MART-601 Lessons

Professor Rosenquist carries an ornate ceramic vase into the Magical Art classroom. Once she sets it gently down on her desk, she turns around and faces the doorway with a smile. “Just a little bit further Eoghan! If you could set the painting on this easel in the front, that would be spectacular!” she called out. A slightly struggling Irishman walks into the classroom carrying a portrait that is probably way too big for only one person to carry. As he is a few feet from setting the portrait down, he somehow manages to trip on himself and the portrait falls to the ground, the man in the painting yelling at the mysterious man with some… colorful language. Professor Rosenquist cringes when she hears the portrait hit ground, but runs over and helps the man up, “Are you okay? I couldn’t tell who had it worse, you or him.” The man named Eoghan laughs, “Probably him. I’m fine though, thanks Serafina.”

The two go to inspect the painting. After deeming that there’s nothing wrong with it, just a very angry painted man, they both lift it onto the easel right as students begin to file into the room. Professor Rosenquist waits for the students to get settled before addressing them.

Welcome students! As you can probably guess, we have another special guest this week. This is Professor Eoghan O’Keeffe; no relation to the famous American artist Georgia O’Keeffe. He is a renowned art historian in the magical art world as well as a professor at Da Vinci’s Academy for the Magically and Artistically Inclined. I invited him here because who else would be better suited to discuss the history of art and its influence on the wizarding world. For the first part of the lesson, I’ll step aside and let Professor O’Keeffe take the stage as he will be discussing Muggle art periods. The floor is yours, Eoghan!

Thank you, Serafina, for letting me join you today and hello to all of you! I will admit that creating art has never been my forte, but my prowess in history, specifically art history, is something I am quite confident about and I am delighted to speak on the evolution of art through the ages. As with everything, history has played and continues to play a crucial role in the development of different art forms. While I cannot touch upon all of them in a single lecture, I have chosen some specifics that arose from important historical events and even some art forms that affected the wizarding world!

The earliest form of art was found way back in 30,000 BCE - 2500 BCE, during a time known as the Stone Age. The people of the Stone Age were no Picassos, but their art was meant to be more practical - depicting their lives, struggles, and growth as a community. Artwork from the Stone Age is often seen in two forms: cave paintings and sculptures of varying sizes. There are many examples of cave paintings throughout history, such as the Va Oua, which I have heard that you have learned about in Year One of History of Magic, but perhaps the best example of cave paintings comes from the Altamira Cave in present-day Spain. These paleolithic drawings cover the entire 240 meter long cave from the ceiling to the sides with a variety of drawings, primarily of animals.

Being a confirmed magical painting, magihistorians believe that it may have been left by a magical people due to the size of the paintings (measuring 5-10 meters in height). The large sizes have suggested to historians the hunting of megafauna, which did require magical assistance in the past. You may have also noticed that the color scheme is limited and this was due to the use of natural elements for paint. It is believed that the black was likely made using charcoal and other colors from soil, soft stone, or berries.

Megalithic structures were also prominent during the Stone Age and many ancient civilizations have impressive structures that should not have been feasible with the limited resources and technology available during that time. Nearly all magihistorians believe that most megalithic structures are evidence of magical and Muggle cooperation before the two began their split, which is what allowed structures such as Machu Picchu, the Colossal Heads of the Olmec, and Gobekli Tepe to be built and remain standing today. Gobekli Tepe is considered to be the oldest religious structure ever found - thought to have been built from 10,000-9,000 BCE - and consists of large stone pillars featuring carvings of people and animals in addition to more large heads and what many assume to be bodies.

Moving forward centuries to the Greek and Hellenistic periods from 850 BCE - 31 BCE, art drastically changed. Even though the idea of sculptures was maintained, the way in which these sculptures were created underwent a striking change, which stemmed from the focus of Greek idealism that influenced culture at the time. These ideals led to a desire for balance, perfection, and the “ideal beauty” in their sculptures. Such characteristics can be seen in perhaps one of the most famous sculptures from this period, Discobolus. No doubt, you see how this is an idealized figure of a fit male poised, graceful, and ready with a powerful swing. Faces of sculptures during this time were also often youthful and pleasant, furthering the aesthetic of ideal beauty. However, the Greeks not only excelled in their ideal statues, but also honored their pantheon of gods with art through architecture through various symmetrical temples.

