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By interpreting these art works through different lenses, we can understand it in different perspectives which in return help us connect with it better. The stronger you feel connected to art, the more memorable it can feel, even if it is created with simple elements.

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Learning more about an artist as well as their life and personality can help understand why they decided to form an art piece a certain way, why they decided to add certain details, as well as hidden symbols. After all, the artist is what creates the art, making them a part of it.

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As I analyze the form in these paintings, you will find that there are hidden elements that support the overall theme of them. Form is an important piece in helping you understand the deeper meanings behind art and really open your eyes as to what you are looking at.

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These paintings from the past explore more than meets the eye through symbolism and the form of all the elements incorporated.

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My art collection will reflect my empathetic and resilient nature while honoring both my calm, peaceful side and my inner strength. I will seek out realistic artworks with saturated, vibrant colors in larger formats that have soft, delicate qualities. My collection will focus on pieces that tell layered stories - romantic narratives, historical tales, explorations of human complexity, and personal challenges - especially works that reveal deeper meanings and emotional truths beneath their surface. I want art that rewards careful observation and creates powerful emotional responses of shock, awe, or sadness through hidden backstories. My collection will stand for personal journey, balance and harmony, and the exploration of emotions and human connections. Through my art, I will celebrate my fascination with human nature and behavior, seeking to understand both myself and others while maintaining a commitment to continuous growth and inner peace.

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I would like my viewers to see that there is more that meets the eye to art that may seem plain or with a lack of action. Some backstories art holds can be very powerful, and I really want viewers to feel impacted by these stories. All in all, I would like most, if not all artworks, to be memorable because art can be such a complex subject.

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Mischief and Repose, John William Godward. 1895

https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/103REN

Personal Connections Paragraph:

Why I added this artwork to my collection: I like how peaceful this painting is and how it seems to be a moment in time between these two women. There is something just so calming, yet profound about the moment these two share.

Content Analysis Paragraph: The analysis topic of this paragraph is content. As for the subject matter, the painting displays two women lounging in their home. One woman is lying down on a tiger’s skin while the other is playfully poking her awake on another animal’s skin. While I don’t believe there are any types of symbolism in the picture, I’d say what could possibly be symbolism is the different animal skins the women are relaxing on. I’m not sure what the black animal fur is from, maybe a bear, but I do know the tiger fur, and tigers typically represent strength, courage, and power. Maybe there is a backstory about these two women in the photo, who knows what their relationship is. I’m wondering if one of them is evil and the other one is good. As for form, what stands out to me in this image is the organic shapes the women are drawn in. They are the focal point of the painting, and you can see the one woman’s arm gracefully and slowly reach out to poke the other one. It gives the overall mood a relaxed feeling, as if they are just relaxing without a care in the world. What I believe the overall message was in this painting was basically “mischief” is represented by the woman bothering the other girl laying down is “repose.” It’s probably just a beautiful, peaceful recreation of a moment in time shared by two people.

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Cimon and Pero: "Roman Charity," Jean-Baptiste Greuze. 1767

https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/108F6K

Personal Connections Paragraph: Why I added this artwork to my collection: There is something so powerful about this small act this daughter is doing for her father. He is imprisoned, but despite everything, despite not being able to help her father more, the daughter does what she can to nourish him and keep him alive.

Content Analysis Paragraph: The analysis topic of this paragraph is content. The subject matter depicted in this painting shows a woman feeding a disheveled man with her breast milk. There appears to be tension in the atmosphere as they seem to be doing this act in secrecy. The old man looks famished and the younger woman watches out for protection. As for symbolism, this whole scene depicts courage. The frantic woman, who is the old man’s daughter, is feeding her starving father after he had been taken to jail. Although she cannot perform this act lawfully, she somehow got to him and courageously offered what he desperately needed, food of any sort. Moreover,for form, what stands out in this painting is the individuals who stick out from the dark background colors. There is an imaginary line from the woman’s extended arm, to her offering her breast milk to her father that really captures your attention, and the close proximity of the two figures really justifies how personal this act being carried out is. The overall message of this painting seems to be embodied by the woman’s selfless sacrifice. Obviously, this woman cares for her father deeply, and she is risking getting caught to help feed her starving father. That’s a very selfless and courageous act. She cannot do much for her father’s situation, but she can offer nourishment so that he will not pass away from starvation.

