar Degas. The disagreement not only reveals Jay's early development of arrogance (he haughtily pronounces, "In terms of paint, I think Vermeer makes Degas look sick"), but also reveals something about Updike's own artistic vision. Assuming the young Jay might be a young John Updike (both showed early interest in fine art) and knowing Updike's typical characters and heroes, one can assume that Updike's choice of Vermeer as Jay's favorite artist was carefully chosen. Like Vermeer, John Updike often makes the ordinary character his subject. Often bathed in a beautiful light or doing their jobs with concentration and care, Vermeer's ordinary servants and common laborers look extraordinary; likewise, Updike's heroes are common people dealing with common problems in uncommonly, extraordinary short stories and novels. Remember this: the modern writer, the modern artist, often attempts to make the ordinary extraordinary. The classical writer and artist had no use for the common man, peasant, serf, groundling, and certainly few women. His job was to write poems and plays about kings, nobles, religious leaders ... you know, the people who really mattered. That's what Brit Lit was all about, wasn't it, up until your study of Wordsworth and Shelly and Coleridge?
Now let's move on to our writing task. But first some questions to get you to perform a basic analysis of the paintings.
Analyze the painting in terms of its title, historical context, subject/theme, characters, color, light/shading, composition/perspective, symbols, and tone.
Which one of the paintings (shown above) do you prefer? Give your reasons, using the points of analysis that preceded this question.
How does the painting make you feel upon first glance?
Imagine the "story" that the painting tells.
How does the painting make you feel upon first glance?
Imagine the "story" that the painting tells.
If neither of these four paintings appeal to you, choose another by Degas or Vermeer (you can easily find them online) in order to complete this assignment.
Write a good solid paragraph or creative piece responding to any one of these options. Write a minimum of 250 words.
1.Why do you like one of the paintings, or prefer it to one of the others? Do not be intimidated if you do not understand too much about artistic composition.
2. Compare and contrast the Degas paintings with the Vermeers. Which artist do you prefer? Why? Be specific.
1.Why do you like one of the paintings, or prefer it to one of the others? Do not be intimidated if you do not understand too much about artistic composition.
2. Compare and contrast the Degas paintings with the Vermeers. Which artist do you prefer? Why? Be specific.
3. You are one of the characters in one of the paintings. Write a 250 word minimum interior monologue where we can "hear" your thoughts as you converse with yourself (in the first person) in the setting provided by the painting.
4. Compose a descriptive "set" piece in which you describe what you see in vivid prose language, using good concrete nouns, motion picture verbs, vivid images, and/or original figures of speech. No need to tell a story. Just write to set a particular mood.
Post before Thursday, October 10.
Post before Thursday, October 10.
posted by JTF @ 9:13 PM
38 comments
38 Comments:
The Milkmaid
Another day. Another lifeless day in this kitchen. Day in and day out I pour the milk, bake the bread, and cook the cheese. But must I do this forever? When will this work end? When will my life begin? Oh how I long to be free. How I long to be rid of this suffocating room. I have stood here and warmed countless baskets of bread. Isn’t it now my turn to be warmed? Warmed through the companionship of others? I want to spend time with people who don’t give me orders. I want to spend time with people who want to spend time with me. I have poured enough milk and made enough bread. Now I want to be the person who drinks the sweet, fresh milk. I want to be the person who tastes the warm bread slathered with cheese. I don’t want to grow old in this room. I don’t want my youth to be taken by this kitchen. My time is already dwindling. Who will want an old woman with nothing to her name but a common skill? Even if I maintain my milkmaid’s skin, how can I hope to find love if I am trapped within the confines of these walls?
But alas, these are just foolish dreams and wishes. I cannot change where I have been, or where I am now. I am afraid I’m doomed to a life like this forever. Standing here in this hot room and pouring…pouring…pouring.
Pouring out my life into the white abyss.
3. I am the dance instructor in la clase de danse. I am very short, stout and well dressed. With first glance at this painting I know people think I am just some creepy old man. I seem to be asked the same questions repeatedly, “Why are you an instructor of only girls?”, “Don’t you think it’s strange to be a dance instructor?”. Well hear is my answer to all the folks who think I am “strange.” I do this job for one reason, to make sure dance stays alive in this very busy and loud world. I recognize the beauty and power in dance, something many people simply are just blind to see. I am characterized as the “creeper” to many of my viewers. Little do my viewers know is that being a dance instructor of girls is a difficult job to say the least. There are attitudes, imperfections and miscommunications, and I make it my job to eliminate all of that by the end of each season of dance. I am strict. Strict means you walk in late, you cannot dance. Strict means you have a poor attitude, well then walk out the door and come back with a new one. Strict means your tights must be without rips, your tutu must maintain the right amount of fluff, and your shoes must always be on while dancing. I push these girls day in and day out so in the end my girls will be a step above the rest- poised, sophisticated, and beautiful. We work out the flaws so in the end perfection is all that is visible. The only flaw will be my lack of height and poor back. The common statement is that I beat my students with my cane. That statement is false. My cane is my support system from the severe accident I had as a child after I fell down a hill while playing with my friends. I broke my leg but could not afford to visit the doctor, so my mother used a home remedy of laying in bed until it was healed. This home remedy left me with a cane and stunted growth. So to all my viewers I do not ask you to accept me as dance instructor but to accept my students as strong and powerful dancers ready to make a huge impact after they leave my dark and gloomy studio and enter on the bright stage of a premiere dance academy.
It is safe to say that I do not have a “lucid eye” when it comes to analyzing works of art. With that being said, even I can notice similarities and differences in the paintings of Edgar Degas and Johannes Vermeer. Both are very pleasing to the eye and easy to appreciate. Both painters use the oil on canvas look. Both artists center their works on people and incorporate a background that tells a story. Vermeer, more than Degas, focuses on the details of the face, making his painting look more lifelike, resembling a photograph. I prefer Vermeer’s art to Degas’ for that reason. I appreciate artists who can use their abilities to paint or draw a picture that can almost fool me into thinking that it is a picture taken with a camera. The Milkmaid is a classic example as to why I prefer Vermeer’s art. The vivid detail in the piece creates a story in my mind. This milkmaid is preparing what seems to be a simple, but beautiful meal for somebody who lives in a small, simple, empty apartment. The colors used by Vermeer makes the piece appealing to the eye. The milkmaid looks like she is concentrating on her task, but strikes me as a person who is not satisfied with her job. I cannot create a story with so much detail from the paintings of Degas. He also tends to base his paintings around things that do not interest me very much, such as dancing. With all this being said, I can still appreciate the work of Degas, and his paintings truly are brilliant, they just are not appealing to me. Even the most successful artist will find it impossible to create a piece that is appealing to every single person, no matter how great it is. Degas and Vermeer use similar approaches to create very different pieces of art. Both artists are extremely successful because of their talent to create such wonderful works of art that appeal to a diverse crowd of people.
