"Swan Attacked by a Dog" - Jean Baptiste Oudry

"Swan Attacked by a Dog" - Jean Baptiste Oudry

Experience and inspiration are what influence artists to create motifs that capture the essence of their everyday life. Jean Baptiste Oudry was born in Paris, France on March 17th, 1686 and died on April 30th, 1755. The era which Oudry was active in a time when monarchy held absolute reign and waged several military campaigns against other nations. As France was occupied with politics and war, within the nation’s borders was another motion emerging from patrons of art. During the late 17th to early 18th century, a movement of Rococo art developed to capture a graceful and florid approach to a piece while maintaining ornate, asymmetric design. Jean Baptiste Oudry was no exception; however unlike others in his time, the subjects in most of his pieces were animals rather than people. In his painting, “Swan Attacked by a Dog”, Oudry may have intended to represent social class with these figures to introduce the idea that the lower class citizens are growing agitated at the higher class nobles and royalty. In this particular piece, the artist creates a scene where a beautiful, white swan is cornered and attacked by a vicious dog. Although what’s happening in the piece is depressing, Oudry stays within the context of Rococo art as the painting is alluring and elegant from its subtle colors and saturation of shadows. In order to understand the artist’s point of view in society, we need to explore the history of 18th century France and the culture of art during the era.

The Conversion of St. Paul, an example of Baroque art

Before the rise in popularity of Rococo art style, the primary art of France was Baroque. This style was meant to express qualities that are considered symmetrical, grandeur, dramatic and exuberant. Additionally, under the reign of Louis XIV, Baroque art was advocated by the monarch as a testament to glorifying France and his name. However, in response to this, artists from across the country adopted an art style that stimulated characteristics opposite to Baroque. As mentioned earlier, Rococo art possesses jocular, graceful, and florid themes that allow the piece to maintain ornate and asymmetric designs. While most Rococo pieces were associated with decoration and structures, paintings of the art style exhibit delicate colors and curving forms that give the piece its elegance and whimsy. Painters often depicted scenes that were intimately detailed and concentrated on mythology, portraiture, and daily life. These aspects are prevalent in “The Swan Attacked by a Dog” as Oudry was quite the adept Rococo artist.

Rococo portraiture

Jean Baptiste Oudry was surrounded by art for all of his life. His father was well adept in the arts being an artist, art dealer, and the director of Académie de St-Luc art school. Oudry would later join his father’s school and was taught the technical aspects of art. In addition to the prestigious lifestyle of Oudry, the artist was received tutelage from two notable artist. One was Michel Serre, who specialized in Baroque and religious paintings. The second was an artist by the name of Nicolas de Largillière, who was a practitioner of the Rococo art style. It was with Largillière that Oudry adopted the Rococo art style and later refined his sense of color and imagery. Oudry also developed his skills in still life and portraiture under his apprenticeship with Largillière. From his studies and experience with the Rococo artist, Oudry focused his rendition of the style on depictions of animals, hunting, and landscapes. Throughout his career, Jean Baptiste Oudry had several opportunities that expanded his name in the arts as well as to international markets. Jean became a member of the Académie de Peinture et de Sculpture in 1719 and eventually a professor at the institute in 1743. The artist also had a hand in designing tapestry. His success in tapestry and decorative arts would later have him made director of Beauvais and Gobelins manufactory due to his influence on the subject. With numerous titles and noteworthy accomplishments, Oudry was commissioned to create artwork for significant figures of society. Some of his clientele included King Louis XV, Czar Peter the Great of Russia, the Queen of Sweden, and Grand Duke Friedrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Of course with a massive following and fame, Oudry was overwhelmed with the amount of requests and commissions. To compound the frustration Jean Baptiste may have felt, his homeland was having less welcoming interactions with other European territories.



Throughout the early 18th century, the French had militaristic involvement in wars against countries such as Austria, Poland, and Spain. Those events were the War of the Quadruple Alliance, the War of the Polish Succession, and the War of the Austrian Succession.



