1. What is the focal point?

- Main focus of the work, where your eye lands on first and returns on a regular basis

2. What is point of view?

- How you are looking at representational art

3. Rembrandt’s Holy family: summarize Dr. Hirsch’s ideas on point-of-view in this painting: (4
points)

- Traditional POV, drape going over like a curtain

- As if we are entering it
- Watching drama unfold
- Looks as if we are in a theater

4. Theodore Robinson. Bird’s eye views of Giverny. 1889. Summarize Dr. Hirsch’s ideas on
point of view in this painting: (2 points)

- Landscape, looking down on the town. Birds eye view

- High point of view

5. View of holy scenes: Summarize each point of view: (4 points each)

1. Raphael, Sistine Madonna, 1513.

- Conceit, curtains on either side, seeing this as if in a theater

- Angels – link us
- Popes hat, becomes a mediator

2. Gerrit van Honthorst, Adoration of the shepherds, 1622.

- Intimate
- Cropped composition
- Figures on the outsides and we only see part of them
- As if you are on stage
- POV is very close and head on
- Kneeling – you are one of the shepherds

3. Titian, Madonna of the Pesaro Family, 1519-26.

- All figures are life size

- POV is with the males
- Intensified by the young boy making eye contact with us
 4. Emil Nolde. Pentecost, 1909.

- No comfort zone at all

- Cropped composition
- Backing up from this composition
- Closed in

6. What is FOCAL POINT: summarize (3 points each)

1. Raphael, Madonna of the Meadow, 1505.

- Where St. John the Baptist is holding the cross

- The relationship is important
- The cross works as a pointer to Madonna’s face

2. Breughel the Elder. Battle of Carnival and Lent. 1559.

- Busy scene
- The focal point is in the center of composition where the colors are a bit lighter
- Slightly larger than others which draws attention
- A lot going on but the painter makes you slow down

3. Abstract expressionist artists called there paints – Overall Paintings – so no distinction.

Summarize: (3 points each)

- No distinction because the whole painting is viewed as whole not just by parts. They do
this deliberately

4. Jackson Pollock, Convergence, 1952.

- No area with different of lighter colors

- Not at a certain point, makes it seem as if you are in the painting

5. Mark Rothko. 10., 1952.

- Sense of scale so big it envelops the viewer

- We are the viewer, but you just get mesmerized by all the color
- Becomes more than a looking exercise

7. SCULPTURE: What is relief sculpture?

- That can only be seen from one POV

- Has mass (parts stick out)
- Uses same type of composition and focal point
8. In-the-round sculpture – what is meant by this?

- Multiple types of composition and focal points

9. RELIEF SCULPTURE: SUMMARIZE: (4 points each)

1. Lorenzo Ghiberti. Florence Cathedral doors (Gates of Paradise). 1425-52

- Two doors with 5 main panels

- Head on view of the figures in the panel
- Worms eye view of the boy’s sole
- Looking up at it

2. 3-D sculpture: Donatello, David. 1425-30.

- Small base but it is on a pedestal which makes us look up at it

- Has a focal point but will always be looking up
- The focal points are used for various views as the viewer walks around the sculpture
- Another view equals another focal point

3. Eva Hesse: Repetition Nineteen, III. 1968.

- No single focal point

- Works like an installation
- The viewer has to walk around or even through
- More in control on how to approach the sculpture

4. KINETIC SCULPTURE: Jean Tinguely. Meta-Mechanical Automobile.

- Controlled by button
- Either on floor or wall
- The sculpture moves/makes noise

5. Alexander Calder. La Spirale. 1958.

- Kind of construction
- Hang from ceiling
- Wind moves them
- Multiple focal points
- The sculpture turns, not the viewer
- Not controlled by the artist either

6. EARTH WORKS: Nancy Holt. Sun Tunnels. 1973-76.

- Carefully placed concrete tubes to capture the sunrise and sunset

- Turned around focal point. It finds you
10. TOOLS FROM THIS LECTURE: MAKE A LIST:
1. Point of view: 4 points

- Notice your relationship with the scene

- Outside looking in?
- Invite you into the work?
- Actively confront you with close up POV

2. Focal point: 6 points

- Where your eye points to

- Where does your gaze guide you
- Have multiple focal points?
- Where does your gaze finish