T. McDonald
HUMA205 –Art Appreciation
October 23, 2011

Comparison of Renaissance Art
Website selection - Judtih (Giorgio da Castelfranco) circa 1504 The painting, ‘Judith’ by Giorgio da Castelfranco done around 1504, is one of many portraits depicting the scene of Judith and Holofernes from the Biblical Book of Judith. The legend states that the widow Judith endears herself to an enemy general, Holofernes, and subsequently beheads him as he lies drunk in his bed (Artlex, 2010). The death of their leader overwhelms the Assyrians and they disband leading many to the conclusion that the widow’s actions save Israel (Artlex, 2010).
This representational piece is a two dimensional oil on canvas painting that exhibits soft tones in most of the image. The deeper or more vibrant shades of red near the bottom of the dress worn by the heroin stand out against the earthy browns and greens of the landscape of the scene. The pale pink of the skin of her bare foot which she has propped atop decapitated head of the general emphasizes the grayed and dying body part. The minimum contrast, or gray of the general’s head devalues it and makes it a part of the background while the viewer’s eye is drawn more to Judith and the light to dark shading of red or chiaroscuro of her dress. The landscape behind the courtyard is soft and almost appears monochromatic; it nearly blends into the horizon. There are natural shapes that are prominent in the painting but the sword at Judith’s side has sharp straight lines and details that make an impact when compared to the lines of the rest of the piece. The calmness if the heroin and the stillness of the surrounding courtyard do not indicate the severity of what has just taken place with the murder of the enemy general.
The beginning of the Renaissance was filled with religious turmoil, so much of the artwork done during that time tell or represent many Biblical stories and references (State Hermitage, 2010). This portrait is in keeping with the time period because it is a depiction of the Biblical legend of the widow turned heroin Judith of the town of Bethulia (State Hermitage, 2011).
Textbook selection – The Arnolfini Portrait (Jan Van Eyck) 1434 The Arnolfini Portrait is an oil painting done on a small wooden panel in 1434 by Jan Van Eyck (Frank, 2010). The two dimensional portrait of a presumably newlywed couple exhibits impressive methodical details in the image’s clothing, furniture, and fixtures. The bright colors of the woman’s dress and the deep reds of the curtains and linens are done with such detail that they look as if they are of rather good quality or quite expensive. The material of clothes and bedding look thick and plush, way fabric would be caught in a photograph. This representation of a couple shows the wife looking downward in a shy or demure pose with an outstretched hand to her husband who holds his right up in slightly authoritative manner (Frank, 12010). The mirror in the portraits background shows two or more figures standing in the doorway of the room. It is impressive how the artist manipulates the images of the window and the lighting to show that it is a reflection from within the room. He even shows the back view of the couple in the mirror. The little dog at the bottom of the portrait has softer lines and darker tones that minimizes his role and sort of makes him part of the background while a pair of rather uncomfortable looking slippers are done in a lighter color with distinct lines. The clothing and furniture in the portrait are true to the time period and demonstrate that this is a renaissance work of art. The ornate chandelier and style of the mirror are in keeping with the period as well, but would easily blend in to any room today. The portrait of Judith incorporates softer lines in the landscape that lure the focus to the image of the Heroin Judith while showing that the slain general is of little value. The couple depicted in the Arnolfini portrait are done with strong lines with rich and brilliant colors just as the other elements within the room, but they still remain the focal point of the painting. Although both artists are from the same time period, the techniques used to tell the story of their work are quite different. The art work of Judith gives the impression of victory over the enemy, and yet it is still soft and feminine even though it is the story of murder and a time of turmoil. The Arnolfini portrait is a representation of a couple poised to begin their life together and suggest that they may be planning a family. One relays the end of something while the other speaks to beginnings both told with images of oil done on canvas.

References
Artlex. (2011). Artlex on later renaissance, Judith by da Castelfranco Retrieved October 21, 2011 from (http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/r/renaissance.later.html)
Frank, P. (2011). Prebles’ ArtForms; An Introduction to the Visual Arts, 10th Edition, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
The State Hermitage Collection. (2011). Western European Art. Retrieved October 22, 2011 from http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/html_En/03/hm3_3_1c.html.