Jaimee Stevenson
Professor Bomboy
Humanities 101
Renaissance Painting
Critique
Titan,
a famous artist from the renaissance era, is well-known for his compelling paintings
and narrative scenes. Bacchus and Ariadne,
one of Titan’s more well-known paintings, tells a story that is emphasized by
using the elements of art and principals of design
The elements of art are
subtle yet important to the overall dimension of the painting. The lines and
shapes that Titan used add to the intensity of the piece, for example, the shapes
of the clouds and the trees. This simple element adds so much more to the
painting rather than merely human figures. Form and space are evident when
looking at the bodies and seeing that they are taking action rather than
standing idle. Both of these elements add to the three-dimensional aspect of
the painting, giving the piece action and life. The color of the sky and the
foliage add to the value of the piece. The different hues that are used in the
background aid in the emphasis of the characters and their motions.
Balance within the piece
is a principle of design that makes the painting unique and advanced for the
time period. The asymmetrical balance of the figures taking action is more
complex and involves careful placement of the characters by the artist. The
principle of rhythm is intended to create a sense of movement throughout the
piece. In this particular example, a progressive rhythm is depicted through the
sequence of steps and movements that the subjects are making. Most of the
characters in this painting are facing the same direction which forms unity and
repetition in light of the principles of design.
The elements of art and
principles of design enhance the painting and emphasize the story that is
illustrated. The left side of the painting behind Ariadne are colors of blue
and white which can represent loneliness as well as purity, which is symbolic
of the Greek goddess deserted on the island. The right side of the painting is
darker more neutral tones, and is also much less vivid. The figures on the
right side are less prominent then Bacchus and Ariadne, who are the focal point
of the painting with the use of space, proportion, and color.
Ariadne, the Goddess of labyrinths
(mythography.org), has been abandoned on an island by her past lover, Theseus,
who can be seen sailing away in the background. Bacchus, the God of wine (pantheon.org),
has discovered her on shore and is immediately taken by her, and leaps out of
his chariot to protect her. He may be protecting her from the cheetahs pulling
the chariot, or perhaps he is protecting her from being harmed from his rambunctious
followers. An additional myth is that he is saving her from being stranded,
heartbroken, and left to die. It is said that Bacchus raised her to heaven and
turned her into a constellation, which is represented by the stars in the upper
left-hand corner. (nationalgallery.org) Ariadne is depicted in a stance of fear
and hesitance, possibly caused by the astonishment of the God that has appeared
before her. Another likely explanation for her stance could be a bewildered
reaction from being forsaken on an island. Ariadne’s right arm is outstretched
towards the ship that carries Theseus, and her left arm is behind her back in a
protective pose.
Titan accurately painted
a narrative picture that tells the story of Bacchus and Ariadne. Bacchus’s
followers cause some confusion, however. It is seen that some followers are
women, some followers are male, and some followers are animals. Furthermore, one
of his followers appears to be a child. With no visible explanation of this,
viewers are left to wonder, where was Bacchus going and where was he coming
from? The history behind Ariadne being abandoned is viewable in the painting by
the ship in the far left and her belongings on the ground near her feet. The narrative
behind Bacchus is unknown and remains a mystery. Perhaps this is what Titan intended
when creating this painting, though. Unknowing of the history to how Bacchus
found her, the viewers see the painting from Ariadne’s perspective of the inexplicable
God emerging from the unforeseen.
Feminism is extremely impactful
when taking a critical standpoint of the painting Bacchus and Ariadne. The mythical story of this piece revolves
around feminism. During the 1500’s, women held a place in society that was more
to be seen and less to be heard. It was unthought-of for a woman to abandon a
man, the situation was nearly always vice-versa. A man could easily neglect a
woman and strand her on an island, whereas it was difficult for a woman to do
the same. Women did not have the resources that men had, in this case, a boat.
For a woman to ask for a ship to abandon her lover could not happen. The woman
would be bombarded with questions pertaining why she required the ship and that
women have no place on boats. On the other hand, for a man to demand a ship would
have been quite standard and few questions would be asked. Also when considering
feminism, the thought of a man rescuing a woman is well-known and has been used
as a plotline for thousands of years. Only in most recent times have women
begun to rescue men in plotlines, and even so, it is not seen nearly as much.
Bacchus and Ariadne is an elegant work of art from Titus that has
been respected and admired by mythologists for generations. There are many
theories involving the happenings of the painting. Titus mastered the elements
of art and principles of design in a tasteful manner resulting in an effective
narrative that can be debated and requires creative thought-processes.
Works Cited
"Bacchus and Ariadne." Titian. N.p., Feb. 2007. Web. 16 Apr.
2014.
<http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/titian-bacchus-and-ariadne>.
Lindemans, Micha F. "Bacchus." Bacchus. N.p., Mar. 1997. Web.
16 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.pantheon.org/articles/b/bacchus.html>.
"Ariadne in Greek Mythology." Mythography RSS. N.p., n.d. Web.
16 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.mythography.com/myth/welcome-to-mythography/greek-heroes/greek-heroes-1/ariadne/>.
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