MASTERPIECES through an history of-severed heads

MASTERPIECES through an history of-severed heads

Di Christian Gangitano

from my facebook community, followers of my arts reseacrh 

Masterpieces from past till now, through a history of severed heads: how the ancient art through his masterpieces influenced the contemporary art and visual culture!

 

the beheading of Holofernes by Judith , a kind of the kindness of violence, by Caravaggio.

Beheading of Holofernes by Judith is given in the deuterocanonical book of Judith, and is the subject of numerous depictions in painting and sculpture.
 In the story, Judith, a beautiful widow, is able to enter the tent of Holofernes, an Assyrian general who is about to destroy Judith's home, the city of Bethulia, because of his desire for her, though the story is emphatic that no "defilement" takes place. Overcome with drink, he passes out and is decapitated by Judith; his head is taken away in a basket (often depicted as carried by an elderly female servant)

Giaele e Sisara, a kind of the kindness of violence, by Artemisia Gentileschi.
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ENGL:
Jael and Sisera is an oil painting on canvas 86 x 125 cm made in 1620 by the Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi. It is stored at Szépművészeti Múzeum in Budapest.

In this painting, once again, Artemisia Gentileschi depicts a terrible heroines of the Old Testament: it is Jael, whose exploits are recounted in the Book of Judges. Having attracted to his tent Sisera, the Canaanite general defeated by the Israeli army, which flees from his pursuers, killing him in his sleep thrusting a stake in the skull of the tent, with a violence that would pierce completely.

The scene painted by Artemisia plays the tragic tone of the biblical account, on the contrary, it is pervaded by an atmosphere of calm, which might, at first glance, seem almost idyllic, when you look at the warrior that lies stretched out on a good night's sleep and par as if the head rests on the lap of a lovely young girl, dressed in an elegant silk dress with yellow and auburn hair tied back in a sophisticated hairstyle.

Just looking at the bare arms and hands of the girl you'll find that - armed with a hammer and spike - is about to hit the unaware general, who had believed in his hospitality. Jael's face is calm, like someone who is going to a normal action, or gestures are perceived in the light of the effort needed to deal a blow of exceptional violence!!!!

IT:
Giaele e Sisara è un dipinto ad olio su tela di cm 86 x 125 realizzato nel 1620 dalla pittrice italiana Artemisia Gentileschi. È conservato a Szépművészeti Múzeum di Budapest.
In questa tela, ancora una volta, Artemisia Gentileschi raffigura una delle terribili eroine dell'Antico Testamento: si tratta Giaele, le cui gesta sono narrate nel Libro dei Giudici. Dopo aver attratto nella propria tenda Sisara, generale canaanita sconfitto dall'esercito israeliano, che fugge dai suoi inseguitori, lo uccide nel sonno conficcandogli un picchetto della tenda nel cranio, con una violenza tale da trapassarlo completamente.

La scena dipinta da Artemisia non riproduce i toni tragici del racconto biblico; al contrario, essa è pervasa da una atmosfera calma, che potrebbe, alla prima impressione, sembrare quasi idilliaca, quando si guardi col guerriero che giace sdraiato in un sonno ristoratore e par quasi che appoggi il capo sul grembo di una deliziosa fanciulla, vestita con un elegante abito di seta gialla e con i capelli ramati raccolti in una ricercata acconciatura.

Solo guardando le braccia scoperte e le mani della fanciulla ci si accorge che - armata di picchetto e martello - sta per colpire l'inconsapevole generale, che aveva creduto nella sua ospitalità. Il viso di Giaele è calmo, come di chi si accinge ad una azione consueta, né si coglie nella leggerezza dei gesti lo sforzo necessario ad assestare un colpo di eccezionale violenza!!

Tomoko Nagao: Kawaiizzazioni (to makes it kawaii), Giudith and Holofernes.
the micropop cultures, means take MACRO pop icons and makes it own iconography property, in order to self express and make arts. the massive brand and such worldwide art icons become tools for artwork and kawaii subject.

IT: "Traduzione da inglese verso italiano"
Kawaiizzazioni (ovvero rende kawaii), Giudith e Oloferne.
le culture micropop, hanno l aprerogativa di prendere le icone pop MACRO e renderle una proprietà sua personale, iconografia del proprio immaginario, al fine di auto-esprimersi e fare arte.
il brand di massa e le icone dell'arte mondiale, diventano strumenti per opere d'arte e soggetti kawaii.

Tomoko Nagao: David and Goliath. www.tomokonagao.info

TIZIANO: Salomé
Dipinto a olio su tela (90x72 cm) di Tiziano, databile al 1515 circa e conservato nella Galleria Doria Pamphilj di Roma.

ENGL:
In this early masterpiece, Titian's Salome has been accompanied by a maid with the tray in which according to the Gospel text Salome gave the head of John the Baptist to Herodias. The red hair falls languidly on his shoulder broken, as befits the daughter of Herod, known for his qualities as a dancer, and the dreamy and almost no question that seems to suit strong-willed and fearless heroine Judith, with which some authors have identified the female figure of the painting.

The group iconography of the severed head on a plate, as pointed out by another famous work of Panofsky (Studies in Iconology, 1939), transcribed literally the biblical story of the death of John the Baptist.

