KATIE'S KOMMENTS
October 2 - The topic for today is…Two of my favorite pieces of artwork in Florence
After discovering a great deal of artwork in Florence, I have finally decided which pieces are the most striking and meaningful to me. The pieces of artwork that I found to be the most effective and striking are Botticelli's painting The Birth of Venus and Michelangelo' famous sculpture, David. The following paragraphs describe my feelings about each of the works of art and why they will stick in my mind forever.
The Birth of Venus by Botticelli
When you enter the room there is no turning back. Your eyes are firmly set on the beauty of Botticelli's Birth of Venus. As you gaze at the painting in wonder, the peacefulness and beauty of Venus penetrates your skin and emotions. There is no turning back. Everything about the painting relaxes you-the warm colors, peaceful setting and the beauty of Venus. There is an enormous amount of movement in the painting, but unlike Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel it is a steady, relaxing and dreamy effect that changes the mood of all paintings surrounding it. On the left side of Venus are two angels blowing pink flowers gently toward the goddess. They slowly move toward her nude body and blow back her long golden hair. On the other side is a woman holding a peach cloth toward Venus guiding your eyes to the flattering appearance of the Deity. The woman is beautiful but nothing compared to the godly, delicate body of Venus. Venus stands weightless on the object she was born in, and she sheds her young beauty to all viewers. She looks completely balanced on this shell floating on the serene ripples of the sea. You notice her hand placed gently against her body as she looks out at us ignoring the attention she is getting from her sides. This clearly shows us her vanity and awareness of her godly features. Her harmonious appearance not only strikes you and other art lovers today, during Renaissance times churches were astonished by the beauty Botticelli portrayed of a Greek mythological god. This well known painting was one of the first pieces of artwork that began the Renaissance period which was a rebirth of Greek and Roman ideas.
What was another piece of art work that portrayed the meaning of the Renaissance era? The answer is Michelangelo's David.
TO BE CONTINUED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
