Arts Essays
Alfred Stieglitz
Alfred Stieglitz Alfred Stieglitz was an influential photographer who spent his life fighting for the recognition of photography as a valid art form. He was a pioneering photographer, editor and gallery owner who played pivotal role in defining and shaping modernism in the United States. (Lowe 23). He took pictures in a time when photography was considered as only a scientific curiosity and not an art. As the controversy over the art value of photography became widespread, Stieglitz began to...
Allegory of American Pie by Do
Allegory of American Pie by Do A Piece of the "Pie" Ask anyone what was the defining moment in the rock history of the 1960s was and all you will get is a one word answer: Woodstock. The three day rock festival that defined an era was only one of many music festivals of the �60s. But Woodstock has come to symbolize, "an era of peaceful, free- loving, drug- taking hippie youth, carefree before harsher realities hit..." (Layman 40). The Woodstock festival ended a century filled with many me...
Amadeus Anaylisis
Amadeus Anaylisis Amadeus The film Amadeus, directed by Milos Forman, written by Peter Schaffer, and under the musical direction of Neville Marriner, stars F. Murray Abraham as Antonio Salieri, Tom Hulce as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Elizabeth Berridge as Constanze Mozart. Amadeus begins as two servants find Salieri seconds after he has tried to commit suicide. He is rushed to the hospital where he is met by a priest. As Salieri begins his dark tale of deception and greed, the fil...
Amistad 3
Amistad 3 �Who we are, is who we were�, was the persuading point Atty. Baldwin states reaching into the hearts of the jurors. Telling a story about the intriguing life and life lost of the Mende people. Their ending up in America and the tragedy and violent cruel torture they endured not only on �La Amistad� , but also the treatment they received here in America. Who were these people? Why was it such an issue on whose �property� they were? The time was around 1854, and th...
An Introspective Look on Fate Concerning the Tragedies of An
An Introspective Look on Fate Concerning the Tragedies of An Is man free to mold his own destiny, or is he a mere thread on the spool of life the Fates, the three female deities of Greek Mythology, cut? Can in fact man, determine his life based on his own free will or will he be subject to the web that is weaved for him? The force, which controls the path of man, has been a long survived question. This inquiry remains unanswered, yet consist of many explanations. Plato and Aristotle both f...
Analysis Of Casablanca
Analysis Of Casablanca Many feel that Casablanca is Bogart's best film. I disagree - but for those who don't To Have and Have Not is a must-see film. It's Casablanca with a different setting, this time we find Bogart playing Harry Morgan, crewing a ship out for hire. His lovely lady is Lauren Bacall in her motion picture debut playing the dark and mysterious Slim. Teamed up with Harry's alcoholic side-kick Eddie, Cricket the night-club manager by night, resistance sympa...
Analysis of Rembrandt Joseph A
Analysis of Rembrandt Joseph A The story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife is told in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, chapter 39. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and bought by Potiphar, a high ranking official in the Pharaoh's service. "The Lord was with Joseph," and gave him success in everything he did. This pleased Potiphar and before long Joseph was given the highest position in the household, and left in charge when Potiphar was away. Now Potiphar's wife found Joseph to b...
Analysis of the use of lighting in THE GODFATHER
Analysis of the use of lighting in THE GODFATHER I am writing about the use of lighting in the opening scene of The Godfather, (1). The photography of The Godfather as an entire film is very planned and used specifically to generate moods, and have great psychological affect. This is just as true for the very first series of shots for the film, and perhaps more important since these first shots will give the audience the initial feeling of the film, and set a tone for the pictu...
Analyzing Curse of the Starving Class
Analyzing Curse of the Starving Class In class we learned about a man named Goethe. He developed a way to critique any category of art, whether it be a poem, oil painting, or a play. According to the World Book Encyclopedia, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) was a German poet, novelist, and playwright. He ranks among the most important and influential writers of modern European literature. Goethe was also a leading thinker and scientist. The scope and originality of his literary wo...
Ancient Egyptain Art
Ancient Egyptain Art The Colossal Head When we think of ancient Egyptian art, we think of deteriorating stone statues, bits and pieces of old architecture, and faded paintings of animals in dark caves and caverns. All of these ancient ruins are part of what shaped Egyptian culture back in the times of Dynasties. Their artwork not only revealed so much of their religion, rituals, and culture, but it also served as a basis for developing and advancing art. The Colossal Head, found i...
Ancient Japanese Art
Ancient Japanese Art When I finally got to the museum, I drug my feet a bit at the thought of having to take another art history class and about having to write another art history paper. I flashed my yellow pass and got my clearance to enter. I clamped the DAM purple badge to my oversized jacket and was on my way to the elevator. I don�t even like Chinese art work. I staggered around like a zombie whining the whole time. There were a few pieces that I admired, nothing that I loved ...
A Brief History of the Blues
A Brief History of the Blues A Brief History of the Blues Joseph Machlis says that the blues is a native American musical and verse form, with no direct European and African antecedents of which we know. (p. 578) In other words, it is a blending of both traditions. Something special and entirely different from either of its parent traditions. (Although Alan Lomax cites some examples of very similar songs having been found in Northwest Africa, particularly among the Wolof and Watusi. p....