There are three different architectural orders seen from the Greek and Hellenistic periods: the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. The Doric order can be seen in some of the most well known Greek structures, such as the Parthenon, and is known for having sturdy and simple designs. The Ionic order, while still sturdy, became more artistic, and the heads of pillars began to be decorated with designs, including runes, and carvings of divine feats. However, it was the Corinthian order that brought forth the true artistry that many see in Athenian architecture today.

The Doric order is the earliest of the three and represents an important moment in Mediterranean architecture when monumental construction made the transition from materials such as wood to more permanent materials like stone. The other orders came about as the Greek age diminished and the Hellenistic period began. Around 360 BCE, the Greek city-states were weak and disorganized from centuries of warfare. Their exhaustion made it easy for another city-state, Macedonia, to rise to power under the rule of King Philip II. The Macedonians began to expand their territory, but King Philip was assassinated in 336 BCE before he could conquer Persia. Not long after Philip's death, his son, Alexander the Great, rose up and conquered much of western Asia and Egypt before passing into the Indus Valley. His success may have been due to magical ability, though history remains unclear on this. Due to a lack of governmental structure, Alexander’s empire was a fragile one and after his death in 323 BCE, his generals divided his conquered land amongst themselves. Though these dynasties were no longer politically united, they did share an essential “Greek-ness,” which many historians refer to when referencing the Hellenistic age.

These kings had a very worldly view and were very interested in amassing as many riches as they could… so much so that it became a kind of competition. This is where the three orders came into play. During the original conquest of Alexander the Great, sturdiness and functionality (Doric order) were the most important, but as the lands were divided, architecture became more elaborate, which led to the more decorative Ionic and Corinthian orders.

   

The Baroque period is one of the artistic styles that began around 1600 BCE in Rome, Italy, and spread throughout the majority of Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. Simply speaking, the term “baroque” describes overly elaborate, flamboyant, and excessively detailed artwork. How did such artwork come about? The Baroque period occurred during the time of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, but it was the decision during the Council of Trent that drove forward much of this era’s artwork. During their meeting at Trent, the Catholic Church decided that the arts should communicate religious themes and direct emotional involvement into the spirituality of all men. However, despite the religious push in art, the Baroque period incorporated more than just religion. Certain artists sparked interest in realism and antique forms, which were taken up and developed by well-known artists like Bernini and Algardi.

It was also during this time that witch-hunting reached its peak. Much of this was due to paintings and teachings of the Church regarding what would happen to those who participated in witchcraft. One painting in particular, known as the “Witch of Endor” tells the story of Saul, the King of Israel, seeking wisdom from God regarding an attack against the Philistines. Receiving nothing from God and having driven all magic users from Israel, Saul searches for a witch in disguise and finds a woman of Endor, who claimed to see the ghost of his mentor, Samuel, rising from the dead. The spirit of Samuel chastises Saul for disobeying God and predicts that he and his entire army will perish in battle the next day. The prophecy comes to pass and Saul and his entire army are wiped out. Naturally, such stories caused fear among the Catholic and Protestant community alike, which led to the increase in accusations and death of innocent Muggles along with a few witches and wizards.

Moving forward to the 20th century, pre-World War II, the Art Deco form began to take shape in many types of art across the world. Its name is short for Arts Decoratifs and it was originally taken from the Internal Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts (IEMDIA) held in Paris in 1925. This art form was influenced by many different types of art, which I’m sure Professor Rosenquist would be happy to discuss with you further, but perhaps the most recognizable feature was the use of rare and expensive materials and exquisite craftsmanship. One of the most well-known Art Deco examples in architecture can be seen in New York, New York in the United States! The Chrysler Building, among other skyscrapers built during the 1920s and 30s are prime examples of everything the Art Deco Style stood for.

