Essay Example on Explore the Rich Art Collection at the Norton Simon Museum

Introduction

Norton Simon Museum is located in Pasadena, California, United States, previously known as Pasadena Art Institute and the Pasadena Art Museum. It consists of collections from Europe, and Asia that include paintings, sculptures, tapestries and woodblock prints displayed in different landscapes. The museum consists of many artworks from the 17th century to the 20th century. Among the paintings found here is that of a portrait of a man Louis Anquetin of 1889 belonging to Cloissonnism art period that was developed by the author after influence from a group he found in France and trying to differentiate his works from that of impressionism. Among popular paints of Anquetin was a series of portraits of a man that represented various modernism forms in Europe.

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Analysis

The image consists of an older man in a black coat, striped trousers and uncovered head of grey hair. The background of the image is a wall painted in light cream colour distinguishing it clearly that man is in a room sitting and listening to something. The face expression from the image shows that many are a serious situation that needs maximum concentration. The head, hand and legs can be differentiated from other body parts through the use of different colours. This paint was among the first paints done by Anquetin, and it portrays the subject of academics and modernity in Europe during the 19th century. The colour may have resulted from the influence of Anquetin through the study period in France.

Meaning of the Image

The sitter of Louis Anquetin's image is unknown, but from familiar scenarios, the image represents the scenarios of the artist attending classes in France. Anquetin came to France capital Paris in 1882 and studied two academic ateliers before getting a group of friends whom they started practising artwork. Each individual in the group influenced each other, and in 1888, Anquetin began to his series of works, under the name Cloissonnism (Malde). This term that was coined from the artist work where every colour in his works bordered a distinct outline. Most of Anquetin's works are black an approach that resembled that of windows and Medieval enamel works. Modernism is represented in the image through clothes worn by the sitting man. Europe in the 19th century was changing rapidly, and many artists among them Anquetin were taking the chance to develop their talent.

About the work

The work is about the culture of Europe 19th century, where academics and industrialization were growing at high speed. The man sitting in the room represents the dominant form of formal education that was developing in Europe at the time. The artist also represents modernism in work by representing the clothes that were being invented at that time. The image was done in 1889 close to the end of the 19th century at the start of globalization and colonization of various parts (Louis Anquetin and Cloisonnism). In Europe, formal education was getting it is rooting; hence the representation of the image in an academic manner. Through presenting the sitting man in position, showing him to be concentrating on listening to something, the field of academics can be portrayed effectively. To Anquetin who had come to France for studies, this work shows how he successfully passed through academic works.

Cultural context

In the 19th century, most of the European countries were struggling with modernity. These developments were coupled with changes in civilization across Europe and many scientific discoveries. At this time, there were changes in the way people dressed, their general appearance in public even at their homes. Due to rapid industrialization across different countries in Europe, different styles of dressing were being invented. At the same time also, in Europe, education was gaining formality. Many people, including the artist, were gaining formal education. The image here a portrait of a man represents a time when heavy coats were being used mainly by older men in the society and leaders. The viewer of the image at this time of history get information about the clothing that is public to various people in Europe at that time. A viewer of the image also gets information about the academic field by seeing an older man sitting listening to someones else.

Subject Portrayed

The artist uses a small space in a room to portray the subject of modernism through Cloissonnism. Cloissonnism comes from French word cloisonne meaning partition, and the Cloissonnism method was originally a method for decorating metalwork objects and later decorating vitreous enamel. The subject of Cloissonnism in artwork has represented by Louis Anquetin represent areas of pure flat, colour enclosed by dark lines. The artist uses a limited space to portray the subject of Cloissonnism through presenting a flat wall, uniformly coloured black coat, different coloured trouser and a different colour for visible body parts. The idea and aim subject of Cloissonnism is represented in the paint through the image being unique to other portraits at the time and using different styles to that of impressionism that had dominated most of the artwork at the time.

Deployment of formal elements to create and communicate meaning

Colour

The artist uses different colours to present the purpose of the image to the viewer. The primary colour is the black colour that paints the coat with other colours that include cream and white on the walls and trouser. The coat represents modernity at that, and the type of clothing people was wearing, especially when in a public meeting. The trouser is in stripped black and white colour representing the meaning of people not wearing uniform clothes at the time or matching clothes bottom down had not started at the time. The head is not covered by a hat as was always done especially by leaders of the society.

Line

The author uses a few lines in the image on a flat background while focusing on bringing out the portrait of the man. The artist combines cloissoniste contour line with much attention to facial features and clothing. The face shows delicate wrinkles, strands of hair, and carefully articulated crease in fabrics. The use of various forms in the face presents the meaning of facial expression presented by the man in his sitting position. The black outlines represent the culture of the time of avant-garde and academic styles, as evident by the man. The lines on the face represent the concentration taken by most people, especially in the subject of academics. The use of lines in this image also represents differences of cloissonism to impressionism, thus maintain the original aim of the artist.

Light

The image portrait of a man is present in a light-coloured background to show clearly all the parts the artist intended to communicate to the viewer. In maintain the subject of academics, the artist draws the paints in enough right meaning that the sitting man was active in his academics. Light also here is used to display how first the modernism was spreading in Europe, especially in terms of dressing. Impressionism and other forms of art during this period used less light in their paintings but since the aim of Cloissonnism and in particular to Anquetin were to be different from the other forms of arts, he uses more light in this image and other works to show the difference in presenting is ideas.

Space

The artist uses limited space, probably to focus on the main object. Different from other styles such as Impressionism, Cloissonnism focuses too much more on the target object while eliminating other objects that would have been included in the image. The man is shown to be sitting in a room, but the other part is not shown. The artist focuses on the limited space to the wall to bring out the facial expression of the man and his sitting posture. Here space is used to show out that the man is listening keenly to something or waiting for something. To point out the meaning of cloissonism on the image, the artist makes sure every part of the paint is evident when viewed.

Forms

The artist creates the meaning of his work in this image by boldly painting the image and presenting it in flat form separated by contours. This brings out the original aim of Cloissonnism by differentiating the image from that of impressionism. The first aim of the artist is to present the meaning of the image to viewers in a simplified way using unnatural colours separated by outlines of reminiscent of Gothic stained glass. To emphasize decorative qualities, the artist uses deep-coloured different paints in the image that he acquired the test from Japanese woodcuts. In the group of artists belonging to Cloissonnism, everyone would present different style in which to portray the subject intended. Through this image, Anquetin is able through the subject of modernism and academics in one image through a unique way different from other portraits of a man and that of other artists.

Conclusion

Norton Simon Museum consists of a wide range of artefacts from Europe and Asia, ranging in different art periods. The art period of Cloissonnism was developed by Louise Anquetin and another group of artist in influence to each other. The aim was to differentiate themselves from impressionism art. Among the paints of Anquetin is that of the portrait of a man that represents a sitting man in a room with an aim from the artist to present the subject of academics and modernism. The culture of Europe at this time of Cloissonnism was highly focused on improving education and marked by rapid industrialization. The artist uses deep colour and a different colour in each section of the image lines especially on the face, limited space in a room cross to a wall, and a flat form to create the meaning of the image and also make sure viewers clearly understand it.

Works Cited

"Louis Anquetin and Cloissonnism." 16 October 2013. My Daily Art Display. 24 April 2020. <https://mydailyartdisplay.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/louis-anquetin-and-cloisonnism/>.

Malde, Mart. "Discovering Cloissonnism and the incredible French artist Louis Anquetin." 14 January 202. Navigation. 24 April 2020. <https://www.spudart.org/blog/discovering-cloisonnism/>.