R Millan Timeline_ARTS 1304

Timeline of Art
Rebecca Olympia Millán
ARTS 1304.V02
December 6, 2013

Late Medieval Italy
13thc. – 14thc.
Humanism developed
during the 14th century and
was instrumental during
the 15th and 16th centuries.
Not only a code of
conduct, humanism became
a theory of
education, whereby a new
way of approaching art
included believing that art
could possess rules for the
purpose of teaching.

GIOTTO DI BONDONE, Lamentation,1305-6
Fresco, 6' 5” x 6’, Scrovegni (Arena) Chapel, Padua

Late Medieval and Early
Renaissance Northern
Europe and Spain
Burgundy and Flanders
1385-1500

Customarily, works during this
time period were a celebration of
humans, thus portraiture, an
important Flemish art form,
became fashionable. Whereas
realistic depictions of individuals
was important, some portraits
contained highly symbolic
representations of important
qualities of the individuals. Also
important is the use of light and
shadowing the development of
perspective.
JAN VAN EYCK, Man in a Red Turban, 1433.
Oil on wood, 1’ 1 1/8” X 10 1/4". National Gallery, London.

Europe and Spain
France
1385-1500

One important development
during the Late Medieval and
Early Renaissance is
manuscript painting.
Often part of one’s personal
effects, manuscripts merged
religious and secular art for
patrons.

LIMBOURG BROTHERS, January, from Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry
1413-1416.
Colors and ink on Vellum, 8’ 7/8” x 5’ 3/8” Musée Condé, Chantilly

Europe and Spain
Holy Roman Empire
1385-1500

The development of graphic
arts became another
important artistic
technological advancement
during the Late Medieval and
Early Renaissance.
More specifically, woodcuts
and engravings had the
capacity to bring art to the
people.

MARTIN SCHONGAUER, Saint Anthony Tormented by Demons, ca.1480-1490
Engraving, 1’ ¼” x 9”. FondazioneMagnaniRocca, Corte diMamiano.

The Renaissance in
Quarttrocento Italy
Florence
1400-1500

Frequently works developed
during the Renaissance in
quarttrocento Italy brought about
a number of characteristics in
vogue at the time
Tuscan dialect caused a sharing of
literature, bringing a more
mythological approach to art.

SANDRO BOTTICELLI, Birth of Venus, c. 1484–86.
Tempera and gold on canvas. 5‘8⅞“ X 9’ 1⅞”, Galleria degli
Uffizi, Florence

The Renaissance in
Quarttrocento Italy
The Princely Courts
1400-1500
The princely courts of
Rome, Urbino, and Mantua were
also instrumental in nurturing
Renaissance art because of the lack
of a single sovereign ruling all of
Italy.

As lord of a territory, a prince often
used art to preserve his power and
status through the commission of
artworks and buildings.
Oftentimes, the prince bestowed
the title of “court artist,” which
proved beneficial to the increase of
artistic works.
LUCA SIGNORELLI, The Damned Cast into Hell, c. 1499–1504.
Fresco. 23’ wide. San Brizio chapel, Orvieto Cathedral, Orvieto, Italy

High and Late
Renaissance
1495-1600

Encompassing classical
culture, perspective,
proportion, and human
anatomy, the art during the
High and Late Renaissance
brought about greater artistic
achievements through
theoretical and formal
development. An artist’s
disegno, or design, was the
combination of an artist’s
conceptualization and
intention.
LEONARDO DA VINCI, Madonna of the Rocks, 1483.
Oil on Wood. 6’ 6 ½” x 4’. Musée du Louvre, Paris

Mannerism in
Cinquecento Italy

Mannerism is a style
developed during the
Renaissance.
Characterized by
imbalanced
compositions, figures are
often elongated and
disproportioned.

JACOPO DA PONTORMO, Entombment of Christ, Capponi Chapel,
Santa Felicità, Florence, Italy, 1525–1528. Oil on wood, 10’ 3”x 6’ 4”.