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The Promenade, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1870

https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/103RJJ

Personal Connections Paragraph:

Why I added this artwork to my collection: Although nothing seems prominent in this painting upon first glance, there is some ambiguity about where the man is leading the woman. Are his intentions good or bad? I included this because I like the more carefully you look at it, the more you think about what is actually going on.

Content Analysis Paragraph: The analysis topic of this paragraph is content. The subject matter that is shown in this painting is a gracefully dressed woman being guided away by a mysterious man. They are cutting through the bushes and trees to maybe a hidden place where they can be together. The woman has a delighted smile on her face as she bashfully accepts the man’s hand, whereas the man’s expression is somewhat up for debate. In my opinion, it looks like he doesn’t have her best interest in mind. The symbolism in this painting is the clothes in my opinion. The woman’s white clothing could represent innocence and purity. It almost looks as if she doesn’t know what she’s bringing herself into. Moreover, the man, wearing darker colors, could symbolize his dark intentions. I think this because he is not smiling back at her and because black clothes tend to symbolize negativity and evil forces.The form of this painting shows two figures closely together, with a faint connection to each other through their arms. The dark green forest that surrounds, and almost obscures them supports the mysterious nature of this interaction. The focal point of this painting is the purity radiating from the woman from her white dress, she is being led to something unknown by this man. The overall message of this painting is an easily persuaded woman being blindly led into something sinister by this man representing the similar events that happen in women’s lives as well. Sometimes men in paintings, and in real life are depicted as cocky, mysterious, and negative figures, whereas the women are usually depicted as caring and pure beings. Men are said to be more violent than women, as explained through the personality differences between males and females.

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Joseph and Potiphar's Wife, Guido Reni, 1630 https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/103RJZ

Personal Connections Paragraph: Why I added this artwork to my collection: As per my collection statement, this art piece is full of tension, a little romance, and obviously a moment that can be explained with some context. We see a woman desperately wanting this man to stay with her, while the man is refusing. Their expressions are rich and just begs answers to questions, such as why this man is hesitant to stay in the first place.

Form Analysis Paragraph: The analysis topic of this paragraph is form. First, there are organic shapes within this scene, as their bodies are drawn realistically, with smooth lines connecting body parts, such as with the wife’s shoulder, down her arm, and eventually down to her grasping hand. The cool and warm colors being on the two opposite people in this art piece just add to the conflict they are facing, seeing as they are wearing two opposite color types. There is also emphasis from movement, as the wife’s contrasting pale skin from the dark background reaching out to her husband creates tension that grabs the viewer’s attention. Also, there is overlap created, meaning there is implied space, as seen by the woman’s arm over the blankets covering her and her hold on her husband’s garments.

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Allegory of Fortune, Salvator Rosa, 1658-1659 https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/103RE3

Personal Connections Paragraph: Why I added this artwork to my collection: At first glance, this painting is a mysterious moment in time. There is ambiguity about who this woman is and why she is granting coins, flowers, and fruits to goats, bulls, and other animals. Her peaceful demeanor gives her gracefulness as she looks to be kindly offering these gifts.

Form Analysis Paragraph: The analysis topic for this paragraph is form. To begin, there are organic shapes, as every animal is drawn realistically, as well as the woman. Her flowing hair, the curves of her body, and her arms holding the container of goods, it all flows realistically. The is also a palette of dark colors. The artist uses dark colors, and even the warm colors, like the yellows and oranges, seem to have a darker tone, adds to the painting’s solemn tone. Moreover, there’s unity. All these elements look like they belong together, all the dark colors and the variety of animals all surrounding the woman’s gifts it seems almost mythologically inspired. Lastly, there are implied lines, as seen from the tip of the shell the woman is carrying down to the opening where all the gifts are falling out. It’s a big part of the painting, and really catches and holds your attention.

