Painting:
Gentileschi, Artemisia
"Judith and Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes"
c. 1625
Two women, hovering in a dimly lit room, seem to be hiding something as they peer out of a red curtain. They are dressed in rags similar to the garb worn by servants in the 17th Century. There is a tendancy to feel frightened... for they seem to be up to mischief. The plump woman who stands above the smaller woman is holding a sword, as if to threaten the other. The positioning of the ladies, coupled with their sizes leads to the notion that the larger woman is in a position of authority over the other. There seems to be a conflict within a conflict as we look again at the painting. The two women in the dark room are obviously covering their tracks from people who are not depicted. Looking more closely, we notice the dynamics of what we actually see in the painting; the crouched woman seems to be dominated into taking actions that she doesn't necessarily feel comfortable taking. The sword near the crouched woman's neck, as well as the look on her face are prime indicators of this fact.
Furthermore, the contrast of light and dark in the painting lends itself to the sense of danger. The two women in the painting do not appear overtly dangerous, although it is obvious that they have commited a crime and are now trying desperately to avoid being caught. A crime of passion maybe? To some degree, have not we all been guilty at one time or another in our lives?
The candle burning in front of the plump woman's face is an ominous clue which causes us to look at other indications that there is foul-play taking place. Symbols from the artist (i.e. the red curtain, and the fearful looks on each woman's face) are further indications of the tension between, first, the two women, and also between the two women and the outside.
Ferdinand de Saussure, in his "Course in General Linguistics" makes a compelling argument regarding semiology, the study of signs and the laws that govern them (Saussure 60). He states that a linguistic sign unites a concept with the impression it makes on our senses (Saussure 61). When we approach the painting again, as humans natrually do, we look to the body language and facial expressions of the women depicted as signs to aid in extracting some meaning from the painting itself. The smaller woman, who is crouched beneath the other has a seeminly apprehensive look on her face. In addition to the look on her face is her body language; she continues to hide something as she looks up from what she is doing, possibly because she is being rushed. According to Saussure, the body language and the facial expressions signifiers and what we get from that when we assess the painting are the signified.
We know that both parts of the sign are psychological (Saussure 59). Keeping this in mind, we can give ourselves freedom in exploring the image in a unique way; one that makes the most sense to us, as individuals.
Works Cited
Saussure, Ferdinand de. "Literary Theory: An Anthology." Eds. Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan. Blackwell Publishing. Maldon, Ma, 2004. (59-71).
Gentileschi, Artemisia
"Judith and Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes"
c. 1625
Two women, hovering in a dimly lit room, seem to be hiding something as they peer out of a red curtain. They are dressed in rags similar to the garb worn by servants in the 17th Century. There is a tendancy to feel frightened... for they seem to be up to mischief. The plump woman who stands above the smaller woman is holding a sword, as if to threaten the other. The positioning of the ladies, coupled with their sizes leads to the notion that the larger woman is in a position of authority over the other. There seems to be a conflict within a conflict as we look again at the painting. The two women in the dark room are obviously covering their tracks from people who are not depicted. Looking more closely, we notice the dynamics of what we actually see in the painting; the crouched woman seems to be dominated into taking actions that she doesn't necessarily feel comfortable taking. The sword near the crouched woman's neck, as well as the look on her face are prime indicators of this fact.
Furthermore, the contrast of light and dark in the painting lends itself to the sense of danger. The two women in the painting do not appear overtly dangerous, although it is obvious that they have commited a crime and are now trying desperately to avoid being caught. A crime of passion maybe? To some degree, have not we all been guilty at one time or another in our lives?
The candle burning in front of the plump woman's face is an ominous clue which causes us to look at other indications that there is foul-play taking place. Symbols from the artist (i.e. the red curtain, and the fearful looks on each woman's face) are further indications of the tension between, first, the two women, and also between the two women and the outside.
Ferdinand de Saussure, in his "Course in General Linguistics" makes a compelling argument regarding semiology, the study of signs and the laws that govern them (Saussure 60). He states that a linguistic sign unites a concept with the impression it makes on our senses (Saussure 61). When we approach the painting again, as humans natrually do, we look to the body language and facial expressions of the women depicted as signs to aid in extracting some meaning from the painting itself. The smaller woman, who is crouched beneath the other has a seeminly apprehensive look on her face. In addition to the look on her face is her body language; she continues to hide something as she looks up from what she is doing, possibly because she is being rushed. According to Saussure, the body language and the facial expressions signifiers and what we get from that when we assess the painting are the signified.
We know that both parts of the sign are psychological (Saussure 59). Keeping this in mind, we can give ourselves freedom in exploring the image in a unique way; one that makes the most sense to us, as individuals.
Works Cited
Saussure, Ferdinand de. "Literary Theory: An Anthology." Eds. Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan. Blackwell Publishing. Maldon, Ma, 2004. (59-71).
No comments:
Post a Comment