High Renaissance and
Mannerism in Northern
Europe and Spain
Holy Roman Empire
1500-1600

The religious crises of The Holy
Roman Empire created change
in artistic styles. This artistic
period Catholic and Protestant
viewpoints created very
different art.

Whereas Catholics embraced art
and church decoration as a
means of communicating with
God, Protestant concerns over
religious imagery brought about
iconoclasm, or the objection to
religious imagery, to lead to the
destruction of art.
HANS BALDUNG GRIEN, Witches’ Sabbath, 1510.
Chiaroscuro woodcut, 1’ 2 ⅞” x 10 ¼” British Museum, London.

Europe and Spain
France
1500-1600

The political power of French was often
conveyed in the works during the High
Renaissance.
As the French gained a stronghold in
Milan, Francis I became an important
patron of culture and religion.
Consequently to assert authority,
portraits were commissioned.

JEAN CLOUET, Francis I, ca. 1525–1530.
Tempera and oil on wood, approx. 3’ 2” x 2’ 5”. Louvre, Paris.

Europe and Spain
The Netherlands
1500-1600

Prosperity brought the
communication of the values
and mores deemed important
in the Netherlands possible
through artwork.
Often the double meaning of
items included in paintings
brought reminders of
professional conduct and the
expectations needed to be met
in order to be judged as being
worthy for Heaven
QUINTEN MASSYS, Money-Changer and His Wife, 1514.
Oil on wood, 2’ 3 3/4”x 2’ 2 3/8”. Louvre, Paris.

Europe and Spain
Spain
1500-1600
Spain also experienced an
assent to power.
Supporting exploration,
Isabel and Ferdinand’s reign
brought a fusion of artistic
styles as the mobility of
artists increased.
This fusion eliminated the
focus of one style to allow
artists the ability to adopt a
personal style.
EL GRECO, View of Toledo, c. 1610
Oil on canvas 47 ¾ X 42¾”

The Baroque
in Italy and Spain
Italy
1600-1700
Possibly named for the Portuguese
word barroco meaning an
irregularly shaped pearl, the
Baroque brought dynamic works
which exuded theatricality and
elaborate ornamentation.
Creating a unique style and
rejecting the classical masters was
common during the Baroque.
More specifically, depicting
religious events in commonplace
settings created an interesting
contrast, much like the use of
stark light and dark elements.
CARAVAGGIO, Calling of Saint Matthew, ca. 1597–1601.
Oil on canvas, 11’ 1”x 11’ 5”. Contarelli Chapel, San Luigi deiFrancesi, Rome

The Baroque
in Italy and Spain
Spain
1600-1700

Complex use of real space,
mirrored space, and picture
space caused interesting
developments in works,
particularly with the use of
visual and narrative complexity.
Portraits told a more developed
narrative of the individuals in
the portraits, including the
development of the artist as
part of that narrative.

DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ, Las Meninas (The Maids of Honor), 1656.
Oil on canvas, approx. 10’ 5”x 9’. Museo del Prado, Madrid.

The Baroque in Northern Europe
Flanders
1600-1700

More innovative
developments
continued in Flanders
during the Baroque
period.
Particularly
important is the use
of art as part of the
narrative against war
through visual
commentaries.

PETER PAUL RUBENS, Consequences of War, 1638-1639.
Oil on canvas, 6” 9” x 11’ 3 7/8”. Palazzo Pitti, Florence

The Baroque in Northern
Europe
Dutch Republic
1600-1700

Middle class patrons
continued to demand works
depicting their lives.
Even so, the understanding of
light and dark as a way to
convey balance and a way to
convey the feeling of peering
into inside from the outside.

JOHANNES VERMEER, Girl with a Pearl Earring, 1665.
Oil on canvas 17.5” x 15” Mauritshuis, The Hague

The Baroque in Northern
Europe
France
1600-1700
The use of art as propaganda
was common during the
Baroque period in France.
Louis XIV embraced classicism
which brought back the
importance of subject-matter
or theme, thought, structure,
and style.

