Tag: Art History
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Did a Woman Create Abstract Art? Notes on Hilma Af Klint
Helene Chaligne discusses the debate over who created the first Western abstract artwork. Although Kandinsky claimed primacy, Hilma af Klint’s influential spiritualist and botanical themes have only recently gained recognition.
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Surreality Before Surrealism: Divine Dreamscape and the Enigma of Giorgio de Chirico
Molly Marsella discusses the Surrealist movement, conceptualized by André Breton, emphasising the power of the unconscious and the “marvellous” through images, dreams, and automatism. Giorgio de Chirico’s metaphysical works exemplify these ideas, blending reality with dreamlike elements. Breton’s admiration for de Chirico underscores their shared exploration of profound, supernatural truths within art.
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Recreating the Myth: Cleopatra’s Death in Two Nineteenth-Century French Paintings
Peiqi An delves into the legacy of Cleopatra’s death and modern Egyptomania across a comparative visual analysis.
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Terracotta Warriors: The Conservation of the ‘World’s Eighth Wonder’
Emma Donaldson explores the history of the Terracotta and how they being preserved for the future.
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The Painted Question, The Iconoclast Answer
Abby Hughes explores the history and slashing of Diego Velázquez’s Rokeby Venus.
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Art in the Harlem Renaissance and its Legacy
Flora Gilchrist explores the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance through the work of African American artist Aaron Douglas and Charles Henry Alston.
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Textile Art: Decoration or Activism?
Textiles are a common art form that can evoke a range of emotions. Flora Gilchrist analyses how textiles were crafted during the civil rights movement in America to convey deep political meanings.
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The Court of King Henry VIII and the Importance of Dynastic Portraiture
The Tudor dynasty leveraged portraiture to assert their legitimacy and power, with images emphasizing ancestry and wealth. Emily Jones considers portraits of Henry VIII and his heirs as not only symbolising dynastic continuity but also reinforcing monarchical authority and stability throughout turbulent political times.
Retrospect Journal 