Activity #13

The artwork of an artist is influenced by his or her environment; therefore, art will often echo that of its time and place. In 1960, Jasper Johns created his lithograph “0 through 9”, using stone in black on Arches paper. Joseph Mallord William Turner created his oil on canvas painting the “Keelmen Heaving in Coals by Moonlight” in 1835. The information below will compare and contrast the movement, style as well as the period of these two pieces of artwork.

The 1960 lithograph “0 through 9” was created during the 20th-century. It was during this period that western art changed. And Abstract Expressionist artist such as Jasper Johns came to light. The movement represented by this artwork is Abstract Expressionism. Abstract Expressionism is an American art movement characterized by large scale and nonrepresentational imagery. (581) Johns arrived on the New York art scene as the abstract expressionism movement was about to end. The abstract expressionism movement represents a style which is considered to be different. His style is represented by his use of abstract shapes and letters, and objects. In “0 through 9”, he has superimposed all ten digits which creates fragmented shapes which compete for your recognition of each numeral.

The 1835 oil painting “Keelmen Heaving in Coals by Moonlight was painted during the Modern Art period which took place during the nineteenth century. The Modern Art period was between 1800 through 1945. The movement for this artwork is Romanticism (1800-1850). Romanticism is defined as a movement in Western art of the 19th century. Romantic works are marked by intense colors, turbulent emotions, complex composition, soft outlines, and sometimes heroic or exotic subject matter. (587) Turner is considered to be one of the greatest English Romantic landscape painters. In the “Keelmen Heaving in Coals by Moonlight”, he creates an atmospheric effects using light and color. This is effect is seen when looking at the way in which the moonlight breaks through the clouds to illuminate the sky and water. In addition, this effect is also created using the colors blue and white which creates the lighting and darkening effect of the sky which serves to illustrate the moonlight shining upon the water. Turner’s style is representational. Representational is to create a likeness which is recognizable. (29)

In conclusion, the two pieces of artwork chosen identifies two of the different movements in art history. Since both are from different movements, periods it is no wonder that the style used by each artist is different.