NICOLAS POUSSIN, Et in Arcadia Ego, ca. 1655.
Oil on Canvas, 2’ 10” x 4’. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Rococo to Neoclassicism
Rococo
1700-1750

Artists used pastel colors, a haze of
color, and soft light in works during
the Rococo period.
Also, works possessed an ornate
and playful style and often served
as a display of wealth and the
outdoor amusements of French
upper-class society.

JEAN-HONORÉ FRAGONARD, The Swing, 1766.
Oil on canvas, approx. 2’ 11” x 2’ 8”.

The Enlightenment
1750-1800

As a challenge to Rococo,
the Enlightenment was
brought on by revolutions
in France and America,
among other factors.
The acquisition of
knowledge based on
empirical observation and
scientific experimentation
gained importance.

JOSEPH WRIGHT OF DERBY. Experiment on a Bird, 1768.

Neoclassicism
Late 18thc. to mid 19thc.

A renewed interest in
classical antiquity
increased the resurgence
of art with of Greek and
Roman classicism
characteristics.
Subject matter became
darker and figures were
often posed in a drapery
of fabrics.

ANGELICA KAUFFMANN, Cornelia Presenting Her Children as Her Treasures,
or Mother of the Gracchi, ca. 1785.
Oil on canvas, 3’ 4” x 4’ 2”. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond

Romanticism, Realism,
Photography
1800-1870
Art Under Napoleon

Artists in France conveyed
Napoleon’s mythic status, which
included bringing a connection
between Napoleon and the
elements of classicism as Napoleon
saw himself akin to a Roman ruler
with his vast titled.

More important, art under
Napoleon allowed Napoleon to
place an emphasis on his power by
constructing a public image.

JACQUES-LOUIS DAVID, Napoleon Crossing the Saint-Bernard Pass, 1800–1801.
Oil on canvas, 8’ 11" X 7’ 11”

Photography
1800-1870
Romanticism

Paintings in the Romantic
period are often dreamy and
imaginary.
Artists attempted to appeal to
the emotions of trepidation and
awe through nightmarish
narratives and awe inspiring
natural shots.
The human subconscious was
elevated as intuition became
important.

HENRY FUSELI, The Nightmare, 1781
Oil on canvas 3’ 4 3/4” x 4’ 1 1/2”.

Photography
1800-1870
Romanticism—Spain

Often, an artist’s state of
mind, including the feeling of despair
and a sense of wildness, boldness, and
brutality were depicted art.

FRANCISCO GOYA, Saturn Devouring One of His Children, 1819–1823.
Detached fresco mounted on canvas,
4’ 9 1/8” x 2’ 8 5/8”. Museo del Prado, Madrid

Romanticism, Realism, Photography
1800-1870
Romanticism—France

A natural progression in
French works during
Romanticism was to
balance history and poetic
allegory.
No longer focused solely on
Napoleon, art became the
means of unifying people
of all social statuses as the
effects of revolution
impacted all of society.

EUGÈNE DELACROIX, Liberty Leading the People, 1830.
Oil on canvas, 8’ 6” x 10’ 8”. Louvre, Paris.

Romanticism, Realism, Photography
1800-1870
Romanticism—Landscape

Previously, landscape
paining failed to be
seen as an
independent genre.

Even so, searching for
the picturesque was
important during the
Romantic period.
Man was seen in
harmony with nature
and the soul could be
unified with nature.

CASPAR DAVID FRIEDRICH, Abbey in the Oak Forest, 1810.
Oil on canvas, 3' 7 1/2" X 5' 7 1/4".
Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museenzu Berlin, Berlin.

