Humanities and art integration in academic study

¶ … San Diego Museum of Art: The European Masters Collection to 1900

Location:

1450 El Prado,

Balboa Park,

San Diego, California

Hours of Operation:

Tuesday through Sunday

to 6 p.m.

Thursdays

to 9 p.m.

Closed on Mondays

Choosing the permanent European collection of art hanging at the San Diego Museum of Art reflects my personal interest in European Art and specifically Spanish art.

Additionally, cultural representation through timed and temporary events is a clear expression of the ability for culture to mold and change to meet the needs of the attending public, yet in the fast paced current to explore and attend as many of these events as possible for our own personal growth we sometimes neglect those cultural offerings that are represented within our communities all the time and need our support.

Overall Impressions and Reactions

The idea that a cultural offering that offers so much complexity and history is available to the community of San Diego is impressive.

The variety of the whole European collection seems to be an honest and complex representation of the overall landscape of European art represented through six centuries of master work.

Impressions of Specific works by Spanish Masters

Maria at La Granja a larger than life representation of a lady on holiday is a striking representation of the Spanish Artist, Joaqu'n Sorolla y Bastida.

Painted in 1907 it clearly represents at least to some degree Bastida's attempt to represent nature as realistically as possible, possibly a contextual expression of the naturalist movement that emerged in his time.

Maria, the artists oldest daughter is reflective in pose, leisurely watching her surroundings and standing on what looks like the bank of a river. She is realistically wearing the white eyelet lace dress of her age and the light and shadow of the work is realistic and fresh.

The Marques de Sofraga, an aristocratic portrait painted by the famous Goya (Francisco Jose de Goya y Lucientes) and thoguth to commerate the appointment of the Marques as director of the Royal Academy of History in Madrid in l795, (San Diego Museum of Art web site: (http://www.sdmart.org/image/image.pl?mode=&script=526277&pageTitle=The+Marques+de+Sofraga)

The composition of this work is well balanced and in fact is said to utilize the pyramid style of composition

Yet, the most striking impression of this life sized three quarter portrait is the rich use of color, reds, gold, ambers and blues are all vibrant and the techniques is so influential it does look as if you can reach out and actually feel the smoothness of the silk jacket the Marques is wearing.

El Greco's, The Penitent St. Peter painted between 1595 and 1600, in Toledo, Spain is indicative of the representation of penitence valued in the counter-reformation movement in the Catholic church. (SMA web site: (http://www.sdmart.org/image/image.pl?mode=&script=523023&pageTitle=The+Penitent+St.+Peter)

The most striking message of the painting is the longing on the face of the Saint. The longing for the love of God is so clearly expressed it gives the viewer the impression that the Saint is asking for forgiveness of any follower who is viewing the work. "El Greco paints the anguished St. Peter just after Jesus' Crucifixion before he learns of the Resurrection." (SDMA web site: (http://www.sdmart.org/image/image.pl?mode=&script=523023&pageTitle=The+Penitent+St.+Peter)

The watching angel in the background of the work gives the impression that God is not only seeing the prostration of St. Peter but is also feeling it as well.

Francisco de Zurbaran's Madonna and Child with the Infant St. John painted around 11658 in Spain is a rich representation of the Madonna and child with the infant St. John, reported to be a distant relative of Jesus and Mary.