So, this is my field trip report about the museum. Hope it turned out. Ever since I've been going to German public school my English has gotten so bad!!

Here it is:

Field Trip January 17^th-18^th  2009

Written by, Tessa Sydnor

1/22/09

 

                           Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien

 

         Saturday the 17^th of January I woke up early in the morning, for my mom to drive me to the train station. I was exited. This was my first train trip alone and I was to meet my dad in Vienna, where both of us would go to the Art history museum. The train ride past uneventful, and my dad and I made it to the museum. I had been to one other Art Museum in Munich. But this one was far grander, there were paintings by Dürer, Rubens, Titian, Van Eyck, Rafael, and so many more famous artists.

        

While I walked through the beautiful rooms, filled with exquisite paintings I was overwhelmed by the shear beauty of it all. Every thing I look for in art was in those numerous paintings. I saw beauty and meaning. And faith also, it was almost as if the artists did not paint religion for art, but art for religion. Ninety percent of all the paintings in the museum where depictions of biblical events. I am sure not all artists in the renaissance time where Christians, yet Christianity was deep rooted in that time, and event non believers had a fair knowledge of the bible.

 

 I was struck how much art has changed. Art has become selfish and vain, today it is all about showing yourself. I cannot deny that there are still artists who do not think that way, but the majority of the world believes art is a means of making yourself immortal.

 

When I walked through the rooms full of painted beauty I did not feel like the Old Masters where trying to prove themselves.  I felt like they where just painting what was there, they were creating beauty, reflecting off of their own soul, but also off of their faith.

 

All in all, I learnt a lot that day in Vienna. As I sit here, typing these words I remember again what it has taught me: To paint for the joy of painting.  Not for the glory, honor or money. That applies to all things, not just art: If you love athletics, do sports, not for the glory of yourself, but for the joy of it. That way you will not be glorifying yourself, but ultimately God. For it is He who gives you your talent and it is He who gives you the joy.

Snow, snow, snow

When I walked to school this morning the streets were clear, it was actually kinda warm too. 

While I was in school it suddenly started to snow really hard. I couldn't believe my eyes, the snow flakes had at least a 1 inch diameter. Anyway, by the time I got out of school the world was covered in white. It was beautiful, but so cold and wet. I have a 20 minute walk home, so by the time I was home I was soaked!! I can't wait for Summer!! 

Religion in Art

This last weekend my dad and I went to the art history museum in Vienna. It was really cool. There were a bunch of pictures from Rubens, Dürer, Titian and many more. And what struck me, as we were walking through the galleries, was how dominant religion was in all the paintings. 

So many beautiful depictions of biblical events, it was breathtaking. But anyway, I'm sure not all artists were Christians then. But religion was so deep rooted in that time (around the 1500 & 1600) even if you weren't a Believer, you knew stories from the bible and you painted them. It was almost as if they did not paint religion because of art, but they painted art because of religion.

I think that is sad that that has been lost, I think that is sad that that has changed. In those days it was as if art existed because of religion.  Now, it is as if art exists to ruin Christianity. 

  Did that make a little sense? Of course it is debatable. Anything about art is. I mean what even defines art ?!

Da Vinci Mode

Well, I'm sorta new to this, but I think I'll start off by explaining the name for my blog:

I love art, and lately I have been studying the great Masters of Art (you know, Michelangelo, Rubens, da Vinci, Dürer etc.) and my favorite Artist is Leonardo da Vinci. I'll explain why in a later post. But I thought I'd call this blog Da Vinci Mode, because I'm really into the old renaissance art, so, you could say," I'm in the Da Vinci Mode"

Get it?  : )