Ways of Seeing- John Berger

 We were asked to look at a series from John Bergers ground-breaking 1970s series Ways of Seeing. We looked at episode 3 which looked at our response to fine art of the Renaissance to the art of the mid C20 from Britain and Nazi Germany. Both claimed to be high art, which was of a high moral standing but, in reality, the Nazi orchestral music was derived from propaganda and had a function of influencing the people in Germany while Germany was at war. Berger concluded that we have to search for a motive in any artform to conclude its intentions. 

Another example was paintings such as Hans Holbein's The Ambassadors, this painting shows two ambassadors-both French, both are rich and in powerful positions. The iconography of the objects placed in the picture show them engaged in colonial conquest and spreading the Christian religion and values throughout the new conquered territories. Such objects as a globe, seafaring items and books left open meaning spreading ideas and knowledge. Looking at such paintings objectively, it is clear the sub text deals with the church's dominance over other cultures, the beginnings of slavery and displaying opulent wealth. There is art history word for this. All the objects have an "iconography" which informs the viewer of their meaning. 

An interesting fact is it was only the rich who were viewed in Renaissance and Enlightenment Art until the mid C18 when artists like William Hoggarth in 1751. Hoggarth created prints which looked at the social impact of the consumption of gin in society. Hoggarth created Gin Lane and Beer Lane in 1751 which showed the lower classes as wretched and unruly. As with Holbein's paintings, we need to be objective when we view Hoggarth's work.   

Hans Holbein the Younger - The Ambassadors - Google Art Project - The Ambassadors (Holbein) - Wikipedia

William Hoggarth Gin Lane and Beer Street. Bing Images.