Larger-than-life Art

I have always loved art that is loud, bold, big and bursting. Everyone knows that. I'm all about loud colours, kitsch, quirky. That is so me.

Recently, I realised that I was also fascinated by artists took things/stories that are larger than life and made them human. Stories, fables and legends we grew up with, Gods and demons, villains and heroes - and made them relatable. Made the stories believable. Like they really could have happened.

I have always had a fascination for renaissance artists, but this time, when I visited the Louvre, these particular works caught my attention. They got me thinking, turned the light bulb in my head that did not question the stories on and made me smile.

My favorite was Bartolomeo Vivarini's The Virgin nursing the Child. I was very excited about this.

La Vierge allaitant l'Enfant
Bartolomeo VIVARINI

It made me think of my mother (a pediatrician) and breast feeding awareness and how powerful this image would be in such a campaign. What was particularly striking was that both Mother Mary and the Infant Christ have halos, indicating their divinity. Jesus may be God, but this portrayal reminds us He was human. And if despite being God, if He needed mother's milk, you can imagine how important it is for mortal children.

Then there was Daniele Ricciarelli's Battle of David and Goliath.

Le Combat de David et Goliath
Daniele RICCIARELLI, dit Daniele da VOLTERRA

For the very first time, it occurred to me that Golaith is not this inhuman or mythical giant. Just a large man. Maybe like my baby brother - 6', broad shouldered... Very human.

Another painting that made me stop was Luis de Morales' La Pieta.

La Pietà
Luis de MORALES

It was the eyes. The circles under the eyes. The dark circles under His eyes, the gaunt face - all natural for a man with His injuries (from the crucifixion). And Mother Mary's - the face of a mother filled with pain. This stood out, in my mind, more than Michelangelo (one of my all-time favourite artist AND ninja turtle)'s Pieta at St. Peter's, for it's humanity.

In complete contrast, I found the Christ in Paolo Caliari's The Marriage at Cana completely unrelatable.

Les Noces de Cana
Paolo CALIARI, dit VÉRONÈSE

The painting itself is festive and full of life, with the characters interacting with each other, like guests at any feast, interested in the wedded couple, the musicians, the food and drink. All except Christ.

Les Noces de Cana - detail

Christ in this, to me, looks stoned (with no disrespect) distant, not part of the scene - almost as if He were painted in by a different artist. His face reveals no expression and stands out from the rest of the celebration.  And it's not just the expression, even the colours seem to stand out. It's not as if He is looking at you - He looks through, without touching you. Despite the rest of the painting, this one detail puts a sea of distance between you and the work.