Monet Vs. Van Gogh in Contrast with Traditional Masterpieces

Renaissance Grandeur: Assumption Of The Virgin

The several works of art that I have enjoyed most this semester achieve beauty through different artistic styles and techniques. Commissioned by the Catholic church, the Assumption Of The Virgin by Correggio stands out as the most dissimilar artwork in comparison with the other pieces that I enjoyed. Completed during the high point of the Renaissance, the composition of this artwork creates a very dramatic effect as the Virgin Mary ascends up into the heavens in this scene that unfolds on the main cathedral dome in Parma, Italy.

The technique of foreshortening, along with the bright center of this massive oil on Fresco artwork, creates an illusion of depth. The saints and angels appear weightless as they follow Mary into the radiantly lit heavens in a circular current formed by alternating the warmly colored figures dressed in reds and blues, contrasted with the cool white colored clouds.

Ming Dynasty Expression: Poet On A Mountaintop

In comparison, Shen Zhou’s Poet On A Mountaintop, also created during the 16th century, utilizes ink and color on paper. Active during the Ming Dynasty period in China, Zhou’s landscape piece takes on a much different form. A lone figure appears solitary in nature, distant from the rest of society, high upon a mountaintop above the clouds as he peers out into the surrounding landscape. A poem written in calligraphy rests before the figure’s gaze, displaying his thoughts. Zhou’s short, strong brushstrokes used to create the artwork are styled to mimic his calligraphy. The figure appears to be in a state of harmony with the surroundings, encompassing the Ming philosophy that the mind, not the physical world, is the foundation of existence.

Monet vs Van Gogh: Impressionist Insights

A similar serene feeling is present in Impression Sunrise by Claude Monet (1872). In this oil on canvas artwork, Monet incorporates short brush strokes akin to Zhou’s Poet On A Mountaintop to display a tidal movement and to casts shadows in this piece set in a French harbor. Little detail can be detected through the hazy fog in the background where the horizon disappears. He uses orange and yellow to contrast the dark blue figures in a boat near the middle and foreground and to allow the bright sun to reflect off of the water. The short, vibrant, colorful brush strokes and the bright orange sun dominate this piece, which serves as his impression of the harbor as he observes it.

Van Gogh exaggeratingly captures the feeling you might get looking up at the sky on a clear night in The Starry Night. Van Gogh uses bold brush strokes in multiple directions with bright, intense colors to create texture and energy in this artwork. Stars burst with color in the night sky as light radiates outward from them as the sky appears to roll along like it is being pushed by an ocean current. These brush strokes are somewhat similar to Monet’s as Van Gogh generates movement. This artwork expresses more of what the artist was feeling as he created the piece than the landscape that inspired the painting. The styles utilized by Van Gogh and Monet evoke feeling; they are made at the moment and do not feel planned. Their artwork isn’t as polished as that displayed by Correggio and others in earlier periods. All three of these artworks reflect the artist’s character and personality, while Assumption Of The Virgin lacks the artistic freedom that was available to these artists due to the patronage of the church, typical for the Renaissance period.

References:

1. Correggio, “Assumption Of The Virgin.” Oil on Fresco, Cathedral Dome, Parma, Italy.

2. Zhou, Shen. “Poet On A Mountaintop.” Ink and Color on Paper, 16th century.

3. Monet, Claude. “Impression Sunrise.” Oil on Canvas, 1872.

4. Van Gogh, Vincent. “The Starry Night.” Oil on Canvas, 1889.

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