rmcrawford04

Early in my time at OU, I took a class called Gods and Heroes in Art, and it was probably one of the coolest classes I have ever taken. I was a mix of art appreciation and art history, as well as Greek and Roman history. As we learned about Greek and Roman gods, heroes, and general history, we also looked at artwork that depicted these stories and people. I learned a lot about Greek and Roman history, obviously, but I also learned so much about artistic movements, techniques, and how and why types of art evolved and changed.

Over spring break, I took a trip with my best friend to Washington, D.C. (and got to see a study abroad friend and family!!) and got the opportunity to go to lots of art museums, including the National Gallery of Art. I ended up getting to see so many of the paintings we had talked about in class! I had such a lovely time seeing those pieces, as well as identifying and understanding many other art pieces. Here is my attempt to show some of the cool paintings I saw and tell a little about them!

I saw lots of various Rococo art, which is definitely one of my favorite movements we studied. I ended up going back to a couple of different rooms and just sitting in for a bit. I saw the Abduction of Europa and The Birth of Venus by Jean Françios de Troy both of which I loved and were so pretty I could have stared at them for ages. Rococo is characterized by its pastel colors and excess of floral and natural elements, as well as little floating cherubs everywhere. It was a movement following the Baroque period, where everything had lots of strong value contrast and dark hues, and consequently, Rococo art countered many of the intense Baroque characteristics.

Philemon and Baucis by Rembrandt van Rijn is a great example of the Baroque movement. It is a very dark piece, so getting to see it in person and truly see all the details of texture and shadows that you cannot see very well in a picture was super cool. I didn’t appreciate the piece very much in class, but in person it was great! I was also there with friends, and I enjoyed being able to discuss the styles and movements as well as the stories behind some of the depictions.

Both Venus and Adonis by Titian and The Judgment of Paris by Peter Paul Rubens were paintings I immediately recognised. The details, texture, and brushstrokes were so cool to be able to see in person! The Judgment of Paris by Rubens is a Baroque piece; it has lots of emotions and very Baroque body styles. Venus and Adonis by Titian is a Mannerism piece, even though it has some Baroque and High Renaissance elements. Mannerism is usually characterized by exaggerated and unnaturally elongated qualities.

This was definitely one of the coolest classes I’ve taken, and it made a large impact on my joy and love for art. It has been lovely being able to understand the techniques and styles of art I see in everyday life!