I prefer The Girl With The Pearl Earrings more than any of the other paintings. Vermeer painted this at an unknown date. I like this painting so much for several reasons. The first reason is the colors that are used. The maid is wearing neutral colored clothing apart from her headdress, which is a bright blue color. This contrast really draws attention to her facial features, and of course, the pearl earrings. I saw the movie relating to this painting a few months ago, which is another reason why I like it so much- because I know the movie’s depiction of the story behind the painting. Scarlett Johansson plays the girl in the picture. She is the family maid who lives with them. Nobody treats her very well, but once Vermeer discovers her, he is fascinated by her essence. He is married, yet he still finds time to try to get closer to her. One of Vermeer’s clients requests that a picture be painted of her. Vermeer paints her in an ordinary setting, but he borrows a pair of one of his family member’s pearl earrings. The maid does not have her ears pierced, so Vermeer requests that she uses the pearl earrings to pierce them herself. I like the expression on her face in the picture. She seems to look somewhat timid and reserved, yet I can still see in her eyes that she has passion for something. In the movie it is presented that her passion is for Vermeer, although I am not sure if this is historically correct or not. All in all, the painting is a very interesting piece.
“La Classe de Danse” (The Dancing Class) By Edgar Degas is beautiful display of a dress rehearsal in class. The instructor is at the center of the room watching the dancers strictly. His body language of leaning on his wooden stick shows he is waiting for the ballerina to do something that he will then correct. The ballerina he is watching is in the preparation position “B Plus” named after George Balanchine, a famous male ballet dancer. A ballerina stands in “B Plus” before and after they do a grande battement. They will also execute this position before they begin an across the floor combination of, “tombe pas de bourree glissade saut de chat.” Based on where her arms are placed, I would say she is going to execute that combination or a variation of it. Some dancers off to the side are watching the ballerina in the center of the room perform, though they seem to not be looking at the ballerina directly but rather in the mirror. Most are not paying attention to what is going on around them but rather they are in deep thought. In the far corner the girls are stretching their feet against the floor, breaking the box of their pointe shoes. The ballerina’s have the expression on their faces that the girl the instructor is looking at is his “rising star" or prima ballerina. The expressions show deliberate attempt to avoid the ballerina in “B Plus.” Several dancers have different color bows on their white costumes indicating that they are in different groups in the dance. Whether those groups are for formations on the stage or turn versus jump and flexibility groups is a mystery to me. The ballerina in “B Plus” and the one in the lower left corner both have a green bow on but none of the others do. The green is the most vibrant color of all the bows and draws the eye to it. This means that the ballerinas wearing green are more important to the piece than the ones in all white. The color green also brings the color of the walls into the painting.
I’m the star. All eyes are on me as I tiptoe onto the stage. I take my position, the lights dim, small beads of sweat begin to form on my forehead, like the dew of an early morning. The music begins, filling the audience with Bach, and I count the beats until my first step… 5… 6… The crowd can see my heart beating through my chest. Ba-boom, ba-boom, ba-boom... 7… 8… With my first step, I breathe a little easier. The music flows through me and almost performs the dance on its own. It’s effortless. It’s easy.
I glide across the stage, almost floating. As I continue with my routine, my mind begins to wander. I perform each step like it’s my second nature, not even thinking about it. I make the conscious decision to dedicate each step to someone special: to the children who have lost a grandparent to cancer, to those who lost loved ones because they couldn’t love themselves, to the men and women who fight for my right to express myself on this very stage. With each step, my dance becomes more meaningful. I realize that I’m not the star on this stage. The stars are the men and women who I dedicate this dance to.
I’m the star. All eyes are on me as I tiptoe onto the stage. I take my position, the lights dim, small beads of sweat begin to form on my forehead, like the dew of an early morning. The music begins, filling the audience with Bach, and I count the beats until my first step… 5… 6… The crowd can see my heart beating through my chest. Ba-boom, ba-boom, ba-boom... 7… 8… With my first step, I breathe a little easier. The music flows through me and almost performs the dance on its own. It’s effortless. It’s easy.
I glide across the stage, almost floating. As I continue with my routine, my mind begins to wander. I perform each step like it’s my second nature, not even thinking about it. I make the conscious decision to dedicate each step to someone special: to the children who have lost a grandparent to cancer, to those who lost loved ones because they couldn’t love themselves, to the men and women who fight for my right to express myself on this very stage. With each step, my dance becomes more meaningful. I realize that I’m not the star on this stage. The stars are the men and women who I dedicate this dance to.
Personally I prefer Degas’s paintings compared to Vermeer’s. Vermeer’s works are very detailed and sometimes almost seem to be like photographs, whereas, Degas’s look more like paintings and have more obvious brush strokes. I actually like the look of the brush strokes better because it seems more light and artistic. Without the rigid lines, the objects are able to blend together in a better way. Also, Vermeer puts a lot of focus into shading and shadows in his work which makes his pieces over all darker than Degas’s. I prefer the lightness of Degas’s paintings because it gives off a mood that is more upbeat compared to the more serious mood coming from the darkness in Vermeer’s works. Degas uses the subject of ballerinas for many of his art works and I like that because you can tell from his paintings that he is inspired by their grace and poise. He does an exceptional job of capturing the ballerinas’ nimbleness and strength all at the same time. I like the paintings because you are able to feel the artist’s own respect for the subjects when you look at them. By feeling what Degas feels it is easy for me to appreciate his works of art. Vermeer paints common subjects and his goal is to make the ordinary extraordinary. However, that sometimes goes right over my head and I do not become interested in his works. The light and airy colors of the settings mixed with the gracefulness and strength of the subjects in Degas’s pieces is more appealing to me. Such poise and grace is inspiring and that is the reaction I think artists should evoke from viewers.
