Friday, December 20, 2019

Otto Dix Essay - 2219 Words

The Great War Through the Eyes of an Artist How does one depict art? Art has been around since the dawn of man. A form of self-expression, a way to creatively put down ones ideals in hopes of creating a masterpiece, and where ever there has been art there has been an artist. In society the artist is a very important person able to utilize his work and make the people think and question the higher power. Out of the entire artistic association of the world and over the entire timeline of history one has stood out to me. A man who essentially went to hell and back, a man who put what he saw down so that he could warn others of the tragedies of the World War One world. Scarred for life and haunted by flash-backs of the killings; the†¦show more content†¦At the end of the war, Otto Dix received the second class iron cross and achieved the title of Vice-Sergeant-Major. Otto watched his fellow men be shot and then fall with blood gushing out, followed by their own ear-piercing scr eams haunted by the wailing of the numerous other injured soldiers, then be given two options ; one being carried off to a medical station to die slowly, and another option of being given a mercy shot. This trench warfare would be displayed in several of Dix’s pieces such as â€Å"Trench Warfare†, â€Å"Breakfast in the Trenches†, â€Å"Suicide in the Trenches†, and â€Å"The Trenches†. â€Å"Lice, rats, barbwire, fleas, shells, bombs, underground caves, corpses, blood, liquor, mice, cats, artillery, filth, bullets, mortars, fire, steel: That is what war is, it is the work of the devil.† (Otto Dix, 1923) Dix began to realize that what he wanted in vain, what he wanted all along, was something that no man would wish upon his greatest enemy. Otto suffered many physical and mental wounds. In one case, a shard of scrap metal flew straight into his neck almost killing him. Many bullets would find themselves into Otto’s body and would never leave. Barely surviving, Otto could often be seen by his fellow soldiers clenching a bible which he held very dear to him. â€Å"All art is exorcism. I paint dreams and visions too; the dreams and visions of my time. Painting is the effort to produce order; orderShow MoreRelatedVisual Art Plan By Otto Dix And James Gleeson1392 Words   |  6 Pagesdistorts the image to the way he or she wants to see it or would want others to see it. For example, Otto Dix and James Gleeson are artists that are known for having and using metaphor and spirituality in their pieces of work. Otto Dix has represented Spirituality in his art pieces as they are to do with war. Since Dix Spend most of his time in war he has used spirituality to search for a meaning about war. Dix experienced war first hand since he was a Machin gunner, he was exposed to death on a daily basisRead MoreReflection and Analysis of the Portrait of Dr. Heinrich Stadelmann by Otto Dix 1083 Words   |  4 Pages I remember viewing Portrait of Dr. Heinrich Stadelmann by Otto Dix during an eleventh grade field trip to the Art Gallery of Ontario, and being completely entranced by the painting—unable to look away from it. At the time, I was not fully aware of the world of art and did not have the vocabulary and knowledge to articulate my interest in this particular painting. Now, after returning to the painting three years later, the experience is quite different. Being recently exposed to a fairly wide rangeRead MoreEugene Delacroix’s the Massacre at Chios Greek Families Awaiting Death of Slavery vs Kriegeskrà ¼ppel (War Cripples)906 Words   |  4 Pag esSome people cope by talking to a friend, others write things down in a journal. Very few choose to discard the written or vocal word for brush and canvas, chalk and paper, or any number of artistic mediums at their disposal. Eugene Delacroix and Otto Dix were two such men. Even though their careers blossomed almost a century apart, they shared common ground. Both men chose to speak through their work depicting history with an unfiltered approach. How does a piece of art affect a viewer? DoesRead MoreBob Fosses 1972 Cabaret792 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"now-you-see-them-now-you-don’t† view of Nazis and some performers. Some slight forms of German Expressionism can also be found in the close up shots and titled angles of the camera. The film also features famous works of the German Expressionist period of Otto Dix and George Grosz. Cabaret contrasts the real world and distortion of the real world in the German Expressionist inspired film. Fosse uses the cross-cu tting editing technique between the stage routines and real-life drama. For instance, song and danceRead