Evolving Toward Ecstasy Essay Example for Free

Evolving Toward Ecstasy Essay This art review by Robert Smith is on a Matisse Exhibition that was at the Metropolitan Museum of Art last November, â€Å"Matisse: In Search of True Painting. † The name of this article comes from a quote from Matisse himself, where he claims to work â€Å"towards what I feel; toward a kind of ecstasy. † From the beginning of the article, Smith raves about this exhibit. He calls it â€Å"one of the most thrillingly instructive exhibitions about this painter, or painting in general, that you may ever see. † His excitement for it is unmistakable, but this may be a biased opinion, as he seems to be a huge fan of Matisse himself. He seems genuinely impressed with Rebecca Rabinow, a curator of modern and contemporary art, and how she put the exhibit together, but his love for the artist most likely influenced his view. He praises the decision to show Matisse’s penchant for copying pieces and working in series. Two still life arrangements with fruit and compote are included along with four views of Notre Dame as seen from Matisse’s window and many other series and copies. He describes the exhibit as spacious as it is spread out through eight different galleries. In each pair or group of works, a mini seminar is created according to Smith. He goes into detail about how you could spend your entire visit in the second and third galleries with their sailors, nudes with white scarves and â€Å"contrasting psychological chords and spatial treatments of the Laurettes. † He comments on the textbook simplicity of how the exhibit is set up, letting your eyes wander through the different styles, textures, colors and overall effect of Matisse’s works. There is no doubt that Smith has a very positive view of this Exhibition. He applauds the 49 exceptional works chosen, for how they skim across Matisse’s long and productive career. In this review, he discusses a large amount of Matisse’s works, which sways from the point of the article, which was to critique the exhibition. His support for it is blatant, but he may have gone off on too much of a tangent on his love for Matisse and his works of art. This review could be beneficial to readers, but it could also be misleading if you aren’t already a fan of Matisse’s art. He aggrandizes the exhibit as a whole, so its not really clear if the quality is really there, or if he’s just smitten with the artist displayed.

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Gerard Manley Hopkins, born in 1844 and who is an optimist, is also one of the greatest poets of the Victorian Era (Academy of American Poets). There's also William Wordsworth born in 1770 is another optimist and another great poet, but of the Romantic Era (Harriet Monroe). Both of these poets from two separate time periods have the same idea of society and the human population in general. Materialism is a trait that can torment both the rich and the poor and is described as both culturally destructive and very much self destructive (George Monbiot). In both poem of â€Å"God's Grandeur† by Gerard Manley Hopkins and â€Å"The World is too Much with Us† by William Wordsworth, both of these poems have similar ideas of expressing their opinions of the advancement of technology and the growth of complexed architecture. In Hopkins' piece of work, he puts together a lyrical poem that's filled with alliteration in order to make his phrases more memorable and melodious (Skylar H. Burris). An example may be â€Å"It will flame out, like shining from shook foil† (Hopkins line 2). The diction of the words â€Å"flame,† â€Å"shining,† and â€Å"shook foil† creates the imagery of warmth and liveliness. On the other hand, â€Å"grandeur† is a word used to describe magnificent and impressive (Brian Wasko), but in Hopkins' poem, he describes the â€Å"grandeur† as wearing out or is becoming thin. Hopkins message to his readers is that by people rejecting the power of God, people are also attracting negative situations into their lives. ... ...stent when it comes to the topic of God. In other words, Hopkins tends to shove religion down people's throats while Wordsworth only mentions God once in line 9, while the rest is about the departure of human and nature. In conclusion, Hopkins and Wordsworth both consider that people are beginning to get too caught up in material matters to admire nature because without nature, people wouldn't have any of the objects they would have. As a matter of fact, their would be no life, but only darkness just as Hopkins described. Hopkins and Wordsworth would both agree on the matter that humanity was and is loosing touch with nature. If they were both upset with how their society was back in their time, then they would have been terror-stricken.

