Title: Lamb of the Stars
Size: 38 cm x 28 cm
Medium: Linoleum Carved Block Print
Completed July 2023
Size: 38 cm x 28 cm
Medium: Linoleum Carved Block Print
Completed July 2023
- Exhibition Text -
Lamb of the Stars is a block print with inspirations from Mucha, Runge, and Francisco. I had sampled art nouveau borders as well as the day and night theme within Runge's own work. Playing off of the concept of a sacrificial lamb Lamb of the stars is meant to symbolize a vulnerability within someone. Turning this concept around, I wanted to represent how one's vulnerability can be so guarded/so far away that there is no chance for them to be hurt in their own eyes.
- Inspiration -
Le Pater by Alphonse Mucha, 1899
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Alphonse Mucha is known for his iconic art nouveau style with complex and whimsical boarders. Majority of his subjects are human while utilizing delicate lining. Since the art nouveau movement is known to involve many overlapping details while not looking too chaotic. Specifically in this piece Mucha is able to overlap both his boarders as well as circular shapes. While this looks very nice I would only be replicating his boarders.
The Morning by Phillipp Runge can be interpreted as representing both heaven and hell, with cherubs/angels throughout the whole piece. This work also utilizes a boarder to separate the different aspects, the outer boarder showing a clear descent from 'day' to 'night'. When I had began brainstorming what I had wanted out of my block print I had also initially taken inspiration from the angels posing and how they moved within the background. |
The Morning by Phillipp Runge, 1808
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Angus Dei by Francisco de Zurbarán, 1635-40
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Angus Dei is the main inspiration for my block print. An oil painting in a realistic baroque style, this painting depicts a bound lamb on a table. The background itself is empty, as well as the table so the audiences main focal point is the lamb itself. The overall emotion from this piece is somewhat bleak as the audience can infer that whatever is going to happen to the lamb is inevitable and no changing it. While the lamb is realistic I had wanted to replicate its overall appearance. This is something that I had thought would better exemplify my message since lambs are often seen as innocent creatures.
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- Planning -
Since I had wanted to emulate the intricate art nouveau boarders I first brainstormed different compositions of what that would look like for the print. I had also wanted a 'night and day'/space motif throughout my piece, so I drew different ways to incorporate that into the boarders as well.
I had initially planned on having a human subject, similar to the angelic ones within Runge's The Morning. I had wanted to play with a delicate posing to establish a 'balance'. However once I began planning for this subject I did not like the outcome, so I had decided to find more inspiration. After seeing Francisco's Angus Dei I had realized that having a lamb as my main subject would better exemplify my message of vulnerability. |
Initial rough design idea
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After deciding my subject I had experimented with overall posing and what I wanted the lambs expression to look like. I was unsure how realistic I had wanted to make the lamb, the medium playing a part in this as well. Since I was creating a block print I would have to consider the negative space and overall detail, making sure that what I create is realistic in method. With my planning sketches I did create a realistic iteration of a lamb, however this was to get a better grasp of the Angus Dei inspiration. After deciding what pose looked best for the print I created a rough estimate of what it would look like with the boarders (similar to what I had done with the sun/moon).
When first thinking about what I had wanted the overall expression to look like I had initially thought about doing a cartoon expression (with cartoon details). Things like random lines as well as an 'x' over the eyes to represent death were all things I had considered, however when observing my inspirations I had realized that this wouldn't mesh well with my messaging. Then I was able to come to a decision of simply keeping the lambs expression neutral but also 'young' with simple highlights. |
- Process & Experimentation -
To begin my process I first completed my final transfer drawing. After doing so I transferred it with charcoal, once the sketch was on the linoleum I outlined the overall shape of the lamb in sharpie. I had attempted to experiment with line depth during this phase to envision what it would look like during the carving phase.
Once I began carving I had begun to think that the background of my piece was looking to empty. Even though I had the sun and moon boarder I had felt like my piece needed more. Similar to The Morning, I wanted my subject to be surrounded with more detail, as a result I later added things like shooting stars and smaller star-like shapes. Carving was the easiest part of my process, however I came upon some difficulty when it came to the fluffiness of the lamb. While I was able to achieve this texture on the outside of the lamb I was worried that I would be limited when it came to the inside.
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Because of this possible limitation I had decided to add that texture after my initial print. After carving majority of my piece I went over it with a thin layer of an acrylic mix I made as my own 'imitation' ink. This allowed me to see what pieces I needed to carve more, as well as what lines I needed to make bigger. When doing this process a unique speckled texture had kept appearing, and while none of my inspiration pieces use a similar texture I thought it was a nice detail. After working with the texture and fixing the depth of my carving I was able to print my piece.
