Death Of General Wolfe Analysis

Two pieces of art can be from very different time periods and can be created in two different types of styles, but at the same time can be related in many ways. Not only this, but the two pieces may even have different types of subjects and meanings that are being portrayed in the paintings, but they can still be linked together in certain ways. This can be seen with El Greco’s “Burial of Count Orgaz” and Benjamin West’s “The Death of General Wolfe,” in which are from two very different time periods, one relating to that of the Baroque painting style and the other being a neoclassic history painting that derived from the enlightenment. These two paintings are of very different time periods in which “Burial of Count Orgaz” was created in 1586 …show more content…
In El Greco’s painting the Count of Orgaz can been seen being lowered into his tomb much like that of Titan’s “The Entombment of Christ.” In Titan’s painting, which was created just before El Greco’s, Jesus is being lowered into his grave much like that of El Greco’s, leading to the idea that he might have based his “lowering” of Count Orgaz off of Titan’s painting. In West’s painting General Wolfe is very much portrayed the same way as “images of dead Christ in Lamentation and Depositions paintings that he would have seen during his time in Italy.” To further his point of having Wolfe represent Christ, the British flag which is above Wolfe in this painting can be seen as replacing that Cross, showing that instead of dying for humanity, Wolfe died for the good of his British …show more content…
El Greco’s somewhat related to that of the Baroque style in which is in relation with Catholic revival and counter Reformation even though it was created during the Spanish Renaissance, nearly a decade after than Council of Trent. There is actually two “sub styles” shown in this painting that are associated with the upper and lower halves. The upper half of the painting shows a heavily realm in where all the figures are painted as if they are lighter and more “spiritual,” meaning that they seem to be painted as if they were of a greater spiritual being, which in this painting they are. The colors that El Greco chose to portray the figures in the upper half are lighter than that of the lower half which caused they to seem to glow and cast light onto the much darker lower half of the painting. This was an effect that was mean to be created, because the lower half shows earthly figures that are of the natural world and not that of heaven which is depicted above. Not only are the figure in the lower half darker than the upper half, but they are also aligned in a straight line at the tops of their heads. This gives the idea balance, which is not seen in the upper portion, with all the figures “floating around” in the clouds. What is also unique about this painting was that El Greco was able to combine these two realms into one painting, by having the figures in the lower