The neo-Gothic

            The 19^th century or the “picturesque”. It was an era of breakthroughs and innovations and the people lived through a huge revival of many historic styles. One of the styles, which were revived during that time, was the Gothic style. It is called Neo-Gothic.

           

House of Parliament, London

            Britain saw through restorations of many churches and cathedrals and also newly designed neo-Gothic buildings. One such building is the House of Parliament in London called “The Palace of Westminster”.  Sir Charles Barry, using perpendicular Gothic style designed it. It is symmetrically balanced and was built through a span of 28 years from 1840 to 1868. Seeing it from a distance across the water you can observe a horizontal split reflected on the water, which looks quite massive!

          

       Another example of a neo-Gothic styled house is a huge and beautiful building called Strawberry Hill in London. Peter Essex designed interior and parts of the exterior of the house and it was built through a span of twenty-seven years. It was built and owned by Horace Walpole and he housed his treasures and collections in it. Its design is not symmetrical. Walpole was not interested in columns, symmetry or order but he still balanced the exterior and interiors well using classic Gothic arches, rose windows and carved screens.

Strawberry Hill House, London

Strawberry Hill House, London, Window pane

St. Patrick's Cathedral New York

     

       A clear example of balance and perfect symmetry is the St. Patrick’s Cathedral situated in New York. New York has no buildings or structures designed in the neo-Gothic style so this cathedral stands out near it’s towering skyscrapers with their smooth surfaces and modern looks. It is symmetrical on the outside and even the interior is symmetrical. It has huge towering arches, stained glass windows and sculpted designs and patterns.

     

       A return to church and restoration of faith from the less superstitious, reflecting the medieval Christian values.

Strawberry Hill House | Historic House | Twickenham|London. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.visitrichmond.co.uk/thedms.aspx?dms=3&venue=3502290. [Accessed 24 November 2014].

Houses of Parliament, London. 2014. Houses of Parliament, London. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.aviewoncities.com/london/housesofparliament.htm. [Accessed 24 November 2014].

New York Architecture Images- St. Patrick's Cathedral (RC) . 2014. New York Architecture Images- St. Patrick's Cathedral (RC) . [ONLINE] Available at: http://nyc-architecture.com/MID/MID054.htm. [Accessed 24 November 2014].

Work and Stability

        Throughout history, mankind has always divided into levels, classes or race. People who had a lot of power, were rich, respected by many and also influential, while other people who were poor, low stability in life and also hard working. In these following works of art we can see portrayed two work areas where the workers can be seen doing manual work. 

Gustave Courbet "The Stone Breakers" 1849

      Gustav Courbet, “Proudest and most arrogant man in France.” He exhibited a series of paintings (1850-51) at the Paris Salon. As the leader of Realists, Courbet portrayed scenes from daily life showing the hardship of lower class workers. His aims were to bring to realisation, that people were leading a very difficult life, while others had a lot of riches and comfort. This was ridiculed as large canvases at the time were preserved for paintings that were more iconic, heroic and holy. “Through his powerful Realism, Courbet became a pioneering figure in the history of modernism.” Although at the time, he was seen as a scandalous figure.

     He makes sure to show his concern for the poor. In “The Stone Breakers”, the two figures tower the whole painting, giving them full attention showing their everyday hard work and suffering. Their posture gives balance to the picture. The tallest man is on one knee breaking the stones while the younger one is shorter, but carrying what seems to be a heavy rock making an even distribution of the whole weight. Their clothes are all worn realistically. They work with heavy and rough material, which makes it easier for their clothes to be thorn here and there. Even the work atmosphere makes it harder for them as sunlight hits directly with a hat and the clothes as protection. As you may notice, their faces aren’t showing, meaning that he isn’t depicting just the two persons but two persons who represent many. He didn’t mean for the picture to be heroic but to be an accurate depiction of the abuse and deprivation that at the time was very common.

Pieter Bruegel "Wheat Harvest" 1565

     The brightness of both paintings is completely different. One is a very pale scenario that gives it a feel of exhaustion and the other is brighter with the emphasis on the scenario and the people that are resting, which gives it a more welcoming look. The level of detail is also different from one painting to the other. Therefore "The Stone Breakers" emphasises on the workers who are exhausted in the sun breaking and carrying heavy rocks which tears their clothes with it's roughness.

      We can see that the paintings both have a horizontal composition and they are tonally balanced. The upper side of both of them is a monochromatic background while the bottom side is full of green and yellow hues of nature. In "Wheat Harvest", the tree also gives a vertical balance to the scenario and giving more attention to the people under it. Both has a sense of stability and it is reflected mostly in "The Stone Breakers". Notice how the young man is lifting a huge rock and seems to be balancing well because his feet are apart giving him a wide base, appearing stable. They are both a good example of asymmetry but still gives a feeling of stability, balance both in hard work and also life.
     

      The Stonebreakers (destroyed) - Smarthistory. 2014. The Stonebreakers - Smarthistory. [ONLINE] Available at: http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/the-stonebreakers.html. [Accessed 16 November 2014].