- Critique -
Similarities:
-Both Mucha and Runge utilize boarders to help balance their piece, similarly I also utilize a boarder as well. My boarder is most similar the Mucha's (with his intricate lines), however I also share a similar sun and moon pattern to that of The Morning.
-My work utilizes a lamb to represent something vulnerable and guarded, utilizing the phrase 'lamb to the slaughter'. This is due to the influence of Angus Dei as well as it's similar messaging. My inspiration displays a lamb that is bound with no way of escape, the lamb is vulnerable but with no protection. While my piece has the similar subject matter the way I utilize it is also different.
-My work utilizes a lamb to represent something vulnerable and guarded, utilizing the phrase 'lamb to the slaughter'. This is due to the influence of Angus Dei as well as it's similar messaging. My inspiration displays a lamb that is bound with no way of escape, the lamb is vulnerable but with no protection. While my piece has the similar subject matter the way I utilize it is also different.
Differences:
-Not including Mucha none of my pieces utilize line heavily, this is due to the overall differences in style. With there being inspiration from the baroque period as well as art nouveau. This difference in line is also due to a difference in medium since my block print is only in black and white it relies heavily on line as well as contrast.
-The difference in medium also helps further my messaging while setting the work apart from the inspirations. My piece only has two colors (black and white) whereas each inspiration has unique color pallets. Since my piece is so simplistic when it comes to color the audience is able to see this from a more simplistic perspective without getting to complicated as a result.
-The difference in medium also helps further my messaging while setting the work apart from the inspirations. My piece only has two colors (black and white) whereas each inspiration has unique color pallets. Since my piece is so simplistic when it comes to color the audience is able to see this from a more simplistic perspective without getting to complicated as a result.
- Reflection -
Since I had prior experience with carving/block prints the overall process was very familiar to me. I did experiment with the final product, using a different type of color (an acrylic mix instead of ink) which had created an end product I enjoyed. Similar to the prior rough drafts of my block print, the next time I create a print I will attempt to experiment with texture. The complex boarders of Mucha was a key inspiration for this piece and something I think is reflected. This overall piece and its process was something I had enjoyed, it allowing me to mix different aspects from past works (carving as well as painting other details).
- Connections to the ACT -
1) Clearly explain how you were able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your art?
Once viewing the Angus Dei I had changed the core subject matter of my piece. Similarly viewing my art nouveau/Mucha inspiration influenced me to follow with a certain style of boarder for my block print. When also viewing The Morning I began to think about a night and day theme and how that could be relevant to my print as well.
2) What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Similar to Francisco's work my work shares a similar subject within the lamb. In both works the lamb is representing something vulnerable/innocent. In Francisco's case the lamb is supposedly being sacrificed (inferred from the way it is bound on a cold/clinical table) furthering this. Style wise my work does not look similar to any of the art movements of my inspiration.
3) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I was able to closely observe how things like innocence are presented within classical work.
4) What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
When looking into my inspiration I knew I had wanted a presence of weakness to represent my message. This can be found with Agnus Dei and additionally on a surface level within he delicate line work as well as delicate characters for both Runge and Mucha.
5) What kinds of inferences did you make while reading your research?
How things like innocence, especially within religion is perceived. Lambs are often a symbol of something innocent/something that needs protection.
- Citations -
“Le Pater - Themes - Gallery - Mucha Foundation.” Www.muchafoundation.org, www.muchafoundation.org/en/gallery/themes/theme/le-pater.
“The Morning [Philipp Otto Runge] | Sartle - Rogue Art History.” Www.sartle.com, 5 Nov. 2020, www.sartle.com/artwork/the-morning-philipp-otto-runge.
Zurbarán, Francisco de. “Agnus Dei.” Museodelprado.es, Museo del Prado, 1640, www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/agnus-dei/795b841a-ec81-4d10-bd8b-0c7a870e327b.
“The Morning [Philipp Otto Runge] | Sartle - Rogue Art History.” Www.sartle.com, 5 Nov. 2020, www.sartle.com/artwork/the-morning-philipp-otto-runge.
Zurbarán, Francisco de. “Agnus Dei.” Museodelprado.es, Museo del Prado, 1640, www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/agnus-dei/795b841a-ec81-4d10-bd8b-0c7a870e327b.