The Son of Man - Rene Magritte

The Son of Man is an oil on canvas self portrait painted by Belgian Surrealist Rene Magritte in 1964. It is 116 x 89 cm.



In the painting there is a man, Magritte, in a black overcoat and a bowler hat. These articles of clothing are what he would normally wear. He is standing in front of a short stone wall, behind which is an ominous mixture of a cloudy sky and a foggy sea. Obscuring the man's face is an inconveniently placed green apple. The edges of the man's eyes are visible from behind the apple. Magritte says that our burning desire to find out what lies behind the apple reveals something about human nature. We have an insatiable desire to figure out the obscure and unknown. Also unusual is the fact that the mans left arm appears to be put on backwards, his elbow visibly pushing the cloth from the front.

This painting resembles many other versions of this painting by Magritte. A less ominous version of the painting The Great War on Facades showplaces a woman standing in the same place in a white dress and umbrella in which a flower is obscuring her face.

Also Man in a Bowler Hat is a close up of this painting, except with a bird obscuring the man's face rather than a flower.






Sources
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vopj2s2wkWw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Son_of_Man
http://www.rene-magritte.org/the-son-of-man.jsp
http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/rene-magritte/son-of-man-1964
http://totallyhistory.com/the-son-of-man/

Vertumnus (Portrait of Rudolf II) - Giuseppe Acrimboldo

Vertumnus: Portrait of Rudolf II. This portrait was painted in 1590 by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, an Italian painter (1527-1593). I have found sources that said it was painted with oil on panel and oil on wood. The painting itself is 70.5 x 57.5 cm. The work was commissioned by the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II. Arcimboldo was granted the title of Count of Palantine after he completed the portrait because Rudolf II was so pleased with it.

In the painting, the model takes the form of Vertumnus, the Roman god of seasons, change, plant growth, gardens, and fruit trees. He is composed entirely of fruits, vegetables, and flowers in the portrait. Archimboldo created a number of paintings with the same form: a larger figure composed of a conglomeration of related objects. For example, he painted another portrait titled The Librarian in which the subject is composed of books. Some speculate whether or not this form of painting by Arcimboldo suggests he had a mental illness, however most art critics believe this bizarre, unique creativity is fitting for the time period.

Archimboldo was popular in his lifetime, however after he died people lost interest in his work for over 300 years. In the early twentieth century when the Surrealist movement was gaining ground, Archimboldo again came into sight. His work has influenced artists such a Salvador Dali.

Sources
http://rhetoricaldevice.com/images/arcimboldo/vertumnus.jpg
http://arthistory.about.com/od/from_exhibitions/ig/arcimboldo_paris/gaml1007_12.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertumnus
http://www.lifeasmyth.com/journalWatershedArcimboldo.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Arcimboldo
http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/giuseppe-arcimboldo/vertumnus-emperor-rudolph-ii