Aesthetic Experience and the Construction of Meanings, Essay Example

Art is just as important to a culture as language; for many, it is more important because placing what one wants to say in words can be very difficult. (Semicolon) One can look history over and see that there were many cultures that did not have a definite religious practice, but they had art-which could be dance, song, or design. Art work (compound noun) and works of literature connect with their audiences in very different ways. Art gives the viewer one single message, while words are perceived in different ways by each reader. With visual art, there is no grey area. Visual art is communication(metaphor). When one is looking at a piece of art, all of the senses are indirectly ignited. For example, Silvia (pg. 25) poses the question “How can contemporary artists influence the conditions necessary in order to make it more likely that viewers actively participate in the meaning-making of artworks?” Although Lange is not a contemporary artist, he gives the viewer the opportunity to actively participate in the meaning of his painting. This concept is not possible when reading either. When you are reading, you only focus on what is being said. There are many similarities and differences between Alpine Landscape and Tale of Genji, but each speaks to a different type of viewer in much the same way.

The first piece of art I looked at closely was the Alpine Landscape by Julius Lange. It was painted in 1866. I choose to read the information about the piece prior to looking in-depth at the art. I learned that during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries many artists and tourists made pilgrimages over the Alps. Actually, the Alps were the most important part of their journey. Julius Lange visited the Alps in late 1850s, but did not paint the picture until ten years later. I would like to believe that it took him that long to figure out how to put the majesty of what he witnessed into a visual depiction.

Gazing at the picture, my eyes immediately go to the mountains (Gerund). They are towering above everything else. In some areas the mountains even seem to touch the clouds are that the clouds are an extended portion of the mountains. The sky is a light hue of blue with white clouds meticulously placed in five different positions. As I looked at the clouds, I am amazed to notice that the moon is visible. Although it is in the waxing crescent, its presence is very domineering. As I look slightly to the left, I can see vague signs of an evening sunset behind the trees. Although it is very possible that both the sun and moon were present, I believe Julius added this as more of a symbolic representation of what the Alps represented to him. Just this portion alone makes the viewer acknowledge the presence of a greater power. The vastness, yet the simplicity of each unique object convey to the reader the significance of everything in the scheme of the world. (Oxymoron)

Towards the middle of the painting you can see the image of a cabin nestled by trees and bushes. Although you cannot determine if the house is occupied, you are lead to believe that it is because a faint trail of smoking is slipping from the chimney. At this point, I am wondering what would a person do in such seclusion. Then I think to the majesty and beauty of the mountains that line the backdrop. With views like these, one would wake up each day anticipating what the view will present that day. In such a place like the one is depicted, I believe that the house is occupied by a monk who is soul searching and strengthening his life with God. Although this is a visual representation, I can imagine the sounds one would hear in this remote place. I can hear birds chirping in the distance. In the nearby woods the crackling of leaves and twigs sound thunderous as a moose walks by (Onomatopoeia). A flipping fish in the lake below can be heard as its body jerks above the water several times trying to escape capture.

The second painting that I chose is Tale of Genji, which is a depiction of scenes from the eleventh century novel. The novel centers around the life of Prince Genji and his descendants. In order to understand what is being depicted in this painting, one has to know a little about the novel. The Tale of Genji is believed to be the first novel ever written and it was written by a woman. The woman believed to have written the novel was Lady Muraski. The story centers around the Prince and the many romances he has. Now, during this time, Heian period, men and women were able to freely date as long as they were of equal ranks. Their courtship was very unlike what occurs today. When a man became interested in a woman, he would send her a poem. If she responded they would correspond with each other until the man was permitted to meet the woman. However, when they met, the lady would remain behind the screen and the two would communicate by passing poems back and forth. If the woman allowed the man to see her from behind the screen, they would be considered lovers. So, this painting depicts scenes from chapter five of the novel.