Romanticism, Realism, Photography, 1800-1870
Realism—France

Realism brought the
rejection of the
imagination and
subjectivism of
Romanticism.
Instead, artists began
to focus on accurate
observation of the
ordinary world and of
everyday people in
everyday settings.

EDOUARD MANET, Le Dejeuner surl’Herbe (Luncheon on the Grass).
1863. Oil on canvas.

Photography, 1800-1870
Realism—Germany

Depicting the sacred and profane, along
with the brutal reality people
faced, Realism was also prevalent in
Germany and in other places.

Wilhelm Leibl, Three Women in a Village Church,
1878-1882, Oil on canvas 2’5” X 2’1”

Photography, 1800-1870
Realism—United States

The human experience
became an important subject
matter in all of its realities.
In many ways, modern people
(for the time) were recorded
in modern contexts so that
one moment could be
captured for all eternity, which
can be seen as a precursor to
photography.
THOMAS EAKINS, The Gross Clinic, 1875
Oil on canvas. 8' X 6'5”,
Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia

Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
Even though strong in
many
countries, Realistic
sentiments were
rebelled against.
Rooted in
fictional, historical, an
d fanciful
subjects, the preRaphaelites chose to
intertwine the
literary with artistic
endeavors to show a
distaste for
materialism and the
contemporary
industrialized world.
JOHN EVERETT MILLAIS, Ophelia, 1852.
Oil on canvas, 2’ 6” x 3’ 8”. Tate Gallery, London.

Photography

A new medium for art
surfaced during this time
period.
Photography afforded the
means of using the
principles of art. As a
natural progression from
Realism, photography
began a debate as to what
is real and how to
represent that very aspect
of realness in art.

Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre. The Artist’s Studio, 1837.
Daguerreotype.

Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Symbolism: Europe and America, 18701900
Impressionism

Impressionism intended to
capture a specific moment in
time, but in a manner differing
Realism.
Characterized by small, but
visible brush strokes,
Impressionistic works included
open compositions and real life
subject matter in an almost
sketch-like quality but with
brilliant effects in the interplay
of color and light.

CLAUDE MONET, Impression: Sunrise, 1872.
Oil on canvas, 1’ 7 1/2” x 2’ 1 1/2”.

Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Symbolism: Europe and America, 18701900
Post-Impressionism
Continuing with the
use of distinguishable
brushstrokes, PostImpressionists placed
a strong emphasis on
light.
Important, traditional
elements of art were
brought back into
Post-Impressionistic
paintings.
Even so, this period
was lacked a
homogeneous style
uniting PostImpressionists.

VINCENT VAN GOGH, Starry Night. 1889.
Oil on canvas.

Impressionism, PostImpressionism, Symbolism:
Europe and America, 18701900
Symbolism

Symbolists wanted to see things to a
level of significance that was far
deeper than any superficial
appearance.

Therefore, objects and images were
converted into meanings beyond
themselves whereby ritual
significance became symbolic.
The use of color, line, and distortion
was intended to create a strong
emotional response so that the
response, itself, was of importance.

Edvard Munch. The Scream. 1893.
Tempera.

Impressionism, PostImpressionism,
Symbolism: Europe and
America, 1870-1900
Fin-de-Siècle

The end of the century brought a
culture of decadence and
indulgence.
Sexual drives, powers, and
perversions were important as
were the exploration of the
unconscious through an
unrestrained and free culture.

GUSTAV KLIMT, The Kiss, 1907–1908.
Oil on canvas, 5’ 10 3/4” x 5’ 10 3/4”.
ÖsterreichischeGalerieBelvedere,Vienna.

Modernism in Europe and America, 1900-1945
Fauvism

Shockingly colorful,
Fauvism is characterized
as a style which is
intended to produce a
reaction in the viewer.
Color was explored for its
effects on emotion.
Portraits, landscapes, still
lifes, and nudes were
depicted in spontaneous
explosions of color.
Contrasts of color were
important as were
sweeping brushstrokes
and bold patterns.

