ANALYSING ARTWORKS - SUBJECTIVE & STRUCTURAL FRAME

ARTWORK 1

Artwork1- The School of Athens Painted by :Raphael

1509–1511 Fresco, 500 x 770 cm.

Apostolic Palace, Vatican City

What materials have been used?

For this type of artwork, paint and plaster have been used.

What were these symbols , signs selected? What do they mean?

The School of Athens represents all of classical antiquity’s greatest mathematicians, thinkers,
and scientists gathered to share their ideas and learn from one another. These historical figures
have lived at various periods, but they are all gathered under one roof.
Describe the visual language of line, shape, colour, texture, tone, focal point, lighting,
composition, and space.

The trompe l'oeil (trick of the eye) technique was also becoming more common, as seen in The
School of Athens, where the arrangement and sheer scale of the fresco make it seem as though
the viewer could walk right into the scene.

What style, period, or art movement does this artwork belong to? How do you know?

This style is a renaissance painting because the artist Raphael was based in that time period.

What formal conventions can you see? For example the use of perspective, tonal modelling?

I think the use of one point - perspective was used.

What cultural conventions can you see? For example: landscape, portrait etc.

The cultural conventions I can see are that the painting is landscape.

ARTWORK 2
What do you see?
I see houses and people. There are mainly beggars begging on the streets and people giving
them money.

What do you feel?

I don’t feel anything with this painting.

In your opinion, what is the dominant mood?

The dominant mood would be empathetic.

What is the intent of the artist?

The intent of this artist is to portray the different livelihoods of people.

How does the artist want the audience to react?

I think the artist wants the audience to react in a way that they understand what’s happening
in the painting.

What technique does the artist use and why?

He uses one - point perspective. He used it because the perspective helps depict the scene and
content on both sides of the background in depth.

Do colours or shapes used evoke any emotions?

No, because the colours that have been used are neutral colours.

What does the artwork remind you of? Are there any connections to my own work?

The artwork reminds me of an old village setting where people are greeting each other and no
there isn’t any connection to my own work.