The Human Emotion in a Head

The Human Emotion in a Head

How Baroque and Renaissance express emotion through sculpture

Figure 1: “Head of Christ”, late 15th–early 16th century. Limestone, traces of wood thorns, 9 9/16 x 10 1/2 x 9 1/8in. (24.3 x 26.7 x 23.2cm). Purchase, Rogers Fund; Gifts of J. Pierpont Morgan, George Blumenthal, and Duveen Brothers, by exchange; Bequests of George Blumenthal, Michael Dreicer, Theodore M. Davis and Anne D. Thomson, by exchange; and Mr. and Mrs. Maxime L. Hermanos Gift, 1983.

Figure 2: Balthasar Permoser, Marsyas, ca. 1680–85. Marble,  H. 27 x W. 17 3/8 x D. 11 1/8 in. (68.6 x 44.1 x 28.3 cm). Rogers Fund and Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 2002.

Two particular time periods in art history, Baroque and Renaissance, stand out the most when talking about art. During these time periods the work of art were similar yet have distinct differences. The Head of Christ was sculpted in the late 15th-early 16th century at the time of the Renaissance period. Soon followed was the Baroque period, when Balthasar Permoser sculpted Marsyas, in ca. 1680–85. According to Maureen in her article Difference Between Baroque Art and Renaissance, she explains that the Renaissance art used perspective in their work to allow more realism to their art; because of this it made the artist to focus on adding depth that made from the lack of emotion. She continues to say that stillness helped Baroque artist to make realistic emotions by focusing more on drama . Maureen argues that “Renaissance art works did not completely depict human emotion, while Baroque art focused more on showing them.” [1] However, by analyzing and comparing Balthasar Permoser, Marsyas (Figure 1) and Head of Christ (Figure 2) through motion and naturalism it can be seen that the Head of Christ from the Renaissance era does realistically captures the human emotion sorrow as much as Marsyas portrays agony with its Baroque style.Marsyas was a satyr in Greek mythology. Marsyas challenged the god of music Apollo to a contest of music. “[As a natural lost, Apollo had him] flayed alive for daring worse.”[2] Permoser sculpted Marsyas with an agonized face in the height of his pain from his punishment. Baroque style uses characteristics such as richness, drama, vitality, movement, tension, emotion and tendency. Permoser uses this style by using smooth but line skin through light and shadow. The texture of the curls in his hair are vibrant and full of empty space. He creates these bulging tendons to emphasize his struggle that is created by the pain. The bust is in life size scale to give the audience face to face intimacy in order to feel his suffering. The back of Marsyas was unfinished to “and emplacement for bracket suggest that it was originally intended for a niche, perhaps in a palace courtyard.”[3] In addition, Marsyas has multiple angles and viewpoints of his asymmetrical posture that highlights Marsyas’ struggle against his punishment. The Head of Christ is a sculpture that depicts Jesus Christ during his time of his Crucifixion. Jesus is in great sorrow because he is punished to death to pay for the sins of everyone, so he was flayed and crucified. Renaissance style uses characteristics such as reverent art forms, nobility of man through humanism, maximizing depth, and linear perspective. The artist who is unknown, uses this style by using great realistic detail in sculpting Jesus’ emotion. There are simple planes to make the figure’s forehead and cheeks. The orientation of the face lays from left to right as if the figure is laying on the cross. The figure’s eyebrows has sharp creases to show a sorrowful expression. In addition, the carving of the mustache and beard is carved in a realistic view. The thorns piercing the forehead of the figure effectively transforms the limestone into flesh realistically, as well. “[The artist creates] bulging, downward-sloping eyes.”[4] The Head of Christ gives audience empathy that is given in every aspect.In Permoser's Bust of Marsyas, Permoser captured emotion that is created by facial expression through motion. Marsyas’ eyes are carved in a squinting movement in pain. His eyebrows are furrowed and the mouth open in a scream which shows that he is trying to endure the pain that he has received. “…the Sculptor’s high Baroque style in forecast by this agonizingly expressive bust of Marsyas.”[5] Since, the motion is captured through the craving of his eyes, eyebrows, and mouth; the sculpture has completely shown the emotional view of agony that was created by his suffering.In the same way, the Head of Christ sculpture, has also captured emotion that is created by facial expression through motion. Even though Jesus’ closed eyes are carved making a moving in a downward sloping expression, his wanly eyebrows alongside his eyes and the mouth is sculpted is a somewhat open position. “The ordeal of Christ in the events leading up to and including the Crucifixion were expressed in horrifying detail in the representation of…. the man of sorrows.“[6] Similar to Permoser's Bust of Marsyas, the motion is captured through the carving of his eyes, eyebrows, and mouth; the sculpture has completely shown the realistic view that was created by his suffering. Although the expression of Jesus’ face was made by subtle motions, the artist has completely shown that both works of art reflected the idea of sorrow that is conveyed in suffering.In fact, the sculpting techniques of the emotional view in the emotionally charged suffering, of the Marsyas bust sculpted by Permoser to create the body of agony was not as natural as the Head of Christ. Permoser sculpted Marsyas’ torso with torn and folded skin which can be mistaken for a robe. The body is also positioned so violently that it is twisted to one side. As an interesting addition to his contorted face, is his curls distorted the shape of his head. ”Permoser’s satyr are so narrowed that he looks more animalistic than human.”[7] Marsyas was being flayed alive from Apollo’s punishment, Permoser overly exaggerated the details thus making the Bust of Marsyas unnatural.

