Nude Descending a Staircase versus Mystery and Melancholy of the Street - Assignment Example

Nude Descending a Staircase versus Mystery and Melancholy of the Street The paintings by Marcel Duchamp and GiorgioDe Chirico entitled Nude Descending Staircase and Mystery and Melancholy of a Street, respectively, show several similarities and contrasts in nearly equal measures. The comparison is mainly outstanding through their metaphorical meanings. Comparison In the art Nude Descending a Staircase, the nude portrait from appearance depicts a figure that demonstrates a theoretical movement in its moderate yellow to orange color and brown colors.

The painting has dark outlines, which serve as motion lines and provide limitations of the body contours. The motion lines in the painting are significant because they provide emphasis on the moving figure (Verrone 63). In addition, the painting also has dotted lines of accented arcs. The lines are effective in showing motion because of the ease to detect from the painting that the movement rotated in an anticlockwise direction, which is from the upper left to the lower right corner. Similarly, Melancholy and Mystery of a Street painting focus on contours because of the great color use.

The artist did the work with great preciseness to set a seemingly void atmosphere. The painting shows, at the bottom corner, a peaceful girl in the play mood with her bicycle rim and a stick, which balances her perfectly with the entire painting. In the painting, De Chirico uses lines and contours to portray elongated shadows, empty arcades, mannequins, and towers. He excels in his arrangements to create the images of emptiness, as well as forlornness. Consequently, the painting succeeds in conveying the mood and feeling of freedom and power in a paradoxical manner.

The contours color and lines help to explain shows a distinction between shadows and the clear sunshine that suggests a clear sky. Consequently, the shadows and sunlight create an apparent mental illusion that is compatible with timing of 1914, the message to confer and the title of the painting. Despite little usage of elements, building of ideas from the painting is possible and its real meaning is easily predictable. The art can reveal that the girl in the piece holds the entire significance of the same painting.

She represents so many ideas in such a little artwork. Good choice of color contours and lines reveal hear jump and run elegantly and carefully. The shadows and well-lit background can enable one to conclude that the girl is taking a closer look at the direction of her face as she matches towards the white building. Contrast Despite their similarities, the two paintings, Nude Descending a Staircase and Melancholy and Mystery of a Street painting also show a number of contrasts. First is their presentability and acceptability to the audience.

In the painting Nude Descending a Staircase, there is controversy in the empty space of the painting (Verrone 63). A dramatic and threatening statue shadow is similar to an emanation appears behind the street. The interior shadow of the painting shows entrapment and a possible sense of tragedy. However, in Melancholy and Mystery of a Street painting, there is broad contrast because its paintings depict great decency, elegance, and carefulness. Audience appreciates the art and can read right meaning out of it.

Works Cited Verrone, William. The Avant-Garde Feature Film: A Critical History. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2011. Print.