A Visit to the National Gallery of Art: West and East Buildings

A Visit to the National Gallery of Art- West Building

I truly enjoy this visit to the West Building because I was able to see paintings of very famous artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Rembrandt, etc. I also had a blast there because there were European and American art pieces from the thirteenth century through the nineteenth century- Something I had not see since my last trip to Italy, two years ago.

The five paintings that struck me the most emotionally and intellectually were the following:

1.    “Madonna” by Giotto

This painting is the fifth piece I saw on the first gallery which was The Bizantine (before the renaissance), so during the dark ages. As we discussed in class, during these times most painters were asked to draw and paint a holy figure and they would usually use models or already made layouts. However, Giotto was the first one who had someone pose for him and painted while he was actually seeing the person. That way, he was able to blend the colors and capture the highlights and shadows of the image and transferred it onto the canvas.

In short, Giotto changed the way people perceive and thought of images.

2.    “Ginevra de’ Benci” by Leonardo da Vinci

Once we enter this gallery, we were seeing only portraits without depth of field. The artists at that time were trying to make their paintings have a background, middle ground and foreground. However, none of these artists in the gallery got it. Leonardo da Vinci however, nails the technique blowing everyone’s mind away. According to the West Building Highlights handout, “Ginevra’s face displays the delicate translucence of porcelain.” This is totally true. In addition, da Vinci is able to create a beautiful and perfectly blended background that makes the portrait come to live. This is the only painting of Leonardo da Vinci in the Western Hemisphere- Most or all of them are found in different parts of Europe.

3.    “The Alba Madonna” by Raphael

This oil panel was transferred to canvas in 1510. There is a harmonious blending of colors on the background, middle ground and foreground. There is a sensation of three-dimensionality and a mix of highlights and shadows on the Virgin Mary, baby Jesus and the angel by their side. The drapery of their clothes makes it feel as a realistic portrait also.

4.    “The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew” by Jusepe Ribera

   This is a European oil painting painted in the late sixteenth century and early seventeenth century (1634). What struck me on this composition is the realism of the portrait. It almost looks real, like a photograph. Ribera is able to target the highlights and shadows on the bones and muscles of Bartholomew as well as the light reflecting on his cheeks and left shoulder.  The guy with the brown robe is about to attack him but Bartholomew has an expression of a martyr as if he was asking God to take his spirit and be ready to die. This painting reminds me of the Jesus’s wound paiting because of the similarity of the highlights on the victim (Jesus and in this particular one, Bartholomew).

5.    “The Veil of Veronica” (1622) by Domenico Fetti

                                                                  This oil painting was an emotional meaning to me as a Christian. It represents the biblical scene when Veronica hands Jesus Christ a washcloth to wipe His face off of sweat and blood. She considers it holy and it seems as if His face is printed on it, showing his humanity and holiness while paying for our sins. Fetti is able to create a sensation of texture on the washcloth as if it is wrinkled and damp from wiping Jesus’s face.  When seeing the painting from far away in the gallery, it surely stands out from the rest.

 

Now my visit to the East building was also a lot of fun, much more contemporary art. Such as the following: 

Overall, these visits to the West and East Buildings were a great experience for me. I look forward to going back with my loved ones when I have more free time and spend more time on each gallery.