Module 11: Video Review

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above. I was unsure of which videos to watch, so I watched a minute of each of them and the two that seemed the most interesting to me were the two I chose. "Matisse and Picasso" and "Dance at the Moulin de la Galette" either had the best narration or something interesting that brought me to them. 2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned. In the film "Matisse and Picasso," I learned that the relationship between Matisse and Picasso was unique. The stein family was the only people interested in Matisse's painting of his wife, and they bought it. The First Matisse was hung up and later surrounded by Picasso's paintings. Gertrude Stein thought the two should meet. He was the first to recognize the greatness of Matisse and Picasso. Picasso's father was a painter and a drawing teacher who encouraged his talent. Matisse was stubborn, unaware of his talent for 20 years of his life. When they met there was no clash, but they exchanged paintings. In 1912, Picasso invented his first collage. He was the team leader of cubism and Matisse was furious. Matisse is deliberate, rational and very French in the way he organized his thoughts. Picasso is a worker, impulsive and immerses himself in his painting. The outbreak of war did not stop them from painting. The film "Dance at the Moulin de la Galette," talks all about Renoir's famous piece. The piece was the most joyful and celebratory painting in art history. This painting transports us the viewer back in time to Paris. But also brings Paris to us. This was one of the most controversial paintings in the world. Renoir painted it twice almost changing nothing but its size. He wanted women to look beautiful and the men to look interested in the women. Which was a great statement of sexuality and thats why the painting is so famous. This is one of the greatest constants of human existence. 2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text? Both the videos and the text go into detail about Henri and Matisse. But the video goes more in depth on how the two relate and what pieces they were both working on at the same time. Both the text and the film go into detail of Renior's "Le Moulin de la Galette." The video is able to show more zoomed in areas of the piece and explain the part by part as in the book it talks about the piece more as a whole. 3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts? I think the films go very far into depth in explaining Matisse and Picasso's relationship and the painting "Dance at the Moulin de la Galette." I learned a lot that I didn't know about these subjects just from watching the videos. I highly recommend these for future classes.