MorePolitical Art Essay1400 Words   |  6 Pageswhere there are many approaches reflecting different issues. In a sense, all works of art perform a social function, since they are created for an audience. Artists who embrace their role as a social commentator are Francisco Goya, Pablo Picasso, Otto Dix and Gordon Bennett. Francisco Goya (1746 – 1828) sets the scene commenting on the atrocities of man. Both of his works, Disasters of War (1863) and 3rd of May 1808 (1814) show graphically the horrors of mutilation, torture and death in war. HeRead MoreInfluence of Ww1 on the Artwork of Early 20th Century754 Words   |  4 Pageshorrors of war in his own symbolist style of art. The next two pieces (starting from left to right) are Selbstbildnis als Soldat (Self-Portrait as a Soldier) and Selbstbildnis mit Artillerie-Helm (Self-Portrait Wearing a Gunners Helmet) created by Otto Dix in 1914. I chose these pieces because of their obvious relation to each other but also because of the contrast between them. Starting with the first, I find the vibrant white and red colors along with the short almost spasmodic brush strokes communicateRead MoreAnalysis : Shock Troops Advance Under Gas Essay1706 Words   |  7 PagesIn Otto Dix’s â€Å"Shock Troops Advance Under Gas†, Dix presents the brutality of war for everyone to see. From the barbed wire snagging a troop’s arm to the gas masks, this work illustrates true horror. Dix’s illustration of war helps display that war truly is not something to write home about with pride. Thus, I present the argument that war is not something to be patriotic over, and it is not something we should be thanking the troops for. They are brave individuals, but the duties they perform areRead MoreThe Death Of The Trenches904 Words   |  4 Pages Children are often considered carefree and innocent, which is the reason behind their state of happiness. They rarely cross paths with conflict from the outside world, but what happens when they become men and are sent off to fight in the war? Otto Dix’s visual representation along with the poems, â€Å"Suicide in the Trenches† by Siegfried Sassoon, â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† by Wilfred Owens, and â€Å"Blessed Are† by Charles Peguy all capture the horrors and distress caused by World War 1. When it came timeRead MoreWar On The War Of Art1658 Words   |  7 PagesWar in Art Introduction Everybody thinks they know what art should be. But very few of them have the sense that is necessary to experience painting, that is the sense of sight, that sees colors and forms as living reality in the picture. -- Otto Dix (Mulch, page 1) War in art. It was not an easy job and yet to this day has not gotten easier. There are two different sides when it comes to war art. On one side, the artists are going out onto the battlefield during the horrifying war so that theyRead More Art as Expression Essay1822 Words   |  8 Pagescentral to cultural, political and social discourses in the world. They are here not only to inspire us, but to provoke us as well. Four artists that broke social, political and cultural barriers were, Rene Magritte, John Heartfield Jackson Pollock and Otto Dix. While the artists were involved in different movements, each one made revolutionary statements with their works. Artists have a responsibility to use their works as a weapon to the status quo and to break these cultural and social barriers. Rene

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Jane Eyre Another Cinderella Story free essay sample

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a young orphan girl named Jane. Jane lived with her wealthy but horribly evil stepmother and stepsiblings, who treated her as their servant. Jane wished for nothing more than to leave these terrible people, and she waited and prayed for that glorious day to come. After ten miserable years, it finally did. When she arrived at her new castle, she discovered that the owner was none other than Prince Charming, better known as the affluent Mr. Rochester. The two fell instantly in love, were married, and lived happily ever after.For centuries, children all over the world have listened intently to variations of this famous fairy tale. The Cinderella story has been adapted and reformed over and over again to fit a diverse range of audiences. This version comes to us in the form of Charlotte Bronte’s classic, Jane Eyre. Although Jane’s tale is a bit more intricate and emotional than the average fairy tale, the similarities between them are distinct. Through the use of characters, plot, and fairy-tale elements in Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte succeeds in writing an evocative depiction