Henri Matisse. Le Bonheur de Vivre (The Joy of Life) 1905-06.
Oil on canvas.

Modernism in Europe and
America, 1900-1945
German Expressionism

Focusing more on the
emotion of color rather the
the reality of it, sometimes
abstract art.
The expression of meaning
and emotion of an
experience was often
created by distorting form,
outlines, and brushstrokes.

Improvisation 28 (second version), 1912.
Oil on canvas, 3’ 7 7/8”x 5’ 3 7/8”.
Guggenheim Museum, New York

Modernism in Europe
and America, 19001945
Primitivism

“Primitive” cultures became inspiration
in the search of finding new ways to
depict form.
The use of space also evolved as
opportunities to fracture shapes from
three-dimensions to two.

Pablo Picasso. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. 1907.
8 ft. x 7 ft. 8 in.

America, 1900-1945
Cubism—Analytical

Cubism was the rejection of a
naturalistic depiction of prior
movements.
Often subdued in color, Cubistic
compositions are of shapes and forms
used in an abstract way.
More specifically, analytical cubism
broke down forms into simple
geometric shapes.

GEORGES BRAQUE, The Portuguese, 1911.
Oil on canvas, 3’ 10 1/8”x 2’ 8”.
Kunstmuseum, Basel (gift of Raoul La Roche, 1952).

America, 1900-1945
Orphic Cubism

So named for its connection to
Orpheus, the Greek god of music,
spatial effects and kaleidoscopic
movements and color are
characteristic of Orphic Cubism.
Music provided a means to
connect color with form and
subject.

ROBERT DELAUNAY, Homage to Blériot, 1914.
Oil on canvas., 8’ 2 ½” x 8’ 3”.
Kunstmuseum Basel, Basel (Emmanuel Hoffman Foundation).

America, 1900-1945
Cubism—Synthetic

Because forms are dissected,
Synthetic Cubism paintings
and drawings are often flat,
making mixed media and
collage a preferred technique.

PABLO PICASSO, Still Life with Chair-Caning, 1912.
Oil and oilcloth on canvas,
10 5/8”x 1’ 1 3/4”. Musée Picasso, Paris.

America, 1900-1945
Futurism

A socio-political agenda began to
surface during Futurism.
Beginning as a literary movement,
indignation over the political and
cultural decline, Futurists believed war
to be a beneficial means of
exterminating the unhygienic and
cleansing the past.

GINO SEVERINI, Armored Train, 1915.
Oil on canvas, 3’ 10”x 2’ 10 1/8”.
Collection of Richard S. Zeisler, New York.

America, 1900-1945
Dada
Convention and tradition were
rejected in Dadaism as notions and
assumptions of what constituted as
art were cast aside.
To Dadaists, war, mass destruction,
and chaos were the effects of the
Enlightenment.
Nonsensical and a nihilistic
viewpoint of life, in general, and in
art, specifically, reigned supreme.
MARCEL DUCHAMP, L.H.O.O.Q., 1919.
Pencil on paper color reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’sMona Lisa
7 3/4" X 4 7/8”. Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia

America, 1900-1945
Suprematism
The pessimistic outlook of
Dadaism was eliminated in
Suprematism.
Pure feeling, which cannot be
attached to a particular object, was
viewed as the reason for art.
Therefore, nonobjective forms of
art are only significant when they
bring about feelings.
Quite often symbols, pure shapes
and color were used.
Through Suprematism, traditional
artforms were cast aside.
KAZIMIR MALEVICH, Supremist Composition: Airplane Flying, 1915.
Oil on canvas, 1’ 10 7/8” x 1’ 7”. Museum of Modern Art, New York.

America, 1900-1945
Constructivism

Constructivism examined the
relationship between space and
time.
Therefore, a sense of kinetic
movement along with mass and
space were intended to express
the reality of shapes.