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Young Man at His Window, Gustave Caillebotte, 1848- 1894

https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/10A2Y1

Personal Connections Paragraph: Why I added this artwork to my collection: There is something so solemn about this lone man staring into the broad daylight. There is much to think about, like what exactly is he doing, or how is he feeling? The vague nature of this art piece adds a lot of mystery to this calm scene and only heightens the need for context.

Form Analysis Paragraph: The analysis topic for this paragraph is form.  To start, there is implied space as seen with the man is the closest thing to us, which makes him the biggest thing in this painting, and as you look past him outside, the white buildings steadily decrease in size in the distance. There is also  emphasis from contrast. The man’s black and well put together frame clash with the daylight in front of him, forcing our eyes to quickly notice his silhouette. Furthermore, there is asymmetry, as viewed from the left side of the painting only including the background and part of the room the man is standing in, whereas the right side includes the man, the big window he opens, and the red chair behind him. Lastly, there is an implied line forming triangle. Upon first glance at the man, your eyes gradually fall down onto both his feet due to how contrasting his figure is with the rest of the background.

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Study of the Model Joseph, Theodore Gericault, 1818-1819 https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/103QRX

Personal Connections Paragraph: Why I added this artwork to my collection: Undoubtedly, this art piece expresses much sorrow. The glistening eyes of this man begs the question of what led to this quiet portrait. The anguish in his expression evokes a sense of sympathy.

Context Analysis Paragraph: The analysis topic for this paragraph is context. Concerning this painting’s original location, this was created in Paris, France in the early 1800s. Gericault’s personality consisted of being a proud abolitionist and he liked to include Black people in his art works. As for the influential people around him, the man in the photo, named Joseph, was an aspiring model and acrobat, who even modeled for other paintings before this. With Joseph witnessing the traumatic Raft of Medusa ship crash, the intended function Gericault created for this painting was that he wanted viewers to see the pain expressed by the man from the scarring things he had seen.

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A Walk at Dusk, Caspar David Friedrich, 1830-1835, https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/103RJX

Personal Connections Paragraph: Why I added this artwork to my collection: In a tranquil, natural background, this peculiar man quietly appears. The muted colors of the darkened sky and bare trees create a somber feeling and leaves much ambiguity as to what the man is doing. The soft glowing moon in the background gives the gloominess some hope, creating a sense of harmony.

Context Analysis Paragraph: The analysis topic for this paragraph is context. To begin with, Frederich’s personal history included him suffering from a stroke and subsequently creating this painting as an expression of his internal pain, but also the comfort he found as he turned to Christianity.

As for the historical period, it was created in the German Romanticism period and Frederich was part of this movement. The intended audience was simply Frederich, as he created this art piece to  display the pain his stroke caused him and the months he felt depressed while recovering. Lastly, his personality was melancholy, potentially resulting from the traumatic experiences from his childhood. This somber personality of his led him to create such emotional art.

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The Rue Mosnier with Flags, Edouard Manet, 1878 https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/103RJM

Personal Connections Paragraph: Why I added this artwork to my collection: The initial livelihood this scene gives somewhat feels uniting. Seeing a community line up their country’s flags in what seems to be a celebration is joyful and leaves room for a day full of amusement. The light colors and sunny environment give this painting an even more carefree feeling and beautiful start to a day.

Context Analysis Paragraph: The analysis topic for this paragraph is context. To begin, the location in which this painting was created was France, and that’s also where the artist was from. As for the historical period, during this time, the French government declared June 30, 1878 a national holiday called “Fête de la Paix.” The artist valued and appreciated the patriotic harmony displayed on the street outside his window, and he decided to paint it. Concerning the intended audience, Manet didn’t paint it for anyone in particular, he just enjoyed this lively scene from his bedroom window.