With the Quadruple Alliance, which took place from 1718 to 1720, France joined a coalition with Britain, Austria, and the Dutch Republic in an effort to prevent Spain from claiming territories in Italy and the French throne. The result of this campaign was that victory was upon the alliance and Spain renouncing its actions and claims. During the Polish War from 1733 to 1738, the France had an anti-Habsburg alliance with Spain and Poland and declared war against Austria. The anti-Habsburg alliance wanted Stanislaw I Leszczynski on Poland’s throne whereas Russia and Austria wanted the previous king’s son to succeed to the throne. From this endeavor France and Austria signed the Treaty of Vienna, which was an agreement with France accepting the Austrian choice of the Polish throne and preliminary peace. However this tranquility wouldn’t last long as the French was a part of the War of the Austrian Succession from 1740 to 1748. Since their initial partnership during the Quadruple Alliance, Austria later became one of France’s long term enemies as the two held opposite ideals during the War of Polish Succession.

Battle of Fontenoy 1745, War of the Austrian Succession

As the Austrians were wrapped in their own War of Succession, the French saw an opportunity to weaken and destroy one of their European rivals. This backfired on the French as the Austrians called upon their British alliance and thus creating more obstacles and struggle for France. Eventually in 1748, both countries restore peace with the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. However, while for the most part France has had some successes and defeats from these skirmishes, the constant tension and propaganda that arose from these situations should have caused the nation’s citizens to have varying opinions that would lead to supporting or opposing those campaigns or rather create confusion among its populace.



With the implication of political and military activity circulating throughout much of the 18th century France, it would not be surprising to have artists utilize the status of the nation to illustrate ideals and motifs. During the 1700s, patrons in the arts craved pieces that depicted depth into raw emotions ranging from happiness to melancholy. Following an article on Eighteenth century French art written by Linda Walsh, she quotes a man by the name of Peter Gay that, “sensibility all too often degenerate into sentimentality and easy tears conveniently blinded the eyes of men and women reluctant to confront the realities of their times or their own lives”. She then elaborates and states that, “...passion and sentiment were regarded as feelings of a higher order than sensation, which was seen as a more rudimentary response of the senses to stimuli”. It is obvious that based on these two quotes, 18th century artists convey their zeal whether or not their audience can perceive those notions. As France dwindled it resources and armies on militaristic strifes, the nobility exploited the labor of the lower class and fostered the hatred in their fellow citizens. The abundance of emotion and frustration is more than enough for an artist like Oudry to draw upon. By knowing the context of Rococo art, historical events of 18th century France and topics often captured by artists, I can understand the relation of the subjects in Oudry’s “Swan Attacked by a Dog” with the distinction of social classes of the time.

This specific artwork showcases a swan forced into corner and assaulted by a canine on the hunt. Oudry created the scene in explicit detail in the ambiance, with significant attention to shadows and the expressions of the animals. The pheasant is shown with fright and is trying to sway its attacker away as it is backed into a dark corner. While observing the swan, the bird expands its wings in the effort to scare and dismiss the assailant. I researched for information regarding the symbolism of swans and found that it represents innocence, grace, balance, and divinity. Thus this leads me to correlate the swan as the upper class and royalty.

The hound demonstrates an aggressive demeanor by snarling at its prey. With closer examination of the dog, anyone can tell that the predator is attacking out of desperation. Looking at the ribs and belly of the dog, it’s obvious that this figure is meant to represent people of the lower, serving class. Dogs are a symbol of loyalty and guardians when their masters are faced with dangers. I concur that the dog is meant to be an extension of the poorer citizens of France taking out their frustration against the nobles and monarchs as they are trying to support themselves and their families while working for them.


 By portraying these two beasts confronting each other, Jean Baptiste Oudry emulates the annoyance of the working class has with high society during the times of war and oppression.

“Swan Attacked by a Dog” is a work of art that captures animals in intense realism and intertwines the notions of his society with the two figures. While Jean Baptiste Oudry was known for creating pieces of art that illustrate animals and hunting scenes, artists during the eighteenth century often represented their pieces with sentiment of their surroundings. Exploring the historical and social aspects of France in the 1700s can enlighten anyone to understanding the irritation that looms over the country implied by this particular piece. Jean Baptiste Oudry’s mission with this painting was to call out to his fellow countrymen on the frustration he and many others felt upon the luxury of the rich and royals.