Whereas, the sculpting techniques of the realistic view in the emotionally charged suffering, of  the Head of Christ, has created the face of sorrow on Jesus in a natural form. The artist succeeded in replicating the human face of Jesus by using simple planes to make the figure’s forehead and cheeks. The orientation of the face lays from left to right as if figure is laying on the cross.  “Carving of this head combines an idealized vision of the dead Christ with simplified naturalism in the details.”[8] The Head of Christ embraced the naturalistic scene without adding or subtracting to the sorrows of Jesus. 

All in all, the Renaissance style of the Head of Christ shows that the artist completely reflected the idea of the realistic view emotionally charged suffering as much as Marsyas’ Baroque style. Although the artist simplified the expression of the Head of Christ, the motion of Jesus’ sorrow from his eyes, eyebrows, and mouth has proven the complete idea of the realistic view of emotion as Permoser’s did in his bust of Marsyas. In addition, the artist of the Head of Christ sculpted the naturalism of the Head of Christ sorrows even better than Permoser’s sculpture of Marsyas in agony. Permoser failed in sculpting Marsyas in a  naturalistic because it was more exaggerated. The works of art of Head of Christ from the Renaissance era did completely reflect the idea of the realistic view in the emotionally charged suffering as much as Marsyas Baroque style.

   

[1] Maureen. "Difference Between Baroque Art And Renaissance” Accessed March 27 2018. http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/culture-miscellaneous/difference-between-baroque-art-and-renaissance/.

[2] Lucy Gent and Nigel Llewellyn, Renaissance Bodies: The Human Figure in English Culture(London: Reaktion Books, 1995), 112.

[3] "Recent Acquisitions, A Selection: 2002–2003": The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 61, no. 2 (Fall, 2003): 23

[4] Little,Charles T., ed. Set in Stone: The Face in Medieval Sculpture. New York, New Haven, and London: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2006. No.37, pp. 99.

[5] "Recent Acquisitions, A Selection: 2002–2003": The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 61, no. 2 (Fall, 2003): 23

[6] Little,Charles T., ed. Set in Stone: The Face in Medieval Sculpture. New York, New Haven, and London: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2006. No.37, pp. 98.

[7] Ian Wardropper, “German and Austrian Eighteenth- Century Sculpture and Decorative Arts,” The Metropolitan Museum of Art: 19.

[8] Wixom, William D. "Late Medieval Sculpture in the Metropolitan: 1400 to 1530." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, n.s., 64, no. 4 (Spring 2007). p. 28.