Roman Pieta, Marble Sculpture and Christ of St. John of the Cross - Essay Example

1. Comparison of Michelangelo's Roman 'Pieta', Marble Sculpture 1499 and Salvador Dali's 'Christ of St. John of the Cross', Oil on Canvas, 1951. With over 500 years dividing their creation, with totally different world views and historical contexts, different artistic processes and materials used, these two pieces might seem to be incomparable. This essay will seek to show that they are more alike than their physical and factual differences might suggest. The pieces will be discussed separately, then compared and a personal reflection on their impact will form the conclusion. Pieta: This is to be found in the first chapel on the right of the entrance in St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, Italy. A pyramid formation, its dimensions are 68.5" x 76.8" Using chisel and white marble, Michelangelo created something extraordinary. The triangular pyramid connection reflects the emotional, physical and psychological impact of the piece on the onlooker. These responses are aroused by looking at how the limbs and clothing of the figures are interwoven, curving and blending into each other. The mother's head leans forward, while this is balanced by the way in which the son's is tilted back; her left hand reflects the movement of his left leg. As her right hand holds his head, his completes the circle of contact by holding onto his mother's clothes, his arm resting on her knee. The wholeness of the piece both visually and emotionally portray the bonds of love between mother and child, Church and believer. Though the figure of Mary is huge in comparison to the form of Christ, the impact of this is insignificant due to the beauty of the figures; despite the fact that this mother is holding her dead child, the suggestion is implicit that resurrection and salvation are promised, that beauty is indestructible in the fact of death, agony or sorrow. This is the message and the power of Michelangelo's art. 2. Christ of St. John of the Cross: In 1951, Spanish Surrealist, Salvador Dali created this painting of oil on canvas, a mystical depiction of the Crucifixion. It was bought in 1952 by the Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, where it has recently been reinstated (July 2006). It is 81.7" high by 45.6" wide and is a triangular composition, Christ's body forming the triangle, with a circle, represented by the figure's head. The artist uses chiaroscuro to dramatic effect, as the crucified Christ seems to move from light to darkness and light again. The scene below him might be understood to signify the 'world', or at least that part of it known and loved by Dali himself. There is no doubt that the light, the hills, the boats and figures are depictions from Spain's Costa Brava, one of the places where he lived at the time of creating the work. Dali was often reported as stating that he dreamed the scene, and was driven by his visions to create a Christ with no thorns, no nails in the hands and no blood. Instead, he wanted to give us a magnificent physical yet metaphysical King of the World. In that, he departed from the more traditional representations of Christ on the Cross . The viewer is looking down, like Christ, the eye is drawn to what Christ is observing and the anatomical perfection of the body calls to mind classical statuary and life drawings. The shadow created by the arms and the cross make a triangle within a triangle and the light surrounding the figure seems to diffuse and re-emerge to illuminate the heavens, and the Earth spread at it's feet. The triangular motif is repeated in the response the picture calls forth, the physical, psychological and emotional are united; here is man, the universe and God, captured in an almost holographic, three dimensional image. This piece signifies Dali's great skill and unique imaginative power. Comparisons: From a personal viewpoint, there are many comparisons, the chief of which may be the outstanding beauty of the figures of Christ, and in the Pieta, of Mary. The point and counter point, the fluidity of lines are present in both, making for a huge visual and emotional impact. Both pieces appear to be living, breathing people, despite the differences of artistic medium. They create a tactile response, the desire to reach forward and gently touch the subjects. This is undoubtedly 3. due to both the excellence of the artists' technical skills and to the imagination and inspiration which drove them to create, for whatever motivation. The religious context of both pieces is obvious, despite originating in vastly different times and from different artistic motivation, one a commission, the other the result of a surreal, genius' vision. What brings them together, is how they elicit emotional and psychological responses to their beauty, and originality, along with the power of the imagery these responses call forth. Both appear to deal with agony and death. If one were to describe the pieces bluntly, with no feeling, then the Dali could be said to be a man on a cross suffering a tortuous crucifixion, looking at a nice peaceful scene beneath him, while the other is a statue of a woman holding her dead, adult child, the result of such a death. But both creations transcend the negativity and horror of the subject matter and in their place, create a psychological juxtaposition which turns horror to hope, sorrow to salvation. Dali's Christ brings light to darkness, drawing the onlooker towards that light, and to an understanding of universal truths and a compassionate God. Michelangelo has portrayed that most human bond, of mother and child, united in beauty and form, and subconsciously suggesting that this unity is eternal, it transcends death and promises the hope of resurrection and salvation. Which is of course what he set out to do. Across the distance of time, belief and artistic conventions, here are two pieces which are impossible to ignore, which are in fact unforgettable. Technical excellence, meticulous detail, perfect composition and inspirational originality, all combined, can be attributed to both creations. These elements are what engage the viewer in not only the visual or superficial understanding, but in the deeper meanings of the artists' intentions. Both pieces emphatically 'state' that this artistic creation links man, God and hope of the resurrection; this is the transcendence of goodness and beauty over death, an important message on any level, be it primitive, or sophisticated. Dali saw his Christ as representing a metaphysical unity of the universe, albeit derived from drawings of the 16th century friar, St. John of the Cross, but influenced by 4. Freudian psychology and personal vision. In creating the picture, he seemed to be seeking to provide not only emotional stimulus, but answers to universal truths which might unite man with his world, his God and his soul. Michelangelo too, in his time, was depicting a concept of unity, almost bringing together the secular and the divine. He was using his art to portray the bonds of love, the enduring quality of beauty and their ability to overcome death and sorrow, leading to salvation and triumph. It would seem that both had similar intentions, but that is a personal interpretation. Personal Reflection: Both these pieces have made a huge visual and emotional impact. The realism of the muscular structures, the harmony of form is aesthetically astounding, so that it is almost enough to just look without thought. As mentioned earlier, they also make me want to reach out and touch, to offer comfort or to be a part of the creation in front of me. Pieta means 'compassion' in Italian and it is impossible to view this composition without relating to the feelings of a mother holding her dead son. With rational thought, informed by knowledge of Christian beliefs, this extends to a deeper understanding of the artist's meaning and intent, resulting in a feeling of hope in eternal life, or at least those aspects depicted here - a human rather than religious response. Dali's creation also elicits that hope, for it brings me into the picture, as I see a man, recognized by many as a god, bowed but unbroken. From darkness, he brings light, he views a better world, a place of peace and beauty and makes me part of it - there is something magic about how this happens, but it does. The picture stays in the mind as an afterimage, and draws me back again and again to examine it more closely each time. If art imitates life, then both pieces touch deeply on man's condition, relationships between human and divine, the world and the universe and call forth hopes for better things to come. They both seek to make sense of our condition, to explore our destiny and in my opinion, they both succeed. I believe that two great artists are telling me the same thing, of that I am sure. Works Cited Christ of Saint John of the Cross, Salvador Dali, 1951 Museums of the World 7 December 2006 http://www.viaartis.org/en/Dali/PIC_Dali-GAGx1951.php Pieta, Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1499 End of Europe's Middle Ages - Visual Arts 7 December 2006 http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/endmiddle/art3.html Read More