CC – VISUAL CULTURE
CC – VISUAL CULTURE
° CODES OF REPRESENTATIONS °
Foucault wrote Les Mots et les choses. He speaks about Las Meninas by Diego
Vélazquez. It represents a change in the vision of things: one of the first modern paintings.
We can see the Infanta. In the background, there is Vélazquez himself. He uses the self-
portrait. There is a metadimension (the painter looks outside; the painting is about the
painting.) There is a relation: painter, painting, viewers. This is about representation.
Importance of resemblance: things were represented in the same way. For instance: “the
lion is the King of animals”. A History of the Nature of Birds Pierre Belon. Analogy between
things.
This type of knowledge is part of a system: The Great Chain of Being: God, the
angels, humanity, animals, vegetables, minerals. Inside each, another hierarchy. Robert
Fludd wrote the greater and the lesser. He used traditional and modern knowledge
(alchemy, astrology…). He drew himself and the engravings were made by Théodore de
Bry.
Cupid: his wings: instability of love. He is blind but open people’s eyes. Portrait of a
lady of the court, Anthony Van Dyck. Lady Elizabeth was already married, her sister
Dorothy too. Cupid: visual representation of love (offers roses). It was a marriage of love.
He is not blind-folded: they chose their husbands carefully.
Allegory with Venus and Cupid, Agnolo Bronzino. A painting of Venus and Cupid.
She holds an arrow away from him: love is attractive and dangerous. They are kissing:
almost erotic. Form of ambiguity. Dove: symbol of love. Miserable woman: jealous. Old man:
time. Woman: time’s daughter: truth. It represents a dual image of love.
Courtesan with Blind Cupid, Pietro Bertelli. Moral blindness: blind Cupid.
Prostitute.
° MACROCOSM / MICROCOSM °
An engraving represented the two worlds (whole universe / level of Man). It’s a
series of spheres, each planet has its own sphere, each sphere moves at its own speed. The
human body: four humors. It was a perfect harmony. Center of the world: Earth. When into
motion, they make sounds: music. God set the system into motion.
Neo-Platonism: It is an important philosophy. At its basis: Plato’s Symposium (the
Banquet). Love is the main value. It penetrates the human’s soul through the eyes. The
divine substance is outside the universe. Four parts in the world: world of ideas (angels),
cosmic soul (stars and planets), world of nature and world of matter. The sense of sight:
desire for beauty. Shakespeare young man pure love / dark lady physical love.
° ANAMORPHOSIS °
Emblem: sort of symbol, text and image. A stick in the water: we see the stick
distorted. It points the unreliability of the senses. Opposed to reason. Link between
emblems, the way they are interpreted and the distortion of forms. Appearances:
deceptive. The viewer needs to be active. It creates an optical illusion: anamorphic art.
The Ambassadors, Hans Holbein. Distortive shape: skull. It conceals and then
reveals. Crying has the same effect as an anamorphosis.
Channel Anamorphosis: turning picture. Channel anamorphosis of Mary: after she
was executed: skull. Reminds us we are mortal.
Page 1 of 5
, CC – VISUAL CULTURE
Catoptric anamorphosis: with a mirror. Technical knowledge: scientific basis.
Erection of the Cross, Ruberns. Jean-François Nicéron, The Curious Perspective:
published a book explaining the ≠ technics.
Hans Troschel, Satyrs Admiring the Anamorphosis of an Elephant. Satyrs: represent
primitive type of culture. Association with travelling. Some could be used for political
purposes.
Anamorphoses of Charles I: He was executed, seen as a tyrant. Then we find a
portrait of Charles II: the desire for the restoration of monarchy in England.
° ART AND RELIGION / ICONOCLASM °
Crucial topic. Visual representation was crucial to the Catholic Church. Anglican /
Protestants: no images. 2nd Commandment: no images. Iconoclasm. From Iconoclasm to
Iconophobia, Patrick Collinson. The Golden Shrine of Thomas Becket: C place of worship,
was destroyed. Monasteries destroyed after Henry VIII broke up with Rome.
