by: Mandy Woods, undergraduate art history student
There are many stereotypes that are said about the different classes of people. This applies to their race, gender, hobbies, occupations, and typically anything else they do in life. Artists prior to the 1900’s were viewed as the famous people of actors, musicians, etc. as viewed today. When I think of famous people and who gets the most attention I think of the ladies man, the rebel, and the insane. So are these thoughts to compare the artists and famous people and their stereotypes true? There are three artists who portray each of these stereotypes. Caravaggio represents the rebel with his violent behavior, Picasso could have any woman he wanted, and Vincent van Gogh was entered into the insane asylum.
Everyone likes the bad boy…
Caravaggio stayed in Rome and had many run-ins with the law while he was there. He committed several assaults and a murder. He killed his tennis opponent because of disputing the score of a game. For this crime he was sentenced to death and was in hiding in Naples while waiting for a pardon from the pope. He completed his David and Goliath painting as a peace offering to the pope.
David and Goliath, undated, oil on Canvas
And then there is the ladies man…
Picasso continuously had women around him including several mistresses and a wife or partner. His love life greatly affected some of his pieces of art. At least eight relationships, marriages, and affairs are accounted for. During this time he had three children with two different women. One of the women he grew fond of was Yugoslavian Dora Maar. They were companions from 1936 to 1944. The painting below is one he painted naming it after her.
Painting of Dora Maar, 1938
Van Gogh and Gauguin went on a journey to found a school of art. This is when Van Gogh took a turn for the worse. In a fit of rage Van Gogh cased a friend with an open razor and cut a portion of his own ear lobe off. From this point on Vincent alternated between madness and lucidity and went to the asylum in Saint-Remy for treatment. In the year 1890 he died by shooting himself. While in the asylum he painted Starry Night from memory. It features a night sky with bold colored, swirling clouds and gazing stars.
Starry Night, Painting, Oil on Canvas, Saint-Rémy, France: June, 1889
Is it the person or art…
Caravaggio was a rebel with or without out art. He committed his crimes and attempted to use his passion for art to dismiss his behavior. This man would have been a rebel with or without being an artist. Picasso was a true ladies man. Although I did not find it stated anywhere what the thoughts of the women who were his partners were. Were that many women attracted to him because of his success with art? Would he have died a lonely man if he were not an artist? Or would he have given his heart to just one woman? Vincent van Gogh led a fairly normal and respectable life prior to becoming an artist. He had a job and went to church every Sunday. His passion for art made him so determined to create the perfect piece. This is what I believe led him to be insane. He was simply striving too much and did not feel he was meeting his own expectations.
There is an artist that fits every stereotype, but is the stereotype because they were an artist?
Works Cited
Ibiblio.org. 3 August 2009. http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/caravaggio/
Buzzle.com 3 August 2009. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pablo-picasso-biography.html
Vangoghgallery.com. 24 July 2009. www.vangoghgallery.com