A Contemplative Look at Henri Matisse
A Contemplative Look at Henri Matisse Henri �mile Beno�t Matisse was a French artist, leader of the Fauve group, regarded as one of the great formative figures in 20th-century art, and a master of the use of color and form to convey emotional expression. Matisse was born in Le Cateau-Cambr�sis in northern France on December 31, 1869. The son of a middle-class family, he studied and began to practice law. In 1890, however, while recovering slowly from an attack of appendicitis, he beca...
A History of the Beatles
A History of the Beatles Probably the most popular, influential and enduring rock group of all time, the Beatles almost single-handedly reshaped rock 'n' roll from a genre of throwaway singles by faceless stars to an artistic medium with memorable images and idols. The Beatles placed the emphasis on a group, rather than a single individual, like Frank Sinatra or Elvis. They also set an example for all rock n roll bands to follow with their strong sense of self-determination, go...
A Post Modern Age
A Post-Modern Age �A Post-Modern Age?� Introduction: Post-Modernism can be described as a particular style of thought. It is a concept that correlates the emergence of new features and types of social life and economic order in a culture; often called modernization, post-industrial, consumer, media, or multinational capitalistic societies. In Modernity, we have the sense or idea that the present is discontinuous with the past, that through a process of social, techno...
A Tale of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities In the movie �A Tale of Two Cities� Jarvis Lorry, an employee of Tellson's Bank, was sent to find Dr. Manette, an unjustly imprisoned physician, in Paris and bring him back to England. Lucie, Manette's daughter who thought that he was dead, accompanied Mr. Lorry. Upon arriving at Defarge's wine shop in Paris, they found Mr. Manette in a very bad state and took him back to London with them. In 1780, five years later, Lucie, Mr. Lorry and Dr. Ma...
A Time To Kill [Movie Analysis
A Time To Kill [Movie Analysis "A Time To Kill" Tradition is a priceless component to any culture, as it has been shaped and developed by time itself. Tradition passes from generation to generation, exercising its influence through the actions and thoughts of a people. The tradition that has materialized from the history of the American South is no different. It remains a pillar of hope, faith, and pride for those southerners who embrace it. Tradition of the South dictates a way life with...
A look at post modern Architecture in California
A look at post modern Architecture in California 1. General Discussion Eric Owen Moss is in no way new to architecture. However, prior to the design and building of the Schnabel House Moss had designed few residential homes. Moss had always been associated with larger commercial buildings. This is a result of his close work with developer Frederick Norton Smith. Smith has designed a large portion of Culver City-an area located south of the Santa Monica Freeway-as the field of his ende...
A story about seeing NOFX
A story about seeing NOFX On November 26th I went to the Stone Pony in New York to see another of my favorite bands, NOFX. NOFX is a punk-ska band. Punk meaning fast paced drumbeats and quick singing and ska meaning a song played with trumpets. The band members are Fat Mike (vocals, bass), El Hefe (guitar, trumpet, vocals), Eric Melvin (guitar, vocals), and Erik Sandin (drums). The one thing I found out there was that El Hefe sings a lot. I thought he only sings in a few songs but when I hea...
A tale of two murders
A tale of two murders A tale of two murders: Comparing the "The Cask of Amontillado" and "The Tell-Tale Heart.� Edgar Allan Poe has often been considered the father of the psychological thriller. Two of his best examples are "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Cask of Amontillado." Both are excellent short stories that tell of murder, revenge, and madness. The narrators of "The Tell-Tale Heart" and the "The Cask of Amontillado" are trying to convince the reader of their sanity ...
Age of reason
Age of reason The age of reason was a time of Empiricism and of Materialism, which brought out philosophers like John Locke and George Berkeley as well as authors like Swift and Pope. These philosophers and authors belong to the Age of Reason because of their use of anti-emotional thought and the idea of Occam's razor. The use of Anti-emotional thought is shown the most in essays written by John Locke. Locke used an idea that he based all of his work on. That idea was knowledge is onl...
Chicago and New York Jazz
Chicago and New York Jazz The 1920's was a huge decade for the phenomena known as "Jazz". Due to the closing of the seaport in New Orleans, musicians were forced to travel up the Mississippi to find work. Two of the cities most affected by this move were Chicago and New York. Chicago was home primarily for New Orleans traditional music during the 1920's. From this New Orleans style came four major types of jazz: Boogie-Woogie, Chicago Jazz, Urban Blues, and Society Da...
John Coltrane the Experimental Musician
John Coltrane the Experimental Musician Jazz, taking its roots in African American folk music, has evolved, metamorphosed, and transposed itself over the last century to become a truly American art form. More than any other type of music, it places special emphasis on innovative individual interpretation. Instead of relying on a written score, the musician improvises. For each specific period or style through which jazz has gone through over the past seventy years, there is...
The History of Greek Theater
The History of Greek Theater Theater and drama in Ancient Greece took form in about 5th century BCE, with the Sopocles, the great writer of tragedy. In his plays and those of the same genre, heroes and the ideals of life were depicted and glorified. It was believed that man should live for honor and fame, his action was courageous and glorious and his life would climax in a great and noble death. Originally, the hero�s recognition was created by selfish behavior...
Comparing 'Casablanca' to '1984'
Comparing 'Casablanca' to '1984' How can a hero survive in a world gone mad? Both Casablanca, the classic 1940s film, and hailed as the greatest movie ever by some, and 1984, a piece of classic literature by George Orwell, also seen as being one of the most important novels of the 20th century, revolve around a world in chaos, where no one trusts anybody else, and a war wages on within and without. In 1984, Winston hides from a totalitarian, thought controlling government...