Citation
Walsh, Linda. “The Expressive Face: Manifestation of Sensibility in Eighteenth-Century French Art.” Art History 19.4 (1996): 523–550. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.

http://www.artmovements.co.uk/rococo.htm

http://www.britannica.com/art/Baroque-period

http://www.britannica.com/biography/Jean-Baptiste-Oudry

http://www.britannica.com/event/War-of-the-Austrian-Succession

http://www.britannica.com/event/War-of-the-Polish-Succession

http://www.britannica.com/topic/Quadruple-Alliance-Europe-1718

http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/artists/535/jean-baptiste-oudry-french-1686-1755/

http://www.historydiscussion.net/world-history/french-revolution/causes-of-french-revolution-political-social-and-economic-causes/1881

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/frde/hd_frde.htm

http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Collection/artist-info.2670.html?artobj_artistId=2670&pageNumber=1

https://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg54/gg54-over1.html

http://www.shamanicjourney.com/swan-power-animal-symbol-of-inner-grace-balance-commitment

http://www.shamanicjourney.com/dog-power-animal-symbol-of-loyalty-friendship-unconditional-love

Luminism and Western Expansion

Like other luminists, Jasper Francis Cropsey was interested in promoting the beauty of nature and exploring lands that are apart of the western expansion during the mid 19th century. For example, in his painting Eagle Cliff, Franconia Notch, New Hampshire, Cropsey illustrates an eye appealing background. Throughout these paintings, artists during the luminist movement used lavish landscapes and marvelous skylines to display that there were brighter days and fresh starts to life in the new western states of the United States.



In this painting, Eagle Cliff, Franconia Notch, New Hampshire, Cropsey goes into great detail with the nature aspects of this piece of art, which was made with oil on canvas. This scene is depiction of a moment in the late afternoon on farm in New Hampshire. Since the trees and grass are both green, we as viewers can infer that it is late summer. We can also infer this from the condition of plants in the garden. This farm is owned by a family. This is true because of the small child and lady standing at the door of the cabin. We as viewers can also get a good idea of the geography and location of the piece of artwork, based off of details in the background of this painting. Obviously, this scene takes place in the mountains based off the landscape of the background. Another inference is that the people are wearing long sleeved shirts and pants in Summer months. Based on the what farmers are doing and the scenes in the foreground of this painting, we get a good idea what this farm family does. On the side near the cabin, we see a small garden. Near the two men and the dog, we see two large trees freshly cut down by then men. To the right of the house we see a fenced in pasture with cows inside of it. There are also goats grazing beside the garden. Based on the vegetables in the garden, the chopped down trees, and the livestock in the pasture, we can infer that the family of farmers who lived in the log cabin were self sufficient. We as viewers also get a good idea of farm objects and tools that would be present on a farm in the 19th Century. There is an old axe laid against the cabin beside a handmade workbench. The fence that surrounds the garden on the left is made out of smaller tree stumps and limbs. The family positioned the farm in a valley between mountains, as well as behind the boulders on the left and the right of the painting, for protection.

Without knowing the location of the scene beforehand, how could a viewer tell whether this was a farm in the north or the south? There are no slaves depicted in this painting, proving that this scene is most likely in the north. This scene was painted in 1858, and at the time, slavery was still legal. Slavery was also dominant in the south during this time, however, many farmers in the north were against it. Instead of slaves, farmers used child labor and tenant farmers as their labor force. An example of this in the painting is the two people watching over the goats in the middle of the scene that look like teenagers. Here is an example of what a New Hampshire farm’s labor force looked like in the 19th Century.



Luminism developed in the United States during the mid 1800’s. This art technique is characterized by effects of light in landscapes, poetic atmosphere, often sublime, through the use of aerial perspective, and a hiding of visible brushstrokes. It is related to, and sometimes refers to impressionism. Jasper Francis Cropsey conveys all of these techniques in his painting, Eagle Cliff, Franconia Notch, New Hampshire. Luminism is an art period that flourished in the United States only and lasted for about 20 to 30 years. From 1850 to 1870, artists such as Fitz Hugh Lane, John F. Kinsett, Martin J. Heade, Frederick E. Church, and of course, Jasper Francis Cropsey, painted vast landscapes across the country. This painting style became very popular during this time because it promoted western expansion. Aside from Cropsey’s painting, Eagle Cliff, Franconia Notch, New Hampshire, most painting created during the luministic period were of the west. Here is an example: Albert Bierstadt’s painting in 1868, Among the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California.



