"David"

By: Michelangelo in 1501-1504

Located in Galleria dell' Accademia in Florence, Italy 

This statue of David is very well known all throughout Italy. The medium that Michelangelo used is difficult especially if he made mistakes, where he then would have to start all over again. The artist fulfills the role of allowing people to see the world in new and innovative ways. This statue is created in great detail and shows that Michelangelo had great knowledge of the human body in order to do this sculpture in such great detail. According to Stewart, Michelangelo would sneak in to see cadavers in order to study what humans actually looked like so he could portray them in his sculptures and paintings accurately. This artist also gives form to hidden universal truths by portraying the human body exactly how it is. The human body is very complex and the way that Michelangelo sculpted it almost idealizes the image. This work is so well known due to the fact that the artist had this immense amount of knowledge about the human body during this particular time period. 

"Mosaic of the Doves"

From an original of 2nd century B.C.

From Tivoli, Hadrian's Villa (1737)

Donated by Pope Clement XIII 

The artist of this mosaic helps us to see the world in new and innovative ways. The artist creates a mosaic that represents several doves drinking out of a bronze vessel. With the use of tesserae, the artist depicts a scene where the doves are symbolic to being on edge of the bronze bowl. The artist also plays the role of making a visual record of events of their time and place. With the use of tiny glass pieces the artist records the moment where the dove is drinking the water with the others watching. The water can be symbolic and the birds and exact number of them can represent specific points in time to certain people. 

"Pieta Rouge"

By: Marc Chagall in 1956

Located in Vatican City, Rome 

The artist of this piece is helping us to see the world in new and innovative ways. The abstractness of this painting creates the viewers to interpret the painting for their own eyes. This painting differs from individual to individual based on individual perspective.The figures in this painting are drawn with unrealistic body form which is true of modern art. The artist also performs the role of giving form to the immaterial-- hidden or universal truths, spiritual forces, and personal feelings. The artist is depicting the crucifixion of Jesus and the massive suffering that occurred due to this. The red and black coloring of the painting represents the turmoil and hate that came from the occurrence of the crucifixion. The artist is demonstrating through this painting the amount of pain and grievances that occurred during this period by the Jewish people. 

"The Fortune Teller"

By: Caravaggio in 1595

Located in Capitoline Museum in Rome, Italy 

This painting is done with oil on canvas and has luminosity that makes the painting stand out. The artist of this painting fulfills the role of making a visual record of the people, places, and events of their time and place. In this painting, the artist catches the exact moment where the gypsy is scheming this man and records it based on the sly look of the gypsy's face and dumbfounded look on the mans face. The artist is also fulfilling the role of giving form to the immaterial hidden or universal truths. The artist depicts the gypsy pretending to tell this mans fortune when in actuality she is stealing his ring. The look on the gypsy's face leads the viewers to believe that something other than fortune telling is occurring. The artist orchestrates this painting to make it seem like a simple meeting when in actuality the gypsy is robbing him. 

"Madonna and Child with Angels"

Giovanna Antonio Sogliani in 1510

Located in Capitoline Museum in Rome, Italy 

This painting was painted with oil onto canvas. The artist fulfilled the role of making a visual record of the people. places, and events of their time and place. This piece of art is a tondo that was commonly used during the Renaissance period. This painting shows Madonna with the child and Angels during an exact moment in time. The painting shows the Madonna in awe of the child as they angels are looking over both of them. The artist is also demonstrating the role of conveying hidden or universal truths. By the Madonna and the Angels looking down over the child, the importance of the child is shown. The artist uses the child as the center of attention to demonstrate that the child is of importance. The universal truth is perceived by looking at the painting and seeing all the attention diverted to one particular object.The child in the picture appears to be foreshortened because it looks to be closest to us. By doing is it puts more emphasis on the child.  

"Boy with thorn" or "Spinario"

Given by Pope Sixtus IV in 1471

Located in Capitoline Museum in Rome, Italy

The statue of the boy looking at his foot with a thorn in it is well known due to the position and face of the statue. The artist of this sculpture allows us to see the world in new and innovative ways due to the body structure of this sculpture. The sculptures arms are too skinny and his hair is plastered to his head, but the intense concentration on the face of the sculpture is what grabs people to study this sculpture more. The sculpture has a good sense of naturalism in the way that his leg is folded over the other and his back is hunched at just the right angle to make it seem realistic that he is looking at his foot. The inaccurate proportions of the sculpture in this case do not take away from the intense gaze we see.  The artist also makes a visual record of the people, places, and events of their time and place through this sculpture. This  Boy with Thorn is recorded in time as he is looking at the thorn in his foot, in the exact moment he is examining his foot to either determine what it is or how to get it out. The artist does a good job in portraying the exact time and person for this sculpture to be of meaning. The sculpture almost makes the boy seem like he is at otium due to the concentrated and intense look he has that means he is on his own time in examining his foot. 

"Head of Medusa"

Created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1630

Located in The Capitoline Museum in Rome, Italy 

The Head of Medusa is a unique sculpture made with irregular workings of the marble in contrast with the smooth surface of the face. A rasp could have possibly been used in order to create the smooth surface on Medusa's face. The artist had to have used different chisels on this sculpture in order to create different textures within the sculpture. The artist is making a visual record of the people, place, and event of their time and place. Medusa is shown like she is frozen in time with a petrified look on her face after she had her head cut off. This sculpture depicts the exact moment where her head has been cut off and is a visual record of this exact time. The artist also gives form to the immaterial by having the sculpture show feeling. In the sculptures face we can see that she looks scared or petrified and get a sense of how the scene may have played out in mythology. The sculpture allows us to beware of the presence the mythological being of Medusa had on people during this time period.