Of these four paintings, The Milkmaid painted by Vermeer is by far the most impressive. Initially the painting portrays an ordinary scene that is almost too lifelike to be a painting. The simplicity of the scene is then immediately overlooked by the beautiful light and shadows. One of the most important aspects of painting a still life or life-like composition is nailing the lights and darks. I myself prefer oil and canvas, and judging from how extraordinarily detailed The Milkmaid is, I can only imagine how long this must’ve taken. I would also like to briefly appreciate the knack for mimesis that Vermeer has. He was able to transform an ordinary scene from the average everyday life of a milkmaid in that time, to a work of art still goggled at by all people to this day. With his artistic talents, Vermeer made reality extraordinary. I would even describe the flowing milk as beautiful and her skin as believable. The expression on her face is left for the audience to interpret as content, sincere, bored, or deep in thought. But aside from the underlying meaning, I almost admire the artistic talent more. In AP Art, we are constantly reminded to make our lights brighter, and to make our darks darker. And whether we agree with it or not, after doing so, our artwork always looks better. Lights and darks are essential to create a three dimensional feel to a painting, especially a portrait. And in this painting Vermeer not only has one central direction that the light is coming from, but two. Coming from the window on the left is light that affects the front of the milkmaid, the side we see. This light is the light we see on the milk, the jars, the food, the milkmaid’s chest and forearms, and the sides of the planes of her face. The second source of light, the light coming from the top right of the painting, is brightening the table, the top of the milkmaid’s head, and even the tops of the bread. And with all this light comes shadows. The lights aren’t the only things that make the painting; the darks are equally impressive. The color palette is wisely chosen to further the realistic nature and the composition is excellent as well. A painting without a successful composition will not be pleasing to the eye but fortunately, Vermeer chose to add minor objects to create a composition that flows from the bright light in the top right to the milkmaid’s serene face, which then draws the eye to the table and fans out in opposite directions diagonally. Vermeer’s The Milkmaid will continue to stand as a concrete example for a painting with an excellent composition, consistent colors, an underlying meaning, and light and darks that most definitely work.
Having a strong passion for art, I very much enjoy analyzing and studying different artists and compositions. The painting that catches my eye the most is The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer. This painting really caught my eye with its flawless use of light and shadow, saturation, and its values of perspective. Although, what really caught my eye is the ordinary woman in the actual painting. It made me question who this woman was and why was she portrayed in such an extraordinary work of art? The ability of a painting and an artist that allows you to think deeper about the work itself and to be able to dive into the artist's mind is quite extraordinary. Observing the average maid with a turban and one pearl earring made me want to know who she was and what her story was. It fascinates me as to why such a talented artist would spend time painting a figure that is not portrayed as "royalty" or of "relevance" back in that era. Vermeer's work is very much thought provoking and is the epitome of making the "ordinary, extraordinary." As I look at the painting I notice the fantastic use of color. With a bold background and the beautiful ultra-marine blue turban, my eyes seem fixed upon her. Her skin is the perfect tone of blush and tan and makes her come to life. Vermeer's use of light in the painting enhances the tones and shadows on the girl and makes the piece "eye popping." The Girl with the Pearl Earring reminded me of the Mona Lisa in terms of composition and is what drew me to it. Portraits of people really fascinate me and make me want to know who they are and what their story is. I prefer Vermeer's Girl with the Pearl Earring painting because it has provoked my senses and has stimulated my passion for art.
Having a strong passion for art, I very much enjoy analyzing and studying different artists and compositions. The painting that catches my eye the most is The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer. This painting really caught my eye with its flawless use of light and shadow, saturation, and its values of perspective. Although, what really caught my eye is the ordinary woman in the actual painting. It made me question who this woman was and why was she portrayed in such an extraordinary work of art? The ability of a painting and an artist that allows you to think deeper about the work itself and to be able to dive into the artist's mind is quite extraordinary. Observing the average maid with a turban and one pearl earring made me want to know who she was and what her story was. It fascinates me as to why such a talented artist would spend time painting a figure that is not portrayed as "royalty" or of "relevance" back in that era. Vermeer's work is very much thought provoking and is the epitome of making the "ordinary, extraordinary." As I look at the painting I notice the fantastic use of color. With a bold background and the beautiful ultra-marine blue turban, my eyes seem fixed upon her. Her skin is the perfect tone of blush and tan and makes her come to life. Vermeer's use of light in the painting enhances the tones and shadows on the girl and makes the piece "eye popping." The Girl with the Pearl Earring reminded me of the Mona Lisa in terms of composition and is what drew me to it. Portraits of people really fascinate me and make me want to know who they are and what their story is. I prefer Vermeer's Girl with the Pearl Earring painting because it has provoked my senses and has stimulated my passion for art.
In John Updike’s The Lucid Eye in Silver Town, Jay states his opinion on how he thinks that Johannes Vermeer is a better artist than Edgar Degas. Jay states, “In terms of paint, I think Vermeer makes Degas look sick.” I would have to agree with this statement because I much rather prefer Vermeer’s paintings rather than Degas’. Degas’ paintings depict more of an entire scene, while Vermeer kind of just centers his portraits on one thing. I think that this is a very important technique in art because with less scenery, you can focus more on the finer details put into the work. For example, Degas’ La classe de danse illustrates a dancing instructor watching a studio full of ballerinas. I personally think that the picture has too much going on so you cannot give your full attention to the actual art. Degas’ color scheme appeals to me as if all the colors just morph together. In his painting of the The Star, I think the colors are bland and dull and that they are not that appealing to the eyes. In contrast, Vermeer’s color schemes seems as if it they are carefully chosen. In his painting of the The Milkmaid, the mustard yellow and navy blue really captures the eye and compliment each other. This makes the portrait stick out to me more than something like Degas’ The Star. Johannes Vermeer also puts in so much little details that it makes the portrait look much more realistic. Compared to Degas’ painting of The Star, Vermeer’s portrait of The Girl With The Pearl Earring looks much more realistic. The realism, fine details, and color scheme of Vermeer’s paintings are the factors that make his art much more appealing to my “lucid eye” than Degas’.
