Agbay, Erika Jazreel G.

B – 211

Which among the art works from the Medieval and Renaissance resonates with you? Provide
examples from each period and  explain why you chose them.

The artwork shown above is entitled “Madonna and Child” made by Duccio dipinto
Buoninsegna on year 1300, the medieval period. I chose this artwork because of its powerful
presence and deep meaning. As seen in the image above, the Virgin Mary holds Jesus Christ with
sad tenderness and distant expression. Perhaps Mary is feeling sad for she knows that her son
will someday die for everyone’s sin. And this shows the impression of life’s impermanence.
Also, just like Duccio, the spiritual expression of this artwork touched my heart. As a Jehovah’s
Witness, I believe that Jesus Christ paved the way for mankind to live through God. This
painting reminded me of how Jesus Christ, our Savior, made sacrifices for all of us. Thus, we
must be thankful and devote our life to God and Jesus Christ. This artwork also show the love of
a mother to a child. The infant reaches up to tug on His mommy’s clothing and eye contact is
made by Jesus Christ and Mary which symbolizes their physical relationship. The mother and
son relationship captured my feelings for I am also fond and thankful to my parents.
 The artwork that I chose from the Renaissance period is the “Hunters in the Snow
(Winter)” by Pieter Bruegel the Elder made on 1565. As seen above, the painting shows hunters
coming back from their expedition with their dogs. It also represents the deep snow with its
muted color, the tree branches dusted with it, the pond, the frozen water wheel, the villagers and
the inns. This artwork shows an image of a daily life and a landscape in the Netherlands. What
made me chose this artwork is the detail from the hunters. It seems like the hunting was not
successful for we can see that they trudge wearily, they look miserable, and that the dogs’ tail are
down. In addition to that, the villagers from the right side are only ignoring the men because of
their unfulfilled quest. But even so, the hunters have no choice but to try again and fulfil their
obligation despite the harsh weather. I could relate to this situation because our life is full of
unpredictability. We do not know whether our choices will make us better or destroy us. This
artwork reminded about my failures, and it reminded me of how imperfect I am. But despite all
my flaws and all of the judgements, I know that there is always a second chance. We may also be
locked to our life’s day to day activities, but we should always strive to see the world in its glory.
And just like the hunters, I will always try again until I successfully achieved my goals. Our
quest always continue no matter what whether or condition happen.