 Pieter Bruegel, Wheat Harvest, 1565. Oil on panel, 46-1/2 x 63-1/4 in. (118 x 160.7 cm). Metropolitan Museum, New York. Oil on panel, 46-1/2 x 63-1/4 in. (118 x 160.7 cm). [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.abbeville.com/interiors.asp?ISBN=1558596054&CaptionNumber=03. [Accessed 16 November 2014].

Emile Galle

Emile Galle 1846-1904

Emile Galle' was a great manufacturer and his work made a great impression for art nouveau in the Paris Exposition in 1887. His studies when he was young were mostly on drawing and botany. You can see this reflected in his work. He worked in his father's factory, Nancy, were he manufactured glass vases and also design furniture. His main influence was in the Japanese art. His work features a free, asymmetrical naturalism in it.

   




       He made different forms in glass vase designs and they all have a sense of stability and balanced well. The design on the vases are mostly floral patterns and although they are not perfectly symmetrical, Galle made asymmetrical designs. Some of the techniques he used were wheel cutting, acid etching and casing.

Tulip

Astrantia

    He experimented with different forms, colour and pattern. You might say that the vases both left and right are balanced or symmetrical but the patterns are not. Although the patterns are not symmetrical they are still balanced properly on the glass. That is called asymmetry, where symmetry is absent. The patterns still has a sense of harmony and flowing movement. A horizontal type of balance can also be observed with the colour tone where the bottom is of a dark colour and the top part is of a bright colour.

Transparent

Claire-de-lune

 


















      Early types of experimentation and techniques led Galle to use transparency in the glass vases. This particular vase also has a different kind of shape but also symmetrical. You can also see a floral pattern on the vase which is asymmetrical.  The colour of the vase is a soft honey. Galle also created a colour which he named claire-de-lune which is a transparent blue colour.

      During the time working in his father's factory, Emile Galle also designed furniture. These pieces of furniture are very famous and desired by many. His study in botany is also reflected in these works which includes designs of leaves, flowers, vines and fruit.


   

Table' e' the'

These pieces of furniture are symmetrical by form but asymmetrical in its carvings and inlays. It is fascinating how he designed most of his work in emphasis to make corners and points finished with shapes of tree branches and stalks. The engravings were essentially floral in style. Apart from the inlays, Galle also had inlaid quotations in all of his designs from leading contemporary symbolist authors such as Paul Verlaine.

Emile Gallé (1846-1904). 2014. Emile Gallé (1846-1904). [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.art-nouveau-around-the-world.org/en/artistes/galle.htm. [Accessed 24 November 2014].

Disequilibrium

     Disequilibrium

   
When someone hears balance, mostly the
first thought in mind would be something
in a state of equilibrium. That is called a
formal equilibrium, where the image is in
symmetry and and the objects, lines or forms
are mirroring each other.

L S Lowry, A Market Place, Berwick upon Tweed (1935)

This is a visual example of a formal equilibrium. Lowry depicts the town of Berwick upon Tweed and is a classic street scene. This picture shows a sense of formal balance. You can almost say that you are seeing some kind of mirror image from the middle of the composition. A perfect example of symmetry.

     But that would be a mistake to always
think of balance as symmetrical, a perfect
equilibrium! You can also make informal
equilibrium. It is more of a naturalistic way.
This way the artwork will have more movement
and flow. Although Lowry's painting contains
a lot of movement I don't think it has a kind of flow. 

Van Gogh, Starry Night

 


     This painting by Van Gogh has well balanced content. Although one might say it is in-equilibrium (not balanced), I disagree with that.  It is not a mirror image but it is well balanced. You can see a huge dark tower in one corner and in the other  is a huge bright moon. The small dark houses are then opposite the blue sky and bright stars. Unlike Lowry's this painting has more flowing movement.

Cezanne - Apples

An other interesting aspect when it comes to balance is also colour. The contrast of the colour, hue and brightness.  In this particular painting of Cezanne's Apples you can see the coloured apples and lemon in the middle with the apples having a bright warm reddish orange hue while the lemon have a cool green colour. You might think that the small can in the side of the painting is ruining the balance in the picture but as you might notice it is dark almost as if it was part of the table. And as we see that the balance is mostly portrayed with colours the can doesn't effect the balance in the picture.

  

     There are many ways in which you can 

achieve an art piece that contains equilibrium 

although it may feel out of order. That way 

when a person is seeing an artwork he or she 

can have a feeling of disequilibrium. 

Traditional Maltese Tiles

Traditional Maltese Tiles

Traditional maltese tiles are often 

presented with a symmetrical 

perspective, and have a certain 

organised balance. These tiles are 

hand made using cement poured 

into metal shapes to make different 

patterns and also colours. The 

traditional Maltese cross is often 

used in these types of tiles.  

Maltese Cross

Maltese Cross

Other shapes and sizes also can be 

found in various traditional Maltese 

homes. Tile companies in Malta who 

produce these tiles also restore old 

homes to keep some prized and 

important landmarks in history alive.

Flower Pattern

Tulips

You can also find tiles with added marble 

chips which make them more durable and 

are mainly used for outdoor layouts. These 

tiles can be found by the name terrazzo tiles. 

Also various sizes, shapes and colours are 

used mainly same patterns as indoor tiles.