English 2850 Fall 2023 Great Works of World Literature II

Machinery and Large Scale Industry 46 was a lithograph created by Hugo Gellert in 1933. It showed what life was like during the Great Depression, when people didn’t have a lot of job or money. His work supported Karl’s Marx idea of Communism. He was a communist who oppose capitalism as he thinks that it leads to social and economic inequality. The painting shows the effect of capitalism and its effect on people and show how machines were used to show how people were being treated unfairly in an capitalist system. It reflect the association with modernism on how the artist use his art to talk about social and political issues in society in which he did this by showing the inequality capitalism had. I was pretty interested in the fact why the artwork show people being tied to those machines like they are restricted from freedom. It caught my attention based on wanting to know more about it. I’ve learned how the machines depicted in his artworks show how businesses were using people just like machines. He uses important shape to signify the importance of it and what it represents through his painting. Some questions I would consider asking are how might different viewer interpret the painting differently and why would the artist use certain light and shadow in the painting and is there anything else he want us the viewers to know.

The Art work I chose is “World’s Fair, Chicago. A Century of Progress, 1833-1933” By Glen C. Sheffer. Sheffer was an American illustrator, Sheffer’s most notable work is a poster for the 1933 Worlds Fair, He was born in Angola, Indiana 1881 and died in 1948 Jacksonville Illinois.

What caught my attention the most from this piece is how much is happening, its so relevant to todays busy world, where something is always going on and things can seem so hectic. The artwork itself is special because its from 1933 however it almost feels like it could of been made last year, it made me realize this piece is not just about an event in the past but rather its about how things change and stay the same.

While looking at the painting I just felt like Sheffer made it a “Modernist painting” by making it different from others, adding bold colors, and the style itself just seemed so different from the rest, “World’s Fair, Chicago.” stood out because of how relevant it could be today. The bright colors and how everything is mixed up make it look interesting and different, just like the world we live in now.

The artwork that I chose was “Three Musicians, Fontainebleau 1921” by Pablo Picasso. Picasso was a Spanish painter who also a sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer. He became one of the greatest and most-influential artists of the 20th century who’s work has been known for his “cubism” style of art. Born in 1888 in Málaga Spain Picasso moved to back and forth between Paris, France and Madrid, Spain between the years 1900-1904 bringing back life and culture from Paris to Spain. He ultimately decided to move permanently to Paris in 1904 where he remained the for the rest of his life.
The reason why I chose this piece by Picasso was due to the abstract nature of the musicians depicted. Although not normal by any means the figures are able to be made out along with creating character by providing instruments to these figures. Another aspect to this piece that stood out to me is the musician on the right. He appears dark in nature and resembles Death due to the shape of his cloak. Although the character on the right resembles Death, the piece as a whole brings on a cheery feeling when seeing the three musicians closely together and performing.
A question I would pose about this piece would be if the character on the right is intended to resemble Death or does this character represent a dark sense to the band or its setting the lays in its context for being created.

• How is the theme of maternity explored in the story? Give at least two examples.
• Morrison adds issues of class to what is already a complicated story about race. Why? Where in the story do you see evidence of this?
• What is the meaning of Morrison’s title, Recitatif? How does it work as a title for this story?
• What are Twyla and Roberta fighting about in the section about school busing? What’s going on between them?
• Is the story’s perspective on race relations ultimately pessimistic or optimistic? Why?
• Why do you think Morrison chooses not to be explicit about which girl is African American and which girl is Caucasian?

The artwork I chose is “Skyscraper” created by Paul T. Frankl. Frankl was born on October 14, 1886. He is a furniture designer who started his own furniture company called Skyscraper Furniture. Through his company, he created his very own design-styled furniture called skyscraper style. This unique style garnered a lot of attention eventually making Frankl popular enough to open his art galleries displaying his furniture in Los Angeles. 

The museum that I chose to go to was the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They had a huge section of modern art on both the first and second floors. The reason this specific artwork attracted my attention was that this is not traditional art. The more widely accepted types of art would be oil paintings and sculptures. When walking into a room filled with 2d paintings this large cabinet immediately caught my attention.

The “Skyscraper” is a bookcase. It is created from maple wood and bakelite (a very strong plastic). Like many of Frankl’s famous works the “Skyscraper” is designed with his skyscraper style. This bookcase is shaped like a towering skyscrapers. The bookcase has a section on the bottom with cabinets. On top of the bottom section of the bookcase, there are three beam-like sections ranging in size. The left beam is the tallest, the middle one is the second tallest, and the right one is the shortest. This makes it seem like there is a skyscraper coming from the bookcase.

