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Analysis of works of art

The focus of this research will be Margarita Russell's 1977 article on "Iconography of
Rembrandt's Rape of Ganymede," which depicts the artist's perception of the work and was
created in response to it. In the article she wrote, she discusses how she came to her conclusions
on the painting's iconology and iconography. According to Russell's argument, there are two
parallel storylines about Ganymede in Rembrandt's painting Ganymede from 1635, and as a
consequence, there are two stories about Ganymede in a single figure. According to Russell, the
historical backdrop of the work, as well as the author's investigation of a variety of source
materials, influenced his viewpoint on the topic subject. Russell interprets Ganymede's urinating
in the artwork as a sign of his impending transformation into the constellation Aquarius, which
he believes is a novel and creative interpretation. Russell's method will be discussed in light of
the essay's historical setting as well as various alternative interpretative strategies.
During the first half of the twentieth century, the iconographic-iconological technique had a
significant impact on both creative output and creative practice. The most widely cited
explanation of the word is found in Panofsky's 'Studies in Iconology: Humanistic Themes in
Renaissance Art,' which was published in 1977. In order to achieve neutrality, the strategy must
be divided into three distinct portions (pre-iconographical description, analysis, and
interpretation). It is necessary to study a diverse variety of materials in order to carry out these
responsibilities, ranging from ancient writings to the history of visual representation. During his
iconological stage, Panofsky was able to transcend beyond the collection and automated
decoding of symbols because of his "familiarity with the fundamental tendencies in the human
mind." An act of synthetic intuition based on "familiarity with the basic tendencies of the human
mind" constituted Panofsky's iconological stage, according to his own words. Panofsky, on the
other hand, contends that, despite the fact that this technique is ultimately concerned with
meaning, form and content are inexorably linked in their formation.
A black eagle has grabbed and/or attacked this person, and I get a peculiar and uncomfortable
feeling about it. As seen by the victim's scared attitude, this is certainly an abduction situation. It
didn't take long for me to figure out that this gentleman had been out for a stroll in the woods
with his dog when the eagle came swooping down. The utilization of light and shadow, as well
as the usage of different hues, contribute to the realism of the image. All of the colors in this
picture, from ochre yellow and mauve red to blush pink and burned orange all the way to ocean
blue and emerald green are well-used. A gorgeous palette of silvery-pearly colors contrasts with
the softness and sensitivity of the image, making it all the more coherent as a result of the
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contrast. As a result of the melting of light and shadow on these shapes, it seems as if silk is
evaporating off the person's clothes and floating into the air. The subject's emotions are
heightened by the figure's shape, flowing lines, and background color.
Although the sun is not visible, the source of the light can clearly be seen even if the light is not
visible. Based on the eagle and the person's lighting, it seems like the sun is setting or rising from
the right side of the photograph. The eagle's black chiaroscuro contrasts with the figure's bright
pink skin tones and stunning chiaroscuro, which creates a striking visual contrast. It is possible to
perceive via gentle and transparent outlines the most modest light fluctuations because of their
transparency. In the light, the sun, wind, and eagle all work together to make the person seem
smooth and brilliant because of the reflection of the light.
Perhaps the oddest and perplexing painting by Rembrandt, The Rape of Ganymede, now on
display at Dresden and signed and dated I635, will go unsolved for all time. Because of the
composition's perplexing character, art historians of the 19th and 20th centuries concluded that
Rembrandt was creating a melancholy parody of old history in his painting. Michelangelo's
depiction, according to Kenneth Clark, reflects "a Protestant-Christian terror toward the sexual
rituals of paganism." The painting is a comedy or a caricature of the Michelangelo concept,
which we know from the etching by Barbizet, and is a grotesque caricature of the Michelangelo
concept. Everyone else, with the exception of her, was taken aback by the picture's beauty, the
shape of the eagle, and the harmony of colors. Russell's writing and images include several
allusions to Panofsky's articles3. Research into the relationship between speech and visual
images, as well as the inquiry into the painting's symbolic importance in the "Rape of
Ganymede," are just a few of examples of what they have discovered to be unique in these
writings. In the first example, the relationship between word and picture, the variety of materials,
and the sophistication of sense linkages are all examined in detail. Because 'discourse' has
different theoretical meanings depending on the point of view from which we begin, the
discourse-image relationship is complex and multifaceted. This is what we believe since we are
talking about communication.