1. When comparing Degas to Vermeer the painting that specifically caught my eye was Degas’ painting of La classe de danse or (The Dancing Class). The first thing that caught my eye was the ballerina’s bows that were placed around their waists. I noticed the green bow first, the yellow following, and finally the green and blue bows that were placed on the ballerina’s towards the back of the painting. As I looked at the painting more intensely I noticed not only was a colorful bow placed on the ballerinas in the painting but also a personality was attached to each one of the girls. The ballerina’s with the colored bows I noticed had a stronger personality than the girls whose bows were unable to be seen. The personality that stuck out the most to me was the red-headed ballerina with the red hair piece, and the green bow around her waist. This girl is placed in the front of the painting and I take that as if Degas is trying to present this girl as being the best in the class. The way she is standing looks as if she is really concentrated on what the instructor is saying to the class, but she isn’t practicing like the other ballerinas in the picture. This stance of hers makes me think she knows she is the best in the class and doesn’t need the practice. When I look at the ballerina with brown hair and the green bow that is facing the instructor and is seen towards the back of the painting, I notice her body language and how her attention is fully on the instructor. I notice how she is practicing as if he is telling the class what needs to be corrected and she wants to make her improvement known to the instructor. As I look around at the painting more, I notice the two other ballerina’s personalities. The first girl I notice is the one sitting on the piano with the yellow bow. This girl’s body language shows she is dreading having to practice whatever the instructor is telling her to practice maybe because it is their thousandth time of rehearsing whatever it is he wants the class to rehearse. The final personality I notice is the ballerina with the blue bow that is placed towards the back of the painting. This girl’s body language comes off to the viewer as if she is not paying attention and is more focused about something perhaps on her skin. I liked Degas’ painting of “The Dancing Class” because it is realistic and I can relate to it as having participated in dance. These qualities possessed through this painting are what stood out to me, in return, making me like this painting the most. This painting shows the personalities of the girls within the dance class and how each of them have a different take to what the instructor is saying and the class as a whole. This is realistic because I notice in not only this class, but in my own class, there’s the girl who knows it all-or thinks she does, the “teacher’s pet”, the my-mom-is-making-me-be-here girl, and the girl who is in her own little world.
Although I find the details of Degas paintings breathtakingly beautiful, I find myself in favor of the works of Vermeer. Vermeer's attention to detail and lighting make his paintings almost unbelievably realistic. In my opinion, a Vermeer painting looks exactly like a photograph. I find this almost mind blowing that one person can have so much artistic talent. My personal favorite Vermeer painting would have to be "The Girl With The Pearl Earring". It's almost difficult for me to find the right words to explain why this is my favorite. The picture almost leaves me speechless. When I look at this picture, a million questions run through my brain. "Who is this?" "Is this even a real person?" "Was it someone Vermeer knew?" "Was she of an importance?" "Why does such a plainly dressed girl have a pearl earring?". There are still many more questions that I could rattle off right now about this painting. Looking into the eyes of this girl in the painting make me wonder what her story is. It makes me wonder who she is, and why Vermeer decided to paint her. The picture makes me want to go back in time to the very moment Vermeer was painting it, and ask him all of this questions. A painting that sparks my interest and intrigues me this much is definitely going to be one of my favorites. The simplicity of this painting somehow seemed to catch my attention in so many ways, so I would have to say that this is my favorite Vermeer painting, and that I do favor Vermeer over Degas.
Dancer in Front of a Window - Degas
I am alone with my soul echoing against the walls of my haven. I dance over the cityscape through the view out the window - the only reminder I’m still on the ground. The melody brings a part of me to life, piece by piece, like the stars emerging slowly but beautifully in the night sky. I find myself amidst these stars with every movement. Over and over… jeté and jeté. I critique my every movement in hope of a glimmer or perfection. To dance with Joffrey I cannot settle for less than perfection. My silhouette glows against the city lights that seem to hold a promise of success. I wish I could snatch the success out of the city’s luminescence but it is as futile as reaching for a star fading from the night sky as dawn chases the dark away. Each step reassures me that there is no star that could shine brighter than my passion to dance. I feel the music flowing through my core. My dreams spill out of my fingertips like falling stars: Stars that fell short of the moon - coming so close only to fade to a faint glimmer distant in the black abyss. But Joffrey will make an exception for me. I will be the exception. My skills will shine brightest within their aura and they will reach for me and together we will shine brighter than any star in the sky. But I fall from the clouds and back down to the oak floor with a thud. Jeté again. I’ll get it right soon enough.
Look how beautifully the morning light flickers off the window pane. As I glance past the big oak tree, my daydreaming pauses momentarily, as I see Fons walk through the morning dew. Such purpose. His stern face, so easily spotted, like forest in our country land. "Angelien, my dear sister," he will most likely begin..."I have the most delightful of news." How could anyone so mirthless ever be the bearer of good news? Fons loves business and productivity. He receives no satisfaction from the little things. Foolish he says. Unladylike for a girl almost thirteen to climb trees, or frolic through the rolling hills, or feel the sweet sweet glow of the sunshine like a warm embrace on the cheek of your...Everyday he strides in, the smug contentedness of a job well done. Another suitor he will say. "Angelien, he says you are the most beautiful in all the country." "Angelien, you should be grateful that a man of high class would compliment a farm girl like you." "Angelien, this suitor is a wealthy lawyer, his dowry alone would be enough to sustain the farm for three years." "Angeli...Fons doesn't understand the land as father did. His eyes only see dirt. I wish for once he could see all the riches that surround him. The knowledge the scurrying squirrels carry, the secrets the whispering wind reveals, and the dreams formed in the billows of the clouds. I see Fons make his way for the door, so I unclip my pearl earring and leave it by the window pane. The light still flickers as I run out the door. I can see Fons calling out, "Angelien!" But this time I hear no words. My mind is free- a hop, skip, and a jump away over the stream, through the fields, to the geese that fly overhead.
The first panting by Degas is one painting that I could look at for hours. I am not a type of person who likes art or enjoys art at all, but this painting catches my eye and keeps it. The detail of every ballerina’s costume and the different colors just keeps your eyes wondering and going from one girl to the girl. The dull colors flow together and nothing stands out immediately. I believe that this is why I like this painting the most. You can tell that each girl is watching the other preform and looking for what they are doing wrong. The instructor in the middle is watching the dancers intently. He is looking to see how they hold themselves, but more importantly how they dance. In the back you can tell that all the ballerinas are staying poised by the way that they are standing with there feet pointed. The tone of this painting is one of tension. Every ballerina is eager to dance and show the instructor what they can do whether it is by themselves or together. Everyone is watching very closely to see what the expression on the instructors face is. Everyone knows not to say a word. They are all reading his movements and expressions as the dancer dances so they know what not to do and what to do. You can also tell the ones who are serious by the way they are standing. The ballerinas on the outer skirts of the group are standing and sitting a little more relaxed then the ones in the middle. This just comes to show the different personalities of them as well.