NAUM GABO, Constructed Head No. 2, 1916.
Stainless steel, 70 x 54 1/4 x 48 in.
Raymond and Patsy Nasher Collection, Dallas, Texas.

America, 1900-1945
Precisionist

Distinctly an American movement,
Precisionism looked to a machine’s
preciseness and the importance of that
preciseness in modern life.
Images moved beyond using imagery related
to machines. Instead, Precisionism merged
elements of architecture and synthetic
Cubism.

GEORGIA O’KEEFFE, New York, Night, 1929.
Oil on canvas, 3’ 4 1/8”x 1’ 7 1/8”.
Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, Lincoln

America, 1900-1945
New Objectivity

After a number of years in
turmoil, New Objectivity took a
long look at the effects of way in
a clear, direct, and honest way.
The excitement for war was
depicted in the harsh realities of
those who benefited from war—
capitalists and militarists.

GEORGE GROSZ, The Eclipse of the Sun, 1926.
Oil on canvas, 6’ 9 3/8”x 5’ 11 7/8”.
Heckscher Museum of Art, Huntington.

Surrealism

Although perceived as
nonsense and ridiculous,
Surrealistic art conveyed
dark themes of
uncertainty and anxiety.
Realistic objects were
placed in unrealistic
situations to confuse the
viewer’s sense of reality,
in a dreamlike setting
using disturbing visual
representations.

SALVADOR DALÍ, The Persistence of Memory, 1931.
Oil on canvas, 9 1/2” x 1’ 1”. Museum of Modern Art, New York.

America, 1900-1945
De Stijl

De Stijl fused the utopian
spirit and ideals of
Suprematists and
Constructivists.

Consequently, a balance of
individuals with a rebirth of
values became important.
Often geometric, every
obvious reference to objects
were eliminated.

PIET MONDRIAN, Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow, 1930.
Oil on canvas, 1’ 6 1/8”x 1’ 6 1/8”. Kunsthaus, Zürich.

United States 1930-1945

The Depression left
the United States with
a sense of loneliness
and isolation.
Contemporary
American city and
country life were
depicted through a
thematic approach.
EDWARD HOPPER, Nighthawks, 1942. Oil on canvas, 2’ 6” x 4’ 8 11/16”. The Art
Institute of Chicago, Chicago (Friends of American Art Collection).

Modernism and Postmodernism
in Europe and America, 19451980
Postwar Expressionism in Europe
Postwar Expressionism in Europe was
born from the continued pessimism of
the war.
Existentialism, in its belief that human
existence is absurd and that certitude is
unattainable, brought a sense of
alienation.
Also important during this time is the
need of healing from the war.
By depicting revolting images, humanity
is shown to be fragile, isolated, and
lacking power.
FRANCIS BACON, Painting, 1946.
Oil and pastel on linen, 6’ 5 7/8” X 4’ 4”.
Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Modernism and Postmodernism in Europe and America, 1945-1980
Abstract Expressionism—Gestural Abstraction
A major avant-garde art
movement, Abstract
Expressionism began to
emphasize the creative
process.
The intent of Gestural
Abstraction is to use an
artist’s energy to and
gestures to convey
feelings.
In some ways, Gestural
Abstraction is a
precursor to
Performance art.

JACKSON POLLOCK, Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist), 1950.
Oil on canvas, 7’ 3” X 9’ 10”.
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Modernism and Postmodernism
in Europe and America, 19451980
Abstract Expressionism
Chromatic Abstraction

Chromatic abstractionists
attempted to express a color’s
emotional resonance to produce
compelling visual experiences.

MARK ROTHKO, No. 14, 1960.
Oil on canvas, 9’ 6” X 8’ 9”.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco

Modernism and
Postmodernism in Europe
and America, 1945-1980
Post-Painterly Abstraction

Post-Painterly Abstraction is all
about pictorial control.
Hard edges with delineated areas
of color are intended to bring
about a purity of art.
Images are sparse and simplified
with no central focus and no
expressive elements.

