Art in the Aleutians

 Romantic vs. Realist The romantic style of painting was developed in the 1800s, often depicting scenes of nature, showing the earth's power and beauty in one. The subjects were often gorgeous waterfalls, breathtaking views, violent storms, shipwrecks lost to the waves, etc. The idea of it was to produce a sense of emotion from the observer. However, nature scenes were not the only subjects of romantic style painting. If a scene could gather emotion from the viewer, then it could be painted during this era. Whether this is fear, joy, or awe, the main goal of the romantic style paintings was to get an emotional response. Those who painted storms often tried to produce fear from the onlooker because the artist believed "all that imprints a feeling of terror, leads to the sublime” ( Edmund Burke, 1757 ). But those who painted tall, vibrant waterfalls are most likely trying to find a sense of calm or even joy in their work. Although different artists have different goals for their...

Early Modern and the Influence of WWI The post-modern era was full of art regarding many different subjects such as the great depression, science and technology, the influence of African Americans, and the topic that I am going to touch on, World War I. WWI had a heavy influence on the art during this time period because of how much it affected people's lives. It forced people to leave their homes, caused families to be split, and resulted in heartache for those who lost loved ones. These, along with other feelings, can be felt when viewing these works of art. Back from the Fight by Harry Townsend, 1918 One example of WWI influenced art is  Back from the Fight  by Harry Townsend. Townsend was not only an artist but he was also involved in the war himself. He was " one of eight accomplished World War I combat artists sent to France by the American Expeditionary Forces (Ali Sorbara, 2018) Made in France, this painting depicts actual scenes from the war, not one made up to prove...

Science and Discovery: Advancements Through Art Art has been a way for people to express creativity throughout the generations. However, it is not only used for decorative work, it is also used for, or to depict, advancements in the scientific field. This could be done through sketching out the diagram of a cell, designing a prototype for new inventions, or documenting work or experiments. Art has shaped the way we view science and technology because, even though not everyone has the mind of an engineer, biologist, etc., we can all look at art and appreciate the story behind it.  One example of science in art would be Benjamin West's work Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky . It was created to show Franklin's experiment with lightning, and to capture the image of how he forever changed science as we know it. The painting was created with oil on slate in 1816 in England. West made this work because he had become friends with Franklin during his lifetime. It was de...

  Baroque: Art and Science Together as One The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp , Rembrandt, 1632 History : In the Baroque era, both art and science were making huge advancements. During this time, Rembrandt became known as "the foremost artist of the Dutch Baroque period" due to his 40 year career of printing, sketching, and painting (Dr. Bryan Zygmont, 2015). in 1606, he was born in the town of Leiden, where the Catholic church commissioned many of his works, which helped his career take off. During his schooling in Laiden, he showed that he had an extraordinary amount of intelligence, leading many to believe that he was destined for greatness, specifically in the scientific field. Although later on, he declared that he wanted to become an artist, relocating to Amsterdam in 1631. Amsterdam at the time was full of wealthy families who would be able to afford to commission his work.  Anatomy is an ancient form of medical study that has been around since the beginning of research. T...

  The Renaissance: The Birth of Venus History : The painting The Birth of Venus was created by Sandro Botticelli in Italy, 1486. This painting depicts Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, being born of the ocean spray and moved to Cyprus by the movement of the winds while riding on a shell. Of the pair on the left, the man is Zephyrus who is blowing the wind to move Venus, and the woman is Chloris, a nymph. The identity of the woman on the right is unknown, but is speculated to be the goddess of spring.  This painting is believed to have been commissioned by the Medici family, although this is not known for certain. The reason it is speculated to have been created for the Medici family is because of the Orange trees apparent in the background, as these are "considered an emblem of the Medici dynasty" (Daniela Parenti). However, "we do not know for sure which Medici it was painted for" because there is not much information on the topic (italianrenaissance.org, 201...

  Irises Art Analysis History The iris is a natural example of beauty and elegance, which has been captured in this oil painting Irises , by Ohla Darchuk . Ohla was born Born September 1, 1976 in Krivoy Rog, Ukraine. Through the years, he fell in love with the arts and attended art school in 1986. Throughout his life, he opened and managed many different galleries and art clubs such as " Planet of Happiness " and " Art Rarity ". He continues to make alluring pieces in Ukraine to this day, blessing society with his creative work. Irises was created in Ukraine in the year 2019.   Texture The physical texture in this painting can be seen even through the image online. The way he painted with heavy brush stokes and large amounts of paint adds character to the work and makes the flowers look as if they are coming off the canvas. I like the way that he uses the element of texture because, while I look at this painting, I can almost feel the flowers in my hands, the waxy p...

  Life in the Aleutians My name is Aleutia Peters and I am currently going to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to study Marine Biology. I grew up and currently live in the Aleutian islands, specifically on Unalaska. I am working at the Museum of the Aleutians where I am able to dive deeper into the history and culture of the island, learning more about the past and helping to preserve that knowledge for the future. I have found that looking at art from previous years is a great way to take a glimpse into the past and see what has changed and what has remained the same.  The image above shows two Unangan people in a baidarka with Unalaska island in the background. I found this piece interesting because, having grown up on the island, I am able to see what the town used to look like and how much it has changed over the years. I enjoy going to the art shows put on by the community where I am able to see the different pieces that have been created locally. It is nice to think t...