The Music Lesson (Vermeer)
I can feel my tutor's scrutinizing gaze on me, although I'm sure he is not looking at me so much as he is looking at my posture, my hands. Carefully, slowly, I straighten my back so as not to call attention to the sloppy slouch I've been developing over the weeks of practicing on the backless stool. With a deep breath, feeling everything from the sun shining in from the windows to the light touch of the virginal's keys, I begin again. My fingers begin the crisp, clear dance, trying so hard not to stumble and trip over the awkward fingerings. I relish in the high, stately sound the instrument makes, not as resonant as a piano and not as low as a harpsichord. But, as before, I have to force my fingers to play the notes. My tutor's stick-straight back straightens even more and automatically, I fix my slouch again. But I can't fix the nerves that come with having the mirror pointed down at my hands to ensure that my movements compliment the piece instead of butcher it. I cannot see his face, but I can feel the taught line of his lips drawing back as I miss one note, and another. Sighing, I stop, the sunlight making me uncomfortably warm as my tutor begins correcting my mistakes and makes the virginal sound infinitely better than I ever could. I'm supposed to be listening to his instructions, but instead, I cast a quick glance back into the room to the soft blue chair with a back and the cello lying quietly next to it, begging to be played. Then, my attention is called back to the virginal in front of me. For what feels like the hundredth time, I straighten my back, allow my hands to rest gently on the keys, take a deep breath, and start the song again.
I prefer the picture of The Milkmaid by Vermeer compared to the picture of The Star by Degas for several reasons. One reason I prefer Vermeer's painting is because of the detail he uses in his painting. The artwork not only shows the woman, but the environment in which she lives. Degas' painting is not very detailed, and honestly I don't prefer the image it captures. I believe that Vermeer spent much more time on perfecting his painting than did Degas. The Milkmaid not only represents the job, but also represents the title woman were given back in Vermeer's time. I believe that a symbolic message of Vermeer's painting was that woman were only seen as servants who took care of the house and children back in Vermeer's time. I think Vermeer was trying to send a message to his audience in his painting. Maybe he was trying to show that woman worked just as hard as men did back in his time, but didn't receive the same recognition. When I look at Degas' painting, all I see is a ballerina in the center with a bunch of paint strokes in the background. In my opinion, Degas' painting is pretty boring to look at. When I look at Vermeer's painting I see a lot of color and detail, such as the color of her dress and the bread baskets. Overall, I believe that Vermeer's painting has more of a connection to myself. I not only believe the quality of Vermeer's painting is better, but I believe that his painting provides a more symbolic message, than does Degas' painting.
The work of Vermeer is in my opinion more realistic than the work of Degas. Vermeer focuses more on shading and light, which gives his paintings depth and realism. Another observation I made of Degas’ paintings are that they use more white than Vermeer’s. In both of Degas’ paintings, white is the dominant color, while blue is more prevalent in Vermeer’s. Also, Vermeer paints the average person, while Degas paints much more elegant scenes, often scenes involving ballet. Degas’ paintings capture the poise, passion, and grace of a ballet dancer, while Vermeer’s paintings depict common everyday people in an extraordinary way. I prefer Vermeer over Degas for a few reasons. First, I like how realistic Vermeer’s paintings are, and how they truly utilize lighting and shading to make their subjects look three dimensional, for example in The Milkmaid. I also like how Vermeer paints the common person, like the girl with the pearl earring. I think that more people would be able to relate to Vermeer’s paintings because of their common subjects, and the beauty Vermeer puts into a simple moment in the painting. I do think that Degas is a good painter as well. He depicts beautiful images of grace and elegance through paintings of ballet. He is able to depict the emotion in dance, and that emotion is captured in his paintings. Overall, while both are excellent painters, I think I prefer Vermeer because of the realistic nature of his paintings and the ability he has to make ordinary people and events look extraordinary.
Although the two painters are admired for their talent and creativity, I prefer Vermeer over Degas. What sets apart Vermeer from Degas in my opinion is his technique. His paintings are beautifully detailed and much more life-like. On the other hand, Degas’ works, beautiful as they are, seem too blurry or smudged for me to fully appreciate the masterpiece. I also like the fact that Vermeer’s inspiration comes from the natural beauty of ordinary people because it is expresses his creativity. Anyone can take a dancer or a ballerina and flaunt its beauty, but it takes a whole other level of creativity to take something so simple and turn it into a masterpiece. Many of Vermeer’s paintings are similar, keeping the same subject of raw, natural beauty within ordinary people. This being said, the Vermeer painting I most enjoy is The Milkmaid painted in 1660 as opposed to The Girl with the Pearl Earring. I chose The Milkmaid mainly because of the attention to detail. The subject itself is nothing extraordinary, just a simple maid hard at work in the kitchen. What makes this painting one of my favorite is the painting itself, the detail, the talent behind it. Everything from the complexion of her skin, the fabric of her clothes, to the texture of her props around her is painted with perfection from top to bottom. Even the light and shadows, her posture while she pours, and the concentrated expression on her face are as realistic as if it were a photograph. The practice, dedication, and skill that is required to paint with such detail is what puts Vermeer above the rest.
1. I am drawn to “The Girl with the Pearl Earring” by Vermeer more than any of the other paintings for several reasons. She is a girl with an ordinary face. If she were not perfectly oil painted on a canvas, if you were just seeing her on the street, you wouldn’t take a second glance at her. That is what is most beautiful about this portrait. Vermeer demands that you take a second glance. He gives you no choice but to linger on her features, trying to discover what makes this girl so special that she is on display for thousands of people to admire. His use of light silhouettes her profile in a way that highlights her features. You can focus on the spectrum of color in her eyes and appreciate the delicate reflection in her gaze. She wears simple earth-tone clothing which contrasts to the pearl earring. This contrast proves Vermeer’s artistic vision. The earring seems to be out of place, but when analyzed further, you come to realize that that is the purpose. Just as you come to appreciate the beauty of the pearl, you appreciate the beauty of the girl. A pearl amongst the dreary truth of reality. Vermeer has a beautiful, careful style that is difficult to replicate. He has a knack for realism that takes it a step beyond ordinary. His precious, painstaking brushstrokes turn everyday people and objects into masterpieces of life. Each color and composition depicts utter beauty in the mundane. So, yes, I agree that Vermeer makes Degas look sick. Vermeer sees the world differently.