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Man with a Hoe, Jean-Francois Millet, 1860-1862 https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/103RGZ

Personal Connections Paragraph: Why I added this artwork to my collection: Despite this art work’s bare content, it’s clear there are deeper meanings behind this tired, solemn man. He seems to be exhausted of the extensive labor farming brings and it makes me wonder if he’s forced to be working so hard. He is a representation of working class people from his time period, the 1800s, to even now, as manual laborers are just as prevalent as they were in the past.

Interpretation Analysis Paragraph: The analysis topic for this paragraph is interpretation. The interpretation I chose to use is Marxist interpretation. Generally those who perform extensive physical labor at a job typically are not paid enough. Three details I’d like to point out in this painting that support my Marxist interpretation are the desperation in this man’s expression, his lone appearance in a bare environment, and the organic shapes produced by his tired posture. The tired expression the man gives is one of the first things to notice in this painting. It evokes feelings of empathy, as you can see he is not at all content with his situation. Furthermore, the fact he is standing alone supports how alone he is in this situation where he appears to be intensively working in this farm. The other workers, if any, are all there, at the end of the day, to make a living off what they can with a low salary. Lastly, the organic shapes of this realistic depiction of a man show what fatigue does to your body. Your shoulders slump, every muscle in your body weakens, and you want nothing more than a break.

My personal experiences that have shaped my interpretation of this painting are learning about the low wages paid to Americans that cannot help support themselves or their dependents. More often than not, people work so hard for their company, only to be granted with little compensation.

My next interpretation is a personal interpretation. Three details that support this interpretation are similar to the ones listed above. Working a rather laborious and dreadful part time job, I’ve seen the physical faces of those who are worn out by their bosses demanding more and more of them everyday. Moreover, similar to the man’s lone stance, you often feel alone in these jobs, as your coworkers have their own things to worry about as well as physically work on. And lastly, this laborious job physically weakened my posture, just as the man in the painting. It’s kind of rewarding in a way when you think about it, your muscles are only so weakened because you’ve been physically working so hard.

What formed this interpretation of mine is working hard at a job that essentially had me feeling like this painting. It was an overnight stocking job at a grocery store that was very demanding.

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Young Italian Woman at Table, Paul Cezanne, 1895-1900 https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/108FPZ

Personal Connections Paragraph: Why I added this artwork to my collection: The moment in time this painting brings is calming. The somewhat expressionless woman’s demeanor just adds on to the motionless feelings this art provokes. I’d go as far as to say this woman appears tired or even disappointed. I like how the undisturbed aspect of it all really gives it that realistic feeling of someone simply in thought or expressing their emotions.

Interpretation Analysis Paragraph: The analysis topic for this paragraph is interpretation. The interpretation framework I decided to use was personal interpretation. The three details I will use to support this interpretation from the art work are the organic shapes created by the woman’s calm posture, the plain, simple colors of the woman’s clothing, and home -like feeling the background and table bring to the scene. I, like many others, know how relaxing it is to destimulate a stressful day by simply sitting down and reflecting on the day. More often than not, will you find me sitting down, not on my phone, calmly reflecting on a tiring day. Sometimes I even like to sit in thought, with my body naturally, softly curving as I rest my head on the table or hold it with my hand. Furthermore, I like how familiar the woman’s clothes are, they look like something you’d see me wear. I like to wear long skirts with a simple blouse, so looking at her clothes really felt close to home since that’s usually what I lounge in. In addition to that, the table cloth decorating the table is what I’ve seen around my house. My family likes complex designs and patterns on table clothes, and other such household items, so this makes my connection to the art work even stronger. It almost looks like a stranger resting at my table.

As stated before, my experience that led to this interpretation is simply relaxing and collecting my thoughts from time to time whenever I can. I find myself at my home’s dining table, thinking about whatever comes to mind, more often than not.