Girolamo da Treviso, The Four Evangelists stoning the Pope. 4 evangelists stoning
the Pope, true light of gospel symbolized by a candle burning. There are indulgences:
people would give money to have it and be repented. Luther wrote a letter against
indulgences: represented C corruption and attachment to material things. Rosary: neckless
used to pray.
Thomas Cromwell was the patron of an EN translation of the Bible. The title page
was made by Hans Holbein. We can see Henry VIII. The King represents God on earth,
and he is the head of the Church.
Thomas Cranmer by Gerlach Flicke. He worked at the court, influenced by Holbein.
Cranmer is represented here as a P. Kind of simplicity: not many ornaments. Religious book:
relation between Cranmer and the word of God. William Warham, Hans Holbein: C version.
Giant Crucifix, the Bible but he is not reading.
Edward VI and the Pope: the man dying in the bed is his father, succession. Triumph
of P. Councellors, archbishop Cranmer, monk…
The Order of the Privy Council for the Removal of Images in 1548. Under Mary,
many images were reinstored within churches but soon after Elizabeth’s accession,
iconoclasm broke out again.
John Foxe, Actes and Monuments: often called The Book of Martyrs: compilation of
sufferings of EN P during the reign of Mary. John Hooper “lord Jesus receive my
soule”. He is burning. People: government of Mary.
° ART AND POWER °
ARCHITECTURE
Important to show noblesse. Education: art. Way to assert one’s power. Houses
needed to be imposing. People came to visit. House of great noble: Stately Home.
Longleat House of John Thynne completed during Elizabethan period. Typical: symmetry,
not very wide or high. Imposing, small rooms, armors, paintings.
Queen Anne’s House: royal house made by Inigo Jones. He imitated Roman
houses. Symmetry, columns, small windows, classicism.
The Banqueting House by Inigo Jones. Designed for the royal family of James Ist.
Organization of banquets, spectacles, music etc. The outside: proportion, regularity, Roman.
Inside: columns, paintings, throne.
PORTRAITS OF MONARCHS
Page 2 of 5
CC – VISUAL CULTURE
° CODES OF REPRESENTATIONS °
Foucault wrote Les Mots et les choses. He speaks about Las Meninas by Diego
Vélazquez. It represents a change in the vision of things: one of the first modern paintings.
We can see the Infanta. In the background, there is Vélazquez himself. He uses the self-
portrait. There is a metadimension (the painter looks outside; the painting is about the
painting.) There is a relation: painter, painting, viewers. This is about representation.
Importance of resemblance: things were represented in the same way. For instance: “the
lion is the King of animals”. A History of the Nature of Birds Pierre Belon. Analogy between
things.
This type of knowledge is part of a system: The Great Chain of Being: God, the
angels, humanity, animals, vegetables, minerals. Inside each, another hierarchy. Robert
Fludd wrote the greater and the lesser. He used traditional and modern knowledge
(alchemy, astrology…). He drew himself and the engravings were made by Théodore de
Bry.
Cupid: his wings: instability of love. He is blind but open people’s eyes. Portrait of a
lady of the court, Anthony Van Dyck. Lady Elizabeth was already married, her sister
Dorothy too. Cupid: visual representation of love (offers roses). It was a marriage of love.
He is not blind-folded: they chose their husbands carefully.
Allegory with Venus and Cupid, Agnolo Bronzino. A painting of Venus and Cupid.
She holds an arrow away from him: love is attractive and dangerous. They are kissing:
almost erotic. Form of ambiguity. Dove: symbol of love. Miserable woman: jealous. Old man:
time. Woman: time’s daughter: truth. It represents a dual image of love.
Courtesan with Blind Cupid, Pietro Bertelli. Moral blindness: blind Cupid.
Prostitute.
° MACROCOSM / MICROCOSM °
An engraving represented the two worlds (whole universe / level of Man). It’s a
series of spheres, each planet has its own sphere, each sphere moves at its own speed. The
human body: four humors. It was a perfect harmony. Center of the world: Earth. When into
motion, they make sounds: music. God set the system into motion.