Although it has garnered much acclaim (including Clark's), the Ganymede composition does not
fit the notion of comedy or parody, and it does not correlate with the rest of Rembrandt's work,
as is the case with Vomer’s argument, despite the praise it has gotten. As a result of their
resemblance to Ganymede, Rembrandt's newborn angels are often seen as deliberately and
provocatively anti-classical in nature. Whether Renaissance or antiquity, traditional art was not
seen by the artist as a narrow-minded, moralizing judgment but rather as a source of inspiration
and dedication. With his classical training and Caravaggio-like attention to truth, Rembrandt's
style was less clear than Poussin's in comparison to the latter. Despite the fact that Rembrandt's
figures, particularly Ganymede, are physically realistic, the use of archaic materials in their
manufacture does not rule out the possibility of their continued usage. Ganymede's face and body
are not designed to be aesthetically pleasing in any way. Hendrik de Keyser's sobbing putti in
Delft's NieuweKerk and a crying angel in a Durer painting both exhibit facial characteristics that
are similar to those of the child. Rembrandt's grief is shown in this painting, which is
characteristic of his style.
Although there existed a representative democratic heritage in some sectors of classical imagery,
Panofsky argues that this legacy was consciously abandoned in favor of representations with a
radically non classical character after the Middle Ages had developed a distinctive style of their
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own. His conclusion was that "as soon as the Middle Ages had formed their own style, this
figurative inheritance was voluntarily renounced in favor of representations of a fundamentally
non classical type," which was a departure from the classical tradition. Currently, the focus of the
research is on unintentional renderings of natural phenomena and scientific publications in
Christian artistic history, particularly constellation representations in which legendary people are
represented.
Rembrandt's Rape of Ganymede must be understood in the context of his use of both textual and
visual sources, which is consistent with Rembrandt's commitment to the accurate interpretation
of biblical and historical elements. Rembrandt's Ganymede interpretation components and
construction process seem to have come from the Metamorphosis Publication, which is believed
to be the basis of the composition. It was featured in the renowned Schilder-boeck, which was
initially published in 1604 and is well-known to every Dutch artist of the 17th century. A story of
Jupiter appearing in the form of a bird and abducting "Ganymede’s, the most beautiful of all
humans" is told in both of these writings. Ganymede's purity of soul, according to the Book of
Job, qualifies him for service to the gods, and the verse lends weight to this interpretation of the
events that took place. Various depictions of Jupiter portray him swooning over Ganymede's
beauty and sparking Juno's wrath, while other depictions show Jupiter enthralled by the boy's
vigor.
Christian artists purposefully incorporated and modified pagan ideas into Christian themes, and
this was a major contributing factor to the separation. When it came to art throughout the Middle
Ages, classical ideas were portrayed in non-classical artworks, and works of classic significance
were unearthed. In part because of their lack of cultural awareness, medieval artists who
replicated classical works straight from models in front of them contributed to the widening of
the gap between form and substance in classical art even more. When the Ganymede story is
Christianized, it reintroduces the concept that God senses beauty in purity of spirit, which was
emphasized in ancient antiquity and early Christian art, but which has since been lost to modern
times. When a newborn dies the symbolism of the old Ganymede story, which depicted a child
being stolen away from his parents, takes on a special significance, and it was already being used
in this context on antique memorial sculptures at the time.
In art, both the thing being seen and the act of seeing it are objective and subjective at the same
time. Considering the underlying truth of its heuristic and mutually helpful mien, this link
between art and religion challenges the logo centricity of normal Western research and cultural
standards, which separate religion and art on a normative basis. As a consequence of the
Enlightenment ideal of art and religion being separated, religious importance shifted from
institutional to non-institutional surroundings. The academic study of religion is separated from
the production and experiencing of religion in the same way that the academic study of art
history is separated from the creation and experiencing of art. Rembrandt's preliminary sketch
reveals that Ganymede's story was originally intended to be about the death of a little kid.
Whenever we talk of child loss, the terms "pain" and "petrification" spring to mind. It is not
entirely abandoned by Rembrandt, who, in his eagle death, dramatically rips the young figure
away from the "parents," as Alciati's insignia is depicted in Nicolaes Maeses' Ganymede
paintings, but it is not completely abandoned. Several features in the picture convey sadness and
harshness of death, including the child's fearfully disfigured face, the "parents'" curiously skewed
attitude, and the eagle-like eagle seen in the photograph itself. The atmosphere of the artwork, on
the other hand, has changed.
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In almost every religion, art and the value of images are seen in a unique way. It is important to
note that although some religions are founded on oral tradition, mythology, and other sources of
knowledge, many others are more institutionalized, such as written canons, hierarchies, dogmas,
etc. Iconoclasm, aniconism, and iconoclasm are the three most common religious art
perspectives, with iconoclasm being the most severe (denial or rejection). Instead, the famous
religious attitude is on the edge of becoming a religious practice when followed to its natural
conclusion. Examples of non-representational imagery that has been used to inspire
contemplation, devotion, and worship include Iva liga and illuminated Islamic manuscripts such
as calligraphy in Islamic manuscripts. It is because of this that the aniconic religious attitude
comes perilously near to total abstraction and the utter absence of forms. Since the iconoclastic
worldview opposes all forms of imagery, no matter what medium or style is utilized, many
Protestant churches and many Jewish synagogues are virtually devoid of pictures. Iconoclasm
leads to the erasure of all images and symbols, whether religious or not.