Frankl’s style was heavily influenced by his first impression of New York City. The first time he arrived in America he was in awe of how the buildings were so tall. It was such an overwhelming feeling that was stuck with him. Frankl then outputs this feeling when designing furniture. 

Frankl’s “Skyscraper” fits the aesthetics of modernism perfectly. The whole idea of modernism to to break away from conventional ideas of art. Frankl’s idea of creating art from furniture is modernism itself. Frankl is creating an entirely new way to express his feelings. This new expression pushes the border of what is even considered art. In a way the “Skyscraper” can be seen as an abstract sculpture. Instead of following realism and creating a realistic model of a skyscraper he instead made a bookcase. At first glance, you would not know what this bookcase is trying to represent until you are looking from the bottom up. Looking from the bottom of the bookcase it feels like it is looming and towering above you thus the name “skyscraper”. 

America Today by Thomas Hart Benton 1930-1931

The artist behind “Night Repairs,” a lithograph from 1939, is the renowned American artist, John Sloan. Sloan was a prominent figure in the Ashcan School, a movement that focused on realistic portrayals of urban life in New York City during the early 20th century. “Night Repairs” captures a scene of nighttime urban activity. It depicts a group of workers, likely repairmen or laborers. Illuminated by the glow of streetlights as they perform repairs or maintenance work on a city street. The use of light and shadow creates a dramatic contrast, emphasizing the nocturnal ambiance and the solitary, concentrated efforts of the workers. “Night Repairs,” created as a lithograph in 1939, showcases Sloan’s skillful use of light and shadow to evoke a sense of atmosphere and mystery. Lithography involves drawing on a stone or metal plate with a grease-based medium and then transferring the image onto paper, allowing for nuanced tonal variations and texture in the final print.

Modernism is as an artistic movement that was characterized by a departure from traditional forms and an emphasis on experimentation, abstraction, and a departure from established norms. “Night Repairs” reflects some key elements of Modernist aesthetics through its focus on urban life, the use of bold contrasts, and a portrayal of everyday subjects in a slightly abstracted manner. The scene captures a moment of ordinary life but elevates it through the play of light and shadow, showing the influence of modernist principles in the composition and treatment of the subject matter. This artwork’s significance lies not only in its visual aesthetics but also in its portrayal of everyday life, demonstrating Sloan’s commitment to depicting the realities of the modern city and the people who inhabited it.

The attraction to “Night Repairs” might stem from its ability to encapsulate a sense of urban mystery and the captivating use of light to create a moody atmosphere. The way it invites viewers to contemplate the nocturnal activities of the city and the human presence amidst darkness could be quite intriguing. Questions about this piece could revolve around Sloan’s artistic process, his choice of lithography as a medium, or the specific inspirations or events that led to the creation of “Night Repairs.” Exploring the context of its creation and Sloan’s artistic intentions might offer deeper insights into the work and its significance within the broader scope of Modernist art.

In my visit to The Museum of Modern Art I decided to select a painting from an American artist named Fletcher Martin. The name of the painting is called Trouble in Frisco (1938). THis painting was made with oil paint on canvas. Fletcher Martin was born on April 19, 1904 in Palisade Colorado and passed away on May 30th, 1979 in Guanajuato Mexico. Martin was known for his images of soldier life during World War II and of brutal images of boxing and other sports as well. However, he would contain numerous sketches about soldier life and men in conflict. 

The art piece reflects the aesthetic preferences that are associated with Modernism because it fits into the Realism style of art. Realism paintings are also known as “naturalism” and this art style attempts to represent reality in the most accurate and authentically possible way. Realism tries to show ordinary people and everyday life scenarios. In the painting “Trouble in Frisco” there are two men fighting inside a ship. The painting is easily viewed as two men in a sort of fight and it has an authentic look as well.

I was able to find this image in MoMA and I was able to understand it visually. The description that went along with the painting made it easy for me to understand what exactly was going on. The Painting reveals a brawl between two sailors. In 1939 more than thirty thousand maritime works were protesting for inhuman working conditions and forty eight hour shift with low pay. This was commonly seen during the Great Depression when many Americans were looking for relief from poverty and exploitation.

A few question that came to me was if these two men actually existed and if this brawl actually happened or did Fletcher Martin was able to visualize a scenario in his head and paint about it.

sources:

Fletcher Martin. David Barnett Gallery. (n.d.). https://davidbarnettgallery.com/artist/fletcher-martin 

Secure. (2023, June 14). What is realism in art? definition, artists, & examples. Sparks Gallery. https://sparksgallery.com/learn/what-is-realism-in-art-definition-artists-examples