Mod 9 Video Blog

Questions and Topics for Your Blog Posting:

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

Video #1, Albrecht Durer: Image of a Master:  I decided to view this video for several reasons.  First, I wanted to see how Albrecht Durer contributed to the Northern Europe renaissance movement.  Second, I wanted to learn more about a German Artist.  We have been somewhat focused on Rome and Greece so this was a change of pace.             

Video #2, Velazquez:  This video was chosen because I wanted to explore the life of Velazquez.  I have heard the artists name but knew little about him.  I felt this video was an opportunity to change that.  

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

Video #1, Albrecht Durer: Image of a Master:  This video highlighted several concepts.  The concept of aging and portraiture was a specialty of Albrecht Durer.  He started with a self portrait at the young age of thirteen.  He then made paintings of his father and mother.  He did not idealize but made the portraits real and showed the aging process of his subjects.  Another main theme of this video was landscape and how it is used as a background to portraits and as a stand alone subject.  Albrecht Durer was one of the first to paint landscapes during the renaissance period.  Albrecht Durer traveled quite a bit and was influenced by the Italian culture.  He brought some of this influence back to Germany and made prints for a living.  He used wood cuts to make these prints.  They were the main source of income for Albrecht Durer.       

Video #2, Velazquez:  This video was centered on the life of Velazquez and the works he created during his life time.  It was interesting that Velazquez had only two people in his life.  The king and his wife were the main figures in his life.  Other than spending time with these two people he spent his time painting.  The video explains that Velazquez spent a long time on each of his paintings.  Some of his works were done over a lifetime and even were left incomplete.  Velazquez did many portraits but also did landscapes.  Landscapes were becoming more and more popular during his time period.  The paintings of deformed people by Velazquez were also a main point of this video.  The video explains how Velazquez painted exactly what he saw and did not modify it to portray our idea of what beauty is.  The video also points out that Velazquez did not use vibrant colors but instead used very simple and low key color schemes in his portraits.   

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

Video #1, Albrecht Durer: Image of a Master:  The text deals with the renaissance in Northern Europe.  Albrecht Durer was from Germany and was considered a main component of the renaissance period in this geographic region.  This video also covers the movement of art out of the middle ages and into the renaissance.  The text also deals with this transition period.  The text covers the transition of artist’s status in the community.  The video shows how Albrecht Durer was held in high esteem in the village he was from due to his artistic skills.

Video #2, Velazquez:  This video related to the text by detailing the painting style of Velazquez and how he did his portraits.  His style of portraits is to utilize his technical abilities to portray the subject as real as possible.  The text describes this process as well and gives specific examples of it.  The video shows how Velazquez traveled to Italy and was influenced by his time here.  The text also covers the process of Italian art spreading throughout Europe and how different cultures were influenced through art.  

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

Video #1, Albrecht Durer: Image of a Master:  This film did a good job of giving the fine details of an artist’s life in Northern Europe during the renaissance period.  This complements the text by allowing the viewer to see how specifically Albrecht Durer was influenced and was influential in this time period.  

Video #2, Velazquez:  The entertainment factor of this film was poor at best.  The content however was detailed when describing the artistic work of Velazquez.  This video paralleled the text by describing the process and thought that goes into portrait paintings.