The Image Revisited

Each one of you has been assigned a famous classical painting. Some of them Expressionist, some Romantic,
Baroque or Renaissance. They all share one thing in common: their social function. Classical painting, in its
historic context, worked as an information/education device for the masses. Like news shows or magazines
today. Paintings were commissioned, most of the time, by the powerful (church and/or state) to establish and
reaffirm spiritual values, reinforce social status and depict political hierarchies in a format considered popular and
“timeless.”

Using Adobe Photoshop cutouts and image adjustment tools, you have the opportunity to create your own take
on the image you were assigned. Use the Internet, digital photography and printed media as your database. Ask
yourself: "If that painting would’ve be done today, who would be in it? Which icons of power would be represented
in it? How would the background look? Who would be the subjects?"

Take a look at Florian’s Photoshop montages in contrast with Michelangelo's Last Judgement. (Fig. 1)
The unification of his images, the color composition and the symbolism are only achieved through the conscious
deconstruction of today’s visual culture and the intense overuse of layering. In your composition, DON’T SETTLE
FOR SIMPLISTIC SOLUTIONS. You will have more than two weeks of class time to work on this. The more
“fractured” and layered your composition gets, the more levels of visualization it will acquire and the more
interesting it will be.

(Fig. 1)
Recommended steps

Research your assigned painting. Get familiar with it, understand its historical context, its influence in art
history and history in general.
Visit http://search.it.online.fr/covers/ and use the Search Box to find versions of different art pieces.
Sketch possible solutions and multiple options for its reconfiguration.
Collect the pieces. Take photographs of people, places and objects. Collect magazines and newspapers that
contain images you might use
Create a new Web document in Photoshop. Its shortest dimension should not be smaller than 800 px.
Use multiple canvases as sources and to configure certain parts of the final product.

RULE:
At least ONE NON-INTERNET image needs to be included in your final piece. Original photography gives you
control of many situations and printed media has a very “painty”, interesting, quality to it. The paper, the colors,
and textures are things you won’t find online.

The Last Supper

 Las Meninas

Diego Velázquez, Las Meninas , 1656

Pablo Picaso, Las Meninas , 1957