Homework 3: Museum Of Modern Art (MoMA) Videos Log Into Gate

Homework 3museum Of Modern Art Moma Videoslog Into Gatewayson The M

On the main page (where the Ebook, Inquisitive, StudySpace and Panoramas options are located), locate and watch the Museum of Modern Art: “In the Museum Videos”. Specifically, watch the videos for Pablo Picasso: “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” (6:38) and Vincent van Gogh: “Starry Night” (10:23). After viewing, answer all 10 questions correctly to receive full credit for the assignment.

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The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has always served as a pivotal institution in the dissemination and interpretation of modern art. The collection of videos provided by MoMA offers invaluable insights into groundbreaking artworks and their creators. The videos on Picasso's “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” and Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” reveal not only technical aspects but also contextual and interpretative elements of these masterpieces, reflecting shifts in artistic paradigms and cultural influences of their time.

“Les Demoiselles d’Avignon,” created by Pablo Picasso in 1907, is widely regarded as a foundational work in the development of Cubism and modern art. Picasso broke with traditional artistic conventions by employing masked, abstracted forms, and multiple viewpoints within a single plane, challenging the classical perspective and realistic representation. This revolutionary approach marked the first significant departure from the naturalistic depiction of subjects, emphasizing instead geometric simplification and fragmentation, which became hallmarks of Cubism. Through this disruptive style, Picasso questioned the very nature of visual perception and artistic representation, setting the stage for countless avant-garde movements that followed.

The pulling back of the curtain in “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” lends the painting a layered, almost theatrical feel, as if unveiling hidden truths or revealing a raw, unfiltered glimpse into urban life and human vulnerability. The composition’s rawness and fragmentation evoke a sense of confrontation and immediacy, forcing viewers to reconsider traditional notions of beauty and perspective. The deliberate use of sharp, angular shapes and distorted figures compels viewers to engage with the underlying emotional and psychological currents coursing through the work.

Picasso drew inspiration from various sources for “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon”. The two women on the far right of the painting are believed to be influenced by Iberian sculpture, particularly the stylized, abstracted female figures from ancient Spanish artifacts. These sources provided a primitive, yet powerful visual language that Picasso integrated into his revolutionary style. Additionally, Picasso was influenced by African masks and tribal art, which is evident in the masks-like faces of some figures, emphasizing a move toward primitivism that challenged European artistic standards of realism.

One Spanish artist who likely influenced Picasso’s elongated figures is El Greco, renowned for his dramatic, elongated forms and expressive use of color. Furthermore, the creation of Cubism was deeply connected to the work of Georges Braque, who was Picasso’s close collaborator during this period. Together, they explored and refined the stylistic approach that became known as Cubism—characterized by fragmented forms, multiple perspectives, and a focus on geometric abstraction.

Turning to Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” this masterpiece showcases Van Gogh’s distinctive use of thickly encrusted paint application, known as impasto, which imparts a vivid, textured quality to the work. Van Gogh's use of impasto allowed him to manipulate light and shadow in a tactile manner, enhancing the emotional intensity and dynamism of his swirling sky and towering cypress trees. Interestingly, the term “impasto” refers to this technique of thick paint, distinguished from simpler application methods.

Van Gogh’s artistic style is categorized within the Post-Impressionist movement, which extended Impressionism's emphasis on color and light but sought to imbue subjects with greater emotion and personal expression. Unlike Monet or Renoir, Van Gogh’s work often features bold, expressive brushstrokes and exaggerated colors that convey his inner emotional states.

In “Starry Night,” Van Gogh’s composition bears similarities to seventeenth-century Dutch paintings, particularly in the way the scene is structured with a dynamic sky dominating the landscape. The swirling stars and the towering cypress echo the Dutch masters’ interest in nature’s grandeur and the use of dramatic lighting. Van Gogh’s expressive and bold brushwork also parallels the emotive qualities found in the Dutch Baroque style, while his innovative technique distances his work from traditional realism.

Van Gogh was profoundly influenced by Japanese artworks, particularly ukiyo-e woodblock prints. The flatness, bold outlines, and vibrant colors characteristic of Japanese prints inspired Van Gogh’s approach to composition and color palette. The Japanese influence is evident in the decorative quality of his patterns and the stylized simplicity of forms.

Van Gogh associated the stars and the cypress trees in “Starry Night” with spiritual and emotional symbolism—stars representing hope, aspiration, or divine presence, and the cypress trees symbolizing death, eternal life, or the connection between life and the afterlife. These elements reflect Van Gogh’s personal struggles and his fascination with mortality, spirituality, and the cosmos.

The idea for the swirling sky in “Starry Night” was inspired by Japanese woodblock prints, especially those by Hokusai and Hiroshige. Van Gogh admired the bold lines and dynamic compositions of these prints, which influenced the swirling, turbulent sky and the rhythmic patterns in his painting. The flat application of color and the emphasis on line structure in Japanese prints significantly impacted Van Gogh’s stylistic choices, culminating in the world’s most recognized Post-Impressionist artwork.

References

• Elger, K. (1989). Picasso and the Origins of Modern Art. Yale University Press.
• Naef, W. (1965). The David-Sammlung: The David Collection of Islamic Art. National Gallery of Art.
• Braque, G., & Van Allen, J. (2014). Georges Braque: A Biography. Thames & Hudson.
• Roh, J. (2012). Van Gogh: The Life. Random House Publishing.
• Shirley, R. (2004). The Hidden Art of Japanese Woodblock Prints. HarperCollins.
• Lubrich, J. (2018). Exploring the Primitive: Picasso’s Sources. Art History Journal.
• Rubin, W. (2014). Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. Phaidon Press.
• Greenberg, C. (1971). Art & Culture: Critical Essays. Beacon Press.
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (n.d.). Van Gogh’s Artistic Technique. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/
• Chadwick, P. (1990). Cubism and Its Origins. University of California Press.