Paul Gaugin
French, Paris 1848-1903 Atuona,Hiva Oa,
Marquesas Islands
"Two Tahitian women 1899"
Oil on canvas
As Gaugin brought his workin Tahiti to a close, he focused increasingly on the beauty and serene virtues of the native women.In this painting, he depended on sculpturally modeled forms,gesture, and facial expression to vivify the senttiments he had used to describe the "Tahitinan Eve": very subtle, very knowing in her naivere and at thr same time still capable of walking around naked without shame.These two figures first appear in the artist 's monumental frieze Faa Iheihe(Tahitian pastoral) of 1898 (Tate London) and again in the even larger Rupe Rupe (The Fruit Harvest) of 1899(Pushkin Museum of fine arts,Mosocow),which he composed for the upcoming Exposition Universelle of 1900.
Giotto di Bondone
Italian, Florentine,1266/79-1337
The Adoration of the Magi
possibly ca,1320
Tempera on wood,gold ground.
Dating to about 1320, this panel is one of seven showing the life of Christ.Nothing is knoown of their early histry beyond the fact that they were painted for a Franciscan church or convent; however, the masterly depiction of the stable,the carefully articulated space, and the columnar solidity of the figures testify to Giotto's reputation as the founder of European painting.The impetuous action of the kneeling king, who picks up the Christ Chid, and Mary's expression of concern translate the Biblicaal account into deeply human terms.He made art natural and gave it gentleness




