Introduction
Art and design are predominant features of society that have influenced remarkable expressions through architecture and buildings. According to Sporre (2015), art is a creative feature requiring critical thinking, which can be approached factually and straightforwardly. He breaks down art as a tool that invoked significant meaning through artistic sculptures and architectural works revered in modern society.
The works of history are acknowledged for their effect on people as they engage in different ways to deliver a message that the artists conceived (Sporre, 2015). The paper will reflect on the intricacies of art that influence society through a visual analysis of The Thinker and The Jamb Statues on the West Portal of Cathedral Chartres, both sculptures that reflect the interconnection of art and religion in society. In this regard, the fundamental enlightening component was the concept of religion.
Gothic Influence in the Jamb Statues
The Jamb Statues, West Portal, and Chartres Cathedral were fundamental pieces that had overarching insights into human civilizations. The statues are based on a classical theme of the Gothic development style with controversial perceptions in society. Sporre (2015) argued that the Jambs, as elements of Gothic sculpting, were perceived to embody simplicity, verticality, elegance, and lightness. These elements were applied to the Jamb Statues on the West Portal as reflections of the benevolence of Jesus as the guidance on living in righteousness (Sporre, 2015). Hence, the attraction was relative to their influence on society to reinforce Christianity.
The Thinker and Its Intellectual Symbolism
Synonymously, the Thinker provided significant insight into art as a factor in reinforcing societal perceptions and religion. The sculpture was incepted by Auguste Rodin and revered as a well-polished bronze cast of a seated man in deep thought, with his chin resting on his hands and elbow perched on his knees (Sporre, 2015). The Thinker invokes the ideal of humanity that necessitates practicality as a functional component of life. The perception influences an appreciation of the evolution of civilization, which developed intellectually and embraced critical and enlightened thinking in life.
Artistic Execution and Humanism
The attractive factor of the piece selected is the execution of the artistic works, the accuracy of the compositions, the clean polish, and the appreciation of humanism. In this sense, art is influential as a model of the human form and its intricacies. On the other hand, the Jamb Statues were a subject of reflection due to their elegance and how the statues stand out within long vertical forms.
The two artistic works correlate as essential insights into how art can be different but invoke insight into human beliefs and convictions. The contrast of the other pieces demystified the misconception of what is deemed gothic in modern society. Gothic is a word framed for dark concepts. Instead, I have learned that the Gothic character reflected a pristine classical style that inspired several religious architecture and sculptures.
Deeper Meanings Behind The Thinker
An exciting factor revealed was based on the conceptualization of the Thinker. The National Gallery of Art (2023) asserted the relationship of The Thinker as a reflection of Dante’s Divine Comedy, a revelation that the piece had a deeper meaning than I was privy to. The piece is considered to have been a reflection of Dante, inspired by his contemplation of the religious beliefs of the afterlife (National Gallery of Art). The statue’s muscular figure reflected that critical thinking was a necessary action that required substantial effort.
Conversely, I learned that the Cathedral of Notre Dame was the conceptualization of Gothic imagery as a didactic mechanism. Sporre (2015) delineated the sculptures as stepping out of the background and becoming the center of attraction. The two pieces revealed new knowledge that art has a message that can be straightforward and hidden, depending on the viewers’ interaction.
Lessons on Art’s Meaning and Purpose
Accordingly, the lessons learned affect the preconceptions that art is about the quality of the execution and its composition. I knew that art goes beyond the attraction of the pieces, transcending to integrate its alignment with meaning. Most art pieces are linked to the artist’s message.
Through the Thinker, I understood that art can be presented as a form of historic derivations. The inspiration of art is an intersection of the artists’ interaction with society and its history, which they depict in artistic form to embody and symbolize their purview. The works meet my expectations of classical art preserved in history with distinct execution. Understanding their inception and purpose is essential to support the depiction of Gothic history.
Conclusion
The pieces are related to my experience with an interest in classical civilization and history that defines us. The lessons learned from the reflection are relevant features to foster appropriate and objective approaches. The learning affected my worldview by reflecting on how historic civilizations existed and manipulated art to influence society.
The insights into these historical facts and elements show the substantial capabilities that human civilization had. They form the basis of modernization, that modern societies are a preserved, modified, or enhanced historical framework of thinkers and artists that define civilizations. This knowledge has influenced my perception of architecture and sculptures as simply ornamental and for shelter. Tentatively, they reveal that there is meaning to artistic pieces, which varies depending on how people engage with them.
References
National Gallery of Arts. (2023). Going through Hell? See Dante’s “The Divine Comedy” in Art. Natioal Gallery of Art. Web.
Sporre, D. J. (2015). Perceiving the arts: An introduction to the humanities (11th ed.). Pearson.