With tensions brewing between the northern and southern states of the US over slavery, states rights, and economy. Plantation owners and politicians of the south argued and bickered with abolitionists, factory owners, and politicians of the north over these issues. For some, these were problems they did not want to fight. The west provided people like these a place to start new lives away from the tension. Luministic paintings placed scenic images into the minds of people, showing them that a new life with breathtaking scenery was possible without ever leaving the United States.

By 1840, 7 million Americans, more than 40% of the population at the time, had moved west exploring the newest addition of the United States and starting new lives. As migrants from the original colonies flooded west, all with different talents, bringing their skill set with them. Miners excelled in California during the Gold Rush and artists grew in popularity from their paintings that illustrated what the west was like.

Luminism in the United States during the mid 1800s was one of the key factors that opened many American’s eyes to western expansion. Vivid images, like those illustrated by Jasper Francis Cropsey, demonstrate to viewers of today how important nature and detail in painting were during the 19th century.







Works Cited

http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/kl/luminism.html http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Collection/artist-info.1191.html?artobj_artistId=1191&pageNumber=1

http://www.countriesquest.com/north_america/usa/people/family_life/19th-century_families.htm

http://sectionhiker.com/eagle-cliff-bushwhack/

http://www.historynet.com/westward-expansion

Analysis of "The Last Judgement" by Crispijn van den broeck

Many artists have painted Christ’s second coming, or otherwise known as the final judgement. This painted version of the event, called “The Last Judgement,” is painted by the artist Crispijn van den broeck. Crispijn is a Flemish painter who was born in 1523 in Mechelen, Belgium; however, back in the 1500’s it was known as the Flanders. Similarly, Crispijn’s family members were also artists and he was trained by his father. Throughout his life, he worked as a painter, craftsman, and engraver. In 1559, Crispijn became a citizen of Antwerp and was a collaborator of the famous artist Frans Floris, who was a leading figure in the Northern Renaissance movement, otherwise known as Romanism. This movement was a huge influence on artists, like Crispijn, that caused for a great evolution in the world of art. With this movement came great unsurpassed technical skill, an eye and technique for details, and vibrant materialism. Just like other Flemish artists, Crispijn was a great artist with technical skill and details. Based on this scholarly article, what made Flemish artists different from one another was that individual piety was the prime motivating force. Crispijn, like other Flemish artists, painted with this individual piety; however, he decided to draw a religious event based on his piety and beliefs, drawing it in his own Catholic views and interpretations.

The Northern Renaissance was an artistic movement that referred to the rapid developments in art, which occurred in the Netherlandish Low Countries of Flanders and Holland, as well as, Germany. Artworks from this time period were known for their vibrant materialism and technical skill. Painting was very important in this time period. Artwork during this time period was able to flourish, because of the good economy and international trade of the area. There were many buyers when it came to art, so artists were able to practice freely and not have to worry about their income. With all this time artists were also able to practice and hone their art skills. People during this time, and even today, are amazed of the technical skill and high quality of the paintings. Crispijn’s piece was no exception to this. A central feature of this art movement was religious art, and, just like many of the paintings during his time, Crispijn drew a piece of religious art. However, he drew “The Last Judgement” in his own views, explaining why his version is different from others that drew the same event. Even though there are similarities, Crispijn’s version of “The Final Judgment” had differences, such as the type of clothing the people in the painting wore and the action of the angels.

One aspect of paintings from the Northern Renaissance, is the great detail put into the artwork. From Crispijn’s painting of “The Last Judgement” you can see how much effort he put into making the details of the painting. For example, you can see the muscle outlines of all the people in the painting and the single feathers of the angels. Everything is very detailed to the point where it looks very realistic.

During this time period, there was a religious and political struggle in the Low Countries. This area had just been overtaken and ruled by Spain. The Low Countries were split in two based on their religious views. The north became Protestant, while the South remained Catholic. Since Crispijn was from the south he was also Catholic, this is why Crispijn decided to draw a very important event in the Catholic world, the final judgement. This is when Christ comes back to earth and makes the final judgment on all humans, deciding if they go to Heaven or Hell. This can be seen in the painting as some of the people are lifted to Heaven by angels, while others are dragged and tormented to Hell by demons and the devil. One difference that Crispijn makes in this painting is that the demons look human but have animal heads. For example, in the bottom right corner of the painting one demon is depicted to have an animal head that almost looks like a lion.

