Just Rosey Blogs

     The topic I have chosen to research is "Baroque Architecture." In the article "Baroque" written by Max Kenyon, Kenyon starts off the article by providing the definition of Baroque and then goes on to discuss the characteristics and traits of Baroque architecture by revealing to the readers how they can differentiate a good baroque building, and a bad one. "A good Baroque building is on the same spiritual level as a good gothic building, though of course the buildings express very different ways of looking at the universe," (Kenyon 105). In the article, Kenyon not only goes over the architecture but also goes over a part of the England culture during the time the Baroque style was adored. The author ties in music to the architecture by informing that the gothic architectural style invited various styles of music, including clavier, opera, and oratorio (Kenyon 106). St Paul's Cathedral Sir Christopher Wren  1674-1711      In Chapter 15, the text di...

     I chose to do research on Queen Elizabeth I of England. Elizabeth I was born a princess on September 7, 1533. She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Queen Anne Boleyn. She became the queen in 1558 and held the throne for 44 years until she passed away on March 24, 1603 (Biography Queen Elizabeth I) . Queen Elizabeth I was a popular queen and was admired by many. She accomplished many achievements in England such as, defeating the Spanish Armada, maintaining peace in a divided country, creating an environment that allowed arts to be seen, and negotiating religious conflicts (Elizabeth I's Achievements) . She established Protestantism (a type of Christian faith and practice) in England as well. Fun fact, because the Queen never married anyone, she was given the nickname "Virgin Queen."      The article I chose to read was  "The 'Coronation' Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, " written by Janet Arnold. In the article, Arnold analyzes the p...

       Hamlet  (1603) written by Shakespeare, is one of Shakespeare's most famous plays. The play is a tragedy and drama, that takes place in the late middle ages in Denmark. Hamlet was originally targeted towards the Elizabethan audience. Although the play is quite old, many people today read and study it, including many of Shakespeare's other works. Hamlet  revolves around the main character, Hamlet, as he tries to seek the truth and avenge his murdered father. "Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder," (Act I, Scene V, line 25). As Hamlet journeys to accomplish his goals, he along with the other characters, are faced with difficulties. The play is filled with ups and downs, twists and turns, different themes, and realization. One thing to know if you have never read one of Shakespeare's tragedies, is that there are a lot of deaths involved. Brace yourself before reading the play! Hamlet William Shakespeare     The play has multiple differen...

     Music was big in the Northern Renaissance similar to the popularization of visual art. The form of art was well known and played majorly in Europe. The European composers made changes to the music to better the listening experience for Europe, but they also kept many aspects from the past when it comes to composition. "Although sixteenth-century European composers began to increase the complexity of their style, frequently using polyphony, they continued to use forms developed in the High Middle Ages and the early Renaissance," ( Cunningham 346). In fact, the musicians during this time were recognized as heirs of the thirteenth and fourteenth century predecessors. They continued writing madrigals (a song for multiple voices), which originally was created in Italy "for the entertainment of courtly circles," (Cunningham 347). Madrigals easily became a main feature of musical development since it was so widely used by composers throughout Europe.  Heinrich Isaac ...

     I chose to read the article "Raphael's "Small Cowper Madonna" and "Madonna of the Meadow": Their Technique and Leonardo Sources" by David Alan Brown to learn more about Raphael's painting, Madonna of the Meadow after reading a little bit about it in Chapter 13 . The purpose of this JSTOR article was to compare the two artworks, Small Cowper Madonna and Madonna of the Meadow , both created by High Renaissance artist, Raphael Sanzio, after cleaning. In the article, the author compared and contrasted the two works, while going in depth on the artistic choices that Raphael made in his paintings. Another main point in the article was Leonardo's influence in Raphael's paintings. "The purpose of this article is to compare the two paintings by Raphael, after cleaning, and to do so in terms not only of their technique but also of their sources in the work of Leonardo da Vinci" (Brown 9).       Raphael Madonna in the Meadow 1505-1...

     A major painting that I have chosen to analyze from the Early Renaissance time period is the Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden, a realism fresco painted by Masaccio. Masaccio painted Adam and Eve in a three-dimensional form with the lightest parts of the painting on the two to draw the viewer's attention to the front part of the figures, with the shadows and darkest parts being behind them, in addition to them being in the center of the painting. Adam and Eve are shown naked with sorrowful looks on their faces to provide a sense of vulnerability, dismay, and shame since they were the first to be kicked out of the Garden of Paradise. "...shows not only realism in the figures, but also a profound sense of human emotions: the shame and dismay of the firm human beings as they are driven from the Garden of Paradise," (Cunningham 270) . Adam is shown covering his face of sadness while Eve is shown covering her body with her head up crying. Both actions and facial express...

I found it very interesting learning about the time before the Renaissance. I have particularly taken a liking to ancient Greece and the Romans. I liked learning about the start of the democratic and republic ideas because the two ideas are so different, yet are still completely relevant today (Part I & II). It shocked me, however, that democracy in ancient Greece was so limited with so many rules. Those who were able to participate have to be a male, have to be over 30 years old, have to be land owners, etc. ( Part I ). This shocked me because while the idea lived on, modern democracy allows more freedom regarding the rules. I liked noticing the similarities and differences in history compared to modern society. I also admire how much the Romans were influenced by the Greeks. "Just as the Greeks created a government system that many countries around the world try to copy today, so did the Roman republic act as a source of inspiration," ( Part II ). The Greeks started the...