I do not consider myself to be any sort of artist or to know anything about art at all. My experience with art extends to my “introduction to art” class I took freshman year as an elective and the silly little doodling I do in all my notebooks. That is it. However, I’m still captivated by and interested in many different works of art. There are some things I especially enjoy in certain paintings and some things that make me not like other paintings. Out of the four paintings provided, I’d have to say the only one that really caught my eye at all would have to be the milkmaid. Now, I may be biased considering ballerinas and dancing isn’t exactly my forte, but in all honesty, Degas’s paintings simply just don’t fascinate me that much. I admire the artistic talent it took to create the piece and recognize why many people may be completely enthralled by it, but it doesn’t do it for me. What I really like about Vermeer’s paintings is the enormous attention to detail he uses to bring about this illusion that makes them seem so real to life. This way of painting really sucks in the viewer and makes them wonder about the character the piece is centered on. When I look at “The Milkmaid”, all I can think about is what she might be thinking about. Many people commenting on the painting would obviously first point out the intense light Vermeer portrays in the painting coming from the window. This is what pulls the painting together for me and is done so tremendously that it could easily fool the average person into thinking it was taken by camera. The amount of skill it takes to bring something such as an oil painting into a realistic light just blows me away and is the main reason why I prefer “the Milkmaid” to the other paintings.
Vermeer and Degas are both talented, sophisticated artists with keen eyes for art. Both Degas and Vermeer paint what they are interested in and excel in it. The both have a different and unique style that makes it easy to tell which painter did what. Degas, for example, will often paint the average woman, just like The Girl with the Pearl Earring. He also has a special talent of creating an illusion of lighting; contrasts in the shades of color give Degas’s paintings a unique appearance. Vermeer on the other hand has almost an obsession with ballerinas. Most of his famous paintings will consist of dancers. He also uses color shading but his paintings tend to be bright and light all around, unlike Degas who focuses the light on the main section of the painting, usually the face. Vermeer also seems to put more detail into his paintings. Degas’s paintings, specifically the painting of The Girl with the Pearl Earring, have plain backgrounds of black or white with the occasional accessory for the main focus in the picture (the pearl earring or the small plate of food in the painting of The Milkmaid). Vermeer, on the other hand, puts a background into all of his paintings whether it is more dancers or just different shades of color to brighten up the picture. Either way you look at it, both Vermeer and Degas are exceptionally phenomenal at what they do. Their paintings are each unique to the specific artist and I think that is why their paintings are so famous and extraordinary.
Dancing is the only thing that I’ve ever known. I put on this ostentatious outfit and lace up my shoes. But why? So I can be entertainment for others? I guess that’s why all artists do what they do. That’s why artists paint. That’s why musicians play their melodies. When I’m dancing, it’s like the lines of life are blurred. It does not matter what happens around me, I am safe and sound in my dance. I wonder what others think when they see me dance. Do they look with disdain? Or do they gaze with pleasure? Does it matter to me? Why, of course it should. But does it really? Why do I dance? Is it for my own pleasure? Yes, it is. So why am I concerned about what the others think of me? I guess I am concerned with this because some of these people may decide my future. The shows I perform in next, where I end up next. But for now, I am the star. The beautiful flowers on this dress are reminding me of how beautiful this dance must look to the audience watching me. Or they may have left. The details in the background are fairly scarce. I feel like I am floating. I’m floating as I dance. My moves are seamless and fluid. I’m trying to recall the routine that I’ve spent so many weeks on. Is it good enough? I hope that it pleases. I’ve worked so hard. It won’t go to waste.
I think that both Johannes Vermeer and Edgar Degas are amazing artists. They both have incredible talent but I do prefer Vermeer over Degas. In John Updike’s The Lucid Eye in Silver Town, Jay says, “In terms of paint, I think Vermeer makes Degas look sick.” I would have to agree with Jay on this. It seems as though Vermeer pays attention to the little details. He paints a smaller, more focused picture, rather than a picture with multiple things going on. Degas’ painting is beautiful; however it is easier to look past mistakes. I love that Vermeer is not afraid to paint something so simple such as “The Girl with the Pearl Earring.” The painting really catches your eye with the colors and contrast of the lighting. I do not know much about painting or art but just looking at the two styles, my eyes go to Vermeer's piece. The shadowing on the girls face shows you how talented Vermeer was with coloring. It appears that this painting consists of only a few bland colors, but the blue headdress makes it pop. The painting is so simple, yet so delightful at the same time.
Girl Reading a Letter by and Open Window by Vermeer
I was laying on my bed, relaxing after my morning harpsicord lesson. A lovely spring breeze was floating through the open window, billowing the drapes on the bed. The fruit had been picked that very morning, apples and plums from the orchard just yonder past the kitchen. Their sweet, crimson juice was still glistening on my lips when there was a knock on the door. “A letter for you miss.” “Thank you Brigitta.” I snatched the letter, as the bowl of fruit tipped out onto the bed, the red bayberries mixing with the scarlet tapestry on the bed. “That will be all Brigitta.” I could tell that my chambermaid was eager to learn what was written in the contents of the tea-stained parchment. I gazed at my name, Angelique, embossed on the front as I caressed the wax seal that enclosed the only secret I had ever kept. His name was Diederick, a name given to him by his father, the Duke. Oh how I wish I had been born into a noble castle, rather than a humble manor house, with barely enough acreage for our orchard. If only I was a lady, rather than a commoner, Diederick and I could bring our liaison off of the parchment. I sighed, and I began to peel open the letter-I could not risk damaging the seal made by his signet ring, a shield with the antlers of a gazelle sprouting from it. I turned to face the still open window, shielding my secrets with the glare of the sun. And then, I began to read.