In the wizarding world, we do have Art Deco equivalents, the most notable being found in the MACUSA headquarters, the Salem Memorial. In this particular instance, it is not so much the grandeur of the piece or the material that makes it special, but the labor of those who created it. Many magical artists hold the piece in high esteem due to the craftsmanship it entailed. Monsieur Cremount Tremaux, a wizard himself, was tasked with creating the piece and it is his attention to detail and storytelling through such simplicity that causes the piece to fall within this style. However, the Art Deco style did not last long, but began to gradually fade as the Great Depression hit in the 1930s and the beginning of World War II where the rise of strictly functional and unadorned styles of architecture were preferred.

Out of the World Wars another two art forms arose - Dadaism and Surrealism. Dadaism (Dada) came about due to the horrors of World War I and dealt more with poetry and written art than painting or sculptures. At its origin, Dada was considered to be more “anti-art” as its creators more often produced manifestos asking their readers to forget everything they knew and leave life to chance. Historically speaking, most dadaists began their journeys simply from a hatred of war and the world they were living in. These feelings led Dada to be meaningless, absurd, and completely random. Their art was even determined by chance. A Muggle artist once threw cut up paper and let the pieces fall to the ground randomly and considered them arranged according to the laws of change, which made them into a piece of artwork. Perhaps more famous in the magical world was Cathel Johnson who is well known for stealing random magical objects - ranging from precious magical artifacts to common household items - and sticking them in random places within the No-Maj world claiming it was art because it was put in a non-functional context.

Surrealism on the other hand lives on the other side of the spectrum. Their art did not take the form of manifestos, but rather dealt with art of the unconscious. These artists are also typically influenced by philosophers and their “unreachable ideas.” The trademark for surrealist art is painting from their dreams as can be seen by most art from this period. Ironically, surrealists held to the same idea as dadaists - art was in its best form when left to chance. However, their definition of “chance” was different, being seen more as bypassing logic and reason and accessing the unconscious.

It appears I have accidentally taken up more time than I was supposed to, so sorry about that Professor Rosenquist, I’ll give your students back to you!

Thank you Professor O'Keeffe for that insightful overview on art periods in the Muggle world! As he has mentioned already, it would certainly take more than our allotted time today to truly cover all aspects of Muggle art history. Although the trends of art in the wizarding world did typically follow the ones in the Muggle world, there were certain points throughout history where an art period would emerge that was specific to magical artists. Much like the art periods observed in the Muggle world, these art periods would occur as a reaction to big events such as wars or a change in power. There are several magical art periods that do exist, but unfortunately, we only have time for two. The ones we are about to discuss are fairly recent in terms of wizarding history.

The first of these is Humorism, which lasted from around 1945 to 1960, right around the time of Abstract Expressionism and late Dada and Surrealism in the Muggle world. This magical art period arose after the fall of Grindelwald when Dumbledore won the legendary duel where he obtained the Elder Wand and Grindelwald was sent to be imprisoned at Nurmengard. After a period of turmoil in the wizarding world, magical artists sought to create art that is comedic in some sense in order to redirect the attention of the public from dark, depressing matters. Humorism brought retellings of wizarding tales with an ironic twist, such as the Troll Tapestry on the seventh floor by the Room of Requirement (pictured above). Woven by Montgomery K. Marston, this tapestry depicts the story of Barnabas the Barmy and his unsuccessful attempt of giving ballet lessons to trolls. Eight trolls in giant tutus and ballet shoes are seen here dancing as gracefully as trolls can, carrying their clubs, while a terrified Barnabas is in the center of the chaos. Although the situation might not be so funny to Barnabas, the idea of ballet dancing trolls is quite hilarious. Along with ironically funny art of wizarding tales also came interactive art that had the sole purpose of either telling jokes or sarcastically insulting the audience. This came in all sorts of forms, from portraits of wizarding comedians such as Derwent Shrimpling to prints of cartoonish magical creatures in the Daily Prophet. However, the most famous of these were the gargoyles sculpted by Irish magical artist Aoife Duffy. Duffy’s gargoyles could pass as sentient comedians themselves if they weren’t statues. The enchantments placed on them were similar to the ones used for magical portraits and gave each individual gargoyle their own style of humor and way of interacting with their audience. Some gargoyles tended to provide stand-up comedy and would tell jokes to even people that were simply passing by. Other gargoyles exhibited a dry or self-deprecating comedic sense and some told what seemed to be funny anecdotes to anyone that interacted with them. There are currently two of the Duffy gargoyles on Hogwarts grounds, both located at the Paved Courtyard. One likes to tell knock knock jokes while the other can be quite sarcastic. Remember that there is no sense in getting offended when interacting with them as they are simply statues that aren’t sentient.