The first aspect of this painting that pulled my attention was the colors. The first thing that I noticed was that the people all have similar colors on-red, white, and/or brown (dash). The trees are all a bright green hue and the ground surrounding the areas are a dusty brown. Yet, on top of the roof of one of the houses, there seems to be snow. I found that ironic that the trees would be so brilliant and bright during the winter months, especially during a snow. I believe this too is symbolic of what is going on in the painting. The main character is in love. Also, there are some barren trees that are blooming with bright white flowers.

To compare these two paintings seemed a daunting task at first, like comparing a mountain to a river (simile).  Nevertheless, as I studied the two I became aware of the many similarities and differences the two possessed. Both paintings have distinctive hues of colors. The paint is bright and pulls the viewer in for a closer look. Yet, one uses ink and the other uses oil. Both artists use colors to display and convey images that scream “look at me!” This was very unique to me because as I looked even closer I noticed that the first painting has a glossy shine, while the other seemed more opaque.

Next, both paintings are divided into scenes, but not in a quite as obvious way. The first painting is divided solely by landscape. The mountains, trees, clouds, and lake serve as natural barriers, while the second painting is divided into sections by the painter. The artist divides the painting into two distinct sections divided by a thing wooden board. However, those two distinct sides are further divided into two sides each by fold in the canvas. Yet, when you look closely at the second painting you can see that the division is merely a ruse and that the painting is a depiction of one scene because the landscape from one section connects with the landscape of another section.

Both paintings depict scenes, but the second paintings depict scenes from a novel. So, this means that the viewer is being led to seeing what the painter wants him/her to see. Yet, the first painting allows the viewer to determine the meaning of the painting. Tale of Genji is more complicated and more difficult to discern because the viewer would have to have some background knowledge of the novel. So, the average person may or may not be able to see the beauty in this painting.

The Tale of Genji has an artificial boundary, whereas the Alps Landscape does not. The artist, in Tale of Genji, decides to use a border around his piece. There are various circles and shapes that seal the edge of the painting. Yet, the Alps Landscape really does not have a boarder. The Alpine Landscape blooms brightly beyond borders. (Alliteration) The natural landscape is much like this. For as far as the eye can see, a landscape does not end abruptly in life. One can stand and look at a tree line and notice that it just keeps connecting with other natural sites. If it were not for the frame on this painting, one would believe this was possible.

Both artists convey a contrast of light and dark hues to grab the viewers’ attention. They have created space by having people, landscape, and other objects present in the paintings. Nevertheless, Julius Lange has been considered landscape artists because most of his paintings did not contain people or animals. Yet, in Alpine Landscape he uses both animals and a person.   The viewer can depict the various textures within the paintings because the artists used trees, water, and duty bushes as points of references. In my opinion, Julius would be considered a personal painting style because he painted pictures of sites he had personally viewed. While the artist who painted the Tale of Genji paints from a realistic point of view. He decides to paint depicting something with historical grounding.

Finally, in Julius Lange’s painting, the people and animals seem to be overtaken by the landscape around them. It is obvious that the landscape is more important than the people and animals. Yet, Tale of Genji is quite the opposite. The people are the most important and the take a domineering stance in the painting. The landscape surrounds them, not vice versa as in the other painting.

I really liked both paintings because of the use of colors, but my favorite was Alpine Landscape. I liked this one best because anyone person who has seen a mountain, clouds, a lake, or even a small cabin could relate and identify with the artist.  Parsons adds, “The meaning of the work is seen as constructed by the interaction of the viewer with the work. Meaning therefore depends in part on the particular viewer and/or the culture of the viewer. Hence it is not universal, the same for every viewer. (Parsons 2002, p.30).  I agree totally with Parsons; I like Lange’s painting best because of this fact. Unlike the Tale of Genji, to fully understand and appreciate the second painting, one would have to know a little about the novel.

Works Cited

Parsons, M., 2002. Aesthetic Experience and the Construction of Meanings. Journal of Aesthetic Education, 36(2), p.24-37.

Silvia, P.J., 2010. Confusion and Interest: The Role of Knowledge Emotions in Aesthetic Experience. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 4(2), pp.75-80.