FILM 6: Rembrandt / Greenaway

 Who is Peter Greenaway? Why should we believe his story?
Peter Greenaway is a British film director. He is famous for his films on the Renaissance, Baroque paintings, and particularly Flemish paintings. At an early age he decided to become a painter, he was interested in European cinema and mostly focused on films of Ingmar Bergman, and of the French Nouvelle Vague. I think we should believe his story because he is a credible film maker and has a tremendous amount of experience in the film making business. His credentials can and will back him up.

Greenaway chose to discuss only 1 painting in a full length film? Why? Was this effective?
They discuss this painting because they believe it is a painting that could or can solve a murder. They considered it as an indictment because they are so many clues inside this painting, that if and when they put them together they will have solved the murder mystery.

Why did this storyteller chose to use significant locations to tell parts of his
story? Which locations were the most effective and why?
He choose the locations because of Rembrandt's painting them in its original way. They choose Amsterdam's " Night Watch" because it shows the originality of its street life.

Why did this storyteller chose to use such dramatic lighting and theatrical reenactments to tell his stories? What else did he do? What was his most effective strategy?

Because the paining of the night event that occurred. The dramatic lighting and theatrical reenactments correlates with the paining. It is a painting that shows a frozen moment of theater play.

Question for open discussion: Why did the murder happen?

FILM 5: Caravaggio /Schama

Who is Simon Schama? Should we believe his stories? Why?
Simon Schama is a Bristish historian and an Art historian. He is a University Professor of History and Art History at Columbia College. He is best known for writing and hosting his serious of 15 parts BBC documentary serious. He has a particular interest in solving mysteries, studying very interesting artists suchs a Caravaggio and David. He's won multiple scholarships and likes to study the French Revolution

What do you consider to be the most interesting painting by Caravaggio? Why? How was it made?
How does it control your eye? When you look, what do you see first? second? What does it mean?
The most interesting about Caravaggio in his paintings is that  his paintings were painted to help paint his way out of trouble.. His paintings give off a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on the Baroque school of painting.

Why did this storyteller chose to use such dramatic lighting and theatrical reenactments to tell his
stories? Did they make the story more believable? Why / How?
He stated that Caravaggio was challenging the very way the painting was supposed to be. That he took a painting and turned it into death, and something rather disgusting.

Question for open discussion: Do you think Carvaggio was in the wrong for showing the paintings in the way that he did? And if so, why?

Film 4: Hockney / Knowledge

Who is David Hockney? Some people don't believe his stories. Do you? Why?
David Hockney was a brilliant British painter, draughtsman, printmaker, photographer, and designer. After a prize-winning career as a student at the Royal College of Art, Hockney achieved international success by the time he was in his mid-20s, and has since his position as by far the best-known British artist of his generation. His amazing success has been based not only on the flair, wit, and versatility of his work, but also on his colorful personality, which has made him a recognizable figure even to people not particularly interested in art: a film about him entitled A Bigger Splash (1974).
He was also considered  the most celebrated artist who belived that people have been using lens's for around 400 years before the camera was invented.
I have faith in him, he's changed my way of looking at painting and lens, and using a camera. It is very easy to catch the beautiful or uniqueness of a person or place. But he has also showed that it is even easier to make up a studio of very popular photographic places.

What was the Secret Knowledge? Does it change the way you look at painting? Why?
The lense is the secret knowledge, it all depends on your lense. You can change the view, the lighting, and setting of a picture just by changing your lense. And in all of his paintings he uses "tracing the lines" to perfect his paintings. The lighting is bright, very colorful, and unique.

What methods did Hockney use to tell his story? What were the most effective? Why?
He invented a studio with buildings and images of Florence, Hollywood, Rouge, and
Gant. Its a set in Hollywood, four cities involved in picture making.
He liked using mirrors because he stated " it gave the biggest space and the biggest measure" to add in more to your picture. To give your picture a still look, but its an acutal moving picture. I found the most effective of the video is when he stated that he created his own studio that looked like a hollywood set. That its possible to fake a place too look like a real place in real life.