The second art movement, Neoromanticism, was very brief, only lasting the three years the Second Wizarding War took place. When Voldemort was reborn in 1995, art in the wizarding world took a sinister turn. The return of the dark lord, Death Eaters, and turmoil brought out a darker, unsettling perspective from artists. The name of the movement was coined by magical art historians as a majority of the artwork during this period was a revival of the Muggle art period Romanticism, or at least one aspect of it. Romanticism was a movement that began in the late 18th century that sprouted from the motion of challenging the rational ideal brought on from the Enlightenment. The artists of this period believed that emotions, imagination, and individuality were just as important in understanding the world as logic and they showed it in their art. Alongside the beautiful landscapes and historical depictions that fill galleries dedicated to this period was also the art created by artists who felt a fascination for the evil and disturbing. One example of art of this caliber is Francisco Goya’s Saturn Devouring His Son. Clearly not for the faint of heart, this painting depicts the Roman god Saturn, well, devouring his son. From the dark, muted colors to the deranged look in Saturn’s eyes, it’s easy to see how artists used this type of artwork as inspiration during a time when Voldemort wreaked havoc in the wizarding world.

Is it a surprise that we have already discussed an example of neoromantic art already in this course? The Magic is Might monument that we looked at in Lesson Two is probably the most famous piece to come out of this period. Although the piece was commissioned by the Death Eaters, not all of the art created was made to instill fear. More or less, it was an outlet for magical artists to portray the unrest in the wizarding world using the imaginative approach taken from the Romantic era. I did spot a couple of neoromantic works around the castle when I decided to take a stroll the other day. The first of these is a painting of sinister-looking monks titled The Monks of Salm. These faceless entities may look familiar if you are taking Divination, as this painting is located at the top of the stairwell in the North Tower. I’m not sure about you, but there is something very unsettling about how dark the painting is along with these anonymous cloaked figures. The other example is a set of two paintings of an eye, collectively named Those Who Watch, and yes, they move and their stares will follow you. Interesting story about these two eye paintings. They were once hung in the Grand Staircase together, but the paintings requested to move to different locations because they were appalled by the view. How a painting of an eye can talk, I have absolutely no clue. Anyway, one was moved to the Herbology Corridor and the other to the Transfiguration Courtyard. Ironically enough, they were placed specifically next to Timothy the Timid, who also has two paintings located in the exact same spot. Even to this day poor Timothy is clearly uncomfortable, but then again, who wouldn’t be if you were constantly watched by an eye. Occasionally when students pass by, he may ask them to cover the eye. Those Who Watch is also said to be an homage to the magical artist, Magenta Comstock, whose portraits’ eyes were known to follow not only the viewer around the room, but also follow them all the way home.

I cannot stress enough how important art history is. Before we had photography to visually record events, we had traditional mediums which give us a window to the past. We can compare different works of art to find out more about a certain culture, event, situation, or person. Of course, Time-Turners exist, but they have their limits and time magic is extremely risky. Pensieves are also an option, but that requires obtaining memories, which proves to also be a hassle. Art is clearly more cost efficient and won’t create time-related catastrophes.

With that thought I will let you go for today. Thank you again to Professor O'Keeffe for stopping by. Next lesson we will finally be getting into art mediums and practical assignments! Be sure to bring your paint brushes. Also, remember that it’s already time for midterms. Our midterm will consist of information from Lessons One through Four. As the next lesson opens up the second half of information for the course, none of the information in Lesson Five will be included in the midterm, however, please remember to study. Goodbye for now!

Lesson written by Professor Serafina Rosenquist
Guest lecture written by Professor Samuel Becker