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Sculpture & Movement |
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written
by zinnia / 10.24.2005 |
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| Sculpture and movement |
1 of 1 |
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Assignment |
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Bernini sculpted his trio at Villa Borghese with great consideration of viewer movement in mind. In each case, it is necessary for the observer to trace a semicircle with the statue as center. The figures are positioned as they are in order to present a series of interlinking images, like a film, rather than static illustrations undertaken by traditional works. In addition, each image must be viewed at a precise angle, a slight offset and that particular scene disappears from view. The exact time of a viewer’s engagement in any tale varies from person to person. It may be from the first sight, during the climax, and sometimes it won’t be until much later during his/her recollection of the experience when it becomes truly fascinating. For my part, the engrossment started – coincidentally the same for each sculpture – when either the silhouette or visage of a figure comes into sight. With Pluto’s abduction of Persephone, I started from Pluto’s side of the sculpture and turned to take in his profile, continuing to the other side distorted by the hand of Persephone, and to Persephone herself; each accompanied with a glance down the vertical statue and then back up to resume my horizontal line of vision. As I stepped up and glimpsed Apollo, my vision jumped to Daphne’s aghast, frightened expression and hair in midair, finally taking note of their running postures. Bernini’s intricate facial expression of David first drew my attention, followed by the realization that he is aiming the slingshot. It was interesting to observe that Bernini in each of these works, manipulate the audience to start with the backside of the male figure. There is sense to this though. Since the storyline always begins with the male figure initiating some sort of action, it is logical then for him to be acknowledged first. As we encircle it, each angle of the sculpture captures sequential images of the story. Bernini parallels viewer’s movement with the chronological aspect of the portrayed story, enabling his audience to read a story with their eyes observing the sculpture.
Canova pulls the observer to his sculpture of Pauline Bonaparte with a unique lighting that highlights her conflicting nature. Because of a candlelight’s luminosity and since it acts as the sole source of light, only portions of the sculpture can be truly visible at a time; one would see the statue by piecing together smaller sections. My gaze passed Bonaparte’s lower body with cursory and focused on the mid and upper body. With her chest bare and soft garment loosely draped around her waist, the woman appears delicate and relaxed. The cozy appearance of the finely carved cushion further backs up the pleasantness. Continuing up, one’s gaze passes the apple holding hand – with a yet undefined significance – and settles on her face. Flawless are her features; however the individual characters combines to emit an aura of haughtiness. Looking back, meaning can now be given to the apple through Canova’s portrayal of Bonaparte’s perfection in countenance mixed with arrogance. In legend, Paris was to choose the most beautiful of the three goddesses – Athena, Venus, Hera – and give her the apple. Bonaparte holds the apple that symbolizes ultimate beauty. Since the apple in the end settled with the goddess of love, Bonaparte equates herself with Venus.
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