So in Germany and Northern Italy spread an intimate association between the iconographic themes of Judith and Salome, such as to create a stand-alone iconic character and devotion.

IT:
In questo precoce capolavoro, Tiziano ha rappresentato Salomè accompagnata da un'ancella, con il vassoio nel quale secondo il testo evangelico Salomè consegnò il capo di Giovanni Battista ad Erodiade. La capigliatura rossa ricade languidamente scomposta sulla spalla, come conviene alla figliastra di Erode, nota per le sue qualità di danzatrice, e lo sguardo sognante e quasi interrogativo che non sembra addirsi all'eroina volitiva e impavida Giuditta, con la quale alcuni autori hanno identificato la figura femminile del dipinto.

Il gruppo iconografico della testa mozzata sul piatto, come messo in luce da un altro celebre scritto di Panofsky (Studies in Iconology, 1939), trascrive letteralmente la vicenda biblica della morte del Battista.

Così in Germania e in Italia Settentrionale si diffuse un'intima associazione iconografica tra i temi di Giuditta e Salomè, tale da creare un'immagine autonoma a carattere iconico e devozionale.

Mariel Clayton (Barbie killed Ken):
she is a self-taught photographer. In an action figures shop in Tokyo she had the vision of the world where all those dolls’ stories happen, and she wanted to visit it and take photos. Her main character is the most famous doll of all times: Barbie, that after throwing away (literally, very often) her fashion victim clothes, become executioner and gives vent to her bound violence on Ken. She says: “ (I’m) A Doll Photographer with a subversive sense of humour. I believe that life is an hysterically messed up place, and if we don’t laugh at it, we’ll never understand it. I didn’t have a hard childhood, I was never abused, I’m not an ‘evil, dark or psychologically scarred’ person. I just think what I do is damn freaking funny – and I like to share the humour with people.”

photo only for private art reseacrh use. property of the artis.

MEDUSA, by Gian Lorenzo BERNINI

In Greek mythology Medusa (Greek: Μέδουσα (Médousa), "guardian, protectress")was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster, and a daughter of Phorcys and Ceto.[2] The author Hyginus, interposes a generation and gives Medusa another chthonic pair as parents.Gazing directly upon her would turn onlookers to stone.
She was beheaded by the hero Perseus, who thereafter used her head as a weapon until he gave it to the goddess Athena to place on her shield.
In classical antiquity the image of the head of Medusa appeared in the evil-averting device known as the Gorgoneion.

In most versions of the story, she was beheaded by the hero Perseus, who was sent to fetch her head by King Polydectes of Seriphos as a gift. With help from Athena and Hermes who supplied him with winged sandals, Hades' cap of invisibility, a sword, and a mirrored shield, he accomplished his quest. The hero slew Medusa by looking at her harmless reflection in the mirror instead of directly at her, to prevent being turned into stone. When the hero severed Medusa's head from her neck, two offspring sprang forth, the winged horse PEGASUS and the golden-sworded giant Chrysaor.

Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi): Beheading of John the Baptist ( 1608 Oil on canvas, cm. 361 x 520 St. John Museum, La Valletta - Malta):
The painter stopped the scene of the picture on the blood of John the Baptist, before gushing out!

ENGL: This is the most important painting that Caravaggio made ​​in Malta. It's still in the Oratory of St. John (now St John Museum) in Valletta. This is one of the most extraordinary creations of Caravaggio, one of his greatest masterpieces. It is characterized by a balance of magic everywhere. The artist does not make any rethinking of the composition, behind the figures as a backdrop severe architecture of the sixteenth century as a prison set up by a window from which stroke of genius, two figures are silent witnesses of the scene (the clients rappesentati are so in the painting).
This is a final summary of the art of Caravaggio. This balance suggests a very classic drama that is even more harsh reality to the extent that, having given up for good aesthetics dell'esclamazione, limits each external signal of excessive emotional stress. The painter stopped the scene of the picture on the blood of John the Baptist, before gushing out!

IT:
Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi): Decapitazione del Battista, 1608 Olio su tela, cm. 361 x 520 St. John Museum, La Valletta, Malta.
Il pittore fermò la scena del quadro sul sangue del Battista, prima che sgorgasse!

Questo è il più importante dipinto che Caravaggio fece a Malta. È ancora nell'Oratorio di San Giovanni (ora St John Museum) a La Valletta. Questo è una delle creazioni più straordinarie di Caravaggio, uno dei suoi più grandi capolavori. È caratterizzato da un equilibrio magico di tutte le parti. L'artista non apporta nessun ripensamento alla composizione, dietro le figure, come un fondale severo, un'architettura del sedicesimo secolo è messa come prigione costituita da una finestra dalla quale, colpo di genio, due figure silenziose sono testimoni della scena (i committenti sono così rappesentati nel dipinto).
Questo è un finale sommario dell'arte di Caravaggio. Questo equilibrio molto classico suggerisce un dramma aspro che è anche più reale all'estensione che, avendo rinunciato per sempre all'estetica dell'esclamazione, limita ogni segnale esterno di eccessiva enfasi emotiva.