{"id":919,"date":"2024-07-13T13:14:45","date_gmt":"2024-07-13T13:14:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/szmz.hu\/teaching\/?page_id=919"},"modified":"2025-11-05T14:03:38","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T14:03:38","slug":"mediahistory-on-art-and-power-propaganda","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/szmz.hu\/teaching\/media-history\/mediahistory-on-art-and-power-propaganda\/","title":{"rendered":"MediaHistory: on Art and Power \/ Propaganda"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Most of our everyday activity is social. We as individuals aim to belong to certain communities, so we prove this belonging via our actions, by how we dress, behave etc. We certainly enjoy being parts of social classes, thus we work constantly on these belongings – at least to enjoy the priviledges coming with them. That is what we call being civilized, or to put it more simply: it is what we call culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We want to belong to a community, enjoy the priviledges of being part of a social class. Being part of a community has obvious advantages. If you hunt mammoths, you have much more chance being successful as a member of a group of hunters than alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social belonging brings certain priviledges for the individual; for centuries being an intellectual, a scientist or artist required belonging to a sponsoring authority, and all cultural products served the representation of economical and political power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is the reason why we see sometimes rather questionable personalities portrayed on masterpieces of visual arts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Pietro della Francesca: Madonna della Misericordia (Madonna of Mercy, 1445, central piece of a polyptych) pictures the the kneeling members of the confraternity (the commissioners)
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Parthenon Frieze extol the virtues of the Athenians against their enemies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius erected around 175 AD<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Donatello: Equestrian statue of Gattamelata, 1453<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Veroccio: Equestrian statue of Colleoni, 1496
photo by Didier Descouens – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=64674384<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Until the late 18th century visual arts served almost exclusively as the representation of power. The quite rare examples to expose injustice, critique power structures, and inspire social change are quite metaphorical. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pieter Bruegel the Elder, “The Massacre of the Innocents” (c. 1565-1567, 109.2×158.1 cm, British Royal Collection)<\/strong> depicts the biblical story of King Herod ordering the slaughter of all male infants in Bethlehem. While rooted in religious narrative, the painting also reflects the political turmoil and violence of Bruegel’s time, with the Spanish Inquisition and religious wars raging across Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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By Pieter Brueghel the Younger: Der Bethlehemitische Kindermord<\/em> \/ Massacre of the Innocents<\/em> (~1565-1567, 116 x 160 cm, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Wien)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Renaissance marked a shift towards individualism and humanism, emphasizing the importance of personal expression and creativity. Artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci began to assert their independence from traditional patrons and to explore new artistic styles and techniques.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Piero della Francesca: Polyptych of the Misericordia, ~1445-62, 273x330cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Piero della Francesca’s artistic career was deeply intertwined with the patronage system prevalent in Renaissance Italy. His success and ability to create groundbreaking works were largely due to the support and commissions he received from influential patrons. These patrons not only provided financial backing but also shaped the themes and subjects of his art, reflecting their own interests, values, and political agendas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Piero’s early career was primarily based in his hometown of Sansepolcro and the surrounding region. He received commissions from local religious confraternities and wealthy families, such as the Bacci family, who commissioned the “Baptism of Christ.” These early works established his reputation as a skilled painter with a strong understanding of perspective and a unique artistic vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Piero’s fame grew, he attracted the attention of more powerful patrons, including Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, Lord of Rimini, and Pope Pius II. These influential figures commissioned Piero to create ambitious projects, such as the frescoes in the Tempio Malatestiano in Rimini and the now-lost frescoes in the Vatican Palace. These commissions not only provided Piero with greater financial security but also exposed his work to a wider audience, further enhancing his reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pietro della Francesca: The Babtism of Christ, ~1448-50, 167x116cm