Yet even though these three theological stances can be clearly identified, it is rare for any
religious tradition to continue functioning without making some adjustments to their attitude
toward art during the course of their life. Art and religion have a long history of overlapping
ideas, which may lead to patterns like "iconic" becoming "iconoclastic," "iconic" becoming
"iconoclastic," or "aniconic" becoming "iconoclastic." Buddhism, for example, has a long history
of incorporating these three religious approaches to art in its practice across the world.
Iconography in Hinduism is centered on the use of representation and symbolism, which has led
to a rich religious iconography. According to the fundamental premise of each major religion, the
primary approach to art has changed throughout time. It is via this new interpretation that
Ganymede, Rembrandt's young hero, is elevated to the status of an inspiring symbol of hope and
liberation. As one of the fruits of heaven and a symbol of purity, cherries can only be regarded as
a cherry bouquet on its left hand in the context of its era. The Christ child's right hand is often
seen in paintings of the Madonna and Child with cherries in it. In Italian and Northern art from
the 15th and 16th centuries, there are just too many examples of this style of portrayal to describe
here, and it would be difficult to do so.
The painting of Ganymede, despite the fact that the boy-child seems to be urinating, might be
read as depicting the human spirit "free from the impurities of bodily desire," regardless of the
fact that Ganymede is younger and less handsome than van Mander asserts. For the most part, it
is considered that Rembrandt's painting of this sign represents the artist's "realism" in
representing the physical repercussions of shock on a newborn, as well as his distaste for the
pagan and suggested gay nature of the narrative. To his contemporaries, Rembrandt seems to
have done nothing insulting to the holy heritage in these works. The child's physical action, on
the other hand, determines the artwork's significance. Because of the Christianization of Nicolae
Maes' previous metaphorical renderings of children, the piece is no longer a tribute to a deceased
kid.
Ganymede is showering us with water as a reaction to his passage into the astrological sign of
the Waterman. Following an understanding of Ganymede's two roles, Rembrandt came up with
this unique manner for presenting the mythical narrative: a pure soul ascending to God and a
rainmaker. To carry rainfall was a common topic in Rembrandt's period, and it dates back to
Renaissance fountain figures.
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Heroic actions and Christian convictions earned them the admiration and respect of their peers,
and they were never seen as wicked or controversial.
Ganymede's tale has a deeper significance, as seen by the amount of works based on it. In the
case of Ganymede, two perspectives were investigated. Ganymede got his start in Ancient
Greece at a time when homosexuality was universally accepted and socially acceptable in many
cultures. According to historians, pederasty was typical practice in Athens' elite class throughout
the 5th century BC. His attention would be drawn to the Erastes, a guy of a certain age who
seemed to be both a child and an old man at once. This was a foregone conclusion.
Older men in ancient Greece weren't unusually drawn to younger guys when they were alone.
There were both sexual and social aspects to these get-togethers. During their courtship, the more
experienced spouse was expected to help the less experienced one integrate into society and find
work. The father of the youngster gave his permission for this to be done on behalf of his son,
and so it was. According to Greek mythology, Ganymede's climb into the skies is a metaphor for
the soul's journey to paradise. Christian painters utilized this rationale to justify their delicate
brushstrokes while showing Ganymede and his rounded buttocks, as they did in other works. The
myth's more evident interpretation did not escape the attention of gay Renaissance painters,
despite their primary interest for the Christian message.
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Work Cited
Arnold, Bruce Baer, and Wendy Bonython. "Seeing through the image: art, dignity, and
responsibility." Griffith Journal of Law & Human Dignity (2015).
Asadpour, Ali. "Iconological Study of “Rustam in Struggle with Div-e Sepid” in Tilework of
Karim Khan-e Zand Citadel Portal in Shiraz Based on Erwin Panofsky Method." The
Monthly Scientific Journal of Bagh-e Nazar 17.86 (2020): 29-40.
Griffith, Peter R. "Subjects of the Visual Arts: Ganymede."
Lavin, Irving. "Iconography as a Humanistic Discipline (Iconography at the Crossroads)."
(2019).
Liepe, Lena Eva. The locus of meaning in medieval art: iconography, iconology, and
interpreting the visual imagery of the middle ages. Medieval Institute Publications, 2019.
Müller, Marion G. "Iconography and iconology as a visual method and approach." The SAGE
handbook of visual research methods (2011): 283-297.
Russell, Margarita. "The Iconography of Rembrandt's" Rape of Ganymede"." Simiolus:
Netherlands Quarterly for the History of Art 9.1 (1977): 5-18.
Sherer, Daniel. "Panofsky on Architecture: Iconology and the Interpretation of Built Form,
1915–1956, Part I." History of Humanities 5.1 (2020): 189-224.