Every artist has their own specific style. As an artist, I have found my style to be more serious with an eye for detail. Reflecting on my artistic creations I have discovered that I attempt to make every aspect of my project to be exactly like the model I am portraying. Some of my favorite famous paintings have been ones that resemble a similar style to my own. As I analyzed these four paintings, one would expect that I would choose The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer. It came as a surprise when I realized that the painting that inspired me the most was The Star by Edgar Degas. I admire Degas’ brush style and how it is so free but controlled at the same time. The brush strokes used in the background appear to be done with thought but also to be done in a quick manner. This subdued background and the stark white color of the ballerina’s outfit make her the star focus of the painting. Most of the detail is put into her face, her dress, and the flowers. Being able to see the detail in her facial expression gives a sense that I am standing right in front of her. She seems to be on her own just enjoying her life. The way her arms fly out to her side and her weight leaning forward makes me feel like she is jumping and spinning around. As I look at her I can’t help but feel carefree and content. I also see my childhood as I look at this painting. I loved to run and spin around without a care in the world. I felt like time was frozen as I spun faster and faster blending the vision of my surroundings into a never ending blur. I was stuck in time and just living on happiness. The only presence I was aware of was my own. I was the star of my life like the ballerina was the star of this painting.
3. Degas - Rehearsal
As a result of missing the pirouette, I was dismissed to the barre. It was a careless mistake, really. Once again I had found myself overthinking the step to the extent that I could barely execute the simple spin in sync with my fellow dancers. Raising my foot up to the bar, I carefully pointed my toe, lengthening the muscles along my entire leg. I wouldn't dare even a glance towards Madam Lilly. They say an athlete’s toughest critic is herself, but whoever ‘they’ are sure haven’t met Madam. Standing at only five foot three, the old Russian woman should not be considered a threat, but raise from your plié a moment too soon and you may as well turn in your pointe shoes right there because in her eyes, you’re done. Suddenly, my thoughts were drowned out by the crescendo of our newest piece. I sent a not so cursory peek over my shoulder watching in awe as Paulo’s bow strummed with purpose over the bridge of his violin. Even after multiple years of ballet, it never ceased to amaze me the amount of precision that went into a full performance. Not only does every individual dancer have to be structurally sound, but they each have to be in complete synchronism with both each other and the music. And to make it all more unbelievable, the dancers have to make it look easy and clean, as if anyone could slide on a pair of tights and they would be defying gravity with a few leaps as well. “Sophia! Are you here to dance or observe?” Madam Lilly’s voice echoed through the tall walls of the studio, enlivening me from my trance. Stumbling down from the bar, I quickly tip toed over to my place in line with the girls, shooting an apologetic look towards Madam. In my daze I hadn't realized the piece had come to an end. Taking a deep breath and rolling my shoulders back, I prepped myself for the awaiting note to begin the production. There was a chance I may miss the pirouette again, but with my renewed respect for what my classmates and I performed each day, one spin couldn't take away from the pure passion I felt for ballet.
2. I personally prefer Degas to Vermeer. Vermeer does nothing out of the ordinary with his paintings. The two pictures in the blog of The Girl With The Pearl Earring and The Milkmaid are just very plain. Vermeer just adds detail to his paintings by using dark precise outlining in his painting. He doesn’t make them stand out anymore then what they are or even add a more interesting background. As for Degas he adds texture to his paintings. Degas gives his characters a soft, not so detailed look by using an airbrush technique/feel to his paintings. Another feature I like of his is in his painting The Star the background is unclear. With this you can imagine any setting in which this Ballerina is dancing in.
Out of the four paintings, my favorite is “The Star” by Degas. I really like this one because of the way the dancer is positioned. While it looks like an easy position to master, there are many factors that go into accomplishing such a position. Toes are pointed at all times, arms are to appear as if they are swaying in the wind, staying long and mobile, and the knees are to be straight or bent at the most precise angle, depending on the desired effect. Dancing is in no way an easy talent. It takes hard work, determination, and a huge amount of self-discipline. I danced for twelve years, but had to stop because it became too much. I think that’s why I like this painting so much, though, because of the background information I have about dancing. I know what it feels like when you are at the final recital, and all of the years work has been building up to the one moment where you are front and center and all eyes are on you. You can’t see the audience because of the bright lights in your eyes, but you can hear them, and with each step and leap you take you know you’re doing it for not only yourself, but for the entertainment of others. The girl in this painting is “The Star,” and all of her hard work is finally paying off. The precision to her movement, and how the background is blurred out so that all eyes are truly on her just adds emphasis to the fact that she is the person the people came to see; she is the star.
La Classe de Danse (The Dancing Class) 1873-1875 Edgar Degas on Oil Canvas
I really like the painting La Classe de Danse. Before even looking at the painting itself, I am drawn to it because of its name. French is such a beautiful and tasteful language that the painting draws me in just because of the language of the title. Degas was very much into ballerinas from the 1870’s until his death. He was slightly interested their performances on stage, but what most fascinated him was the training and rehearsals they had behind the scenes. In La Classe de Danse the ballerinas all look exhausted and in pain. Degas really captured the true feelings and moods at the end of a hard practice or training session. The characters are painted so perfectly that their pain of sore feet and achy muscles is felt by just looking at the painting. The colors in this painting are also enjoyable. I really like that all the dancers have the same-colored leotard or tutu. Yet they all dress up this outfit with their individual bows and sashes. I also enjoy that I can feel the tone of the painting by just looking at it. I can tell that the man in the middle of the painting (who is actually meant to be Jules Perrot, a real-life ballet master), really has attention and respect from the ballerinas. One of the final reason I enjoy this painting is because of the small details. It is not noticeable at first glance but in the foreground of the painting there is a little dog resting by one of the ballerina’s feet. To the left of the dog there is also a watering can. These simple, yet not so important, aspects of the painting really make it pop.
1. I really enjoying looking at The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer. For me it brings back a lot of great memories. When I attend Mount Aviat Academy all through grade school and middle school we were required to take an art class. Mark Hendron was my teacher for that class every Friday afternoon. A lot of times we would color or sketch random things that we saw. As I got older we actually began to study the history of art. On the front of every single one of our textbooks was the image of the Girl with the Pearl Earring. We all used to joke around because one of our classmates actually looked like the girl from the picture. One of my last assignments eighth grade year was to draw this girl. Our friend Briana who looked similar to the Girl with the Pearl Earring came into class dressed like her and posed for all of us in the middle of the room.. Although my picture looked nothing like Vermeer's picture I can still see it in my head. All twenty eight of us eight graders crowded into that tiny room. This would be one of the last times we would all be together. We separated and went to different high schools. I bet many of my former classmates can agree with me that whenever they see the painting of the Girl with the Pearl Earring they first think of Briana. Then they think of Mount Aviat. A tiny catholic school run by nuns. They spent eight years there and will never forget that place and that classroom filled with books. Books that were covered by the image of the Girl with the Pearl Earring.