of the classic Cinderella story.From the very beginning of Jane Eyre, Jane may be viewed in the same light as a Cinderella character. Jane is simply the abused orphan child, acting as a servant to her aunt and cousins with whom she has been living. Because of her unfortunate situation, Jane grows up with a sense of independence and a practical understanding of the ways of the world, unlike most women of her time period. Thus, Jane tends to attract men who are searching for someone different from the average, naive women of this era. One such man, St. John, admires her greatly and lists her many positive attributes: â€Å"Jane, you are docile, diligent disinterested, faithful, constant, and courageous; very gentle and very heroic: cease to mistrust yourself—I can trust you unreservedly† (Bronte, 607). These valuable personality traits make her alluring to none other than the Prince Charming of the story, Mr. Rochester.Like all Prince Charmings, Edward Rochester is wealthy—the owner of Thornfield Estate and benefactor to young Adele, Jane’s lively pupil. Thus, Mr. Rochester initially fits the classic â€Å"prince† criterion. Once the reader is able to see beyond his riches, the essence of Mr. Rochester’s character is revealed. Similar to a typical make-believe prince, Mr. Rochester has been searching the lands far and wide for his perfect princess-to-be: â€Å"I sought my ideal of a woman amongst English ladies, French countesses, Italian signoras, and German grafinnen. I could not find her† (Bronte, 466). After years of despair and loneliness, this Prince Charming finally finds his match—in the form of the intelligent Jane Eyre. However, it is not just the characters that make these two stories alike.After Bronte’s characters have been established, it becomes evident that the plot of Jane Eyre is similar to Cinderella’s. Just as in its fairy-tale counterpart, Jane Eyre opens with an introduction to Jane’s life as an attendant to her aunt and cousinsenter the evil stepmother and selfish step-siblings. She lives in the midst of this abysmal situation for years until she finally escapes and finds her way to Thornfield (castle), home of Mr. Rochester (Prince Charming). Of course, in the fairytale world, the prince and princess are always seemingly born to love each other, as Jane states: â€Å"He made me love him without looking at me† (Bronte, 259). All is right in the world, and the two are as happy as Cinderella and Charming at a ball. Unfortunately, every ball must end sometime, and Jane finds herself in the heart-wrenching position of leaving Mr. Rochester. And what does every good prince do when he discovers his true love is no longer present? Why, he searches the entire kingdom, of course! But, alas, â€Å"every research after her course had been vain: the country had been scoured far and wide; no vestige of information could be gathered respecting her. Yet that she should be found is become a matter of serious urgency: advertisements have been put in all the papers† (Bronte, 571). Finally, Jane returns to her beloved prince, and, as Jane joyously relates: â€Å"Reader, I married him† (Bronte, 676). Thus, the prince and his fair maiden achieve their happy ending. But upon further examination of this amorous tale, even more, chimerical similarities may be seen. These similarities are in the form of cliches and fairy tale elements—a common occurrence in Jane Eyre. One such fairy tale element is the repeated use of the classic â€Å"stroke of midnight† to indicate Jane’s major life changes. An illustrative example of this is seen the night on which Jane arrives at Thornfield. Just moments after stepping through the front door, Mrs. Fairfax—the maid—tells Jane to go to bed, for it is â€Å"on the stroke of twelve.† This theme continues when Mr. Rochester proposes to Jane; the couple returns home â€Å"at twelve o’clock† that night. A final example may be seen on the eve of their intended wedding when Jane leaves Mr. Rochester to go to sleep shortly after â€Å"it struck twelve.† Similarly, Mr. Rochester brings his own cliche into the mix. When he first meets Jane, he arrives on horseback. Jane is walking down a dirt road when she spies a dog, and â€Å"the horse followed—a tall steed, and on its back, a rider† (Bronte, 165). This gallant rider happens to be her employer, and later, her prince. Thus, the two sweethearts receive the long-awaited happy ever after: â€Å"My Edward and I, then, are happy: and the more so, because those we most love are happy likewise† (Bronte, 680). Although the story has a bit more to it than Cinderella’s, it is clear that the two are much alike. From her characters’ personality traits to a fanciful plotline and plays on classic cliches, Charlotte Bronte has supplied us with a more complex and profound version of the ancient Cinderella story.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Who shot first in lexington free essay sample

