Last week I ventured to the mysterious city of Padova for a class trip. I refer to it as mysterious because I had no idea what to expect prior to visiting the city. Like a child preparing for a trip to Disneyland, I had grandeur visions of the Padova: meandering, quaint streets, inhabited by slow-moving Italians living a peaceful, quiet existence (which overall seems to be a common stereotypical perception of Italy in general, with the exception of the bustling and lively city of Rome). Needless to say, I should have done my research!
From the moment we emerged in Padova and witnessed the vibrant student population and fast-moving metropolitan life pulsating through the city, I realized that the city had, in a single instant, defied my expectations. Padova is a peculiar city, a melting pot of the past and present, much like the city of Venice. Upon entering the Padova, the urban culture immediately springs upon you, much like the large-scale advertisements do in Venice. However after wandering about Padova for a while, I found myself consistently thrust into what seemed like scenes from a landscape painting or children’s fairy tale. Beautiful parks sparkling with the ruins of the past and quaint walkways through green grass and autumn-colored trees contrast with the urban nature of the city, yet seem to fit perfectly and beautifully into the Padova puzzle.
Our day consisted of many adventures, including examining the great artwork of Titian and exploring the other various religious art of the city. We also toured the University of Padova, where we viewed the famous Anatomy Theater where dissections used to occur. While all these adventures were enjoyable, my favorite part of the day was the visit to the Scrovegni Chapel. As an art history scholar, I’ve taken numerous art history courses throughout the past few years. I remember studying Giotto’s “Lamentation” in my very first art history course in high school and being immediately awestruck by the piece. The vivid blue utilized by Giotto is undeniably gorgeous, and the photographs in textbooks do little justice to the true beauty of the piece. Throughout my studies in college, I’ve analyzed the “Lamentation” numerous times, discussing the effect of the harsh diagonal that dominates the piece and directs the eye of the viewer to Christ. The highly emotional figures are typical of Giotto and convey the drama of the piece. The interplay between the angels in the sky and the figures on the ground is fascinating and highlights the Gothic shift towards the Renaissance.
To say I was excited to witness the work firsthand was an understatement.
When I entered the chapel, I initially was fascinated by the starry sky that decorates the ceiling and the sheer quantity of frescos decorating the walls. As I scanned the room, carefully reading Giotto’s narrative that he so wonderfully displays in his artwork, my eyes hit the “Lamentation” and I smiled- I had found my treasure. As an art history scholar and art enthusiast, it has been such a powerful experience time and time again to view works up close and personal that I’ve previously studied. While studying art from a textbook, there is always an absence of the real. Viewing a copy of art, for some, may be just like viewing the original. After all, through a copy of a work it is still possible to witness the same artistic elements- the subject, the colors, the brushstrokes, etc. However, it is my belief that the true essence of the piece can only be understood while looking at the original. The emotion that flows through the brushstrokes out of the piece, the vivid color that can only truly be witnessed in person, the relationship that the viewer forms with the artist through the personal viewing- these are the effects of viewing a work “in real life.” The mechanics of a work simply cannot be fully expressed in a copy. This experience got me thinking- Why is it that we have such a strong desire for “the real?”
To explore this question, I analyzed our modern culture in the United States. Through doing so, I discovered many ties to women and our society’s obsession with “the real.” While our culture in many ways promotes makeup and plastic surgery to beautify woman, the definition of true beauty in our society is “natural beauty.” Models, celebrities, and beautiful women in general are constantly being prodded and picked at by the media and our general culture to discover if they have had plastic surgery, something that is looked down upon as being “fake.” The girl next door (the natural beautify, full of integrity), also commonly referred to as the All-American girl, is a persona that is highly praised in our society. Young women (and never men) are also commonly referred to as being fake in their relationships with other women, pretending they like one another when they truly do not. I remember a comedian who came to Boiler Gold Rush at Purdue two years ago and cracked a joke about this very issue by pretending to be an enthusiastic female college student waving to another female and shouting “Hey Girl!!! What’s up!!!”, only to quietly whisper to himself a moment later, “You whore!”
The focus on “the real” in our culture does not simply relate to women. Our society, both historically and in the modern era, cherishes values such as honesty and integrity- values which essentially oppose “the fake.” The political candidates of our society often slander their opponents by referring to them as liars, while at the same time emphasizing their own honesty.
Through this brief analysis, I believe the answer to my question is simply that our society has influenced us to value truth. Although I did not explore other cultures, I think it is fair to say that all cultures share this emphasis on honesty and truth; therefore, this inclination towards “the real” is what makes us inherently human. As human beings, we are fascinated by the real and live our lives in a way as a “quest for the real.” I believe this is why seeing an artwork in person is such a powerful experience. Simply because I’m human, I hold a desire to see the “real thing,” and I look forward to satisfying this desire in the weeks to come.
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