[MATRIC (lil redundant to study)] Early 20th Century International Art (Credit to Marley) Flashcards
Question 2 of the theory paper. 3 Examples (14 cards)
For what movement and in what year was ‘Fountain’ created? By who?
‘Fountain’ was made by Marcel Duchamp in 1917 and is part of the Dadaism movement
Describe ‘Fountain’ by Marcel Duchamp
A men’s urinal on the floor with a fake signature on it
Why did Duchamp choose a urinal for ‘Fountain’?
Marcel Duchamp deliberately chose a urinal as one of his “ready-made” pieces, randomly, to question our definition of art
In what way does ‘Fountain’ adhere to Dadaism?
The piece neither applies nor can be described with any of the elements of art, has no aesthetic value, can be effortlessly recreated, and already existed before Duchamp found it and labelled it as art – going against the values of fine art
For what movement and in what year was “No. 5” created? By who?
No. 5 was made by Mark Rothko in 1950 and is part of the Abstract Expressionism movement
What kind of painter was Mark Rothko?
A colour field painter
Describe ‘No. 5’ by Mark Rothko
A yellow field of colour and a darker field of orange, sandwiching a strip of red in the middle. Oil on canvas.
What was the purpose of Rothko’s art?
To force the viewer to contemplate colour relationships and take the viewer away from reality, supposedly overwhelming them. Rothko also intended for a spiritual reaction from his audience
What separates ‘No. 5’ from Rothko’s other works?
Gauging the paint’s surface before it dried created strained, horizontal lines across the canvas. These lines served to contrast the soft outlines of lighter yellow around the edges of the canvas
For what movement and in what year was ‘Harlequin’s Carnival’ created? By who?
Harlequin’s Carnival was made by Joan Miro in 1924 and is part of the Surrealist movement
Describe ‘Harlequin’s Carnival’ by Joan Miro
A surrealist interpretation of Harlequin surrounded by bizarre characters in Miro’s studio. Oil on canvas.
What contributed to the imagery of ‘Harlequin’s Carnival’?
Miro starved himself to the point of hallucination to tap into his subconscious mind and draw out the otherworldly characters in the painting
How is the composition of ‘Harlequin’s Carnival’ structured? What effect does this have on the viewer?
The composition is dynamic and asymmetrical, with elements scattered throughout the canvas. This creates a sense of movement and energy, drawing the viewer’s eye around the painting and evoking a feeling of chaos and celebration. The feeling of celebration relates to the piece’s title of Carnival
How does Miro represent himself in ‘Harlequin’s Carnival’?
As Harlequin. With a brush in hand and a pipe in his mouth, as well as having a hole where his stomach would be, representing Miro’s poverty at the time, as well as his starving himself to draw out his subconscious