ThomasGageThe first shots of the Revolution rang out April 19 1775 at Lexington green. Reports say the British fired first killing eight patriots. I believe these reports to be true. There was a lot of controversy surrounding this, since none of us were there, no one can be certain on who fired first. Evidence shows the British fired first. I think based on the evidence provided it was very easy to see the British were the first to fire the shot of the revolution. Paul revere was riding home with Samuel Dawes and William Prescott and noticed the British were marching toward Lexington in large numbers. He also noticed the were heavily armed and were ready to fight. We will write a custom essay sample on Who shot first in lexington or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He rode north through the streets of Lexington, Concord, and other various small towns shouting the British were coming. This allowed the colonists to hide there arms and the militia to get ready and be lined up on Lexington green ready to fight. The battle of Lexington Green occurred April 19th 1775 in Middlesex county, Province of Massachusetts, within the towns of Lexington, Concord, Lincoln Menotmy and Cambridge near Boston. The battles marked the first armed  conflict between the Great Britain and its thirteen colonies in the British North America. About 700 British and 1500 colonist fought. Many leaders including general Thomas gage, Jon Pitcairn, Hugh Percy and Francis Smith helped guide British troops. Many commanders of the minute men such as john parker. James Barret, John Buttrick, William Heath, Joseph Warren, and Isaac Davis helped influence the result of the battle by guiding troops and keeping them organized. The colonists lost 73 men while the British lost only 49. This was due to the fact the British had less men and they were much more experienced than the colonists who suffered much higher casualties. The first shots were fired in the morning on Lexington Green. The militia were outnumbered and fell back, and the regulars proceeded on to concord to search for supplies. At the north bridge in concord, approximately 500 militia men fought and defeated three companies of the kings troops. The outnumbered regulars and fell back from the minutemen. At the battle of Lexington Green, a British officer rode forward, waving his sword, and called out for the assembled throng to disperse, and may also have ordered them to lay down your arms, you damned rebels! Captain Parker told his men instead to disperse and go home, but, because of the confusion, the yelling all around, and due to the raspiness of Parkers tubercular voice, some did not hear him, some left very slowly, and none laid down their arms. Both Parker and Pitcairn ordered their men to hold fire, but a shot was fired from an unknown source. No one knows why this shot was fired but it was surmised that a nervous minuteman was frightened by the oncoming British. According to one member of Parkers militia none of the Americans had discharged their muskets as they faced the oncoming British troops. The British did suffer one casualty. Some witnesses among the regulars reported the first shot was fired by a colonial onlooker from behind a hedge or around the corner of a tavern. Some observers reported a mounted British officer firing first. Both sides generally agreed that the initial shot did not come from the men on the ground immediately facing each other. Neither side heard it come from this way. Also, no soldier lowered his weapon to reload and no smoke came from either barrel. Some witnesses claimed that someone on the other side fired first; however, many more witnesses claimed to not know. near-simultaneous shots occurred when the fighting did break out so no evidence was gained from that. Witnesses at the scene described several intermittent shots fired from both sides before the lines of regulars began to fire volleys without receiving orders to do so. A few of the militiamen believed at first that the regulars were only firing powder with no ball, but when they realized the truth, few if any of the militia managed to load and return fire. After taking heavy fire the rest wisely ran for their lives. It is all still very unclear who shot first. The evidence leans toward the British. But no one will ever no for sure. Historians are split both ways on this fact. I have leaned towards the British but I have a applied a bias simply because I am American.