Comparing Magdalen And Two Women In Front Of A Window

The surrealism movement began in the early 1920s during World War I and II. Surrealism was a movement of art and literature aiming to express the subconscious mind by using dream like images (Dewitte). One of the early artists during this movement was Pablo Picasso. His painting, “Two Women in Front of a Window”, is an excellent example of surrealism and it also contains elements of cubism. In contrast, Philippe de Champaigne’s piece “The Repentant Magdalen”, was painted during the Middle ages and exemplifies qualities commonly found in Medieval Art. This essay compares these two art periods with respect to the major works created by these prominent artists.
“The Repentant Magdalen” is an oil painting on canvas, measuring 45 inches by 35 inches. Mary Magdalene, a principal repentant saint in Christian art, is the focal point of
Picasso’s painting was not really influenced by any said person however, surliest artists were influenced by Sigmund Freud. However, De Champaigne’s painting was influenced by Jansenism and later his paintings became more simplified and austere.
One of the noticeable characteristics of medieval art is the use of vivid color. Most of the artworks did not use perspective so in fact the figures conveyed clear cut human emotions. Because the middle ages stretched from the fall of the Roman Empire until the Renaissance period, most of the art pieces during this period were created mainly for churches (Dewitte). Another characteristic of medieval art was that its subjects revolved mostly around the holy family and saints. In contrast to using human emotions, surrealistic art combines familiar objects in unfamiliar ways thus to give them new meaning.
From the subject of the de Champaigne’s piece, one can see the importance divine subjects in artworks during the Middle ages. Picasso’s artwork comments on the diversity present in