Quesetion for open discussion: What was David Hockney's purpose?

Film 3 Michelangelo/Marlow

Who is Timothy Marlow? Why should we believe his story?

Timothy Marlow is curious and very intrigued by Michelangelo's art and work. He is fascinated by the sculptures and what Michelangelo used to put his art together. He started out in apprenticeship and worked his way into doing his own sculptures.He is best known for his channel 5 attributes. Timothy has collaborated many books written about art and culture in Brittain.

Which painting do you like most by Michelangelo's why? How was it made?What do you see first, second, third? Why? What is this painting about?

The painting I chose is the Battle Between Reason and Passion. This painting is flat, figures are slightly awkward almost as if they are standing out towards you. This painting gives a lot of passion and uniqueness. "The bodies are automically correct, grid like structure but also showing like everyone is trying to break out of it." Michelangelo is trying to portray power, violence, sensuality, and movement in this painting. Michelangelo also used a hammer and a chisel to do his paintings.

Why did this storyteller chose to use significant locations to tell parts of hisstory? Which locations were the most effective and why?

Timothy chose Florence, Italy because is the place of "Love" and that's where Michelangelo got a lot of his aspiration and inspiration There is also open land, vineyards, and antique treasures.

Question for open discussion: What is the name of the place Michelangelo did his apprenticeship?

Film 2 Divinci/Bruce

Who is Fiona Bruce? Why should we believe her stories?
Fiona Bruce is a British jounalist, newsreader, and television presenter. She is known for workin with the BBC and joining their segment news at six, the BBC news at ten. She has also joined TV shows Crimewatch, Call my Bluff, and the most recent Antique Roadshow. She also anchored her own documentary series from 2003 to 2007.

Which painting do you like most by Leonardo's why? How was it made? What doyou see first, second, third? Why? What is this painting about?

 I chose Lady with Ermine because this painting represented Sex. And the Ermine was a representation of love. Her faces gives off a look of a chilly gaze, almost as if she is protectng her love, the Ermaine. She looks peaceful, and live like. She looks as if she is full of life and love. Lady with the Ermaine has a young, clean and intelligent look. The painting colos are little dark but sophisticated. She appears to be pure and innocent.

Why did this storyteller chose to use expert interviews to tell parts of herstory? Which Interviews were the most effective and why?
The interview I chose was the segment where Fiona interviews a lady showing the x-rays with some embellishments that Leonardo tried to work through and fix in his canvas's.


Question for open discussion: How many paintings did Leonardo Davinci paint?

FILM 1: Paint / History

What is Paint? What are it's component parts? What are it's functions?

According to researchers "paint is a pigmented liquid that dries to form a protected solid film. It's 3 basic compenents are: Resin: That works like a glue, to bind it all together.
Pigment: Which  gives the paint its color.
Solvent: To smooth out paint as it drys.
Pigments are always solid ground up minerals that are also mixed with complex chemical based organic pigments. The binder which is also known as Ressin, is made up from linseed oil and acrylic polymers. The solvent is made up of water or volital spirits."

What do you think lead to the most significant evolution in paint?
30,000 years ago in Southern France people would paint the walls inside their homes. Egyptians would paint and put symbolic images up on those walls. Today paint stores offer an unlimited amount of paint colors.

What is a painting? Is it important that a painting lasts for 500 years? 30,000Years? Why?
In the 15th Century Jan Van Eyek was the first to introduce oil painting.  The Birth of Modern Chemistry, Fire of Revolution, and in the 19th cntury and the formation of electricity changed the view on painting and its competents.  The electricity began fueling elements together which gave a wide variety of paint colors and options. The 19th century Impressonitists began to start painting pictures with people, buildings,etc. The paint had to be made to be able to sustain sun light, rain, ice, snow, gravel, etc. Without paint the world would be just a blank canvas.

Question for open discussion:
What event lead painters to paint everything they wanted to paint such as cars, homes, buildings, etc?

Jennifer Rocco
Major: Clinical Psychology
Minor: Business

I chose this class because I am a fan of Art, it is very interesting to me. And I hope to visit the famous Art buildings some day.