9-B Alexander Gardner, "Abraham Lincoln", 1865

9-B Alexander Gardner, Abraham Lincoln, 1865

One characteristic of photography is that it creates a sense of intimacy. What is another? (which makes it unlike painting, drawing, or sculpting) - Objects/People are viewed with very little alteration
Where is the light source? Where does it create shadows?
Describe his features, expression, surrounding objects, etc.

Alexander Gardner worked for Mathew Brady (photographer whose pictures of Lincoln were featured on the two $5 bills) for a time during the Civil War.

Mathew Brady (1822 – 1896) – father of photojournalism
Risked his life on the frontlines of the war to capture combat photographs. Photographed many prominent people; after the war, his audience became tired of seeing images of war and he spent the last several years of his life destitute and forgotten.
How did photography change the way people viewed the civil war? (Could see casualties and the effects of war with their own two eyes; not through the eyes of a painter or writer.)

Political art: what is the purpose?
Why was photography important in a political campaign? (it was a new medium, allowed viewers to "be there" and see the candidate interacting with others, giving speeches, or doing normal, everyday-life kinds of things)
What media/publicity tools do politicians use today? (travel, speeches, radio, the press, video, tv, photography, the internet) What was available at Lincoln’s time?

Which images from political campaigns do you find compelling and why? What do the posters proclaim about their candidates? Pay attention to symbolic imagery (Justice, Peace, colors, etc.), facial expressions (smiles, earnest frowns) and words (catch-phrases, quippy slogans):

L-R from top: 1848 Zachary Taylor, 1860 Abraham Lincoln, 1908 William Taft, 1960 John F Kennedy, 1980 Ronald Reagan, 2008 Barack Obama

8a - Looking Down Yosemite Valley, California, 1865 ALBERT BIERSTADT [1830 –1902]

8a - Looking Down Yosemite Valley, California, 1865 ALBERT BIERSTADT [1830 –1902]

Bierstadt was a member of the Hudson river school (Established by Thomas Cole!), painted over 500 pieces. Bierstadt's work is characterized by his use of the Romantic style - shining white clouds, glittering waterfalls, dramatic landscapes, etc.

How big would a person be if depicted in this scene?

How has Bierstadt created an illusion of great distance or depth? He made objects in the foreground darker, more detailed, and larger than distant ones. This approach is called aerial or atmospheric perspective

Composition? Rule of thirds

What is your eye drawn to first?

How does the light add drama? (creates dark shadows that dramatically contrast with the light parts)

On a map, locate Yosemite National Park.
Compare photographs of Yosemite Valley with Bierstadt’s painting to understand how he exaggerated the size of the rock formations.

Bierstadt painted some of the rock formations in this painting taller than they really were. Is this exaggeration dishonest?

How else did Bierstadt make the West seem even grander than it was? He bathed this scene in a golden, glowing light.

How might this view look different today?

Below: "Cathedral Rock", "Cathedral Rocks", "Among the Sierra Nevada", "Lake Tahoe"

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7b – The County Election, 1852, George Caleb Bingham

7b – The County Election, 1852, George Caleb Bingham

Painter from the west (MO), depicted and immortalized the common man, frontier life

Observations: what is going on on Election Day?

How did he unify the scene so that the many figures form a connected group? (All of the characters are touching and overlap each other)

How did he create the illusion of depth? (Objects in the background are smaller, colors become more muted)

What elements suggest the wide variety of backgrounds and occupations of the people in the scene? (Their styles of clothing, specifically, hats)

What message does this painting convey? (A whole community of men, from rich to poor, come together to vote. No single figure is emphasized or made larger than others in this crowd; all are equal)

What is the voting scene like today? (Secrecy, privacy, not allowed to heckle or campaign up to a certain distance from the voting site; non-land-owners, women and African Americans may now vote)

Describe George Caleb Bingham's style: bright, saturated colors, bright lighting/a lot of contrast between lights and darks, smooth brush strokes.

Below, "Daniel Boone Escorting Settlers through the Cumberland Gap" and "The Jolly Flatboatmen"

7a – State Capitol, Columbus Ohio, 1838-1861, Thomas Cole + others

7a – State Capitol, Columbus Ohio, 1838-1861, Thomas Cole + others

Thomas Cole – the oxbow. Even though he didn’t have much experience in it, he dabbled in architecture. How would this have been possible? (fewer building codes and restrictions at that time)

Ohio became a state in 1803, the 17th state.

Why was Greek revival a popular style?

Compare to buildings around it – they are taller, more windows, flat roofs. Why is this 19th century building shorter than the modern ones?

How does the Greek revival style reflect its predecessors?

What are the features that are found in Greek and Roman architecture? Columns, a pediment (triangle above entrance), symmetrical, light stone (though Greek ones had been painted); capitals (sit on top of columns), pilasters (square columns attached to walls), drum (donut shaped structure that supports conical roof), entablature (two-part horizontal band that is supported by the column capitals and pilasters)

How did the architects create harmony in this building? (it is symmetrical, use of light stone throughout, repeated elements such as columns/pilasters, etc)

William Henry Powell painted "Battle of Lake Erie", which is found in the rotunda of the Ohio state house. We looked at earlier because it is very similar in style to "Washington Crossing the Delaware".











Other state capitols: fairly similar exteriors (Greek revival, Neo-classical), individualized interiors that reflect the state's own unique history and reflect regional culture. Also, when possible, states use local materials to contstruct these buildings, thereby promoting local resources and business. Below, the Texas state capitol building; inside, a design set in the floor that represents the "six flags over Texas" - a record of the six nations that controlled Texas at some point in its history (clockwise from top right: France, Spain, the U.S., the Confederacy, and Mexico. At the center is the seal of the Independent Republic of Texas).















Hawaii: Bauhaus, Hawaiian international architecture
ND, OR, LA: art deco (Chrysler building)
NM: blend of New Mexico territorial style and neoclassical influences- only round state capitol building in US (1886 version: Victorian, audacious and disliked because it didn't reflect the culture there)
NY: Romanesque revival and neo-renaissance

Many capitol buildings reflect greek/roman architecture, what do some of the other buildings represent through their use of different styles. (European aesthetics such as gothic architecture, regional values, art deco- futuristic, industrial, elegant)

Why study state capitol buildings? Architecture (art) reflects ideas and ideals (political, philosophical). Many of these buildings reflect specific values and recall America’s past, its present goals, and hope for its future.



Remember! Quiz on 11/18 - be sure to start reviewing sections 3b-7a and 8b.