Degas and Vermeer are two painters who show an exquisite talent for what they do. Although both artists have amazing talents they both have two different styles of painting. Degas constant theme in all his paintings is to have ballerinas. Although this is a great theme it tends to get too repetitive. I also noticed that Degas paintings are not as realistic as Vermeer’s. In Degas paintings there tends to be more of a shaded effect rather than it being glossy or extremely detailed. However, Vermeer draws his paintings with realistic detail. For example, in Vermeer’s painting of the Milkmaid, every detail is sketched out. This includes tiny things like the milk being poured into the jar to the loaf of bread on the table. Vermeer has a different artistic style versus Degas. This does not mean one is better than the other. It all comes down to preference. In my opinion I prefer Vermeer over Degas. The reason for this is because Vermeer is more of a realistic artist. He shows paintings of normal daily things. This is completely opposite of a lot of artists who paint abstract paintings. I also enjoy Vermeer over Degas because Degas expresses too much of the same thing. I feel like it would be boring looking at a different painting of the same theme. That is where Vermeer prevails over Degas. Vermeer has the ability to capture the feelings of the people who he painted extraordinarily well. I felt as if I could feel every emotion coming from his painting of the milkmaid and his painting of The Girl With The Pearl Earring. In my opinion, Jay from the story The Lucid Eye in Silver town was partially right when he stated, “In terms of paint, I think Vermeer makes Degas look sick”.
I prefer Degas over Vermeer. Vermeer paints very well and uses light well. However, I find his paintings boring because of the blandness of emotion that you can see in the paintings. They are also usually very similar in lighting, just changing people in different settings. Degas uses a lot of color and even though he uses dancing in a lot of his paintings, they are always different. His paintings are usually in different settings and you can really tell where the person in the painting is. For example in "The Star", the dancer is outside and in "The Dancing Class" the dancers are inside. By looking at Degas painting you can see the emotion in the art work and really imagine and place yourself in the superficial world of the painting. Compared to Vermeer I feel that Degas is a much better artist. This is mainly due to the fact that there is more emotion and more color into Degas paintings than Vermeer puts into his. Granted, Vermeer's paintings look much more realistic, but Degas' paintings are more vibrant.
Of the few paintings to chose from, my personal favorite would have to be “The Girl with the Pearl Earring” by Vermeer. The first thing that I notice when looking at the portrait is how true to life the girl is made out to be. Her face, clothing, even her skin texture look to be as if they are tangible. What's even more interesting about this portrait is the feeling it gives off. The background is completely black, which gives the feeling of sadness and despair. The girls face and the way she is positioned, however, give off a feel contrary to the dreary background. The thing I like most would probably have to be how the viewers eye is drawn into the white pearl earring on the girls left year, which is the focus of the portrait. By placing the earring in the middle of the contrast between the dark of the background and the light of the girls face, the white of the earring pops from the surrounding area. As Vermeer tends to do, he makes the ordinary extraordinary. By making the woman who, by her garments and appearance, looks to be attractive and appealing to the human eye. There is also an element of mystery to the portrait. The girl seems to have a sort of smirk on her face. The mystery of this is added to by the fact that the woman Vermeer chose to paint, lower class and not wealthy, is wearing a pearl earring. This leads the viewer to wonder as to how she got this earring, and why she is smirking, and whether or not the two reasons may be related or the same.
3. I am the star dancer that is featured in La classe de dance. My name is Bethany and I have been dancing for 10 years now. Dance is my passion but every time I dance this piece, new thoughts run through my head. Today my mind is overloaded with pressure and stress. Today is the final dress rehearsal before my very last recital in high school. I was given a solo in a very prestigious pointe piece and I have never felt this intense pressure that I am feeling today. I own this piece of choreography. I am the prima donna. As the music begins, the slow melody of the song speeds up almost at the same rate of my heart. I know that this is the final run through and that after today, I would be ready for my final high school performance. My instructor, dressed in all black, stands behind me and watches my every move like a Nazi. I go step by step through the motions and try to be as graceful as possible. The music gets louder and louder as I go through the dance. My motions become more and more precise. I look around and I see that my two fellow dancers are exactly on key right behind me. Next comes the pirouette section of my dance. I turn more graceful then ever, spotting the front of the room each time I come around. A million thoughts run through my head as I am about to hit my final arabesque. Did I really just perform that dance the best I ever have? What is my instructor thinking? Did I have good form the whole time? Was that really my last run through of a dance for a high school recital ever? As I brought all of these thoughts together, I hit my final arabesque with such passion and grace that it even brought my instructor, dressed in all back, to tears of joy.
“Two Ballet Girls” http://www.cathymariebuchanan.com/art
I clutch my throbbing ankle, my chest still heaving to catch what little breathe my corset clenched lungs can grasp. The studio is stifling and it’s only the first rehearsal. I massage my calf and I can already feel the bruises forming from where the ballet master battered me with his cane during grande adagio. My demi practice tutu itches and the rough edges of the tulle snags at my tights. I quickly throw the back of my skirt onto my friend, Erin whose sitting behind me. She looks my way, but doesn’t say anything, still trying to control her breathing as well. The pianist starts to practice different timings for our variation and we both look up, knowing that our break is over and it is time to stand up and prepare before the ballet master sees what we’ve been doing. I close my eyes and start to review the variation we are about to do. The corp de ballet is not glamorous, you don’t get solos, roaring applause or flowers thrown at your feet. But even in the corp you get to be someone you’re not. And today I am a slave girl for sale at the bazaar square along side the beautiful Medora. While Medora get’s faught over by the wealthy Pasha and pirate Conrad, I get to watch and dance and forget everything else that is going on. It doesn’t matter that my toes are bleeding, my ankles are swollen and bruised or that I can barely breathe. I get lost in the music and find myself in a different age, a different person.
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