“Yale University Art Gallery”
November 11, 2008
My visit at the Yale University Art Gallery was on November 11, 2008 @3:45p.m. My visit was short but sweet. The front desk and/or visitor services were extremely helpful. The front desk employee’s name is Bryne. A docent was not available but they were kind of enough to hand me a map-guide of the museum. I noticed that the security guard on the first floor seemed a bit protective and ancy, as if he just had two cups of espresso. That made me a little uncomfortable. Put that aside, I really love all the religious paintings on this floor. I am seeking to improve in my theology classes (and different religions) and viewing the different paintings that addressed some part of the bible’s histories, completely caught my attention. They were so detailed, fine print, full of life and history. My fiancée came with me and he absolutely enjoyed it as well. I have to admit that I did not have a great camera with me. I was forced to use an old camera that did not capture all the pictures that I wanted to share. Therefore all the several pictures I took were not that great. Until I was able to purchase a new digital camera, I figured I can manage with what I had, that didn’t work to my advantage. I walked on through the first floor and what immediately caught my eyes was the Painting of “Submersion of Pharaohs Army in the Red Sea”, this unknown artist did a remarkable job. The detail on this picture were so intriguing, so vivid. The men in the water, drowning, trying to hold on to each other, was just so biblical. I mean even the horses did not survive. This painting was a woodcut printed from twelve blocks, just sampling amazing. This painting was created on 1513. As I went along with my tour, on the second floor, and there saw the “Jimoh Buraimoh” art work (Oshogho, Osun, Nigeria, born 1943). What I saw were beautiful colorful birds, made of plywood, glass beads, oil paint and string. The colors were so vibrant. On the Second floor this Security Guard named Kim, was extremely helpful. She told me how much she enjoys working the second floor; she loves the African tribe art work. The museum’s floors were shinning, waxed nicely that you can actually eat from it, that’s how clean they were. The third floor was also a vivid area. The painting “The Lamentations”, was created by a unknown artist, the brass work on this piece, truly makes you wonder what was on this artist mind. So vivid.
Lucas Cranach, the Elder (German, 1472–1553)
Crucifixion with the Converted Centurion, 1538
Oil on panel, 24 1/4 x 16 5/8 in. (61.6 x 42.2 cm)
Gift of Hannah D. and Louis M. Rabinowitz
http://artgallery.yale.edu/pages/collection/popups/pc_european/enlarge18.html
The artist Lucas Cranach was born in 1472. His birth name was Franconian. His Cranach’s father was also an artist and it is believed that his father was his first teacher. Although the exact date of his appointment is not known, by April, 1505, Cranach was employed at the court of Friedrich the Wise, Elector of Saxony, at Wittenberg. By the looks of this painting, Lucas Cranach seems very close to the Christian world. I’m assuming after losing his son it brought him to a point of closeness to God, probably through his painting. In addition to his religious works he produced other varieties like mythological and secular subjects, probably intended for courtly patrons. Cranach was also an excellent portraitist. For most of his life Cranach lived in Wittenberg in Saxony. Numerous documents testify to Cranach's industry and prosperity. He owned several houses, a publishing firm that specialized in Reformation literature and on several occasions served on the city council and as burgomaster. In 1547 when Johann Friedrich was taken prisoner by Charles V, Cranach joined him in exile in Augsburg and Innsbruck, and in 1552 followed him to Weimar where Johann Friedrich re-established the Saxon court. Lucas Cranach died in 1553 at the age of eighty-one.
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