FRANK STELLA,MasoMenos, 1964
Metallic powder in acrylic emulsion on canvas, 9’ 10” X 13’ 8 ½”.
Musee National d’ArtModerne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris.

Modernism and
Color-Field Painting

The focus of Color-field painting
was a painting’s basic properties.
Often created by diluting paint
onto an unprimed canvas, the
intent of Color-field painting is to
bring abstraction to a new level
whereby color and shapes no
longer need to represent
something specific.

HELEN FRANKENTHALER, The Bay, 1963.
Acrylic on canvas, 6’ 8 7/8” X 6’ 9 7/8”.
Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit.

Modernism and
Op Art

Op Art examined the optical
effects of placement to create the
illusion of motion and depth
through geometric forms.

BRIDGET RILEY, Fission, 1963.
Tempera on composition board, 2’ 11” X 2’ 10”.
Museum of Modern Art, New York

Modernism and
Pop Art

Originating in England, Pop
Art focuses on subjects that
are not considered as art.
Advertisements, comic
books, and the depiction of
consumerism are common
elements in Pop Art.
Consequently, Pop art is
assessable to the average
person.
ROY LICHTENSTEIN, Hopeless, 1963.
Oil and synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 3’ 8” X 3’ 8”.
Kunstmuseum Basel, Estate of Roy Lichtenstein

Modernism and
Superrealism

Superrealism is an attempt to
continue the accessibility of art
for the general public.

Fidelity and accurate depiction
of optical facts were important
to create realistic depictions of
humanity, which include the
capturing of emptiness,
loneliness, and the sense of the
private life.

CHUCK CLOSE, Big Self-Portrait, 1967–1968.
Acrylic on canvas, 8’ 11” 6’ 11”. Walker Art Center, Minneapolis.

Contemporary Art
Social Art: Gender and
Sexuality
Contemporary art is currently
seen as a rejection of
modernism.
Boundaries are stripped away
to establish a truth.
The dynamics of power and
privilege are examined
through issues of gender and
sexuality.
Although contemporary art
has almost developed a
reputation as being
controversial, so are the
themes being challenged.
ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE, Self-Portrait, 1980.
Gelatin silver print, 7 ¾” X7 ¾”.
Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, New York.

Contemporary Art
Social Art: Race, Ethnicity, and National Identity

Establishing one’s
race, ethnicity, and
national identity is also
important in a society
of multiculturalism.
Understanding
another’s
race, ethnicity and
national identity also
establishes an
understanding of one’s
own sense of self.

CLIFF WHITING (Te Whanau-A-Apanui), Tawhiri-Matea(God of the Winds), 1984.
Oil on wood and fiberboard, 6’ 4 1/8” X 11’ 10 ¾”.
Meteorological Service of New Zealand, Wellington.

Contemporary Art
Political Art
Political art can bring
forth a specific event or
one which is symbolic
of a condition.
Contemporary life is
filled with the impact of
politics and the
conditions created out
of it.
When art can speak for
those who cannot, art
becomes all the more
powerful.

HANS HAACKE, MetroMobiltan, 1985,
Fiberglass construction, three banners, and photomural,
11’ 8” X 20’ 5”. Musée National d’ArtModerne, Centre Georges
Pompidou, Paris.

Last Thoughts
Contemporary art has often been viewed as
controversial. However, in the history of art,
one will discover that the themes and focus of
contemporary art are simply part of the
historical narrative established with the first
works of art.
Art attempts to bring about order from chaos,
meaning from the unknown or unaccepted, and
an understanding of where people have been
and where we are going.

Bibliography
Kleiner, Fred S. Gardner’s Art through the
Ages: A Global History. 14th edition.
Volume II. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage
Learning, 2013. Print.
Wilder, Jesse Bryant. “Art History For
Dummies” Art History for Dummies.
2013. Web. 8 Dec. 2013.

R Millan Timeline_ARTS 1304

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