Neo-Platonism: It is an important philosophy. At its basis: Plato’s Symposium (the
Banquet). Love is the main value. It penetrates the human’s soul through the eyes. The
divine substance is outside the universe. Four parts in the world: world of ideas (angels),
cosmic soul (stars and planets), world of nature and world of matter. The sense of sight:
desire for beauty. Shakespeare young man pure love / dark lady physical love.
° ANAMORPHOSIS °
Emblem: sort of symbol, text and image. A stick in the water: we see the stick
distorted. It points the unreliability of the senses. Opposed to reason. Link between
emblems, the way they are interpreted and the distortion of forms. Appearances:
deceptive. The viewer needs to be active. It creates an optical illusion: anamorphic art.
The Ambassadors, Hans Holbein. Distortive shape: skull. It conceals and then
reveals. Crying has the same effect as an anamorphosis.
Channel Anamorphosis: turning picture. Channel anamorphosis of Mary: after she
was executed: skull. Reminds us we are mortal.
Page 1 of 5
, CC – VISUAL CULTURE
Catoptric anamorphosis: with a mirror. Technical knowledge: scientific basis.
Erection of the Cross, Ruberns. Jean-François Nicéron, The Curious Perspective:
published a book explaining the ≠ technics.
Hans Troschel, Satyrs Admiring the Anamorphosis of an Elephant. Satyrs: represent
primitive type of culture. Association with travelling. Some could be used for political
purposes.
Anamorphoses of Charles I: He was executed, seen as a tyrant. Then we find a
portrait of Charles II: the desire for the restoration of monarchy in England.
° ART AND RELIGION / ICONOCLASM °
Crucial topic. Visual representation was crucial to the Catholic Church. Anglican /
Protestants: no images. 2nd Commandment: no images. Iconoclasm. From Iconoclasm to
Iconophobia, Patrick Collinson. The Golden Shrine of Thomas Becket: C place of worship,
was destroyed. Monasteries destroyed after Henry VIII broke up with Rome.
Girolamo da Treviso, The Four Evangelists stoning the Pope. 4 evangelists stoning
the Pope, true light of gospel symbolized by a candle burning. There are indulgences:
people would give money to have it and be repented. Luther wrote a letter against
indulgences: represented C corruption and attachment to material things. Rosary: neckless
used to pray.
Thomas Cromwell was the patron of an EN translation of the Bible. The title page
was made by Hans Holbein. We can see Henry VIII. The King represents God on earth,
and he is the head of the Church.
Thomas Cranmer by Gerlach Flicke. He worked at the court, influenced by Holbein.
Cranmer is represented here as a P. Kind of simplicity: not many ornaments. Religious book:
relation between Cranmer and the word of God. William Warham, Hans Holbein: C version.
Giant Crucifix, the Bible but he is not reading.
Edward VI and the Pope: the man dying in the bed is his father, succession. Triumph
of P. Councellors, archbishop Cranmer, monk…
The Order of the Privy Council for the Removal of Images in 1548. Under Mary,
many images were reinstored within churches but soon after Elizabeth’s accession,
iconoclasm broke out again.
John Foxe, Actes and Monuments: often called The Book of Martyrs: compilation of
sufferings of EN P during the reign of Mary. John Hooper “lord Jesus receive my
soule”. He is burning. People: government of Mary.
° ART AND POWER °
ARCHITECTURE
Important to show noblesse. Education: art. Way to assert one’s power. Houses
needed to be imposing. People came to visit. House of great noble: Stately Home.
Longleat House of John Thynne completed during Elizabethan period. Typical: symmetry,
not very wide or high. Imposing, small rooms, armors, paintings.
Queen Anne’s House: royal house made by Inigo Jones. He imitated Roman
houses. Symmetry, columns, small windows, classicism.
The Banqueting House by Inigo Jones. Designed for the royal family of James Ist.
Organization of banquets, spectacles, music etc. The outside: proportion, regularity, Roman.
Inside: columns, paintings, throne.
PORTRAITS OF MONARCHS
Page 2 of 5