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Piero’s most significant patron was Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, and his wife Battista Sforza. The Duke, a renowned humanist and military leader, was a discerning patron of the arts, and he commissioned Piero to create several important works, including the famous double portrait of the Duke and Duchess, as well as the altarpiece of the “Madonna of Senigallia.” The Duke’s patronage provided Piero with the resources and intellectual stimulation to experiment with new techniques and ideas, contributing to his artistic development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Piero della Francesca: Diptych of Federico da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza, ~1473-75, 47 cm \u00d7 33 cm each panel <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Leonardo began his artistic career in Florence, where he apprenticed under the renowned painter and sculptor Andrea del Verrocchio. During this time, he likely received some support from the Medici family, the de facto rulers of Florence and prominent patrons of the arts. However, Leonardo’s ambitious and independent spirit eventually led him to seek out other patrons who could offer him more challenging and lucrative projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1482, Leonardo entered the service of Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan. Sforza was a powerful and ambitious ruler who sought to enhance his prestige through art and culture. Leonardo’s multifaceted talents as an artist, engineer, and inventor made him an invaluable asset to the Milanese court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Leonardo’s map of the city of Imola made in 1501<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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While in the service of Cesare Borgia, Leonardo created this detailed map of the city of Imola, which Borgia had recently conquered. The map demonstrates Leonardo’s cartographic skills and his interest in military engineering.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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During his time in Milan, Leonardo produced some of his most famous works, including the “Last Supper” mural for the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie and the equestrian monument to Francesco Sforza, Ludovico’s father (although the latter was never completed due to political upheaval). Leonardo also worked on various engineering projects for the Duke, designing military fortifications, canals, and even a mechanical lion that could walk and roar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Leonardo da Vinci, Lady With an Ermine (c. 1489\u201391, 54x39cm).
Courtesy of the National Museum, Krakow.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Leonardo da Vinci, Study of horses, circa 1490, 250x180mm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In 1502, Leonardo briefly entered the service of Cesare Borgia, the ruthless son of Pope Alexander VI. Borgia was a skilled military leader and strategist who sought to consolidate his power in central Italy. Leonardo’s expertise in military engineering made him a valuable asset to Borgia’s campaigns, and he designed innovative weapons and fortifications for the warlord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Map of the Arno Valley (1503-1504)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While working for Borgia, Leonardo created this detailed map of the Arno Valley in central Italy, which was strategically important for military purposes. The map demonstrates Leonardo’s cartographic skills and his ability to combine artistic and scientific approaches to mapmaking.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In 1516, Leonardo moved to France at the invitation of King Francis I, who offered him a generous stipend and a residence at the Chateau of Clos Luc\u00e9. Although Leonardo was in his sixties by this time and his health was declining, he continued to work on various projects for the king, including designing elaborate court festivals and planning a new royal palace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Joseph Wright of Derby: Untitled, known as A Philosopher Giving that Lecture on the Orrery, in which a Lamp is put in place of the Sun<\/em> or The Orrery<\/em>, cca.1776, 147.2×203.2 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, was a cultural and intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism over tradition and religious dogma. This philosophical shift had a profound impact on the visual arts, leading to the emergence of new styles, themes, and approaches to representation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Joseph Wright of Derby: An Experiment on a Bird in an Air Pump, cca.1768, 183×244 cm, National Gallery, London<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Death of Socrates (1787) by Jacques-Louis David depicts the philosopher Socrates choosing death rather than renouncing his beliefs. It symbolizes the importance of intellectual integrity and the pursuit of truth, even in the face of adversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jacques-Louis David: The Death of Socrates, 1787, 129.5×196.2 cm, Metropolitan, NY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Jacques Louis David<\/strong> (French, 1748\u20131825). Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier and Marie Anne Pierette Paulze<\/em>, 1788.
Oil on canvas; 259.7 x 194.6 cm, New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The period’s emphasis on reason, science, and individual liberty inspired artists to create works that celebrated intellectual curiosity, social progress, and the human potential for self-governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jacques-Louis David: The Tennis Court Oath, unfinished, 1790-94, 400×660 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Jacques-Louis David: The Tennis Court Oath, sketch, 1791, 66×101.2 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This painting captures the dramatic moment when members of the French National Assembly swore an oath to create a new constitution for France, symbolizing the revolutionary spirit and the desire for political reform that characterized the Enlightenment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jacques-Louis David: The Tennis Court Oath, study, ~1790-91, 65×88.7 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The idea of the independent artist comes from Romanticism, along with the virtue to activism against political power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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