Another interpretation framework I chose is a Marxist interpretation, with the same details. From this point of view, it almost looks like this woman is exhausted or even disappointed in something. She looks tired from a long day at work, and the dark colors surrounding her just provoke that mood even more, as if she were happy resting but didn’t feel happy. Furthermore, her clothes appear to be simply, nothing extravagant, just plain clothing. While that isn’t a bad thing, it can symbolize that she may have a low income and cannot afford such expensive clothes. Her home definitely appears modest, nothing more than a simple table at her side. The last thing I’d like to point out is the detailed table cloth. It reminds me of lower income families because it’s something I’ve seen my whole life. I know a table cloth doesn’t necessarily describe someone’s wealth, but I’m associating it with lower income families because from what I’ve seen rich people usually don’t have these. Overall, this painting seems so solemn to me from this perspective, and this woman is obviously mentally and physically tired.

What shaped my perspective of this interpretation is watching a documentary on poor families from across the world. As one would imagine, they didn’t have much, a few traditional cultural items, not many pieces of furniture, and modest belongings, like the clothes on their back.

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Jeanne, Edouard Manet, 1881

Personal Connections Paragraph: Why I added this artwork to my collection: The gentle demeanor of this woman’s gracefulness gives her such an elegant title. She seems poised and bright in the natural daylight. Her delicate features and natural background adds to the femininity she delivers.

Interpretation Analysis Paragraph: The analysis topic for this paragraph is interpretation. The interpretation  framework I decided to use is a feminist interpretation. The three details I have found that help support this interpretation are the bright hues brought to this painting with the woman’s clothes and natural background, the imaginary line connecting the graceful parasol to the woman’s shoulder, and organic shapes that create the woman’s calm appearance. To begin with, the bright sky on the top of the painting, the bright greens that illuminate the background surrounding the woman, and the light colors that adorn the woman really give this painting a feminine appeal. The light colors really tell how gentle this woman and scene are, as women are seen as more caring people. Moreover, the imaginary line that is created from the woman’s parasol to her hand really give her that elegant vibe. Her sophisticated demeanor is only supported as she carefully rests that beautiful umbrella on her shoulder while she takes a walk. The umbrella really evokes those feminine feelings because historically, women have walked around as delicate beings with umbrellas as an accessory. One last thing to note are the organic shapes created by the woman’s silhouette. Starting from the top of the woman, her hair gracefully falls down onto her shoulder and her body curves as naturally as one would imagine realistically. Her hand grabbing the umbrella is poised and she is a perfect example of elegance.

What informed my interpretation of this painting is seeing Victorian style clothes and dresses and women styles from way back in the day. Hundreds of years ago women of high status wore these clothes and it gave them a lot of elegance and respect.

Another interpretation of this art is a Marxist interpretation, using the same details as the last one. Firstly, the woman’s refined and sophisticated attire as well as the brightly lit and elegant natural background appear to support the idea that she is associated with a high income. Those clothes were only worn by wealthy people and it seems like she is simply taking a stroll in her backyard garden. Besides that, her calm stroll outside with her umbrella is another example of how much wealth she has. She seems to have the privilege to not have a care in the world and in return it shows in her disposition. The imaginary line connecting her hand to the umbrella shows much elegance and at the same time carelessness. In closing, the organic shapes that make up the woman’s posture show how content and refined she is. Her back is straight and she appears to not have a worry in mind as she walks down a garden.

What informed my interpretation in this perspective is learning about wealthy individuals from centuries ago, like in the 1700s or 1800s. Seeing this painting, I immediately knew this woman had a wealthy status, but looking at it through a Marxist lens, I started to wonder whether she was a good or materialistic individual.

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All in all, what I'd like to leave my viewers with aftr seeing my museum is that there is often more that meets the eye when you first look at something at face value, whether that be an art piece, a story, or a person. This is so important to understand because it really gives you the chance to connect with something or someone more authentically. Genuine relationships then in return help you think more critically and see things for what they really are in the world.