Definitions Paper

Definitions Paper OI/361 Innovation, Design, and Creativity for a Competitive Advantage March 18, 2013 Innovation is important for progress. Without companies and people to drive new ideas in the workplace there would not be progress. The American Heritage Dictionary defines innovation states, â€Å"The acting of introducing something new† (American Heritage Dictionary 2008). Many forms of innovation exist, however, in business it is link to the sharing of information through desire and passion to deliver results.Furthermore, innovation does not have to be this spectacular new product. However, the innovation needs to benefit the public or business. This paper will show the definition of every term, discusses their business implications, and a comparison and contrast. Design is a tangible thing that is created from an activity. According to the University of Phoenix text, â€Å"Design is the conscious decision-making process by which information (an idea) is transformed into an outcome, be it tangible (product) or intangible (service)† (2008).Design is the link to the corporate industry because many people relate to industry. However, design is also a decision to change something. Creativity comes from the mind; the company or companies have a vision in which they want to show they have the best products on the market. What bothers these companies is they rely on raw data, evidence of success. Mohawk Carpets has brought many innovations to the flooring industry. The organization has a reputation for leading the industry in technology and quality within the flooring business.In 1997, Mohawk purchase a large ceramic tile company from Dallas Texas named Dal tile to compete in the entire flooring industry. Since the purchase Mohawk Carpets became the largest flooring manufacture in the United States through technology and innovation, design and creativity, such as self-design programs on line which allows homeowners to put in a DVD and use there creat iveness and build the rooms they want resurfaces. This innovation gave Mohawk Carpet customers the ability to make decisions from home and not feel pressured while at the floor shop.Furthermore, the customers would know exactly what they want when they purchase the flooring products. Or at least have the knowledge of what questions to ask. These three facets play critical roles in organizational objectives, in today’s trends regarding business implications; companies must have an idea and be able to implement it for the success of such company. These ideas are crucial to keep an aggressive margin or stay firm against the competing businesses.Most all companies will hire an employee with creative ideas that would give the business an advantage in the trade it is in. References Contrast Innovation, Design, and Creativity Paper. StudyMode. com. Retrieved March 18, 2013, from http://www. studymode. com/essays/Contrast-Innovation-Design-And-Creativty-Paper-486741. html Von Stamm, B. (2008). Managing innovation, design, and creativity 2nd ed. Retrieved March 18, 2013, from www. ecampus. phoenix. edu

Witchcraft And Superstition In Medieval Europe - 1654 Words

Witchcraft and superstition in Medieval Europe The concept of witchcraft and superstition stretches over a long period of time. The idea became familiar around 560 B.C when the two old testaments denounced witches and the belief in them. The idea is said to have originated in Europe, rapidly spreading around the world. Medieval Europe was an era that solely believed in magic, witches and the supernatural. In the Middle Ages witchcraft was viewed as a heinous crime that was punishable by death (ordeal by fire). The heroine known as Saint Joan of Arc (1412-1431) is just one individual who was burned at the stake after being accused of procuring heretic beliefs including that of witchcraft. People believed that magic was an illusion†¦show more content†¦In the early Middle Ages, there was doubt surrounding whether or not witchcraft even existed. In the 5th century AD influential Christian theologian, St. Augustine of Hippo proclaimed that all pagan magic and religion, whether t heir effects were illusory or real, were invented by the devil. He said that the devil s purpose in creating magic was to draw humanity away from the truths of Christianity. St. Augustine also explicitly linked idolatry with divination as superstitious practices, essentially reducing all pagan religions as superstition. This perception gained more strength with the passage of time and it was thought that witches had made a secret pact with the devil. Towards the end of the 5th-century Roman, laws cited all non-Catholic religions as superstition. In the 8th century St. Boniface supported the Church s belief that people who thought that witchcraft possessed any power were acting in an unchristian manner since it suggested that they doubted the supreme power of God. Then shortly after in 785, the Council; of Paderborn enacted legislation making it illegal to believe in the existence of witches. Charlemagne, King of the Franks (r.768-814) also endorsed this law. He also decreed that the burning of supposed witches was a pagan custom that should itself be punishable by death. During the 7th - 9th centuries, the church began to establish many civil laws against witchcraft. A lawShow MoreRelatedThe Myth Of The Witch1691 Words   |  7 Pagesmodern phenomenon, the stereotype of the female witch is rooted in several elements of late medieval witchcraft which antedate the witch hunts, and the time period that scholars recognize as most critical for the formation of the witch lies between the years 1430 and 1660. Before this time period, witchcraft, sorcery, and maleficium (magic) were dismissed as false superstition. Gradually, much of Medieval Europe began seriously believing that they were dealing with an omnipresent, uncontrollable threatRead MoreEssay on Magic and Superstition in the Middle Ages3515 Words   |  15 PagesSuperstitions have influenced the lives of human beings perhaps since the beginning of mankind. For millennia, people have clung to beliefs and practices surrounding preternatural activities. Even after science has produced evidence to explain what was once considered supernatural, the superstitious traditions have continued. During the Middle Ages, many new superstitious rituals were developed and some can still be seen in use today. 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