During this religious battle and the turmoil that was going on, the Spanish and the Flemish were Catholic. In Flanders the Catholic Church, encouraged by the Spanish government, tried to awaken religion through art. This explains the popularity of religious pictures during this time period. One of the possible reasons Crispijn could have drawn this painting was to influence others to stay Catholic or to convert others to Catholic.

One detail that can be seen in the painting is that most of the people in heaven are fully clothed, while those suffering in hell are naked. This is because Crispijn, with his own religious beliefs, deemed that those sent to Hell are not worthy of having clothes. There are some similarities in Crispijn’s “The Last Judgment” and other versions. One thing these paintings have in common is that Christ is always the main character in the drawings. In Crispijn’s painting Christ is seen standing on top of an orb with those in Heaven surrounding him. Other similar paintings also depict Christ as the centerpiece, standing out from others as he is always given more space from other people in the paintings. Crispijn’s version of the final judgment is different from the famous painting of “The Last Judgement” that Michelangelo did, where he also painted this noteworthy event. In Michelangelo's version of the painting many of the people in Heaven were not wearing any clothes, whereas in Crispijn’s they are. One thing that the two paintings have in common; however, is that all of the people drawn in Hell are fully unclothed, with only a couple of them holding small rags or sheets. Another difference between the two paintings is the action of the angels. In Michelangelo’s version, you can see the angels beating and punching those that are trying to rise up to Heaven as while there is no such action in Crispijn’s painting. This is most likely because Crispijn sees them as holy figures that are not violent in any way. The only action that the angels are seen doing in Crispijn’s version is lifting people up and bringing them to Heaven. I believe that Crispijn thought that violence was never the answer. During the time that Crispijn drew “The Last Judgement” a war was occurring between the Netherlands and Spain. Crispijn could have made the angels and Christ in his painting as non violent to represent and express that violence will not solve any issues and that those who are violent and sin will be sent to Hell. Another noteworthy difference in Crispijn’s painting is that he also focuses on the Devil, making him an important part of the painting. The Devil is never really drawn in Michelangelo’s version or other versions, but in Crispijn’s painting the devil is drawn right in the front of the painting, while also being a focus of many of the people that were sent to Hell.

Before the division of the Low Countries, Dutch and Flemish paintings had been very similar. Even after the division the styles still remained the same; however, their favorite subjects for their artwork changed. The Dutch, who were now mostly Protestant, no longer painted religious pictures, while the Catholic Flemish still did. This can explain why Crispijn decided to paint a religious picture. The ideology of many of the Flemish had three points: God’s work is evident in the world itself; although things in this world are mortal and transitory, no facet of God’s creation is too insubstantial to be noticed, valued, or represented; and that they were chosen people, favored and blessed by God’s protection. The Flemish people were also very moralizing. Even though they enjoyed the pleasures of life, they were well aware that there were consequences to wrong behavior. This could be the reason why Crispijn painted “The Last Judgment.” Crispijn may have believed that Spain’s overtaking of the Low Countries was a sin, so he drew Christ sending the Spanish to Hell while the people of the Low Countries were saved and sent to Heaven. This could also be supported by the fact that Flemish painters were very symbolic in their drawings. Paintings often provided reminders of the brevity of life and the need for moderation and temperance in one’s conduct. During this time, subjects from the Bible, mythology, and ancient history were commonly used to establish parallels between the people’s experience and historical, literary, and political events. Crispijn used this to his advantage and drew a great picture, using Christ’s judgment as a moral message to tell others not to sin. If people were to sin, Crispijn drew the outcome, which was eternal pain and suffering in Hell, where the Devil and demons would torture you. With these details I believe that Crispijn was trying to send this message to the Spanish through his painting.

There are many similarities of Crispijn’s painting of “The Last Judgment” to other versions of this religious event. However, there are differences that make Crispijn’s stand out from others. The differences in his painting could be defined and explained by the area he lived in, the events that were going on during this time, and the way that he was raised. Overall Crispijn does a great job with details and colors while also being able to send a symbolic message to those that saw his painting called “The Last Judgment.”

References

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