History of Art & Design at Pratt Institute

The Last Supper (Il Cenacolo) is a mural painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the 15th century. This work portrays the reaction given by each apostle when Jesus said one of them would betray him. All twelve apostles have different reactions to the news, with various degrees of anger and shock. The Last Supper where Jesus shared his final meal with his apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper is commemorated by Christians especially on Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday.

Happy birthday to the Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh! Born #OnThisDay in 1853 van Gogh became one of the most influential artists in the history of Western art! In his life, he created over 2000 artworks and more than 800 oil paintings. Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat (obverse: The Potato Peeler), 1887, Vincent van Gogh. ... Van Gogh produced more than twenty self-portraits during his Parisian sojourn (188688). Short of funds but determined nevertheless to hone his skills as a figure painter, he became his own best sitter: "I purposely bought a good enough mirror to work from myself, for want of a model." This picture, which shows the artist's awareness of Neo-Impressionist technique and color theory, is one of several that are painted on the reverse of an earlier peasant study. - The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

We are at the end of the #WomensHistoryMonth, we would like to share a famous Chinese female painter Guan Zilan (1903 - 1986). Guan Zilan , also known as Violet Kwan was born in Shanghai, China. Through her famous avant-garde paintings, Guan Zilan became one of the most famous and influential female artists in China in the 20th century. She was known for combining Western painting styles with Chinese traditional subjects. Guan Zilan was one of the first artists to bring Fauvism to China. On the left is a portrait of Guan Zilan and on the right is Guan Zilan’s painting Portrait of Miss L. (1929)

Join Whitney Museum of American Art's Art History from Home: Art and Social Change on March 30, 6 PM. This is an online event via Zoom. Art exists in relation to its particular social moment. Whether representing the current reality or leveraging its power to challenge cultural narratives, it can inspire emotional responses and critical thinking in a way distinct from traditional political methods. Through work in the Whitney’s collection, we will explore the different role...s art has played in the United States during the twentieth century, addressing issues from immigration to economic justice to sexism and racism. Ayanna Dozier is an artist, lecturer, curator, and scholar. She recently completed her Ph.D. in art history and communication studies at McGill University. She is the author of the 33 book on Janet Jackson’s The Velvet Rope. She is currently a Joan Tisch Teaching Fellow at the Whitney and a lecturer in the department of communication and media studies at Fordham University. Free with registration. Register here: https://whitney.zoom.us/.../301.../WN_Sm8Sxa5SSYiJbmD4AB5QAA This event will have automated closed captions through Zoom. Live captioning is available for public programs and events upon request with seven business days advance notice. We will make every effort to provide accommodation for requests made outside of that window of time. To place a request, please contact us at [email protected] or (646) 666-5574 (voice). Relay and voice calls welcome. https://www.facebook.com/events/488707339174944

HAD’s Undergraduate student Kayla Abaze will be presenting her paper Black and White: 17th-century Dutch Seascapes at the 2021 SUNY New Paltz Undergraduate Art History Symposium on Sunday, April 11, 2021, at 11:30 AM. Congratulations! Abstract: Dutch paintings of the 17th century are commonly characterized by the proliferation of distinct genres, most notably portraits, allegorical, genre, landscape, and stilllife paintings, executed in oil paints of vibrant pigments with a ...loaded brush by frequently well-known names. However, there are other subgenres and techniques of painting that were executed simultaneously that have been overshadowed by the tremendous success of those highly acclaimed artists. This paper will focus on one of those often-neglected sub-genres, Dutch pen-schilderijen, or pen-paintings, of the latter part of the 17th century and the artists who created them. These illustrations were crafted through an arduous process of painting a white chalky ground onto panel or canvas and then painstakingly etching the composed picture with a sharpened reed-pen, then shaded in with black and grey ink washes. They required expensive materials and were time-consuming to not only craft but to master. This was arguably specifically engineered with a nautical subject matter in mind. It revealed meticulously rendered details such as fine ropes and chords, custom taffarel, and sculptures sacrificed by the use of paint and brushes. The necessary time and expertise explain the very small body of works produced by only a few select artists, such as Willem van de Velde (1611 1693 CE) and Adriaen van Salm (16601720 CE), who also employed their own naval experience. This meticulous technique attracted artists such as Experiens Silleman (16131653 CE) who was able to imitate the results through various alternative methods, but greatly sacrificed the quality. Pen-schilderijens required such precision and time that commissions were few, but one could be, even today, in awe by viewing these impeccably painted works. See more